What legacy do you want people to share about you 100 years from now? Ask God to help you walk in that direction today.
Foodie Friday: Refreshing adult beverages
Going low-carb has opened my eyes to the sugar content in everything that I eat … and drink. I used to love Dr Pepper with a shot of vanilla from Sonic, until I learned that Dr Pepper has 27 grams of sugar per cup (and I drank at least 32 oz in each sitting). My other favorite summertime beverage used to be sweet tea. Taking a local favorite as an example, McAlister’s Deli’s sweet tea, I found multiple estimates ranging from 60-77g sugar (!!) per drink. That’s more carbs than I now eat in TWO DAYS.
Those two all-around favorites aside, what about refreshing adult beverages? Needless to say, margaritas are chock-full of sugar … oddly enough, not because of the tequila! It’s all in the mixer. Grain liquors such as tequila, rum, vodka and bourbon/whiskey actually have negligible carbs! I can’t explain how it happens, but somewhere along the distillation process, the carbs go bye-bye! There are also some great tasting, low-cal mixers out there, such as Baja Bob’s sugar-free margarita mix.
Regular beer is also out the wazoo with carbs. When you consider that even the lightest beer on the market (last time I checked, it was Michelob Ultra and/or Miller Lite) still has 2.5-3 g carbs per serving, mixed drinks are actually a better option for low-carbers. Besides, who wouldn’t rather have a rum & diet instead of a watery light beer? 😉
Prayer prompt for Friday, June 24
Cain wasn’t a good role model, but his bloodline became legacy-builders. Are you holding onto grudges from the past? Let God redeem it.
The Game of Life
My brother and I used to play Life – the board game. Toward the end of the game when it came time to assess taxes, we had a made-up rule that would allow you to “adopt” one child for every $1,000 in taxes owed. We often had a caravan of cars with our extended families trailing behind by the time we crossed the finish line.
Alas, there aren’t always substitutions available in “real” life. Sometimes, we’re the players. Sometimes, we’re the pawns.
What about when a disgruntled church member starts a rumor to disparage the pastor’s reputation? Check.
What about when insecure co-workers posture themselves in such a way as to deflect negative attention from their own performance and shine it on others? Checkmate.
Being a pawn is difficult; the pawn doesn’t have much in the way of strategy. They only try to stay alive.
Prayer prompt for Thursday, June 23
Pray for our sons today to become devoted followers of Christ who respect women and build legacies for generations to follow.
Writing Wednesday: A Clash of Kings
I am getting a bit spoiled to the less-hectic pace of the summer semester. Even though I’m taking two classes, the reading load is much less than a normal semester. That said, I’ve given myself some leeway to begin the second book in the Game of Thrones series, A Clash of Kings.
Continuing to build upon the strong character development in the first installment, this book begs to be read until my eyes begin to cross from fatigue. My two favorite characters are still Ayra Stark and Jon Snow, though I’ve taken a liking to the young blacksmith nicknamed “the Bull” and can’t wait to see what transpires as he discovers his true identity. I have a couple of theories, but I will reserve them for later, because I don’t want to give any spoilers.
As for that book review due next month … yeah, I should probably start working on it soon. 😉
Prayer prompt for Wednesday, June 22
Pray for our daughters today, that they would grow to know a loving heavenly Father and find peace in his unconditional acceptance alone.
Don’t waste the water!
How many times a week do I catch myself saying those words to the boys? Someone is playing in the sink instead of brushing teeth or letting the bathtub fill up too much: “Don’t waste the water!” Well, guess who forgot to turn off the soaker hose last night? Yep, that would be me. I suppose it is also the 11yo’s fault, since it was his job to turn on the hose, but I should have thought to turn it off … before 3am when I woke straight up in bed and remembered.
Of course, the garage door was loud as it opened, and dogs started barking. I looked at the garden again this morning and immediately thought of Viva Pinata when the watering meter turns to blue, indicating that you’ve overdone it. I hope that I didn’t turn our garden from drought to drowned! 😦
From now on, I will set a timer when we turn on the soaker hose!
Prayer prompt for Tuesday, June 21
Pray for the fatherless today. Ask the Lord to raise up godly male role models to support and encourage them.
Monday Musings
My dad lives in a rural county that was devastated by a wild fire yesterday. The latest report said 3,600 acres and 30 homes were lost. Praise God, he evacuated in time, but we’re still waiting on word about his house. As of last night, they still had the roads blocked off, so he couldn’t go check on it to see if it was even still standing.
Because my heart is heavy for him, today’s haiku is about fire:
Quick! Get out! Wild fire!
What is important to you?
Grab it and go, now!
On a related note, are you prepared for disaster? Whether it is a hurricane, drought, tornado, etc., do you have important papers locked up in a firebox? I encourage you to make a disaster plan today. Don’t put it off, because if the day comes to need one, there won’t be time to get it ready on the fly.
faith, sweat & tears 