Happy Friday, Friends.
1. Green Smoothies
We've been blending up all kinds of things around here. We've got some serious off-season training going on for one of my kids who ordered an enormous jar of protein powder called something like "mass gain" to help him put on weight. I, on the other hand, in an effort to add more green things to my diet, have been making all manner of smoothies. The lovely and talented Mrs. C is quite the wiz in the kitchen and she sent me this recipe.
1/2 avocado
1/3 cup pineapple chunks
1 banana
2 T flax seed
1/4 cup fresh spinach
2 T Greek yogurt
1 T honey
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
water (I am skipping the yogurt and water and using almond milk)
Cup of ice - or just freeze your banana, avocado and/or pineapple
Cup of ice - or just freeze your banana, avocado and/or pineapple
Blend it up. Drink it up. Feel really awesome about yourself.
Also, a note. Don't get too excited. I have not run this opinion by Mrs. C., but I do believe we would both acknowledge that it is quite annoying when those Wellness gurus post photos of their smoothies and act like they're just as amazing as a milkshake.
OH, NO THEY ARE NOT, LIARS.
This smoothie is good. Great even. But, I promise you that a milkshake from Chick-Fil-A tastes 7,000 times better. Let's be real, 'kay?
2. Old Navy Linen Blend Pants
I love loose fitting linen pants in the summer because in these parts, even though we can't imagine it right now, there will be a day when we are sweating it out in humidity near 153%. They also work well as swimsuit cover ups. I ordered these linen blend drawstring pants from Old Navy last week. They have lots of colors, but I ordered black in three different sizes. They haven't all arrived yet, so I can't tell you how the sizing runs, but I'll report back. You can get 30% off at Old Navy right now without a code.
I've mentioned the Christian band, Third Day, here about 400 times give or take. I recently saw that after 20 years as a touring band, they are doing their very last tour this year. Steve and I could not be sadder about it. We've seen them in concert numerous times over the years, including a year when Drew asked if Mac Powell, the lead singer, was Jesus. Unfortunately, they aren't coming to a city near us this time, but we have our eye on traveling to Nashville to see them and I'm so excited. Their newest album is called Revival and by far my favorite song on the album is the title song. Yesterday though, I heard the song, In Your Hands, and it's just beautiful. Besides the Bible and the good ol' Holy Spirit, I'm not sure anything has strengthened my faith more than the music of Third Day. I'm forever grateful for their talents.
3. In Your Hands by Third Day
I've mentioned the Christian band, Third Day, here about 400 times give or take. I recently saw that after 20 years as a touring band, they are doing their very last tour this year. Steve and I could not be sadder about it. We've seen them in concert numerous times over the years, including a year when Drew asked if Mac Powell, the lead singer, was Jesus. Unfortunately, they aren't coming to a city near us this time, but we have our eye on traveling to Nashville to see them and I'm so excited. Their newest album is called Revival and by far my favorite song on the album is the title song. Yesterday though, I heard the song, In Your Hands, and it's just beautiful. Besides the Bible and the good ol' Holy Spirit, I'm not sure anything has strengthened my faith more than the music of Third Day. I'm forever grateful for their talents.
4. Game Changer
Last night Drew had a baseball game. It was in the 40s with a winds out of the northwest or southwest or maybe the east, but more likely straight from Satan himself. Even though I bundled myself up in three layers, a scarf, hat, and gloves, I ended up watching three batters and then was pretty much like this:
This is why God invented Game Changer. If you're not aware Game Changer is an app you can get on your phone, so that you can watch your favorite player and all his buddies in the warmth of your living room with a glass of wine and One Fine Day starring George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer on your tv. Of course, someone less wimpy than me has to be at the actual ballpark scoring the game on the app, so that you can find your team. Anyway, if you are a baseball mom who hasn't heard of the blessing of Game Changer, you can learn about it here and your life will be forever changed.
5. Mrs. Barbara Bush
The internet blew up with tributes to and articles on the one and only Barbara Bush after she passed away this week. It was so sweet and kind of funny how many texts I received saying, "So sorry about Mrs. Bush." or "Barbara :(" after the news was released. Mrs. Bush was not part of my family, of course, but as a gal who grew up in a Republican household in the state of Texas and because I met my husband during President George H.W. Bush's 1992 campaign, I felt very much, as it appears so many did, that she was part of my family.
After I heard the news on Tuesday evening, I went straight to my bookshelf and leafed through her memoir which has had a prominent place on my bookshelves for over 20 years.
When Steve and I were engaged and both working for the Republican National Committee, he was able to go to Mrs. Bush's book signing and he brought me back a signed copy which for me was up there with some of the best gifts he had ever given me. I picked it up on Tuesday and turned to the page where she had signed it, running my finger along the name in blue ink and remembering how I hung on her every word as I read that book cover to cover. It remains to this day one of the best memoirs I've ever read.
Over and over this week I was struck by how often she and President Bush were described as "decent". Interestingly, it seems that "decent" is a word reserved for those of their generation. It struck me that we might now live in a society where if one had the chance to choose words for his or her own obituary, "decent" might not make the cut. I would imagine at the end of our lives so many of us would rather be described by bolder, flashier words. Decent? At first glance it seems rather bland, boring even.
Merriam-Webster defines decent as one marked by moral integrity, kindness and good-will.
I didn't know Mrs. Bush personally at all and yet her moral integrity, her kindness and her good-will were obvious in her words, her demeanor and in the work of her life. I sometimes lament the onslaught of news stories - how we are flooded with updates and opinions within seconds of an event occurring. And yet, in this case, this absolute deluge of articles and tributes to Mrs. Bush makes me hopeful that a new generation will learn from her just as I did. Perhaps through the reminders of her strength, her commitment to her husband and family, her humor and her bravery in the face of the crushing grief after the loss of her daughter to cancer, we might all learn to strive not for fame, not for material success, not for power, but for basic decency.
I think it's anything, but basic. God bless you, Mrs. Bush. I rejoice in the lessons of your life and in the beautiful reunion you must now be sharing with your daughter and Jesus. What a gift you were to all of us.
Have a blessed weekend, everyone!
This is why God invented Game Changer. If you're not aware Game Changer is an app you can get on your phone, so that you can watch your favorite player and all his buddies in the warmth of your living room with a glass of wine and One Fine Day starring George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer on your tv. Of course, someone less wimpy than me has to be at the actual ballpark scoring the game on the app, so that you can find your team. Anyway, if you are a baseball mom who hasn't heard of the blessing of Game Changer, you can learn about it here and your life will be forever changed.
5. Mrs. Barbara Bush
The internet blew up with tributes to and articles on the one and only Barbara Bush after she passed away this week. It was so sweet and kind of funny how many texts I received saying, "So sorry about Mrs. Bush." or "Barbara :(" after the news was released. Mrs. Bush was not part of my family, of course, but as a gal who grew up in a Republican household in the state of Texas and because I met my husband during President George H.W. Bush's 1992 campaign, I felt very much, as it appears so many did, that she was part of my family.
After I heard the news on Tuesday evening, I went straight to my bookshelf and leafed through her memoir which has had a prominent place on my bookshelves for over 20 years.
When Steve and I were engaged and both working for the Republican National Committee, he was able to go to Mrs. Bush's book signing and he brought me back a signed copy which for me was up there with some of the best gifts he had ever given me. I picked it up on Tuesday and turned to the page where she had signed it, running my finger along the name in blue ink and remembering how I hung on her every word as I read that book cover to cover. It remains to this day one of the best memoirs I've ever read.
Over and over this week I was struck by how often she and President Bush were described as "decent". Interestingly, it seems that "decent" is a word reserved for those of their generation. It struck me that we might now live in a society where if one had the chance to choose words for his or her own obituary, "decent" might not make the cut. I would imagine at the end of our lives so many of us would rather be described by bolder, flashier words. Decent? At first glance it seems rather bland, boring even.
Merriam-Webster defines decent as one marked by moral integrity, kindness and good-will.
I didn't know Mrs. Bush personally at all and yet her moral integrity, her kindness and her good-will were obvious in her words, her demeanor and in the work of her life. I sometimes lament the onslaught of news stories - how we are flooded with updates and opinions within seconds of an event occurring. And yet, in this case, this absolute deluge of articles and tributes to Mrs. Bush makes me hopeful that a new generation will learn from her just as I did. Perhaps through the reminders of her strength, her commitment to her husband and family, her humor and her bravery in the face of the crushing grief after the loss of her daughter to cancer, we might all learn to strive not for fame, not for material success, not for power, but for basic decency.
I think it's anything, but basic. God bless you, Mrs. Bush. I rejoice in the lessons of your life and in the beautiful reunion you must now be sharing with your daughter and Jesus. What a gift you were to all of us.
Have a blessed weekend, everyone!
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