Posts by Kerry Weisser
Put me in Your Pocket-The Kissing Hand
When my girls were little, spending time with their Grammies was a priority. Both Grammies lived near each other and over the years after my husband and I got married, they had become very close friends. The girls loved their visits. The Grammie visits were full of creative activities, discovering worlds of adventure while reading books and laughing a lot while playing make-believe. When it was time for them to leave, we would have to get our calendars out and schedule their next visit. For the first 15 years of our marriage, our family lived far away from the Grammies and now we are privileged to only live an hour away. One of the Grammies had a tradition she started with the girls when they were little. As she hugged them good-bye, she would tell them to keep her in their pocket. “Put me in your pocket”, she would say as she gave them their final hug. This way she would stay close to their heart. It was her way of showing them how much she loved them and it gave them security to know that they were precious to her. She has started a legacy of love that is being passed down to her great grandchildren and is being shared with her grand sons-in-law.
Being a Gammie (my grandkids’ name for me) is one of the greatest privileges of my life. I am grateful for every opportunity I have to spend time with each one of my grandchildren. I dream of the day that I can live close enough to the grandkids to be able to have them over to my house on a regular basis, but for now I am content to enjoy my visits to see them at their homes in southern California.
Last weekend, I went …
Read MoreMy “Goodness” Bars
When the warmth of the summer wakes you up in the morning with a hearty appetite or the mid-afternoon tiredness hits, here is a super healthy pick-me-up treat to grab for delicious flavor and high packed nutrition. There is a little bit of everything in these bars.
Ingredients
1 cup oats
½ cup sunflower seeds
½ cup toasted wheat germ
¼ cup hemp seeds
¼ cup chia seeds
½ cup dried apricots
½ cup pecans
½ cup raisins
½ cup dried cranberries
½ cup instant dried nonfat milk
¼ cup whole wheat flour
2 Tablespoons cinnamon
½ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 large ripe banana cut into chunks
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 pan with nonstick spray. Combine all dry ingredients in a food processor-oats, sunflower seeds, wheat germ, chia, hemp, nonfat dried milk, whole wheat flour, including dried fruit and nuts and pulse until mixture is finely chopped. Add all wet ingredients-eggs, banana, maple syrup and vanilla and pulse until well mixed. Pour mixture into 9 x 13 pan and press down evenly with wet fingertips or a spatula. Bake until golden brown and firm to touch. 20 minutes was perfect in our oven. Cool in the pan and cut into 32 bars. ENJOY!!!!
What is your favorite go to snack bar?
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Recap and Giveaway Winner
Here is a recap of our Passion Perspective week featuring Loren Thornburg.
Monday: Get to know Loren Thornburg in our first post of our Passion Perspective Week
Tuesday: Learn more about Loren through her Passion Perspective Interview
Wednesday: Read “If You Only Knew”, a favorite devotional that Loren wrote
Thursday: Read another devotional by Loren, “The Great Illusion”
And the winners are…
Quin Thornburg and Ashanti Shepherd!!!
Congrats! You will receive an email in the next day or two on how you will be receiving your devotional book!
Thank you for all of your support in another Passion Perspective week!
Reminder…for those of you who would like to subscribe to Loren’s weekly email or purchase her devotional books please email her at lorenquinelle@gmail .com.
If you would like to donate to her upcoming mission trip click here.
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Read MoreDevotionals by Loren
Each year for the past 7 years, Loren has complied her devotionals into yearly books that her family has helped her print and sell. She is giving away one of her books so enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. Here are what her 2012 and 2013 books look like.
Loren is a fun-loving gal who brings joy and encouragement to many.
Here is another fan favorite devotional written by Loren.
The Great Illusion
“Our lives are not to be compared, but to be held in gratitude for the wonder that each holds.”
Loren Thornburg
If the light hits at the right angle it appears as if there is a pool of water on the road. Yet, what happens as you get closer is this illusion fades. I find this to be true in our roads of life. We often look around and think someone else has it better than we do, wanting what they have until we get closer and realize they have hard things too, they just look different than ours. You can only see this when you get up close to someone’s life. From far away things can look great. From Facebook it’s hard not to think less of your own life and more of what you see. The illusion is to believe that it’s better somewhere else, but the truth is it’s better where you allow it to be better. You must choose to accept where you are and let it be enough for right now. Your life is a gift unlike any other. Take another look at it and see the wonder that it holds.
“He replied to the one speaking for the rest, ‘Friend, I haven’t been unfair. We agreed on the wage of a dollar, didn’t we? So take it and …
Read MoreA Favorite Devotional by Loren — “If You Only Knew”
Here is one of Loren’s devotionals that is a favorite of many of her followers. If you are just today joining our Passion Perspective week featuring Loren Thornburg and her amazing talent for writing encouraging weekly devotionals….go back to the two posts before this one to learn more about Loren and her passion for writing.
If you only knew
If you only knew…the life that lives inside of you.
If you only knew…the power you have to give
If you only knew…how people they adore you
If you only knew…you’d live as it were true
If you only knew…hard times don’t last forever
If you only knew…that hope is on it’s way
If you only knew…the things that are in store for you
If you only knew…you’d live as it were true
If you only knew…the God that created you
If you only knew…His son who paved the way
If you only knew…He calls you His, He loves you
If you only knew…you’d live as if it were true
Loren Thornburg
How often we look back and think if only I had known I would have done things differently. Worried less, loved more; talked less, listened, more; frowned less, laughed more; feared less, lived more. But we can love, listen, laugh and live today! We don’t have to look back with regrets of yesterdays, but we can live as if our hopes are true today. Believe the life that lives inside of you, take hope hard times will end, embrace the God who loves you…for all of this is true.
“If you only knew the gift God has for you and who I am, you would ask me, and I would give you living water.”
John 4.10
Not many people would even go through Samaria, let alone sit by …
Read MoreLoren Thornburg Passion Perspective Interview
We asked Loren to take us on the journey of the development of her weekly devotionals….
When we asked her what was her original passion and how it developed she answered, “It didn’t start as a passion but became one. It started in college with sharing a quote as a way to update friends and family on my college journey. It continued to grow into what it is now as a weekly devotional through the support and encouragement of readers. As my passion for encouraging others developed this gave me an outlet.”
Her weekly emails began in college but it was in 2007 that she compiled her first 30-day devotional book to help raise money to finance her overseas CEI mission trip that summer. (You can donate to her current mission trip if you are interested by clicking on the link above.)
Here are some photos from various mission trips that Loren has been on with Competitive Edge International (CEI).
We asked Loren what steps she took to make her passion for writing devotionals into compiling a book become a reality?: “It became a Sunday afternoon routine and to write and email the devotionals, also known as my WE (to subscribe to Loren’s weekly emails please send your request to her email lorenquinelle@gmail.com). The book was more of a process with editing, cover design, and printing. It has become a family affair as my mom edits, my sister designs the cover and my dad and I put the books together with folding and stapling.” And this is what sets Loren’s Devotions apart from other daily devotionals. Her books allow all of her family to be involved and to use their gifts as well.
When asked what makes Loren’s devotionals special, she answered, “It’s fun because it tells my story …
Passion Perspective-Getting to Know Loren Thornburg
In the summer of 2006, Bethany and Bekah and I met Loren Thornburg for the first time. 
She is a fifth generation Texan who grew up in Southern California. My daughters and I were about to embark on an adventure that would forever change our life-perspectives and priorities. We were in Southern California attending a training camp before we embarked on a mission trip to China. My girls were part of a Clinic team that would be training young Chinese girls who were developing softball skills, with hopes of someday playing on the Chinese National Team. My role was photographer, prayer warrior and discipleship leader for the team members. Loren had previously been a collegiate athlete, pitching for UCSB’s women’s softball team. 
She describes her sports journey, “With the unconditional love and support of my parents I pursued athletics through college at UCSB. I then had the opportunity to get my Masters of Education in Counseling while coaching at Augusta State in Georgia before I joined staff with Competitive Edge International, a sports ministry. I went on my first trip with CEI in 2003 and 6 trips later I began my journey to join staff where I have been serving the last 5 years.
One of the CEI staff members, Wendy Yantis, writes, “Loren is a genuine young woman who loves Jesus and loves people. She is honest about her struggles and she finds God at work in big and small ways. Her devotionals reflect her willingness to be open about what it really looks like to pursue Jesus. She walks in the Life of Jesus and pours out His life and care to her friends, her family, and those who read her weekly messages. She has become a true companion in the faith since we first went on a …
Read MorePan-Tossed South Indian Flavored Vegetables
This vegetable dish accompanied our fantastic Indian Tomato Curry with Chick Peas and Potatoes dinner last Friday evening. We adapted a basic recipe we found and came up with this delicious and nutritious dish featuring cauliflower, brussel sprouts and cabbage.
Ingredients
1 pound brussel sprouts, washed, trimmed and cut in half
1 large head cauliflower, washed and cut into bit-sized pieces
1 large head green cabbage, washed, cored and shredded
1 Serrano pepper or Thai green chili (optional) sliced open and seeded
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon tumeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt or to taste
1 teaspoon Garam Masala seasoning
Heat oil in a large deep pan or wok. When oil is very hot, reduce heat to medium and add mustard seeds, garlic and Serrano pepper. Spices should crackle and sizzle. Add Brussels sprouts and cauliflower and stir to coat with spice mixture. Spread chopped cabbage on top of Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. Sprinkle cayenne pepper, tumeric, Garam Masala and salt over all. Add ⅓ cup water. Cover and steam 5 minutes. Stir all vegetables and spices together. Add a few tablespoons more water, cover and continue steaming for 5-10 minutes until vegetables are tender and spices are spread evenly over all. Serve with brown rice and the Tomato Curry with chick Peas and Potatoes that we posted yesterday. Enjoy experiencing a unique culture and try these Indian recipes.
What is your favorite Indian food recipe?
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Indian Tomato Curry with Chick Peas and Potatoes
Last Friday was the 3rd night of our Daniel diet…we had been enjoying a few days of eating whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables and lots of water! On the first night we had mediterranean food, the second night we had veggie burgers, roasted vegetables and potato wedges, but my favorite was the Indian food night. Bekah found some fantastic vegetarian recipes online to try. She was busy sorting and unpacking so I took the recipes she found and adapted them for our delicious Indian food dinner. We tried a Crock Pot dish called Bombay Potatoes meet Chickpea Tomato Curry and a Pan-Tossed Vegetable dish with South Indian flavors.
Here is our version of Indian Tomato Curry with Chick Peas and Potatoes:
Ingredients
3 (15 oz) cans of garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained (we used fresh garbanzo beans that we soaked and cooked in our Crock Pot the day before)
7-8 large Yukon Gold potatoes, skins on, washed and diced (10 cups at least)
3 (15 oz) cans petite-cut diced tomatoes, undrained
2 ½ cups tomato or V-8 juice
1 ½ Tablespoons olive oil
2-3 large onions chopped (at least 3 cups)
6 cloves garlic smashed or minced
1-2 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger
½ teaspoon ground ginger
2-3 Tablespoons curry powder
1-2 Tablespoons chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon coriander
2 teaspoons sea salt
In a 5-6 quart slow cooker, add all ingredients and stir until well mixed. Cook on low for 10 hours. Stir every few hours. (You can add 2 cups of cooked chicken an hour before your cooking time ends if you want an alternative to a vegetarian meal). Since we were trying the Daniel diet we serve our meal with brown rice and the pan-tossed …
The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day…Week…Month…Year…
It doesn’t really matter the circumstances or the specifics…I am sure we have all had what seems to be the MOST terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day…week…month…year…or season in our life. We most likely felt like we were the only one undergoing such difficulties. It is so hard to keep a positive perspective during a horrible situation, especially when things seem to go from bad to worse. It is even harder to remember that trials are allowed by God in our life to refine our character. So how are we to respond in the midst of a really terrible day filled with frustration, anger, disappointment, hurt, fear…..the list of things that make up a “terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day” is endless.
It is hard to keep our cool and be kind when we have been unjustly wronged and inconvenienced. It is almost impossible to see the bright side when we are terribly disappointed in someone or when something doesn’t go as we planned. Harder still is knowing how to respond to the news of the death of a friend or relative. And when those situations produce a season of hurt, disappointment and pain that seems to last forever, we find it nearly impossible to cope at times.
I have been in a season of polar opposite emotions…from mountain top experiences of EXCITEMENT in our growing family, to deep loss and SADNESS. I have experienced the loss of two dear friends in the past few weeks right on the heals of loosing my dad and my favorite uncle. Yet during this same season, I have been blessed with two new sons-in-law and many beautiful grandchildren. All around me friends are experiencing both of these types of joys and sorrows and yet we are finding ways to carry on. …
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