Tag: Creativity

Smoothie Bowl & Jesus

On By The DiscernerIn Daily Devotions2 Comments

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I look at beautiful foods and it leaves me in awe. I believe we humans were meant to appreciate these things with a childlike wonder as we gaze upon it and enjoy its benefits, rather than view these beautiful things as common and not special. We’ve lost the wonder and amazement in life and we need it back. We’re meant to enjoy and find pleasure from these precious everyday provisions.

When we do this, it all becomes too obvious that there is design behind literally everything in our natural world; food is definitely no exception. There is meaning and purpose and creativity behind food.

[Create]-ivity comes from a [Create]-or. Beauty does not come from nothing, but from something.

Someone.

Someone very special and beautiful and powerful and majestic. Someone who cares deeply and loves wildly and makes beautiful things for our eyes to behold and our bodies to value. Someone who is close and not distant but is indeed very, very personal. The One who is Lord over all the earth and the One who made these appealing and beneficial foods for humans to not only survive on, but to enjoy.

Let’s take back our wide-eyed wonder and pleasure of these things that we are so obviously meant to enjoy and not forget. There is Someone who is trying to speak to us, even through something as, in error, seemingly common as food.

He is telling us that He is very real, and that He cares. He loves, and He displays His love in these ways.
‭{Romans‬ ‭1:19-21‬} 
“That which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.”
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I love smoothie bowls! I love taking pretty, colourful, and wholesome foods and creating a beautifully presented plate.Here is a smoothie bowl I made with blueberry & blackberries, topped with granola, sliced bananas, chia seeds, and more blackberries! *Almost* too pretty to eat.

I fall for You Every Single Day

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Everyday, when I open my eyes, I realize all over again how lucky I am to have you.
But it’s not luck, because it wasn’t by accident.
I was Yours before the foundation of the earth.
I was Yours before I knew I was Yours.
And being Yours, every morning as my eyes open, You take my breath away. 
You take my breath away as the first thought of You passes through my mind.
You take it away, only to give it back to me, so I can then give my breath back to You in sweet, overwhelming, fiery, intense love, worship, and adoration.
Let every part of my life be worship unto You.
Let my fragrance be a pleasing aroma to You and You alone.
Oh God, you are all I want.
You are all I will ever need.
Strip me of all I have and I will still want You.
I thirst for You. My soul longs for You. My whole being pants for You in excruciating bursts of love and joy as I wait for the day you come.
You are my treasure, you are my gold, you are my silver, you are my all in all. Nothing else even matters outside of you.
You are my love, my life, and I am so in love with You.
Every morning, it’s anew.
It’ll never fade because the depths of Your love will never end.
You’re perfect, breathtaking, and Your love sets me ablaze.
Like a fire that cannot be quenched.
Nor will ever be put out.
I love You more than I have ever loved anything before.
I’ll never love anything the way I love You.
Let me go deeper.

Everyday I fall madly in love with you all over again.

{Ephesians 1:4}
“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him in love.”

{Song of Songs 4:10-11}
“Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride. Your love is better than wine, your perfume more fragrant than spices. Your lips are as sweet as nectar, my bride. Honey and milk are under your tongue.”

{Revelation 22:17}
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.”

{Job 22:25-27}
“And make the Almighty your gold and [the Lord] your precious silver treasure, Then you will have delight in the Almighty, and you will lift up your face to God. You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you,”

{Song of Solomon 8:6}
“For love is as strong as death, Jealousy is as severe as the grave; Its flashes are flashes of fire, The very flame of the LORD.”

{Psalms 42}
“So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me. The LORD will command His lovingkindness in the daytime; And His song will be with me in the night, A prayer to the God of my life.”

Anchor for our Souls

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Our soul is not scattered by the force of the waves that sometimes ingulf us; nor the strength of the winds that, at times, surround us; nor the burn of the intense heat of the sun on us; nor the numbness of the cold that can fill our bones. When we are God’s and belong to Him, our soul is anchored on the strongest and most steady and immovable thing that we can ever trust: God, our strong anchor. When waves crash and winds blow and heat burns and cold freezes, we will always find firm fitting in the steady Anchor of our soul.

He’s the one who will lift us out of the water that we drown in. He’s the one who holds us steady as the wind threatens to carry us away. He’s the one who shields us from burning, and the one who keeps us warm even during the coldest of seasons.

When you have God, you have everything. Though to the world you might be poor, because you have Him you are truly rich. You have the Anchor for your very own soul – the most valuable thing we possess. It’s good to trust God with our soul, there is no safer place. He is the One who made our souls, and He is the only One who has the power to guard it and keep it.

How do we make Him the Anchor of our souls?

Trust Him. Believe that He is who He says He is. Saturate yourself in His Holy Scriptures. Cry out to Him. Cast all of your burdens on Him. Worship Him. Praise His beautiful name. Bask in His presence. Be still before Him. Ask Him to be in every aspect of your life. Run to Him first, no matter the problem. Desire His will to be done in your life above your own will. Desire your desires to be His desires. Recognize your need for Him. Depend on Him more than anything else as the God who will care for you. Realize we’re here for Him and Him alone. Thank Him. Love Him with all of your heart, your soul, your mind, your strength.

Abide in Him, and He will abide in you. Turn to Him, and you will receive the Anchor for your soul. One who will hold you, sustain you, protect you, carry you, shield you, teach you, grow you, strengthen you, guide you, and love you more than anyone ever could.

{Hebrews 6:19}
This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary.

I am God’s Artwork

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When I was a child, I always wondered about the human body and the way it’s made. In my eyes, even as a little one, I acknowledged that our human bodies are perfect in form and structure. I would contemplate and analyze different alternatives: eyes near the chin and mouth on the forehead? Feet at the end of our arms instead of hands? A mouth on our neck? Ears on our cheeks? Legs flailing around at the side of our hips? I would sit there and examine this as an 8 year old child. It happened often. It was my mind wondering if this human body of ours really is random evolution from a chaotic boom, or was this designed? Is this body of ours, in all of its complexities, the way it is on purpose? With creativity? Intelligence? Wisdom? Care? Are our bodies perfect just the way they are made? 

Everytime I would meditate and ponder this in my mind, the answer was always, always, always a resounding and overwhelming YES. Overwhelmingly. No other way works. No other form works, nor structure. Our bodies are designed in perfect function, way, form and beauty just the way God made it.

As you look into the science of how every single little part of our bodies function, such as toes or eyelashes or little parts holding us together on the inside, it’s evident that we were created by a Maker and we’re made so well and beautifully!

We were made in His image, and He created us with pleasure, purpose, creativity, supreme intelligence, and love. We are made with great reverence, heartfelt interest, and respect. We are wonderfully made. And oh, it is good. Just like He says it is.

We are living art created by the hand of the living God. 💕

{Psalm 139:14}
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

{Genesis‬ ‭1‬:‭26,27,31‬}
Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!”

Smoothie Bowl & Glory

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The beauty in food astounds me.

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It sings of the God who makes it.

It absolutely fills my heart in awe as excitement ripples through my being when I gaze my eyes upon the glory of God. It spins my mind like a merry-go-round. My eyes grow large in pure wonder as they behold the extravagance and utterly delightful beauty found in our natural world. Food is a gift that is so appealing to all of our senses, is so enjoyable, and keeps us alive. And I don’t mean big macs – I’m talking about real, natural, and plant foods that we’ve been bountifully provided. Foods that are grown on this wonderful earth.

I mean, look at it. The colours, the tastes, the texture, the nutrient and vitamins so abundantly found in each and every single whole food. It’s wonderful. We’ve been consuming food since being in our mother’s womb, so we’ve grown accustom to it. However, look closely, and allow your senses to be amazed and wooed.

Only a divine, creative, glorious Creator could supply us with this kind of beauty.

There is purpose behind this. Extravagant beauty behind this. Provision and deep care behind this. Creativity behind this. Intelligence behind this. Immeasurable wisdom behind this.

Love behind this.

Oh, the decadent tastes. Not only are plant foods exceedingly pleasing to our eyes, but oh…the tastes. Fruit, for instance. Juicy, vibrant, ripe, luxurious fruit that sustains our entire beings physically and mentally. It’s a taste of who our Creator is.

It’s a taste of God Himself.

God is so incredible, and so much more beautiful than even the beauty we can see in the things He makes. Because these things simply came from Him. Imagine Him. We couldn’t possibly comprehend the depth and extreme beauty that He Himself possesses.

That said, here is a delicious and pretty smoothie bowl I made! The smoothie mixture turns out like sherbet and it is oh so delightful. That vibrancy, tho. It’s so very inviting. It tastes like such a treat, and all it is is bananas and strawberries mixed in a blender! It’s amazing what you can make with real whole plant foods. You can essentially eat ice cream every single day and know that you are eating optimally for your health.

Mind = blown. Every single day. Thankfulness to Jesus, every single day.

Christ is the visible image of the invisible God
He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation,
for through him God created everything
in the heavenly realms and on earth.
He made the things we can see
and the things we can’t see—
such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world.
Everything was created through him and for him.
He existed before anything else,
and he holds all creation together.

Colossians 5:15-17 so eloquently enlightens us on Jesus Christ’s divinity, power, and splendour. And when we realize that this is who He is and become intensely aware of Him, our hearts melt and come alive at the same time as we become saturated in His creation – His majestic qualities pouring forth into the magnificently beautiful things we see and experience.

He made these things, and He is glorious.

Smoothie Bowl Directions: In a blender, I throw in frozen bananas with fresh strawberries (stems and all!) and blend with about 1/4 cup  – 1/2 cup of water for it to turn into a smooth ice cream mixture. Then, I top it with healthy yummy things – with whatever suits my fancy! In this picture I have it topped with: sliced banana, sliced strawberries, chia seeds, hemp heart seeds, granola, and cacao nibs. You can go crazy. Oh my yum!

Gorgeous Risotto

On By The DiscernerIn Daily Devotions7 Comments

…Did I just call my risotto gorgeous? Yeah, I did. And for good reason too! This butternut squash risotto wasn’t only a delight to the palette, but very pleasing to the eye as well.

This creamy butternut squash risotto contained walnuts, goat cheese, raisins, dried apricots, portobello mushrooms, and fresh sage, among other things. All together in one dish? Bliss on my tongue. It was my first time making risotto, and I was pleased with the results! And it went perfect with a fresh loaf of olive oil, rosemary, and sea salt bread.

Come…into…my…mouth, you gorgeous thing, you. Yeah. Okay, I’m weird.;)

Oh, the scents radiating through my home that day was half of the reward in itself!

My cousin and his wife and kids were to come over for dinner that night, and I thought, what a better dish than a staple made at our Italian family gatherings when we were growing up. Kind of brought up a bit of nostalgia. :’) Not only that, it was such a perfect and warm dish for the stormy blizzard weather outside. This was all around a great one-pot dish to serve a family.

One of the things I’ve vastly come to appreciate is the presentation of beautiful food. The beauty in food is half of the enjoyment that comes from food. Our eyes gaze on the colours and combinations, and we can’t help but look at it with appreciation. I wasn’t at all like that before. I didn’t really care or appreciate these things, because I didn’t see the meaning behind it all. But now I do. Boy, do I ever! I love, love, love the beauty in food. And it’s because I love, love, love the Creator of that food.

Food is something we’ve been given to appreciate and receive joy from.

And people should eat and drink and enjoy the fruits of their labor, for these are gifts from God. Ecclesiastes 3:13

God wants us to experience joy! And you know why? Because He’s a God full of joy.

The LORD your God among you is powerful— he will save and he will take joyful delight in you. In his love he will renew you with his love; he will celebrate with singing because of you. Zephaniah 3:17

We have a God full of joy and abounding in pleasures!

God knew what He was doing when he created the abundance of beauty, tastes, and nutrients in foods that we have been given. Food is not only meant to sustain, but to heal our bodies. Food is not only meant to fill us, but food is meant to please us as well. We’re not only meant to receive food, but to give as well. It connects people together. Some of the greatest joys in human life revolve around food, and it was by no coincidence. God is a pleasing God who is full of joy, love, and great abundance. He’s not a boring God like so many might think.

He is exciting, thrilling, incredible, beautiful, and pleasing beyond measure.

All you have to do is look at the things He creates, and you can easily see who He is through His creation. Look at the sunset! Isn’t it glorious? It is stunning artwork before your eyes. Bite into a juicy, ripe peach on a warm, sunny day and taste its refreshing, delicious flavor that is so pleasing to the tongue. Look out at the colours from a cliff on a fall day, and bask in the majesty of it all. Feel the cool raindrops on your face and look out at the sky to see a bright rainbow.

I’m sure lots of wonderful thoughts about who God is will come to your mind if you open your eyes and your heart to see it. It does to mine, every day.

So making this risotto, I’d have to say the beauty in its presentation was my greatest reward. It’s just so pretty! Take a look.

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I swear, my eyes are turning into the shape of hearts as we speak. Look at all of those beautiful whole and natural ingredients. Look at the vibrant colours! My heart swells when I look at this. Because I’m connected to the God who created this, and I love Him more than life. I see this as a reflection of Him and I’m in awe.

People so easily take for granted the beauties of this earth. It has become common, and I find that to be a great tragedy, because it is anything but. One of my deepest passions to the core of my heart is to reverse the commonality of the endless beauty and make the Creator and His splendor known. 

I loved making this recipe, and I definitely plan on making it again. It was a one-pot wonder dish – the kind you throw everything in the pot raw and uncooked, along with the water, and the result is a creamy, delicious dish.

Having my cousin and his family over for dinner was such an incredible, intimate, and special time. In the past, I’ve veered away from inviting people over for gatherings and dinner parties because my apartment is oh so tiny! But I have come to realize that I care more about opening my home up for people and good times than I do about a small space. And really, the closer the better, right?

So I laid out a beautiful spread of risotto, along with my favourite olive oil, thyme, sea salt artisan bread, and some red wine that they had brought over. With the candles lit, it was such a wonderful atmosphere to enjoy each others company and share our lives together.

Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Ecclesiastes 9:7

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This dish turned out lightly sweet with a sour touch and earthy undertones; the goat cheese balanced out the flavours together very well.

In case anyone would like to make this amazing dish, here is the recipe:

  • 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed
  • 4 cups of water
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh orzo, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup of walnuts
  • 1 shallot, finely diced
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1 tbs. honey
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 portobello mushroom, diced
  • Goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup chopped dried apricots

Bake the squash first, then peel and cube. Combine in the pot your squash, 4 cups of water, orzo, honey, shallot, apple cider vinegar, salt, sage, thyme, and mushroom. Bring to boil over high heat, and reduce to simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, uncovered, stirring frequently. Add water if necessary (if you need more moisture). Once creamy and thick and water has boiled off, take off of heat and add your apricots and goat cheese! This recipe was used from topateyourplate.com.

Bada bing, bada boom. Deliciousness in one-pot and pretty to serve.

Clinging to God all the days of my Life

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I reigned in my 31st birthday (hands covering my eyes) :’) with none other than homemade mac and cheese. Because, you know, it’s adult and I’m hip like that.

But really, this is not like your old-fashioned kids macaroni and cheese. This is the most adult mac and cheese I’ve ever seen in my life. Not even over-exagerating. In fact, it’s so adult, I doubt children would even like it. Yes, you heard me! This really is adult mac and cheese, so you can feel proper while eating it. Haha.

Made with edamame and mung bean fettuccine noodles, with a legit mixture of cheddar, goat cheese, and a special truffle mustard I found in a small Italian shop, this adult mac and cheese turned out golden – figuratively and literally.

I was able to eat some healthier-version comfort food while actually going into my 30s. Before, I was just 30. Now, I’m in my 30s. As you can see, big difference.;-) But in all honestly, I love it and couldn’t care less. Bring 40 on! Better yet, bring 55!

Falling in love with God and beginning a real relationship with Him completely abolished any ‘age-issues’ that many people face. I know what it’s like, because I had age issues myself, before Christ. Getting older into your adult years puts many in a panic, because life is so short. It seems long while you’re in the moment, but when you look back over the years, it’s like the snap of your fingers. An uncle of mine told me that as you get older, it only goes faster. He’s 56 and can’t believe how old he is. Many don’t like aging, and there’s a deep rooted reason that is planted well into our hearts as to why this is. And it’s not as superficial as one would think.

It’s because we don’t like endings. People have serious fears of aging, getting wrinkly, getting older, dying, not accomplishing what we think we should have accomplished by a certain age – and all of these things consumed me before I met God. I can tell you with a great deal of confidence that if I didn’t have my Saviour to cling to while turning 31, I would literally be running in a panic with no peace in my soul.

He gives me peace.

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! Isaiah 26:3

The peace He gives is like no other. Nothing in this world can give us humans the peace He gives. Nothing even compares to it.

I am leaving you with a gift–peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

The peace the world gives is temporal, circumstantial, and physical. The perfect peace that God gives is eternal, steadfast (unwavering), and intangible. Nothing can move it. Nothing can move you.

He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defense; I shall not be moved. Psalm 62:6

After He filled me, all of those concerns and fears drifted away and vapored into nothingness as I set my eyes on the real reason for living. Him. He’s our constant Rock through everything we face in life. He never changes, we do. Clinging to Him gives us peace and love that we simply can’t find anywhere else. The most awe-stricken thing is that He, the majestic powerful God, wants us to cling to Him. Reading the bible, I can’t even count how many times He has told His people to cling to Him. Isn’t that beautiful? It melts me, totally melts me. He’s such a tender, sweet, loving, caring God. He desires to be close to us in deep fellowship and intimacy.

My soul clings to you. Your right hand supports me. Psalm 63:5

He supports us. He holds us.

Now clinging to Him, climbing up the ladder in years matters to me not even in the slightest! Because I know where I’m going.

He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever. Revelation 21:4

Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting? 1 Corinthians 15.55

Not even scared one bit. Not even slightly. Bring life on.

What freedom that Jesus Christ gives one who calls out to Him as his or her Saviour!

People fear things like this, because we don’t like endings. The ending to a good book, a good movie, a good trip, saying goodbyes, and the end of a life. We don’t like these things, these endings.

Do you know why?

Because God put eternity in our hearts.

We weren’t meant to like endings. We’re eternal beings, and when you trust Jesus Christ for forgiveness and believe that He is the God who came down to put on human flesh and be the sacrifice – the only sacrifice – for our sins so that we may live with Him in Heaven forever, you will experience the true joy, peace, and fearless unending love in life that all humans yearn for.

Endings feel unnatural, and many don’t know why this is.

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Ecclesiastes 3:11

The temporal on earth will only last a short time until we’re with Him forever in Heaven. If you put your trust in Christ and receive Him into your heart, putting all your hope in Him, He will give you the greatest gift. This gift is so beyond our human comprehension, that our life in paradise has never even been thought up by a human being. We can’t conceive it.

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9

Oh, those who call on Him in their hearts and who love Him are in for a treat beyond our wildest dreams. It’s outside anything we could ever think up in our minds. It will be glorious.

Back to my birthday, another interesting thing that has changed is that birthdays used to be so important to me. It was my day. The day to celebrate me. Birthdays are surely fun and they make us feel special, but all of that tension to have a really important day for myself just disappeared into thin air. And it’s all because of Him. When he enters your heart, the things you used to care about – the things of this world that hold no value or security – aren’t held the same in your heart, mind, and spirit as they used to. Because you have Him, you have all of the security, value, worth, love, and feelings of being special…all in Him.

He makes you feel abundantly, crazily, passionately, and perfectly loved. He makes you feel valuable, cherished, beautiful, protected, cared for, shielded, set apart, and in His hands. He makes you feel embraced, unique, thought of, and He loves you perfectly and satisfies your heart completely. Therefore, the need to put so much heaviness on one day just literally melts away. The fear of aging is no more. The fear of death is not even around you. In fact, when you belong to Him, death is used as a means to serve you. Death brings you into transition from living in this world, to living with Him forever in His presence. Everything you held onto in this world vanishes, as you fall into His arms and His warm, sweet embrace. You realize there’s only one true thing that matters in this life, and it’s the One who made you.

Plus, who cares about gifts and balloons when you have the God of all that exists. ❤

Going back to my mac and cheese, I really enjoyed making and eating this. It was a last minute late dinner idea, and it turned out rich and mouthwatering.

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The beauty of these noodles is not only are they made with whole foods grown from the ground, but they are certified organic, vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, and pure. Meaning, the ingredients are literally edamame and mung beans. That’s it, that’s all. Kinda makes my heart happy. :’)

In addition, the mixture of goat cheese, old cheddar, and truffle mustard (raw and fermented) was a superb blend, adultifying (Yes, I just made a word up!) traditional mac and cheese. The result is golden crispy heartiness in a bowl.

 

I made this recipe completely my own, once I gained the fundamentals (amounts of milk, cheese, pasta) from a basic mac and cheese recipe found on the internet. Here is my recipe:

  • 1/2 pound of edamame and mung bean pasta
  • tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour
  • 3 tablespoons truffle mustard
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups of unsweetened almond milk
  • 2 cups old cheddar, shredded
  • 1 cup goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Cook pasta. While pasta is cooking, take a large deep saucepan and melt coconut oil. Whisk in the flour and mustard until a thick sauce forms. Pour in the milk, whisk fast and continuously until sauce thickens. Add salt and pepper. Stir in cheeses until all melted. Pour in the cooked, drained pasta, stir altogether, and pour entire mixture into a glass baking dish (8×8 works for this recipe).Bake for 30 minutes, or until brown and bubbly on top.

And be ready for a treat.

Beautiful Decadence

On By The DiscernerIn Daily Devotions2 Comments

A spark of passion has been igniting within me to bake beautiful desserts. The idea of turning a beautifully presented, hand-crafted, made-with-love dessert and put together with essentially a few random ingredients (eggs, flour, butter, sugar, etc) is just amazing. How wonderful!

I love seeing the finished product, and love even more giving these baked goods as gifts to people. They’re so much more personal than something purchased. A handmade desert took time, effort, creativity, patience, and tons of thought. And not only that, but umm…hello deliciousness! So I’ve taken the opportunity lately to bake yummy, beautiful treats for occasions that have come up. And I can honestly say, it’s been such a joy. Even slowly and patiently and intently frosting a cake brings up a glimmer in my eyes.

Yeah, I could have slammered all of the icing on and it would have tasted the same. But theres something about the creativity involved and close precise effort to making it look pretty and well presented that just gives this world a little bit more beauty. I’m realizing good things take work. Effort shows love, and love lights people  up! I know this first hand from the couple very beautiful desserts I’ve made so far. It excites me, and I love seeing people’s thrilled faces when they receive it. That “wow! look what i am about to eat!” face.

I’ve always been into this, but was too impatient that I never gave it any real effort. Well, one of the fruits of the Spirit is patience, and I definitely see this fruit at work in my life and in my being since giving my life to Christ and receiving His life in my heart. And because of that, fruits such as patience now exudes out from me, even in something as seemingly insignificant as baking a cake.

But it’s really not insignificant.

Because Jesus knows that it’s an act of love, and it is something that strengthens my caring of others, my patience in making complex and beautiful desserts, building my time management (i.e. minimizing procrastination and thinking ahead – something that’s always been a struggle) and making things beautiful with God’s creation, thus bringing Him ultimate glory. In showing love and taking time to make others feel special, I’m showing the glory of God and I’m radiating His Spirit who lives inside of me.

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:23-24

It’s a misconception to think that only the ‘big things’ matter to God. On the contrary, the small things matter to Him just as much. All those little things you do because of your love for Him. He notices, and it delights Him. He feels, and He is humble. He puts himself in a position to be moved by us humans. What a beautiful God! 

For the LORD takes delight in his people; Psalm 149:4a

The LORD takes delight in his faithful followers, and in those who wait for his loyal love.Psalm 147:11

Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

As you can see, there’s a great deal of delight going on between God and those who belong to Him! Delight beyond anything this world has to offer. Delight beyond the physical, delight beyond the temporal, delight beyond the circumstances. Delight with no conditions, delight with no fear.

Pure delight in our Saviour, as He delights in those He created and who are His. There’s nothing more beautiful than this. Nothing more precious. Nothing more sacred. Nothing more treasured.

Making gorgeous desserts is essentially a shadow spilling out of me of how I feel about God, and how God makes me feel. He’s beautiful. Beyond beautiful. And, I’m in love with Him, He’s in love with me (more than I can even fully grasp because His love is so beyond me) and His love endures forever and ever and ever. Literally, His love never ends. Oh, when I think of these things this warmth joy radiates out of me that is completely indescribable! So, because of this love and beauty I experience with my loving Maker, I naturally want to make beautiful things that flow out of my mind and heart.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His faithful love endures forever. 1 Chronicles 16:34

If I could put an emoticon on this post, it would be heart eyes.

Instead, I’ll show you the cake I made! This was for my Uncle’s birthday, and I jumped right up at the opportunity to bake a cake for him.

Homemade yellow cake from scratch, with a rich and sweet buttercream frosting, also from scratch. Delicious.

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Since it’s December, I wanted to make something not only for a guy (blue) but also something that exudes the essence of the winter season. Ice blue, white border, and silver sprinkles.

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Frosting a cake with that perfectly smooth finish is hard and takes patience! But it’s fun, and you are really able to step back and enjoy the end product. I love cake decorating, and I can’t wait to make more cakes and build on this skill, as well as apply my creativity!

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So there you have it! What a joy to make. Even more of a joy to present it to my uncle.

If you would like the recipe for the cake and/or buttercream frosting, I would be more than happy to share in the comments!

xo

A Good Boost of Energy

On By The DiscernerIn Daily Devotions2 Comments

Protein bars. Energy bars. Granola bars. When we think of these things, we usually think of those packaged ‘healthy’ snacks that take up half an isle. When we need a boost of energy or feel those 3pm hunger pangs kick in, or when we had just worked out and need to refuel, much of western culture buys processed, sugar-laced crack in a neatly shaped bar, wrapped with loud and bright logos. To our dismay, these can even deceive the most trained and passionate athletic gurus into thinking that they are healthy. Those protein bars packed with sugar and a bunch of ingredients we can’t even begin to pronounce are not good for you in any way, shape, or form. Sadly, what manufactured companies advertise as healthy usually isn’t the case. They’re packaged to solicit healthy-lifestyle and workout junkies; however, they aren’t nourishing to your body. Yeah sure, they’ll give you an energetic high. That’s because of all the sugar in them! And yes, protein is good for you, but in manufactured form…not so much. Not even close. Not only that, they charge 4-6 bucks a pop, basically ripping money out of the hands of folks desiring to lead a healthy lifestyle.

According to an article I found on The Globe and Mail, many protein bars contain these horrid ingredients: soy protein isolate, high-fructose corn syrup (HSCS), fractioned/hydrogenated palm kernel oil, artificial sweeteners, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and natural flavourings (which are not natural!). Without making my blog post too entirely long, I didn’t include the descriptions or what they do to your body [please do research!]. But, they aren’t good for you, and I feel grateful to have the opportunity to shed light on them and help encourage another way.

Before I go on any further, I’ll be the first to admit that I will splurge on candy, chocolates, and when my mom lays out a beautiful german chocolate cake in front of me, I won’t say no. Haha. But my argument here is that these bars are packaged to endorse a healthy lifestyle and are geared towards those trying to be healthy. When I eat chocolate cake, I know that it’s a splurge. But I wouldn’t want to eat something I think is healthy and nourishing yet it be anything but that.

I can tell you that it breaks God’s heart to see people deceived and caught up in the advertising and sale schemes of big money-hungry companies, and the people behind them.

Don’t be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. James 1:16

Just because it’s packaged as healthy, doesn’t mean it is. In fact, these corporations don’t even slightly care about your health. They want your money.

Such is the fate of all who are greedy for money; it robs them of life. Proverbs 1:19

God doesn’t want the precious human beings that He created to fall into this advertisement, passivity haze. Jesus Christ is the all-powerful, Almighty God, but He also feels so deeply. More deeply than human beings can fully grasp. And His heart breaks when He sees His people nutrition-deprived, especially when he gifts us with an abundance of food that comes from the earth. This goes way beyond packaged bars. It’s the fast-paced convenience-centered culture in which we live. The kingdom of consumerism as an entity spills out into every facet of our lifestyle, and greatly effects our culture, society, and way of living as a whole. It goes deeper, but for the sake of this post, I’m only going to discuss packaged protein bars. The good news is that with the right knowledge, we can go against the grain! We can open our eyes, become purposeful in our well-being, and walk in a different direction.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

God doesn’t want us to blend in with this world. Let Him give you wisdom and insight on how you should take care for yourself and live this ever-so-difficult and pressing life.

Now, I’m not saying all protein bars are bad for you! Nor am I saying you should never eat them. Some bars on the market are clean and whole and good for you, albeit being expensive. Whether you love protein bars or hate ’em, that’s up to you. But, I’d like to provide insight on them because I believe there are so many different possibilities  – ways that invest nutritiously into bettering your mind, body, and overall health. Ways that give you natural energy and satisfy your hunger.

What’s important is fueling the body with real, natural, whole foods.

It’s easy (and fun!) and almost sickeningly quick to make, and for pennies on the dollar of those sugary monstrosities.

Did I mention they are oh-so good? I mean, those manufactured bars ain’t got nothin’ on the homemade whole food versions!

You can really be creative when you make your own energy bars. That’s the beauty of it! Recently, I made move to rid of all things in bags and packaged and put everything into jars. (Okay, I’m kinda obsessed with jars. Once you start, you won’t stop.) I made a huge trip to bulk barn, bought raisins, craisins, dates, nuts, seeds, chia seeds, shredded coconut, flax seeds and more. My heart literally gets excited at filling all of my jars with various foods.You name it, it’s probably in my cupboard. Haha.

 

 

Here, I made energy bars that came out so yummy, filling, and healthy. They are like the homemade version of larabars. Fruit, nuts, dates = yumminess and energy at my fingertips. I made two different kinds! The first batch, I threw in….

Recipe:

  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • dates
  • 1-2 tbs. almond butter or any nut butter (use at your discretion – used to hold everything together!)
  • 1 tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • dash of mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (for good measure, of course!)
  • flax seed
  • chia seeds
  • unsweetened coconut

Put it all in the food processor, mix it all together, then form it into a glass dish! Put in fridge to further seal it all together, and it’ll be ready for you to cut into squares. Batch number two was the same, except I omitted the unsweetened cocoa and chocolate chips, and added a bit more dried fruit almond butter.

 

Here’s some energy balls I made as well:

 

Recipe:

  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup nut butter (I used sunflower seed butter! Yum!)
  • 1/3 cup honey, warmed
  • 1/3 cup blackstrap molasses
  • 3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2/3 cup flax seeds
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2 tbs chia seeds

In a large mixing bowl, put all ingredients except honey. Pour warmed honey over everything, and mix with a wooden spoon (or your hands!) form into balls, and place in fridge to harden.

They’re amazing squares and balls of goodness! And the best part is sharing them with a friend! There’s a great deal of joy to be said about receiving that text saying, “your bars are so delicious! Thanks!”. Ah, the little things in life that touch the heart. :’)

I hope you enjoy making these. I’d love to hear your feedback on them!

God’s Goodness

On By The DiscernerIn Daily DevotionsLeave a comment

Salad. Beautiful, colourful, fresh, nutrient-rich salad.

I feel really blessed in life. Wanna know why? Because I actually love salad. Like, it’s not a job to eat it like many feel when they’re on a some type of diet. I drool over salad. I salivate over salad. Though I love to cook, I’m not a fan of chopping for so long to make the salads…seriously, it takes a lot of chopping! I kind of wish my choice salad of the day would just appear on my counter at my demand.

Unfortunately, the healthier you eat, the more work. It becomes an integrated part of your life, with much thought and effort put into it. When you come to realize that your health and well-being are more important than the feelings of hesitancy to want to spend so much time preparing – scouting out recipes, planning, shopping, chopping, blending, sautéing, measuring, mixing, and worst of all, cleaning! – you’ll do it and not only will you do it, but you’ll enjoy it. Because every ounce of time, effort, prep work, and money that goes into the health of your body and mind is an investment. One that returns to you in abundance.

So I chop. I chop because I want to eat fresh veggies. I chop because it’s good for me. I chop because I feel one with the Creator of the food I eat. I chop because God made these beautiful and tasty foods, and I want to enjoy His creation. I chop because I love salad!

I also reeeeeeeally like eating. I mean, food is amazing. I’m sure you’d never be able to tell, with this blog and all! 😉

But wow. That God in His goodness and generosity would give us, human beings, so many delicious flavours, as well as taste buds to richly enjoy a multitude of flavours just again leaves me in awe of Him. He’s so good and giving and worth all of our love.

The LORD is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation. Psalm 145:9

Some synonyms for compassion are fellow feeling, care, concern, sensitivity, warmth, love, tenderness, tolerance, kindness, and charity to name a few.

Ever think about God like this? He’s the one who created you. He created you with joy and love! He showers His compassion on us through so many endless ways, and you start to see them more and more as you look around and become aware of Him. Because of His sweet love, sensitivity to us, and desire of good things for us, He has given us the gift of taste buds and the ability to taste what seems like an endless array of foods and food combinations. He provides, and He lavishes His love on us in abundant ways.

O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. I chronicles 16:34

When you really come to know Him, and have a posture before Him of love, adoration, reverence, and humbleness, you come to realize how amazingly blessed we are that He is who He is. That the glorious God of all that exists didn’t have to have His attributes, His character, His nature, His divine beauty and His faithful love. When one comes to realize this, all the things in life once taken for granted becomes radiant in front of our eyes, as we see the Creator and His hand in everything that exists. He didn’t have to give us the ability to enjoy so many things on this earth. But because of His goodness, we are gifted by Him in so many ways.

For in him we live and move and exist. As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ Acts 17:28

A beautiful truth is that all of God’s kindness is intended to turn people towards Him in love and adoration. It’s intended to bring His created people into a loving and fulfilling eternal relationship with Him. One that satisfies even more than all of the beauty we experience in our lifetime. If you look closely, you can see His passionate pursuit and divine wooing of us through His endless and generous lovingkindness.

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? Romans 2:4

God isn’t mean and controlling. His love literally consumes and he gently and lovingly and sweetly wants to pull us into Him. And one of the ways he does so by lavishing beauty all around us!

I notice this a great deal when I make salads. Yeah, it’s just a salad. I get that. But, it’s also a reflection of God’s goodness. You see, salads are so colourful! Together in one bowl, you can see all the different pretty colours and different tastes all together in a delicious dish.

One of the other things I love about salad is that you get to eat a lot. I mean, when you have a big huge salad in front of you, it takes time to get through that thing. It’s work. Delicious work! Hungry? Put as many veggies as you want in your salad, and chow down. I love making myself massive dinner salads. They’re so satisfying!

So go! Make a big colourful salad! Go to your local store, and find as many different veggies with different colours as you can. Chop them, and put them together for healthy superfood goodness. Red tomatoes, orange carrots, yellow peppers, dark leafy greens, light green cucumber purple (red) onion, dark purple cabbage, and black olives, to name just a few. And there, you have yourself a rainbow of goodness and beauty, sitting in your bowl for your enjoyment.