Yum!

So I'm on this new kick of composing my food consumption of as much raw food as possible. Yes, this may seem really limiting, but it's also a good challenge to be creative! Since working for Dr. Standifer I have an increased interest in nutrition, and the more things I read and research, the more I am convinced that our bodies function best off of what the earth gives us: fruits, veggies and meat. Easy, right? Well, if you're not too hooked on the typical western norm of pre-packaged foods, dairy, wheat and sugars. It was actually harder than I thought it would be overall, but the health benefits are something I can't deny.

The whole point of this post was to share with you the yummy salad I made tonight, in hopes to encourage more nutritious eating.
Here it is:

Spinach, Raspberry & Walnut Salad
3 handfuls baby spinach, chopped or sliced
1/4 cup fresh washed raspberries
3 tbsp chopped raw walnuts
dash olive oil (cold pressed is best)

Drizzle a desired amount of olive oil over spinach leaves.
Top with raspberries and chopped walnuts.
Toss and enjoy!

This recipe happens to be rich with omega-3 fatty acids, which have gained much attention these days. Basically, our body needs both omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, but the average American diet is rich in omega-6 oils (canola oil, veggie oil, corn oil, etc.) with scarce amounts of omega-3's. Nutritionists agree that the human body needs about a 1:2 ratio of omega-3's : omega-6's, but with processed and refined foods being the bulk of our consumption, we (Americans) typically consume a 1:10 ratio.
So there you have it...add this salad to a main course of baked salmon or other cold-water fish for even more omega-3's.
I was going to take a picture of this deliciousness, but my battery had run out. Oh well. Next time. Until then...bon appetite!

525,600 Minutes

It's hard to believe that there are so many minutes in one year. Thank you, Rent.
How do you measure a year?

in daylights
What I do with daylight time has changed immensely over the year. I went from full-time nanny to chiropractic assistant and will soon change to teacher. I spend more daylight reading and exercising outside than I think I ever have (post-school).

in sunsets
No special sunsets to record here. :) Though I did spend many nights watching the sun set in Oxnard or Santa Monica alongside dear friends.

in midnights
The last midnight I saw was a couple of weeks ago during a high school ministry sleepover. Though my eyes were drooping and my body was begging for rest, I cherish those wee morning hours and moments of ministry. Fortunately, since graduating from college, I have not seen ver many midnights.

in cups of coffee
Ahh. Coffee is a comfort drink for me. I could not even begin to guess at how many good conversations I've had this past year over a cup or two of coffee. Or having coffee be the grand finale to a pleasant night with friends. Or just before a Perspectives class (on purpose). Can a year be measured in cups of coffee? Perhaps. [Side note: I have learned that caffeine dries out the mucus sacs on the vocal chords, causing stress to the chords. That's a bummer.]

in inches
My stacks of books read has grown in inches. And much to my dismay, so has my "to read in the future" stack. The more significant books read this year were: East of Eden by Steinbeck, a biography on Oswald Chambers and of course the Holy Bible.

in miles
I did not travel much this past year (comparatively so). The most miles I racked up were between home and home. Los Angeles to Sacramento and back again. I continue to live 350 miles from my family.

in laughter
What would we do without laughter?! Laughter is definitely a blessing of our most sovereign Lord. Though no funny moments come leaping to mind, laughter is definitely a good way to measure a year. I hope I laughed a lot this year.

in strife
Man, this year did hold a lot of strife. We can take strife two ways. One way is to grow bitter at the people and circumstances in the midst of your strife. Another way is to see it as an opportunity to draw that much nearer to the Lord. Most of the strife I endured had to do with jobs (mainly--ok ONLY--nannying) and with wanting to be on the mission field right now.

journeys to plan
When I think of journey, I think of a looooooong time. No sweet road trip with buddies or a couple weeks here or there. If you're on a journey, you're in it for the long haul. The good, the bad and the ugly. There is one journey in particular that I have been planning this past year, and the planning continues. In fact, these planning stages are a mere part of the journey. Knowing how to go about my convictions for wanting to be on the mission field full-time is QUITE the journey. Onward!

truths learned
Are you kidding? Let's start with the truths learned this week alone. What if we all kept a list of the truths we learn each day? Would our lists be long? I sure hope mine would be. I am constantly learning (and relearning) that truth is obtainable. There is such thing as 100% assurance, and that assurance comes from God. I think that a big truth I learned this year is how selfish I really am. It comes up in absolutely everything! Praise God that there is something out there bigger than me and my desires and agenda.

times cried
I admit that I'm a crier. Not often. But I do cry. In fact, I find crying a rather comforting habit. I cried when I broke my ankle and got a speeding ticket because I couldn't brake going down the hill. I cried when I made the decision to quit nannying, and I certainly cried the day I left that job. I cried when my parents left me yesterday morning. I cried at the movie The Boy in Striped Pajamas (as historically inaccurate as it may have been). I cried over high school students. I cried after visiting with the Hazen family during Christmas because it made me realize how much I miss NorCal. Now I'm making it sound like I cry all the time.

bridges burned
I certainly hope that there were no burned bridges in my life this year. I suppose that a year could be measured by the falling outs.

time [she] died
And, finally, I have known a few people to die this year. I was not exceptionally close to any of them, but death is the fine reminder of eternity. I will close with the following video that Becca sent to me. Click here to view the video of Rachel, a cancer victim, and her truthful words that "death is not dying."

I'm Not Worried...

I hung out with high school girls last night and this morning. Of course we talked about boys. And of course I was as vague as possible with my own personal romance life. (I've learned that this is the best way to go in such circumstances.)

As I was leaving this morning the girls kept saying "Don't worry Kate. If not so-and-so, then there's always so-and-so. And if not him, then 'you know who.' Don't worry; we'll find a husband for you."

All I could think was, "Great. If I wasn't worried before, I am definitely worried now that high school girls are planning my married life."

Gotta love 'em. :)

Onward

Sorry I haven't posted in a while, and this post is of little significance to many of you, but it's an update nonetheless!

I met my new teaching team today. Oh, did I mention that I got hired to be an Assistant Teacher at Legacy Christian Academy for the next school year? An act of God, for sure. I'm going to be an assistant teacher in one of the two fifth grade classes at the school. The teacher I'm replacing is pregnant and will be a new mommy come August. Miss Palato is my head teacher, and she's getting married this month (I think). I went to college with the other 5th grade assistant teacher (Mrs. Shenks) and met the other head 5th grade teacher (Mrs. Espinoza) this morning. I just so happened to be at the 5th grade end-of-the-year party.

I am really looking forward to working with this team; they are down-to-earth and lovely people. They have hearts for the gospel and seeing their students to well as unto the Lord. There will be some crazy parents to look forward to. I'm excited for this new job and how God might use us in the classroom! I'll post more as it comes. :)

this is the front of the school

Brilliant

I came up with a brilliant "would you rather"
while talking to my sister this afternoon:

Would you rather suffer as a Christian
or
live a life of leisure without knowing Christ?

Hanging with Harris

A while ago Jason recommended for me to read Dr. Harris' book The Cup and the Glory. Soon thereafter Tim made it a reality by giving me his extra copy. Gracias, both!

This morning I spent some quality time (3 1/2 hours, to be exact) reading through the book. I was deeply impacted not only by Dr. Harris' personal testimony of suffering as a Christian, but his encouragement and gentle reminder to have a biblical perspective for those who are walking their own Troaz Road.

Here are some of my thoughts of this morning's session of Hanging with Harris:
I have not personally experienced suffering in the slightest, and I in no way desire any discomfort in life. BUT to know the vast riches of true fellowship with Christ my Lord - how could I not long for and desire these things? I have come to the conclusion that I do not want to be merely satisfied with knowledge, even precise and accurate knowledge, of the triune God. I want to know Him intimately and personally. I mean, really intimately and really personally. Dr. Harris wrote,

"The glory of God is magnificent, and we should be glad when God grants us opportunity to see bits of it displayed, but it is incomplete. To know Him and the fellowship of His sufferings requires a stronger commitment, a deeper walk - but what riches await."

When I think of heroes of the faith and even more "modern-day" saints, I can associate their sufferings with them. Here are but a few I wrote down earlier:

• Job - suffered more earthly detestations than perhaps any of us will ever experience yet never denounced the goodness of God
  
• Jeremiah - suffering took such a physical toll on him that he earned a title as the "weeping prophet" and continued to obey God
  
• Martin Luther - not only suffered physical extremities; he was even labeled as the original heretic, but his faith and diligent work exposed millions to the gospel message
  
• Elisabeth Elliot - suffered the death of her first husband, a martyr in the midst of ministry, and chose to push on with perseverance the work that he & teammates had started

I find myself not envious of these circumstances until I consider how deeply they communed with the living Lord. I believe that as Christians we are called into suffering. Because God is not a "blanket statement" God or a "one-size-fits-all" purposer, the extent of and type of suffering we are asked to partake in is different for us all. Peter wrote,

"For into this purpose you were called, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps..."

Thinking of suffering for the sake of Christ - and I mean really thinking through suffering - has a truly sobering effect. Suddenly the world around me is less significant. My longing for being united with my Savior intensifies. The spiritually dead around me are more noticeable. Over time my interests and investments shift to more eternally significant agendas.
I cannot help but remember the chorus,

Turn your eyes upon Jesus
look full in His wonderful face
And the things of this world
will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

May it be so.

Happy Birthday Anna

May 1st is commonly known as May Day.
May 1st is uncommonly known as Anna Roney's birthday!

A - always has something funny to say
N - never-ending love for God!
N - not a hugger
N - nifty and creative with any given circumstance
A - aware of the people around her and always willing to help!


I love any time I get to spend with Anna, especially in the poppy fields. :)

PS - I used 3 n's on purpose...I couldn't resist the "not a hugger" one