Curried Lentils and Vegetable Stew

I didn't know what to make for dinner last night and so I decided to throw something together with little things we had lying around. Well, the dish came out delicious so I thought I'd share. I've been anemic now the last three years of my life, mostly because I've been pregnant and/or nursing for that long and nutrients get sucked dry when my body is burning extra energy. So, if I want to stay away from taking an additional iron supplement, I have to purposely eat foods high in iron. But as a lot of you know, I'm not a huge meat eater and I won't buy it unless its grass fed, free grazing, without antibiotics or hormones. Well, lentils is a great option for a an alternative source of protein and iron:-)

Here's a list of my ingredients:

6 cups of water

5 organic potatoes (cube them)

1.5 cups of organic green lentils (you can use any)

3 organic carrots (chopped)

1 large cooking onion

2 tablespoons of curry (yum)

1 tsp. of garlic powder

tablespoon of chopped garlic (yes...I used both)

salt to taste

2 tsp. of ginger powder

(add more ginger is you are nauseated from pregnancy...it helps everything settle nicely)

I sauteed the onions, carrots and chopped garlic separately over canola oil (could also use olive oil on low heat) on medium heat (I added a little salt and curry powder to it as well).

Everything else I threw in the crock pot to simmer all day. Once the other ingredients are cooked you can add them too. I had mine on for about 4 hours on high and then reduced the crock pot for one more hour on low. It tasted wonderful.....we topped it with parmesan cheese right before eating. You could also put over brown rice if you choose. And what's great is you can make it your own way by just substituting whatever you want by what you have in your house. (add a cup of water if stew becomes to thick.)

Lentils and brown rice have a very low glycemic index and the balance of the legume and grain provides a complete protein for vegetarians and flexitarians alike. Non-vegetarians should try this hearty dish as a meat replacement for dinner. The high fiber in the legumes and veggies are also excellent for digestive and heart health by aiding in lowering cholesterol. They are a source of folate, a necessary nutrient for pregnancy and women.

I was thinking....if not a main course...I may try serving this up next time with some lamb...

Hope you enjoy! We should did ;^D

children liberated me

So there's this thing that's just been urking me lately and I just can't get off it. And so maybe you feel the same way but find it hard to voice something about it. As many of you know I'm pregnant with my third, putting this one 19 months apart from the second...and my second is 14 months a part from the first. So if you ran into as many friendly people as I did when I was pregnant with my first I'm sure you heard things like,

"wow....your life is about to change. are you ready?" (and not with positive notion)

"This your first? ....oh I can tell..." (implying I'm over-excited)

"Wait to see what children are really like..."

"...you think you can't sleep now...just wait."

Then when I thought the kind advice would be no more once pregnant with baby number two, I was assured by many how often my girls would fight and hate each other growing up...and don't forget the "now your really gonna know motherhood" as if motherhood would take away my worth, my meaning, my life.

Now that I'm pregnant with the third, with little room for breathing, I think a lot of people just don't know what to say, or maybe they realize their thoughts are probably a little too pessimistic for my digestion. My thought is probably the latter.

But what am I trying to say with all this? That a majority of people think children are a burden and that the life change children bring is crippling and binding. No doubt, I don't think anyone would ever say that... but they really don't have to. Because in a sorts, they kind of already have, through all the negative synergy that comes from people when they talk about children.

But I'm here to tell you and to tell the world, my children have not bound me; they have liberated me! It's true. Because of them I have more freedom than ever. Here are just a few ways that they have helped me do so:

1. Spiritual Maturity

I have spiritual grown more in the past two years than I have in all the time I have been a believer. God has used my children numerous ways to teach and lead me to where He wants me to be. And, certainly God has used them to rid me of what I want (flesh) and to choose to walk in the Spirit, for the fruit of the spirit is "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control" (Gal 5) And my children push me to be the women God has called me to be.

2. Selflessness - IT's NOT ALL ABOUT ME! It never was suppose to be. For some reason we feel like we have this entitlement to do what we want until we have kids. That's so unbiblical that its a joke to me now. But, hey, I thought the same way and its how God has dealt with my own selfishness. But just like any flesh-like desire, selfishness is listed right along with all the others as a sin. They've taught me to die to myself and choose that which is better.

3. Taught me how to spiritual war in prayer.

This one is huge for me. They've taught me so much about intercession. Do you ever find yourself wanting to pray but don't know what to pray about? Well have some kids, and you'll never run out of things to pray. I think about my friend, Kristy Bittle, who's son has been battling cancer. i can guarantee she has learned a whole lot on what it means to truly war in prayer. And I'm sure she has a few things to say about what she has learned about intercession through the life of her son.

4. Taught me how to be free.

When I wrote this I thought of the first time I saw Abigail dancing before the Lord during a 24 hour worship gathering we were facilitating. I remember just watching her and admiring her for her unhindered dance. No one else was dancing, but she didn't care. i don't even think she really noticed. But how often does it take me to let go and be free to obey God. And that's what true freedom is, the freedom to obey God. So, instead of caring what others are doing or thinking, I can just let go, like my two year old daughter does, and be in radically in love with Jesus.

5. To hear the voice of God.

Wow, if I don't feel the need to hear God for myself, my children certainly put me in a position where I need to be listening. All too often my ideas, my formulas and reactions lead to chaos and failure. But God has used my children to fine tune my hearing because all the more I need to be wise and discerning of what each child's needs are. I recognize that I have been given a gift to steward their heart, but only for a short time. I am honored that God has entrusted me to lead and shepherd His own children. My desire has always been that they would be free spirits obedient to God, but what does that look like? And the only way of knowing is to ask God Himself.

6. To be purposeful in my day.

If there's anything children do best on it's usually a routine. But my life is anything but scheduled. And with the many ventures of our exciting life, the same everyday schedule just doesn't work for us, BUT I've learned how to stick to a routine even if the day changes alittle bit. And I've never, ever, ever....did I say never?...and I mean it....never was a scheduled person in my life before. And you know what? It was pretty stressful, but I had no idea it was because of my time management that i was stressed. Not only that, but because of my children teaching me this practical life skill I also purpose myself in other areas during my day....like quiet time with the Lord, reading my Word, cooking and cleaning,etc. And once children are in the picture, you don't want a day without those goods....so i purpose myself to not miss out.

7. I found a voice.

This is the last one I'm putting and i find it of GREAT value. I use to be a very "gray" person. I rode the fence on a lot of issues and I tried hard to stay away from confrontation or conflict. HA! I'm sure some are smiling now, because if you've met me in the last couple years you know I'm not at all like that. in fact, I've probably got an opinion about...well, almost everything. But my children forced me to have an opinion. And after I got one....you know what I found? God's got an opinion too. Yeah, He's got thoughts.....and a lot of them at that. My children helped me hear God, and find the freedom to share what i feel those things are.

Well there you have it friends. So if anyone tries to give you some "thoughtful" advice on your current children status quoto....feel free to forward them here ;^D

or maybe you can just tell them yourself on how your children have liberated you...

bonding and babies....

so, this post is going to be somewhat intrusive but I assure you it is only meant to encourage each MARRIED couple and family to having a God-purposed relationship and marriage.

Bet you can't guess the number one question I get from my blog writing. It surprises me too, but because its happened so much I've decided to talk about it on the blog because I'm sure more people are thinking and wondering but not asking. Here it is:

How do you feel about a couple using condoms as a form of birth control?

So, if this is you first time reading anything I've posted on birth control or natural family planning I encourage you to read THIS first so you have a deeper understanding of where I'm coming from. But more importantly so you have an open heart to the Lord regarding your family's future.

Apart from the HUGE ethical issue I have with birth control, in which you can see my blog on how birth control came about here, I also have a morality issue with it. God gave us two purposes with the act of sex and, in short, I call it bonding and babies. First He gave us the ability to have intimacy with our spouse that no one else should have. Simply, marriage without the bedroom really wouldn't be a marriage at all because its through sex that covenant is consummated. Don't get me wrong, marriage is not all about sex, but it certainly brings to perfection the "oneness" a man and a women in covenant have. Second, we were given the ability to pro-create. The fact that we were given this gift is a BIG TIME virtue! Ezekiel 47, the story of the Millennial River, a lot of us know it but very few of us have ever looked at it as a fertility story. But I can tell you this, the prophet speaks of trees that bring forth fruit EVERY month (vs. 12) and we also are like those trees. As a woman we have been given a pure and undefiled gift, ovulation. And God has given us the tools, to not only know our own bodies through NFP, but to also have our spouses learn right along with us. The minute we invade that gift with stopping the ability to pro-create we are saying that "baby making" is a big time problem to God. Um...not sure He's gonna take that so well. But, hey....I'm not God. But I can assure you that FERTILITY is not our enemy and "fruitfullness" is the inevitable by-product of intimacy within your marriage. When we try to change that its as if we took out the conclusion in a climatic story.

SO, I realize I have not answered the question yet and I went on my own tangent. Maybe because the answer is still not that simple, but maybe it is. My simple answer? Ask God what He thinks. Invite Jesus into the marital bedroom with your spouse. Ask God for His timing, His order, His opinion. Sure....you can do what you want and God is faithful to bless it. But do we want what is good when we could have great? No, I don't believe condoms are evil. And, yes, we use them. But it still doesn't answer the question as efficiently as I would like because no one sees the praying, the seeking, the openess and vulnerbility we have with Jesus to come to a place where we know that is what He wants. So my best advice....listen to God.

(Hope this helps. And the post is not meant to step on toes or cause offense but only to answer the question as best I know how in my own personal convictions God has given me.)

fighting from victory

The last couple weeks have been a whirl wind for my husband and I. I think I've probably run into more opposition and resistance these past few weeks than I have probably in all the time I have had a relationship with Jesus. Misunderstandings, wounds too deep too share, murmuring, mockery, slander, accusations, and even dare I say..."thus saith the Lords" that have been completely off in a land I don't where it came from. But you see I'm not here to sob or soak in any means of woe or self-pity. And though I can't pretend I haven't asked God SEVERAL "why" questions, I can honestly say that I'm not offended or mad at anyone. Well....I guess thats not entirely true. I'm pretty pissed off at the enemy right now, but its a pretty righteous anger. One that in directed in prayer and being reminded of the Truth of the Word of God can only make me a Conqueror. That all these things are beneath me. And no devil, nor man, can destroy what God is sovereignly doing.

This past weekend I was at a leadership summit and a leader said something where I totally got a jolt from the Holy Spirit in a powerful way. Are you ready for it? "We do not fight FOR victory, we fight FROM victory!" And why is this so powerful? Because if I'm fighting from victory, then I have already won...i have already conquered....I have already over-come. But why in the mist of circumstance, when we suffer, we feel so defeated? It's like we forget that 2 Timothy 3:12 says, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." So why is it that when we suffer persecution, and from our own brothers and sisters I might add, do we feel confused and hurt? Well I think there's two reasons:

1. We have an identity crisis in the Body of Christ. I'm convinced that a majority of Christians live defeated because they don't really know who they are. And to not know who you are really means you don't know who Jesus is in you. I'm not being judgmental...its just the truth and sometimes we have to reconcile ourselves to the truth and begin to be honest with ourselves. And I'll be the first to admit that I am still learning this myself.

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He also will deny us," 2 Tim. 2:12. Some translations say "if we endure suffering..." Truth is, suffering has the potential to make us more like Jesus, but its conditioned on our response. this verse says that in suffering we actually have the opportunity to deny Jesus. How? I don't think its a literally denial with our mouth, but maybe its the spirit we choose to walk in in the mist of suffering. Our position, the leaking that comes out of our heart during suffering, and it usually brings a true face to what we believe about God and about ourselves.

Isn't the Word of God tested the most in our lives when we suffer? Isn't our belief and our trust in God tested the most when its hard to trust?

2. This one is interesting and it was just recently that the Lord showed me this. Sometime I am sad at the reponse or the resistence I am experiencing. But after checking my heart and clearing any offenses and/or hurt (healing) that I may have taken from a person I can still feel sad or like there's a piece unsettled inside me. So, why am I still sad? It is then that the Lord showed me sometimes the Spirit grieves through us over the circumstance. It's not like God enjoys watching us suffer. He knows it hurts. And more than that, I believe the Holy Spirit grieves when His people do not know who they are and they respond out of their own understanding (which is why slander happens so often between ppl). Give yourself permission to grieve with Jesus over the situation...that doesn't mean you're defeated, it means you allowing Jesus to give you His heart.

But let us remember together. That if you too have suffered or if a circumstance in your future wants to pull you down with the cares of this world, to remember this: "that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" Romans 8:18. And there it is again. If the glory lives inside of us than we do not fight for victory, we fight from victory. That God is for us...not against us. And He is for you!

let Your glory

So I could go on and on about this particular topic so I know it may seem redundant for many:-)

But bear with me as I believe when there is a reoccurring message in your heart it's worth listening to. It means God may be shifted something with that "Word" that's in you....He may just be wanting to ignite a flame in the heart of people when something cannot stop resonating in your belly.

What is that for me? Right now, its moving from praying "Lord let your glory come down" to "God, let your glory COME OUT!"

here's why - Psalm 89 talks about righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne. If I believe the Word of God is true...in which I do, than I can also believe that in a moment, in an instance, God has the ability to execute His righteousness and eradicate all the injustice in our nation in a moment...in a second. But He doesn't. Why? i have to consider maybe God really does want to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things. If Luke 18:7 says that God WILL avenge speedy justice to those elect who cry out to Him day and night I have to reckon with the truth that speedy justice is conditioned upon my part, that my role makes a difference. GOD DESIRES THAT JUSTICE AND RIGHTEOUSNESS BE EXECUTED THROUGH HIS PEOPLE!

Which brings back to that thought i mentioned in the beginning...maybe instead of praying let Your glory and presence come down we should be activating the glory and presence of God to come out. What would that look like for us as believers....for the Church?

New Year Deal

2010 Highlights

These are not in order, but here are a few of our highlights from the past year......

Drum rooooollllll please :-)

I started working for myself and moved hair business over to a salon and spa in Henrietta. Best thing ever and I have a lot more joy in what I do. here's a pic from the Christmas party where the salon payed for the entirety of our meal @ Delmonico's....one of our favorite restaurants!

We also visit Niagara Falls. May seem insignificant because we live so close, but we never get to go. Last time was our 1st wedding anniversary.

Abigail gets her first pony ride!

It's sweet when a bunch of Elimites get together but we get the a family shot of all our children! :-P

Lisa visits from Colorado! This woman has so much love in her for us its crazy blessing:)

Brandon builds us a little patio and we learn to garden for the first time!

We take a mega-vacation with all my siblings and parents to Colorado, where we all stay in my father-in-law's house. Yes....he loves us.

We start 24 hour prayer once a month...

I learn how to be ok with big messes (giggles)

Abigail gets potty trained before her 2nd birthday!!!!

and the most memorable thing is this.......

the year our precious Israel Rose was born.....

There is so much to be thankful for this past year and I am extremely excited entering into 2011. I feel like the highlights can go on and on. But here are a few that I thought I'd share.

Much love to you in this new year,
Crystal

a gift

My mother in law's Christmas gift.

She likes when I make her jewelry:)

designing cards.....

I've been designing my own cards for the past year because its cheaper than having walmart, snapfish or shutterfly design them for you......

Christmas photo cards are running anywhere from 29 cents to $1 each....

....but if I design it myself and order the 4x6 prints, i get them for 9 cents.

Here's the baby annoucement i did.......

Maybe this will inspire you to try some on your own =^D

How do you do it? kind of just piece everything together like a puzzle. cropping, pasting, adding in clipart (how ever your creative juices flow) and then crop it to a 4x6 standard print

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thanksgiving leftovers? - recipe

TURKEY CORN CHOWDER

So I had lots of left overs for thanksgiving and I saved the tukey carcas so I could make a broth later on. Thought I would give you this recipe that was delicious...and what's great is you can add or take away what you want with any left overs you have =^D

I rarely follow a recipe, so bear with me as I try to give instructions. I have very few meals that turn out the same every time. None-the-less....very delizioso!

First I made my broth. Are turkey was pretty large (20 lbs.) so it made a lot of brothe so you may not use all the broth you make in your soup. You can freeze it or make a double batch of soup and freeze that. I put in a large stove top pan and fill it until the carcas is swimming in it half way up. I also add some spices. I have a favorite mix that I get from the Rochester Public Market with all kinds of herbs....rosmary, thyme, sage, basil, lavender and marjaram. Love it! And I add sea salt and pepper as well. I'll bring it to a boil and leave it on a low simmer for a a few hours (mine was 3 hours)....until its smelling the house up good. :)


We had a ton of corn left over from thanksgiving so this is why i decided on corn chowder (that...and I love it!) Once the broth is done you can strain the broth to seperate your parts and your juice. While I make the soup I let the carcas cool so I can take remaining meat on it and shredd it into the soup.

Now to get a good base you are gonna do the same portion of milk that you have in turkey broth. See what I mean when this could make a huge portion....so you may want to freeze some of your broth. You can use any milk you choose....just depends on the creamier taste you want. I used whole milk.

I opted to make my soup and froze half so my portions with everything were large. This is where you are gonna need to go with your senses (taste, smell and overall look) to see if your soup is doing well. I added two cups of whole wheat flour to mine....but I would just start off with one if you are doing this for the first time. The flour thickens it quite a bit after simmering.

Here's what I added to my soup (remember my portions are doubled so you may need to cut yours in half):

chopped carrots (4)
chopped onion (2)
chopped celery (4)
16 oz. of shredded cheddar cheese
granulated garilc - lots! :-) (only cuz I love garlic)
salt and pepper to taste
cumin to taste (cuz I didn't measure - my guess would be 2 tablespoons)
lots of leftover corn
leftover turkey....shredded
and i didn't do this but if you have any left over mashed potatoes that would be yum as well!

and you can add any other leftovers you want.

I left this on low to medium heat for a couple hours, with occasional stirring so it wouldn't burn at the bottom. If you do it in a crock pot (which would def be a smaller portion), then you wouldn't have to stirr as often.

Enjoy! the chowder turn out deluctable and everyone has been enjoying as a great winter dish. Let me know if you do it and how it turns out!

the fight for justice: eugenics

Racism.

Birth Control.

Feminist Movement.

Planned Parenthood.

Abortion.

How did it all start?

How did it all start? And though some of you probably don't think it about it all, most of you would probably even care less to hear the facts. In fact, a part from the rest of the world, a vast majority of Christians are using birth control and, many I've met, unwilling to hear anything beyond what they already know. If you would like to read my blog on birth control please click HERE.

But how did it all get started? As my husband and I continue to serve the LIFE movement, we keep coming back to this very thing.....EUGENICS. Eugenics is "the study of methods of improving genetic qualities by selective breeding (especially as applied to human mating)". Simply put: It's the idea of an ideal race, which ultimately makes it an elite race, because you must fit into a specific inherited characteristics of both physical and mental class. Those who honor the eugenics movement talk of both bad and good eugenics. "Eugenics is good when it is based on a realistic understanding of our limited knowledge of biological inheritance, and when it is guided by a moral sympathy for the weaker members of society. Eugenics is bad when it is motivated by a utopian vision of human perfectibility through the breeding of superior races, and when it is unchecked by humanitarian sympathy." Darwinists would consider them to believe in good eugenics. Although, I'm not sure about that because Darwins belief is that we evolved from apes, and many eugenicists use that as leverage to say that Africans, those who look ape-like, are not evolved completely. This is why eugenics was huge during the slave trade. Africans were considered to be ignorant, illiterate and treated as animals - why? Because of the link between Darwinism and eugenics.

In fact, guess who helped fund Margaret Sanger's, founder of Planned Parenthood, move toward women's rights to birth control? Yep, you got it. Eugenics. Sanger needed funding for her belief for contraceptives so she turned to eugenics for the help. If she could convince Eugenicists that they could use birth control as a way of controlling birth rate of those who were not ideally fitting the class they preferred, it would help them serve their greater purpose. And this is the beginning of what we now see as modern racism. 98% of all Planned Parenthood's are placed in minority neighborhoods. Since 1973, legal abortion has killed more African Americans than AIDS, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and violent crime combined. Every week, more blacks die in American abortion clinics than were killed in the entire Vietnam war. Don't believe anything I'm saying? I encourage you to watch this documentary and know the facts:

Maafa 21

When will the fight for justice end? When will people seek to know the truth? When will we be willing to change what we want to do and ask God what he thinks about all of this?

Eugenics - you call it revolutionary....I call it evil.

Super-power granola! - recipe

So, after some friends encouraged me to do so.....I decided to pass out some of my favorite "Crystal" recipes. My first is my husband's all-time FAVORITE - home-made granola.

It's funny because I like granola but I don't love it so its usually gone by the time I really want some.

But this taste great with milk, or yogurt or as is. you can eat like popcorn, but its packed full with more nutrients:-)

Here's a list of your ingredients:

6-7 cups quick oats (I get mine in bulk from the Amish)

1 cup brown or raw sugar

raw honey or maple syrup

1 cup raisins or raisins

1 cup almonds or walnuts (or whatever nut you prefer....i've done sunflower seeds too, which are good brain food)

1 cup toasted wheat germ

1 cup flax seed

1/4 cup of butter (1/2 stick)

2 cups water

So mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

(Make sure you grind your flax seed and not throw them in whole - your body absorbs the nutrients better if you do that. I use a coffee grinder for it, but you can also use a food processor or blender).

Everything should be done with your hands so mixing is more thorough.

Melt your butter and then add wet ingredients together & mix with fork, everything besides the honey.

Now add wet ingredients to dry and mix thoroughly with your hands. (Squish, quish, squish). Hands will get very messy but keep mixing until all water is absorbed into oats. If it still seems a little dry add a little water at a time, mixing in between.

Oil two baking sheets and lay out granola. It's sticky but try your best. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture. Drizzle honey (or maple syrup) over the top of it (lightly).

Put on 325 degrees. Cook for 10 minutes. take out and flip granola with a spatula and cook for another 5-10 minutes

(you can drizzle alittle more honey on it as well, if you want).

This makes a pretty large batch, but if you're like our home, it'll be gone in a week! Store in a sealable container.

Here's why I chose what I did:

Why flaxseed?

Why wheatgerm?

Why some kind of nut?

Why raw honey?

Why not white refined sugar?

Why are oats a good breakfast meal?

Let me know if you do this recipe and if you enjoyed it!!!

please stop saying that!

Do you ever feel like when people say God will never give you more than you can handle, it's really based on the conditions that Jesus can handle anything? I mean if that were that case, then he probably does give us more than we can handle just so we can trust them. None-the-less, it drives me crazy when you're sharing with someone what you're going through and their response is, "well...uh-um....God will not give you more than you can handle...." It's like every one's way of sugar-coating the fact that sometimes we live in impossible situations and it really is beyond ourselves. In fact, the word of God never even says that God will not give us more than we can handle.

Let's just take a quick look:
"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1 Corinthians 10:13)

What is the verse really talking about? - well, temptation. So maybe it's not that God won't give us more than we handle, its that he won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear. he'll always provide a way out. So in a impossible situation, the temptation may be to stop trusting God and to go psycho on myself. The promise is not in the situation itself, its in the response of our heart. So stop saying God will not give you more than you can handle! - Because He will!

Why?

Cause its all about trust. if He didn't give us more than we can handle than there would be no need of dependency. There would be no need for a Savior. Yeah, we like to think we can be our own hero in our story....but its just not the case. This life has some dirty messes and many of them require supernatural cleaning.

We'd like to fix things our self, take the credit and get the title, but the more and more I recognize my need for Jesus, the less and less i can take the credit. Truth is, Jesus is ALWAYS giving me more than I can handle, but I'm not fighting those things the same way I use to. I'm leaning less on myself and trusting more in Him.

religion stinks

You know, there's this one word out in the church and out in the world, but depending on what stream you're a part of, has different meanings. Good or bad, we hear the word and all pre-conceived notions or past experiences come flooding into our mind like a tsunami. Doesn't matter what its true definition is, or what it even means to the individual you're talking to, whatever definition you've given it in your mind....it's probably there to stay without much hope of changing. Why? Have you figured out what I'm even talking about?

Religion. Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. And truth is, the world and the church equally hate religion with a passion.

Ever had someone call you religious? I cringed inside one day as my boss asked me, "Crystal, you're a religious person. You should meet so and so, cause they're religious too. I bet you'd have alot to talk about." Oh great. You know what I'm thinking? Yippee, now I get to talk to someone who is as opinionated as I am! For some reason the rest of the world sees religious folk as a people group more than a person who lives out their values. It's less about living out what you preach, and more about always having the right answers, usually involving some sort of condescending way of talking to "non-religious" folk.

And there's the Church. I don't think I've ever heard anyone in the church call themselves religious. It's kind of interesting that, though the rest of the world would call us religious, we would never call ourselves that. because, we too, have a stigma with religion. Was it not the Pharisees, the religious folk, that we're rebuked by Jesus because of there religious vows and lack of love? Well, who wants to be that? Not I. I'm not religious. In fact, some of us we're hurt by religion. Know any Christian out there that refuses to even go to church because of one incident that happened that turned them off? or maybe someone said something offensive? or maybe they felt judged.....either way, why go to church with a bunch of religious folk when I ain't? Right?

Not quite. You see, both are wrong.

If the definition of religion is a "noun", meaning "organized religious belief" than shouldn't we correctly put religion back in its place? Should the believer, not only live out what they say, but also move in a spirit of love so that our relationship with Jesus (which is a verb, not a noun) not be seen as good or bad religion? I know it is inevitable that some will always see you as religious, no matter what you do. But should we not be Jesus here on earth today? You know that song, "give me that old time religion....give me that old time religion...." Is that what we really want as the church? Truth is, though some of us would not like to call ourselves religious....some of us ARE....and we're stuck. We're stuck in the old. We're stuck in a box. And though we'd never tell anyone we really fear man more than God, we adapt to how things worked in the past, using the same ways of worship, same ways of reaching people, same ways of praying, same ways of doing ministry. but I know some are dying inside. There's a BIG "IF" in their mind, wondering if there really is more to God than what they're experiencing.

So why do we like to institutionalize God? - Both the unchurched and the churched. Because we can then remain comfortable. For the unchurched, they can do what they want with no consequences. If I put God in a religious box than I can sub-compartmentalize Him. If He is not real in my head than He's not real at all. Thats why preaching religion to someone, who couldn't care less about it, just won't work. It means absolutely nothing to them. On the other hand, being in the church, we probably know how to institutionalize God better than anyone. Isn't this why most of our American churches have become so ingrown? It's about me, me, ME! What

can I get from church? But Jesus said come with your gift so that you can give give give. So, if we don't get what we want on Sunday morning, we stop going. Who wants to be a part of a fellowship that doesn't meet my needs? because isn't THAT what God is suppose to do?.....meet all my needs? Yep, we're a bunch a chicks sitting there pecking at the leaders, saying "feed me, feed me, FEED ME!"

You know what religion does to us all? Makes us stagnant babies in spirit, unwilling, and too stubborn to change our hearts about anything. You may think I'm just venting, and maybe I am. But with "increased understanding comes increased sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief" (Eccl 1:18) and I'm fed-up, just like Jesus when He over-turned the temple tables in His sorrow. Religion does nothing for no one.

......But Jesus, who IS love, does everything for everyone.

Abigail

"But You are He who took me out of the womb;

You made me trust while on my mother's breast.

I was cast upon You from birth.

From my mother's womb You have been my God." Psalm 22:10

Happy Birthday my dearest Abigail!!!

i can't believe it was just two years ago I was holding you in my arms

for the first time.

And how precious you are sweet Abigail.

How valuable you are to Jesus.

Abigail "Father's joy"- and you truly are.

He delights in you.

You are His inheritance, royalty.

God has given you to us for a time.

But you are really His.

You are God's gift to us.

And you have taught us so much about Him.

May today you feel His peace

know His love

hear His voice

sense His comfort

be secure in His embrace

and experience His presence coming out of you.

Happy Birthday my dearest daughter.

You are loved.

50% OFF Low-lights!!!

Work at Sue's Finishing Touch every Wednesday, all day. 2086 E. Henrietta Rd. Rochester, NY. Call or text 585.743.7722. Better to call a head for an appointment so you have a slot. You may call ahead that day as well.

Also, as always, I do 1/2 OFF services for first time clients. So if you've never had your hair done by me, now's your chance to check it out:-)

city of Truth

I'm believing God for the city!

this is the inner city of Rochester (do you see Kodak?)

What am I believing God for?

abortion-free city

healthy families

reformation

revival in hearts

pentecost in homes

churches awakened

love in the streets

It's not too great for God.

"Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime;

it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds.

He gives showers of rain to men,

and plants of the field to everyone...." Zechariah 10:1

We ask for rain, Lord.

Even though winter is close, we don't have to have a dormant heart.

Your New Jerusalem is you and whatever city you live in.

This is what the LORD says: "I will return to Zion and dwell in Jerusalem [Rochester]. Then Jerusalem[Rochester] will be called the City of Truth, and the mountain of the LORD Almighty will be called the Holy Mountain." Zechariah 8:3

The Outworking of Love

Teach me Jesus how to love. How to lay down my life, for You and for others. help me Yahweh, to do what you've asked of me, to give of myself in the way You desire - and to do it with joy, knowing you are pleased with those actions. 1 John says not only to love in word, but also in deed and truth. Help me to do that Jesus.

Those who live in Life, love life and love their brothers. But those who hate only know how to hate because they do not know Life, only death. But I choose Life. I choose to love even those who hate me because in that, there is life.

Help me Jesus to abide in You. Abide in me so we may be One, and in that oneness I cannot condemn myself because there is no condemnation in You. In fact, you said that if my heart condemns me, You are greater than my heart! And greater is He who is in me, than he who is in the world. Would You live Your life through me Jesus? May all my concerns, cares of this world and the fear of what people think, crumble at the tree, in which all those things were crucified with You. because, really, You said i am a stranger in this world and they would not know me because they do not know You.

How good and perfect You are Lord. you are the vast fullness of Love and there is not one thing more lovely and pure. May i be the lovely and pure vessel You desire to live out in me. Your way Jesus. the flesh is weak, but the spirit is willing - you are much greater than my heart. My heart may fail, but Love does not. And you have already over-come every obstacle, so I choose to trust. My life is really Your life and Your life is really mine. Master me Jesus...

Amen.

My vitamin of choice

This is my vitamin of choice. Click here it will take you to their website as they have VERY affordable prices and sell good whole food product.

Why do I like this vitamin?

It's liquid

so its easy to absorb

I can control the dosage

No added glue

or gm product (including gluten free)

All vitamins and minerals come directly from plants

It's organic

It doesn't taste bad

I can take it as a shot

or put it in a smoothie for my daughter.

and it covers all the essentials I need.