Hearts Transformed

So it is already July and I have a little less than one month before I will be unemployed and the world will be my proverbial oyster. So what should I do in this next chapter of my life? I want to do something creative. I want to make things or teach how to make things. But what "things" should it be? Should I try and open a group painting studio. Or should I try a new business idea all together? I welcome comments to the question: What should I do next?

Tonight I got very creative and decided to attempt a new recipe. To be honest it is more out of necessity to cook all the food I can find in the cabinet and freezer right now. I am on a tight budget and I am doing my best to stick to it. Here goes nothing: Summer Veggie Chicken Bake 1 can cream of chicken 1 can Rotel 2 chicken breast cubed 1/2 onion sliced thin 1 yellow squash sliced thin 1 zucchini squash sliced thin 1 cup frozen corn 1 small can black olives 2 cups cooked shell noodles shredded cheese of your preference Mix all ingredients (except cheese) pour into a 8x11 cooking dish and top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. It was delicious!

Each year I set out to accomplish goals in my life and one of my personal goals this year was to cook a new recipe each month that I have never cooked before. So far in 2011 the only thing new I made of Cod Bake. So several days ago when I noticed the Barefoot Contessa Cookbook was out I thought David was hinting at something. Needless to say he finally came around to asking for me to cook what he had found. So here we go: Pan-Roasted Root Vegetables from Barefoot Contessa. I tried several vegetables that I had never eaten before. * 1/2 stick butter * 1 white turnip diced * 2 parsnips diced * 2 carrots diced, * 8 Brussels sprouts, cut in half if large * 4 thyme sprigs (i used dried about 1/4 teaspoon) * salt * pepper * 2 celery ribs diced. Melt 1/2 stick of butter in a saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. Toss diced parsnips, carrots, turnips and brussels sprouts, thyme, salt and pepper in the melted butter cover and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes. Uncover ...

Every have those seasons in life that feel relentless? I am in the middle of one of those right now and I am trying my very best to focus on the blessings in my life. Because they are many but it just seems each new day is compounding upon us what we are having to deal with. David is at the house feeling a little loss with no where to go during the day and it breaks my heart to see him so discouraged. We are praying that the paper we need for immigration will come this week and we can get it to the office it needs to be at the beginning of next week. Then I will be calling Senator Corker's office once again to see if this law abiding, tax paying, voting AMERICAN citizen can't speed things along with the ridiculous Immigration process. For anyone who thought it was as easy as getting married for David to become a citizen, sadly you are mistaken. I have been having some complications with my health that are concerning and I am scheduled for more test this coming week and then...

Everyone knows, I heart a great deal. Given my year of no new non-food, non-health product purchases it has been so difficult to pass on some of the wonderful offers I have seen come through. But ALAS! this morning I quite possibly hit the jackpot.  There is a new discount website that offers great discounts to local fares while allowing you to use these promotions from your phone and there is no need to pre-buy or print out certificates. It is  ScoutMob  and their tag line is Mobile Deals for the Local Curious. And they are hiring in the D.C. area! How amazing would it be to discover my new city and get paid to do so? 

So today I am really at my limit. I feel like i keep trying to get ahead in losing weight and paying debt and it seems like I am going in the wrong direction in everything. I am distracted with my future worries. I am pretty sure Jesus said, "Today has enough worries of it's own." I need help. I need accountability. I don't want to spend money on this but I think it may be exactly what I need to do. I am going to have to bite the bullet and join a gym where I can be motivated to get a move on. I felt so motivated when David was here but with him out of town most of the time, it is so difficult. I just need to commit. I haven't been as vulnerable as this before with the blogosphere but I need an outlet. I want my life to be one that is extraordinary. I want to be an example to the world of what the FULL LIFE looks like and I don't think I am doing a real bang up job right now. I get distracted with all the worries of the world and don't look to the One ...

With my new challenge of not buying anything for a full calendar year I have had some really proud moments like, when I walked through Target and only bought disposable razors and draino and some really hard moments like, when I find a great sale on something.  This morning I realized that my smell good soap is almost out and although I am going to buy soap I am only buying the cheapest  I can find with a coupon, of course! And I am having a BAD HAIR week which is really working my resolve to not spend money. SO, I come into work today in a huff over the hair experience. It is like my fun curly hair has decided to go straight? What is up with that?  Here is where the story gets good and God blows me away. A wonderful woman from my church comes into my office to drop off the key to her house (for which I am house-sitting this weekend) and she puts a great big bag on my desk that includes two pair of the killer deal flip flops from Old Navy, a new smell good soap...