My kids had a snow day today. We got...hear me now...ONE INCH...of snow. AND, there was NO SNOW ON THE ROADS. Cabin fever is setting in as we have had two two hour delays and two "snow days" this week...if you don't count the two hour delay we have tomorrow. You get the picture.
Today, moving forward in total fear, I made my black bean "spaghetti." And, I used my roughly 6oz jar of $5 pasta sauce. I have a healthy gag reflex, y'all. And, after looking at my plate full of what appeared to be earth worms, you got it! I gagged. Then, I plastered it with my $5 pasta sauce so I couldn't see what I was eating (I still saw it), and just chomped it down. It tasted like rubber bands...the old kind. The kind that sat out in the sun too long and somehow started disintegrating? Yeah, that kind...not that I've eaten them or anything...
My kids went out to play in the "snow" and came back in sopping wet. Fortunately, I had some of Aunt Katie's famous hot cocoa mix on hand from Christmas! People. This hot chocolate looked amazing! It looked more like chocolate pudding than a drink. The kids loved it. Mom of the Year...right here. I can't say that often, so I humbly step up on stage and accept the award right now...with all five of you and Kristin as my witnesses.
And THEN...I realized what I've been missing.
Bread.
I make a pretty mean French Onion Soup with homemade croutons.
I'm actually eating a big bowl right now...minus the homemade croutons...minus the cheese.
So...I'm eating onion soup.
Can you feel the excitement?
No?
I teach Holy Yoga Thursday nights. I love teaching Holy Yoga. As God asks of us, we worship with all our heart, soul mind and...STRENGTH! My girls and one guy did that tonight! It was a great class, and several people tried NEW THINGS...headstands and wheels galore! I was so proud of my student, Lisa, who won her battle with breast cancer about 2 years ago. The scar tissue left behind leaves her lacking in the flexibility department in her shoulder joint. We've been working through that, and I almost cried when she got herself into a nice looking wheel tonight! And, my Lauren (my young friend I mentor after Holy Yoga on Thursday nights) tried headstand tonight, too!
It was Lauren's week to lead our little Bible study. She took us to Daniel Chapters 1-4. We tried to focus on Chapter 3, but we couldn't. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were facing a death sentence before King Nebuchadnezzar because they refused to bow down and worship gods that were not the God of Israel. Their response to the King?
"O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up." Daniel 3: 16-18
It just makes you think...in the face of death, would we stare at the person capable of sentencing death, and boldly tell them that:
1~I don't owe you an explanation. Translation: My GOD is who I answer to!
2~God is able to save me. He will rescue me.
3~EVEN IF HE DOES NOT, I will NOT serve your gods, and I will NOT worship your idol. Translation: I'm willing to go down in flames over this. I am THAT sold out for my God.
How does this story end, you might wonder? The king sentenced them to death by fiery furnace. The three men were tightly bound and thrown into a furnace that had been heated to seven times its normal temperature. Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fire and saw, NOT THREE, but FOUR men walking around. He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." The king summoned the men out of the fire with the whole crowd of officials watching:
"They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them." Daniel 3: 27
What the king saw was Jesus, not "a son of the gods," but THE SON OF GOD, walking around in the fire with them! See, Jesus is ALWAYS ready to walk around in our fires! He is ALWAYS waiting for us to boldly proclaim our faith! He is WAITING to save us from the heat! And, when JESUS walks around IN IT...WITH US...we come OUT of the furnace UNSINGED...UNHARMED...not even SMELLING like smoke!
And, that being said, I will tell you that my energy level has been dropping, and I don't know what to do about that. Maybe I'll swing by Luna's tomorrow and grab some juice. I felt pretty good on that juice cleanse, even though I couldn't keep up!
Grace and Peace!
~Kelly
I tried the same pasta last night!!!! It took all of the saliva in my mouth to choke it down. But as much as it costs? I'm eating it and never buying it again.
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