Tim Tebow risking NFL draft stock with Senior Bowl appearance - Andy Staples - SI.com

I'll be looking for this guy in the pro-life ad during the Super Bowl! Kudos for him for being willing to stand up for what he believes!  Thanks Jen for the link!

Tim Tebow risking NFL draft stock with Senior Bowl appearance - Andy Staples
- SI.com

Steam Blows

For the past week they have been conducting steam blows at Plum Point Energy Station, where my husband is an engineer.  A "steam blow" is when they blast high pressure steam through the pipes of the plant at 1.5 times the normal load in order to 1) clean rust and debris out of the pipes and 2) check for leaks or anything that isn't working properly.  I have been within a mile of the plant several times when a steam blow has occured (about once and hour).  It is very loud (like a VERY low flying jetplane) and sends a big grey, orange, and eventually white cloud of steam up into the air.  It is one of the last steps before the plant becomes fully operational...and a major milestone we have been waiting for!  Check out the links, photos and videos below!

Plum Point Energy Station (PPPP)

Steam Blow Video from On-Site

 

The picture below and the link are for a photo and
video I took with my cell phone less than a mile from the plant.  It was about dusk, so all the lights are on in the boiler structure.

Recipe of the Week...Broccoli, Tomato, and Mozzarella Stromboli

Once again, time for a new recipe of the week!  The last couple of weeks have been so hectic and we haven't spent as much time at home, but I had made these ahead of time and froze them, so they still count as something new that made it's brown-bag lunch debut this past week.  Stromboli is a twist on pizza and calzones, so for you pizza lovers...check it out.  My hubby gave it a good review.

Broccoli, Tomato and Mozzarella Stromboli (Everday Food Magazine, April 2009)

Ingredients:
1 pound pizza dough (you can buy it frozen...I made my own)
1 pound frozen chopped broccoli, thawed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup pizza or pasta marinara sauce
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
2 ounces thinly sliced salami (or pepperoni)
salt & pepper

First, preheat oven to 400 degrees Farenheit.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to save yourself some clean-up work later.  Divide the pizza dough into 4 different pieces.  On a lightly floured surface, stretch/roll each piece into a 6 to 8 inch oval.  Next, strain off excess liquid on broccoli and pat dry with paper towels.  Scatter broccoli even over the 4 pieces of dough, leaving a 1/2"-1" border around the edges.  Next, sprinkle on minced garlic, a little salt and pepper, mozzarella, salami, and 1/2 c. marinara sauce.  Be careful not to over-fill the dough...over else it makes it hard to roll up.  Starting at the shorter end of the oval, roll up each stromboli and place, with the seam down, on the baking sheet.  OR, if you are not ready to eat them all now, wrap them in freezer paper or aluminum foil and freeze until you are ready to bake them.  Before baking, cut two slits in the top of the dough and bake until golden brown...about 25 to 30 minutes.  Serve each stromboli with a little marinara sauce on the side for dipping.

Uh Oh...Someone said the "C" Word Again!

Check out the link below.  It's a short article by Ann Coulter but pretty succinctly explains why yes, Christianity is the best deal out there!

http://www.thesouthern.com/news/opinion/editorial/coulter/article_f9cd03d6-fd71-11de-8d9e-001cc4c002e0.html

Quiet Times

When my life is busy and I have so much to do,
Remind me, Lord, that there's always time for you.

For what business could I possibly need to direct and control,
More than submitting to you the business of my soul.

Alive to your grace and mercy, each day is a brand new start;
Giving up the old and living with Jesus in my heart.

And when I slip and fall again, as I surely will,
Your hand will be there to catch me and remind me to "Be Still!"

"Know that I am God," you whisper, "I am enough for you,"
"Come, walk and talk with me...I'll show you what is true."

The things of this world may dazzle, glitter, and impress,
But following their ways will only lead me to distress.

Taste & see and you will find there's nothing more satisfying,
than the sacrifice given in the body and blood of your king.

So teach me your ways, Lord, and show me which path to go,
For by your love my soul is saved and it's you I want to know!

Recipe of the Week...Kotopoulo Me Riganantes Skaras

One of my new year's goals is to try a new/different recipe every week.  Since I now have complete command of the kitchen, and someone besides myself to cook for, creating culinary masterpieces has become a favorite hobby.  This week I have two recipes to share, both with an international flare.  They come from the recipe book my International Foods class put together to commemorate our year of new foods.  I have slightly adapted the versions below to meet our grocery budget and utilize our ingredient stash on hand.  So, I can't prove that they are 100% authentic, but both recipes were originally tested and approved by a group a high school students...that means they should be good!

Kotopoulo Me Riganantes Skaras (Zesty Chicken Oregano) - Greece
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/4 c. olive oil                                                                
1/2 c. lemon juice
2 t. dried oregano leaves
1 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
1 clove garlic, chopped
Lemon slices

Okay, first off you combine the olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt, pepper, and garlic, and pour it into a ziplock bag.  Add the chicken breast, and let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.  Longer may be better...although I just did mine for 30 minutes and it still had a yummy flavor.  You have several options to cook the chicken...grill it, broil it, bake it (with marinade liquid in a 375 degree oven), or even cook it in a skillet, basting with the marinade liquid.  I chose to grill mine...on an indoor GF grill...for about 8-10 minutes or until the thickest part of the chicken breast reaches 165 degrees Farenheit.  Then, sprinkle with a little parsley and shredded parmesan, garnish with lemon slices and...voila!  Deliciosa!

Oh, and if you're wondering what makes this "greek"...it's the herbs and seasonings used, particularly olive oil, lemon, and oregano.  

Quinoa and Black Beans - Brazil
1 t. vegetable oil
1/2 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3/4 c. uncooked quinoa (if you can't find quinoa, couscous or even rice will do...I like couscous)
1 1/2 c. broth (chicken or vegetable, depending on vegetarian or not)
1 t. ground cumin

1/4 t. cayenne pepper                                                                            
salt and pepper to taste
1 c. frozen corn kernels
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro (or 3 T. dried cilantro, although fresh is much better!)

First, heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the onion and garlic; saute' until lightly browned.  Next, add the quinoa into the saucepan and cover with the broth.  Add the cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Cover and reduce the heat.  Simmer for 20 minutes.  (*Note:  depending on what kind of grain you are using, it might take a lot less time!  Couscous cooks in about 5 minutes, as would instant rice.)  After simmering, stir in the frozen corn, black beans, and cilantro.  Continue to cook for another 5 minutes until heated through.  Serve warm.

According to my mother, who traveled to Brazil in the early 90's, to give this a more Brazilian flare add scrambled or fried eggs to the mixture at the end.  Another tip is to make sure you rinse and drain the black beans well, and add right at the end.  Otherwise your dish might look a little purple/grey.  Perhaps  you may not think it is the most appetizing looking, but if you like a savory side dish this works very well.  It has a wonderful flavor with just a hint of a kick (but not "spicy" by any means) that would compliment any meat dish well.  Try it and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Why "Walk While You Have the Light"?

Hello, and welcome to my first ever meaningful blog post on my new blog, "Walk While You Have the Light". Perhaps you are wondering why I chose such a strange name. Wel
l...when I happened to stumble on this phrase during my study of the book of John, it reminded me of an experience my husband and I had on our honeymoon. Not content to be normal people and go stay at a luxurious beach resort, we spent two weeks in mid-October trekking up the coast of Maine, staying at various places and even camping out a few times. The first two nights that we camped we stayed at some nice campgrounds...you know tents, RVs, shower house, etc. However, the third night we
decided to "pack in" our tent and sleeping gear for a romantic stay at a primitive campsite (that means there's a sign that says "campsite" but no other amenities) perched on the edge of a cliff along Maine's stunning Bold Coast. So, like the good outdoors-people we are, at 3:00 p.m. we loaded or strapped a tent, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags into or onto our two little day packs, made sure we had plenty of water and some snacks, and headed down the trail. Here is where we made our biggest error: we had only consulted the guidebook for details about the trail - we had never looked at the map. So there we were, hiking along, thinking that after a mile and a half of trail we would reach the coast and a wonderful campsite with a phenomenal view would be ours!

Well, after that mile and a half we did reach the coastline...but there were no campsites anywhere to be found. Thinking they had to be just down the trail we continued hiking along the coast. An hour later we still had seen no campsites. Nathan was in favor of just picking a good spot and camping where we were, but I just KNEW those campsites couldn't be that much further, so we hiked on. After another 30 minutes we were rewarded with a sign that said "campsites" and arrow that pointed to the left, so we kept going, expecting to find them any minute. We pressed on for another hour, but never saw another sign or any indication of campsites. By this time it was after 6:00 p.m., the evening light was beginning to fail, and the temperature was dropping...we had to make a decision. We had been hiking for over 3 hours, and had probably hiked a total of 5.5 miles. There was no way we could make it back to our car before dark. We didn't know how much further it was to the campsites. We had a LED headlamp and a small halogen lamp, but the idea of stumbling along in the dark with high, rocky cliffs and the frigid Atlantic ocean on one side, and endless miles of dark, marshy forest (with who knows what kinds of critters) on the other, was not appealing. We made the decision to hike on only until we found a good spot to pitch our small two man tent while we still had a little light, and then to call it a day.

As far as the rest of the story goes, our little campsite proved to be perfect and picturesque...just atop a small cliff, with a little path leading down to a pebble beach down below. It was a fantastic place to watch the sun rise over th

e ocean...and boy were we thankful for that sun!

As the rays crept over the horizon, it chased away the eerie darkness and shadows that had haunted us the night before. The warm, radiating light revealed the marvelous splendor of God's beautiful creation. Perhaps most importantly of all, we could see clearly the marks along the trail to find our way back to the parking lot.

More than a lesson on what NOT to do while hiking in a strange place, our story illustrates the practical importance of walking while you have the light. Sunlight provides energy, warmth, and light that makes plants grow, warms up the coldest day, and helps humans get things done. Imagine your world with no light...either from the sun or artificial lights. I can already picture the number of things I would be tripping over as I tried to make my way around the house. Without light, it wouldn't matter what stuff you had or what you looked like, because no one would ever be able to see anything. None of us would ever want to go anywhere, let along get out of bed. It's a depressing thought. On the other hand, have you noticed how even one tiny little spark of light can illuminate the darkest room? In the midst of total blackness, all you have to do is flip open your cell phone, turn on a flashlight, or strike a match and presto! you have insta-visibility. Maybe not as clear as daylight, but enough light to allow your eyes to do their job and show you what direction you're going. Light is an essential. Maybe that's why light was one of the first things God created.

When Jesus said "Walk while you have the light, before the darkness overtakes you," in John 12:35-36, he wasn't talking about running out of daylight. He was talking about himself...the "sonlight". He knew that soon he would be betrayed, handed over to the Romans and crucified as an innocent sacrifice to save the sins of God's people. With his time on earth as a man running out, he wanted the disciples to take advantage of his physical presence and learn as much from him as they could. He was their light...their source of guidance and direction. He had been pointing out for them the way they should go, but soon they would have to become "sons of light", leaders that could reflect his light and point the way so that others could find salvation in Jesus.

Jesus' instructions to "Walk While You Have the Light" are directions for our lives as well. When Nathan and I were exploring Maine's Bold Coast, we went armed with directions out of the guidebook, that told us where to start. As long as we had daylight we could pick out the trail and thought we knew where we were going. However, as darkness fell we realized that we were pretty much lost and needed to wait it out until daybreak. We could have avoided the uncomfortable situation in the first place if we had consulted a map or a hired a guide to show us which path we should have taken. On a spiritual level, Jesus is our map and our guiding light for life. We are given the true Word of God, the Bible, for our guidebook, but sometimes we cannot fully grasp or understand the directions we are given. That is why we are also given the power of the holy spirit through salvation in Jesus. In John 12:36 Jesus says, "Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light." When we put our trust in Jesus, He provides us an ever present light that illuminates the path we should take and points us in the right direction. When you seek Him and ask Him, He will carry the lamp to lead you through life. As we follow faithfully, His light will spread to our own lamps, and we in turn become "sons of light" helping those behind us to find their way too.

Another thing to note; Jesus clearly says that we are to "walk" while we have the light. He doesn't say to "recline on the beach" or "sleep" or "stand still". We will never get anywhere if we just sit around and wait for life to happen to us. Jesus says to walk. To me, this implies gradual, steady motion...and an effort on our part. It is like a journey. It's not a sprint or a marathon, when after a few seconds of even a few hours we get to quit. Walking with Christ as our light is a step-by-step journey through life. The trail he leads us may be steep and rugged (like the Bold Coast back in Maine); it may take us over mountains and through valleys. It may not always be easy, and there will probably be times when we think He is asking too much, but if we push on and continue to follow Christ's light, He will reveal more things along the way. As we begin to reflect His light we will gradually grow to be more like Him. He will make our lamps burn brighter. Walking side-by-side with Him, His light will chase away the eerie darkness and shadows of our past that haunt us. His warmth will radiate into our souls and reveal to us the marvelousness of all that God has created. And, perhaps most importantly of all, He will show us the Way to go. I am on that journey. Are you?

This year, join me in following the Light. I am not a theological scholar or an ordained minister. I am merely a currently-unemployed, ambitious, creative, sometimes-frightened child with a simple faith, trying to follow Christ. I have stepped off the path and gotten lost several times, but the Light has never given up on me or left me to tumble off the cliff into the dark, frigid waters below. He continues to teach me and show me new things. He has been faithful, even when I have been faithless.

My purpose in starting this blog was to create a place to share thoughts, feelings, ideas...fun things I do and little ways that life surprises me. No one may ever read it, so perhaps all my musings will just be lost in the great big expanse we call the internet. But if you do happen to be a person on a journey of your own (and can put up with my lengthy monologues), feel free to share what thoughts, feelings, and discoveries God has blessed you with. Let me know how I can best pray for and encourage you on your journey.

2 Corinthians 4:6

Soli Deo Gloria

New Year's Resolutions...

A new year...and I am starting it off with a new blog! Stay tuned for more!