The Great Adventure

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, God has me on a new race - a new adventure - and I am thrilled!!!  Right now I do have a road map of sorts and a Compass that always points True.  So, to answer the questions that I am hearing from so many dear friends and family, this is what I am up to...

Stewardship Consulting God has opened several doors of opportunity in this area.  People have been contacting me and asking if I would be willing to help them.  I have several projects lined up that will pay the bills for the next few months – praise the Lord and have several more strong prospects.

The essence of what I am doing is summed up in the tag line, “Serving Others...Better.”  I am coming alongside those who are serving, ministering, touching others and help them do it even better – especially in the areas of fundraising and operational excellence.  Helping them be better in the stewardship of their time and treasure.  Be looking for a tab real soon on this website that says “Consulting” so that will have more information.

Writing a Book This is really a God-calling!  For years, I have been encouraged by many to write a book but I have never done it because I did not have the time and it was too much work.  Well, at least one of those excuses is out the window and after writing 15,000+ words so far the second excuse is becoming less formidable.  The book is primarily autobiographical and many never get in a published form but for now I am clearly called to write it and we will go from there.

The Master’s Program for Women (TMPW) I am probably most excited about this opportunity.  The mission of TMPW is "To prepare Christian leaders to change their world and build God's Kingdom through their irresistible lifestyles and influential works of service."  It is a 3 year long program that is comprised of 12 interactive meetings (one a quarter), 12 notebooks filled with practical, hands on information, almost 30 books and, of course, personal coaching from me.

To accomplish the mission, TMPW teaches LifeMastery.  The first year is focused on the personal realm (body, mind, soul and spirit).  In this realm one exercises discipline.  The second year is focused on the family and professional realm (marriage, children, career/volunteerism and resources).  In this realm one exercises authority.  And lastly, the third year is focused on the Kingdom realm (the Church and the world).

The first session for Houston will be Thursday, September 16th.  However, I know that God will open other cities (i.e. Atlanta, Tampa, Dallas, etc.) as I continue to seek His face and find favor with Him and His people.

There you have it!  Steve Curtis Chapman was right on when he sang, "This is a life like no other - this is The Great Adventure."  And, what a Great Adventure I am on!!!

So, what about you?  Are you in an at-ease position or are you at the ready?  What Great Adventure are you on?

Faith Walk in Action

“Any leads?”  “Are you staying in Houston?”  “What are you up to these days?”  These questions and others have been the conversation starters of many of my visits with my friends these past 30 or so days.  How blessed I am to have so many who truly care about me as well as what my future holds? As many of you know, I have felt much like Abraham these past few months.  From the Bible, Hebrews 11:8 tells us, “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.”  I was definitely called to leave LifeHouse and upon my resignation, was not the least bit certain of where I was to go next.  But, I loved this recent tweet by Suzanne Eller, gave me great comfort “God didn't ask Abraham to leave his country as a sacrifice, but to move him closer to the promise...”

As I shared in an earlier post, God has given me some direction but it still has been one of the strangest faith walks I have ever been on.  What has been so unique about this walk is that instead of being in an “at-ease” position between steps – you know, where you take a step with the left foot and then bring your right foot parallel to your left and stand.  This walk has looked more like this…

And since much of this came down during the winter Olympics, apart from the skin tight suit, I have felt a bit like this...

In the ready.  On my mark.  Awaiting the starter’s gun.  Not wanting to miss the signal but also not wanting to get ahead of the voice of God.

Well, now, after being back from vacation for two weeks, I definitely feel like I am in my stride in this next season of my life.  There is joy in my steps, my yoke is easy and my burden light.  Tomorrow, I will share exactly what I am up!

Why I'm Content in My Singleness #3

In my two earlier posts, I shared reasons for my contentment in my singleness.  The first one I shared was that if I were married my focus is divided and instead of just focusing on pleasing the Lord, my focus is on pleasing my husband.  The second reason is that if I marry I will still have troubles – different than if I were married but still troubles.   The final reason is that if I were married my body would not be my own. Back to I Corinthians 7 again where it says in verses 4 and 5, “The wife's body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband's body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife.  Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”  The issue of sex in a marriage is a huge source of troubles in many marriages.  For many women, life starts happening, schedules get busy, children come along, etc. and their desire for intimacy wanes.  Meanwhile, the level of desire has not decreased in their husband.  So there is conflict sometimes when the husband snuggles up to the wife and desires sex.

However, what the Bible says is that when a husband desires intimacy from his wife, unless she can convince him to pray, she needs to say yes so that Satan does not get any foothold in the marriage.  If I were to marry, my selfish ways would be quickly revealed and I am certain that this would cause conflict especially because I love sleep!!

Why I'm Content in My Singleness #2

In Monday’s post, I that for the most part I am very content in my singleness but there are days were I struggle.  On those days, there are three Truths that I remind myself about that helps me to re-gain perspective. The first one I shared was that if I were married my focus is divided and instead of just focusing on pleasing the Lord, my focus is on pleasing my husband. The second Truth I want to share about today comes from I Corinthians 7:27-28, “Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife.  But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.”  Here is the Truth:  if I get married I will have trouble.  Now, as a single, I will have trouble as well – different trouble – but still trouble.  And not only do I still have troubles but now I have troubles with someone else.

I sometimes think if I get married all of my troubles will be gone.  If I just got married, I would be living on Easy Street and things would be go smoothly.  The hard things in life are because I am single.  But that is such a lie and the Truth is that I will have troubles, difficulties and challenges – not the same kind if I were single but still I would have them.

When I am eating dinner alone and I see a couple enjoying dinner together, I remind myself that if I were married I would have trouble.  When I am traveling by myself and see a husband carry his wife’s bags, I remind myself that if I were married I would have trouble.  When I am struggling to make big decisions, I remind myself that if I were married I would have trouble.  These reminders keep me focused on the fact that marriage is a wonderful thing but being married will not eliminate problems from my life.

On Saturday, I will share the third and final reason for finding my contentment in my singleness!!

Why I'm Content in My Singleness #1

For the most part, about 90% of the time, I am completely content in my singleness.  I truly view singleness as a gift and enjoy it!  However, those 10% times when I am not content, my mind wanders through the reasons why I would love to be married.  I would love to be married because when done right it is just a great example of Christ and His bride, the church.  I would love to be married because of the companionship that it would provide.  I would love to be married because decision-making by myself can be so hard. It is at these times that I remind myself of the three Truths that help me gain perspective.  The first truth is that if I am married my focus is divided and instead of just focusing on pleasing the Lord, my focus is on pleasing my husband.  Paul says in I Corinthians 7:32-35, “I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord's affairs—how he can please the Lord.  But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife—and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord's affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband.”

Paul is not saying that it is wrong but that is just the way it is.  Once I marry, if I want to please my Lord, I please my husband because my husband has become my number one ministry.  As a wife, my calling is to be my husband’s helpmeet…his helper…his mission becomes my mission.

This does not mean that I don’t ever do “godly” things.  That doesn’t mean I am not serving the Lord outside the home.  Obviously my relationship with the Lord is still primary but how it is manifested in my life most often is in serving my husband.  But being married will cause distraction in my life.  As a single woman, I am not distracted at all.  I am free to move to Africa and minister or stay in Houston and serve in my church’s women’s ministry.  I can pack my bags and move back to Atlanta, live in a friend’s basement and write my book or I can flip burgers at McDonald’s and write my book in Houston.  I am free to go or stay as the Lord instructs.

This also applies to the day-to-day things as well.  If I want to purchase something, I go and buy it.  I don’t have to check with anyone.  If I want to go away for the weekend, I do not have to look on his calendar to see if we are free.  I can just do it.  Cereal for dinner—fine.  Movie on Saturday afternoon—no problem.

When I get a little restless and desiring to be married, this first truth helps me to get my perspective back on track.  I remember that as a single, my only focus is the Lord and I am not distracted by the concerns of the world.  On Wednesday, I will share the 2^nd Truth that helps me to gain perspective.

90 Days

Ninety days ago most of us were finishing up last minute shopping, putting the finishing touches on the menu for Christmas dinner and even packing to spend the holidays at home. It is amazing how much your life can change in 90 days!! Friends of mine still have unopened gifts because their loved one suddenly died before he could open his present. Others have been let go of jobs that they thought would be a lifetime career. I also know of friends were joyous things have happened – babies being born, marriages restored and houses sold!

Personally, when I boarded my flight back to Houston on New Year’s Day 2010 I never dreamed I would be where I am today. No longer at LifeHouse of Houston. Starting my own consulting business. Writing a book. The goals I had in my mind on the first day of the new decade have gone out the window. But, there is great peace in my soul because I know that “the mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.”

Despite the peace, there are mornings when I awake and wonder, “What am I doing?” Even, “What is God doing?” However, the Lord encourages me as I read His Word, re-read my journals and check back in with my counselors concerning the steps I have taken these past 90 days. For the first time in my life in such a big way, I am being courageous. Because courage is really not courage unless you are afraid and you do it anyway.

So before you know or I know it, another 90 days will roll past. For me, I am excited about my journey and my struggle will be to enjoy it and not get too caught up in the destination. What will your journey be like these next 90 days? Are you being courageous or are you playing it safe? Are you excited or are you dreading it? Regardless, I pray you can sing with me the words from Robin Mark’s song, All is Well: “All is well with my soul! He is God - in control. I know not all His plans but I know I'm in His hands.”

Fruit Trees in the New Land

One of my favorite things about the Bible is that it is so RICH!!  No, this is not about prosperity preaching but rather the wealth found in the Word of God.  One can be a disciple of Christ for years and have read a verse a dozen times and each time the Holy Spirit reveals something new.  A rhema word.  A fresh revelation.  A deeper understanding.  The author of Romans said it best, “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and His paths beyond tracing out!” (Romans 11:33 NIV) One of my 2010 goals is to read the Bible through in a year.  My pastor, Gregg Matte, has said that Leviticus is the graveyard for many “read the Bible through in a year” plans.  Well, this is exactly where I am right now in my reading, Leviticus – the book of the Law.  However, this morning, the Word almost jumped off the page at me.  It was one of those rhema moments!!

Nestled between the law on having sex with a slave and to not interpret omens are these three verses:

When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, then you shall regard its fruit as forbidden. Three years it shall be forbidden to you; it must not be eaten.  And in the fourth year all its fruit shall be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit, to increase its yield for you: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 19:23-25 ESV)

During the first three years of living in the new land, the Israelites had to plant the seed, tend the sow, pull weeds, pray for rain, pray for sunshine and then at the harvest time, I guess, they threw the fruit away.  In the fourth year, same amount of work but now instead of throwing it away it is given to the Lord as a praise offering.  Then finally, the fifth year comes and they are able to reap what they have sown.

How does this apply to me today as I sit in the middle of the 4^th largest city in the US and don’t even have a yard let alone a garden to tend?  Spiritually, there is ground that my forefathers and I have surrendered to the enemy.  As I walk out the statues of God in love for Him, I am gaining back this ground.  I am coming into new lands.  There is great celebration in the victory but for me to have FULL ownership of the land, to no longer be under guardians (see Galatians 4:1-4), there is work to be done.  And this work is hard and long.

I am willing to do the work to gain that full ownership.  Willing to wait a long time between sacrifice and blessings.  I don’t just want to be a squatter on the Promised Land the Lord has granted me but I want full ownership.  The full inheritance!!

How about you?  First, are you even seeking to take back surrendered ground?  To enter into the Promised Land?  Secondly, Have you gained some ground but grown lazy in the labor?  Have a hoe but are just too tired to deal with the weeds?  Finally, are you willing to wait for the fullness of time?  A mark of spiritual maturity is how long you can wait between obedience and reward!

Oh the depths of the riches of God's Word!!  I don't understand the law two verses later that says " do not round off the hair on your temples or mar the edges of your beard" but I do know that God has a reason for it and in the fullness of time I will know.  However, in the meantime, may I tend my lands well!

Time at LifeHouse

Life has been a bit challenging for me lately.  Here is a quick update on what is happening... After much prayer and counsel, the Lord has confirmed that my time at LifeHouse has ended.  I resigned on the 10th of February and my last day will be March 31st.  There is much sadness in my heart but I have full assurance that this is the next step I am to take. Recently, a dear friend of mine shared a word with me that has given me a great comfort for me these last few weeks.  "Obedience is more important than understanding."  As I have been walking this path these last few months, I have often asked the Lord, "Why?" and He has not answered.  He has simply said take the next step.  He truly is only revealing to me my next step and it is long after the sound of the previous foot fall fades that I hear, turn to the right or turn to the left - walk this way.

Praise the Lord that He has taught me to live a very frugal lifestyle and to live debt free.  Because of that, I have the ability to take the time after my last day at LifeHouse to wait, pray, study, rest, etc. so that He may reveal to me the next step.  I don't know what the future holds but I do KNOW these things:

1.  He holds the future. 2.  He loves me BIG. 3.  This path is for my good and His glory for if there was a better path for me to walk He would have taken me down that path rather than this path. 4.  He who began a great work in me will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus. 5.  The plans He has for me are to prosper me and not to harm me; to give me hope and a future. 6.  The plan is much bigger than I can imagine and there is excitement in that.

As the Lord brings my name to your mind, please pray for me as I walk through this new season in my life.

Every Need is Not a Personal Call

Recently, I wrote a guest blog for a friend's website (www.RussMasterson.com) for a series he is doing called Lies Overheard in Church.  Here is what I shared: Lie:  If you hear of a need, you are called to fill it.

As the two women walked into evening worship, one looked frazzled and exhausted – definitely not the countenance one would expect on the Sabbath.  “Jessica, are you ok? Why the downcast face?”  “Oh, Karen, 3 year old choir this afternoon was crazy.   My ears are ringing from the decibel level of the kids’ singing and my knees hurt from sitting in the baby-bear chairs.”  “Jessica, you barely liked your kids when they were three – why in the world are you doing preschool choir?”  “Well, Karen, if I don’t do it, no one will.”

There are countless frazzled and exhausted Christians serving in churches who are serving only because they believe the lie that by hearing a need they are the ones who are to fill that need.  Even, the great evangelist D.L. Moody believed this lie for many years.  Every need is not a personal call for you or for me.  Nor is it even for God…  In Genesis 2, God sees that it is not good for man to be alone but instead of filling that need with Himself, God creates Eve to meet that need.

Too often we will start doing Kingdom work and then ask God to bless it.  That is kind of like a private in the army making plans for the day and asking the commanding officer to make available the needed supplies.  Instead, we need to listen for a personal call from the Lord and then respond in obedience with full assurance that God will provide the necessary supplies – emotionally, mentally, physically and spiritually.

• Are you exhausted in the “work”?
• Do you dread doing the “work”?
• Are you drained after finishing the “work”?

If you answered yes to any of those questions, I am not saying you have missed the call of God but it would be the first place I would look.  What lies do you hear at church?

February's Menu

Well, the challenge this month is to get the grocery and eating out budget under $200 for the month!!!  So far so good as my recent shopping run that covered 90% of my groceries for the month only cost $82!!  Here is what I got:

You may be asking, "How can that little bit of food feed you for a month?"  Well, I am glad you asked... Here is what my meals look like for this month:

Breakfast is almost always strawberry/banana smoothie (made with diet V-8 splash, frozen bananas and strawberries), a boiled egg and oatmeal.

Mid-AM snack is an apple and mid-PM snack is homemade yogurt.

Lunch will be vegetable lasagna or veggie chili (still have 3 or 4 packets left from last month) with brown rice.

Dinner will be spinach topped chicken, turkey meatloaf or autumn glazed pork chops (also left from last month) with brown rice and frozen veggies.

Once I planned my month and took out the meals where I was out of town or already had commitments (i.e. church dinner), I needed 17 lunches and 17 dinners. The lasagna and spinach topped chicken each make 12 servings.  Since the chili, meatloaf and pork chops are left over from last month I am pretty much good to go with what I already had in the freezer. I will need to go back and probably get another gallon of milk and fruit but for the most part I am covered.

I spent about 3 hours this afternoon preparing the chicken and the lasagna but it means that I am done cooking for the month.  I freeze everything in single serving sizes so I just check my calendar and see what I planned and pull it before heading up to bed.  This has saved me so much money and calories!!

What are some ways that you save money and/or calories?

Vegetable Lasagna

This recipe is wonderful because I love all of the veggies.  I can use a ton of them and feel full but not have all the added calories. Vegetable Lasagna

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

½ cup diced onion

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 ½ tablespoon Italian Seasoning

½ tsp basil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

28 oz. can crushed tomatoes

14 oz. can chopped tomatoes

6 oz can tomato paste

12 lasagna noodles

4-6 cups Chopped Vegetables (peppers, squash, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, cauliflower, etc.)

1-10 oz box chopped spinach, thawed and drained well

3 cups grated mozzarella cheese

16 oz skim cottage cheese

6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

In 6 qt stockpot, sauté onion and garlic in oil until tender.  Add seasonings, canned tomatoes and paste.  Cover and simmer 40 minutes stirring occasionally.  (This makes a great marinara sauce as well.)

Chop 4-6 cups assorted vegetables.  I used yellow squash, onions, mushrooms and a bag of frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, carrot medley).  Add chopped vegetables to sauce mixture the last 10 minutes and cook until vegetables are crisp tender.  (If using frozen vegetables, thaw beforehand and only add the last few minutes.) Set sauce aside.

Boil 12 Lasagna noodles according to package directions.  Drain and set aside. Drain spinach (press out excess water) and set aside. Spray bottom of 13 x 9” pan with cooking spray.  Place 4 noodles across bottom of pan. Top with 1/3 of sauce/vegetable mixture.  Spread 1/3 cottage cheese on top and spread evenly.  Sprinkle with 1/3 Parmesan cheese.  Top with 1/3 of mozzarella cheese.  Spread entire box of spinach evenly over cheese.  Repeat noodles, vegetable and cheeses 2 more times ending with mozzarella cheese on top. (I actually was only able to do this noodle process twice so I just made a smaller lasagna using and 8x8 pan and cooked it alongside the other dish.)

Bake at 350 degrees 30-40 minutes or until light brown on top and bubbling on sides.  Let stand 10-15 minutes before serving.  Serves 12

Nutritional Information: 284 Calories; 9g Fat (27.1% calories from fat); 19g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 19mg Cholesterol; 678mg Sodium.

Spinach Topped Chicken

This recipe is VERY flavorful and the chicken is extremely moist.  I freeze one in a sandwich size zip lock bag and the toppings does fine when I thaw to eat.

12 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 ½ lbs)

3 egg whites

¾ cup Italian bread crumbs

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

½ cup sliced green onions

1 Tbl minced garlic

2 Tbl butter

2 Tbl flour

1-cup skim milk

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

4 oz pancetta ham, diced

Preheat oven to 350° F. Slightly beat egg whites in small bowl; set aside. Combine bread crumbs, cheese, salt & pepper in shallow dish. Dip chicken breasts in egg whites; roll in bread crumb mixture and arrange in 9x13-inch baking dish. Save remaining crumbs.  In a saucepan, cook green onions and garlic in butter until tender. Stir in flour.  Stir in milk all at once.  Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir one minute more.  Stir in spinach and ham.  Spoon spinach mixture over chicken; sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture.  Bake uncovered 40-45 minutes or until done. Serves 12.

Nutritional Information: 211 Calories; 5g Fat; 31g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 79mg Cholesterol; 391mg Sodium.

I Love Seamlessness!!

It is amazing what we can do today with the advances in technology!!  The "Living Out Loud Intentionally" blogradio interview I did the last Wednesday in 2009 is a perfect example of that.  I was sitting in a Suburban in a shopping mall parking lot in Buford, Georgia using my cell phone (I was suppose to be on a LAN line so don't tell the shows producers.)  Meanwhile, Dr. Carolyn was in Houston, TX uploading this live interview to the world wide web.  Click here to hear the interview. The most amazing part of the whole thing is the seamlessness of it all.  It was as if Dr. Carolyn and I were sitting across from one another; both to us and the listeners.  Yet, we were hundreds of miles apart!!  Because of the seamlessness of syncing my iPhone calendars, contacts and tasks I switched to a Mac platform.  Now I can schedule an appointment or save a phone number and never worry about remembering to plug in my phone to my computer.  It happens automatically!  Oh, for all of my life to be as seamless!

What are some of the things you do to make your life more seamless?

Getting It Done Intentionally! Part 2

Earlier, I shared about how to set up your values which will drive your goals.  Once values are laid out then you set up goals that will make those things happen. Using the examples the previous post – your husband might be like a friend’s husband and want his dinner on the table when he comes home from work so your goal is to have a home cooked meal prepared by 6 pm. Being cheerful - memorize an appropriate Scripture each week; always speak kind words to cashiers; etc. Being fit - lose 10 pounds; walk 4 times a week; etc. Then you take your goals and drill them down into daily activities. Again using the above goals - go grocery shopping on Thursday; plan your weekly meals on Wednesday; be home at 4 o'clock each day; etc. By having the plan based on values, the mundane and monotonous things we do in life suddenly have value. There is a sense of urgency about what we are doing.

I would suggest that you take just one value - Christ-follower; husband; father; wife; mother; volunteer; etc. - and work on that one for a month or two than add another value, goal and daily tasks.

How do you know which one to start with? Ask yourself where you have the most “pain” – emotionally, mentally, spiritually or physically. Since I minister mostly to woman I can tell you that 99 times out of a 100 married women need to start with being a wife. As long as being a Christ follower is pretty solid the next step will be there. Even if you have an over the top marriage, there are always things you can do to make it better. Do that then move on to the next step.

For me the biggest challenge is to work the plan after I have planned the work. This is a great verse to motivate you on the path…

And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it. So now finish doing it as well, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have. For if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he does not have. 2 Corinthians 8:10-12 (English Standard Version)

May we all finish well in the end by finishing well each day!

Getting It Done Intentionally! Part 1

Several have asked how I set my goals and plans so I thought I would share with you how I do it. First, you begin with what your values are... what matters most in your life... what you want people to say about you at your funeral... what you are willing to die for. For example a value might be to be an I Peter 3 wife or to love your wife as Christ loves the church or to be cheerful or to be physically fit. Here is my mission and values: Mission: Because of the love of Christ, my mission is to see the Kingdom of God advanced especially in the areas of personal financial giving and discipleship by using my gifts of communication and leadership skills.

Value #1: I love Christ – I spend quality one on one time with Christ and share Him with others. (Phi. 3:8)

Value #2: I have integrity – I live a life above reproach both morally and emotionally. (Psalm 15:1, 2)

Value #3: I am cheerful – My attitude is upbeat and encouraging to others. (I Thes. 5:11)

Value #4: I seek Truth – Only true understanding will set anyone free from bondage. (John 8:32)

Value #5: I love my friends – I nurture the relationships with my family through prayer, contacting them and sharing with them. (Psalm 55:14)

Value #6: I love my family – I nurture the relationships with my family through prayer, contacting them and sharing with them. (Joshua 24:15)

Value #7: I strive for excellence – I do my best in all things so that God can be glorified. (I Cor. 10:31)

Value #8: I am financially secure – Money is a means to an end and I handle money frugally. Debt is none or a minimum. (Proverbs 31:16)

Value #9: I am an influencer – I seek to positively influence all those around me to either show them Christ or to bring them closer to His presence. (Matt. 28:19, 20)

Value #10: I am productive – My works will demonstrate my faith. (James 2:18)

Value #11: I am physically fit – I avoid bad habits (i.e. fried foods) and practice good habits in eating and physical exercise. (I Cor. 6:19, 20)

I will follow up with Part 2 of Getting It Done Intentionally on how to turn these values into Goals and Daily Task.

How I Plan My Meals

As I have mentioned before, gluttony is one of my "regular" besetting sins.  To help me in this area I have to make a plan for my meals and then execute the plan.  I begin with reviewing my calendar and determine when I will not be eating out and plug it into an excel spreadsheet.   (I usually do just two weeks at a time but since I will be out of town for a week in January I went ahead and did the month.)  Then I determine how many meals I need - this time I needed 23 breakfasts, 20 lunches and 17 dinners.

Using some old recipes as well as new recipes I then start plugging meals into the spread sheet (breakfast usually doesn't change.)  Here is my spreadsheet with a few days plugged in:

The recipes I used this time were Lime Chicken (4 servings), Easy Turkey Meatloaf (8 servings), Mexican Chicken Casserole (8 servings), Autumn Glazed Pork Chops (4 servings) and Vegetarian Chili (15 servings).  Once the spreadsheet is filled out, I can then make my grocery list.  After going to the grocery store on Friday night, I cooked Saturday morning and  made yogurt, the five recipes, bag of brown rice above as well as eight smoothies.  All are frozen in single serving sizes and I will thaw each out as I go through the month.

By doing this I save LOTS of money, calories and stress.  Let me know if you try doing this as well.

Mexican Chicken Casserole

Ingredients: 10 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced

12 6-in. corn tortillas, torn into pieces

2 10.7 oz. cans reduced-fat cream of chicken soup

1 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes

8 oz. Velveeta Light processed cheese

1 bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

Nonstick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350° F. In medium saucepan, heat soup, tomatoes and cheese until cheese is melted. Sauté bell pepper and onion in nonstick skillet with 1/4 cup of water or broth until tender. Stir into soup mixture; add chicken and tortillas. Pour into 9x13-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake 30 minutes. Serves 8.

Nutritional Information: 243 Calories; 7g Fat (24.9% calories from fat); 20g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 38mg Cholesterol; 989mg Sodium.

Vegetarian Chili

Ingredients:

2  large carrots, diced (1 cup)

2  celery ribs, diced (1/2 cup)

1  medium-size sweet onion, diced

Vegetable cooking spray

2  (8-oz.) packages sliced fresh mushrooms

1  large zucchini, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1  yellow squash, chopped (1 cup)

1  tablespoon  chili powder

1  teaspoon  dried basil

1  teaspoon  seasoned pepper

1  (8-oz.) can tomato sauce

3  cups  tomato juice

2  (14 1/2-oz.) cans diced tomatoes, undrained

4  (15-oz.) cans pinto, black, great Northern, or kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1  cup  frozen whole kernel corn

Sauté first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until onions are translucent. Add mushrooms, zucchini, and squash; sauté 3 more minutes. Add chili powder and next 2 ingredients, and sauté 5 more minutes.

Stir together tomato sauce and tomato juice in a 6-qt. slow cooker until smooth. Stir in diced tomatoes, next 2 ingredients, and carrot mixture. Cover and cook on LOW 8 hours.

Note: Cool leftovers, and freeze in plastic freezer containers or zip-top plastic freezer bags for up to 2 months.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 124  Fat: 0.8g  Protein: 7.4g  Carbohydrate: 24.5g  Fiber: 7g  Iron: 2mg  Sodium: 566mg  Calcium: 63mg

Autumn Glazed Pork Chops

Ingredients:

4 pork, boneless loin chops, 3/4-inch thick

1/4 teaspoon pepper, black ground

1/4 cup(s) apple cider, or juice

1/2 cup(s) cranberry sauce, whole

2 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoon orange juice concentrate, frozen

1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, ground

Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick coating. Heat over medium-high heat.

Sprinkle both sides of chops with pepper. Brown chops on each side in hot skillet. Add apple cider. Cover tightly; cook over low heat for 5-6 minutes or until chops are just done.

Drain off juices.

In a small bowl combine cranberry sauce, honey, orange juice concentrate, ginger and nutmeg. Pour over chops.

Cook for 1-2 minutes, until heated through.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 220 Total Fat: 5 g Cholesterol: 47 mg Sodium: 47 mg Total Carbohydrate: 25 g Protein: 19 g

Easy Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients:

1 1/2  lb. ground turkey

2 eggs

1/8 c. tomato paste

1/8 c. fat free chicken stock

¼ t pepper

½ t basil flakes

¼ t oregano

1 c oatmeal

½ c fat-free milk

Mix all ingredients, except oatmeal and milk, together in a large bowl. Then stir in oatmeal until desired consistency (using your hands is easier to mix). Place the mixture in a 2 quart baking dish. Shape with your hands to make an oval, not allowing the loaf to touch the sides. Pour the milk over the meatloaf mixture. Cover the dish with aluminum foil or lid. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, uncover and bake for 10 more minutes. Makes 8 servings.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 239 Total Fat: 12 g Total Carbohydrate: 9 g Protein: 24 g