A Southern Sunday Supper unfolds...

 A typical Sunday for our family begins with worship, lunch at Target and then home. The evening depends on what our church hosts, but during the summer, we usually are home and that means I have the opportunity to cook a few things in the "kitchen with a house attached" to get us through the mid week hump that keeps us pretty busy with Special Olympic activities and fitness coaching. Today, I had a bit of fun making a large batch of bbq chicken, brown rice and vegetables, but not just anything typical about these as just another typical Sunday might bring...

 A neighbor had brought us some fresh okra, so I added the cornmeal, egg, black pepper but then popped in some Parmesan cheese along with fresh rosemary to the mix. Spraying the iron skillet with cooking spray, I brown the okra and fry it up. Delicious, golden brown and low fat.

 Of all the vegetables in the backyard, I had one, only one, green tomato! I made another egg and batch of cornmeal with cilantro, black pepper and a bit of tarragon then with cooking spray, fried that baby up to a golden brown. Low fat, something to add to a sandwich and top the brown rice I was making to go with the Sunday supper...

 I should have told you about the chicken breast first, but the brown rice is mouthwatering because it is actually made from the beer soaked mushrooms finely chopped, mixed with bbq sauce and cooked all day over the chicken breast in the iron kettle at 250 degrees in the over. Then I remove the chicken, add equal parts of liquid drippings from the chicken and brown rice with crushed pineapple and cook for thirty-minutes at 350 degrees or until the rice is tender. You may want to eat the rice all by itself.

Cooked in beer, the chicken is so tender you can cut it with a fork. It is easier for my family to handle and it is so delicious. I serve the chicken as is on top of the rice with a bit of cheese sometimes, but with the leftover chicken and a bit of rice, I will make a chicken pot pie on Wednesday. Sometimes, there is no chicken leftover so we will have vegetable potpie, because I also made green beans, broccoli, cauliflower and homemade biscuits to go with the supper.

A meal like this doesn't take an hour to prep and cook. The time sitting down together over a meal is worth ever how long it takes to eat. I love spending time with my family and listening to them talk about anything and everything. We look out the window by the dining room table, watching the wildlife that we see right in our own backyard. I love our life and the peace we share over such a simple meal. Food can be healthy in nutrition and in mind of soul.

Hugs, Rita

Ten Things I learned from Being Unplugged for One-Week!

Making the decision to go unplugged isn't something that is hard for me as it seemed for one in a recent conversation. It was rather funny when the look on my friend's face, who had just said, "It was all over social media...I mean, I'm not on social media, but I know you are (referring to me)." I replied, "I have been unplugged for the past week, besides anyone that knows I post from one and it goes viral to the others." She was still not convinced. What I realized was that with so many people on their phones at every turn, me rarely communicating, but instead taking photos, it is hard to believe that someone could unplug for 7 minutes, 7 hours, much less 7 days. However, I can do it. Being unplugged, even for short scheduled times, cultivates time and moments you might otherwise miss.

If you review my posts especially on my personal Facebook, I took a period of time in 2015 completely off social media. It was very end of that year and the first of 2016 that I focused my posts on photography and words of empowerment. During this time of being unplugged, I needed to refresh, renew and regroup due to a life-experience called divorce. It was worth taking a break for everything electronic except text message and email, primarily to key people in my life during that time, to come to Christ, know God's Word, learn to lead my family and know who I was as a person. It was a time of no excuse self-discovery as well as learning. It was a personal choice, not a recommendation, although, I do suggest unplugging for a time during a life-experience to breath. Being unplugged cultivates the opportunity to grow, learn and know that your are strong, courageous and find the peace within your being.

My reasoning for unplugging this time was a bit different. Garrett was off to his third special session camp of the summer. It has been such a change having him gone because he has gone through separation anxiety and other emotions as well as a health crisis that left him unsure of being away from me or home. Through one camp, he has grown tremendously and I felt comfortable to have an adventure myself. So, when the things fell in place, from subs at work to someone to stay at my house and care for my mother, I was ready to go visit my best friend in Florida. However, finances hit the fan when Garrett had to have a physical, mid-year of his annual, for this last camp and insurance didn't pay for it. Also, I had other expenses surrounding him going this trip. Being unplugged cultivates decision, focus and to realize maybe you have choices other than the ones you thought.

Two days before I was to take Garrett to camp, I got a text message from a friend who was asking for another friends phone number. I asked if she might keep an eye out for my mother, maybe come by and check on her. I explained briefly why and that Garrett was going to camp and I was getting a tent and going to the woods somewhere. She replied back if I had no where really to go, just come hang out at their lake house. Really?! I refused. Then it happened, I went. I was humbled and in awe that someone would open this home to me for a whole week, but she did more than that. She opened her family, fridge and we have become strong friends. The first morning, I made coffee and found this mug that read, "It's All Good" and went about doing what I do, tiding an already organized place, but I had to find myself and what I was to do. I then found the pool. Being unplugged cultivated breath, sounds of nature, thoughts of how I was blessed and how I can be more thankful. 

Having been in the mood for Christmas in July, the week progressed to my going shopping for a couple of Christmas presents, wedding gifts and enjoying pizza with pesto. I took time to read a book on creating and another on the mustard seed as it related to scripture from the New Testament. My personal Bible Study was revealing even after I returned home that I see I need, as we all do, to be more compassionate, loving and understanding. Who doesn't. Then I learned some characteristics of a godly woman from my friend who opened this home to me, we shared dinner one night and I learned that I want to be more, "It's all good," in my response, to think more loving to respond in prayer rather than defending my actions or words. Asking, will what I am saying stand in court here on earth or more so before the Higher Court of the Father. Bro. Doug, our pastor, says, "Love God, Love others, Serve both." We all fall and fumble, but being unplugged cultivates a community of service, putting others first before ourselves, giving us the power to be unique individuals that He made.

By the last day of my adventure, I was ready to pick my boy up from camp. I had met my other bestie on the day I dropped Garrett off at camp and throughout the week, we had emailed back and forth. She was great in giving me advice on places to run/walk and then we talked about where God had brought us from to where we are today. She was about to take a job helping individuals with life-experiences I had come out of. It was amazing to talk about this with someone when you are on the other side of the experience and the joys that God has brought. I unplugged from everything, but email and text messages. I did take a couple of phone calls during the week, but I unplugged from television, internet, all social medias, and I have a few, plus manage several pages. So, when I took to the road for that Saturday run, I was renewed and refreshed. I took photos more than worked out. Being unplugged gave me a fresh look through not only the lens of my camera, but the lens of my life.

I loved the next two photos because these describe me as a running. First, slow! There are two of these on the road, one at the beginning and one at the end. There is really no other way to go on this road, but slow. Going up the road, the transmission on the Dodge Caravan of 324,000 miles stayed in high gear. I was concerned that with no cell connection if it quit, I was in big trouble, so running the road, I drove up to the end so I was already there lol and took to footing it. Being unplugged brings a slower pace, alters the run and creates a balance in our lives we need to live longer, be more productive and to make healthy choices. 

Here's your sign! Love the mileage limit sign! It was too funny because as a running I am very slow! My time is a little better than this sign, but still...I laughed to the point that I almost couldn't run. I couldn't drive this fast because the "horseshoe bends" were too close together on the road. I was pleased that the length of the run here was six-miles when put with the adjoining roads. Being unplugged got me out of my comfort zone and the courage to try something new.

Self-discovery is something significant that happened this week. I sent in my business plan to a mentor I had talked with a couple of months ago. Then I evaluated areas I needed to say "no" to and that was confirmed once I arrived home. Amazing how God works in you allowing things to menifest the seeds He has already planted, just a shame sometimes they have to be "Peter" or "Mark" kind a moments for us, thankfully there is grace and forgiveness. Regardless, being unplugged helps us mature, grow and in that we learn where we can be of service for Him, others and ourselves.

However, one thing I noticed is how the guilt and related emotions can take a hold on us when we take time for ourselves. Taking captive our thoughts is vital in everything we do. If we are thinking something negative or that is wrong, it is our responsibility to take the thought captive and be obedient in doing so to the Word of God, claiming the power we were endowed with when we became children of the High Most King. Being obedient to God blesses Him which blesses us. Learning to take captive those thoughts helped me be a better mom, daughter, employee and student of the Word this week. I think I turned out to be a better friend to the friend who owns the lake house too. She certainly will never know who much she has blessed my life and my world. I am grateful. Being unplugged creates rest and renewal, hope in things bigger than ourselves. 

Now, I issue a challenge...take on the armor of God, take captive your thoughts, go unplugged...Breath in your nose out your mouth counting to five in and out. Do this seven times. Counting relieves anxiety and stress as well. Count from one-hundred backwards helps tremendously too. See for yourself how blessed your life will be for being unplugged. 

Hugs and happy trials to you...
Rita

The Comfort we find in Foods...like eggs...

#KitchenWithAHouseAttached

Comfort foods can be created by lists, googled or defined by thousands of thesis papers, research queries, or statistic results, but the truth of comfort foods is this: they are individual. A comfort food is individualized. I may say mine is chocolate, but it is a specific, detailed flavor hard core chocolate regardless if it has readily available, calorie content, or good for me. Another person it may be a chip, pasta dinner or a beverage. Eggs is a common comfort food, but think of the many ways they are made. I love eggs regardless how they are made. I do have a funny story about how I found out I liked them raw...Yup, no idea...

I was at the gym one day, a regular and I were talking about how I was having a smoothie ever so often for the protein. I had found a gluten-free protein mix and was giving it a try. He said, "Have you tried a raw egg in your smoothie?" I replied that I hadn't. He then said, "Well, you get more protein from the egg than then the powder and it is all natural." That got my attention. So, I skipped the protein powder and added the egg. I was amazed by the creaminess the egg added and how much better it actually tasted. So, the following week, I saw him and told him about my experience to which he said, "Oh that's great! I will have to give it a try." WHAT? He had never had a raw egg. That was so funny! I don't have smoothies often, but when I do, I add an egg, but I also add greens, it is a great way to get them.

Now, back to comfort foods. What happens when we experience comfort foods, isn't when we go workout or exercise to have them, sometimes we do, but not normally. We go for comfort food when we have had a dramatic experience or when we are trying to make a decision that isn't easy. Too often we hold these situations in, a hurt or something we don't want to talk to someone about, then we head to the thing that will give us comfort. However, the result of indulging in one wrong is that we feel guilty and head to yet another wrong.  For example, if we head to a sweet snack and eat the whole package, then after we feel guilty because we gained two-pounds and have set depression in full mode. It happens with mind altering choices, we wake up with decisions unknown or made that later we regret in some form. Finding support and accountability is the only healing that can come from these.

I have had an awakening over the past year on my walk to healing, food can't be your comfort! The gift of choice is that we can go for a walk, find a new creative outlet, write a blog lol, teach someone a second language or learn one ourselves, learn to cook or go to the gym. Write a comforting note of encouragement to someone in which will also help you. There has to be another way than to reward ourselves with food or to seek ill comfort in food as well. Finding that one thing that will create healing for you, will work time and time again, just have a plan for each time a craving or desire comes to run to the kitchen for food to comfort. This is the first step in making choosing a new direction that will help you and those around you.

Egg. Hundreds of ways to enjoy this fabulous protein. I would be vegan if it weren't for eggs. I love them with dill, rosemary and black pepper, all three fresh as possible. However, I want to save them for the most important meal in the day, my breakfast, and find something more durable than walking on egg shells of guilt later when I eat things I have no business eating! 

So, first, have a plan for when those cravings set in during a tough decision or crises. Second, have snacks pre-made when nothing will do but eat. Third, go do something active to bring oxygen to the brain and move away from the kitchen. Three things that are simple and easy to create a safer place away from comforting ourselves with food. 

Hugs, Rita

Exercise! What is stopping you?

Exercise is something I would rather have defined as putting the fork to my mouth, walking around the grocery store because I had to do it each week, going from my vehicle to the local coffee shop, but certainly not going to the gym or to the track and field to run! Me? Not ten-years-ago! Y'all, I weighed 450 pounds, I wasn't going to do any kind of exercise and the one time I tried, I felt so out of place, remembering thinking I was having an allergic reaction to something that my face was red as the Alabama football team's legendary crimson colors. Then I had a wake up call and started my journey of living healthy. Getting active was the next step to eating healthy.

 Running was the first choice that presented itself as an activity to get moving. I thought I was dying! With time and telling myself, I could do it, I progressed over the years from running a 5k to finishing two marathons. I am slowly working toward my first triathlon as I build my experience with the bike and swimming. This is my next goal.

 After running and reaching the initial race goals, I wanted to join a gym. Finding out that one locally was hiring, I could get paid to be there and go for free, I applied. I started at the bottom, learned all there was to know about how to use the equipment to management and today, I focus on leading fitness classes. When I joined the gym, I was a complete greenhorn, y'all. I didn't know anything about the equipment or how to use it. However, I became passionate about being there and working out. The people were there for a common goal and non-judgmental. I wasn't pretty doing classes, but nobody cared. The experience was the next step for me.

Two-years into my gym experience, I headed for training to lead the Silver Sneakers program. There I ran my first marathon, thus, reaching yet two more goals I had on my list. Today, I teach Silver Sneakers Classic and Yoga five days a week, two of which have multiple classes at one location. Tuesday nights, I volunteer, leading Special Olympic fitness.

My future in running, cycling and swimming is pure enjoyment and doing so because I love the race of my heart beat, the feel of my feet and arms moving, but the gym is something that is a bit different. Exercise creates that rise in heart rate and oxygen to the brain that the other elements of my activities do, but there is a mindset within the gym created by a group of people reaching different goals all to reach one. Fitness of body. Through fitness of body, we make our minds, souls and bodies together fit, then we meet other like minded people doing the same. Together we cultivate a community of believers that fitness not only makes us healthier, but builds relationships.

I love that through leading fitness classes, I am cultivating community, building relationships to live healthy each and every day physically, emotionally, spiritually and doing so together. What about where you are? What do you do for fitness in your area? Fitness classes? Walking? Running? Fork to Mouth lol? Y'all inspire me...

Hugs, Rita

** Coming Soon! Salads....

Can't wait to share the new series!!!