” And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:10c) This is how the book of Genesis describes how God saw His work at the end of the second through 5th days of creation and midway through the 6th day. He saw what He had done and it was good. Like the wonderful example that He set by giving us a day of rest, He gave us an amazing example about pacing ourselves and seeing and valuing our work.
God didn’t do everything in 1 day. He certainly could have, but He didn’t.
This is such a helpful reminder to me. I don’t have to try to do everything in 1 day either. Just do something. Just make forward progress. I can be satisfied with the work that I have accomplished and don’t need to stress about the work that wasn’t.
The second part of this verse snippet that is so reassuring to me is that is says “it was good.” It never says “good enough.” If I am striving to serve the Lord, my family, and anyone that my life touches with love, then it is good. I need to stop judging myself by the endless list of work that is never done. There will always be more dishes, more laundry. more school to teach the kids, more housework, more gardening, more farm work, more posts to write, more ways that I could serve, more outreach opportunities, more, and more, and more. What I have to remember is that what I can do today is good.
You are in the same boat, dear tired mamas and daddies out there. Let this echo within your hearts weary single parents working multiple jobs to keep your family going. Loving caretakers of ill or impaired family members find peace in this. What you are accomplishing is good. Don’t let the burden of “enough” hang over you and make you feel worth less that you are. If you are serving in love, you are doing good. Your work is good. Find hope and peace and rest from the business that our society places on us all. Breathe in the realization that “it is good.”
I have a confession to make. I love muffin mixes. :0 Yes, me, the person who likes making everything from scratch. I know that it’s simple to make muffins from scratch and that they are way better for you. (I do still make banana muffins from scratch, because I don’t really like the flavor of the banana muffin mixes. I also make pumpkin/winter squash muffins from scratch because our winter squashes have grown very well the past couple of years.) Maybe it’s because I have to make almost everything else from scratch. It is just so nice, to grab a box from Betty Crocker and add eggs, water, and oil. Plus, just having a mixing bowl and a spoon to wash up afterward is nice too. 🙂
Blueberry Oatmeal
But . . .
I don’t just make the make what that box says. Those 12 little muffins never fill up the hungry tummies that I have around here. I have discovered the magic of add-ins. It’s super simple, makes that box of mix stretch, and results in much more filling muffins. You simply make up the standard muffin mix and then start adding things. At the least, I add some old fashion oats (about 1/2-2/3 cup). I usually also add a couple of large spoonfuls of ground flaxseed. I keep a tub of freshly ground mixed nuts (almonds, walnuts, and pecans) in the fridge, so 1/2 cup of those probably gets tossed in as well. Depending on the type of muffins I am making, I may add things like cubed apple pieces (great in cinnamon muffins) or shredded coconut (perfect in chocolate chip). You can always add more fresh berries to blueberry muffins. I used to slice up strawberries or toss in some fresh raspberries, but DD doesn’t like fresh berries baked in things. I typically don’t add them anymore, unless I am making another kind of muffin as well. Seeds can be a great addition as well. Your imagination and your family’s tastes are the only limiting factor here.
One of the things that I miss a lot since I developed my onion allergy is Chinese food. After some trial and error, I have come up with a tasty homemade version of some of my favorites – egg rolls and stir fry.
This recipe for egg rolls is easy and much healthier, because you bake the egg rolls instead of frying them. DS and DD don’t like the taste of the wrappers but love the filling, so I will usually make a little extra filling and just let them eat it over rice or soba noodles.
Fixing the filling is simple and only uses 1 skillet. Yay for fewer dishes!
Filling them is super easy!
Baking instead of frying makes these so much better for you, but you still get that satisfying crunch!
Here is the full recipe.
Ingredients:
1 small bunch of broccoli
1.5-2 carrots – depending on size
1 14 oz can of bean sprouts (drained)
1/2 roll of sausage (mild breakfast sausage)
1 tsp garlic powder
1.5 tsp ground ginger
1 package egg roll wrappers
Small bowl with some water
Directions:
Cook and drain sausage, being sure to break it up into little pieces like taco meat. The return to the pan.
Shred broccoli and carrots either by hand with a box grater or using a food processor’s shredding disk – I used to use a bag of broccoli slaw but decided this was much more cost-effective.
Add broccoli, carrots, and bean sprouts to the sausage and saute on med-low heat until they start to soften. Mix in garlic and ginger while things are cooking.
Line a baking dish with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350° F.
Lay an egg roll wrapper on the parchment paper so it looks like a diamond (not a square). Place a small amount (about 3 TBSP) of the filling in the center, then fold up the bottom corner of the diamond. Fold in the 2 sides. Using your finger, lightly wet the edge of the remaining side (this should be the top) and then roll the egg roll up from the bottom. Set aside. Repeat until all the egg rolls are filled. As you go along, you may have to adjust your filling amount.
Line completed egg rolls on the parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for about 20 min or until lightly browned on the edges and slightly crispy. Try to line them so they don’t touch, otherwise they may stick together while baking.
Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce.
DH would be happy to make a meal out of these anytime I fix them.
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