Discipline is Not Enough

Psalm 73:25-26

I don't have anyone in heaven but you.

I don't want anything on earth besides you. 

My body and my heart may grow weak.

God, you give strength to my heart.

You are everything I will ever need.   

I've always been somewhat of a disciplined person.  If I feel convicted to do something, then I intentionally think of ways that I can accomplish the task and I set about accomplishing it. Of course there are times that I may cheat (ex. eating something unhealthy, not going to the gym, etc), but I know that in order to accomplish a task, it takes self-control and discipline. While it's good to be self-controlled and disciplined, God is showing me that I can't just make a "check list" and expect my heart to magically be in the right place.

Recently I have noticed that my attitude has been a little less than stellar (to put it nicely).  So, I began to think of ways I could fix this.  I started developing my check list:

• I'll get up earlier and spend more time reading my Bible
• I'll post Bible verses everywhere 
• I'll try to do thing for others throughout the day
• And the list goes on...

Of course, none of the things on this list is bad.  It's good to spend more time reading my Bible and memorizing other verses.  But, a check list cannot change my heart.  I so wish it could. I wish that I could just write "love Jesus with all my heart" on a list and it would be taken care of.   I can't just make a list of things I need to work on without first asking God to search my heart and forgive me for the sinful way that it is.  God is showing me that I need to repent more often.  Repentance is not fun. It takes time and it can get messy.  If I'm really being honest, sometimes I don't want to take time to really look at my heart because I don't want to know what all is there.  It's a lot easier to not deal with it and just pretend that my heart is in pretty good condition. But, if I sit still before the Lord and ask Him to reveal to me sin that is in my heart, He might show me some stuff that I didn't know was there (or tried to pretend wasn't there).  He might remind me of some bitterness in my life or reveal to me my pride, my fear, my insecurities.

Sometimes it's just easier to keep going through the motions, keep reading my Bible and singing the praise songs but not dealing with the state of my heart.  When we do this, it's so easy to compare ourselves to others. We feel a nudge that God wants us to come before Him and search our heart, but we begin to become filled with pride as we look at others. We begin to list off all of the things we are doing for God, trying to justify the fact that we are doing so much for Him.  But that's the most tragic part of all because I'll never do enough...I can never make a good enough to do list.  Why? Because I'm a sinner and because my heart is deceitful and because each day I am facing a battle against my flesh.  And, I need Jesus.  I need Him to reveal to me where I am weak and I need His help to show me where I am not like Him. If I don't take time to come before Him and repent of my sins, then I am only relying on my own strength to cross items off of my to do list.  See what Paul has to say about the power of sin in our lives:

But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?  Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. Romans 7:23-25

I want to rely on Christ's strength and be filled with a new heart as I see a new sin surfaces in my life.  I don't want to rely on my own strength because then I will never really overcome it.  And, as easy as it is to do sometimes, I don't want to just pretend sin is not in my life.  In order to become more like Christ, I must repent and ask Him to help me turn from my sinful ways with His strength.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139: 23-24

Instead of making a to-do-list, my prayer is that I will ask God to search my heart first and help me rely on His strength.  Then, I will rely on His power instead of my power.  I love this quote by Matt Chandler about how we can be a great wife and mom:

You don't have to be a perfect wife to be a great wife. You don't have to be a perfect mom to be a great mom. 'Where's that line?' That line is confession, repentance, and getting back up and staying moving. We take on the perfection made available to us in Jesus Christ, his righteousness, not my righteousness, not a false veneer righteousness of my own. Not my strength, his strength. Not my perfection, his perfection. We rest in that. Then we walk as best we can every day.

Repentance takes time. It will probably be messy because it's when we see how evil our heart's desires truly are.  But, when we repent of these sins, we are agreeing with God that we hate them, that we want to turn from them. And, when we come before Him with a humble heart, He. will. hear. us.  So, why would I not repent?

Then if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and restore their land. My eyes will be open and my ears attentive to every prayer made in this place. 2 Chronicles 7:14-15

2-Week Menu Plan

I am putting together our family's menu for the next few weeks and thought I would post it here for my own reference and in case anyone else wanted some meal ideas.  Some of these recipes are mine and many of them came from other healthy blogs. I have made all of them and they have turned out great!  I have included the links to them if I got it elsewhere. To print your own weekly planner, see here.

WEEK ONE

• Monday: Greek Yogurt Chicken, Roasted Potatoes, and Oven-baked Green Beans

Notes: For the roasted potatoes, I just chop potatoes and combine them with a little olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and paprika.  I put them on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and lightly sprayed and bake at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes.

• Tuesday: Homemade Meatballs over Zucchini Pasta, Fresh Fruit

Notes: I used a spiralizer to make the zucchini pasta.  After I spiralize it, I put it in a skillet over high heat with some oil and salt and whatever spices I have on hand.  I let it cook for about 5 minutes and then serve the meatballs over it.  I love my spiralizer!  See it here.

• Wednesday: Cauliflower Stir Fry, Apple Muffins (gluten, grain and dairy free)

Notes: For the apple muffins, instead of grating my apples, I just diced them.  I also added 1/4 cup of raisins.

• Thursday: Stuffed Peppers, Cooked Apples

Notes: I have several substitutions/additions for this recipe. I use 3 sweet potatoes, but I bake them instead of boiling them.  I also add 3 cooked chicken breasts to this.  I use a can of diced tomatoes instead of fresh ones. I also add sauted fresh spinach to this as well.  You can't even taste it and it's a great way to get in some extra veggies.  I use 6 peppers for this recipe.

• Friday: Crockpot Vegetable Soup, Grain Free Dinner Rolls

Notes: I actually have not made these rolls yet, but everything I have made from this site is delicious, so I can't wait to try these!

WEEK TWO

• Monday: Feta Cheese Turkey Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes, Spinach Salad with strawberries and blueberries

Notes: I make a homemade salad dressing that consists of 2 oz. balsalmic vinegar, 6 oz. olive oil and 1 Tbsp. Honey

• Tuesday: Teriyaki Chicken and Veggies

• Wednesday: Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats, Fresh Fruit

• Thursday: Tomato and Feta Cheese Chicken Bake, Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole, Peas

Notes: I used a gf flour for the heatlhy sweet potato casserole, or you can just leave it out altogether.  

• Friday: Cauliflower Pizza Crust

Notes: I added 1 Tbsp of Almond Flour to the pizza crust to make it hold together a little better. I like to top my "pizza" with lots of veggies and some fruit: spinach, peppers, broccoli, zucchini, tomatoes, pineapple, etc.

SWEET TREATS:

Grain Free Cobbler (made with Coconut Flour)
Notes: This cobbler is so good!  I used 2 1/2 cups of frozen berries (raspberry, strawberry and blueberry blend with two chopped apples). It did take a lot longer for mine to cook- about 55 mintues instead of the 35 minutes that the recipe says.  This makes a great breakfast for the kids too!

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Grain-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge (made with coconut oil)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge (made with Coconut Oil)

This fudge is so yummy, it's hard to believe there is almost no sugar in it!  It's great to satisfy a craving without feeling guilty!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup coconut oil (softened)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla
1-2 Tbsp. Maple Syrup

Directions:
Place all ingredients in an electric mixer and mix on low-medium speed until well combined. Line a small pan or baking dish with parchment paper (this step is important)! Pour into the lined pan and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.  Cut into small pieces and put in a sealed container and store in fridge.  So yummy!

Oven-Baked Green Beans

We eat green beans a lot.  It is one of the vegetables our kids enjoy, so I try to take advantage of that. This is a great way to change up the taste a bit. My husband and I can almost eat a whole pan by ourselves because they taste so good!

Ingredients:

• One Bag of Fresh Green Beans (washed and trimmed)
• 2-4 Tbsp Oil of Choice (avocado, olive, or coconut are great)
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder

Directions:

• Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
• Combine oil and spices in a large bowl.  
• Add green beans to bowl and toss to coat.  
• Arrange green beans on a baking sheet that is covered in parchment paper or foil.
• Bake for 30-40 minutes, depending on how well-done you want them to be.  

Chocolate-Covered Peanut Butter Banana Bites (made with coconut oil)

I keep seeing recipes for chocolate covered banana bites and they look so good.  But, I wanted to find some that didn't have added sugar in them, and all of the recipes I saw called for chocolate bars or chips (which are full of sugar).  So, I decided to make my own "chocolate" with coconut oil and cocoa powder.  I love how unique coconut oil is-- it can be all melty and then harden right up, which makes it great for making fudge, etc.  

So, here's the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 2 Large Bananas
• Almond or Peanut Butter (or any nut butter)
• 1/4 cup Coconut Oil
• 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 1-2 tsp. Maple Syrup (optional)

Directions:

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Slice the bananas thinly and line the baking sheet with them. You should get about 40 banana slices total. Place your nut butter on top of the banana slices and make them into sandwiches.  Now you have 20 banana bites.  

• Place the baking sheet in the freezer for about an hour.  If you are short on time, you can just put them in for 10-15 minutes, but you want them to be chilled a little so that the coconut oil will harden on them.  

• While the bananas are chilling, melt your coconut oil.  Then, stir in the cocoa powder, vanilla, and maple syrup until well incorporated.  

• Take your banana bites out of the freezer and dip in the chocolate sauce.  It should harden around the bananas.  You can eat them immediately or put them in the freezer to get the bananas completely frozen (about 3 hours).  Store in freezer.  

So, my picture is NOT so pretty.  I basically just dumped the remaining chocolate sauce over the top of all of my banana bites, so they don't look so pretty.  But, you could spend a little extra time and make the chocolate smooth and even drizzle it with some peanut butter on top.  These make an awesome snack or dessert :)  

It's Hard to Love

"Love is patient and kind.  Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.  It does not demand its own way.  It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.  It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.  Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."
-1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

Every day I say the words, “I love you.”  I dearly love my children and my husband.  Of course it is a little bit more challenging to show love to those who are more un-loveable and with whom I don’t have a close relationship, but I know we should always seek to do that because the Scriptures tell us to.  Today, however, as I was reading the familiar “love chapter” in 1 Corinthians, it made me realize how bad I am at showing love to others, even those I do love dearly.  If I have trouble really loving those closest to me, I know I am struggling with loving those who are harder to love.  Look at 1 Corinthians with me, and ask yourself if you are struggling with loving others too. 

Love is patient

• Ouch.  The first definition of love is convicting for me.  As Americans, we are known for our less-than-patient attitude.  I get impatient at my three year old for taking so long to get out of the car.  I can feel my blood boiling as he takes his precious time unbuckling his seat belt and stopping to admire a toy he found, and tripping over his shoe laces as he climbs out the door.  No joke-this happens multiple times a day.  And, I get the same exasperated look on my face and make the same sigh and tell him to “hurry up, please.” This is definitely not loving patiently.

And kind

• Do I display kindness throughout my day?  Am I looking for opportunities where people could be in need of a helping hand?  Or, do I see someone in need and pretend that I don’t notice because I don’t want to be inconvenienced?

Love is not jealous

• This one can come out when you least expect it.  I try not to look at others and want things that they have. I try to be content with what I have.  But, what about when someone else gets acknowledged for something in which I don’t get acknowledged?  Someone else gets praise for spending a lot of time on an event that I spent even more time planning, but I didn't get the praise for it?  Do I sulk and get mad that I didn't get credit, or do I participate in praising the person for their hard efforts as well?  Or, have you ever been around people who just always seem to get it right?  They must be overflowing with compliments all the time.  So, you don’t compliment them because you think they already get enough of those.  I’m learning that this is usually rooted in jealousy.  Because I’m jealous that I’m not the one who is good at everything, I’m hesitant to compliment the person who is.  What a sad way to live. I want to celebrate with others when they accomplish something, even if they seem to always get it right.  By celebrating with them, I get to share in their excitement instead of wallowing in jealousy. 

Or boastful or proud

• The other day I was talking with someone about why women gossip. It’s easy to say we just want to vent or get advice, but I think the main reason we gossip is so that we can feel better about ourselves.  By bashing someone else, we feel better about ourselves. By putting down others and their decisions, we puff ourselves up.  This is not love.  This is pride…at the expense of others.

Or rude

• When we’re having a bad day, sometimes it just all comes to a head right when our husbands walk in the door from work.  Instead of greeting him with a smile and asking him how his date went, it’s easy to offer a rude remark and give him a list of things in which you need his help.  This is not showing love towards my husband. 

It does not demand its own way

• I am a bit of a planner.  When I take the time to plan something, I have expectations that it will happen, and when things don’t go as planned, it’s really hard for me to accept.  While some people never make plans and never have expectations, this can be harder for those of us who do make plans.  When things get thrown off course, how will I react?  Will I pitch a fit because things did not go the way I envisioned, or will I make the best of the change in plans?  God is really growing me in this area right now because it seems like none of my plans are turning out the way I expected.  Sometimes it’s just out of our control, and we can learn to accept that or we can choose to be a person no one likes to be around (and NOT display love because love does not demand its own way). 

Homemade Chicken Salad (made with Greek Yogurt)

I've always loved chicken salad...it's so good on a sandwich or atop a green salad.  But, then I learned how fattening it is and that it is loaded with lots of unnecessary ingredients.  Just look at the list of ingredients from Chick-fil-A's site for their chicken salad:

Chicken (seasoning [salt, monosodium glutamate, sugar, spices, paprika]), chicken tenderloins (seasoning [salt, autolyzed yeast, maltodextrin, spice, natural flavor, chicken fat, garlic powder, sugar cane syrup, onion powder, paprika, molasses, sodium diacetate, tomato powder, silicon dioxide {anticaking agent}, sugar, oleoresin paprika {color}, citric acid, smoke flavor, caramel color]), seasoned coater (enriched bleached flour [with malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid], sugar, salt, monosodium glutamate, nonfat milk, leavening [baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate], spice, soybean oil, color [paprika]), milk wash (water, egg, nonfat milk), peanut oil (fully refined peanut oil with Dimethylpolysiloxane an anti-foaming agent added), mayonnaise (soybean oil, water, egg yolk, distilled vinegar, high fructose corn syrup, salt, spice, calcium disodium EDTA to protect flavor), diced cooked eggs, celery, pickle relish (cucumbers, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, vinegar, salt, xanthan gum, mustard seed, calcium chloride, alum, potassium sorbate [preservative], natural flavors, polysorbate 80, dehydrated red bell pepper, turmeric), 

 And, this list is just for the chicken...it's not including the bread!  Now, I do love me some Chick-fil-A, but I can't understand why so many ingredients have to be used!

So, tonight I made a recipe for some chicken salad that only has a few ingredients, and the ingredients are actually good for you!  Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Ingredients:

• 2 Large Cooked Chicken Breasts or the cooked white meat from a small rotisserie chicken
• 1/8 Cup Crushed Pecans
• 1 apple, diced
• 1/4 Cup Dried Cranberries
• 3-4 Tbsp. Plain Greek Yogurt
• 1/2 tsp. Sea Salt 

Directions:
Cut the chicken into smaller pieces and place all ingredients into a mixer and mix on low speed until combined.  If you do not have a mixer, you could do this by hand, but the chicken won't be as shredded.

Tomato and Feta Cheese Chicken Bake

Chicken covered in a homemade tomato sauce with feta cheese, garlic and herbs.  So good!  And, it's made with fresh ingredients that are actually good for you!

I made up a recipe for some chicken tonight and the kids loved it.  They called it pizza chicken because it smelled like pizza.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:
5-6 boneless chicken breasts.  I used 5 large chicken breasts.

For the marinade:

• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Oil of Choice (I used avocado oil)
• 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• 1 Tbsp. Minced Garlic

Topping:

• 10-12 small tomatoes, quartered 
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning blend
• 1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
• Oil of choice for pan (I used avocado oil)
• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (I used the garlic and herb blend)

Combine marinade and pour over chicken. Put marinated chicken in fridge.  If you're in a hurry, you can just let it soak for a few minutes.  If you have the time, let it soak all day.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Quarter tomatoes.  Heat skillet over medium heat and add oil and minced garlic.  Once oil is nice and hot, add tomatoes and seasonings.  Cook for about 5 minutes, until tomatoes are nice and soft.  Remove from heat and stir in feta cheese.

Remove chicken from fridge and pour tomato and feta cheese sauce over chicken.  Bake, uncovered for 45-50 minutes.