the joy of truly giving

It's amazing how the Lord counsels His children.  He always knows the very best way to teach us a lesson.  Lately He's been teaching me how to truly receive His grace, and as an outflow to truly give to others.

Aaron and I have been married for almost three months....crazy!!! It's been so fun. So wonderful.  So perfect.  It's everything I prayed for and much, much more.  This is the first classroom where the Lord began His lessons on giving and receiving.

Aaron knows me.  Really well.  He KNOWS me.  All the ins and outs and ups and downs. He knows them.  When I'm trying to bottle emotions, feelings, thoughts, he has an innate sense for it and immediately asks me whats up.  I can't get away with much.  And I'm grateful for him holding me accountable in this way.  But I've found that sometimes I do manage to outsmart him and keep things to myself.  It's quite subconscious really,  but the Lord has been showing me how I sometimes resist him knowing me truly, by hiding behind the things that I do and say.  This is the worst case scenario.  And the crazy thing is that they're the tiniest little things.  That's why they slip by unnoticed.  Little feelings, little secrets that burrow themselves deeply into my heart never to be revealed to the outside world.  They are little remnants of my flesh, that have not yet been dealt with and thrown out.  I've died to self and now live in Christ, but somehow these dark little secrets sneak in past my spiritual armor.  Somewhere there is a gap, a spot of vulnerability, and my Enemy knows it.

Sometimes the gap is created by a moment of selfishness, pride, fear, doubt, stress, or busyness.  And I know that I am declared free from these laws of sin and death, but I choose to allow them to take hold of me anyway.  I am still human.  I cannot be holy and blameless unless I am ever-presently IN Jesus Christ my Lord.  But if I am in Jesus, He gives me the weapons and tools I need to keep these little dark secrets out!  If I would only receive Him.  That's the real disconnect.

I must start my days by receiving again the grace, love, faith, hope, and fruits of the Spirit that the Word promises to me.  I must realize again that I am in need, unless I receive from my God.  Because He is the only One Who knows what I need.

It is the same with Aaron, I must receive his vows to me of love and commitment each and every day.  This means that not only do I need to see clearly what he has promised me, but I also must make the decision to take hold of it, and trust that it is real and true.  Only then can I bare my all to him, trusting him with my whole life.  Only then am I truly experiencing this love that the Lord has given us.  I must fully receive it without restraint.  And it takes discipline and diligence to daily choose to trust, and to love, and to serve.  It's not natural to us.

Without knowing how to genuinely receive from the Lord, I had not been able to genuinely give.  What joy it is to give like Jesus gives, fully, selflessly, without restraint, knowing that what we give away comes from the Father above.  That is the greatest reward of living in Christ Jesus, because without Him it would be utterly impossible.

Post Thanksgiving Recipe!

Ok so my housemates and I cooked our own gluten-free Thanksgiving feast this year.  Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce...the whole kit and cabootle.  And since we had all the Turkey bones and leftover flavorful parts, I was more than excited to make my own stock!  So here is my conglomeration of what I had left in the pantry, and various recipe influences from other women in my life.

Baja Californian Turkey Soup

This is a really light, fresh soup but hearty as well.  Perfect after a Thanksgiving day of rich, starchy foods.

For the Stock:

bones from an organic turkey
1 sweet onion
2 cups celery (2-3 stalks)
1 large carrot
water

Place bones in the largest stock pot you've got.  (preferably one with a built-in strainer)  Roughly chop all vegetables and toss them in.  Fill the pot with water enough to cover the bones and veggies.  Bring to boil on high heat and then reduce to low and simmer for a good hour, or at least until the veggies are tender and your stock has a good broth color to it. (it should look and smell a lot like chicken stock)  Strain out bones and veggies and try not to lose any bit of that yummy stock!

For the Soup:

turkey stock
1 sweet onion chopped
1 jalapeno pepper minced (optional)
2 large cloves garlic (freshly chopped please)
2 bell peppers chopped (any color or variety, you could even use poblano peppers for a spicier soup)
1 large carrot chopped
2-3 celery stalks chopped
1 can organic black beans (drained and rinsed)
cooked turkey leg meat (or other leftover meat)
1 package taco seasoning (or favorite Mexican spices)
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves (try to remove all the stems)

Keep stock hot while you prepare the other ingredients.  In a large skillet heat up 1 tablespoon of olive or vegetable oil on medium heat (just a minute or so).  Add first three ingredients one by one, allowing them to tenderize and caramelize (i.e. slightly brown).  *Salt to taste.  Then use a glass measuring cup or ladle to pour a bit of the stock into the skillet and stir ingredients, deglazing the bottom of the pan.  Pour contents of skillet into stock pot.  Bring soup to a boil and add remaining ingredients minus the cilantro.  *Salt to taste.  Leave soup to boil/simmer for another hour or so allowing the veggies and turkey to tenderize and absorb flavors.  Add *salt and pepper to taste, and lastly the cilantro when ready to serve.  Feel free to garnish with fresh avocado, sour cream, black olives, green onion, tortilla chips or shredded cheese for a little added pizazz.

*You should always salt as you go, salting each portion of the dish according to your taste.  It makes it much easier to gauge how much salt the dish needs if you do a little at a time and taste as you go.

Enjoy!

Praising Him in the Small Stuff

Fall leaves, oranges, aprons, baked apple crisp, Thanksgiving fellowship, delirious Black Friday shopping, afternoon stroll, home made whipped cream, rest....thank You Father for the abundance of Your love.  You give Life to the molecular structure of the universe. You hold us together.  You give us breath. You cause our hearts to beat and create fountains of Living Water within us.  We give all glory and honor and power to You...for all of our days.  Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.

Tis the Season...to be Gluten Free?

Not!

My whole life Thanksgiving was not Thanksgiving without Pillsbury Crescent Rolls and Christmas was not Christmas without Cinnamon Bread...what is a girl to do?

Found this recipe on a blog and figured I would share it with you all!  Turns out I don't have to miss out on the goodies after all!

Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Cinnamon Roll & Crescent Roll Dough 

• 1 quart So Delicious Coconut Milk (I used the Original, in the red carton).

• 1 cup Vegetable Oil (I used Sunflower Oil)

• 1 cup Sugar (I used Florida Crystals)

• 2 packages Active Dry Yeast (I used Red Star)

• 8 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Separated) Better Batter Gluten Free All Purpose Flour(or try your own blend, just be sure to add the xanthan gum)

• 1 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder

• 1 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda

• 1 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt

• Plenty Of Melted Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread

• 2 cups Sugar (omit for crescent rolls)

• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon (omit for crescent rolls)

Visit The Pioneer Woman for the instructions and a full photo tutorial.

To assemble the crescent rolls:

I baked the crescent rolls at 375° F. for approximately 10 – 12 minutes, placing a loose sheet of foil over the rolls halfway though to prevent excessive browning.

I was really surprised at how well the crescent rolls held up over the course of a few days. A quick 30-second zap in the microwave and it was as if I had just pulled them out of the oven!

I assembled a ton of the pigs-in-a-blanket, then froze them (unbaked).  All you need to do then is thaw them to room temperature and bake at 375° for approximately 15 minutes! Wellshire Farms Cocktail Franks are: gluten-free, dairy/casein-free, corn-free, nut-free, soy-free.

We will for sure be waking up to these cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning!

The following are all gluten-free recipes from some phenomenal foodies and I encourage you to visit each of their blogs, it will blow your mind!

Creative Veggies on a Budget

okay so i've been doing some experimenting with different veggies...i get tired of the usual salad or Veggie saute' but i need to be getting my vitamins and fiber somehow!

so, broccoli...
not the most exciting thing to eat.  generally it's mushy and not very flavorful by itself.  well i have discovered a new broccoli phenomenon.

PRESTO PESTO!

that's right. cheesy title but we'll go with it.  Broccoli is a heck of alot cheaper than basil and is packed full of the iron, calcium, and other nutrients we really don't get from many other veggies. i found a simple "Broccoli Pesto" recipe online and it turned out great...a little too garlicky...but great. try it out as an awesome dip for fresh carrots or celery.  put it on pasta, cold or hot.  or you could even use it as a flavorful, nutrient-packed spread on a sandwich.  (you can always roast the garlic before adding it to the pesto if you prefer a milder garlicky taste.)

Next up...

Zucchini!  again, not the most exciting thing to eat, but very versatile.  i had some leftover zucchini and yellow squash that i needed to cook but i wasn't super excited about eating it.  my favorite way to eat zucchini is fried but i didn't have any Gluten Free flour.  however, Gluten Free pancake mix works just as well and has a faint sweetness to it.  the combination turned out brilliantly and i had everything i needed to make it delicious.

i love it when my pantry is bare and i'm forced to be creative with the ingredients i have...it almost always results in a new cooking discovery.

happy cooking!

<3 Rebekah Jolene

"To the end..."

All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  GO therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.
Matthew 28:18-20

What more do we need?  Let the storms come, we will not be shaken.

Pacific Northwest vs. Deep South

As some of you know, I recently moved from the Pacific Northwest,  to the Deep South.  So for those of you who are unfamiliar with the stark contrast of these regions, I'd like to elaborate.

Spokane, WA -

Speed limits don't get above 35mph.
Drivers always drive UNDER the speed limits.
The summer temps barely broke the 80 degree barrier.
It was never humid.
The locals eat farm fresh veggies.
There was a quaint coffee shop/cafe on almost every corner.
No one said y'all.

Jackson, MS -

Most roads have a speed limit of 40mph or faster.
Everyone goes at least 10mph over the speed limit.
I haven't stopped perspiring since I got here...
It's ALWAYS humid.
The locals eat everything deep fried.
Haven't found one coffee shop that I like (other than our ONE, SINGLE, SOLITARY, Starbucks)
Everyone says y'all.

 One thing worth noting that they both have in common....pot holes. everywhere.

As hard as it is transitioning between totally different cities, I LOVE studying, pondering, observing different areas and contrasting the inhabitants of these regions of the country.

So far my favorite things about Jackson are -

My house with all its cute furnishings and the fact that I have space to spread out a little bit.
My house-mates who are quickly becoming some of the best friends I've ever had.
The Lord's spell-bounding provision over all of my circumstances.
And the sweet, "southern hospitality" that most of the locals possess.

Not to mention the fact that there is a church on every corner and on Sunday afternoons you will undoubtedly see whole families out to lunch in their "Sunday Best" after attending church together.

That's all for now, I start my new job at The Fresh Market today.

more later....

;)