Hearts Transformed

My heart is super heavy. I work with some really amazing families that have had their share of struggles but today tops it. I work with a lady whom I spoke to exactly one week ago this afternoon and now she is laying in a hospital bed and her family is having to make the difficult decision of whether to pull her off life support. This lady is like all of us with a family and friends. She was working to set goals in her life and  for her family. She had hopes and dreams. I am devasted. I am in shock. I am at a loss. It is Ash Wednesday and we enter into this most somber of seasons to which I have never entered in such a state of overwhelming feelings of impending death. I pray that her family is safe and well. I pray that her children push themselves to accomplish all that they dream and all the she dreamed for them. I reflect on the coming remembrance of Jesus death and I pray that I push myself to accomplish all that I dream and all that MY FATHER dreams for me. I pray that I keep

Seasons come and go and right now I am in a season of great anxiety. My head and my heart are not matching up. My head knows the logical things, like it is 3 am and I should be asleep. My body is exhausted and has a headache. My attitude is exhausted and needs adjusting. My faith is exhausted and needs a fresh wind. My heart is exhausted with worry. I know to be grateful. I know to be calm. I know worry doesn't change things. I know my fears are unfounded. Yet here I am in a season of exhaustion. I am in winter and I need signs of Spring!  I have family that loves me. I have friends that support me. I have a belief in The God whom is patient and kind. I have a warm house. I have food in the fridge. I have sooooo much. Yet I am in winter and I need signs of Spring! Seasons come and go and I am certain that Spring is coming and I welcome it!

Today started out rainy and fairly warm given that it is February but by this evening it was down right frigid and called for a bowl of soup. I decided I wanted chicken chili and I thought I would create my own recipe. It was SO yummy and pretty healthy! Ranch Chicken Chili 4 cups chicken broth 1 small white onion 1 can Rotel 1 can diced green chiles  1 can white hominy drained 1 can white beans drained 1 can pinto beans drained 1/2 package Wildtree Creamy Ranch Dressing and Dip Mix 1 tablespoon Wildtree Chipotle Lime Rub 1 tablespoon Wildtree Grapeseed Oil 1/2 Rotisserie Chicken shredded black pepper to taste Heat oil in 4 quart pot and add onions until tender. Add remaining ingredients and bring to boil. Turn down and let simmer for 30 minutes. Serve with lime wedge and avocado slices.  Let know how you like it if you try. 

I don't often take sick days but Miss Chelsea doesn't know that and she has had her fair share of sick days. Today is one of those days. It has been so bitterly cold here and we ventured out the other night and wound up walking quite a distance in the cold windy air. And like magic the nose started running. Well last night the cold moved from runny nose to full on seal coughs and crying spells. Poor thing. By this afternoon Miss Chelsea is on full tilt and running around like her normal self. All of that back story to say, I stayed home today and I didn't feel bad at all so I knocked some things out like going through Mt Paperest on my desk. I found all kinds of goodies. Bills that I didn't pay on time (awesome), letters from our Compassion sponsor child that I hadn't responded to (sad), and an itunes card for a free download of a Christmas song I picked up for a friend (Merry Christmas 2015?). I looked everywhere for a card that was a just because occasion and cou