Joyfull Living

Meal prep is one of the most successful ingredients to eating healthy. I have unintentionally lost the opportunity to eat healthy with this scenario:  In the midst of the morning routine, decide to take a healthy lunch to work. Scrounge through the fridge, look at the clock and realize there is only enough time to get ready to leave, not to prepare a lunch.  In the emotion of that moment, eating out sounds like a good plan.  But with a little foresight and planning, a meal can be put together the night before and grabbed out of the fridge on the way out the door. While preparing dinner, think ahead to the next day. Plan to make extra while cooking to take through the week.  Then using a simple four-step formula you can plan an infinite number of easy, healthy meals in minutes without a singe recipe! 1. Pick a protein. It's a good idea to start with protein because  most of us do not get enough of it and protein is vital to weight loss and the foundation for m

On a recent morning the sounds of a son waking up with congestion filled the room.  Some over the counter allergy medicine was given but the symptoms continued. Several days later he tells me how a cold was passed on between about 5 of his friends.  Then his dad felt a cold coming on and I knew what this meant, the beginning of cold season.  We better get ready to fight! I love using natural ingredients to build up our immune systems which equips our body to naturally fight off infections. Some powerful ingredients are Lemon, Ginger and Honey.  I put them all together for a powerful immune boosting concoction, ready to be sipped like tea when needed.  Lemon : High in vitamin C, which keeps the immune system strong and neutralizes the free radicals in your body. This reduced the inflammation and swelling. Ginger: Helps you sweat out the toxins in your body, which is helpful when you have a cold or flu. Ginger is also helpful for settling upset stomachs, dizziness, nausea,

With October being National Pregnancy Loss Awareness Month, I posted about our first miscarriage.  Physically the recovery went very well and we began to heal emotionally as well.  Since it was such a shocking experience following 2 healthy babies, we still felt a little stunned.   A few years later, we again rejoiced at a positive pregnancy test.  Instead of instant joy, the looming reminder of the first loss came quickly back.  Before we were able to see a doctor, I began spotting again.  Filled with fear and dread, we went to the emergency room. The nurse assigned to me was a friend and told me about a wonderful doctor which could see me later at the hospital. Back then, they didn't do ultrasounds to gauge if the pregnancy was healthy, but did blood tests and exams and then it was some agonizing waiting.  Dr. G. came in later in the evening. He was a large, gentle man, filled with compassion and kindness.  He said everything looked good, but we had to wait on blood tes

Have you ever been to a conference for your job?  It usually consists of a couple days away from home, some travel, a large retreat center and lots of time sitting and learning about your company, job and ways to improve.  The same format is widely used and a conference I went to last week was no different - except for a few things. My co-workers: One day while in my neighborhood taking a walk, a friend stopped by and asked if  I knew a local ministry was hiring.  I did not, but all that evening felt the pull in my heart to explore it.  Sending an inquiry that night, a quick response came back and a meeting was immediately set up. This opportunity was God ordained.  He placed me in this office with these precious co workers and is continually growing me in my Christian walk through it.  Here is the group I traveled with: The travel for the conference?  A 2 hour drive where hearts were shared and how the greatness of God's grace worked in our lives.  What a beautif

Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes 1/2 cup  all-purpose flour 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp baking soda 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice pinch stevia, or 2 tbsp liquid sweetener of choice  1/2 cup milk 1/2 tsp white or apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp pumpkin or sweet potato puree 2 tsp oil or 1 extra tbsp pumpkin puree 1 tsp pure vanilla extract Instructions In a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate bowl, whisk together all liquid ingredients. Pour dry ingredients into wet, and stir together to form a batter. Lightly grease a skillet, then place the skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, drop small ladles of batter onto the skillet. Flip pancakes, using a spatula, when the edges begin to look dry. Allow to cook one minute longer, then remove from heat. Makes about 16 pancakes. Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies 3/4 cup quick oats 1/2 cup oat flour - or you can finely blend oats until they turn into flour, then

October is recognized as the National Pregnancy Loss Month and last week, I shared that miscarriage has affected our family multiple times.  In this post, I will share a few details about our first miscarriage.  This isn't like the usual joyful post that is on the blog, but it is a part of real life. Real life sometimes is filled with pain, sorrow and loss.  There are tunnels of trials we must sometimes go through, but there is always light at the end. Trials come and go, weave in and out of our lives, but in the midst of them all, God is able to hold us and keep us.  When our older boys were very young, 5 and 2, we found out we were expecting again.  A home test was taken and showed the positive result.  A short time later, I began spotting. My sister in law was pregnant and on one of her prenatal visits, I went with her and was able to see the doctor who confirmed my pregnancy, said everything looked fine, but to call if there were any complications.  A few days l

It's pumpkin season!!  That calls for some time in the kitchen baking.  I've found a few new pumpkin recipes to try this month.  Here is one with a healthy spin on pumpkin bread. Pumpkin Banana Bread 2 cups flour - a healthy choice is oat flour 1 tsp baking soda 3/4 tsp baking powder 3/4 tsp salt 1/2 tsp each: cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice 1 1/2 cup mashed, overripe banana 1/2 cup pumpkin puree 1/2 cup pure maple syrup, honey, or agave 1/16 tsp uncut stevia Or 2 tbsp sweetener of choice 1/3 cup oil OR milk of choice 2 tsp pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup chocolate chips, optional Instructions Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9×5 loaf pan, and set aside.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Whisk all liquid ingredients in a separate bowl, then pour wet into dry and stir to form a batter. Smooth into the prepared pan. If desired, press some extra chocolate chips into the top. Bake on the center rack 30 minutes, then do not open the oven

October is here and in my area, we are still waiting on fall!  If you have spent any time on this blog, you know that I love FALL!  October 'usually' means fall is in full swing with cooler weather, enjoying chili for supper, fall festivals and simply spending time outside enjoying the fresh air. But October is also Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. Through this month I'm going to open up a little bit more than usual and share about the pain of miscarriage. Here are a few staggering statistics. One in four pregnancies ends in the loss of a baby The loss of a child is recognized as the most intense cause of grief Parents never “get over” the loss of a child – no matter the age Parents experiencing grief without supportive care can have debilitating consequences such as PTSD, depression and anxiety In 1988, President Ronald Reagan had proclaimed the whole month of October as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month.   Baby Loss Awareness Week is hel

Friends....oh what a blessing they are! There is something so special about sitting across from a friend and sharing from the heart.  Whether it is a funny story, complaint she will understand, joy that needs to be shared or a burden that needs to be unloaded, friends meet a vital need in our lives. Although they are such an important part of our lives, it is often difficult to make the transition from an acquaintance to friend.  It takes deliberate and intentional effort. Plus, someone has to make the first move!  For years that would not be me.  I would passively wait to be spoken to, respond only as a response and sit quietly until approached. Then I discovered the many treasures of relationships I was missing since the majority of other women were doing the same thing...waiting on the other person! A recent book shared 10 Commandments of Friendship.  These are easy things to incorporate into our lives that will bring a bounty of blessings! Speak to people: There

Magnesium is a nutrient we hear much about when learning about eating well and healthy living. It is an extremely important and valuable mineral worth looking into.  Dr. Axe shared.. "Magnesium — which comes from the obsolete root word magnes, which was used to mean magnet or magnetic power — may not be the most present mineral in our bodies in terms of its quantity, but it’s certainly one of the most crucial to overall health. It’s actually involved in over 300 biochemical functions in the body, such as regulating heartbeat rhythms and helping neurotransmitter functions..."  The body loses stores of magnesium every day from normal functions, such as muscle movement, heartbeat and hormone production. Although we only need small amounts of magnesium relative to other nutrients, we must regularly replenish our stores either from foods or magnesium supplements in order to prevent deficiency symptoms. Some of the benefits of magnesium include: Increased energy C

For several years the 4th of July holiday has been a fun event spent with family enjoying water, food, fun and fellowship. One that we eagerly anticipated.  But this year, our annual gathering had to be cancelled.  We were disappointed, but...the anticipation of some out of town family coming for a visit and a gathering to cook out helped ease the disappointment.  But then, a family emergency arose and cancelled our family coming in. Another disappointment, but a small gathering may still be workable. Then others had different plans and it looked like no one could come, so we decided to call that off too.  My anticipation for a fun holiday was plummeting.  Sweet hubby wouldn't know for sure if he would be off from work until the day before which hindered making any alternate plans. It looked like I would be home alone for the holiday when I longed to be around lots of people to celebrate. Left feeling bummed, but trying to keep a positive outlook. We all know that disappoi