The Key to Happiness

Where does true happiness come from?

In asking someone where happiness comes from, you may hear several different answers.  Common answers may include money, possessions, and people.  I agree, those things may add to your happiness.  However, if a person relies solely on these things for happiness they are sure to be disappointed.  Say you are happy because you are rich.  We all know how easy it is for finances to be turned upside down in the blink of an eye.  If the money is gone, then the happiness is gone.  Some rely on special possessions for their happiness, such as an heirloom or a treasure.  What if a fire consumes all those possessions?  The happiness went up in flames too.  Some people's happiness depends on a particular person in their life, such as a spouse.  What if that spouse becomes unfaithful, loses interest in the relationship, or dies?  That person's happiness just left too.  Human history proves you can't rely on humans 100% of the time.

Have you known a person without joy?  Have you lived without joy?  It is painful to watch and painful to live.  Unhappy people are prime targets of the enemy.  They seek something to fill them up, something to make them happy.  If they can't get these things, they may turn to the unthinkable in order to find relief from their pain.  This in turn leads to more unhappiness.  If happiness doesn't come from money, possessions, or people, where does it come from?  Let's see what the Bible says.


Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

Here it says that joy comes from salvation.  Salvation means that you have been saved from eternal death.  Salvation means that your sins have been forgiven so that you may have eternal life.  This is something free God gives to all of us.  All you have to do is ask.  Admit you are a sinner.  Confess that Jesus Christ is the son of God and that He died for your sins before ascending to sit at the right side of God Almightly.  Ask Him to forgive you.  Make Him the lord of your life.  All you have to do is call on His name and you will be given the gift of salvation. Salvation brings a joy that isn't dependent on anything but God.  That means you can lose all your money, lose all your possessions, and even lose people around you and you will still have joy in your life.  Sure, losing those things won't be easy to bear, but when your happiness isn't based on what you have/don't have your perspective will be different.  Once you get past the grief of losing those things, your joy of salvation will still remain.


Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Bonus!  Get your joy from God's salvation and He will bless you.  That is where those previous things come to play: people, money, and possessions.  God grants us those perks but doesn't expect us to base our happiness on what we have and don't have. 

Enjoy Paul Baloche's "Our God Saves"", which I think goes  well with this reflection.

Blessings,
Rachael

Roasted Root Veggies and Barley

This is an easy meal that can be prepared in about 30 minutes.  I ate two new veggies in this dish-turnip and fennel bulb.  The apple adds a sweetness to the meal, which is your treat for eating so many veggies!

  This recipe was adapted from Clean Food cookbook.

Preheat the oven to 425 F.  Bring water to a boil for your barley.  For each cup of uncooked barley you need about 3 cups of water. 

While waiting for the water to boil:

Trip off the ends of the brussel sprouts and cut them in halves. 

Dice a turnip.

Dice a fennel bulb.

Dice a gala apple into chunks larger than your veggies since apples tend to cook quicker.

In a roasting pain, toss your brussel sprouts, turnip, fennel, and apple in olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place the pan in the oven.   It takes about 25 minutes until it carmelizes.  Be sure to stir the mixture every 8-10 minutes to ensure even roasting.

Meanwhile, once your water comes to a boil, pour in the barley, turn the heat down to low/med and let it simmer with the lid on.   It takes about 30 minutes for the barley to cook.  Drain any remaining water.

Serve the veggies on a bed of barley.

This meal was simple and delicious!

Asparagus, chickpeas, and quinoa

This was my first time to eat asparagus.  I know, that is a shame!  It was simple to prepare and didn't taste at all like I had imagined.  Funny how we have preconceived notions about certain foods.  You really should try something before you decide if you like it or not.  :)  My mother may have just had an aneurysm reading that...all those years of lectures.  It finally sank in, Mom! 

This dinner was on the table in less than 20 minutes. 

Preheat the oven to 425.

Measure out 1 cup Quinoa and 2 cups water.  This is enough for two with some leftover.  Double or triple if needed.  Cover, turn on the heat, and bring to a boil.  It will be done in about fifteen minutes, when the grain separates.

Snap the ends off of a bunch of fresh asparagus.  Lay onto a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil.  Squeeze half a lemon onto the asparagus.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Put in the oven when 425 F.  Roast for about 10 minutes.  It should come out tender, not crunchy.

Open up a can of chickpeas.  Drain, rinse.  Put into a sauce pan and heat over low to medium heat, occasionally tossing.


Enjoy!

Give credit where credit is due

Sometimes I forget to give credit where credit is due.
Deuteronomy 8:10-18

10When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.  11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.  12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.  15 He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions.  He brought you water out of hard rock.  16 He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you.  17  You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce weath...


I know that sometimes I am proud.  I am proud of where I came from, proud of what I have accomplished, and proud of who I am.  God reminds me that HE GAVE me the ability to do EVERYTHING.   I grew up with all my basic needs being met.  Some would have called our family poor, but in comparison with most of the world, we had plenty.  Still, on occasion I have run into a childhood friend, classmate, or parent and have seen the surprise on their face when they learn I am a physician assistant, am married, and have a child.  Contrastingly, friends learn of my background and are very surprised, assuming that because of who I am today that I must have "come from money, grew up in church, etc". 

I didn't come from money.  I didn't have a stable home life.   I didn't grow up learning about Jesus.   I overcame all of those things.   Sometimes, I take the credit for everything.  I worked hard.   I applied myself.  I am smart.   I didn't want to continue certain family traditions.  I chose to go to church.  The truth is I couldn't have accomplished anything without God.  HE GAVE ME THE ABILITY, the encouragement, and the path to get to where I am and to allow me to do what I do both professoinally and in the home.  He also gives me the wealth that occurs beause of the abilities he has blessed me with.  Also, wealth isn't just measured in money, but in love and in the fruits of my labor.



Questions to ponder:
1)  Do you ever find yourself giving credit to yourself instead of to God?
2)  Do you feel you are using your abilities  as God intended?  If not, what are you going to do about it?

Homemade Pizza

I found this pizza dough recipe on 100  Days of Real Food.

Take one cup warm water and add 2 tsp active dry yeast.  Let it sit until it bubbles.  Then add 2 tsp salt and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Mix it all together, then add to 3 cups of whole wheat flour.  Mix into a dough, then knead.  This only takes about 2 minutes.  Place the dough into a bowl and cover for one hour, up to overnight, while storing in the fridge.  This makes enough for two pizzas.  We ate one pizza for dinner, then kept the dough overnight and had the second pizza for dinner the next night. 

We brushed our dough with olive oil, then sprinkled garlic powder, basil, and oregano on top.  Then we added sliced up mozzerella and fresh parmesean, along with some spinach leaves.  My daughter was a great help with sprinkling ingredients!

Bake at 500 F for 8 minutes.

Muesli

Tired of oatmeal but still wanting a healthy breakfast?  Try muesli!  I tried Bob's Red Mill version, which is made of whole wheat, date crumbles, sunflower seeds, raisins, whole grain rye, whole grain barley, whole grain oats, flaxseed, almonds, and walnuts.  It can be eaten hot or cold.  Today I tried it hot (add water and microwave) with a side of fresh berries.  This was very filling and would be a great Daniel Fast meal! 

Menu plan (80% plus Daniel Fast approved)

I planned this menu with the goal of striving for at least six servings of veggies/fruit per day.   It seems hard to reach this goal if you don't plan it out in advance.  This week, our protein will mostly come from beans, fish, and nuts.  It isn't 100% DFA, but you could easily modify a few things to reach that goal if you are interested.  If you are thinking about a Daniel Fast, this menu would certainly help prepare you as it is mostly based in plants. You would only need to eliminate the fish, make a few small adjustments on the stir fry recipe (no alcohol or added sugar) and avoid adding cheese to the lentil casserole and baked potato. 

Sunday:  Whole grain cereal with fresh mango
                Baked potato with baby green salad
                Lentil and green bean casserole
                Nectarine

Monday:  Oatmeal with cinnamon and raisins
                 Brown rice tortilla with peanut butter and granny smith apple
                 Grapes
                 Baby carrots
                 Grilled tilapia with squash and zucchini

Tuesday:  Whole grain cereal with banana
                 Brown rice tortilla with peanut butter
                 Clementine
                 Homemade trail mix (dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and grain)
                 Cabbage kale salad with chickpeas and pear (recipe later if this is good)

Wednesday:  Oatmeal with cantaloupe
                      Leftover salad with grapes
                      Veggie tacos

Thursday:  Whole grain cereal and a clementine
                   Leftover veggie tacos
                   Apple
                  Chinese veggie stir fry with rice