30 Day Paleo Challenge - Day 22

I do have other things going on in my life besides paleo and crossfit and paleo and crossfit and repeat.  

Right now I'm also doing a long-distance bible study with my dear friend Sarah W, who lives all the way out in Oklahoma. Sigh. I miss her.

We've done a previous long-distance bible study together, and it worked out pretty well. It helps us stay in touch and connected, and despite the miles, these bible studies just serve to deepen our friendship. About a month ago we decided to read through the book Wonderstruck by Margaret Feinberg, and made up our own study guide for each chapter.

I've been struck with a concept over the past few days that I want to share: 

Sometimes (ok, a lot of times) I get caught up in "why me?" moments. You know the ones - you're having a perfectly awesome pity-party, feeling sorry for yourself...or you're even down on your knees, sobbing, wondering why your world is crumbling down around you. Why me? Whhhhhyyyyyy meeeeeee????

I'm a good whiner. Just ask my mother.

And my husband. 

And pretty much anyone else in my life. 

But I read something the other night that blew me away. 

I had been so focused on the areas of pain, the problems that seemed to have no end, that I was missing out on the nearness of God in those moments. In becoming preoccupied with the why, I was missing the who.

God chooses to appear in the midst of a storm as a storm, reminding us that none of life's downpours happen apart from God's power or permission. It's during those moments that the enormity of God is revealed. 

Even when I lose my footing, God never stumbles. In life's storms that catch me unaware, God remains all knowing.

In that which took my breath away, God whispered, keep breathing. 

That's pretty cool.

Know what else is pretty cool? Trying new recipes. 

I made the beef stroganoff I linked to in yesterday's post, and it turned out amazing. I forgot to get tomato paste at the store, so I dumped in a can of stewed tomatoes instead. I think it actually turned out better that way! I love the combination of onions and tomatoes and beef and mushrooms. 

I also love spaghetti squash. Have you ever made it? I do mine in the microwave because ain't nobody got time to roast that stuff in the oven. 

Sorry, Suzie Spaghetti Squash. 

After you nuke her for a good 8-10 minutes (be sure to stab her all over with a fork first, unless you want her to retalliate by exploding all over your appliances), let her cool on the counter. 

Then slice her open and scoop out her guts. 

Gently scrape out the insides with a fork, which makes the squash look like spaghetti. 

Hence, spaghetti squash. 

Which is delicious paired with the beef stroganoff.

Which made enough for dinner for the next 16 years. 

Matt made grilled cheese, in case you were wondering. 

Today: 

WOD: Vacuuming the couches, steam cleaning and sanitizing the couches, fabreezing the couches...then covering them with our new dog-proof couch covers. We'll see how long this lasts. 

Breakfast: Coffee and a banana muffin on the way out the door for church, because we didn't agree with our 6am alarm going off. Or the 6:30 alarm going off. 

Lunch: Leftover beef stroganoff with spaghetti squash

Snack: Apple and almond butter, of course!

Dinner: Roast is in the crockpot! Actually, this will technically be considered "Beef and Onions," because I also forgot carrots at the store and don't really like them anyway. I love roast solely for the onions.

I may or may not have gotten four of them sliced and shoved in there with the roast. My hands may or may not have also reeked of onions during church. 

Jesus still loves me. 

Today I love: My new sandals I bought for our trip! Strappy.