A link to the Healthy Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe...

Here is a link to my Happy & Healthy at Home blogpost about healthy delicious Chocolate Chip Cookies. (Until I can figure out how to get the link to show up on the mobile blog version. Enjoy!

https://happyhealthycallaghanclan.blogspot.com/

Me...Afraid? Yes!

Joshua 1:9, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”

This verse has meant so much to me over the years. As a very shy young person I dealt with many insecurities in my life. I had the privilege of growing up in an amazing Christian home. I had parents who gave me an amazing example of a strong and healthy marriage and a happy home, an invaluable advantage in life!

However, it seems God gives every person different areas of challenge to overcome in their lives on their journey to please Him and live their best life. One of my challenges was overcoming fear in many different aspects of life. I am definitely more of an introverted personality. God has helped me learn over the years how to change my fear of the reaction of others into a desire to meet their needs, despite their reaction to me. That is definitely a constant process--I daily need His help!

One verse that played a great role in my reaching a more biblical mindset in the area of fear is Joshua 1:9. God did not suggest that Joshua be strong and courageous, He commanded it!

There is a big work to be done for our Lord; it's a privilege! But, this work will never be accomplished if we as ladies get caught up in our fears. God is bigger than any circumstance in our lives or in the world around us! 

As Christians, we need not dwell in our own insecurities, but rather rise up...again...after each moment of fear, with our strength and confidence in God!

May the Lord be with you today, in those moments when fear tries to creep in. Remember, He commands us to be strong--so we have the power to do it! Let's go make today AMAZING! 

Take a Deep Breath...Look Past the Stuff and at the People!

How many of you do not operate well or think clearly in the middle of clutter? ME!

I literally have the hardest time sitting down in a room with things that need to be put away, and concentrating on anything else. It's like everything is sitting there staring at me, silently saying..."So? What are you going to do about it?"

But when I am tempted to get frustrated at my kids for leaving their mess or I am tempted to give in to that urge to...stop whatever it is that I am supposed to be doing and turn on 'turbo-cleaning angry-mom mode,' God so often gently reminds me to think about the people who belong to those things. My relationship with them is so much more important than the temporary mess they have made!

Do I teach my kids to clean up their own mess? Um, that would definitely be a YES. We are absolutely working to teach our children to be responsible human beings, to think about the fact that they share their space with others coming after them. And, I will say, as they are growing up that is getting much easier with less reminding!

But, let's be honest, none of us are always at our best. We all have times where we think more of our own interests than the interests and feelings of others, and my kids are not an exception to that. In fact, neither am I! I have my own areas of selfishness. It may not be in leaving my clutter, but I have areas I know I am constantly at work.

Whatever stage of life we are in, we all have people who need us to see them and love them right where they are--despite their shortcomings.

So...the take-away from my ramblings today I guess would be...Look Past the Stuff and See the People! 

May God give each of you a wonderful day...right where you are at...because He CAN!

Time to Think About Sodium...

We talk about eating healthy without refined sugars and extra fat, but I propose that it's time we think about sodium as well!

Believe me...no one loves good SALTY fries better than this girl! And I certainly have no intentions of cutting salt completely out of my diet. :)

However, I think where the excess salt comes into our diet is not through the salt shaker. It hides out in so many of our different packaged foods and processed foods. Things we tend to also give to our kids as 'easy lunch foods' every day, chips, crackers, lunchmeat, snack bars, etc. And, our family does eat those things also...I just try to make that more in moderation--looking for lower sodium snacks or bake/make my own. 

But that sodium especially hides out in fast foods and restaurant foods in astounding numbers! I mean crazy amounts of salt. 

I have not been one to take time to think about how much sodium my family is eating. But after eating at home for pretty much every meal the past few months with very little outside food that I have not prepared and being a more healthy-minded, plan-ahead grocery shopper, I can definitely see that this makes a difference! This is an important part of my family's health and will also help to deter future health problems in their life.

So, we have been trying this out with our seasonings. Actually, I have been. My kids don't really know about it yet, but they have eaten it for many days and not even noticed. :)

I still use salt, but I have been using the Nutritional Yeast in place of adding extra salt or even as a sprinkle on top of soup, etc. 

Observations:

- It takes a good liberal sprinkle to add more flavor in my opinion.

- It does have a unique taste just by itself, but added in with most things is not distinguishable.

- It is not a 'Fix-All' salt substitute, but it does add enough flavor to lessen the salt needed--and that's what I was going for. 

- So...yes, I recommend!

We tried it on my home-popped popcorn tonight. With melted Unsalted Butter, Lots of N.Y., and just a little sprinkle of salt! 

 As you can see...it was enjoyed...

Low sodium popcorn that actually added to their digestive health; I call that a win!

I feel like just slight changes here and there, and all things in moderation definitely help for an overall healthy diet. Perfect? No, because let's be real...life get's busy and sometimes you just need to grab...

An In-N-Out Double Double Burger with Animal Fries!

But, working on our mindset and the mindset of our kids to think overall healthy and balanced in their food choices. 

Perhaps a Great Gift of Time...

As I left my house the other morning, I saw a whole family...dad, mom, and three kids...

all out taking a bike ride together, smiling and enjoying each other and life in general!

Can I just say that, amidst all the chaos and uncertainty of these times, I think the families of our country have received a great gift...a chance to see what life with each other could be, how deep our relationships could be, when everything superfluous is removed from our daily activities.

So many of us have stopped--out of necessity--and looked for ways to make our time at home fun and special. Most families are spending the majority of their time every day together, thinking ahead and planning different and fun ways to connect!

Yes, we can find the bad in our current situation--we always can. And, I am not making light of the seriousness of this pandemic. But, we can always find things that cause us to fear. We can contemplate and dwell on motives and reasons for these situations that will invoke doubts in our hearts..Sure. But today, I choose to see the good!

Seeing them all out together made me stop and wonder just how long it has been since families, like that one, have set aside everything on a Saturday morning and just taken a bike ride together, the whole family. How long since we set aside work responsibilities, all the sports practices and games, all the extracurricular school activities and personal hobbies, and just loved each other?

Time translates to love in any language. Giving my time says to another, "I care enough about you to stop everything I am doing to just be there and listen."

I pray that, with the reopening of America, our 'normal' will not be quite the same.

We will not forget these precious days with family! May the Lord grant each family the ability to see the gift of those who live in our home in the next few days or weeks ahead before we resume the busyness of every-day life!

Our Time = Our Life

I Kings 3:4 "And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar."

Think how LONG it must have taken King Solomon to sacrifice 1,000 burnt offerings?! I cannot imagine. Our time is our life, therefore the most precious thing we possess. This is the greatest thing we can give back to God.

Solomon must have set aside many hours to sacrifice to God. When was the last time we set aside any time for God, let alone hours?

Thank you, God, for this convicting reminder to set aside time in this fast-paced life we live, to be still and know that You are God!

This is a thought that I shared a long time ago and enjoyed reading it once again as a great reminder for my own life.

An Easter Lesson from my 9-year-old...

Hmmm...wafers or cake layers...you guess?

Every year, I make our annual tri-color Easter Cake with home-made fondant (which is SO easy, by the way) or a thick cream cheese or buttercream icing, a nest made of toasted coconut and some mini Cadbury eggs inside the nest. We love it--it's a fluffy and delicious recipe from scratch, and it looks so pretty.

Here is our cake from last year...

The picture below is of our layers from this year. Impressive height, don't you think? Ha ha!

When they came out of the oven I was tempted to toss them all and start over. But, my 9 year old daughter was very proud of them!

She is slowly getting old enough to help more and more; and be more adventurous on her own. Yeah, they got totally over-mixed. I knew it and prayed as they went in the oven. But, they came out just as flat as I knew they would be.

But you know what, I don't think God wanted them to rise and be fluffy. I think he wanted this perfectionist mama to learn yet another lesson from my kids!

God reminded me that we don't just toss it because it's not perfection. He doesn't, and I'm so glad!

She had SO much fun in the kitchen with me. Listening to Disney Princess music, laughing, spilling flour all over the place, and mixing...mixing...mixing...that batter. She did most of it all by herself, she was so excited. It was HER best!

God just wants our best! So, He challenged me as I looked at those humble layers--Helen...take her best and be satisfied, be proud and encourage her to keep being her best self!

So, the next time we are tempted to expect others around to measure up to what "We Think" their best should be...remember the Easter Cake! Look at them, encourage them, praise their victories no matter how small they seem, and take their best...right where it's at!

So, we just added lots of cream cheese icing and strawberries, I let her do all the candy decor this year (Kit Kat with a pretty ribbon bow to hold it all together for the win) and celebrated her personal victory!

New Healthy Snacks and Treats Blog...

Chocolate?? YES, please!

Well...we all have lots of time at home for the moment, don't we?!

And, if I am honest with myself, the months previous to this one have not been good food choice months. When life gets busy, we just grab what is easiest. Whenever I cook, it's almost always home-made and healthy--thanks to a mama who taught me that was important!

Snacking, on the other hand...takes some thought and prep to make it healthy. But, there really are so many ways to do it, without spending lots of time. So, I thought maybe it would be helpful to share some of our easy family favorites with all the others wishing for the same thing right now.

I felt that this was the perfect opportunity for a snacking reset! I know how to do it, I know our favorites, now it's time to get back to it--taking the little bit of extra time and creating more healthy snacking options for my family.

I have opened up another branch off of this blog to share some of our tried and true favorites and some new healthy snack recipes we have tried. If you were wishing for some options that are easy and healthy during this 'highly encouraged' home-time, then feel free to click the link below and try one out! (If you will simply add your email under 'subscribe' at the top, you will receive an email each time I post a new recipe or snack idea.)

We will be adding as we go; here's your link--Enjoy!

Healthy Snacking Recipes!