Recharge & Restart

Luke 14:25-35

Check out verse 28. I feel like that verse can be applied to any dating/engagement/marriage relationship. Do we, as individuals going into it, count the cost of what will make/break the relationship? And what choices will we make, individually, to prevent a break in the relationship from happening?

We need to build the foundation in our own hearts and relations with people on a daily basis and somehow think about how we can bring those outside positive choices in those outside relations with others, into our homes.

Why does it seem like communicating and living around people outside of our home can be so much easier some days? Why does it seem tougher after we come home? Those days that we are stressed out, wigged out and down right exhausted of what our life has somehow put us through. Is there a way that we can make life easier on us? Easier on our bodies?

I think we tend to let our guard down most around the people we love and care for. Which is probably what makes us seem crazier at times, right?

I just read a blog too from some marriage bloggers and they mentioned how strange they feel that we are so excited to have sex outside of marriage, but in marriage it just feels like a chore. Why? Why doesn't sex take the opposite affect?

Of course when in verse 29 in Luke 14, the same happens in our relationships too. If the foundation isn't built right, and the couple falls or trips up, only will their friends mock or condemn or not even feel the slightest good about helping them up again or even believe in them because the faith is just not there. What if it could be the opposite though? What if the friends had actually took the other route and chose to help their friends see how much love was really there and encourage them to seek God again, and to not give up on their relationship and help them see that it's not failed if it was first rooted in Jesus?

Verse 34: "How shall its saltiness be restored?" In Christ and Christ alone.

5 Ingredient Avocado Fudge Bites

This weekend was awful in more ways I can explain. I think I cried a lot, so it was pure unadulterated emotional torture. Daylight savings happened and this morning just wasn't better. I woke up, like normal, showered and got all fancy for work, then on my way out the door I noticed my microwave still read 5:30AM. I mean WTF!! Damn. Be nice to me. I mean geesh. Come on. Give a girl a heart attack. Then I realized… it is for sure 6:30, and I'm okay. Whew. 

Even though this weekend was super lame, I decided to put the cherry on top and order delivery pizza. Man was it good. Cheat days are good. So good. They're like… driving with the windows rolled down listening to Jack Johnson on a favorite spring day good. They're like… Jumping off a rock into perfect cold summer water good. Like… oh my god I just laughed so hard I nearly peed my pants good. Like… I just sang so hard last night that my voice hurts to talk this morning good. Actually, they're just like that sometimes. The consequences can be bad. But this time, Mmmm baby it was good. I ate that pizza all to myself and did not feel bad about it at all. It left me happy and tired and I highly believe that is a blessing in life. Good vibes. Except I still didn't sleep well last night. Moving on… 

5 Ingredient Avocado Fudge Bites

1 Avocado
12 Tbsp Coconut Butter/Coconut Milk (of choice)
6 Tbsp raw honey/agave
½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Pinch of salt

Blend together, pour into a ice cube tray and freeze. After frozen, roll into your favorite dark chocolate bar (melt first, duhh). A new one I tried this round was called Dagoba. After I rolled them and put them onto parchment paper… they froze in an instant without even needing to be put in the freezer again. But I did it anyway. Because I'm dangerous. I can't tell you enough how good these are-- they are a must try. Next time, I'm going to add mint extract and see if I can't turn them into Mint Chocolate Chip Bites. My mouth is salivating. 

Now I'm going to go work on having a better week, try and come up with healthy ideas to push through whatever this weekend gave me. We'll see what happens. In the meantime, I'm going to be positive and remember… I successfully posted another blog in less than a week! Positive vibes man… roll with it. 

News & Healthy Jump Start

Wow. I really know how to blog don't I? It's been exactly 2 ½ years since my last post. That's ridiculous Stacia, get with the game. Everyone does it now. It is really hard to get on here sometimes, but it is also much easier to get online and type for me than writing in a journal.

Alright, so news. If you want to see me at my new job, you'll see me working here:

www.aguaserenaspa.com

Yessss. I work in a spa. And boy am I so excited about this! I work at the front desk as a Concierge. I get to answer the phones, greet people and talk all about our spa. Which means all things natural. One of my favorite things about it so far, is that my spa sells the popular line of the Body Deli. It's AMAZING, really. Made locally, organic and all natural and feels and smells soooo delicious. I also get to lay back at work and get pampered. That's right. I've had the pleasure of experiencing our wonderful and most luxurious Cactus & Date Scrub, our Pure Plumeria Pedicure (amazing) and experienced our newest addition to our Spa menu: the Dream Retreat. That allows nearly 2 hours of exfoliation, massage and a full body Paraffin wax. Never had that before and I have to say… it is the utmost renewing, invigorating, revitalizing, and most exhilarating treatment I've ever received. You gotta get it. (Especially if your horoscope is Scorpio- check out our new specials for March-April).

Heathy Jump Start? I introduced the BF to the Paleo diet this year. Quite frankly I think he fell in love. I know… I'm the only one he needs to love. Come on. So this means he knows all about my online BFF's who make awesome recipes. (PaleOMG, Against All Grain, and one of my real-in-life friends Brenae Bradley). They're each very authentic and kindred people, and I love them dearly. Go check out their amazing recipes.

One I came upon today was a sweet 5 ingredient Avocado Fudge Bites. The recipe is now in the freezer waiting to freeze and then I'll roll them into my favorite dark chocolate bar later tonight. So I'll let you know how they go! Here's the recipe if you're interested:

1 Avocado
12 Tbsp Coconut Butter/Coconut Milk (of choice)
6 Tbsp raw honey/agave
½ tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Pinch of salt

Blend ingredients together and freeze. I put mine into a ice cube tray for easy exertion later.

Updates to come. Enjoy.

reading- Alcorn & Piper.

Piper couldn't have said this any better. Thanks to Randy Alcorn for inputting this in his great book, "Money, Possessions & Eternity." I have really (still am) been enjoying his insight and inspiration.

A bit of optimism.

My life. Wow.

School has been so chaotic for me and the long haul of studying for hours will finally come to an end in April!! I'll have three months of school-OFF. And I can't wait. By that time I will have completed 18 credit hours in 5 months. A definite mile marker for me, something I have never done!

In all this craziness, I have started feeling so guilty of putting exercise and running on the back burner of my life. It's sort of depressing. So, I decided I needed a bit of optimism in my life, especially since I'm beginning to notice the results of not exercising for a few months.
So I'm switching it up! I raided my closet tonight and pulled out different flats, skirts, tights, belts and cardigans. It was a lot of fun. Recently I bought a new pair of wedges - and I love them. It's so tempting to want to go out and get more cardigans, tights, flats and skirts saying that it's some kind of necessity or retail therapy. It'll only be for a short season though, so no need right?!
Heres a few pics of what I put together tonight:

The weather has been absolutely beautiful this last week and all I can think about is how much I'm missing out on some pretty cool runs!! I can't wait to see if there are any ways to get involved in little runs in Sacramento or Roseville. I used to everytime there was something going on in Tyler and I kind of miss it.

Hope it's been a good day for whomever's reading this.

Good night!

Ps. If you haven't watched it already, this video is really worth every moment. Please check it out!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

A living hope.

This life can throw anyone many challenges, and sometimes it may feel like present circumstances are overcoming you. I have been learning that I need to believe in the bible as it is. To give me peace, restoration. To walk in hope. To be constantly walking in the grace that is available to me.

My Lord, my Jesus is so incredibly faithful.

A living hope. 

"Is it not delightful to look forward to the time when every stain of sin shall be removed from the believer, and he shall be presented faultless before the throne, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing? The Church of Christ then will be so pure, that not even the eye of Omniscience will see a spot or blemish in her…

Observe the last sentence--"As it was told unto them." Have you not found the gospel to be in yourselves just what the Bible said it would be? Jesus said he would give you rest--have you not enjoyed the sweetest peace in him? He said you should have joy, and comfort, and life through believing in him--have you not received all these? Are not his ways ways of pleasantness, and his paths paths of peace?" Spurgeon

Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. (Colossians 1:28 ESV)

And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them. (Luke 2:20 ESV)

~S

Four Little Girls - A Documentary Film

I don't think anyone enjoys watching a sad depressing film about the history of how the African American children were abused, but I do think just for your own knowledge or whatever reason you scramble up to watch one... I reccommend you go HERE and watch it all. Every minute of it. How filthy, onry, racist and TERRIBLE those people must have been back then! Oh, if I lived in that day I would have had a few words. This stuff makes me so sick to my stomach. How can a man be so downright dirty in his mind that he would conjur up an idea like that?! :(

I watched this today for an assignment in my African American History class I'm taking. I'm soo glad I took this class. Now, I'm not extremely fond of history - I remember failing history in High School (thankful I'm making a high A now...). But I think this class was good for my learning and pushed me to want to know more about history and politics.

Towards the end of the documentary, Junie Collins (Addie Mae's sister) quoted,

"It wasn't God that brought the bombing. And a lot of people would think "Well, God did this and God did that. Just like there's a god of good, we have a god of evil too." And, uh... it's no part of God. And when we realize that God has our best interest and he has a plan for each one of us. A plan that's good and not for evil. Then we can begin to come and receive healing."

This last summer I came close to knowing someone and became somewhat fond of. There were few things in his life though that I came to realize were not good signs of leadership skills especially since he wasn't seeking the Lord. A lot to do with his personal integrity, and honestly just his pure and honest love for God was not there. Even in the simplest things that came to make his life seem like ruin, he responded quickly "this is just a sign of God's punishment. He hates me" I wish more people knew the real love of God in their lives. It is so heart breaking to hear things like that especially once you begin to grow to like someone. What he feels is real, but God's love is just as real. I couldn't change that feeling either, he had to do that.

This is a verse that a lot of people know, especially believers in Jesus. I want to share it anyway because of how simple and powerful it really is. It pairs well with what Junie Collins said above.

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord..." (Jeremiah 29:11-14)

xoxo

S

Happy Christmas!

"It will not do.

My feelings cannot be repressed any longer.

You must allow me to tell you,

how much I ardently admire and love you."

-Mr. Darcy

Now, listen to this:

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/let-my-people-think/player/god-of-love-god-of-judgment-part-1-of-2-203822.html

Michael Ramsden filled in for Ravi today.
So much of what he said this morning really spoke to me.

Happy Christmas (month)!

(I stole the 'Happy Christmas' from The Holiday... and it's fitting.)

the love of Fall.

just finished my homework for the week.
well, only some homework.

i read the book of Matthew.
it was veryyy encouraging and challenging.

the parable of the sower explained (Matt. 13:18-23) is such a powerful and sharpening message.

so many good and fruitful reads lately, that,

i'll just say you should read more often.

and thank you to all my friends who always are recommending books and authors.

Bono said:

"I dunno if I ever told you this, but books are the greatest gift one person can give another."

have a good night.

-s

haircut.

happy fall.
thanks, sis!!