Chicken Bone Broth

Chicken Bone Broth (in a CrockPot)! Not only is broth delicious, comforting, and versatile, when made from healthy chickens and veggies, it's one of the most nutrient-dense substances you can consume! The boxed store-bought concoction is NOT real broth, and the real stuff is SO easy to make - you can do this! Your body and wallet will thank you!

Bone broth contains all of the valuable amino acids, collagen, gelatin and trace minerals (like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur, & others) that most of us are lacking in our diets, and bone broth helps support: joints, gut, skin, immune system, detoxification, metabolism. 

If you #alimade a #wholechickeninacrockpot, just put the bones back in the crockpot, add whatever: veggies & herbs (I use onion, celery, carrots, garlic, italian seasoning, bay leaves), chicken feet (clip the nails for more collagen), organs (though this makes the broth strong: beware). It's important to add at least 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (to draw out nutrients from the bones). Fill the pot with water, and cook on LOW for about 24 hours. The longer, the better, really; just keep adding water if needed. 

Then, when you're tired of waiting to kick-start your health, turn it off, let it cool, strain the broth, discard the bones & stuff (eat the veggies if you want), pour into jars or baggies, and freeze until you need it for a recipe or want to drink it (like I and my baby do every day!). There's so much information out there on the multitude of benefits from consuming broth, but one of my favorites is from Dr. Axe.


Consuming a little bit of broth a few times per week can add so much fuel to your body! Your organs, joints, skin, energy, and immunity will thank you! Go for it!!

Roasted Chicken in the Crockpot

Roasted Chicken in a Crockpot! This has become one of my favorite weeknight meals because it's easy, inexpensive, beautiful, nutritious, and delicious. 

Easy: the crockpot does most of the work, and since it keeps the bird moist, it's almost impossible to overcook it! Plus, the potatoes are cooked with the bird, all in one pot! You don't have to crisp up the chicken in the oven, but this step is the money-maker in my book. Do it. 

Inexpensive: I purchased this organic, free-range chicken at Natural Grocers for $11, and it fed my hubby, 2-year-old, and me for 2 meals, plus left overs for my pizza the next night! That's less than $2 per serving! People are often deterred from healthy eating because they have been led to believe that it has to be expensive. Nope! 

Beautiful: I mean, just look at this gorgeous bird! If your family doesn't like bone-in, just pull/shred the chicken before you serve like I do. 

Nutritious: meet off the bone has SO many nutrients that we are deficient in, including higher collagen and other essential fatty acids, and the skin from a humanely-raised and minimally processed chicken is also packed full of nutrients that help you recover and age amazingly. Buy and eat the whole bird! And save the bones to make broth (which I'll show you how to do in the next video!). 

Delicious: this method of cooking gives you tender, juicy meat with a crispy skin to feast on. Mouth watering yet? I didn't do this, but you could also make gravy from the juices in the crockpot. Boom.

Are you ready for a winner, winner, chicken dinner?! 

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust

Sweet Potato Pizza Crust!
This 3-ingredient recipe is the easiest, yummiest, most pizza-est healthy pizza crust I've EVER made (and I've made a LOT of pizza crusts, y'all)! Wednesday night is Pizza Night in our house, and for the longest time I sadly ate my lame, soggy cauliflower crust, or had to spend hours making crusts, or just gave up and ate left-overs. 😭 And that made hubby sad, which totally defeats the point of Pizza Night! But then I found this gem... Because you don't have to precook the sweet potato, this crust takes about 10 minutes to make, no joke, with ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen! It does require 30 minutes to bake, so I usually make the crusts, freeze them, and then pull them out for pizza night. 

I top mine with homemade pesto, pepperoni, leftover/frozen chicken or ground beef, goat cheese, garlic, and Italian seasoning.

We grill pizza on the smoker at or house, and 8-10 minutes crisps the pizza to perfection. Probably re best part is you can pick this crust up and hold it, like a store-bought pizza!

This will change your life! Or at least Pizza Night!

Roasted Okra

Roasted Okra! Roasting veggies is my favorite because it brings out such great flavors, and okra is adds some shock-and-awe because most of us have only had it fried in mass-produced, sad-battered chunks. 😞 But not anymore!

Drizzle olive oil on clean, dry whole okra (found at farmers markets or even most grocery stores), then sprinkle with some sea salt. If you're feeling festive, add garlic and Italian seasonings as well. 

Then roast for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees, tossing once somewhere in there (I often forget this and it still turns out great 😉). You can grate some Parmesan or goat cheese over the top, or just serve plain. I often take left overs for a snack at work and just eat them cold. So good! Try it and let me know how much you love it! ❤️ 

What other veggies do you love this time of year?

Plantain Chips

Plantain Chips! You have GOT to try this microwave chip maker from Bed Bath & Beyond! Avoid the oil, artificial ingredients of the junk chips, and save a ton of $ over the "healthy chips" by making your own! 

In addition to plantain, I've also made chips from banana, potato, sweet potato, apple, carrot, and zucchini, but it seems that any fruit or veggie is up for grabs! 

These plantain chips are my favorite go-to road trip snack for my two-year-old, and I feel so good about letting her crunch away!

Order the kit for yourself and let me know how it goes! ❤️ 

Fermented Salsa!

Fermented salsa! **note: I tried a wide-angle lens and it totally jacked up the audio. But I still wanted to get this to you, so I had to lamely voice-over this whole thing. Sorry! ** Salsa is one the tastiest ways to eat lots of veggies (that I don't normally eat otherwise). To avoid the junk in store-bought brands and enjoy fresher and more local ingredients, make your own! Plus, fermenting allows the nutrients to become more bioavailable, and adds guthealthy probiotics, deeper flavor, and a fun fizz! 
For more benefits than I could ever articulate regarding fermentation, probiotics, and gut health, follow my fermenting mentor (or as I call him, my "fer-mentor") @jaredsprobiotics. His website www.jaredspropops.com is a huge source of all things digestion. His list of 75 fermented recipes is where I found this gem! 
Back to the salsa, if you don't have a food processor (or just want a hand workout) you can chop all these veggies. If you're not into whey (or if Miss Muffet are all yours), at least 2Tbsp salt should do the trick to ferment. Make sure to tightly seal the jar, and let it sit at room temp for at least 3 days to ferment. 
Otherwise, adjust this recipe to your supplies or heat-tolerance. Try it atop eggs or pulled chicken, or of course with your favorite chips or any Mexican dish!  💃🏼💃🏼💃🏼

Spaghetti Squash in the Crockpot

Spaghetti (Squash) in a CrockPot! I looooove spaghetti, but 1: Regular spaghetti noodles do bad things to the body, 2: Gluten-free noodles do bad things to my taste buds, 3: The prep and clean-up can be SUCH a mess. This one-pot recipe solves all those problems! Spaghetti Squash will blow your mind if you've never tried it before - when cooked right, the consistency really is just like spaghetti!
Now, you can roast spaghetti squash (400 degrees for 30 min or so), which I love, but the ease of #crockpotlife makes this busy mom go hallelujah (in Italian)! 🍝

Ground beef... in a Crockpot!

Today #AliMade Ground beef... in a crockpot! This kitchen hack just dawned on me a couple weeks ago, and it's a huge time saver, especially if you brown ground beef in bulk (to freeze and use for various recipes) like I do! Once you start utilizing your crockpot for everyday tasks, you'll wonder how much of your like you spent splattered in grease over the skillet! 🍳 

I like to buy a bazillion pounds of grass-fed ground beef when it's on sale from Sprouts, or when I can buy a portion of a cow from my uncle or a farmer, and store the meat in the deep freezer. 

As a working mom, my crockpot is easily my favorite kitchen appliance. 🙌🏻In fact, my dream kitchen has a huge (I'm talking 10-quart) crockpot - that converts to a wok and and skillet and grittle - built into the counter. Does something like this exist??? Comment below if you've tried this or any other time saver with your crockpot! How did it turn out?

Cashew-Macadamia Nut Butter

Cash-damia Nut Butter! This smooth, sweet yet nutty spread is one of my favorite foods to eat with apple slices, celery, pancakes (recipe soon!), or just on a spoon. 🤤Macadamia nuts are one of the -if not THE- healthiest nuts around, with all kinds of nutrients and a super omega ratio (see @drjoshaxe 's site for impressive health benefits that'll make you ditch your almonds). They're kinda pricy, so paring them with cashews makes this spread more economical as well as more nutty flavored and creamy.

If you tried to buy a jar of this nut butter, you may spend up to $20 per jar 😱, but you can make it for about $6 (if you buy nuts when they're on sale 😉). Don't be daunted by the 24-hour soak time (I recommend this with all nuts) and the 15 min in the processor - you can DO this, and it's so worth it! But if you don't have a food processor (or the time), you could buy mine! 😉 The next best thing to homemade is AliMade. 💗

AliMade a Change to Her Blog!

I'm so excited to start this new adventure!  I make 60-second video tutorials on healthy meals, snacks, drinks, and hacks to help you make your own food, feel awesome, and have fun! Follow me on instagram (@ali_made_in_60) and on Facebook for more daily videos and tidbits, but here is where I'll post the recipes (printable versions, woo!) and other insights!

Beware if you read the posts of my past... though you may glean some insight of my digestive journey, please understand that I have grown a LOT since my last insanely stressed posts of 2012! :) 

I'm convinced that the Lord has brought me though a plethora of maladies so that I can empathize with almost anything. I also believe that He made us to be resilient, self-healing organisms who can live life to the full with Him and the right fuel (adequate food, sleep, stress, movement, and love). :)

I love requests, suggestions, and feedback! How can I help YOU feel great?

Yummy Sweet Potato Muffins!

Sweet Potato Muffins from Runners World Magazine

• 2½ C whole wheat (or I use brown rice) flour
• ¾ C sugar (or I use agave nectar)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ C melted unsalted butter
• ¼ C vegetable oil
• 1 C pureed or mashed cooked sweet potato
• 1 egg, beaten
• ½ C buttermilk

Heat oven to 375 F. Grease 12 muffin cups or add paper liner. Combine flour sugar, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk butter, oil, sweet potato, egg, and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into the dry; stir until just combined. Fill muffin cups ¾ full. Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Per muffin: 248 calories, 37 g. carbs, 3 g. protein, 4 g. fat.

The tummy plight continues…

Apparently many people have experienced or are experiencing the same problems I have, but a diagnosis takes forever and there’s not much helpful information out there. You may have come to notice, like I have, that doctors often act like the patient is an idiot or hypochondriac, and tests/hypotheses/diagnoses only come after multiple office visits, a number of inconvenient procedures, and kabillions of dollars.

The problem with watching the TV show House is that I have this expectation of a doctor figuring me out in a few days. Instead, you schedule an office visit (hopefully within a week if you’re lucky), they order a test (again, hopefully within a week) for which you have to take off work and fast, you wait a week for the results (in another office visit) – which are negative – warranting another test, and maybe after this process for a millennium they find what’s actually wrong with you. Okay, so I’m a little cynical, but that has felt like my experience, except that the doctor wanted me to wait 4 weeks between each visit to see if this general drug (Nexium) helps me out. What the heck?

So here are my symptoms:

Upper abdominal pain, right under my lower ribs, all the way across my front. It seems that this is where the diaphragm should be, maybe liver (who knew these things reached this high?). Pain and discomfort throughout the day, strongest about an hour after meals, but can come and go seemingly at random. Pain seams more severe after eating fatty foods or wheat products, and I think coffee might trigger it too. Also I’ve had a lot of strange, deep burping (sorry so gross). No nausea, though, thank goodness!

Tests and other fun things:

The pain first started a few weeks after shoulder surgery. I originally thought the stomach pain was a symptom of an ovarian cyst that was causing other problems, but that cyst burst (not fun) and the stomach pain continued. Since the gyno saw an overgrowth in yeast, I went on the candida diet (blog post) to see if it’d also help my stomach. On a sans-sugar/yeast/wheat diet, my symptoms weren’t as bad, but they were definitely still there, so I went the GI.

The GI ordered an EGD (scope down the esophagus, through the stomach, into the small intestine), which was clean – nothing that the doctor wanted to biopsy or anything. So then she ordered an abdominal ultrasound, which was also clean – no gallstones. I then had the GI draw blood to check for Celiac disease (since wheat seems to aggravate some problems), and she also ordered a CCK Pipida scan, which I did on Friday. In the Pipida scan, you are injected with dye that lights up your gall bladder while you lie on the table with the CT scan over you and wait for what can take anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour. When your gall bladder lights up, then the tech injects you with CCK, a chemical that makes your gall bladder contract, just like it does when your body digests food. This scan takes 30-45 minutes, and the machine takes a lot of pictures while your gall bladder is working. The tech said that you may or may not experience the same symptoms that you normally do with digestion (I did), but usually not more than usual (contrary to what I feared from online research). So the Pipida scan can take anywhere from an hour to two hours, given how long it takes for the gall bladder to light up.

Even though the GI said I’d have to wait 10-14 days for my results, the tech at Diagnostic Images said I’d be able to call my doc for the results in two business days (which will be tomorrow). I can’t wait, since I’ll get both the celiac test results and the Pipida scan results tomorrow! At this point, I’m totally prepared for the “negative” findings and the you-must-be-crazy look from the doctor because that’s all I’ve gotten thus far. However, many people (several more than I thought) have gone through this, and the Pipida scan was the deciding factor for them, even after having all negatives up to that point. Not that I’m hoping for something to be wrong, but I know there is something wrong (why else would I all-of-a-sudden feel this way, and keep feeling this way for months?), and I want an answer so we can fix/treat it. Hopefully that answer comes Monday! :)

"Before the Throne of God Above"

Before the throne of God above,

I have a strong and perfect plea. (Heb 4:15-16)
A great High Priest whose Name is Love (Heb 4:14)
Who ever lives and pleads for me. (Heb 7:25)
My name is graven on His hands, (Isa 49:16)
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart. (Rom 8:34)

When Satan tempts me to despair (Luke 22:31-32)
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there (Acts 7:55-56)
Who made an end of all my sin. (Col 2:13-14)
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me. (Rom 3:24-26)

Behold Him there the risen Lamb, (Rev 5:6)
My perfect spotless righteousness, (1 Cor 1:30; 1 Peter 1:18-19)
The great unchangeable I AM, (Heb 13:8; John 8:58)
The King of glory and of grace,
One in Himself I cannot die.
My soul is purchased by His blood, (Acts 20:28)
My life is hid with Christ on high, (Col 3:3)
With Christ my Savior and my God! (Tit 2:13)

The hymn written by Charitie Lees Bancroft is so beautifully moving, and as Chuck Bumgardener points out in his blog, there is soooo much scriptural truth woven through the poem (I've pasted his references above).

Christ's substitution for us on the cross is an awe-full truth that never will cease to move me, and the beauty of His love and grace leaves this purchased sinner speechless, except praise and glory be to God!

Candida or Candonta

I don’t know what it was about year 25, but it seems my body thought my life was too easy, so it decided to rebel to keep me ‘entertained’ of sorts. An ovarian cyst that was spotted last summer became extremely painful in January, but by the time I finally got in to see the doctor, the ultrasound was clean, leaving me to think the angst I went through a few weeks prior was the cyst bursting (fine by me – get it out of here!). I guess my hypothesis was not very rational to the doc, because she insists my pain is a hernia, and that I need to see another doctor if the pain persists; lucky for me it hasn’t! However, the gyno also spotted a yeast infection, which I hypothesize (why can’t I stop doing that?!?) took over due to the round of antibiotics I took to abate the sinus infection brought on my down immune system after shoulder surgery. Bleh. I’m thankful that I don’t have the “normal” symptoms of a yeast infection, but I did tell the doc that my stomach has been killing me especially after meals, and my whole gut has felt yucky for a few weeks. At the time, I figured the feeling was linked to the cyst, while the doc passed it off as the flu. Now I think both of us were wrong.

Dr. Mom suggested that the stomach pain was in fact the yeast infection, for when yeast overpopulates it enjoys taking over everything, and the round of antibiotics killed all my good yeast-killing bacteria, so the yeast multiplied like bunnies on my heavenly high-carb diet. Now I’m an extremely healthy carb lover: whole grains and loads of fruit are my favorite things (well, with an occasional [daily] chocolate/ice cream indulgence). After researching the web, I found that the old adage about Dr. Mom is pretty darn accurate – she does know best.

I found many websites describing the yeast infection problem, called Candida Albicans; one website describing the condition as: “Candida Albicans is an opportunistic fungus (or form of yeast) that is the cause of many undesirable symptoms ranging from fatigue and weight gain, to joint pain and gas. The Candida yeast is a part of the gut flora, a group of microorganisms that live in your mouth and intestine. When the Candida population starts getting out of control it weakens the intestinal wall, penetrating through into the bloodstream and spreading throughout the body.” Candida Albicans is usually misdiagnosed as the flu or IBS, and long-lasting troubles can result, such as food allergies, joint problems, organ problems, and slow and painful death. Okay, so no website claims that last one. However, food allergies seem terrible – my gluten and dairy-free diet experiment a year ago was probably the worst three-month period of my life – and I really feel bad for people who spend their days meticulously reading labels and limiting their restaurant experiences. No fun. Which brings me to the Candida Diet.

Apparently, the only natural way to beat the yeast (and not risk destroying my liver) is to starve it out. Since yeast feeds on sugar, anything that turns into sugar cannot be consumed on this diet. That means any fruits or grains too. Neither can one consume anything with caffeine, vinegar, or corn; I never knew until now how almost every type of food has these yeast cultivating ingredients in them!

So what can one eat on the Candida Diet? Basically meats, most veggies, oils, probiotics, limited dairy (thank goodness I can have yogurt, as long as it’s the low low sugar plain kind), and nuts (non-peanut). So what I went through on the gluten and dairy-free diet is NOTHING compared to this!!!

Starving the yeast can take a few weeks, and then the sufferer can slowly add back in low-sugared fruits, etc. So expect me to be a really grumpy person for at least a few weeks, because without sugar and chocolate, my serotonin is at insanely low levels!

Hopefully this works; if I’m still feeling yucky after all I can handle of this trial, I’ll opt for the meds, but any other suggestions and/or encouragement is much needed and appreciated! In the meantime, pass the peppermint tea, celery, and hummus, please! Nom nom nom.

Why I Blog... (also titled, Justifying my Whims)

I started this blog for many reasons, hopefully none of them for mere vanity, though that may be the first impression anyone (myself included) has when they first view any blog.

Blog rationale #1: Writing practice. I’m not a professional writer, as any fool can see through mediocre sketches I produce, but as an 8^th grade English teacher who wants to keep the door open for something higher someday, I want to prevent the mental wheels from rusting out completely. Therefore, I continue to read classics and review them when I can (blog on Tale of Two Cities coming soon). I also am a huge fan of writing as an art form, and though I’m not delusional enough to believe I am a gifted artist, I believe it’s beneficial to exercise the cerebral muscles. I greatly enjoyed writing essays in college because it’s only through writing that one slows down enough to organize thoughts, work them into a logical argument, and therefore truly learn from a work of literature; this is a process I regret leaving behind, and since I’m not entertaining the thought of grad school for awhile so I don’t totally tank as a wife, blogging occasionally absorbs me in the intellectual hobby I miss.

Blog rationale #2: To help/save my marriage. Kind of kidding here, but for real, I am a weirdo who houses pint-up thoughts that compile and build to the point where they just may erupt at any given moment if I don’t release them in due time. My hubby Chris is a busy guy who doesn’t need to hear all my endless rants, musings, analyses, “level 6ness,” etc. while he’s studying for his chiropractic career or editing photos. So when I get to the point of near self-destruction from too much compressed activity upstairs, I spill it out on the computer instead of to his deer-in-headlights/glazed over countenance. As Chris puts it, the blog is my therapy, which is probably his excuse for not letting me get weekly massages. J

Blog rationale #3: Feedback. Why don’t I just keep a journal? This opinion may be totally wrong, but I feel a journal is more selfish than a blog because no one would read it but me. Also, I’m not as motivated to write something no one will read: my time is better spent elsewhere. And thirdly, I’d most likely be more negative and self-pitying if no one were to read my journal, and who needs more avenues for woe-is-me-ness. I doubt many people read my blog, but it’s a way to share my ideas, convictions, or silly musings and see what people think about them, if they think about them at all. It doesn’t take many posts to reveal how opinionated I am, but suffice it to say that there’s a difference between believing something because you want it to be so and basing your beliefs on what you’ve read and read and have found to be logically consistent and true. I do appreciate feedback, even in the form of criticism, as long as it’s not just attempts to pick holes through every detail of an argument; no one needs that either.

Eventually this will be a blog about our family, so people we’ve met in the places we’ve lived can keep up with us. I love watching my friends’ children grow up and letting them know how cuuuuute pics and happenings are! Maybe someday we’ll have cutie-patootie little Barnezys for everyone to fawn over.

So to sum up, don’t expect anything crazy-mind-blowing, and don’t expect perfection in print, but do expect some thought-provoking, entertaining, sarcastic, random “streams of consciousness” from this gal.

Grace Abounds

This is a link to a 12-minute sermonette by my brother Asher, titled "Grace Abounds," a very liberating analysis of Romans 5:20-21, where Paul displays the wonderful and necessary balance of God's Law to humble the proud and God's Gospel to lift the humble! If the embedded link doesn't work, you may listen to his powerful message here.

This Chick Digs Scars

2 Corinthians 5: 1-10 - 1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Meanwhile we groan, longing to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, 3 because when we are clothed, we will not be found naked. 4 For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed instead with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.

6 Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. 7 For we live by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

This past year the Lord has taught me a lot. Not as much in means of intellect or theology as application and practice. Being an athlete, I’ve experienced episodes of pain, from broken bones to shin splints to muscle spasms, but it was ironically after my athletic career that I had a bout with real chronic pain. This past calendar year I had chronic fatigue that doctors couldn’t figure out, ovarian cysts that are still causing me pain, Morton’s Neuroma in my foot and undefined pain in my hip. that halted my running, and, of course, two shoulder surgeries. Prior to 2010, my health insurance liked me. Now, not so much.

Through what has seemed like wave after wave of “what else could go wrong with this stinking body?” the Lord has been faithful, and all this has driven me to Him as my sole comforter and hope. Some positive aspects of these trials include:

1. Recognition of the frailty of this earthly tent. At the ripe old age of 25, I’m reminded that this ain’t no heavenly body, and aches and pains make me even more grateful that this isn’t all I have to look forward to. In a weird way I’m simultaneously more cognizant about my body (multiple issues does that) and yet less focused on it superficially (which is a big struggle for me).
2. Empathy for others in pain. I had never understood how much pain consumes you and changes your personality. When so much is going wrong and you’re scheduling a multitude of doctor visits and various tests and no one seems to believe that you’re really feeling what you know you are, it’s hard to stay sane, positive, and unselfish. Before all this, my heart was pretty callous toward people plagued with these kinds of trials. Now, hopefully, I can be more help to others in need.
3. Choosing joy and hope over worry. I can’t really put a check in this box yet, but I know this is something God is still working in me. To me, the unknown is the worst part of health issues, and like I stated above, it’s hard to take your mind off it. Indefinite MRIs, doctors who misread ultrasounds and then tell you “Eh, it’s probably no big deal,” and multiple blood tests that show no reason why you feel this way are all frustrating. This makes me feel terrible for people who have nothing else to live for but the here and now, for I don’t have to read far into the scriptures to return to the joy of my salvation.
4. Rejoicing in the drudgery. And by drudgery here I mean the slow and steady road of recovery. Right now I’m thankful that I’m not trying to get back to a sport, because shoulder surgery (especially mine where they redid everything except the bones) is the most difficult surgery to rehabilitate (because it has the most range of motion and is a smallish joint). I can see why many people become depressed in Physical Therapy (it’s been three months and I can only lift three pounds… are you kidding me?!), but I’m so thankful that I have a great PT and that self-discipline is my middle name – or OCD, whatever. Needless to say, PT is fun for me, even though it sucks, and I try to spread a little joy and humor to those who are going through the Valley of Death-by-Endless-Rehab with me.
5. My husband and family have provided me with so much encouragement, stability, and Kleenex. Trials bring us closer together, showing us how we really do and should depend on each other.

Physical difficulties and victories can teach us so much. I think the main struggle is that we tend to make bodily circumstances more than what they are. There’s so much we learn through athletics, through pain, through triumph, through sickness, through healing, through scars, that we can derive metaphors and lessons for life, but the physical is not life itself, just part of it. Adverse physical circumstances should draw us closer to the One who makes life more than just physical.

Rainy (or Snowy) Day Food Activity

I saw this activity in a Whole Foods magazine/coupon book/recipe ad... I don't know exactly what you'd call the publication. However, you (parent) have your kid draw a plate and choose a food from each color to draw on the plate. Older kids can add up the cost of their meal or figure out what the cheapest meal would be or figure out which meal they could buy with $1.57. Super cool way to teach kids about foods, colors, nutrition, math, art, etc! You could even show them still life paintings and let them water-color their way to greatness... okay, so that's the advanced version.

Parents, let me know what you think... otherwise, you won't get a review of this activity for about 5-7 years. :)

Abortion: a not-so-silent killer anymore

I read on AlbertMohler.com that The New York Times reported on January 6, 2011 that the abortion rate in New York City is about 40 percent of all pregnancies and almost 60% of African American pregnancies…insert time to double-take… That means on average, more than two of every five pregnant women in the world’s most recognizable city choose to kill their babies. This is by far the most tragic statistic I’ve probably ever read.

I recall a conversation wherein my dad described abortion as the most unnatural and inhumane action a parent could ever perform. What is more basic than a parent’s instinct to protect her young? That’s even the most fundamental intuition among animals, since the survival of one’s offspring is essential to a species. A parent’s choosing her own life (especially when it is some ridiculously trivial aspect of life, like career, for example) over the existence of her child, is backwards, inhumane, and ultimately completely depravedly selfish. In no other case does a law permit a “choice” to end another human being’s life without his or her consent.

In October 2010, Dr. Mohler blogged about Dr. Mildred Jefferson, the first black woman to graduate from the Harvard Medical School, who was outspokenly against abortion and Roe v. Wade during her lifetime. She once summarized her sense of urgency to reverse the infamous case with these words: “I am at once a physician, a citizen and a woman, and I am not willing to stand aside and allow this concept of expendable human lives to turn this great land of ours into just another exclusive reservation where only the perfect, the privileged and the planned have the right to live.” In America, Planned Parenthood began because of the eugenics movement – the idea that people could breed a more superior race by preventing pregnancies and births of “less fit” the genes – a philosophy that had its roots in (though is also a distortion of) Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection, and a movement that was the basis of the Nazi Party’s practices in Germany.

Since abortion is the termination of an unwanted pregnancy, the real problem is, of course, adultery. People want to sin without consequences, so they try to kill and bury the consequence as if that itself will not have additional consequences.

That people can end the lives of their unborn children is unbelievable. That physicians who have taken an oath to “do no harm” can knowingly kill a living human being is unthinkable. That murder has been legalized by authorities who have sworn to protect the lives of citizens is deplorable. That the public has become desensitized to this wretched and foreboding practice is alarming.

What can we do to help those who are deceived into believing abortion is acceptable, or even the only way to “deal with” conceiving a child?

ProKindle – ConKindle

I love reading. I wish I read more. I’ve been told to get the Kindle, and my mom even was going to get me one for Christmas, but I’ve been hesitant and reluctant toward the device. Currently, I carry big fat books around with me everywhere – right now I have Dickens’s Tale of Two Cities/Great Expectations – I love the feel of books, the smell of books, the look of books stacked up on the shelves, trophies of my victorious literary achievements. With the Kindle, I’d lose those sensory pleasures, but would I gain enough make the swap worthwhile?

Pros:

• Fits in my purse – even a small purse!
• I could have multiple books with me at one time (the Bible is most appealing in this point). This is especially ideal for light traveling.
• Pre-1923 books are free to download – I read mostly classic works, so I’d spend waaaaaay less on books.
• The Kindle can read to you (I didn’t know about this feature!), so it turns into audiobooks (for free), for when I’m driving or whatever.
• You can search your library for key words or phrases – great for looking up quotes or Bible verses.
• You can highlight or bookmark, though I doubt this really has the same effect as doing so in an actual book.
• The font is adjustable – I’m thinking this would be great for the gym, where I can enlarge the font and place the Kindle on the elliptical/stair-of-death/bike and not have to wear out my shoulder holding my big fat novel (drudgery I currently inflict on myself).

Cons:

• Sensory aspects of an actual book, listed above. I’m pretty sure I’d really miss that. There’s something personal and emotional to me about books, weird, eh
• Seeing my books – and others seeing them – conversation starter – ok, pride.
• Feeling the book – turning the page, etc. Each page stores the ideas and emotions experienced on that page’s story, or the sweat produced at the gym while reading that page on the bike (haha).
• Smelling like old books – I’m okay without this one. :)
• My bookshelf wouldn’t bolster my pride. I phrase it this way to convict myself – this should not be a con. :)

What do you think? Other pros/cons? Should I ask for a Kindle for my birthday?