Quick, Powerful, and Sharp

Today's Verse of the Day is Hebrews 4:12 "For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."


Some other translations put it this way:

New International Version: For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

New Living Translation: For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Common English Bible: Because God’s word is living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. It penetrates to the point that it separates the soul from the spirit and the joints from the marrow. It’s able to judge the heart’s thoughts and intentions.

Amplified Bible: For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the [a]breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.


The Word is powerful! It can be in personal study or during a church service, but the Word has pierced me many times. Often it is just a single verse - it happens quickly when I open my heart as I open my Bible.

Jeremiah 10:23 says, "O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." But Psalms 119:133 says, "Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me." I won't feel the piercing and dividing when my Bible remains closed. The thoughts, attitudes, desires, and intentions of my heart will lead me astray as long as my Bible remains closed. No matter how many times I've read it, the Bible is still alive and able to work in my life as long as I'll keep it open.

Other books were given for our information.
The Bible was given for our transformation.
~ Mom's Bible

Trusting in God or Riches

Eight years ago today, Les and I watched as a Santa Ana wind driven wildfire made its way toward our property line. You can read the entire story here. Les had been in a bike accident the day before and was moving slowly. We received an evacuation warning that said if an evacuation notice came we would have ten minutes to leave our home. That notice never came, but I did pack a few things just in case. I still remember the peace I felt as the fire raged ~ nothing that mattered was inside our house. Les and I were safe.


The process of deciding what to pack in case our house burned down wasn't as difficult as you might imagine. I packed very little. Don't get me wrong ~ I enjoy nice things. I have a closet full of clothes and shoes. We have a lovely home. We have also lived on unemployment checks that didn't come close to the income we were use to. None of those things change who I am... unless I let them.

The Bible has a lot to say about riches. Not all of it is negative. Riches themselves are not the problem ~ it's how we treat them:

Proverbs 11:28
He that trusteth in his riches shall fall; but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.
Proverbs 23:5
Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.
Ecclesiastes 5:19
Every man also to whom God hath given riches and wealth, and hath given him power to eat thereof, and to take his portion, and to rejoice in his labour; this is the gift of God.
Jeremiah 9:23
Thus saith the LORD, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
Luke 8:14
And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection.
Philippians 4:19
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 6:17
Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

It is not wrong to enjoy the blessings that God sends. It's wrong to think that we brought the riches upon ourselves.

Eight years later, I still catch myself thinking about fires at this time of year. We've only received one inch of rain this month and a mild Santa Ana condition is in the forecast this week. I pray we don't face evacuations again, but if we do I'll trust God to keep us. Remembering that He is our provider and protector.

The Wife of a Kenite

The book of Judges is one my favorites in the Bible. Almost every chapter introduces a new character who is used of God. My favorite is Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. There is very little said about her, but her impact was great:

Howbeit Sisera fled away on his feet to the tent of Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite: for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. And Jael went out to meet Sisera, and said unto him, Turn in, my lord, turn in to me; fear not. And when he had turned in unto her into the tent, she covered him with a mantle. And he said unto her, Give me, I pray thee, a little water to drink; for I am thirsty. And she opened a bottle of milk, and gave him drink, and covered him. Again he said unto her, Stand in the door of the tent, and it shall be, when any man doth come and enquire of thee, and say, Is there any man here? that thou shalt say, No. Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. (Judges 4:17-21)

Who was this Heber the Kenite? One commentary explains that the Kenites were related to the father-in-law of Moses. They were true converts to Judaism, dedicated to the service of God and the study of Torah.

I got so excited reading that! Jael, the wife of Heber, was not an Israelite. She couldn't trace her lineage back to Abraham, but that didn't stop her from being committed to God and His cause. At her hand the feared general, Sisera, was put to death. Judges chapter 5 says, "Blessed above women shall Jael the wife of Heber the Kenite be, blessed shall she be above women in the tent."

What a great example to us! It does not matter to God if we are first generation Apostolic or fifth. What matters is a willingness to do the work at hand. The will of God will be accomplished, the work will go forth.

Esther 4:13-14, says "Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Just like Esther, and Jael, we must decide if we will be part of the work in such a time as this.

Monday Morning Mail Call

I love getting things in the mail. A card or letter really brightens my day. I enjoy going through catalogs, especially this time of the year. I'm not too thrilled when bills come, but I'm thankful we have the funds to pay them. You may remember earlier this year I received this:


I've laughed about it many times as I creep slowly towards 50 and my hair becomes more silver (that sounds better than gray, right?) So I was a little, okay a LOT, surprised when I received this:


"Dear New Parent" ??? What??? Whoever is selling my name to companies is very confused. From retirement age to new parent all in the same year.

I went online to the take the survey and was quickly bumped out of it when I answered "None of the above" to this question:

Within the past 5 months, have you yourself...

Given birth to one baby?
Given birth to multiple babies (twins, triplets,etc.)?
Adopted a baby?
None of the above


FYI ~ if you're going to send me crazy things in the mail, you will probably become blog fodder.

Friday Foodie

The past few weeks I have seen numerous recipes for Apple Dumplings. Apples, cinnamon, sugar, dough ~ what's not to like? The simplest ones are made of crescent rolls. Wonderful, except we do not need 8 Apple Dumplings in our household. So, I worked my little brain and decided to make another recipe that uses crescent rolls ~ Crescent Chicken Casserole ~ and snitch a couple crescents for Apple Dumplings. I made one adjustment by buying a package of Jumbo crescent rolls, then I used 6 for the casserole and 2 for the dumplings.


Apple Dumplings

2 jumbo crescent rolls
1 Granny Smith apple
3 Tbsp. margarine (I used "I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, Light")
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
Cinnamon

1. Peel and core apple. Slice very thinly and sprinkle with cinnamon.
2. Unroll crescent rolls and pinch together across the diagonal. Slice in fourths, but keep close together.
3. Pour apple slices in the rolls, then roll each up individually. Place any leftover apples in 8" x 8" baking pan that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Place rolls on top of apples.
4. Melt margarine, mix in brown sugar and pour over the dumplings.
5. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly. Apples should be soft but not mushy.
6. Serve warm, scoop some of the sauce and extra apples on top. Vanilla ice cream optional.

These were very yummy! I said, "It's great that I didn't need to use an entire package of crescent rolls." Les said, "Why would that have been a bad thing??"

Nutritional info: 154 calories / 1 g protein / 14 g carbs / 1 g fat / 1 g fiber / 3 WW Points plus per serving. Makes 4

Riding Above the Fog

Les and I rode together this morning. There was a very thick fog starting at our house. After 4 1/2 miles, we finally rode out of it, just past the split, and continued in sunshine all the way to the top.


Isn't that just like life? There are times our path is uncertain ~ we're in a valley and can't see the way up ahead. I Corinthians 13:12 says, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." I love how the Message puts it ~ "We don't yet see things clearly. We're squinting in a fog, peering through a mist. But it won't be long before the weather clears and the sun shines bright! We'll see it all then, see it all as clearly as God sees us, knowing him directly just as he knows us!" Sometimes we just have to trust that the sun will shine, the weather will clear as we continue on.


The fog had crept even higher as we made our way back down the trail. There were times that I was "peering through the mist" and still couldn't see Les. But I trusted the trail, I didn't try any shortcuts or new ways. I'm safely home because I trusted the trail that is tried and true. Water was dripping from my helmet and my hair, but I knew a warm shower waited if I would just keep pedaling towards home.

Life is a series of mountain tops and valleys. Sunny days and foggy trails. Find people who have traveled the road of life ahead of you. Trust their wisdom. Trust the man of God in your life. Walk in the path that is good. "Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls." (Jeremiah 6:16)

But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day ~ Proverbs 4:18

You're Everywhere!

I had a lovely bike ride this morning. It started out sunny and ended up foggy. I saw a large deer leaping through the brush ~ I think he was a three or four-point buck. So beautiful!

On my way to the trail, I saw a walker that I see quite often. He usually sees me running, so when he recognized me with a helmet on, he said, "You're everywhere! I see you all over the neighborhood." I said, "It's a great neighborhood to be in!"

My "everywhere" is about a five mile radius. But I'm glad I know the One Who is everywhere, all the time. It doesn't matter if it's a great neighborhood or not ~ He is there. Psalm 139:7-10 says:

Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.

Through deep sorrow and great joy ~ He is there. When I've sinned and try to hide ~ He is there. When I make my way to a place of repentance ~ He is there. When I'm having a great time with friends ~ He is there. When I'm alone and lonely ~ He is there. Every step of the way, through every stage of life ~ He is there. The greatest tragedy would be walking through life without the One Who is everywhere.

Let Me Walk With You Jesus

I've been up on the mountain with Jesus
I've been in the valley so low
But not one time has He failed me
When to Him with my troubles I go.

Let me walk with you Jesus
Don't ever leave me alone
For without You, I could never
No, never make Heaven my home.

He found me when no one could help me
He found me when I was so blue
He found me when no one could save me
And I did not know what to do.

Holiday Planning

The holiday countdown is on! The next ten weeks can be the most challenging for any dieter. Even if you don't celebrate Halloween, chances are there will be bowls of candy in the office ~ fun size Snickers, M&Ms, Milky Ways and more. Then there is Thanksgiving ~ pumpkin pie, pecan pie, and apple pie just to name a few of the temptations. Seasonal favorites like Pumpkin Spice Lattes and Peppermint ice cream are everywhere. Traditional Christmas dinners. Weeks of baking and exchanging goodies. What's a person to do?


The latest Weight Watchers magazine was full of tips and recipes. There was also one question that probably hits home for many of us:

I look forward to hosting Thanksgiving, and every year my grandmother's amazing sausage stuffing and honey-glazed ham steal the show. This will be my first holiday on WW, and I hate to disappoint my family by cutting out these traditions. Should I just put my weight-loss plans on hold until after the new year?

The expert advice on this was good, but did not address the "weight loss on hold until the new year" issue. Why would anyone give up six months of diligent work for a single meal? That is the choice we have to make at this time of the year ~ will we give up months of work or treat the holidays as days not holiweeks or holimonths. One big meal on Thanksgiving won't destroy weight loss success. It's the nibbling in the days and weeks before and after.


I joined Weight Watchers for the first time in September 1997 and lost about 20 pounds by the end of the year. My second WW go round started in October 2005 and I lost about 15 pounds by the end of that year. I don't remember feeling deprived during the holidays, but I also didn't put my weight loss plans on hold for the duration. I balanced my feasting days with a little extra exercise.

So if you've been on a healthy plan, don't despair! Make a plan, but don't say, "I'm not eating any pie this year." It's probably not realistic and just might backfire. There are about 70 days left in this year ~ make 65 of them great eating days and enjoy a few of your favorites on the other five. 2012 will be here before you know it ~ start it without regrets.

Wedding Bells for Ryan and Elle

This weekend we traveled to Fresno for the wedding of my nephew Ryan. How am I old enough to have a nephew who is old enough to be married?? I took pictures with Dad's camera and it was being very difficult, so here is the only picture I got of the bride and groom together:

Here is Elle:


And Ryan with Kim. That plate in his hand is from the burger bar. I think there were about 6 sauces and 10 different toppings. It was a great idea for an outdoor reception.


We enjoyed a mini family reunion. The mother and father of the groom, who have been married for 30 years:


Kim and Rodney:



Dad and Barbara:


Aunt Jeannie and Uncle Dick:


Les with two of his favorite nieces:


Kim and me:


My two siblings, love them very much!


There were six of these panels that Elle created.


And a self portrait of the photographer!


We also got to enjoy a Sunday morning service in Truth Tabernacle before driving home yesterday afternoon. Loved all the hugs I received!

Mileage Update

October ~ the month of mood swings. Not mine, the weather's! Last week was so beautiful, rainy and cool. This week we were back up in the mid 90s with 12% humidity. It was 78 when I got up at 5:30 on Thursday morning. Come on, October, make up your mind!! It was an unusual weather pattern, normally when it is this hot and dry Santa Ana winds are blowing quite fiercely. There was very little wind this week. I'm thankful for that and praying for more rain. We're not out of fire danger yet.

Here's a great Quote of the Day from Runner's World that I have found to be true:

If you just give yourself a chance and get out the door, your mind and body will surprise you most of the time.
~ Jenny Barringer Simpson, winner of the gold medal in the 1500 meters at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics

Totals for Week ending October 15:
Running: 19.94
Cycling: 32.94
Total: 52.88

Year-to-Date:
Running: 1001.56
Cycling: 1170.54
Total: 2172.10

Friday Foodie

As I mentioned on Tuesday, I made homemade pasta this week. Why in the world did I do this? Well... it all started with a memory. This year we celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary in Rome. For lunch we had lasagna that I have not been able to forget! It was the BEST lasagna I have ever tasted. It was very thin and light and each bite was so full of flavor. I've thought about it many times and came to this conclusion:

The lasagna we ate in Rome had no ricotta cheese.

That's right. There was no ricotta cheese filling up the spaces between the pasta and the sauce. It was just pasta and sauce and a little bit of Parmesan cheese. Thus began my quest to make Lasagna a la Roma! I put on my Italian heritage hat and got to work. I read many, many recipes and tips and here is what I came up with:

Lasagna with Bolognese Sauce


Ingredients:

Fresh Pasta
3 1/3 cups all purpose flour
4 eggs
1/8 tsp. salt

Bolognese Sauce
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2 carrots, chopped fine
2 celery ribs, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
1 lb. lean ground beef
Salt, pepper, basil and parsley to taste
1 cup milk
1 cup white grape juice
2 28-oz. cans crushed tomatoes

You will also need 2 cups shredded cheese ~ I used Albertsons brand "Italian 6 cheese"

To make the pasta:
1. Make a mound with the flour on your work surface and scoop out a well in the middle. (After my cannoli making experience, I put my ingredients in a bowl instead of on a work surface and it worked fine.) Pour the eggs into the hole, add the salt, and work the eggs and the flour together till you have a smooth dough, adding just a drop of water if necessary, and no more. Knead the dough for ten to fifteen minutes, until it is smooth, firm, and quite elastic. Don't skimp on the kneading or the dough will tear while you're rolling it out.


2. Let the dough rest (wrapped in saran wrap) while you make the Bolognese sauce (see below).

3. Separate the dough into two parts. Flour your work surface and start to roll out the dough, rolling from the middle, flipping it occasionally, and flouring it as necessary to keep it from sticking. Keep on flipping and rolling till you have a sheet that's almost transparent -- as thin as a dime, or thinner, if you can manage it (the pasta will almost double in thickness while cooking). This was a workout! My muscles finally quit hurting yesterday...


4. Roll the sheet of dough up into a tube, then slice the tube into rounds of the desired width and shake the skeet out with your hands to free the strands. I then gave each piece a couple more rolls with my rolling pin to make them even thinner.


5. Set them to dry on a rack. Roll out the second piece and cut it as you did the first. (I wasn't sure how long the pasta needed to dry, so while it was drying I looked it up on the Internet. If you are going to cook the pasta right away, there is no need to dry it.)

6. Cook the pasta in salted, boiling water. Since it's fresh, it will cook in three to five minutes. Do not let it overcook! Soft wheat flour has much less gluten than the durum wheat used in commercially prepared dry pastas, and will consequently become flabby if it overcooks. I cooked four pieces at a time for only three minutes and layered them right into the lasagna pan.


To make the sauce:

1. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook, stirring until vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to high, add beef and cook, breaking up with a spoon, until no longer pink, about five minutes. Season with salt, pepper, basil and parsley.

2. Pour in milk and grape juice and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cook at a lively simmer until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 15 minutes. Note: most recipes call for white wine. Since we don't drink, I didn't have a clue what kind of wine to purchase. I realize that the alcohol cooks out (at least that's what I've been told), but did I really want the Apostolic checker at Albertsons to see me buying it? So I Googled "substitutions for wine in cooking" and one of the suggestions was white grape juice. That worked for me! Wine and grape juice both come from the same source... and we'll drink the leftover juice!

3. Stir in tomatoes, cover and cook on low while you roll out the pasta.


To put it all together:

1. Pour a little bit of sauce in the bottom of 9" x 13" pan then begin layering: pasta, 1/3 cup of cheese and sauce. I had three layers of everything, then had one more layer of sauce and topped it all with the rest of the cheese. I did have some pasta left over. Cover with foil. (I refrigerated this overnight because Les wasn't home on Monday night.) Bake at 350 for approximately 1 hour. Remove foil for last 15 minutes.


Nutritional info: 220 calories / 15.2 g protein / 23 g carbs / 7.95 g fat / 0.1 g fiber / 6 WW Points plus per serving. Makes 10 servings. This is as low in points as any lasagna I've ever made.

The verdict? Mama Mia! This was favoloso!! I will never make lasagna with ricotta cheese again. The fresh pasta and sauce blended together to make the most wonderful dish. The pasta was not chewy at all and had a mild, pleasing taste. Sorry I didn't get a picture of the finished product ~ we dug right in and enjoyed every bite! Even the leftovers were good. I've got some in the freezer and I'll let you know how it turns out when we decide to have some more.


Dear Santa:
This year for Christmas I want a pasta machine, please....
Sincerely, Kathy's back

A Future Filled with Hope

My Verse of the Day today is one of my favorites, Jeremiah 29:11:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Here are a few other translations:

Amplified ~ For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.

The Message ~ I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

NIV ~ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

GOD'S WORD ~ I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Jesus said something similar in John 10:10 ~ I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

I love that God has plans for me! God has plans for you!

If you're a teenager and don't know what path to follow ~ God has plans for you!
If you're a single adult and wonder if your future includes a mate ~ God has plans for you!
If you're trying to raise a family and making ends meet seems hard at times ~ God has plans for you!
If you're in the ministry and facing dark times ~ God has plans for you!
If you're retired and wonder if your days of usefulness are behind you ~ God has plans for you!

He's already thought it all out. Our final outcome is a future filled with hope. Peace and not disaster. Taken care of, not abandoned. Smile ~ God's thinking about you today!

Living Up to Her Name

My latest Runner's World magazine had a short article about Joy Johnson. She will be running in next month's New York City Marathon. It will be the 24th straight NYC Marathon she has run and her 72nd overall. She had this to say:

"I'm just very lucky and blessed and do what I love. I'm also a positive person, which helps. Nothing gets me down. I have to live up to my name."

Oh, did I mention that Joy is 84? She'll be the oldest female runner in the NYC Marathon this year. Her secret to longevity is eating right, logging about 50 miles a week, and doing up to 150 push-ups daily.


I did a little more research on Joy and found that she started running when she was 58 and finished her first NYC Marathon three years later! A Wall Street Journal feature about Joy in 2008 had this to say about her: She rises with a burst in the darkness of 4 a.m. at her 1950s, four-bedroom ranch house on a quiet street in south San Jose, reads her Bible for an hour then sets out into the eucalyptus and citrus tree-scented air on her pre-dawn run. "When you wake up it can either be a good day or a bad day," Ms. Johnson says. "I always say, 'It's going to be a good day.' "

The article went on to say: Strangely, other than the occasional game of tag with her five brothers and sisters on the family farm in Waconia, Minn., Ms. Johnson never ran growing up. The only hint of the sport was the verse from the Book of Isaiah on the kitchen wall. "But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

What an incredible inspiration, not only to a runner like me, but to all of us to find joy in living!

I had to ask myself the question ~ if I call myself a Christian, am I living up to my name?

Time for Strength Training

Anyone familiar with this blog knows that I run and mountain bike. I would probably be considered healthy and fit. But I have definitely neglected strength training, especially upper body ~ arms, shoulders, back, etc.


Why do I mention this? I made homemade pasta yesterday. Without a pasta machine. I kneaded and kneaded and kneaded. Then I rolled and rolled and rolled. This is a very lengthy process ~ I've never done it before and I'm not sure that I ever will again!! I'll share the recipe on Friday.



My arms, shoulders and back are a bit angry with me today. Yes, it's time to add some strength training to my routine!

13 Years

As I pause to think about the 13 years that have passed since Mom praised her way into eternity, I wonder what she would have done with a blog. If you were one of Mom's close friends, you know she loved to talk on the phone. Even with four teenagers in the house, she was often the one tying up the line! I can only imagine what fun she would have had reaching out to friends and family in this way...


She probably would have called it "Norma's Notes" or "Grandma's Greetings." Her recipes for Friday Foodie would have been 95% chocolate ~ at least that's what we found in her recipe box! There would have been pictures of her three grandkids ~ oh how she loved them! Cake decorating tips and craft ideas. How to keep toddlers entertained. How to create candy filled fire crackers out of empty toilet paper rolls. Tips from her many years teaching Sunday school, caring for kids, and going to Youth Camp.


She would have been sympathetic to stressed moms, with a tender spot for those with sick children. Perhaps she would have done a weekly "Diet Hymn" ~ songs she converted such as "Coming Down, Down Down" that became "Slimming Down, Down, Down." She would have never thrown a public pity party. When her hair fell out, she would have just posted this picture of "Another Bad Hair Day" and told you that we all have bad hair days.

(That is NOT her hair sticking out ~ it was attached to the hat!)

But ultimately, I believe she would have been an encourager. She faced life's trials with a strong faith and she would have wanted to pass that on. I hope if this blog is anything, it is a representation of Mom and the wonderful lady she was.

Norma Fultz
January 1, 1940 ~ October 10, 1998
Greatly missed

Mileage Update

What a difference a little rain makes! I rode the trail on Monday and it was dusty with some areas of sand. One inch of rain fell on Wednesday. Les and I rode yesterday and it was firm with several large puddles! I'm happy to report that I rode all the way to the top once again! I'm amazed at how much stronger I've gotten in the past month.

No, I haven't gained a bunch of weight ~ it was windy at the top and the sleeves of my jacket were stuffed in my back pocket. I put them back on for the ride down, it was a cool 48 degrees...


We saw two beautiful deer high up on the trail yesterday ~ all I could do was look at them and marvel at God's creation. Here's the view from the top on a clear day ~ the Pacific Ocean is in the distance:


Totals for Week ending October 8:
Running: 11.52
Cycling: 40.17
Total: 51.69

Year-to-Date:
Running: 981.62
Cycling: 1137.61
Total: 2119.22

Friday Foodie - Keeping Warm

We have had wonderful FALL weather this week! We got over an inch of rain on Wednesday ~ cause for rejoicing in my book. Then it was 46 degrees when I got up yesterday. I stayed off the trail so it could have a day to dry out, but I sure did enjoy running in those cool temps. I love when the seasons change. And if we don't have a single day of hot, dry Santa Ana winds that bring wildfires, my heart will be so thankful...


I am not a coffee drinker. I just tell people I'm not old enough to drink it. I've truly just never acquired a taste for it. But I do love hot chocolate on a cool morning. I don't make just plain hot chocolate, I start with this:


Add a little of this (or peppermint or caramel or...)


And top it with this:


But the other day, while wandering down the baking aisle in Target, I found this:


German Chocolate Cake flavored marshmallow bites??? They are amazing! Super soft, super chocolatey and coated in coconut! Just 4 of these little guys made my hot chocolate so yummy!

Nutritional info for 1 packet of chocolate + 4 marshmallows + hot water: 65 calories / 2.25 g protein / 10.25 g carbs / 1.1 g fat / 1 g fiber / 1.6 WW Points Plus. FYI ~ the hot chocolate is a little over half a point. 4 marshmallows = 1 point, if you decide to add a few more...

Wordless Wednesday - Marshall's Fitting Room Signs

Needed one more sign for the things I tried on ~ "No way."

Amounting to Something

We really begin to amount to something to men and to God
When we are careful to do a kindness
And careless about who gets the credit for it.
~Unknown

What a great thought! So many want to be great for God, but think only the great ones are those who are seen.

As I was thinking about this quote a person came to mind who lives this. She isn't interested in being up front, but she works as hard as anyone in our church. In fact if an announcement needs to be made for the Ladies Department, she'll do her best to get someone else to make it!

Our Ladies leader, Sis. Nancy Ayala, is the best. It doesn't matter if it's Youth Alive, Toys for Tots, a funeral, or one of the many special services at Victory Tabernacle, if you want Sis. Nancy she'll be in the kitchen! No one is going home hungry after one of our events. Sis. Nancy always manages to have enough food on hand, even if it means sending her husband or one of her sons to the store five minutes before serving time! She won't sit down until everyone is served and she's the first one back in the kitchen at cleanup time.

I'm glad to count Sis. Nancy as one of my friends. She's a true woman of God, who knows how to pray, and is probably going to be a little embarrassed that I wrote this about her!

There are many Sis. Nancys in our churches, you just have to look really hard to find them since they're busy doing and not worried about being seen.

To the Sis. Nancys in the world - thanks for all you do! And to our Sis. Nancy, I love and appreciate you very much!

The Tortoise and the Grizzly

We had a very fun weekend. A weekend that included a tortoise and a grizzly!

A couple months ago, Les sent me a link to a ride he was interested in. The Grizzly Century started in North Fork, CA. We knew we could stay at Dad's, since North Fork is only about an hour from Fresno. We loaded up on Friday and made the way north.

Les was up and out the door Saturday morning at about 5:30. I got a couple of updates from him while he was on the ride ~ they rode past Donkey Rock and Bass Lake, they also saw deer and very beautiful scenery.

There was a Ladies Day going on a Truth Tabernacle on Saturday. I had considered going, but when I thought about the fact I hadn't seen Dad since last Christmas... well, I decided I wanted to just spend the day with my Dad. We enjoyed several hours of uninterrupted visiting ~ just the two of us. I'm thankful for my wonderful Dad!

In the afternoon, we noticed Jake wandering around in the back yard. He made his way to the screen door and would have come right on in if we had let him....


Jake is a desert tortoise who is about 25 years old. My aunt has raised them for years. Jake is the offspring of one of hers. He'll be going into hibernation in another month or so.

Saturday evening was a fun time when my sister, Kim, and her sweet girls, Krysten and Lauren came over. Les came in just as we were getting ready to eat. Dad made tamale pie ~ it was delicious!

Church on Sunday morning was wonderful. We sat with my Uncle Ken and Aunt Joyce and were surrounded by some of the people we love most in this world ~ the Truth Tabernacle family. I'm so thankful for the rich heritage I have, for the word of God that was put in me while in those Sunday school rooms and on those pews (well they're actually new pews, so I guess I didn't learn on them, but you get the idea!)

Hope you had a great weekend, too!