Posts by Kerry Weisser
Helping with Household Chores shows Kindness
Here is a post that was very helpful to many families a few years back so we decided to repost it. The content is timeless but the photos are outdated, but they were too cute to not include in this helpful post. Enjoy Rachel’s insightful suggestions for including involving young children in household chores. this teaches them how to happily serve and teaches them about kindness by helping mommy and daddy. Here is the updated picture of the girls today. 
Lately, I have had some success including the girls in my chores and household activities. I use the word “some” on purpose because I know with kids what works one day won’t work another day. However, I hope that what I share can encourage you to make your kids a part of household chores and activities.
If you have a baby, I would encourage you to wear your baby. Ask your friends for recommendations on a baby carrier, or join a local babywearing group. When you have things to do around the house you can include your baby when you wear them or wrap them. (Note: It is generally not recommended to wear your baby while cooking or preparing hot foods. Also, be very careful if you are wearing your baby and using a knife that you can see what you are doing!)
Now for the toddler. Here are some successful ways I have included Ellie.
1. Laundry – Ellie loves to be my “helper.” I say, “Ellie, I need my helper.” And she follows me around saying, “helper, helper!” I let her help me put clothes in the washing machine and push the buttons (only when Mamae is around!). She also love to help transfer the clean clothes to the dryer. (We have a front loading washer and dryer).…
Read MoreKindness-BE More of WHO You Are (this will make you happy)!
Is there an “AHA moment” in life? The past few days I have been asking myself over and over “what is my dream?” “what are my hopes?”… People have been asking me- “If you could do anything what would you do… If you could be anything what could you be… If you could create your dream job, what would it be? Your dream house? Your dream location?… I struggle with this… The one dream. The EVERYTHING.
I don’t think I struggle with this because I don’t dream. Because I do. I love to dream. Maybe it’s the fact that there are too many options, maybe there are too many thoughts running through my head, or maybe it is because the world and society is screaming at me that “the grass is greener on the other side” so we are getting subliminal messages that infiltrate our mind that we never have enough… there’s always more… So am I stuck being overwhelmed with opportunity and freedom to choose? Maybe…
I wish the reason I don’t have my one perfect dream is because I am content day to day right where I am. Wherever the Lord is taking me, whoever he is bringing in my path, or whatever daily tasks he brings me, I want to be thankful. But am I living content in the Lord while always seeking his plans and pursuing his purpose for me? Or am I waiting for my “aha” moment where life all makes sense… Sometimes I think I get blinded by that mindset of that one moment. But the truth is, I don’t believe there is one thing that is going to make you, or only one dream that can bring happiness… I believe our life is made of step by step decisions, choices, pursuits of following …
Read MoreStuffed Peppers-Garden Healthy Variety
I have always wanted to find a good stuffed peppers recipe! And, I think I finally did! I took the Mexican Quinoa Stuffed Peppers from “The Recipe Critic” and made a few swaps and changes and created a healthy, tasty meal! Full of protein, very colorful, yummy spices, and a new product from Grain & Simple that can be found at Costco! “2 Minute Grains” is full of red spring wheat berries, quinoa, farrow and barley with tomato, onions, and peppers- It is a perfect side for a night of BBQ turkey burgers or, as I discovered with this recipe, the perfect add-in for stuffed peppers! You will love this recipe! We first published this post about 1 ½ years ago and it was one of our most popular recipes, so we decided to repost. With gardens beginning to produce home grown peppers and tomatoes, this is a fabulous springtime recipe.
INGREDIENTS
6 large bell peppers
Ground Turkey, 1 pound
1 medium onion
2-4 garlic cloves
2 TBS tomato paste
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can petite diced tomatoes or 2 fresh tomatoes diced
2 packs of Grain & Simple 2 Minute Grains (from Costco) or 3 cups cooked quinoa or brown rice
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin
2 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Colby Jack cheese, shredded
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Add olive oil to pan. Saute the onion and garlic. Set aside.
2. In a large pan, coat with olive oil and cook the ground turkey. Add the onion and garlic once browned. Remove from heat.
3. Add the tomato paste, black beans, corn, diced tomatoes, chili powder, cumin and lemon juice. Heat the 2 Minute Grains as directed on package (or cook your quinoa or brown rice according to …
Read MoreA Dream Come True
One minute a child, fully dependent, the next minute a fully independent young adult. One minute all training and teaching is my responsibility and privilege, the next minute my mind and heart and soul are being filled with bits of wisdom and insight from the life of my adult children. 
The child to adult transition happens without a precise timetable, plan or maximum effort on my part, but I observe the unintentional movement from receiver to giver. Every person has a different timetable, dependent on their natural temperament combined with life circumstances.
Often it is a gradual flow that occurs when a child moves away from home, starts a first job, goes off to college or has an opportunity to travel out of the country to study or go on a mission trip, but sometimes it happens at a specific moment in time because of an unexpected tragedy, a bad decision, significant life event or family crisis.
As a mom of four daughters, I have had the blessing of healthy, peaceful, joy-filled relationships with my daughters. We have had some but not too many difficult arguments, and not too much drama. We have shared joys and sorrows. We have laughed together and cried together. We have prayed together and worshipped together. Now that they are all adults and all married, I try to practice restraint and offer advice only when asked. It is challenging at times to keep silent but the benefits are that they get to learn by experience the lessons that will develop character and help them be stronger women. I have encouraged them as sisters to always work out their disagreements and difficulties between themselves. I also advise them to keep the challenges in their relationships with their husbands respectfully private, sharing just as much as is …
Read MoreMotherhood and the Supermom Phenomenon
Mother’s Day is this Sunday….I love being a mom, it is my passion. I am beyond blessed to have been given the opportunity to live out my passion, but my heart goes out to the moms of this generation who are flooded with the messages in our culture that in order to be a fantastic mom, you need to be a SUPERMOM. Bekah sent me this article a few days ago and we want to share it with you. I love Family Life Today and support their ministry. This article is called 8 Ways to be a Super Mom (Not Supermom). This is a must read….it will encourage you in every aspect of motherhood.
Motherhood-Supermom has super powers.
She is able not only to keep her home immaculate; she bakes and cooks from scratch all of the meals she sets before her family on the handcrafted table she whipped up over the weekend after seeing a DIY project on her Pinterest board. Supermom is also a fantastic manager. She runs a tight ship. The home’s schedule runs like clockwork, and she makes certain her children are not tardy to anything. This woman could not only run a small country, she could probably do it in her sleep. She is also a super wife. Although sometimes Supermom is super tired, she must put her fatigue on the back burner in order to be emotionally and physically available for her hubby.
Now I am certainly not trying to beat anyone up for this little phenomenon. We women are strong. Capable. Clever. Competent. Resourceful. But sometimes these strengths can transform into weakness because we don’t take into account one little thing that we women also have: Limitations.
If we don’t realize our limitations, we can soon find ourselves physically incapable of carrying …
Read MoreThe Benefits of Juicing-Healthy living from Faithfulness to Kindness
As we transition from our month of faithfulness including our “Clean Eating” challenge to a month of celebrating KINDNESS….I want to reassure you all that there is a very clear correlation for me between treating my body with kindness and treating others with kindness. The better I feel inside physically, emotionally and spiritually the more energy I have to show lovingkindness to others. When I am faithful to healthy living I can be more consistent and committed to kindness towards others. One of my newest passions in my quest of healthy living is juicing. I am very new to juicing. What I am sharing with you is information that I am starting to collect as I research the health benefits of juicing. What I know is that there is a “pressed fresh juice” craze moving through our communities with places to buy fresh pressed juice opening up all around. I for one LOVE the fresh flavors of fresh pressed juice but the cost is prohibitive for me to enjoy this treat every day. So I decided to try my hand at Juicing with my new Breville juicing machine (thanks to a VERY sweet friend). The results for me have been extraordinary.
Here are some of the interesting facts I have found on the benefits of juicing……”phytochemicals that researchers have uncovered are changing the way we think about food, especially fruits and vegetables. for example, broccoli contains a substance that may prevent – even cure – breast cancer. Citrus fruits have substances that make it easier for your body to remove carcinogens, thus decreasing the chance of contracting cancer. Grapes contain a phytochemical that appears to protect each cells’ DNA from damage. Similarly, a number of green vegetables contain phytochemicals that appear to offer protection against cancer-causing substances. The list goes …
Read MoreGod is Faithful ALWAYS!
During this month we have been emphasizing “Faithfulness”. I sat down to write my post yesterday when I came upon this article. As soon as I started reading it, I knew that it was something I needed to see. And, if it was something I needed to see, then someone else out there may need this encouragement, too! So, today I have decided to share with you an article from Relevant Magazine to remind you that…God is faithful ALWAYS, He can help us face all our fears and he will remain loyal and steadfast forever.
“God is far more gracious, more gentle and tenderhearted toward our anxious hearts than we understand.”
Anxiety Is a Spiritual Issue
by RACHAEL DYMSKI MAY 26, 2015
One of the easiest ways to disable a person, I think, is to make them anxious.
I am not talking about an anxiety disorder, a diagnosable mental disorder that can be treated by doctors, therapy or medication. (To learn about about anxiety disorders and how to receive help, you can visit NIMH.NIH.gov.) I am talking about a general anxiousness, worrying, asking what ifs that are a part of everyday life. I am talking about the discomfort caused by the mind racing faster than mouth or logic, worrying about tomorrow, worrying about all that we don’t know or about what could happen.
The Bible is far from silent on the topic of anxiety. It says so much about worry, the faithfulness of God, and how we are to respond to it. Here are a few ways the Bible addresses anxiety.
We Are Cared For
Often in the Church, worry is looked upon as a sin. Often, people don’t like to talk about it because it’s almost taboo; those who …
Read MoreGluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
For some of our friends and loved ones, the days of delicious chocolate chip cookies like grandma used to make seem to be a long ago luxury, never to be enjoyed again. During this “Clean Eating” month I have been searching for an option for those who need to be gluten free for whatever reason when it comes to their clean eating desserts. I started by researching recipes for homemade gluten free flours and found two that sounded quite reasonable. I will share both of them with you and the sites where I found them so you can do your own evaluation. In the end I happened to have one bag of “Bob’s Red Mill” Gluten Free All Purpose Flour on hand so I used it today in my recipe for the sake of time and convenience.
I adapted a recipe I found online from Michelle@MyGluten-freekitchen.com
Ingredients
2 ¼ cups gluten free flour blend
½ teaspoon xanthan gum (omit if Gluten Free flour blend you are using already has xanthan in the recipe)
1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup butter melted
2 ounces cream cheese, room temperate
1 ¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 egg yolks, room temperature
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking soda and salt. In your mixer bowl, put cream cheese and melted butter and begin to mix. Add brown and white sugar and blend on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until well blended. Add the flour mixture and blend on low until just mixed. Add the chocolate chips and mix in by hand. Cover the cookie dough with saran wrap and …
Read MoreChinese Chicken Salad a Faithful Clean Eating Friend
The beautiful evenings in spring invite a desire for lighter dinner options. This hearty dinner salad gives you a delicious option for those warmers nights as spring turns into summer. And with many folks wanting to get into better shape before the beach weather is here….this salad is worth adding to your repitoire of light and healthy clean eating dinner options.
Chinese Chicken Salad
2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded or cubed
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 head napa cabbage
2-3 cups chopped kale or spinach
3 stalks celery sliced thin
2 carrots peeled and sliced thin (you can spiral slice them with a messermeister peeler or a Paderno spiral slicer-see below)
1 zucchini sliced thin
3 green onions sliced
1 can water chesnuts sliced
1 cup toasted almonds or cashews chopped
1 jicama peeled and cut into small cubes
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 cucumber peeled and sliced (no need to peel if using english cucumber)
1 yellow or orange bell pepper cut into small chunks
¼ cup toasted sesame seeds
Dressing
1 cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup sesame oil
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon honey
Cook chicken.
Shred or cut into cubes and mix with hoisin sauce.
Mix shredded napa cabbage, chopped kale or spinach, celery, carrots, green onions, water chestnuts, jicama, cilantro, cucumber and peppers in a large bowl.
Mix all dressing ingredients and set aside.
Add chicken and toasted almonds (or cashews) and sesame seeds to greens.
Toss dressing into salad and mix thoroughly. chill and serve.
Serves 8-10
Developing Faithfulness in Friendship
Faithfulness in friendship is a gift! How many of us truly cherish the friends we have that are willing to risk loving us? It is costly to love someone enough to open up our heart, to be vulnerable, to let them in. But the risk is totally worth it because the benefits are life changing! Love takes grace and forgiveness. Faithful friendship take commitment. Commitment can be inconvenient. But we need friends, friends who will listen to us share our hearts, challenge us to be better wives and mothers…..people who hang in there when we are struggling and show us compassion when we are hurting. “We deeply want to have our people. Close friends and mentors don’t fall in our laps. You search and invest and then you allow them to be imperfect versions of what you were hoping for in your head. Most of us are waiting to be invited, waiting to be pursued, waiting for friends to come to us. But this is not the way it happens.” (quote from a book by Jennie Allen called Restless) We need to take action. Pursue friendships with a passion, show kindness, patience, meekness, humility, gentleness, compassion and selfless willingness to serve. (Colossians3:12-15)
Love is action. Initiate deep conversations by asking great questions, actively listen and give honest answers. Share your struggles, ask for wise counsel and listen when advice is given. Pray together with your close friends as this habit takes your friendship to an even deeper level! So ask God for insight and discernment as you seek out faithful friends. Pray for guidance. Ask deep questions. Share your own struggles. Think of ways you can meet the needs of your friends.
Today I witnessed the blessings that come from faithful friendship. Bethany invests in people. She is willing …
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