10 Day Challenge: Thankfulness in Action
Today is November 20th. That means you have ten more days to focus on Thanksgiving and the beauty of being thankful before life is all about the hustle and bustle of Christmas. So I think it is time for a little challenge. I challenge you to take the last ten days of November to live out your own blessing of thankfulness. Show people you are grateful for them. Pay attention to circumstances that are blessing you. Realize how the Lord is weaving his blessings throughout your life. Live blessed. And live to bless others. But first, I want you to read a devotional I came across this morning that really resonated with where my heart has been lately.
Thanksgiving
And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:15-16
Thankfulness is foundational to the Christian life. Thankfulness is a conscious response that comes from looking beyond our blessings to their source. As Christians, we have been forgiven, saved from death, and adopted as God’s children. There could be no better reason for a grateful heart!
Lepers in Jesus’ day were social outcasts. Their highly contagious condition ostracized them from those they loved. When ten lepers encountered Jesus, they desperately implored Him to show them mercy. Jesus sent them to the priest. As they obeyed, they were healed! These ten men had been forbidden to enter their own villages, to live in their own homes, to work in their own jobs, or even to touch their own children. Imagine what unrestrained joy must have filled them as they ran back home again!
One of the lepers, a Samaritan, stopped and ran back
…Read MoreSlow Cooker Salsa Verde Soup
I like to have a few super easy recipes ready to make during the Thanksgiving week. When I spend day after day, planning, decorating, shopping and beginning my food preparation for the holiday meal, the last thing I want to do is stress over what to cook for dinner the few nights before Thanksgiving. So having an easy throw together slow cooker meal that is this delicious is wonderful!! Ingredients 2 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes with juice 1 (10 oz) can salsa verde 2 medium yellow onions chopped 2 cloves garlic minced 1 cup chopped cilantro 2 cups water 1 (14.5 oz) can chicken broth 1 Tablespoon concentrated chicken stock 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon oregano 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (2 large) 1 (10 oz) can corn 1 (10 oz) can black beans Place all ingredients in Slow Cooker and stir. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 2 ½ hours. Before serving, shred the chicken and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve in big bowls with optional toppings-shredded cheese, tortilla strips, sour cream and salsa. Nutritious and delicious!!!
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Thankful for Magical Moments
Watching the world through the eyes of a child brings a magical perspective to every situation. I am not sure at what age that magical perspective and sense of wonder begins to fade, but when I am spending time with my grandchildren it can be rekindled in a matter of moments. This weekend I was blessed by one opportunity after another to participate in many magical moments. I came away with a renewed sense of thankfulness for imagination and make believe.
Our first event was a “Pinkalicious” birthday party complete with pink decorations, a pink paper cupcake craft, make-your-own ribbon twirlers, PINKALICIOUS cupcakes and a table full of green food. (If you have not read the book “Pinkalicious” you MUST read it-the green food is the antidote to the troublesome dilemma that the pink cupcake loving little girl gets herself into). Bright eyed children looked with wonder and there was lots of laughter and joy!
Our second activity, the following day, was an early morning trip to the Disney Store. My grandchildren love everything Disney! My daughter learned from a friend about the special Unlocking Ceremony where children are able to “Unlock Imagination!” This opening ceremony takes place every single day at every new Disney Store. (Check your local Disney Store to make sure they participate in this awesome ceremony) We arrived about 30 minutes before opening and our birthday girl was the lucky child chosen that day to take part in the opening ceremony and officially “Unlock Imagination” at her Disney Store with an oversized lock and key. Magical moments abound in the Disney Store as we watched the girls look with awe and wonder at all the beautiful toys, clothes and stuffed animals in the store. The highlight was the big screen that lit up with …
Read MoreQuick Quinoa Medley Meal
I am so grateful for the beauty that surrounds me every day. I am blessed to live in a town that bursts forth with all my favorite colors every October and November. On these cooler Fall nights, when you feel like a warm meal, it is fun to be creative with what you have in the refrigerator. A few nights ago, I decided to try a warm Quinoa meal that you can make with almost any vegetables and add meat if you want to. Here is the Quinoa medley I whipped up and both my husband, Rick, and I thought it was delicious.
Ingredients
1 cup dry quinoa which yields 3 cups cooked (cook as directed on box)
2 cups butternut squash peeled and cubed (1 medium or ½ large squash)
2 cup brussel sprouts trimmed and cut in half if large
4 cups power greens chopped a bit (any combination of kale, chard, spinach)
4 cloves garlic smashed
½ cup chopped cilantro
1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Season pepper
1 teaspoon garam masala seasoning
1 chicken breast cooked and cubed
Cook Quinoa as directed on package to yield 3 cups. Set aside while preparing vegetables and chicken. Toss butternut squash and brussel sprouts in 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt pepper and Garam Masala. Place foil on cookie sheet and spread vegetables out in a single layer and roast at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes until fork tender. Set aside. Saute garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add power greens and stir until tender and cooked through about 5 minutes. Toss together quinoa, sautéed power greens, roasted vegetables and ½ cup chopped cilantro. Add cooked, cubed chicken and stir until combined. Serve warm with hummus and pita bread and a nice green salad. It is also …
Read MoreThe Discipline of Being Thankful
It is very easy to go about our lives not even thinking of how blessed we are. It’s one thing to the next to the next. Our minds are filled, our lives are filled, our stomachs are filled, and our schedules are filled. We don’t understand what it really means to be in need. Which I think really affects our ability to be grateful and give thanks. We live in a culture filled with entitlement and survival mode and excess. But… it is the month of thankfulness, so maybe we are paying a little bit more attention to being thankful, but I am almost sure there is some room to grow. So it’s time to take a look…
What were you thankful for today, this past week, this past week? And not just what, but who are you thankful for? How does that thankfulness impact you, and what does it compel you to do? Do you say thanks? Do you return the favor? Do you pay it forward? Do you live blessed?
I received a letter in the mail (REAL MAIL, not email) a few days ago from a friend telling me how thankful she is for me. She said she is taking the month of November and writing a letter to a different person every day to tell them she is thankful for them. HOW COOL IS THAT!
Let’s not only take November to focus on being thankful. Let’s change our perspective with hope to change our lives so we are filled with gratitude. Practice the discipline of being thankful this November, and hopefully it will overflow as habit into the rest of the year. And I call it a discipline, because it may take discipline to change your mindset or perspective. But disciplines cause lasting change. So not …
Read MoreCommunication-Being an Effective Leader
Today Bethany and I spent our Veteran’s Day at a fantastic Leadership Conference called Catalyst. Catalyst is a one day or two day event where a community of like minded people who LOVE the church and want to become more effective leaders in every aspect of their lives gather for encouragement and teaching.
Everyone of us has a leadership role somewhere in our lives-we might lead people in our job or in our family, in our community or in our church. Being an effective leader involves communicating clearly and learning how to motivate people to join in.
One of the speakers, Craig Groeschel, talked about the four qualities of effective communication. He began with a quote from George Bernard Shaw- “The single biggest problem in communication lies in believing that it has taken place.” Craig challenged us to remember that just because we say something, doesn’t mean the people we are saying it to are hearing or understanding us. We need to bear in mind that often times people do not think like we think, see what we see or care as deeply as we care. But in light of that, we can become better leaders if we recognize our responsibility and are willing to do our part. Here are the four qualities of effective communication that I learned today. They can be applied to our lives in our leadership roles as well as in our day to day lives.
Be CONSISTENT in my values, my vision and my direction. Be true to my values in how I live my life because values communicate what I stand for. My vision is expressed in my purpose and works itself out in my life as I discover what I am here for. My direction is demonstrated in my life by where …
Read MoreGratefulness-A Reflection on Family and Friends
The nights are getting colder, crisp and clear and fall leaves are changing.
Thanksgiving Day is in 2 ½ weeks. Families are making holiday plans, menu ideas are in the works, grocery lists are being written, decorations are filling our homes with autumn colors of red, orange, yellow, green and brown. I want so desperate to stop time and really appreciate all that fills my life-but I find myself racing against the clock every day during the months of November and December. My ‘ToDo List” seems endless and my desire to make homemade gifts for everyone I love buries me deeper in my quest to somehow find more hours in my day. So this year I am trying something new……I am putting people ahead of my agenda….I am taking a bit more time to reflect on the blessings of family and friends and actively making sure they know how important they are to me. I am making it a priority to spend quality time with them to communicate my love in my actions . The gift of TIME with the ones I love, gives me the opportunity to grow deeper in my relationships with them and be an encouragement.
And an amazing thing is happening…..by opening up my heart to the needs of my family and friends, my time seems to be multiplying. I feel a deeper sense of peace and joy and I have an eager anticipation for what opportunities await me….. to give and love and serve. Having an attitude of GRATEFULNESS and a desire to express it in tangible ways to the ones I love has freed me from being chained to my “Must Do-ToDo” list. It might be a phone call just to check in or to give a bit of advice or encouragement to a …
Read MorePassion Perspective Giveaway Winner
And the winner is…
BRIANNA LYDING
Congratulations!
You will receive an email within the next few days to find out how to receive your prize! Thanks for being a part of our Passion Perspective Week!
Didn’t win but want Julie’s devotional book, “Real Life is Like Sports”? You can buy it on Amazon today…
Don’t forget to check out some of Julie’s favorite books which can also all be found on Amazon! Click on each book to see the Amazon price and description!
Favorite books – Fiction: Anything by Joel C. Rosenberg, The Ezekiel Option, The Copper Scroll, Dead Heat, The Twelfth Imam, The Tehran Initiative, Damascus Countdown.
Non-fiction: Delighting in the Trinity by Michael Reeves
THE WEISSER WOMEN…
Read MoreReal Life is Like Sports-Parable of the Pitcher
We asked Julie if we could share one of her parables from her book, “Real Life is Like Sports”. Here is the one she chose to share.
Check back tomorrow to see if you won Julie’s devotional book, “Real Life is Like Sports”!!
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Read MorePassion Perspective Interview Part 2
We continued our interview by asking Julie how her faith has played a part of this journey.
What were your challenges-expected and unexpected? “As I began this journey, someone shared Luke 1:45 with me: “You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.” While writing the content of this booklet took chunks of time throughout a period of several months, the entire process of transitioning from a dream to reality actually took several years. It was my faith that got me through the delays due to other responsibilities and the dry times that come with writing. I kept returning to this scripture and other words God spoke to me about this “dream,” trusting God that He would fulfill that which He placed in my heart in His perfect timing. And as always, He was faithful.”
What were your blessing-expected and unexpected? “While the original intent of my “dream” was simply to create a booklet in a foreign language, Kerry Weisser challenged me to consider making an English version available as well. So I created an English version with the hope that coaches and athletes here in the States will also be encouraged to live out their faith through their coaching and playing sports life. An additional unexpected blessing occurred when an Athletes in Action staff expressed interest in having “Real Life Is Like Sports” translated into Arabic for those who serve overseas under her leadership. So we’ll see where God takes this.”
We asked Julie what wisdom she has gained through this experience.
What tips would you want to share with others? “When God gives you a dream, pursue it by faith. Make it a priority, and don’t stop until it becomes a reality! Most likely you will experience spiritual opposition, and it may take …
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