by | Life Application
I recently decided I wanted to play Martha Stewart and fix a great lunch for a well deserving friend. That recipe will come later. Then I decided to pull an Emeril and “Kick it up a notch!”
I wanted to make dessert and since we both try to eat healthy I couldn’t think of anything. So, another friend suggested fruit and cheese kabobs. Bingo! I made them. We ate them. We loved them.
When making the dip, I decided to add an extra touch. I tossed in some Dark Chocolate Balsamic from Devo Olive Oil = Heaven!
P.S. I thought I was going to have to take the spoon away because she wouldn’t stop eating the dip.
Here is the recipe for fruit and cheese kabobs. Feel free to add whatever fruit you like. I went with Strawberries and Pineapples because I’m cheap and they were on sale. I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.
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Fruit and Cheese Kabobs
Ingredients:
- 1 pint fresh strawberries, halved
- 1-1/2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
- 1 package Monterey cheddar cheese cubes
- 1 cup vanilla yogurt
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon Devo Dark Chocolate Balsamic
- Approximately 12 wooden skewers
Directions:
- On wooden skewers, alternately thread the strawberries, pineapples and cheese cubes.
- For dip, in a small bowl, combine the yogurt, sour cream, honey, cinnamon and balsamic.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate.
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What other fruits would you suggest? Different cheeses perhaps? I would love your ideas. Comment below…
by | Life Application
photo credit: airdiogo (creative commons)
My blog has been a little heavy over the last day or two so I thought I would lighten things up a bit.
I want you to help me tell a story. Any story.
Be creative. Be clean. Have fun.
I’ll start:
She was standing by the water fountain when….
Your turn. Go..
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by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
A friend and I were having lunch after church on Sunday and she asked me a question that I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. In light of the Penn State incident, we had previously discussed that morning as members of the prayer team, the actions we needed to take if a child told us someone was sexually molesting them.
I asked her what she would do if a child came to her with something like that. She gave some great answers.
Then…
She asked me this question:
“What would you have wanted someone to say to you?
I’m not sure I was prepared for it as I tried to choke back my tears and finish my Thai food. She was asking a deep question I’m not sure I have ever thought about until that moment. I was immediately brought back to a small child, remembering times I myself had been molested.
What would I want them to say to me?
As I continue to think about the question, a few things come to mind.
- I would want someone to hold me tightly in their arms and let me know that I was safe. Not with their words, but the feeling of being safe with them.
- I would want the protection of my father, with the belief that as long as he was there no one could hurt me.
- I would want them to tell me I wasn’t a bad person and that even though I was going through this abuse I did NOTHING to deserve it.
- I would have wanted someone to tell me about this man named Jesus. How it hurt him to know that I was being hurt. How he loved me with an everlasting love and that I could accept his love, despite the pain I was going through at that moment.
Though I know all of this now I can’t help but wonder how different things would be had I known then. Not that I would take any of it back. It has made me who I am today. But that doesn’t mean I still don’t wonder.
by | Life Application
photo credit: karim rezk (creative commons)
Yesterday I discussed building your gratitude muscle.
I promised I would share with you one of the ways I hold onto that gratitude. In Tommy Newberry’s book The 4:8 Principle, he recommends filling out 4:8 questions every morning and every night. Though it didn’t start to work for immediately, the results didn’t take long to show. I was finding little things to be grateful for and I didn’t have time for the negative things.
I mixed up his recommendation to suit me better and here it is. I hope you enjoy.
4:8 QUESTIONS
Morning:
- What are five things I am thankful for right now?
- What are my strengths, and how can I use them today?
- What are three of my recent victories, and who was blessed as a result?
- What relationships could I affect positively today?
- What am I excited about experiencing over the next twelve hours?
Evening:
- What worked well for me today?
- In what ways could I increase my service in the next twenty-four hours?
- What are five of my best achievements so far?
- Who could I encourage or appreciate tomorrow?
- What blessings surround me?
Join the conversation. What are some other questions you could add to this list? Comment below…
by | Faith Lived Out, Life Application
Everything that needs to be said is in the photograph that stays on my refrigerator:
by | Life Application
photo credit: aithom2 (creative commons)
I’m sure you have found yourself buying something simply because it was cheaper in price. I definitely have. That’s what I grew up being taught. As a matter of fact, the only name brand thing around our house was Jif peanut butter.
But…
Cheaper isn’t always the best choice.
Yesterday I experienced this. An event I was planning to attend was moved up a week and my business cards haven’t arrived yet. I needed to get some made ASAP. The printing company I usually use couldn’t get the cards printed in time. So I called my next choice,whom I have also used in the past.
The customer service rep cut me off in mid-sentence. After I asked him if he could provide the services I needed, he said in a dry voice, “I’ll do my best.” He offered to make 50 business cards for a great price, but he couldn’t tell me that the quality would be what I wanted. I didn’t expect him to over promise, but he didn’t sound remotely interested in assisting me.
I decided to try one more company. The phone was answered by an enthusiastic voice ready to serve. I told her what I needed and she graciously agreed she could provide. Not only that, but she oferred various options to help the cards look even better. The downside? I had to place a larger order and the price was quite a bit more than I originally wanted to pay.
However…
Her voice sold me. Her enthusiasm captured my attention. Her willingness to make business about the customer made the decision quite easy.
It isn’t just about the price. It’s about the quality.
Join the conversation. Have you decided on quality over price? For what reason? Comment below…
