The Missing Ingredient

This week Chili was on the menu.  And of course, as always, cornbread goes right along with the chili.  It's perfect for dipping in that big bowl of chili. All fluffy, buttery and so sinfully good.

As I prepared my ingredients, I was a bit tired, worn out from our busy home school day and the last thing on my mind was to sit down and relax. It was 6 pm and there I went into the kitchen.  Okay, there's the milk, Grab that.  Oh, the eggs, grab that too. Cornmeal check.  Salt check. Everything blended right in. A mixing it will go.
10 minutes into cooking it, I noticed something was wrong with my cornbread. It never rose.  15 minutes later. Nope.  After it was done it looked like you could throw them as a frisbie. The kids were not too kind either.  I went back to the ingredients on my list.  I forgot the baking powder.  Just one little thing.  I was so upset.  We did eat the cornbread. It tasted fine. It was just the way it looked.  It wasn't my award-winning (In my head), "Mom, you're the best" comment day for cornbread.  I didn't get any praises this time around.

That brings me to my next award-winning (In my head), best tasting Pumpkin Bread.  Every year I make a loaf of pumpkin bread.  This year I really wanted to make a big pumpkin loaf that tasted amazing.
Again, I was tired after a busy day.  Our dryer is out of order and we've been making frequent trips to the laundry mat.  I wanted to end our night with a treat for the kids.  I always pat myself on the back for always having every single ingredient needed to make just about any sweet.  Ginger. Check. Nutmeg. Check. Pumpkin. Check. I had two cans.  Yay!!! So, I thought I put the cinnamon in. Nope. Forgot that one.  1/2 cup of milk.
 I added 1 cup.

It took a little longer to cook.  It wasn't the best tasting pumpkin bread I've made, but it will get eaten tomorrow by a pack of wolves.

Let's see if they notice the difference.  

So, I guess you can contribute my missing ingredient to my tiredness.  But what happens when we truly miss that one ingredient (thing) in our lives?  The one ingredient, I mean,  the one person who gives us flavor (life). No big deal you might say.  One missing ingredient doesn't necessarily mess up the whole recipe.  Or does it?  What about my cornbread?  It didn't look all fluffy. It was flat.  It looked hopeless.  Lifeless, flat and missing Baking Powder?

The Missing Ingredient?

Well, you can say that next time I won't forget those important ingredients. I can remind myself next time not to make the same mistake I once did.  You see, following a recipe is simple enough. All you have to do is read the list and follow.  What about following the Lord?  Is it as simple as following a recipe?  What's included in that recipe? Does it have flavor?  Is it made with Love?

God's Recipe for a Long Life
Love
Faith 
Hope

There are many times in my life when I begin to doubt the Lord.  I tend not to want to Love others when they  hurt me or say mean things to me. I begin to lose faith when things don't go my way.  This kind of behavior only leads me to miss out on the real blessings in my life. 

My Family, My Job, My friends, My Talents.

When we continue to miss out on one of these ingredients, we grow bitter and cold. Lifeless.  Flat. Just like my cornbread.  We just keep on missing that ingredient. It just becomes a habit.  Luckily, just like remembering to add Baking Powder to my Cornbread and Cinnamon to my Pumpkin Bread, we too, can correct those mistakes and add those ingredients back into our lives.  It might take some time to remember, but the Lord gives up a Recipe Book.  It's called The Bible.  It's filled with all sorts of recipes for a long, rich, and fulfilling life.  

Pick one up for yourself. 

Found at Major Book Retailers and Christian Bookstores. 

Oh, and maybe you can find one on your old book shelf or pilled high somewhere to be discovered.  Or maybe, it sits in plain sight on your coffee table being read everyday.   

I'll leave you with one of my favorite verses from my Recipe Book. 

1 Corinthians 13:1-8

 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. 2 If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. 3 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love. 4 Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, 5 Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, 6 Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,7 Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. 8 Love never dies. 

1 Corinthians 1-8

Happy Thanksgiving!

Jennifer Salas

Five Fun Things Friday

Excited to be done!

We finally finished Ginger Pye.  

It took me a month to finish, but I did it!!!

One of the fun things we did over the summer was the Book Club at Leander Public Library.  The kids had a list of books to choose from, they would read the book, come back on the assigned day to be discussed and then on to the next book.   During our adventure here we encountered the Mysterious Benedict Society Books.  For the first time in years, I actually sat down and read a book.  Even after working a 12 hour shift, the kids would beg for me to read to them.  We finished the first book and are now on the 2nd.  This inspired me to create our own Monthly Book Club.  

Over the summer I chose books I thought the kids would like according to their reviews and their age level.  Every month we would read a new book and then I would have the kids do a book report. 

 First in our series was Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh

Second in our series was Ginger Pye (We just finished our book report today)

Third in our series will be Treasure Island. And the list goes on.  

What I've learned doing this is that it's Fun reading Children's Books.  I remember as a young child, I would immerse myself in books.  I even volunteered at a young age at our public library where I grew up.  

Books are to be treasured. Always. 

So, let's get down to our Five Fun Things we are doing today.

1.  Book Report on Ginger Pye. As I'm writing this, we already finished our Book reports and our discussion of the book.

2. Running.  Of course. But I didn't want to list this first because my first fun thing to do today was our Book Report.  I ran 9 miles today. Planned on 7 but felt good to run. 

3.  David gets his BIPAP machine today.  After two years on a CPAP with no improvement, he's getting a BIPAP.  Yay  for sleep!!!!

4. I'm sending my first JennieBand to France.  My fellow daily miler Levi is going to try out my new Reflective Bands. How awesome is that?  Beyond words!!

5. D.J's Football game.  He played so well last week.  They haven't lost a game yet.  Way to go Lions!!!

Until Next Time, 

Eat Organic!!

Eat Gluten-Free!!!

Jennifer

Five Fun Things Friday

It's not fun sewing if your not wearing your hair turban. Ha!! I just showered and I'm letting my hair dry.

So, Here's the start of my Five Fun Things Friday.


1.  Ran 7 awesome miles.  I ran the new route I found the other day where I encountered many dead animals.  This time I found 4 miles of grassy, soggy trail.  Challenging, but fun.  I managed to stay safe on the road. I wore my Jennie Reflective Band and I pretty much wear bright yellow when I'm road running.







2.  Sewing!!!  I have a tax permit now so I can start selling my JennieBands at Markets and Craft shows.  Yay!!!  Going to do the Naty Market in Round Rock. Haven't decided on a day yet but I'm planning either Friday or Saturday. I'll keep you posted so you can come check out my booth.

3.  Taking the kids to the park for some fun.  After we finish Science, History and Latin today we will be going out to Brushy Creek for some more Tree Climbing.

4.  D.J's Football game is tonight.  His last game was somewhere far away so we didn't go. Today's game is here so we are definitely going. Gotta support my football player.

5. Food that Satisfies My Soul.
Coffee. Popcorn. Pickles. Nachos. Bearded Brothers bar and Chocolate.

Hope you Have Five, Fun things to do today. 

 If it's just one, that's okay, make it Super Fun!!!

Until Next Time, 
Eat Organic
Eat Gluten-Free, 

Jennifer

Running the Good Race

Last night we celebrated D.J's 16th Birthday. 

I wondered today why I don't have the motivation to run.  I promised myself I would blog about my Run for the Water, a 10 mile run I did last Sunday, but I simply was exhausted that week.  D.J., my oldest was in pure shock when I woke him up at 5 in the morning to get ready for our trip to downtown Austin where we would run. He did the 5 k.
 I ran the 10 miles.  There were over 4,000 people there and I was just a little ant in the crowd.  I did manage to get up to the start line.  As I reflect back on race day, I'm sure the "fast" runners thought I was some crazy woman.  I was up there with Betty who finished her 10 miles in 58 minutes.  She was wearing a bra and some really short shorts. I felt sorry for her, it was 48 degrees, but little did I know that she needed to wear nothing so she could fly like the wind.  Overall, the race was fun and I look forward to many more with my Football Player.

So, why no motivation?  A coworker of mine did the Dallas Triathlon on Saturday, a day before my run.  She told me how she has to do something big because it motivates her to train.  Her words were encouragement for me this morning when I didn't want to get out of bed.  So now I understand, that's why people race.  They race so they have the motivation to train.  Okay, I thought to myself. I've been running for the past 7 years. Running for Joy. Running to get away from the world. Running to pray.  This has motivated me everyday. 

But what happens when I'm happy and life seems to be okay for me?  What happens when I don't need to get out of the house and pray, but I decide to sit comfortably on my couch and pray. What happens when I don't need to get away from the world, but to just face it straight on?  

Well, It's Simple.  I keep Running.  I keep going. I keep running the race.  My Race isn't fancy. It's not filled with prizes at the end. And I don't get a medal or award when I'm done.  It's facing each day, running through the hurt and running through the joyous moments. Sometimes it's a slow run. Other times it's a fast run.  

So as a follower of Christ, I will be running the good race. I will run with endurance. I will run with the hope that one day I will be able to take part in the great feast that God has prepared for me in Heaven. And maybe there will be a prize waiting for me.   Just maybe, if I keep going.  Keep running. Keep Smiling. And most of all to keep Loving no matter what. 

2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 

Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 

Galatians 5:7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?

David runs the Race Everyday.
He suffers from an autoimmune disorder.
This man Runs the Race with so much Love
that he makes me feel like the luckiest
Woman on this Earth.

Are you running the race?  I need some motivation, so why not run with me?  I promise it will make you Smile!!!

Until Next Time, 

Eat Organic!

Eat Gluten-Free!

Jennifer