Entitlement Programs....for Christians??

Ok, first off, let me clarify. There are no entitlements for Christians. I just thought that would be a good title. But seriously, we, as a nation have a lot of programs which are lovingly dubbed "entitlement" programs because the some of the people who benefit from them seem to expect things from that program. I was thinking today about how some people view Christianity in the same light. How the minute you accept Jesus then your life magically gets better. And on top of that, you will receive nothing but blessings and good things because you’re a “Christian”. Or, even (and I am guilty of this as well) that because you’re a Christian, you’re somehow exempt from really terrible things happening to you. Prepare yourselves for a wakeup call, my friends. Because that’s just bogus. It really is.

Just because we’re Christians and accept Jesus into our hearts, DOES NOT exempt us from the bad things in life and also does not guarantee that we will receive blessings all the time. One of the things I have also learned is that, in my Christian walk, if I do not give in the first place, I shouldn’t expect anything in return. Let me clarify. Think of it as a bank (and I heard this concept on a radio broadcast once). You go in and deposit money. Your money earns interest and you can draw on the money because you invested it and it is available for you to use. However, if you do not deposit money, there will be nothing for you to draw on. Philipians 4:19 says that “My God will meet all your needs according to His riches in Glory in Christ Jesus”. If you do not invest your time and effort into God, how can you expect Him to invest His Riches an Glory in you? That might be a little tough of an explanation but it’s meaning is clear.

Another example. Jesus Christ was not exempt from trials and tribulations on this earth either. He went through things that we go through, even today. Why? Because this is a fallen and sinful word. But did he sin? No. He invested into God’s Kingdom and fulfilled His purpose on this earth which was to die for our sins. When we accept Jesus Christ into our hearts, we are not guaranteed a trouble free life. We are guaranteed a trouble free and perfect Heaven. But that time is not now.

Like I mentioned before, I’m just as guilty as the next person. I whine, I complain, I fail at fulfilling my calling. And to some extent, I “expect” good things to happen. And when they don’t, I cry and ask God why these things are happening to me. When good things happen to us, it’s because we serve a good and loving Father who also extends to us Grace. What is Grace? John MacAurthur defines it as “the free and benevolent influence of a holy God operating sovereignly in the lives of undeserving sinners.” Other people have used the pneumonic G.R.A.C.E. – God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense. I personally, like John MacArthur’s version better because in it is a word which really drives this point home. Undeserving. You, me, all of us are underserving of Grace. And yet, when Grace is bestowed upon us, we mistakenly think that it’s because of something we’ve done. Because we go to church every Sunday, or maybe because we give x amount in the offering plate at church. I was reading this very moving story of a couple who lost their infant son at 41 weeks. He was still born. Then about 8 months later, they found out they were pregnant again only to find out that this baby had a severe Chromosomal defect and could very possibly not make it full term or even survive once he was born. I read a few of the Mom’s blogs and they were so moving and so powerful. I’m sure my own feeble “why, God?” didn’t even begin to match their heartbroken questions and pain. Well, She delivered the baby 3 days ago. And he lived for 59 precious minutes. They got to hold him, they got to love him, and then God called him home. This family is a devout Christian family and the Mom’s blog bespeaks of her faith even through this dark and difficult time. We ask why we go through these things and it’s because Christ went through them too. Sometimes it takes a little hardship and pain to remind of the fallen world we live in, our own sinful natures, the God we serve and His immeasurable Grace. Sometimes, some of us have to go through trial by fire to test where the center of our universe is. If it’s anywhere but God, then we have our priorities wrong. He comes first and that should never change. Jesus also said  “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). And that is a promise we can rest on. :)

Words - the food of Love? How about a Language of Love...

I've been thinking about words lately. How words are the building blocks to an acquaintance, a friendship, relationship - well, you get what I'm saying. Sometimes I think words are also like foods. They (the bad foods) can tear us down internally and externally and the good foods can build up up and make us feel great. Imagine that you have a cupboard, full of words. And every morning, you go to pick out your words for the day. Let's assume that you're having a rough week and you go straight for the complaining words (junk food, confort foods), the ones that don't bring out the positive aspects of the situation. Or maybe you/re mad at someone - they've done you wrong and so you choose biting words (foods that taste just awful). Ones that make you feel better but don't necessarily help the situation. Or, you're having a great day and you go straight for the good foods, the ones that make you feel good all over for eating healthy. Well, so it is with our words. 

When we use our words we are essentially expressing thoughts, feelings, emotions. When we are angry we tend to say words and use inflection to convey as such. When we are sad…when we are happy... and so the pattern continues.

If you have ever read “the Five love languages” by Dr. Chapman, you will find that “words of affirmation” are considered one of the “love languages”. When I first read the book, I was struck with how accurate the solution seemed. Find somebody’s love language and when you love them in that way all your problems will disappear. You know what I found out? That’s not the case. Just as with any language, there are many dialects that come with it. The same is true for Love languages.

Words are so powerful to me. I am realizing that now. That I will move heaven and earth if you give me the right affirmation for it. But say two wrongs things and you will have an emotional mess on your hands. I am often struck at how at certain times, when we need it the most, the Holy Spirit will allow Scripture to be recalled to our minds. Tonight’s was: 1^st Corinthians 13:11 “When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.” 

Recently, I acted like a child with my words. I reverted to how I used to deal with tough situations as a child. When my mom would come to me and say “Catherine, you did something wrong”, it was like a knife slicing through my heart. Not because she meant it that way, but because words have such an impact on me. The other night was very much the same. I know I could have handled it better. But It is so difficult when words, though not meant cruelly, feel like they are piercing you right and left. I didn't know how to deal with the situation, other than to shut down and mentally resolve to NEVER do anything of the like EVER again (note for clarification: I didn't do anything dreadful, just made wrong assumptions based on miscommunication). Not because I realized I was in the wrong…but because I never wanted to encounter a situation like that again. 

 I will never forget the time we were doing yard work and I pulled up a root which I thought was a weed. Evidently it was a plant that my dad has been tending to. When he saw me with the root in my hand, he exclaimed “Catherine! What are you doing?! I can’t believe you just pulled that up! I was tending to that plant!” and he shook his head in disgust and I felt about 2 cm tall. I mumbled an apology and I went inside the house and cried. I was sorry for what I had done. I surely didn't mean to, I had no malicious intent…but my dad’s words made me feel even worse. I went back outside and tried to apologize buy couldn't because of the lump in my throat. I’m sure my dad doesn't remember the incident…but I do.

And so it is with words and me. They can build me up, or tear me down. They flow within me constantly, always in my head. When I get an inspiration, it is like the words just flow from my fingertips. I can hardly keep up with them. Then there are times when words fail me.

I wonder if words are my vice. If I have finally found that piece of character that really needs refining. Because it is painful. I don’t mind criticism. Don’t get me wrong. If there is a part of my character that needs to be looked at, I will, hopefully humbly, receive what someone has to say to me. But when it’s a direct “you did this wrong”  there is something about that phrase, whether spoken or implied that just cuts me to the core. I can’t explain it. And the only way I know how to deal with it is to, like I said, never tread down that particular path again.

Why is it that I have such a hard time with that? And why is it that I react so childishly to it? Is it because I never learned any other way to deal with it? Is this something I’m stuck with for life? I definitely don’t like this aspect of myself. I also get hung up on the “well, I’m doing this for you so you should be doing this for me”. But that too, in and of itself, is selfish. It’s a very inward perspective. When I realize these things about myself, I feel so wretched, so dirty, so unworthy. I hate who I am and I desperately wish I could turn back time and take back those times, those instances so I wouldn't be plagued with the memory of them now. But I can’t. And if I could, there would be no reason for Grace. See, if we could magically erase all the stupid things we've said or done, or go back and change the past, then there would have been no need for Jesus to die on the cross. We could make our lives what we want them to look like, rather than face them for what they are. I don’t like my sins, I don’t like how it makes me feel, but it is a good (albeit painful) reminder of how desperately I need a Savior. And how immeasurable His grace is. And that it is ALWAYS there, any time I need it. All I need to do is to be humble enough to ask for it.  

From Blog to Book?

Sometimes I wonder what "Divine Inspiration" is. I think that it's different for each person, but I believe in it all the same. Some folks scoff at the idea of anything being "divinely' inspired. They might think it's a bunch of rubbish. But I believe that it how god communicates with us. He puts things on our hearts or our minds and using scripture to feel that spiritual seedling. The thing that's been most on my mind is writing a book. Using the posts from this blog and putting all these thoughts together into a collection of lessons God has taught to me. And the thing that has been sitting most vividly in my mind as a title is "More Than Enough". Because is it so true. Both in God's case, and ours. We are more than enough for God - He made us, He called us, He has a purpose for us - we are the clay and He is the Potter. Likewise, He is More than enough for us. He is Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. God is Love, our first Love. I could go on and on. With these two truths in mind, I would focus on a major problem we encounter in the United States - Self-image and Self-worth. I can tell you from experience that it's hard not to harshly judge yourself when you look at the magazine rack at the store. Beautiful women, with seemingly perfect bodies, perfect skin, beautiful makeup - you walk away thinking "Gosh I wish I looked like that!" or "Welp, Diet starts today!". But behind the lens of the camera that took that picture is a far from perfect woman. Makeup, Hair Products, Photo shop - all those items were used to create that "perfect" picture. What if we started to look at ourselves through the Lens of the Bible and not through the world? What if we took a deep breath and really evaluated ourselves through the eyes of God and Scripture? I think you'd be pleasantly surprised at the results. See, unlike the world, there are no size requirements. There's no skin tone or color, weight, jean size, shoe size, hair color specifications etc. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, the Bible tells us we are as white as snow. Remember waking up to snow some morning, before it's been messed up by road salts and shovelers? It's perfect isn't it :) Well, when we are right with God, we are washed in the Blood of the Perfect Savior - and that is enough to come to God. In fact, that's the only way to come to God. Through the blood of the lamb. In the Old Testament, not just any lamb would do. A Lamb for sacrifice had to be spotless, without blemishes. Likewise, Jesus, had to be perfect, without blemishes. Now, I'm not talking about acne - I'm talking about the blemishes that come when we sin. And he did not sin.
Another focus I might take is one of finding our self-image in God. You can't just read "He is more than Enough". You have to believe it. When you believe it, when your trust is completely in Him, When HE Is Your All, your first Love, than you are what I like to call, Grounded in Christ. Planted on a rock that will never be shaken. There is a huge problem with this in our country. We are told that we will not be happy unless we have this amazing tablet or newest smart phone. That because our current one is slower and less functional, that we will suffer until we pay huge amounts of money to upgrade. That unless we're a size 0 with a 5% body fat, that we will never be truly happy with our bodies. That unless we are leaning on a man's arm, no matter who he is or where he's from or what he believes, that we will never find true happiness. That it's ok to throw morals and values away, all for the sake of a little romance. How sad for the young women in generations to come! I can't stress this enough! IF you are grounded in Christ than all of those other things do not and should not matter! Because we can never be TRULY happy unless we choose to have happiness in Christ. I am often struck with how often I wondered "who I was". There are people who go on massive "spiritual" journeys, to holy places or remote lands, to find themselves. What I have found, is that you will "find yourself" when you ask God to reveal your purpose. I think that people who are in search of who they are, are really in search for their purpose or meaning in life.  Not everyone is going to have the same purpose. It's just not possible. If everyone in a car plant did the same thing, nothing else would be accomplished. There is no way we can each have the same purpose. Going back to some old thoughts from a recent post, we are His workmanship. He uses us, our talents, our abilities, to further His kingdom. He's coming back one day and only he knows when. Matthew 24: 36 says " ³⁶ “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." We are to be prepared at all times. We are to give an account for the hope that is within us. 1st Peter3:15 "¹⁵ But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," My Pastor challenged my Sunday School class to write out their testimony, having it be no longer than 3 minutes. What's your testimony? What was your life before Christ? I know I've covered a lot of topics but I can't wait to begin to compile these thoughts and see where God takes them and uses them. My prayer is that He uses my gifts for His purpose and His kingdom. :) 

The Rainbow Connection

Did you ever play the game called Life? The one where you started out with you in  a car and along the way, your "life" was determined by the cards you were dealt. Your job, how many Kids you had, whether you were successful or not - All of those things rested in the hands of the dealer and the "luck of the draw". Too often I hear phrases such as "well, that's how the cards were dealt" or, "it's just not in the cards for me"  and I can't help but think how awful it is if people really think that their life is analogous to a game of cards.   Proverbs 3:5-6 says "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths.(Or make your paths straight)" I wrote another blog post dissecting this verse..you can read it here. But I think the most important part of that verse is "Trust in the Lord with all you heart...and he will make your paths straight."

I have seen the truth of this verse in my own life many, many times. The more I trust my ways to God and rely on Him and not my own understanding, He makes it clear to me that path I should go. One misconception about Christians is that we have a "perfect" life and that is not the case at all. We are all sinners - every last one of us. The difference between true followers of Jesus Christ and those who are lost, is that His followers have a relationship with Him and long to conform to His image. It is not enough to go to church, to know who God is, to acknowledge His existence, all the while not pursuing a relationship with Him. But I digress.

Unlike the game of Life, our paths are not determined by cards or luck. They are ultimately determined  by the choices we make. Whether to take this job or move to this city - these decisions impact and sometimes alter our course through life. And an interesting facet of these courses are the people we meet as we go along. Some are friends, some are acquaintances and it is these relationships that shape who we become as people. Have you ever met someone who had such a huge impact on you that you found it hard to forget them. I think we can all say we have had that experience, or as I like to call it "Rainbow Connection". (Rainbow Connection being a friend or aquaintance whom you believe God has purposfully placed in your life for a sepcific reason, a promise of His faithfulness) It has happened many times throughout the course of my life. Each stage of life I have had, has simply set me up for a better and greater chapter than the one before. And some of the doors have been opened and closed by the relationships that I have begun and also ended. Each and every one has served a purpose or is still serving a purpose. I don't know where it leads, but it is an amazing thing to watch. To think that a Job interview in 2009  (that I almost turned down), would lead to meeting my true spiritual sister as well as friends and acquaintances that would lead to a government internship. That internship, in turn led to meeting another dear friend (one to whom I feel great attachment because of some things she is going through). Through her, I would meet the man I am currently in a relationship with, a man I prayed for (with specifics) and God met every single one of my requests. Through this relationship and his loving me enough to have a heart to heart with me about what my pasisons are, I have realized that the last four years of working in an engineering environment was a means to an end, not my end...but God's end. I am not meant to be an engineer. Can I do it? Absolutely. But my calling is elsewhere and it involves the use of my hands. It has not yet been revealed to me how to use them in a specific manner, but I am on that path by now pursuing a degree in Kinesiology with supplemental focuses on massage therapy, Personal training, sports injuries and nutrition. The way God has used the experiences in my life, the lessons both good and bad, is truly amazing and astounding. How God can make a beautiful picture of what I thought was a horrid mess (my life) is beyond my comprehension. That fulfillment I longed for I have now found because I am living for God's Purpose, not my own. But that only happens when we are willing to trust our futures, our cares, our happiness into His hands. When we truly come to Him and say "Lord, I am yours, use me as you will" He does that and much more.

 If you are following the will of God, I truly believe that He brings across your path people who make a difference in your life as well as people in whose life you can make a difference. In Romans 9 it says "21 Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes and some for common use?". I realize this may sounds harsh and contrary to the belief that God is a fair God..but it also says in Ephesians 2: 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

And if I may highlight the word "workmanship" The following definition comes from gospel.com: Christians are God's workmanship--tools uniquely designed by God to fulfill a specific purpose. We can rejoice in the knowledge that we are wonderfully made for a reason, and that God continues to work with us throughout our lives. The Greek word for Workmanship is POIEMA. Does that sound familiar? We get the word Poem from Poiema. Poems are typically looked at as masterpieces or even some "works of art" . So you see, we are God's "works of art", created for His purpose and ultimately, His glory. It is not our good works that save us though. We are saved FOR good works, or "saved to serve". James 2: 18 "But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?... 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Going back to what I said earlier - it is not enough to go to church and be a spiritual statue. It is not enough to say "Yes, I believe in God". We are called, we are commanded to love the Lord our God with all of our hearts, our souls and minds. And second to that we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Do you have a special purpose? Or are you for common use? I like to think that if God calls as we listen, we can find our special purpose to further His kingdom. For some it may be in ministry, others, maybe raising their kids in the home. We each have a job to do and the only way to find that job is to open your heart and your ears to the Spirit of God as He guides you down the path of Life He has for you.

Life, Love and the Pursuit of Health

I saw a naturopath over the weekend. The visit was enlightening and scary at the same time. Enlightening in that I'm not going crazy.  My symptoms are real. And there is something I can do about it.

It was scary in that there is so much that goes on within the body that we cannot see - but we can feel it. For example, I've begun a journey of quitting sugar. I've noticed that after I decrease my intake for a while, the minute I have something sugary, I get an instant headache. Or something with carbs - my athlete's foot will flare up. My body has a cycle of feeling "inflamed" and feeling normal. I've noticed this cycle and have, within the last few months/years have really begun to analyze what I eat. By process of elimination, I found that there are certain foods that I can and cannot tolerate. I don't live strictly by these lists but I try.

The naturopath I saw on Saturday confirmed these foods to avoid, among others - without me even telling her and I found that fascinating. The list includes Cow dairy, Goat dairy, apples, oregano, basil, coconut, tomatoes, coffee peppers and some other interesting items. The reason why I have to avoid these foods is because of a chemical imbalance caused by my liver and kidneys not functioning properly. Living a high stress lifestyle for so long, coupled with Lyme Disease 11 years ago, has caused this imbalance. To add to that, I have several heavy metals floating around in my body. High levels of chlorine - from lifeguarding and swimming for a combined 12-13 years. My pH is also off contributing to a constant swing of bacterial and fungal infections. All of these underlying things lead to fatigue, migraines, tinnitus and myriads of other symptoms. I saw so many doctors in 2012, probably more than I have ever seen in my lifetime combined. They all told me I was healthy - but no one explained my symptoms.

So I went on a personal self-diagnosis journey - one that I'm still on.

The first adjustment I tried to make (and am still trying to make) is getting more sleep. Sleep is essential for the body to function correctly. It's a natural "Recharge". The adrenal glands use the sleep time to repair and restore the body. The ideal time to go to bed and actually be asleep is between the hours of 9 and 11. If you are not asleep within this time frame, the adrenals are no able to fully do their job. Compound this over the long term and you have a mess. I realized that I functioned better, felt better (both physically and about myself) and my headaches weren't as frequent or as bad.

The second adjustment I have been making is what I eat. If it comes out of a box or a can, I generally don't eat it..and by this I mean processed foods. As far as processed foods go, we have no idea of the amount of chemicals, preservatives and additives that is used in processed foods. So Good-bye Stouffer's Lasagna and Mac and Cheese. It's been fun but I'd rather make it myself.

   Another food I cut out was dairy. I did this unintentionally at first. I'm not a big milk drinker and with cutting out cereal I had no reason to buy it. I also wasn't eating cheese because I just didn't think about it. The only thing I would eat dairy-wise was an occasional yogurt. One day at the store, I decided I wanted cereal and milk - why not deviate once in a while! And the result was an afternoon of stomach cramping and misery. I realized I had become lactose intolerant (something that runs in my family too). But in reality, most humans really can't process cow dairy. It's very difficult for our bodies to break down the enzymes. But we do it anyway!

   I cut out carbs (breads, pastas etc) because of the yeast factor. I realized that the list of things I could eat was slowly getting smaller and smaller.

I've tried many detoxes, different ways of eating, different supplements, but I never really pinpointed what was going on in my body. I've known something was off but I didn't know what.

The third adjustment has been to decrease the stress in my life - or as some call it, to live slow. I love the thought of living slow. Our society has commercialized the ideas of quick and easy. Weight loss, hair removal, fast food, results in the gym - it's all around us. We have forgotten what it's like to work hard and yet take pride in something. Living slow doesn't mean not living at all. It means slowing down and taking an opportunity to enjoy life, one minute at a time. I understand busy schedules - trust me I do! During my weekdays, I'm up at for a good 18-19 hours of the day between the gym, work and school. I have lived this kind of life for the last 5-6 years. I am now seeing the results of a high stress lifestyle and it is painful.

What has kept me going is my faith, which has been strengthened throughout this ordeal. Through all of this I reground myself in my Jesus and ultimately look to him for the path to healing.

Oddly enough, through these struggles, an email I sent out regarding my health issues back in February indirectly put me in touch with the wonderful man I am currently dating. God has richly blessed me with his love support and encouragement throughout our relationship. God is using him mightily in my life as I seek out God's purpose for me and the gifts he has given me. To put some things in perspective - if I had never been sick, I wouldn't have come crying to Jesus for help when I did. The process of strengthening my faith through God's grace stirred something in me and I had to share it with my family and friends. The e-mail I sent somehow made its way to his inbox and when he read my email he was touched by what he read. We accidently (or not so accidently in God's eyes) met a few months later with me having no idea that he had read that e-mail. We've been dating ever since and I tell this story because it has shown me that God can take ANY and EVERY seemingly bad situation and turn it around for good. But What I've also learned is that people misread Romans 8:28. They read "God works all things together for good"  and fail to remember the "to those who love God and are called according to HIS purpose". When we're living for God and His purpose, using the gifts that we've been given, He is able to take the good, the bad and the ugly and make something completely wonderful. Maybe you're suffering now - physically, emotionally, mentally - maybe at some point, God will bring someone else across your path who is struggling with the same things....giving you an opportunity to witness and minister to them.

Seeing the naturopath gave me hope. She has me on a supplement regimen that is slowly and gently detoxing my body. I have a list of foods to avoid, I have to use more natural cleaning products and perfume/dye free detergent. I've begun to eliminate those specific foods and I'm slow starting to feel the difference. My energy feels better, and my outlook is more positive. But ultimately, I'm reminded that as humans, we're fragile and if we don't start listening to our bodies and taking care of them, we will never reach the full potential that God has in store for us physically and emotionally. I'm blessed with relatively good health. Some other people I know who are also Christians are not and have struggled for years with physical ailments - but what they are blessed with is an incredible mental outlook and an incredible testimony. These people inspire me to continue to pursue my passion of health and fitness. So that, one day,I can help people whether nutritionally, mentally or just by telling my story. God brings special people into lives for a reason. I hope to be that special person for someone one day.

Pasta-less Lasagna

I've been craving lasagna for quite some time. I won't, however, break down and buy any sort of store made, uber processed lasagna because, well, I'm a food snob. Plus, I like to cook and make recipes from scratch. Google has seen many a random recipe search from my ever eager hands, ready to cook. I came across a delicious recipe for lasagna that did not involve noodles or pasta of any kind. Score! So I went to the store, bought the ingredients and made it. It. Was. Amazing. The recipe is posted below. As with most things I make, I don't measure - I guesstimate. I also add whatever sounds good. I'll show my additions as well as the original recipe. Be creative! Think outside the box :) 

Pastaless Zuchinni Lasagna

Ingredients:
2 zucchini, sliced long and thin
1 cup peppers, julienned (I learned something new too! this means cutting thinly sliced..look it up!)
½ cup onions, julienned
1 pint ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons parsley
2 teaspoons oregano
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups Homemade Tomato sauce or 1 jar of favorite brand tomato sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

My additions:
1 egg
1 pound lean ground beef
Parmesan Cheese

Preparation:
1.Heat olive oil in a skillet and add peppers and onions.  Cook until tender.

2.Mix herbs, egg, Parmesan Cheese, salt and pepper in ricotta cheese in a small bowl. (I used whole milk ricotta and dry herbs..next time I'll use fresh herbs and see what amazing things happen with the taste!!)

 Where I deviated from the recipe was adding ground beef. I mixed it in with the pasta sauce (I used Prego) and it turned out fabulously! Simply brown the beef in a skillet and drain. Then add to the sauce and mix thoroughly.

3.In a glass-baking dish, place a ½ cup of tomato sauce in the bottom and spread evenly.
4.First layer - zucchini slices.
5.Second  layer - ricotta cheese mixture.
6.Third layer – tomato sauce.
7.Fourth layer -  pepper and onion mixture.
8.Fifth layer - ricotta cheese.
9.Sixth layer – zucchini slices.
10.Seventh layer – tomato sauce.
11.Continue an alternating layering pattern until all materials are used.

12 (again, my addition). Cover generously with Paremsan, Mozzerella, Provolone or whatever cheese you have nearby. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes. I think because of all my extra additions it took a little longer than I anticipated. 

YUM YUM! Make sure you let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes so that it sets. It will be much easier to cut and serve.

It came out so well. You can alter your own version if you prefer, maybe adding more meat and/or sauce and less cheese or vice versa. As you can see, I didn't double the recipe and it still made enough for more than just me. But it give me yummy and delicious food for quite a while! Because there's meat and veggies it is very filling and nutritious too!. Let me know if you make it and what things you may or may not have done. 

Some things I might change up next time:

To make it vegetarian, I might add Cannelini or Garbanzo beans to the sauce instead of meat. 
I might add mushrooms to the peppers and onions for some added flavor. 
I might do half cottage cheese half ricotta cheese for different textures. 
Or, I could omit the cheese altogether to make it dairy free. 
I think I'll also make my own Tomato sauce next time to keep the amount of processed ingredients to a minimum. Look for that post coming soon!

I'd love to hear any other ideas suggestions!  Happy eating!

Where is your hope built?

"If any man, come after me, let him deny himself, pick up his cross and follow Me into life eternally. Deny yourself, pick up your cross and follow Jesus, He is the way truth and life"

The above song was a little ditty from some tapes my siblings and I used to listen to when we were kids. It was from Paslty the singing song book. Little catchy tunes that effectively transcribed the truths from the Bible. We had almost every tape memorized. For whatever reason, this particular one got stuck in my head today and I was suddenly struck by it's significance. Of course, Jesus isn't talking about a literal cross. Rather, he is talking about the burdens we bear in this human life. Even when we surrender our lives to him and the burden of sin falls off, we're still left with the burden of our humanity. We sin, we make mistakes - but the grace of God covers all of that as along as we realize what we've done and ask for forgiveness. So what does it mean to "pick up your cross"? Simply put, I think it means that as we follow Jesus, we're lugging along our whole kit and caboodle of faults, character flaws, you name it! But in the shadow of the cross, we can be reminded that all has been forgiven. Our sins are nailed to the cross, right where they should be, and that's where they'll stay after we depart this life. For now, we have to drag them around a bit and we're painfully reminded of them from time to time. But there's hope for us - a hope that is built on nothing less, than Jesus' blood and righteousness.