Listenbee Kitchen this week

We started the week with a holiday (yes!). My husband grilled, which was incredibly lovely. I remember asking the kids what they wanted to eat. I built the menu around some of the foods they suggested. I realize today is Tuesday so here is the plan so far:

Sunday • Coconut Curry Chicken - recipe here • This was a first-time recipe for us. It was delicious. So much so that I packed all the leftovers and took it to work. I'm not sure about you but I often wonder what happens to the other meals people do not blog about. We ate out at our neighbor's for dinner. They grilled and it was a lovely meal. 

Monday • Grilled sirloin, grilled corn, kale salad, grilled asparagus, and grilled sweet • We enjoyed this meal so much. Everything tasted fresh. 

Tuesday • Shrimp with homemade alfredo • I've been very unhappy with store bought alfredo sauce. Now that the kids are home from school I decided to make alfredo or white sauce as we Brazilians call it. 

Wednesday • Brazilian night: rice, beans, farofa and chicken. • A staple in our home. We often pair it with a green salad or some simple vegetable. 

Thursday • Pizza from ALDI • The price went up yet it is a great tasking pizza for a small amount of money. Sometimes I only bake half of it. 

Friday • Spaghetti casserole • I think the last time I made this I had two tiny preschoolers while expecting baby number three who is almost 11. It will be nice to see what the family thinks of it. 

Saturday • Crockpot Chicken Fajitas • I discovered this recipe in the Fall. It is easy to make and we truly enjoy making it our own with different combinations of fixings. 

A note about summer. I cook a lot any way but this is our first official week on summer break. We plan to make one dessert a week to share with neighbors and friends. The kids will do a lot of the baking with me. I also will plan to have a strict breakfast and lunch menu. Strict because the better I plan, the better we eat. 

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Inquiring

Even when I'm late, I get something out of the Bible in One Year reading. I learned over the years that my life gets extra busy at times. I read my Bible daily but I do not always follow my reading plan.

Recently, I was invited to be a guest instructor at a Sunday School class. I took a break from my daily reading to study and prepare for the lesson. Once I was finished, I kept going with my reading. 

I confess, there's a part of my brain that thinks the Bible only works if I follow the plan perfectly. Not so. 

Even what I'm reading does not match the date on the top of the page, God speaks to me. 

I'm in 1 Samuel. I'm reading about David fleeing from Saul while being honorable towards God and King Saul. Instead of being obsessed with small details and the fact that I don't speak fluent Hebrew, I turn my eyes to God and His people. 

I ask: What does this passage tell me about God and His character? What happens when one follows God wholeheartedly, despite the chaos around him? 

There are a lot of lessons to learn. I marvel at the fact that David was talented and strong enough to revolt against those who were trying to cause Him harm. He could easily turn his back to God and His law. Yet he didn't. He inquired of the Lord. He yielded to the conviction of the Spirit. He followed God despite the turmoil and dangers around him. 

After reading about people inquiring of the Lord so much in 1 Samuel, I decided to do the same thing. 

Yes, I pray regularly. No, I don't always inquire about some decisions. 

I simply asked God if I should proceed to go on a trip we were planning. I felt led not to go. I canceled everything and proceeded to finish my coffee and leave for CrossFit. 

I've been reading about people hearing from God and obeying immediately. I thought I'd take the same approach. 

I'm learning to use the Scriptures as guidance for everyday life. 

Who knew being late in my reading would cause me to think about what I read and inquire of the Lord. 

I'm grateful that God speaks and His book is very much relevant for the life I live today. 

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Sunday Seven

A gift from my neighbor's backyard

1 • While it is tough to accept not everyone likes us, it is freeing to accept we are loved by family and God. This is a lesson my children learned this week. We told them the same thing happens to us too. You discover someone treats you as if you are less than and you make the decision to be yourself (polite) but refrain from further engaging with the person.

2 • Silence is wisdom. I avoided a lot of needless disagreements by being silent. It didn't mean approval. It didn't mean surrender. It meant space. It meant a pause. When I calmly wait, God can come through and act. 

3 • When it is time to speak. It is good to use words of wisdom. It is good to use clarity. It is good to affirm the commitment to excellence because that's who we are. 

4 • Prayer paves the way for the righteous. I'm not sure what the past year would have been without constant prayer. It became more than a laundry list or a Christmas list. It was about humbling myself under the mighty hand of God and finding help in times of need. It was about honoring who God is and remembering who I am. 

5 • When people expect little of you, let them. I'm learning people do not determine every good thing God planted inside of me. They do not determine my stewardship of the gifts and talents God gave me. So, let them expect little because the development of potential is up to you. They get to be and remain bystanders. 

6 • Good neighbors are blessings that need to be cultivated and encouraged. I'm blessed with great neighbors. I thank God for them and I pray for them often. I don't without kindness. I share it as God leads. I receive the same kindness as God leads them with gratitude.

7 • Sometimes, less is more. If you are too overwhelmed right now, try doing less. We tell ourselves we can't but I bet we can cut down on needless things, people, and activities so we can focus on more of God in our lives. 

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Failure

 

Failure is a great servant but a bad master. I've failed more times than I care to write about. After failing while attempting to complete a recent project, I decided to leave my feelings aside. I decided to explore the concept of navigating failure.

The only prerequisite for failing is being alive. Everyone goes through it, few grow through it. I want to be one of the few. 

I learn best when I ask questions. What if this failure is an opportunity in disguise? What if it could serve as a step in the right direction? 

I kept reflecting. The lessons we learn from failure are subtle. I believe that's why we repeat the same mistakes. I decided to turn the volume up on my failures. 

I'm learning to detach myself from negative feelings so I can better learn from failure. Learning happens best when my mindset is positive. Even if I need to wait for a day or two, it is great to wait and ask: "what can I learn from failure?" 

If I learn from failure, I win. I win because I become wiser and stronger. 

Failure is an event, not a person. Wisdom finds an avenue into our lives when we make the event a learning opportunity.

Consider everything I just told you when you think of your last failure. Consider failure as a servant, not a master. 

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Summer: I'm not Disneyland

 

I hope you enjoy this episode!

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Lasting Freedom from Stress when you've tried everything

There's a grace when the stressed heart cries out to the Lord for help. When all earthly help ceases, God in His masterful knowledge, gives us the answers our heart needs. 

I've been there, more times than I care to admit. I do all the preventive stuff. I plan. I prepare. I reflect. I rest. I work. I take all the breaths a human can take. I stress my body, I stretch my body. I don't miss a day of exercise. I feed my body good nutrients. I give my body the extra sugary treats it wants. Still, none of these things effectively stir the stress away. 

The body doesn't forget. The nervous twitches become uncontrollable. Except for a few decisive times during the day. I wish I could make them last. 

I pray in sincerity. My request is, can you help me? God answers. 

As a Christian, my problem is never questioning if God hears me. My problem is also not doubting He will answer. I'm guilty of not wanting to obey what I hear. 

The one-word answer I received was, forgive. The root cause of all the side effects bothering me was unforgiveness. 

We've been through this before, God and I. I forgave before. Yet I was living a life void of the fruit of forgiveness. 

So I forgive again. I ask God to live as if I was never hurt. In my own strength, I can't do it. God is the only One who can supernaturally empower me to make that decision. 

The thing about nervous twitches is that I don't miss them when they are gone. I felt quite relieved and at peace. No more eye twitching. I was still tired from all the activities of the week. The wonder is not so much in the void of stress but the fruit of obedience. 

Freedom is something obedience brings. Sometimes, those nervous twitches don't leave immediately. Obedience to God brings immediate alignment with His word and His will. To me, this is a freedom no earthly activity can give me. 

I'm learning to stop being afraid of side effects. I'm learning to ask God what I can do to find His best for me in that situation. 

I spent too much time worrying about the fruit of stress without considering the root of stress. Oftentimes I can pinpoint the root cause. Other times, I find myself at a loss. 

My loss is a Godly opportunity for gain. Gain of God's guidance. I'm learning to ask God for help. I have complete trust He hears and answers. I'm learning to quickly obey.

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