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Month: July 2013

My Weird Book Reading Quirk

I have been known to stop reading two chapters before the book ends. I’ll just put the book down and not pick it up for days.

I do that because I have loved being a part of that world, I love the characters, the setting, the story. And I don’t want it to end. Once I’ve read the last page, it is over. I can never again go back and be in that world in the same way and so I don’t want to leave. Reading the last chapter, reaching the last page makes me feel like I have said goodbye to a dear friend and I’ll do almost anything to prolong the ending.

What quirky reading habits do you have when reading a great book?

Becoming Grandparents

Several months ago, John and I recently became grandparents.  We went from simply being parents to being grandparents of three babies. All within three months! How did that happen? Having two babies at once will do that.

Our eldest daughter (AbiGrace) had twin girls in mid February. Oh, they are just beautiful.  They are now five months old and growing each day. Our youngest daughter, (20yo) gave birth to a bonny boy a few month later in mid May. He is shaping up to be a typical Priolo lad – growing at a ferocious rate!

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Our twin grand-daughters

I was blessed to be present for the arrival of all three grandchildren. Yes, I truly have seen my girls at their best and their worse. And I count myself very fortunate indeed.

I’ve been busy helping the girls when and where it is appropriate. I try not to overwhelm them with my thoughts, ideas and advice… they have enough of that already. Besides they know they can always call me if they feel the need.

This is truly a most precious time of life – being a grandparent. It is a whole new season of life. I love how life seasons overlap each other. It adds to the fun and richness of life. I see the grand-babies regularly and am reminded of how tiring the early years of motherhood can be. I love having them visit but I also appreciate my pillow that night, knowing that I will get many hours of uninterrupted sleep. But all things in their time. I am well past the baby and toddler years so there is no point in looking back. I seek grace to embrace each new season as it comes my way, courage to let go of the season that has passed and wisdom to know which season I am in.

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What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

When they found him on the other side of the sea, they said to him, “Rabbi, when did you come here?” Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
John 6:25 – 30

Jesus is talking here to a crowd of people. He had walked on water, fed the 5,000 with only five barley loaves and two fish which has compelled the crowd to seek Him out so they might attain more food. Jesus teaches them that they should not be seeking for temporary food that perishes, but for food that is eternal. The crowd asks him what they must do to get this eternal bread. See, these were Jewish people who believed in the Mosaic law. They were asking, according to the works of the Mosaic Law what they could do in order to find eternal life.  They were accustomed to working and they recognised that God had a requirement for them to fulfill. They wanted to know what the requirement was so they could please God and obtain eternal life by doing good works. In verse 29, Jesus flatly denies this thinking. They could not please God by doing good works!

There is only one work of God – only one thing that God requires. For us to put our trust in the One the Father has sent. How are we to work for salvation, for eternal life? Only by believing in the one God has sent, Jesus the Messiah.

What must we do, to be doing the works of God?

“This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

Skinny Chocolate

After much trial and error I have finally tweaked the Trim, Healthy Mama (THM) recipe to [my] perfection!

Recipe

  • 4 tsp up to 1/4 cup xylitol, ground OR 1-3 TB Homemade Sweet Blend (see recipe below)
  • A few shakes of NuNaturals Pure Stevia Extract Powder (do not add if using Homemade Sweet Blend)
  • 1/4 cup pure cocoa
  • 1/2 cup coconut oil
  • 1Tb cream (or cream cheese will also do the trick!) - *optional
  • ¼ tsp. of salt

*Optional additions: coconut, berries, chopped nuts, berries, peanut paste, etc. Maybe even a squirt of Nirvana Stevia Chocolate Drops.

Note: I have the handy dandy shaker that came with the NuNaturals Stevia. I open the lid to only have the powder come out from three little circles. I then give the Stevia about 3 gentle shakes. However, it's all personal taste learned through trial and error.

A Serving Size is about one third of this mix at each sitting.

I only buy pure cocoa. Cacao is too expensive for me, and I don't particularly see much difference between it and pure cocoa. Simply check the back of the packet for the ingredient list to ensure you have pure or 100% cocoa. Some producers add all sorts of sweeteners and fillers to their cocoa so you don't want this.

If you want to know what Trim Healthy Mama is, pop on over to my Nutrition Coaching website and have a look around. 

If you want to read more variations on the THM Skinny Chocolate recipe, see the THM Pinterest board.

Addendum 11/03/2015: I was finding my own Skinny Chocolate tweaks to be missing the spot...  and then I stumbled across a homemade sweet blend that does the trick perfectly.

  • I tsp. THM Pure Stevia Extract
  • 1 cup erythritol
  • 1 cup Xylitol

Blend together in processor or bullet. Use spoon for spoon.