This is Love

Did you know that the estimated total spending for Valentine's Day is $18.2 billion?  That is a whopping $136.57 per person.  Hmmm... I don't know which people they are counting, but it sure is NOT me.  This used to make me feel so unloved and unworthy and it would manifest itself in anger and resentment toward my husband.  My husband would come home with sad looking flowers that I was sure he bought from the street vendor.  Or chocolates from the supermarket.  I wanted Godiva, personally ordered from the store.  Then there was the time he finally just said, why don't you just get what you want? Where's the thought in that?  Where's the romance?

What I failed to understand was that my husband's love language was different from mine.  These days, we don't make a big deal out of Valentine's Day.  I've learned to embrace the surprises he would bring me on other days of the year.  Because that's how he is. It took a few years for me to accept this.  And even if he misses the mark.  Even if he really doesn't give a hoot about making me feel special for Valentine's Day, I'm ok with that, too.

Last week, I put out the Love Yourself Challenge in an effort to ease the feeling of loneliness or unworthiness that hit many women at this time of the year.  However, I could not shake off the conviction that there are MANY married women who are where I was a few years ago.  Married women who feel lonely and unloved by their husbands because they didn't get a piece of that $18.2 billion spent on Valentine's Day.  Here's the thing... gifts do not measure someone's love.  AND if your husband doesn't make you feel appreciate or loved, SOMEONE ELSE IS CRAZY AND MADLY IN LOVE WITH YOU.  HE HAS BEEN RIGHT THERE WITH YOU OFFERING YOU HIS LOVE.  It was HIS LOVE that helped me accept my husband's lack of romantic antics for Valentine's Day.  Because HIS LOVE isn't manufactured by Hollywood or the Hallmark Channel.  HIS LOVE is worth more than $136.57. This HE I am talking about is GOD.

The love described here is AGAPE love.  This is love that is sacrificial, unconditional, perfect and pure.  This is the kind of love that bled and hung on the cross for you. It is audacious love.  Love that has been extended to you without you having to do ANYTHING.  Love that will always be there for you in your ugly moments.  Love that stays even if you've gained weight.  Here's the thing, there is NOBODY on this planet that can love you with this AGAPE love.  Even the most devoted and romantic man cannot do this.   This love will never fail you.  Will you accept this love?

5 Healthier Halloween Treats

The other night, we watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown.  It occurred to me that Halloween is fast approaching.  This means candy and sweets galore!

You and your family (and co-workers) can totally indulge without overdosing on junk food.  Last year, I LOVED that my son's 4th grade teacher stuck with healthier party food for all her class parties.  J and I made apple muffins together and they were delicious. Sorry, I can't find the photo.  I am challenging myself to stick with healthier options for Halloween school celebrations.

I searched for Healthy Halloween treats and was pretty surprised at some of the things that people labelled as healthy.  Fruit with marshmallows?? NOT HEALTHY! Hotdog wrapped with mozzarella cheese (mummy hotdogs)?!?! NOPE! Not even if it's "low fat turkey hot dog."  GOOD GRIEF!

So, since I've already done the research, I figured I'll pass along what I consider healthy- minimal sugar, no processed food!  If you are searching for healthier options, I've rounded up 5 fairly simple Healthier Halloween recipes just for you! ENJOY!

 Image Credit: Texanarian.com

Gluten and Grain Free  Spider Web Cupcakes

 

 

Image Credit: floandgrace.com

Banana Mummies

Image Credit: Cook Eat Paleo

Paleo Apple Muffins

Image Credit: Cook Eat Paleo

3 Ingredient Salted Chocolate Almond Haystack

Spider Eggs

 You can make these Spider Eggs using this deviled eggs recipe and using olives for make the spider.

Back to School Tool: PRAYERS

I was driving home from my 14 year-old's High School Freshman Orientation, and I noticed that some of the leaves were already changing colors.  SAY IT AIN'T SO!  Summer is over. Fall is here.  Many of my friends outside of New York have been sharing their back to school pictures.  My boys go back to school tomorrow.

Parents prepare for the school year by shopping for school supplies, buying a new backpack, maybe a matching lunchbox, and of course, back to school clothes.  Some of my fellow moms are even further along on their motherhood journey and went college shopping- small dorm-size fridge, bedding, space-efficient storage bins, and so on. All these are important, but let us not forget the most important thing we have to do as our children go back to school: PRAY.

Here are some prayers you can pray over your children, regardless of their age.  The prayers contain Scripture BUT please know that you do not have to be a Scripture expert to pray for your children!  Use these as your guide.  However, remember that the power of prayer isn't in the words we speak or how well we can incorporate Scripture into our prayers.  The power of prayer is in the ONE WHO HEARS THEM.

 

In addition to praying for our children, let us also pray for the teachers who will be spending several hours a day with our children.  I love these prayers I found in Crosswalk, there is a prayer for parents to pray and one for teachers to pray as well.  Here's to another successful school year for everyone!

Do you have a specific area in your child's live that you need to pray over?  I'd love to pray for you and your child! Please leave a comment below or email me: mariebubilo@gmail.com.

In Christ,

Marie

Healthy Taco Bar (with clean, homemade taco seasoning)

Yes, I am aware it isn't a Tuesday but Taco Day or Taco Monday doesn't sound as great as Taco Tuesday. I could have waited to publish this on Tuesday, BUT I only post on my blog on Mondays and I don't want to skip this Monday again (I skipped last Monday because I wasn't feel that great last weekend AND my 10 year old had four friends sleepover).

Besides, this Taco Bar Menu is perfect for any day!  We actually had tacos on Thursday this past week. Tuesday was a snow day and Mama Marie wanted venison stew.

I hope you enjoy this recipe!  You can even double the recipe if you're entertaining (great for Super Bowl Sunday!!!).

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs of ground grass fed beef or ground turkey
Homemade taco seasoning (see below)
1 Tsp Olive oil or coconut oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 can tomato sauce
Shredded lettuce
Guacamole
Pico or fresh tomatoes, diced
Small/medium red onions, chopped
Organic cheese (omit if paleo)


Taco Shell Options:
Organic taco shells
Organic blue corn tortilla chips
Romaine lettuce


Directions:
1. Heat oil in a non-stick pan or skillet.  Add onions, cilantro and garlic.
2. When onion is translucent, add meat and cook, making sure to break up the clumps of meat.
3. Stir in tomato sauce and taco seasoning.
4. Set the table with the meat, and various toppings and shells. ENJOY!



Homemade taco seasoning
1 1/2 - 2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 Tbs chili powder
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp Himalaya sea salt
Onion powder

In my home, with the exception of my 10 year old, we prefer making taco bowls so we skip the shell and just pile on the meat and veggies!!! YUMMMMY!!!!

Minecraft- a learning tool?

So this is a random post from someone who typically writes about faith, family or fitness, right?  Well, in a way this is a family related post.

Every summer, I put together learning assignments for my boys to prevent the dreaded summer brain drain.  It isn't always easy- especially when we go away or when it is a Vacation Bible School week.  There are some days when I let them slide.  This year, however, big boy is in that irritating tween phase where they like to try to push and test boundaries.  So, I'm being firm and consistent.

Anyway, today was his first writing assignment.  The assignment was to write a persuasive essay about a topic that he feels passionate about.  Like most 12-year-olds, Minecraft happens to be on the top of his list.  I wanted to share the essay he wrote about Minecraft. I edited his commas and apostrophes but I kept the substance and content alone.  Keep in mind that this is a 12-year-old's essay...

     In my opinion, I think Minecraft is a good learning tool and you should agree.  It was developed by a Swedish game developer named Markus Persson or "Notch."  Its release date was May 17, 2009 and it turned into a multimillion dollar video game.  To some people it's a video game, but to others as well as myself, it is a great learning tool.
     So you're probably thinking, "Minecraft, a learning tool? No way!"  or "It is a video game."  But have you really explored the world and Minecraft or Minecraft itself? Schools worldwide use Minecraft for math and maybe science.  Sure it has the hostile mobs that you kill but it shows the strength of your sword.  I learned that diamonds are the strongest gems and maybe even the strongest substance in the world, just from killing zombies, creepers, and skeletons.  It also teaches you a lot more about rocks and minerals.  It shows how certain items are harder to get than others.  For example: emerald is really rare.
     Minecraft can be used in the math department too.  From simple geometry to area and parameter.  How? If you are building a house but don't know how to make it as big as you want it to be, you can use the area formula.  If you want your floor to be a full 25 blocks total. EASY! 5 by 5! It can be used in art also.  Want a cool statue? Just use pixel art.  If you want to dye your leather armor, pick certain colors to mix up the dyes.
     As you can see, Minecraft is not just a video game but a learning tool hiding in plain sight.  It can also stretch your creativity and imagination.  Figure out a way to make a working car without downloading a mod. Make a house with working appliances.  In other words... MINECRAFT IS GREAT!! :)

It's not too late to get your child(ren) into some summer learning.  I'll be posting some resources and ideas on Monday.

Does God Really Care About THIS?

"Cast ALL your cares on the Lord, because He cares for You" (1 Peter 5:7, emphasis mine).

God has been making this verse real to me lately. Why was I even surprised?

Last Friday, I set about to do my shopping list for the holiday weekend.  My boys love their Applegate Farms hot dogs (I wrote about healthy barbecue ideas here).  Before I headed out to my twenty minute drive to the nearest grocery store, I checked Applegate's website to see if my local ShopRite carried them.

Not only did my local ShopRite carry Applegate products, many other stores in my surrounding area carried Applegate as well!

One of my many concerns about our move is finding gluten free, dairy free and organic options.  The supermarket chains near me are ShopRite and Price Chopper.  My past experience with these chains in other areas have not been positive when it came to gluten and dairy free options.  They often had limited products and were pricey.  I was pleasantly surprised when I went my local ShopRite and saw a HUGE selection of gluten and dairy free, organic, and even paleo friendly products!!!

On top of that, there is a farmer's market less than five minutes away from me that is open every Saturday.  How AMAZING is that?!?

Big boy with his new found friends.

Another concern I have is whether or not my boys will adjust and make new friends.  A few weeks ago, we met our neighbors.  They had two boys who were much older than ours but they clicked with my eldest immediately.  The neighbors' boys tried to get younger son to warm up but, like, me,he takes awhile to warm up to others and hid in the car.  These neighbors invited us to their Fourth of July barbecue.  Son #1 met two children who attend his new school- a girl in his grade and a boy in the eighth grade. Son #2, my shy, off-standish child, met a boy his age (went to a different school) and eventually warmed up to the other children.

SO what's the moral of the story?  God has a magic wand that HE waves to grant our wishes? Of course, NOT!

GOD CARES about EVERY DETAIL of our lives.  God already knew wher

e we were headed. As with a lot of things in my life, moving right here is no coincidence.  This food thing may not seem like a big deal to you, but it is to me. This little It's just another reminder that GOD CARES. REALLY, He does.

I was reluctant about the move for so many reasons.  There WERE a lot of pros about the move, but I was comfortable where we were.  We have developed relationships in our old home.  The boys and I have friends in the community. However, I decided to trust my husband and went along with this new adventure. The transition from waterfront suburbia minutes from the ocean to the rural mountains will be a growth opportunity for our whole family. With the transition comes a list of cares and concerns some small, like the ones I shared here, and some cares are big.  However, I am keeping 1 Peter 5:7 in the forefront of my mind and heart, knowing that God cares for every area of my life.

Slow to Listen, Quick to Speak, Quick to Anger,

7:30 a.m. That's late for me. But I didn't move from my bed. I tried to listen for sounds from the boys' room. All I heard was gentle snores from my 12 year old. "May the words of my mouth and meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight. Please, Lord?"

Last night's mishap flashed into my mind, as well as the look of hurt in my 8 year old's eyes. He said his thumb hurt and I lashed out "Stop making excuses! We had a deal! You played earlier but now it's cleaning time!"

Image Credit
http://s244.photobucket.com/user/Kithshaa/media/WordsHurt.jpg.html

His response was, "You see? You don't care about me!!" That was all it took to get me on a rant about the MANY times he's disobeyed. The MANY times I've let him slide.  The MANY things I've done for him. You know, the mother rant... but even I can sense the icy edge to my words- like he was a burden.  I don't call my children names like stupid or moron or loser. Thank God that in the midst of my anger I watch that I don't say those words.  BUT my expression, my tone, my face, probably give them the impression that I don't think much of them.

If this was the first time I've let resentful and angry words come out of my mouth before, I would say that he got the better of me. It would probably be easier to forgive myself. BUT it wasn't the first. I've done this many times before not just to him but to his big brother as well. And to my husband, too.

I can tell myself that they push my buttons.  J is my button and boundary pusher. I can tell myself that I have the right to demand respect from my family and their lack of listening skills brings out the monster in me. 

Whatever happened to, "Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouth but only what is helpful to build others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29, NIV). If I had a nickel for every time I quote that verse to my children... There's something to be said about LIVING out the verses myself instead of just speaking it, though, right?

I am embarrassed to admit that within weeks of participating in Bible Studies that are supposed to help me with my tongue, I go back to my verbal diarrhea problem. (I am very sorry for the visual. I do hope you are not having breakfast now. But that's how I see my angry words- a disgusting, unpleasant mess). But that's the truth. I can throw the white flag and just accept me for being the foul mouthed, angry mama that I am. I can call myself a failure of a mama.

Or I can run to Jesus and admit my weakness. I can run to Jesus every morning and embrace His mercy and grace. I can come to Him with a humble heart and admit that I. NEED. HIS. TRANSFORMING. POWER.  I desire to be a woman who is "Quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" (James 1:19).  

So, this morning, I woke up and prayed for God to help me watch my tongue and guard my heart again.  And perhaps I'll play this song over and over again:

 

My friend, Christa Cordova, is hosting #NotFineFriday today.

Check out her website for more #NotFineFriday stories of

pain, struggle, grace and redemption from

everyday people like you and me!