what's in YOUR fridge?

Well, I'm gonna show you what's in MY fridge. Will you show me yours?

I cannot lie. I totally took this idea from another blog. If you ever want to check out a blog I have recently been reading its really cute. You can view it here, and she's got some great disciplines in eating healthy with all 6 of her kids and hubby!

I thought this was a great idea to start some discussion, but also to show you that I really do try my best in all that I am talking about. It's not something I fantasize about, but that I really have tried to commit myself and my family to eating healthy. I don't claim to have all the answers, because its seems the more I know the more I feel inadequate to say the least. I am still learning along with everyone else. And there are still things in my cupboards and fridge that I wish you didn't see, but I still think its good to let it all be out in the open. And if you have questions about why I have something or not, feel free to ask. To tell you the truth, if I took a picture of my fridge next week, a lot of it would change. but this is to give you an idea of what I do and maybe help you in making some good decisions about what to put in your own fridge and cupboard. You will notice that I hardly have any prepared foods at all. Everything is done from scratch in this house.

So what is all that stuff?

So, not having organic peanut butter really bothers me because peanuts hold on to the pesticides sprayed on them. But for the time being I was going through so much peanut butter that I had to buy the natural stuff instead because it was getting so expensive. I need to just start making my own! And of course the pre-assembled breadcrumbs really bothers me as well, but when time is on a crunch they are there when I need them. But this is so much better made yourself as well.....

I add wheat germ and flaxseed to everything. Flaxseed has so many benefits along with vegetarian omega-3's and fiber, and wheat germ has folic acid and is great for aiding in stabling your immune system and recouping after being sick. I add to my granola, my fruit smoothies, my cereals. But make sure you grind your flaxseed so your body can easily absorb its nutrients:)

So can you tell yet that we really like asian food? We love sushi and all the thai dishes! Lee's Asian Market in Henrietta sells everything you need for a much more reasonable price than Wegmans. I think I remember Wegmans was selling 10 seaweed wraps for $4. While Lee's was selling 100 for &8. Geez! What a difference....it pays to shop around!!!

Can you tell this is a lot of what Abigail snacks on? Ha ha. hence all the goodies, cookies, crackers and raisins. I usually do organic raisins as well, but gotta blame this one on the hubby. He picked those up for me. Love him, but he would ultimately go for what's cheap, not what's good for you. But I give him a lot of credit, after watching Food Inc. he couldn't bring himself to buy the regular milk. i was so proud of him when he came home with the organic! Good job sweetheart!

I love how people think you're crazy until someone who is smarter than you shares with the world what the heck you're talking about. A must read for all is Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan. if you get a chance, its an awesome resource on what is happening with our food today.

So, share! Questions, concerns, comments? What's in your fridge?

What's for dinner?

I find it really interesting that America really has none of its own traditions when it comes to what we should be eating. Apart from the typical cheeseburger and home-fries, American food has never really found its niche for the perfect meal. The Italians found their love in pastas and breads, while the Greeks found it in greens and cheeses. And a good 'ol Mexican meal brings on its choices of what to put in your burrito or taco, along with the French widely known for their butters, creams and pastries. And don't forget the array of asian meals that always include a rice or noodle at every meal. I guess what it means to be American is to throughly enjoy embracing all cultures and traditions because one thing we do, and we do it well, is eating. I love how Michael Pollan puts it, "Yet I wonder if it doesn't make more sense to speak in terms of an American paradox - that is, a notably unhealthy people obsessed by the idea of eating healthy."

I recently had someone email me a question about being vegetarian. As some of you know, I went from being a person who ate everything put in front of them to pesco-tarian (no meat, but eats fish) to vegetarian to carnivore and then to vegan. And I'm not even going to mention where I am currently at, and for very good reasoning. With all those changes and decisions came logical reasoning, but simply kept changing with the more education I got on food. Also what a lot of people don't know or understand is, sometimes, I would only choose to eat like that for a season. So much contributes to what I personally will decide what to put out for dinner. Do I need to cleanse? Do I have enough money for groceries (because local organic meat is expensive)? Am I low this weak on omega-3's? How's my protein? Iron? Is this meal gonna provide the energy I need to exercise? And what I choose to eat while I'm nursing my baby may be completely different than when I'm not. Do you see where I'm getting at? Sometimes there really is no "right" answer when it comes to what we should choose to eat for dinner. But what you do choose should fit your lifestyle. It should compliment how you live. If your active vs. being someone who stays in the house all day, those two people's meals should be completely different from one another. You have to find what works for you and your family.

I love Michael Pollan because he is able to describe it again in this way - "Our culture codifies the rules of wise eating in an elaborate structure of taboos, rituals, recipes, manners and culinary traditions that keep us from having to reenact the omnivore's dilemma at every meal."

"And so we find ourselves where we do, confronting in the supermarket or at the dinner table the dilemmas of omnivorousness, some of them ancient and others never before imagined. The organic apple or the conventional? And if the organic, the local one or the imported? The wild fish or the farmed? The transfats or the butter or the 'not butter'? Shall I be a carnivore or a vegetarian? And if a vegetarian, a lacto-vegetarian or a vegan? Like the hunter-gatherer picking a novel mushroom off the forest floor and consulting his sense memory to determine its edibility, we pick up the package in the supermarket and, no longer so confident of our senses, scrutinize the label, scratching our heads over the meaning of phrases like 'heart-healthy,' 'no transfats,' 'cage-free,' or 'range-fed'. What is 'natural grill flavor' or TBHQ or xanthan gum? What is all this stuff, anyway, and where in the world did it come from?"

I think what is most important about choosing what to put on your dinner menu is that you've thought about it:) You wouldn't pick up any mushroom from outside and just assume you can eat it. Some are very nutritious, while others are very poisonous! Well then....you shouldn't assume everything put on the shelves of our grocery stores is nutritious as well. Look at your life. What's a typical day? Are you active? Are you nursing? Do you have children? Listen to your body and find out what it needs. Putting on weight? Then make some adjustments. Getting dizzy spells? Then check your sugar. Are you getting enough protein so your sugar can burn slower? Are you nursing? Then you need to keep that iron high. Find out what is in your food and apply it to how you live. There is no magic answer to what EVERYONE should be eating but there is an answer to how YOU should be eating. So, what are going to eat for dinner tonight?

Resources: The Omnivore's Dilemma By Michael Pollan (pg. 3, 4, 5)

Evoking God's Heart

Have you ever read about the persistent widow in Luke 18? I probably read it or meditate on it several times during the week. It's because I am so undone by this women's persistence to fight for justice on her behalf. She wanted legal protection, and even though the judge was not a God-fearing man, he grew weary in her prevail. Right after this story, a promise is given to us. If an unrighteous judge will bring justice to one who persists in asking, how much more will God bring justice for His elect who cry out to Him day and night! Then the passage goes on saying, "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly." Sometimes I think one of the reasons we see so much injustice in the world today is because God is waiting on us. Are we really so undone and broken that we would cry out to God day and night until we see justice? Are we really sold out to God in a such a way that we would lose face, forfeit our reputation and be criticized for being super-spiritual because we authentically desire to see justice and righteousness in our own hearts? We say with our mouths we want God, but do our hearts really count that cost?

I was reading this week from Matthew and as I came upon chapter 6 is goes on and on about looking to earthly things for fulfillment. It's the "treasures" verse. We all know it. But as I was reading it this time, God began to quicken my heart. After everything is said and done He ends this way, "But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." (vs. 33) It was like God was sending a reality check my way :) "Don't you see Crystal, that you will only have these things if you seek my Kingdom first!" It was like God was, once again, reminding me that I live for Him, he doesn't live for me. So many times our prayer life consists of complaints or requests, maybe even anxious thoughts. But I was beginning to see the bigger picture. Seek first the Kingdom and then those things will be of no value to you. I thought about the last time I came before God where I had no requests or anxieties. The last time I just sat with God and appreciated Him, just thanked Him and enjoyed His presence. To be quite honest, it had been awhile. Our miracles and destiny come out of relationship with God. Who wants to see their family or their husbands only on the weekend? Not me, I enjoy spending time with my husband everyday. It's the same way with God. God wants all of us, not just moments.

It's like the persistent widow. She was teaching us something about prayer. Her story is in the Bible so that we could learn how to pray. God wants us to pursue Him. He wants us to get down-right dirty in prayer. He wants us to cry out to Him day and night. I personally believe that if the Church would commit themselves to prayer, we would see an out-pouring of God's Spirit like never before. We would see justice come to unborn babies, the sanctity of marriage upheld, the ending of embryonic stem-cell research and broken homes and broken families to know the love of God. That's what prayer does, it brings access to Heaven. Persistent prayer evokes the heart of God!

If you would like to begin praying more often and want to be involved with others who do as well, I encourage you to come to the Rochester's Prayer Center all-night gathering. Their third all night prayer is March 19th @ 7PM @ Bethel Christian Fellowship and you can check it out on Facebook. RPC's vision is to begin praying together, in hope that one day there will be 24-7 prayer in the city of Rochester. This WILL only be possible if the Church of Rochester embraces it. It won't take one man, it will take the people of God. It's time we become like the persistent widow and evoke the heart of God.

Postpartum health

I currently have a month old baby and as i continue to educate myself on how to take care of my health needs during this postpartum time, I figured I'd share some of my secrets with other mothers out there. Down to the amount of calories you are suppose to have, to what foods you should stay up on, to weight loss after having a baby.

NURSING YOUR BABY

First I would like to encourage every mother out there to try as much as possible to nurse your baby the first year of its life. God has given us all an amazing gift. We are are capable of producing all the nutrients our baby needs without trying real hard. God made it simple. And nature allows us to bond with our baby in its first year of life by breast-feeding. I do not intend to discourage those mothers who chose to formula feed. This is not the purpose. But the facts are there, breast-feeding will provide the best health for you and your baby that no supplement can replace. The evidence is there, so I encourage you all...hang in there. Breast-feeding is very demanding and i respect every mother who devotes themselves to it! It's as if with every feeding we are praying long life over our children. What a beautiful gift God has given us. (If you were unable to breast feed your children because of health circumstances or lack of milk, this is not to discredit any mother who tried).

Click here for a list of reasons breast-feeding is important for your baby's health.

Click here for reasons breast-feeding is important for your own health.

WEIGHT-LOSS

Now here's the big one that probably all of us mothers wrestle with: Weight Loss. It is imperative that we don't try to exhaust ourselves over this during the first year we are recovering from pregnancy. Think of this way, it took you 9 months and 3 weeks to pack on the pounds, it should take you just as long to get rid of them. Don't expect yourself to be like all the women in Hollywood and be back in your pre-baby clothes in 6 weeks. The amount of women that happens to are minute. The truth is, it's just not practical nor realistic for most moms. And though breast-feeding guarantees a smaller uterus in just months, it doesn't necessarily mean less weight. In fact, breast-feeding may contribute to holding onto fat longer than you desire. This is because your body needs this fat to produce milk for your baby. Though your baby may not weigh much now, he/she is consuming 1,000 calories everyday from your milk supply. The quality of breast milk is only affected in extreme cases of deprivation, or by excessive intake of a particular food. But the quantity of milk depends very much on the mother's diet. This is why your diet is so important after you have the baby just as much as it was while you were pregnant. This does not exclude mothers who choose to not breast-feed as well. In order for optimal recovery after you have a baby, it is crucial you eat right. Women who don't have severe problems with constipation, weight loss contributed from muscle loss, swelling and water retention, along with also having extreme points of post-pardum depression. While trying to cut calories seems like the best solution to lose weight, it is DANGEROUS for a women who is recovering from child-birth! For women who are breast-feeding you should be consuming 1800-2200 calories a day (about 500 calories more than you would normally consume). But its also important what foods you are putting into your body. If you are looking to have aid in weight loss while you are recovering from child-birth I recommend colorful foods. Stay away from starchy foods that break down into sugar. Don't omit whole grains, but for a time limit the intake of pastas, breads and potatoes (this does not include sweet potatoes which has vitamin A in it....ladies this aids in digestion and can keep you from constipation). I personally omit all sweet desserts my first year of trying to get back down to my pre-baby weight. Though this is hard on days we have a sweet tooth, I find I am more liberated when I go out and someone offers me something sweet. You don't feel the guilt of eating something sweet when your out because you're not eating it when your home. i also am a firm believer that a diet high in greens helps keep the calories moving and make it easier for your body to absorb nutrients. I sometimes even add a powder vitamin of mixed greens to a fruit smoothie just for added fiber and vitamins. i actually find it better than taking a multi-vitamin because the powder itself comes directly from the plant itself, rather than a synthetic lab-made vitamin (which most vitamins are). Also a fruit smoothie is a much better option than fruit juice since the pasteurization also removes essential vitamins your body needs. I also recommend eating through-out the whole day. yes, you heard me right. Because we are nursing mostly on demand, your more likely to feel hungry through-out the day, rather than eating scheduled meals. this will also help in not over-eating. Sometimes if we wait for the "intended" time to eat, we're so hungry by the time it comes that we end up indulging. Choose healthy, colorful snacks to chew on in between meals that will help keep you on track (such as cheese and whole grain crackers, carrots and hummus, or organic peanut butter and banana). If you want more examples feel free to contact me, but for now I need to move on because this blog is getting long:)

SLEEP

Now, if your anything like me. you can be doing all these great things and maybe STILL not see weight-loss. Don't stress. I personally find it almost impossible to lose weight a healthy way the first 6 months of my baby's life. The biggest reason being? The lack of sleep. Yep, not getting enough sleep can help keep on extra pounds. And its not because of the quantity of sleep, but the quality. Your babies needs are so demanding of you in the night, and you'd be happy to sleep 4 hours straight on a good night. I get about 7-8 hours of sleep a night, but because its broken sleep I never really enter into "rem" (rapid eye movement) sleep. It aids in reducing stress, decreasing appetite and making us more hormonally balanced. If we miss out on it, it can very well keep us from losing weight. Don't be discouraged if you don't see results right away in your body, in a few months things WILL get easier.

LASTLY

Make sure you're getting at least a 1/2 hour of rapid activity everyday, along with drinking a large amount of water through-out your day. I always recommend 1/2 your body weight in ounces. If your nursing your baby, you should have at least an 8 ounce glass of water with every feeding. And please filter your water to help reduce the amount of fluoride, chlorine and sulfates in your water:) They are not good for you or your baby. This is even more important for babies who formula feed. There is no need to have fluoride in your baby's water when it doesn't even have teeth.

I think thats good for now....until next time ;D

Nothin' into Somethin'

Recently I have been finding it extremely hard to find time with the Lord. I've had to really altar some of the routine I use to have to make sure God is getting His time. I tried to live days on the fly and my day has proved to be overwhelming in the end when I don't get that solitude with God. Even in days that I have not a moment to read my Word, I've learned to slip in the Word on CD just so I get my filling. Without it, I'm so lost. I become this person so familiar, yet so surprisingly shaken at the sight of seeing her. It's the girl who use to judge everything and everyone, but only because of her own insecurities of being alone. It's the girl who wants to rule and reign, the mighty feminist who thinks she knows better than everyone else around her. Her inner fear and turmoil tortures her. It's really who I am without God - it's really who I was...just empty.

I'm reminded so often of who I'd be if I never encounter Jesus. Maybe a feminist lesbian who curses the world. Or a hippy caught up in orgies and drugs. Or maybe a good hearted wiccan who'd attempt to make the world a better place. Who knows. God knows. And in the emptiness of what my future may have held if I continued to live my own way, God had mercy. God so loved me more than I could ever love myself.

I had this mind-blowing reality when I was reading from Jeremiah 17. "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes his flesh his strength, and whose heart turns away from the Lord. For he will be like a bush in the desert and will not see when prosperity comes, But will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, and land of salt without inhabitant" (vs. 5-6). It's sobering to remember who you are without God. It's even more humbling to see who you are when you stop trusting God. It's interesting to me when I see myself come to this place where I think I may have "graduated". When I may think I am without reproach. And right when you think you've got your act together, BOOM! God shows up and shows you how you have put trust in your flesh and have trusted in man more than Himself. Are you understanding?

Let's put it this way. When there are days I wait to spend time with the Lord, I'm short with my husband. "What do you mean you can't watch the kids? I've been stuck here all day!" "Honey, could you please put that dish away!" "How many times do I have to tell you?..." and it's not so much what I say, but the tone I say it in. I might as well have said, "hey stupid, why don't you do what I say because what you did today didn't matter!" Or how about the anxiety over the bills. In days where time with the Lord is put on the back burner, I become a spectator of God's provision in my life. Though my mouth may say I am trusting in the Lord, my actions tell me I can do a better job than God can. Where can I get the money? How much more can I work? And then I complain to the Lord rather than trust God that He has and will provide for all my needs. In days where the physical is more of my reality than the spiritual, you have to take a step back and wonder why. Why am not trusting God?

"Blessed is the man who trusts the Lord and whose trust IS the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought and not cease to yield fruit" (Jeremiah 17:7-8). But if I continue to purpose myself to be with the Lord everyday, I am able to walk in the glory of who He has created me to be. You see, we may be nothing with God, but we are something with Him! Oh, are we something! We are like trees that always have fruit! Even in days of drought, we will be the ones with the water. How important it is to walk with God! How crucial it is to spend time with the Lord to experience true life. I was reminded to do whatever it takes to get with Him. Things admist our day always seem so much more important as they are happening, but what is truly important is so easily forgotten. My encouragement to you today is to do whatever it takes to get with Him.

Anti-cancer shopping list

Vegetables & Fruits
leafy greens
brussels sprouts
tomatoes
beets
carrots
sweet potatoes
squash
broccoli
onions, leeks, shallots
mushrooms
lentils
peppers: bell, jalapeno
spinach
oranges
grapefruit
lemon
lime
apples
berries – blueberries, strawberries, raspberries
apricots
pomegranates
mango

Whole Grains
whole grains (bread, pasta, tortillas)
oats
flaxseed
quinoa

Proteins
salmon
mackerel
tilapia
tuna
soy products (tofu, beans, milk)

Spices & Herbs:
turmeric
ginger
cinnamon
rosemary
curry
chive
garlic
basil

Nuts/seeds/oils
pecans
walnuts
almonds
hazelnuts
flaxseed/flaxseed oil
olive oil
canola oil

Desserts/sweeteners
dark chocolate
Beverages
green tea
ginger tea
red wine (1 glass/day)

resource: Doctor Oz

Super Foods Top 5

1. Sweet Potato

The women of Okinawa, Japan (who also happen to be the world’s longest living ladies) enjoy a purple sweet potato they call Imo every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Rich in beta-carotene and boasting 150% more antioxidants than blueberries, this easy-to-make treat can be simply incorporated into an American diet. And, if you can’t find Imo specifically, our orange sweet potatoes pack a similarly healthful wallop.

2. Turmeric Tea

You usually see the yellow spice turmeric in Indian curries, giving them their characteristic color. But those long-lived ladies of Okinawa slurp this spice in tea daily (and they have one-fifth the rate of breast cancer than their American counterparts). Studies have shown that turmeric is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant that can help fight cancer.

3. Mangosteen

This sweet, tropical fruit originally from Indonesia has made its way onto supermarket shelves in the United States. Hidden inside a thick purple rind that you cut open, is a white, creamy flesh full of vitamins A and C as well as cancer-fighting antioxidants. If you can’t find the fruit, the juice of the mangosteen, which is more widely available, is the next best thing. This is also available in tea form.

4. Mustard Greens

In Icaria, Greece, 1 in 3 people lives to the age of 90, making the Greek island one of the areas designated as a “blue zone,” where people enjoy superior longevity. There are also no cases Alzheimer’s disease reported there despite many people living to a ripe old age. One of the nourishing foods they enjoy are mustard greens. High in vitamin K (most Americans are deficient in this nutrient), the spicy greens are good for your blood and bone strength. Try them as the Icarians do: boil and then toss with a little virgin olive oil and lemon.

5. Barramundi Fish

If the Barramundi fish were a human, he would be a tree-hugging, salad-loving vegetarian. The Barramundi, hailing from the coast of Australia, eschews his fellow fish, dining on plankton instead. That means he doesn’t load up on mercury-packed smaller fish and has extremely low levels of the toxin, which is especially important for pregnant women. Free of mercury, but full of heart- and brain-healthy omega-3s, the Barramundi, which is becoming more popular in the US, is a shoe-in for one of the top 5 superfoods. Bonus: the white meat is light, flaky and delicious.

Resource: Dr. Oz and can reference at www.doctoroz.com

the no good top 5

Lately I have really been enjoying the Dr. Oz show, because not only is he very professional, but a lot of what he says is really good and beneficial for healthy living. So these top 5 are according to Dr. Oz. I find them to be true and helpful in not choosing certain foods that will prevent healthy goals.

The Count-down:
#5. Canned foods high in sodium.
These foods are bad for your arteries and your blood pressure!

#4. FAKE healthy foods
These are your foods claiming "low-fat, low-carb, sugar-free". Foods like this have artificial ingredients in order for them to replace the fat or sugar they lack, so that they still taste good. You usually end up over-eating with foods like this because you think they are healthy, when in actuality they are awful for your body.

#3. Ingredients you cannot pronounce.
If there is even ONE ingredient that is foreign to you, than it is probably foreign to your body. A lot of extra, unnessesary ingredients cause excessive gas because your body doesn't know how to break it down.

#2. Meats high in nitrates and unsaturated fats (such as deli meats or hot dogs)
This is actually really important to listen too. The more research being done on the preserves in some of our meats, the more aware we are becoming of its risks. Recent studies have even linked these perserves to stomach cancer.

#1. Sugars (Simple sugars and enriched carbohydrates)
This is all our junk food! These range from ice-cream, to every pastry sold on our shelves to even sugared cereals. Most of your pre-packaged foods are included in this. Our bodies are on sugar over-load...its no wonder diabetes is on the rise. These foods completely disrupt your metabolism.

Eat your spinach and embrace His heart

God has specifically placed some things on my heart over some time. Both Brandon and I have had a lot of thought to the things we have embraced as our "call". Now I know in my last blog I said calling has everything to do with who we are and not what we do, but as I use the word calling in this blog, I am referring to those things which God has told us to embrace for a lifetime. There are three giants God continues to powerful speak to us about and the more I seek God, the more God puts these injustices at the forefront of my mind. Here they are:

1. Innocent Blood-shed

This specifically dealing with abortion. there are other things it can entail, but we believe God has called us to stand on behalf of the unborn until the scurge of abortion has come to an end. (Visit us sometime at myspace.com/bound4liferochester OR citytocity.webs.com)

2. Sexual Perversity

This specifically, but not limited to, dealing with homosexuality. I don't feel the need to go into deal on how God has put this on our heart, but one thing is true: this is a giant that has evolved so large that we need the Church to work together and pray together to see this giant shut-up.

3. Idolatry

This specifically with radical Islam. I say radical because I'm not talking about your friend who claims to be Muslim but doesn't necessarily believe all the ins and outs of her Islamic traditions. Whether you know a lot about Islam or not, between time and fate, I believe this war may come down to the battle of Christianity and Islam.

Now I tell you all that only to open up my own heart and reveal some of the things God has personally spoken to myself and to Brandon. We have embraced a 'life calling' to fight for the injustice in these areas. Whether we see change in our lifetime or not, we have embraced the cause for the glory of God....and we will not stop at any cost.

Isaiah 42 talks about the Servant, who is Christ. But we are also His servant. Because Jesus made a way for us to be reconciled to God, we now are in Christ's position. He lives in us and us in Him. In verse 4 it says, "He will faithfully bring forth justice. he will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait expectantly for His law." (Is. 42:4) This is important. Whatever you feel God has called you to, it's important to embrace it to the point of death. Meaning - whether what He calls you to comes to pass or not, you remain faithful, steadfast and undiscouraged by what you see. you do not become disheartened or crushed, but you follow through until the end. Do you have a cause as such? has God given you vision for something? Has God set your heart so on fire to see something come to pass in your lifetime? That's where I'm at. What is it that God has given you to embrace? What is your cause?

I remember a preacher once reminding me of the story of Popeye. Did you ever watch that as a kid? I loved it. My dad and I would always wrestle when I was little and when I was losing I would always pretend to eat a can of spinach in the middle of the match. After I did that, I dramatically acted out my instantaneous growing body and began to be fierce in the face. Then my dad would let me win. (i wonder if it was his way of getting me to eat the real thing.) do remember how Popeye and Bluto use to fight over Olive?Bluto was this big bully who always seem to get the eye of Olive first. But Olive's heart belonged to Popeye. And even though she would temporarily give her time to Bluto, she would always wait on Popeye to come and pursue her. But what did it take? It wasn't until Bluto began to be unjust with Olive. When he began to mis-use her and take advantage and then Popeye would say, "i can't stanz it...I can't stanz it no moe!" Then Popeye would eat his spinach and kick the crap out of Bluto. See, God says His heart belongs to us. There is so much injustice in this world, but he waits until we'll pursue Him for Him to actually give His heart over. Is there anything in your heart toward something that says "I can't stanz it...I can't stanz it no moe!" Than I encourage you to seek God concerning it! I can't stand innocent blood-shed. I can't stand sexual perversity. And i can't stand idolatry! I believe we can also make a spiritual parallel with the spinach being the Holy Spirit. Popeye would try to fight Bluto in his own strength first, but he would always fail. But God promises that if we allow Him to be our strength, nothing is impossible. Now in whatever you believe God has called you to, allow the Holy Spirit to do it in and through you.

I am the Lord. I have called you to righteousness, i will hold you by the hand and watch over you. And I will appoint you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the nations. (Is. 42:6)

The Lord will go forth like a warrior. he will arouse His zeal like a man of war. He will utter a shout, yes, He will raise a war cry. he will prevail against His enemies (Is. 42:13)

This is a war. BUT GOD fights on our behalf. HE FIGHTS on OUR behalf. I think we forget that when God calls us to something (especially something that is injust) we think we fight on His behalf. I so easily forget that He does it for me and through me. If God is for you, who can be against you? I know we've heard it many times, but I think the reason we so easily forget it is because we want our justice now. We give ourselves over to the cause of Christ for a moment, but if the moment doesn't bear fruit we can see, then we give up. Remember friends, that many hearts will grow cold as this age continues. Why do they grow cold?...Because of wickedness in the earth. that tells me that God is gonna call us to things that we may never see change. But thats ok.... Be encouraged - Because God is for YOU! Embrace your call. Embrace His heart.

The Lord's Table

Did you know that God has something to say about what you eat?

"If you will listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what he considers right, if you pay attention to His commands and obey His laws, i will never make you sufffer any of the diseases I made the Eqyptians suffer, because I am the Lord who heals you." (Exodus 15:26)

It amazes me that Adam and Eve were created in a garden. A garden full of everything they needed - full of every juicy and vitamin-rich fruit and every savory and nutrient-rich vegetable and grain. Everything came from the earth and everything went back into the earth. It was the ideal ecosystem ever! - And its because it was God's design and God said it was good.

Now we have food that has been altared and doesn't break down. Most of the food that comes from the earth has been toyed with and made to last for years on our shelves. So, we're given choices. Do we seek God to eat right in a world gone wrong? Or do we just sit back and eat what's put on our plates? i believe God has something to say about it all. Eating healthy is as much importance as any spiritual discipline. We like to point fingers with all the ungodly wrong in the world, but we rarely acknowledge a society obsessed with eating - and eating unhealthy.

My hope is that you would be provoked. My hope is that a light would come on in your heart and mind, so that you may begin to question what you put into your body. God does have something to say. I hear people say this a lot," it's all in moderation..." The saying personally urks me. Because, technically, if thats what you believe, you can eat anything you want and have no consequence....as long as its in moderation, right? No! if God has something to say about what we eat, then I believe whether in moderation or not....there are going to be foods He wants us to eat and does not want us to eat. We need a healthy look at food. Food is not bad. it was created for the very purpose to keep us living....for a long time. God wants us to eat! It's what we eat and how much we eat that he has something to say.

As I started this blog, I had a few people contact me with some personal questions and seeking some genuine heart-felt change in their diet. A couple of them were desperate for change, but, in desiring to do things God's ways, had really no idea where to start. Three people, in particular, I encouraged to do a Bible study called The Lord's Table, which can be found at settingcaptivesfree.com. (Thank you Kathy for referring myself to such a study). two out of the three have gotten back to me since starting it and have shared some wonderful revolutionary testimonies of how God is speaking to them. With their huge success stories, I want to encourage others to do the study as well. Whether you think you have an addiction to food or not, its a wonderful study to get in the habit of exposing ourselves to good food designed by God. it's a 60-day study that will take you into a daily devotional of impacting your eating life. It gives open opportunity for God to speak to your diet. Then at the end, it will lead you into a fast that will help you have self-control for your future.

i realize I may be writing to the choir of people who are already on their own health journey. But even as I look at my own weaknesses (its hard for me to say "no" when its right there in my face) i see there is always room to grow. and it certainly never hurt to continually seek God on the things i choose to eat. we forget He has something to say. The more I know what He desires, the more I want to eat His way. I encourage you to let God be a part of your diet. Let's not make these decisions on our own...

belonging to the Lord

Isaiah 44:3-5, "I will pour out water on the thirsty…I will pour out my Spirit on our offspring…they will spring up like poplars by streams…one will say, 'I am the Lord's'…and another will write on his hand,

'Belonging to the Lord'…"

Whether we are struggling or at our greatest potential, He is always Lord. We usually make Him Lord when things in our life are going good, but it's even a greater challenge to make Him Lord when we are struggling.

I've been thinking a lot about this verse, "belonging to the Lord". What does it mean? What would my life look like if I lived it as if it belonged to the Lord? My thoughts toward this convicting challenge have literally shaken me. Its confronted everything I do and don't do. It confronts ever sort of reasoning I could have and every part of my being that fights against the will of the Spirit.

I felt I heard the Lord say, "Don't settle. Don't settle Crystal. - not for the American dream with the Christian stamp. don't settle for your position as wife and mother or even friend. Desire more! - because even I desire that you would know Me beyond that stewardship." I hear a lot of women say they are called to be a mother - yes...it's true, that even I have claimed those words. But God does not expect "calling" to stop there. In fact, I see that more as an entrustment than a calling. God has entrusted you with His very own, so we may lead our children to the cross and our journey may also make us more like Christ. But calling has little to do with what we do and more to do with who we are. We belong to the Lord. Since the time of Adam and Eve, our purpose was to be in relationship with God, intimately and passionately in love with our Creator and through that, reign and rule over the earth. There was no sense of defeat in that calling. It was experiencing ALL of God without any hindrances (sin). Adam and Eve had no titles. They had no ministries they headed up. They had yet to have children. They had no work they were paid for because everything was provided for them. They never distrusted God and the security of their relationship with Him (until the Fall, that is). they were glorifying God by doing nothing but enjoying Him. - connecting with Him, walking with Him. They belonged to the Lord. They were created for an audience of One and they experienced the glory of God in ways unimaginable. That's what I want. I know there's more to God than I've experienced. my journey doesn't stop with my marriage, or when I have children, or when I start a ministry, or when I get my Christian credentials or even after I experience revival. There is no means-to-an-end when pursuing God and falling in love with Him! Yet, so many of us so easily settle.

why is going to church so unattractive for even believers and nonbelievers? It's because we settle - we look no different than the rest of the world. sometimes it's not hypocrisy that keep people away from the church, sometimes its the very fact that we have nothing special to offer beyond what anyone else can have without God. People don't live in the reality that God desires to be in love relationship with everyone of us for the very purpose of bringing heaven on earth. after the cross of Christ and through His resurrection, we were given an open heaven - access to the glory of God in ways unimaginable. we can have the garden experience. It would be the very thing that would fill the void and search for Truth that we all have inside.

Do you want break-through?

I do. When I remind myself of my true calling - I become so undone...so desperate for more of God. There are no formulas for break-through. everyone's break-through will look different and come differently. I can only share what God has done with me. I offer these ideas because, for many, we want more of God but have no idea where to start.

i believe the first help in getting to know God is getting rid of religious mind sets.

Religion is like kryptonite to superman. Religion can conform the most righteous, reigning saints into mindless zombies, puppets repeating someone else's convictions they don't even understand themselves. - Developing a Supernatural Lifestyle by Kris Vallotton

religion can literally choke our relationship with God. The best way I know to beat religious games is through humility. see yourself without God. the truth - we are ragamuffins...scum. the word of God says our hearts are deceitful and filled with darkness. we are capable of nothing without Him. when we see ourselves without God, pride and arrogance within ourselves will dissolve. It's then we can make a true commitment to make God Lord of our lives. Humility gives open opportunity for God to be Himself in and through you, without the limitation of self. Humility also brings us to a place of being broken and desperate for God. God likes it when we're at that point. ("broken and contrite heart, He will not despise.." "...He gives grace to the humble...")

in your brokenness, connect with God. it's wonderful to have a set time aside to connect with God (and I recommend it), but most of us have a life filled with responsibilities. So how so we connect with God as we're going about our day? I know in our home we have ihop streamed 24-7 on our computer. it's a constant reminder to connect with God. we make praying so complicated sometimes. prayer is as easy as talking to a good friend - just open your mouth and be real and honest with God. it's the best place to start. if you don't have access to the ihop stream, try playing 24-7 worship on a CD player in your home. But remember, the worship playing is only a tool. it's used as a reminder to connect with God - it doesn't do it for you. I know a lot of people who play worship all day, but never connect with God. it has to be purposed. i am constantly implementing the Lord into the things about my day. "...Lord, give me grace...Lord, help me be patient...Lord, how should I discipline Abigail?... Lord, you are good...Lord, give me strength to clean my house before Brandon gets home...restore energy in my lack of sleep, Lord...more of you, Lord..." Learning to pray can come as easy as breathing, but in the beginning it starts as a discipline.

these are just some ideas to jump-start break-through. i know there is also much more involved when over-coming certain obstacles. i could go on and on about how insecurities and fear of man keep us from entering into God's destiny for our lives. but i believe as we connect more with God, those fears have less of a hold because the faithfulness, His promises and experiences with God become more of a sobering truth.

A Birthing Experience

My second daughter, Israel Rose, was born this past Tuesday at 4:53 pm.

Isaiah 45:3 "I will give you treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name."

Her existence, her being formed into being, has literally been a physical and prophetic sign to me of the fire being birthed in my own heart. God has out-done Himself again! He has used what is happening in the physical to voice what is happening in the spiritual.

God has really been bringing me into the reality that if I really want a life unhindered in the presence of God - then I need to keep my mind and thoughts on the things that are not seen. So many times what we see in the physical can be a mislead image. a lot of times that's where human reasoning and understanding speak louder than God. But God's been teaching me how to hear Him and respond to Him in light of what's happening in the physical. Things are never what they seem - I always find God is working something far deeper than what I am seeing or experiencing. It's learning to live in the Spirit...to see things with the eyes of God. every moment, every circumstance, is an opportunity for God to show us who He is and to hear His voice. in fact, I believe the deepness of our relationship with God goes as far and wide as we allow it to. God has always made Himself available and never withdraws Himself from us. It's us who choose to withdraw ourselves from Him. It's us who choose to make ourselves unavailable to God. So as I learn to make myself available and exposed to the Lord every moment of my day, my eyes are being opened to more of God's intimate desires for myself, my family, and for others.

Now I am even more confident that Israel was born to us for a specific time and purpose under heaven. her birth has been fire to my faith. My husband over the past few months has been seeing the numbers 444. Every where he went - on the clock in the middle of the night, on a bill when he served tables at work, as a password given to him to use a copy machine, etc. With no understanding in his heart, it was the week Israel was born that God began to bring crazy clarity to the things he was seeing. Through finding out about The Wilderness Outcry, Dutch Sheets was calling believers to be a part of a vision coming from Isaiah 44:4.

For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring: And they shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. One shall say, 'I am the LORD's'; and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob; and another shall subscribe with his hand 'unto the LORD', and give himself by the name of Israel. (Isaiah 44:3-5)

The fear of the Lord fell us on us as we read from Isaiah 44:3-5 and realized Israel's name and birth has been chosen and aligned as a prophetic sign to the times and seasons we are living in! Her birth was physical, but a birthing has also happened in my heart and spirit. i've become alive and my walk with God feels fresh and renewed. Like when your body arouses to the smell of coffee brewing in the morning, so my soul is awaken to the Spirit of God moving and speaking. It's a fresh wind to my spirit and a fire to my relationship with Jesus. I've been in dry places and I know what it feels like when your soul is longing for water - maybe that is why I so appreciate times like this with the Lord. A place where my spirit just keeps drinking and rivers of living love, hope and revelation never stop flowing...

Mushroom Stuffed Venison Burgers ~ Video Blog

Seasonings in ground venison (its great if you can let the seasonings sit in your fridge for a day):

1. 1/2 cup of chopped onion
2. tsp. paprika
3. tsp. garlic powder
4. tsp. crushed red pepper
5. tsp. oregano
6. tsp. salt and pepper
7. 2 TB worcestershire sauce
8. 1 egg
9. 1 lb. ground venison

Ingredients for mushroom stuffing (saute):

1. chopped mushroom
2. chopped onion
3. chopped garlic
4. 2 TB worcestershire sauce
5. salt and pepper to taste

Home-made worcestershire sauce:

1. 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2. 2 TB soy sauce
3. 2 TB water
4. 1 TB brown sugar
5. 1/4 tsp. ginger
6. 1/4 tsp. dry mustard
7. 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
8. 1/8 tsp. cinnamon
9. 1/8 tsp. pepper

Shake well in a bottle (I used a baby bottle)

Thanks for viewing,