Hiker's Sandwich

Last Monday was President's Day and since Ken had the day off from school, we went hiking. The two of us grew up hiking a lot, in our respective states, and share a fondness for hearty sustenance while on the trail. Naturally, it was my goal Monday morning to prepare us a good lunch that was easy to transport, didn't need to be refrigerated (for at least a few hours) and tasted, well, substantial. I know from experience, when you're really hungry most anything tastes good, but I have a feeling that this sandwich is tasty by its own merit.  I hope you will agree. My recipe includes roasted eggplant, aged Gruyere and vine ripened tomatoes, to name a few ingredients. I encourage you to try this combination on your next hike outdoors, or hike to the office.

Hiker's Sandwich: Roasted Eggplant, Gruyere and Vine-Ripened Tomatoes

makes 4 medium sandwiches

Ingredients:

1/3 lb. eggplant, cut into 1/4" slices

2 tbsp. olive oil

Spice blend (2 tbsp. oil, 1/4 tsp. basil, 1/4 tsp. oregano, 1/4 tsp. ground red pepper flakes, 1/4 tsp. chopped rosemary, 1/4 tsp. pepper)

Sourdough or Multigrain bread, lightly toasted

Aged Gruyere slices

Red onion, thinly sliced

Fresh Spinach

Vine Ripened Tomato, sliced 

Ripe Avocado, sliced

Pepper, to taste

Low-fat mayonnaise, optional

Over medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil and cook eggplant, turning when browned, for 8-10 minutes or until tender. Add spice blend to eggplant and turn to coat. Then remove from heat. Compile sandwich with bread slices, eggplant, cheese, onion, spinach, tomato, avocado, pepper and low-fat mayonnaise. Wrap tightly in parchment paper and tape or aluminum foil until ready to eat. Enjoy!

Here are some photos our comfortable trail hike along Lake Washington. Ken spotted a raccoon right as we entered the park and I was able to snap this photo by leaping out of the car and pursuing this bandit-like creature on foot.

Ken is in front of one of the park's oldest trees, named "Old Growth #40".

The forest was so peaceful. 

We took a break during our hike to enjoy these delicious sandwiches. What a stunning view!

An Organic Dilemma

I can see dusk approaching through our balcony windows, as I sit at Ken's desk contentedly finishing the last few bites of my organic pink lady apple. This pretty, pale rose-colored fruit lives up to its variety and I can't help but feel good about eating organic. Washing it beforehand came as an afterthought to me, since I've started assuming that anything organic doesn't really need to be scrubbed or washed, like the fruits and vegetables I used to stock up on at our local grocery store. It's funny isn't it, how subtly perspectives can shift if they go unchallenged...

I'd have to say that attending college in southern California opened my eyes to the wealth of organic, free-range, hormone-free products available at most stores. While the American culture is saturated with unhealthy images and products, it is also quite obsessed with health regimens. In watching multiple food documentaries over the years focusing on the topic of eating well, eating right and/or consuming certified-organic foods vs. not, I keep feeling like something is missing. And somehow, deep down, a couple weeks ago I started grappling with the issue of choosing organic and whether or not it is a sustainable endeavor, no matter how "conscientious" a pursuit it is.

For example, about a month and a half ago, Ken and I become members of an organic produce delivery service--a type of co-operative between farmers and consumers. Instead of buying non-organic produce mainly from Safeway or QFC, which I would do on a bi-weekly basis, we opted for a weekly subscription to organic fruit and vegetable delivery. We were generously blessed with a gift certificate to this particular co-op and after using up those funds, we decided to stick with the service. Honestly, I have really enjoyed our weekly deliveries. It's like Christmas all over again, as we pick up our box full of goodies from a nearby school each week. I love opening up packages just as much as Ken; it's like we're little kids receiving presents from a mysterious benefactor. The only catch is that we're paying for these "presents" and well, they don't really seem worth it all the time. I guess I'm just seeing how the two of us, Ken and me, are not at a place in life where we can afford to eat mostly (or all) organic produce. It's just too expensive for us. In comparing our produce delivery service to buying organic produce at our local grocery store, I'd have to say that it's a teensy bit cheaper for me to do the shopping myself. This isn't to say buying direct from farmers doesn't affect the product value--it really does, and I love that part. But, at the end of the day, or in our case, the end of the week or month in which our budget falls, we just can't consume as many fruits and vegetables as I would like if we are relying on a weekly delivery. I would rather make sure that our stomachs are full each week, with a satisfying array of both organic and non-organic apples, bananas, leeks, chard, spinach, carrots--you name it. I can choose to buy us a large supply of organic apples from the store when they're on sale and when they're not, I just have to make that decision based on our financial limitations. It's a "pick-and-choose" battle, but I think it's worth it. I've decided after much thought that I would rather have a bunch of fresh produce in our fridge each week (or even just enough for us to eat and be satisfied with) than to meticulously ration out my fruit and vegetable intake based on the allotted delivery each week that we can afford. 

All this to say, I wish that organic produce was available to the masses. I desire for more people in our city and country (and world) to have access to such good food. But right now, that's not a reality--for me and for many of my friends who can't financially support this kind of lifestyle. I would rather save some of our money to help others and to buy a house someday, for our future, and perhaps for a future where we can eat more organic produce. I know that ultimately, my health is in God's hands and I truly believe that my state of well-being or health is not contingent on whether I eat an organic diet. On that note, off I go to heat up a simple vegetable soup for our dinner meal. I'm leaning more toward simplicity as a way of life, than "organic."

Happy Valentine's Day!

To all my readers out there, Happy Valentine's Day! I found an article that explored possible origins of today's "holiday" and found it quite interesting. Check it out if you have time: http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day.

In honor of Valentine's Day, I had a blast creating some homemade Valentines for friends, along with baking my mother-in-law's famous recipe for Monster Cookies. Do-it-yourself (DIY) paper goods are always much more laborious and time-intensive than they should be but I'm usually impressed with the outcome. Some pink and red medium-weight card stock sure goes a long way if you have a pair of scissors, some pretty ribbon, scraps of doilies and glue. It also doesn't hurt if you are gifted in calligraphy for the lettering and signing of the completed cards. I thought this very thing, in fact, as I meticulously practiced by-hand various calligraphy fonts I found online. Yes, calligraphy is an art that takes time to master. To anyone who receives one of my handcrafted calligraphy cards, I hope you will give me some extra grace!

Besides creating cards and cookies, I had the privilege of being escorted to my favorite seafood restaurant by my loving husband last night. We wined and dined (minus the wine because it was too pricey) on crab cakes with garlic mashed potatoes and good ol' fashioned fish 'n' chips featuring fresh halibut. The backdrop to our meal was nothing short of impressive, since Elliot's Oyster House is right on Puget Sound. Thanks Ken for sharing a really nice evening with me!

And to my friends and family, whatever you do today, I hope you feel loved and encouraged. May the words of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 spur you on in sharing Christ's love with others: 

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails..."

Pizza Party!

Ken and I hosted "Game Night" at our apartment last night. The event bordered on ridiculous, as we had a group of about 12 playing rounds of "Balderdash," "Taboo" and "Apples to Apples." Did I mention that our friends and neighbors who came out to the party are fairly sarcastic comedians? It was a hilarious and entertaining evening, filled with good food and great conversation. Since we were in charge of the main dish, I decided on pizza. I'd never made pizza dough from scratch (Ken did a few times) and came across an article on make-at-home artisan pizzas in this month's issue of "Better Homes & Gardens". Our homemade pizza turned out to be a success and we enjoyed flavor combinations of marinated artichokes, sun dried tomatoes, onions, stuffed chicken sausage, barbecued chicken, mushrooms, feta and mozzarella with sauces ranging from "white" oil-based to spicy basil tomato. I used two crust recipes, one an all-purpose dough and the other, a honey whole wheat dough. I'd like to include the recipes for these pizzas and some photos of our delicious pizza pies. I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we did! (Scroll down for full recipes.)

++ Dough ++

Multigrain Pizza Dough with Honey

by Peter Reinhart, in "Better Homes and Gardens" (Feb. '12)

Ingredients:

4 cups unbleached bread flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

¼ cup rye flour (or cornmeal or additional whole wheat flour

1 ½ tablespoons honey

1 ½ teaspoons table salt (or 2 1/2 tsp. coarse kosher salt

1 ½ teaspoons instant yeast (also labeled bread-machine or fast-rising yeast)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups water, at room temperature

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with dough hook(s) or in a large bowl using a large spoon, combine all ingredients. Mix on low or by hand about 3 minutes, until ingredients are combined and all the flour is moistened. Dough will be soft and gluten will not yet be fully developed at this point.

2. If using an electric mixer, increase to medium; mix 2 minutes longer. If working by hand, continue mixing with spoon; or turn dough out onto a counter and knead. Mix long enough to form a smooth, supple dough, about 3 minutes. If dough seems very stiff, incorporate more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as you mix. If dough is wet and sticky, sprinkle in more flour as you mix. Dough should be tacky but not sticky.

3. Lightly coat an 8-quart bowl with cooking spray or oil. Form dough in a smooth ball and place in bowl, turning once to coat surface with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, without letting wrap touch surface of dough. Let dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate dough overnight or up to 3 days. (Dough will continue to rise in bowl until nearly doubled, then will go dormant from the cold.)

4. Two hours before assembling the pizzas, remove chilled dough from refrigerator. Mist a baking sheet with cooking spray or lightly rub with olive oil. Cut dough in four portions. Form each portion in a smooth round ball.

5. Place each ball of dough on prepared baking sheet. Lightly mist with cooking spray, then lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let dough stand to come to room temperature. Yield: 4 balls of pizza dough.

Tip: Dough balls may be placed in freezer bags that have been lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray. Seal, label and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator before using.

All-Purpose Pizza Dough

by Peter Reinhart, in "Better Homes and Gardens" (Feb. '12)

Ingredients:

5 cups unbleached bread flour

1 tablespoon sugar or honey

1 ½ teaspoons salt or 2 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 teaspoon fast-rising active dry yeast

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 ¾ cups plus 1 Tbsp. water, at room temperature

Olive oil or nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with dough hook(s) or in a large bowl using a large spoon, combine all ingredients except cooking spray. Mix on low or by hand about 3 minutes, until ingredients are combined and all the flour is moistened. Dough will be soft and the gluten will not yet be fully developed at this point.

2. If using an electric mixer, increase speed to medium; mix 2 minutes longer. If working by hand, continue mixing with the spoon; or turn dough out onto a counter and knead. Mix long enough to form a smooth, supple dough, about 3 minutes. If dough seems very stiff, incorporate more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, as you mix. If dough is wet and sticky, sprinkle in more flour as you mix. Dough should be tacky but not sticky.

3. Lightly coat an 8-quart bowl with cooking spray or oil. Form dough in a smooth ball and place in bowl, turning once to coat surface with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap, without letting wrap touch surface of dough. Let dough stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Then refrigerate dough overnight or up to 3 days. (Dough will continue to rise in bowl until nearly doubled, then will go dormant from the cold.)

4. Two hours before assembling the pizzas, remove chilled dough from refrigerator. Mist a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or lightly rub with olive oil. Cut dough in four portions. Form each portion in a smooth round ball.*

5. Place each ball of dough on prepared baking sheet. Lightly mist with cooking spray, then lightly cover with plastic wrap. Let dough stand to come to room temperature.

++ Sauces ++

All-Purpose Pizza Sauce

by Peter Reinhart, in "Better Homes and Gardens" (Feb. '12)

Ingredients:

1 28 ounce crushed tomatoes

1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

½ teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder

½ teaspoon dried basil

¼ teaspoon dried oregano

¼ teaspoon dried thyme

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼  - ½ teaspoon salt

¼  - ½ cup water

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients except the salt and water. Taste sauce and whisk in 1/4 cup water and enough salt to taste. If necessary, add more water to thin. Peter Reinhart says, "If the sauce is thick at this stage, it will be pasty on the pizza. It should easily spread over the dough.") Taste again and adjust the salt, if needed. Yield: 3 cups sauce.

2. For an 8- to 10-inch pizza, use 1/4 cup of the sauce. For bolder flavor, add the variations to the basic sauce.

Variation Spicy Puttanesca Sauce: Add 1/2 cup chopped pitted kalamata or ripe olives, 1 tablespoons capers and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper.

Variation Tomato Basil-Pesto Sauce:Whisk in 1/2 cup Pesto alla Genovese (see recipe below) into the pasta sauce. Taste and add more if desired.

Variation Garlic-Robusto Sauce: Add 2 to 3 tablespoon of garlic oil (see Caramelized garlic recipe) and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper. 

Pesto alla Genovese

by Peter Reinhart, in "Better Homes and Gardens" (Feb. '12)

Ingredients:

1 cup extra virgin olive oil

8 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves*

1 cup finely shredded Parmesan, Romano, or Asiago cheese

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup pine nuts or chopped walnuts, toasted

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. In a medium skillet, heat 1/4 cup of the oil; add garlic. Cook and stir for 10 seconds; remove pan from heat. Immediately add to remaining oil.

2. In a food processor combine the oil, basil, cheese, lemon juice, and half of the nuts; cover and process 20 seconds or until mixture resembles a thick green sauce (If the contents are very thick and pasty, drizzle in additional olive oil and process for a few more seconds. If too thin, add more shredded cheese.)

3. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl and stir in the remaining nuts. Add pepper to taste, if desired. 

4. Place a sheet of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pesto and refrigerate (the plastic wrap will help keep the pesto a bright green). Chill for up to 5 days; for longer storage, transfer to freezer container. Seal, label and freeze up to 3 months. Yield: 2 cups

++ Complete Pizza Recipe ++

Peters Pizza Margherita

by Peter Reinhart, in "Better Homes and Gardens" (Feb. '12)

Ingredients:

1 recipe All-Purpose Dough or Multigrain Pizza Dough with Honey (see Recipe Index)

1 cup All-Purpose Pizza Sauce (see Recipe Index)

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh basil leaves

Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Prepare pizza dough as directed in recipe. About 2 hours before baking, remove chilled dough from rfrigerator. Let stand at room temperature to proof.

2. About 45 minutes before assembling pizzas, arrange an oven rack one-third from bottom of oven. Place a pizza stone or invert a heavy baking sheet o the rack. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Prepare pizza peel or baking sheet as directed in dough recipe.

3. Stretch dough in four 8- to 10-inch rounds. One at a time, place each round on pizza peel or rimless baking sheet dusted with flour. (Each pizza will be baked separately.) Top each round with 1/4 cup All-Purpose Pizza Sauce, 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, 1 Tbsp. Parmesan cheese, and several basil leaves brushed with olive oil. Use the peel or baking sheet to slide pizza onto pizza stone or inverted baking sheet in oven.

4. Bake each pizza for 5 to 7 minutes, until toppings are bubbly, cheese is turning golden, and edges of pizza are golden brown. Midway through baking, rotate pizzas a half turn for even baking. Let each pizza stand for 5 minutes before slicing. Makes 4 pizzas.

Feel free to do variations on this pizza. I tried different sauces with veggies and cheeses and every pizza turned out fantastic!

Leek, Apple & Chicken Sausage Hand Pies!

I'd like to start this blog by mentioning that Ken likes pot pie, a lot. I first realized this toward the end of last year when we went out for a double date with some friends from our newlywed small group. The restaurant we visited featured individual pot pies and since I'm not as daring with "new" foods as Ken is, I ordered fish and chips. Big Mistake. His lamb curry pot pie was incredible. While digging into his deep dish crust in search of more curry, I thought to myself, "How do you make this? It seems so simple." And that's the extent of my thought at the time. I didn't venture into the unknown territory of pot-pie-making until yesterday.

But there are just a couple more details that lead me to the recipe I'll soon include. First of all, I wanted something portable so that Ken could take it to school or I could have it when I'm on the go. That made individual pot pies seem a little less appealing and much messier. And then I came across a hand pie recipe--think "Hot Pockets", online. I was intrigued by the photos of these personal pot pies, fully wrapped in their own dough. So naturally, with the ingredients currently in our fridge on my mind, I searched for more hand pie recipes. Since the exact recipe I wanted doesn't currently exist (or didn't until I made it), I partly based my hand pies off Martha Stewart's Kale & Sausage Hand Pie recipe and then used my own ingredients (whole wheat flour--plus a little more of it, leek instead of kale, the addition of some feta cheese, and chicken sausage instead of pork...) Oh, and I nixed the pepper.

I hope you enjoy these convenient meals/snacks on the go!

My Leek, Apple & Chicken Sausage Hand Pie Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 cup ice water
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 chicken sausage links
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 green apple, cored and diced (I keep the skin on)
• 1 large leek, leaves and stem coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c. feta cheese

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse flour, butter, and salt until mixture resembles coarse meal. With machine running, sprinkle with 1/2 cup ice water; pulse just until dough holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add a little more water, 1 tablespoon at a time); try not to over mix. Form dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate 30 minutes (or up to overnight).

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Cook onions until translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Then set aside. While pan is hot, add a little more oil and cook the chopped leek until it is tender, about 8-10 minutes. Set aside. Then cook sausage for a few minutes before adding apple to the pan. Cook sausage until it is done and apple is tender. Remove from heat; combine sausage, apple, leek and onion in large bowl.

3. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to an 1/8-inch thickness. With a large round cookie cutter or small bowl, cut out eight 6- to 7-inch rounds (reroll scraps if necessary). Place 1-2 tablespoons of feta along with 1/2 cup leek mixture in center of each round. Fold over to make a half moon shape. Press edges with a fork to seal and then place pies on baking sheets. 

4. Cut a small vent in each pie and bake until golden brown and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Let cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm or freeze for easy meal on the go!

A Pancake Type of Morning

I made these pancakes this morning for the first time and both Ken and I agreed that these are the best pancakes we’ve ever tasted. The only variations I made were instead of ½ c. all-purpose flour, I used ½ c. whole wheat flour (to make it heartier) and my fruit of choice for inside of the pancakes was a combination of frozen wild Alaskan blueberries and cranberries.

I'll include some of my photos. *Please make note that the oatmeal must soak overnight, so prepare for these tasty pancakes one day ahead. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

OATMEAL BLUEBERRY PANCAKES
Adapted from a recipe found on “Orangette” and posted on fullcircle.com/goodfoodlife

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups buttermilk, real or faux* (see note)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 T granulated sugar
1 T brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. table salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 T unsalted butter, browned and cooled slightly
6 ounces blueberries, fresh or frozen (unthawed)
Oil for greasing the pan
Maple syrup, for serving

Other variations:
Banana slices + freshly grated nutmeg
Raisins + dash of cinnamon
Pieces of cooked apple + cinnamon
Fresh or frozen (unthawed) raspberries or blackberries

*I use this as a stand in for buttermilk all the time and it works great. Put 2 T white or cider vinegar, or 2 T lemon juice in a 2-cup glass measuring cup, add enough milk (whole or 2% work best) to make 2 cups and ¼ tsp salt. Stir to combine and let sit 5 minutes.

The night before: Combine the oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Stir to mix. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

Take the bowl of buttermilk and oats out of the fridge. Set aside. In a shallow pan over medium-low heat, brown the butter. Remove from heat and pour into shallow bowl to speed cooling. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Add the eggs and browned butter to the oat mixture, and stir well. Add the flour mixture, and stir to blend. The batter will be very thick.

Warm a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, and brush lightly with oil. To make sure it’s hot enough, wet your fingers under the tap and sprinkle a few droplets of water onto the pan. If they sizzle, it’s ready. Scoop the batter, about ¼ cup at a time, onto the pan, taking care not to crowd them, and carefully arrange a few berries or other add-in as desired, gently pushing the fruit down so it not poking out too far when you flip the pancakes. When the underside is nicely browned and the top looks set around the edges, flip the pancakes. Cook until the second side has browned.

Re-grease the skillet, and repeat with more batter. If you find that the pancakes are browning too quickly, reduce heat.

Serve hot, with maple syrup.
Yield: About 15, 4-inch pancakes

                                     

My Quiet Thoughts

"Good Morning, Sunshine!" Those are the words that came to mind, as I awoke comfortably at 6 a.m. this morning. Although it was still quite dark outside, I felt refreshed from a good night's sleep and was able to focus on my morning reading. The ladies in my women's accountability group and I are reading through Romans this week. Since I finished Romans yesterday (I listened to the complete online audio version during my 5-mile run), I ventured into the book of Daniel. Daniel's life fascinates me. His visions are sobering, to say the least. Every time I open my Bible, I seem to glance over Daniel chapters 1-2. These chapters must be smack-dab in the middle of the Bible because it always wants to part there. My eyes are typically drawn to Daniel 1:8 & 17 and this morning was no exception. I'm impressed by how Daniel stands on his convictions throughout his life. One of the first instances where I see this played out is in him abstaining from "the royal food and wine" offered to him. To Daniel, eating the rich fare that came from the king's table was a form of defilement. So he respectfully requested an alternative. The story goes on to say that Daniel ate a diet consisting of vegetables and water instead. Interestingly enough, he "looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food." (vs. 15) This then leads me to wonder about vs. 17: "To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds." When I read this, I can't help but wonder if part of God's gift of wisdom is given to Daniel and his friends because they practiced discipline and stood on their convictions? Don't get me wrong, I believe that God doesn't just give people blessings or gifts because they "are" good or "do" good. We are all unworthy of Christ's grace and goodness but I still am intrigued by how this story suggests that obedience is honoring to God. Obedience to one's convictions, even involving food. And how perhaps there is blessing in that.

Lately, I have noticed a subtle change taking place in my life. About a month ago, Ken and I decided to start waking up at a set time each morning (weekends excluded)--at about 6 a.m. to spend time reading through God's Word and praying. We do this individual quiet time for 30-40 minutes and then eat together. Over breakfast we'll share what God's been speaking to us or what we heard in our reading. I've been really encouraged by this decision to focus our days on Christ from the get-go.

But this discipline did start with a little bit of hesitancy on my part. Prior to the new year, I had enjoyed getting up whenever my body finally made it out of bed. That was usually around 7:30 a.m. or even 8 a.m. Yet, both Ken and I felt God encouraging us toward greater discipline in this area. So we stood on this conviction. And now, I can see how God is blessing us with a much deeper understanding of His word and His character. I am so thankful! In a similar sense, God has also been using the discipline of this experience to flow into other areas of my life. I'm more committed to balance in my life, to exercising regularly and to making healthier choices in my diet. I'm praising God that for the first time in my life, I was able to run five miles straight without giving up yesterday. That's huge for me! Although I try to run on a semi-regular basis, I usually hit a mental "wall" after a couple miles. I start thinking about how I am "out of shape" or "unskilled at running". (Honestly, what skill is needed besides two feet and some discipline?) This destructive mental track usually causes me to quit before I've reached my goal. But I can see things shifting in my life. I am noticing how discipline and perseverance in the small things is building up to bigger things. Each time I immerse myself in God's Word, I am that much more prepared to take on the struggles of the day. I am also better equipped and more motivated in reaching and setting personal goals, in running and in taking care of myself.

As I finish this entry, a beautiful sunrise is occurring right outside our kitchen window. The warmth and brightness of the pink and red dappled sky reminds me that my hope is moving to where it should be, firmly rooted in Christ's redemptive work in my life.