2010.

I can not even begin to describe how thankful I am for what the Lord has done in my life in 2010. If I had to represent 2010 in one word, it would be {{new}}.

:: I relocated to a {{new}} town.
:: I moved into a {{new}} house.
:: I began a {{new}} job.
:: I became a member at a {{new}} church.
:: I had to make {{new}} friends.
:: I found a {{new}} roommate.
:: BUT one of the best {{new}} things in 2010 was that the Lord freed me from an old persistent stronghold that haunted me for many years and a {{new}} passion to follow the Lord arose in my heart.

I say {{new}} because it's not the same old way I used to view my relationship with the Lord. The way where I needed to be good enough or do good enough for the Lord to love me. OR the way where I needed to put on a facade with others people that I was good enough or did good enough. It's just me, y'all. I'm a messy human being. I've messed up in the past and I surely will again.. but there is GRACE! This doesn't mean that I don't care when I sin or that I can just go out and do whatever I want because there is grace. It's the opposite! I want to be obedient to what the Lord wants because I love him. My obedience overflows from my LOVE for God not from my desire to be loved. God already loves me. He already chose me and still chooses me. I found rest in that in 2010. Oh, I forgot a few times this year but the Lord was right there.. affirming his truth of love and grace to my heart. Instead of turning to my usual devices to bring that significance... I found it in Christ.

"Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a {{new}} heart and a {{new}} spirit. Why will you die, people of Israel? For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign LORD. Repent and live!" - Ezekiel 18:30-32

Christmas Vacation.

I've decided to use my Christmas vacation to polish off four books. I'm really excited because I think one of my New Years resolutions will be to read a New York Times Best Seller every month. Blog post to come on my resolutions for 2011.. until then, here are the four books that I am going to read during my Christmas vacation:

The Autobiography of St. Ignatius
by St. Ignatius, obviously.
My mentor in Troy bought me a book based on St. Ignatius' Spiritual Exercises. So, before I delve into that book.. I decided I wanted a little bit of background information on this St. Ignatius guy. Luckily, I found this book for free via iBooks and am excited to read it. (Actually, I'm already 1/3 the way through.)

Table for Two
by Amy Kendrick Pierson and Mona Corwin
This is a book I read about online for mentoring girls. I'm really excited to read through it because I've already set up my first victim... I mean youth... to test it out on. I'm hoping it will be great. The subtitle is "doing life and savoring Scripture together". More to come on this for all my girls ministers out there.

The Prodigal God
by Tim Keller
A friend of mine used this in his small group and he raved about it. I hadn't given it much thought until my roommate said something about giving it to new members in her church. I thought I should check it out so she let me borrow a copy. I really enjoy Keller so I'm excited to read this one.

Unafraid
by Francine Rivers
A part of her Lineage of Grace series, this book is about Mary. I was hoping to finish it before Christmas but I got lazy and never did. :/ So, I'm going to finish it this week. I may get on a reading high and finish the whole Lineage. I've read Tamar and Rahab.. but I never got to Ruth, Bathsheba, or Mary. Let's see how overzealous I get about Francine Rivers.. I really enjoy her stuff!

So there you have it. My goals for the week. I have a lot of free time so I'm excited to finally get a chance to read again. I've been slacking so much.. stupid tv.. so this will be a great week to rediscover my love for reading. :)

What are you reading during your Christmas vacation?

Salad Wars.

Yesterday, I went to Zaxby's after church. In the spirit of trying to eat better, I opted out of my usual boneless wings with fries meal and went for, what I thought would be, a more healthy salad.. a Grilled Chicken Caesar Zalad to be exact. However, when I got home and calculated my points for lunch.. it was a heart-stopping 22! {PointsPlus Program} Mind you, I only get 29 a day! WHAT?!?! I felt so ripped off. I could have had my boneless wings and fries for roughly 20 points! :((

Now, I do realized that only 13 points was in the actual Zalad and that the Caesar Dressing is the HUGE culprit here.. coming in at 9 points total for the two packets I used. Come on! You can't eat a Caesar salad without the DRESSING.. that's a crime against salad!

Not only did this make me go way over my points allowance for that day (the weekly flex balance is the best invention ever!) BUT it also made me very very sad. I love a good salad (and yes, the Zalad was amazing) but why would I elect to abandon my wings and fries for a salad that was worth more points! Phooey.

Thus began the salad wars. Here is an article from WebMD about the BEST and WORST fast food salads out there. Some may surprise you:

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Best and Worst Fast-Food Salads
Which salads are highest in calories and fat -– and which are lowest?
By Elaine Magee, MPH, RD
WebMD Expert Review

When you're looking to order something relatively healthy from a fast-food menu, you probably go for a salad. But did you know some fast-food salads are as high in calories and fat as a double Quarter Pounder with Cheese (740 calories, 42 grams of fat)?

Two key ingredients can make or break your fast food salad: chicken (specifically, whether you choose "grilled" or "crispy" style) and salad dressing. Although some fat helps make salad dressing taste good, many fast-food dressings go too far. A serving of blue cheese dressing at Carl’s Jr., for example, adds 320 calories and 34 grams of fat to your salad.

Below are my picks for some of the best and worst salad options at the 10 top fast food chains. The "best" salads were those with the most fiber and the least saturated fat; the “worst” salads had the highest levels of saturated fat, total fat, and/or calories.

Best Fast Food Salads

All these fast food entrée salads have less than 5 grams of saturated fat, and most have less than 15 grams of total fat. Those with more than 15 grams of fat feature nuts, which are nutrient-rich and contribute "smart" fats (monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat). Because of the fat and sodium content of many fast-food salad dressings, I've suggested using only half a pack of dressing with some of these salads. That should be plenty for most people.

1. Taco Bell Chicken Ranch Taco Salad (Fresco Style). This salad has 240 calories, 6 grams total fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 1,110 milligrams sodium, 6 grams fiber, and 23 grams protein. Ingredients: beans, fiesta salsa, lettuce, rice, southwest chicken, tomato.

2. Taco Bell Chipotle Steak Taco Salad (Fresco Style): 220 calories; 7g total fat; 2g saturated fat; 960 mg sodium; 6g fiber; 41g protein. Ingredients: beans, fiesta salsa, lettuce, rice, steak, tomato.

3. McDonald’s Premium Southwest Salad with Grilled Chicken (with 1/2 packet Southwest dressing): 370 calories; 12g total fat; 3.5g saturated fat; 1,130 mg sodium; 6g fiber; 30g protein. Ingredients: Mixed greens, oven-roasted tomatoes, fire-roasted corn, black beans, poblano peppers, cheddar & jack cheeses, and tortilla strips.

4. Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad (with Fat Free Honey Mustard): 390 calories; 15g total fat; 4.5g saturated fat; 1065mg sodium; 5g fiber; 25g protein. Ingredients: Lettuce, carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli florets, Jack and cheddar cheeses, grilled chicken, garlic and butter croutons, honey-roasted sunflower kernels.

5. Wendy’s Mandarin Chicken Salad (with 1/2 packet Oriental Sesame Dressing but without crispy noodles): 395 calories; 18g total fat; 2.3g saturated fat; 880 mg sodium, 4g fiber; 29g protein. Ingredients: Salad greens, grilled chicken fillet, mandarin oranges, toasted almonds.

6. Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken & Fruit Salad (with Reduced Fat Berry Balsamic Vinaigrette): Calories: 360; 10g total fat; 3.5g saturated fat; 810mg sodium; 4g fiber; 23g protein. Ingredients: Lettuce, carrots, Jack and cheddar cheeses, grilled chicken, fresh fruit medley, Harvest Nut granola.

7. Jack in the Box Grilled Chicken Salad (with Low-fat Balsamic dressing): 286 calories; 10.5 g total fat; 4g saturated fat; 1,140mg sodium; 4g fiber; 28g protein. Ingredients: Mixed salad greens, grilled chicken tenders, cheddar cheese, grape tomatoes, red onions, cucumbers, carrots.

8. Carl’s Jr. Cranberry Apple Walnut Grilled Chicken Salad (with 1/2 packet Raspberry Vinaigrette): 380 calories; 17g total fat; 4.5g saturated fat; 915 mg sodium; 4g fiber; 26g protein. Ingredients: Mixed salad greens, grilled chicken, feta cheese, apple slices, dried cranberries, glazed walnuts.

9. KFC Grilled Chicken BLT Salad (with Hidden Valley Ranch Fat Free dressing: 255 calories; 7g total fat; 2.5g saturated fat; 1,160 mg sodium; 3g fiber; 36g protein. Ingredients: lettuce, oven-roasted chicken, diced tomatoes, bacon bits.

10. Carl’s Jr. Original Grilled Chicken Salad (with Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette): 235 calories; 7.5g fat; 3g saturated fat; 1,090 mg sodium; 3g fiber; 24g protein. Ingredients: Mixed greens, grilled chicken, red onions, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and cucumber slices.

Worst Fast Food Salads

Most of these entrée salads have more than 10 grams of saturated fat, 35-59 grams of total fat, and up to 900 calories. Some have more sodium than most U.S. adults should consume in an entire day (1,500 mg), as recommended by the CDC.

1. Wendy’s Chicken BLT Salad (with Honey Dijon dressing): 790 calories; 53.5g total fat; 13.5g saturated fat; 1,665 mg sodium; 3g fiber; 38g protein. Ingredients: Salad greens, fried chicken filet, grape tomatoes, bacon, shredded cheddar, garlic croutons.

2. Arby’s Chopped Farmhouse Chicken Salad, Crispy (with Buttermilk Ranch dressing): 670 calories; 48g total fat; 12.5g saturated fat; 1,470 mg sodium; 4g fiber; 33g protein. Ingredients: Salad greens, popcorn chicken, pepper bacon, cheddar cheese.

3. Jack in the Box Chicken Club Salad (with Bacon Ranch dressing): 866 calories; 59g total fat; 12g saturated fat; 2,168 mg sodium; 5g fiber; 38g protein. Ingredients: Mixed salad greens, crispy chicken, bacon, cheese, seasoned croutons.

4. Carl’s Jr. Southwest Grilled Chicken Salad (with Chipotle Caesar dressing): 710 calories, 50g total fat; 12g saturated fat; 1,960 mg sodium; 6g fiber; 37g protein. Ingredients: Spring salad mix, grilled chicken, roasted corn, black bean salsa, red onions, shredded cheese, bacon bits, and tortilla strips.

5. Taco Bell Chipotle Steak Taco Salad: 900 calories, 57g fat, 11g saturated fat, 1,700 mg sodium, 8g fiber, 28g protein. Ingredients: crispy tortilla "bowl," steak, beans, cheddar, rice, lettuce, tomatoes, tortilla strips, reduced-fat sour cream, chipotle dressing.

6. KFC Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad (with Creamy Parmesan Caesar dressing): 650 calories; 48g total fat; 11g saturated fat; 1,340 mg sodium; 4g fiber; 32g protein. Ingredients: Lettuce, crispy chicken, Parmesan cheese, Parmesan garlic croutons.

7. Chick-fil-A Chick-n-Strips Salad (with Buttermilk Ranch dressing): 780 calories; 49g fat; 10g fat; 1,825 mg sodium; 5g fiber; 43g protein. Ingredients: Lettuce, carrots, grape tomatoes, broccoli florets, Jack and cheddar cheeses, fried chicken strips, garlic and butter croutons, honey-roasted sunflower kernels.

8. Burger King TenderCrisp Chicken Garden Salad (with Ranch dressing): 680 calories; 46g total fat; 9g saturated fat; 1570 mg sodium; 4g fiber; 28g protein. Ingredients: Lettuce, carrots, tomatoes, cheese, crispy chicken.

9. Sonic Drive-In Crispy Chicken Salad (with regular Ranch dressing): 534 calories; 37.6g fat; 8.5g saturated fat; 1,334 mg sodium; 5g fiber; 21g protein. Ingredients: Lettuce, crispy chicken, carrots, jack cheese, grape tomatoes, red cabbage, croutons.

10. McDonalds Premium Bacon Ranch Salad with Crispy Chicken (with Ranch dressing): 540 calories; 35g total fat; 8.5g saturated fat; 1,500 mg sodium; 3g fiber; 30g protein. Ingredients: Mixed Greens, grape tomatoes, carrots, jack and cheddar cheeses, bacon, crispy chicken.

From: http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/best-and-worst-fast-food-salads

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There you have it. The salad wars. I absolutely love the Chick-fil-A Chargrilled Chicken Garden Salad. I usually get the fat free Italian dressing and it is still healthy and delicious! I was also surprised to see that Taco Bell held two of the top 10 best fast food salads. Did you even know they served salad? Haha. Happy eating!

Bluebird.

So, I am officially obsessed with this song. I really just feel these lyrics and the melody just woos me. I am in {{LOVE}}. I think it's time to break out my keyboard and learn this bad boy. Enjoy.



Word came through in a letter,
One of us changing our minds.
You won't need to guess who, since I usually do,
Not send letters to me that are mine.

Told you I saw this coming,
That I'd practically packed up my things.
Was glad at the time that I'd said I was fine but,
All honesty knows, I wasn't ready, no.

And so here we go bluebird,
Back to the sky on your own.
Oh let him go bluebird,
Ready to fly,
You and I,
Here we go.
Here we go.

This pair of wings worn and rusted,
Too many years by my side
They can carry me swear to be,
Sturdy and strong but see,
Turning them on still means goodbye.

Leave my love in a letter,
Went to the bes on your side.
Fine gathered my things, I'll make the best of these wings,
And me and my bird take to the sky.

And so here we go bluebird,
Gather your strength and rise up.
Oh let him go bluebird.
Oh let him go bluebird.
Oh let him go bluebird.
Ready to fly,
You and I,
Here we go.
Here we go...

Hark! The Herald Angels Sing

Christmas is here! This has to be one of my favorite times of year. For many reasons. I love warm blankets, hot chocolate, Christmas lights, and everything about the season. I also believe that Christmas is the most romantic holiday out there. Sorry, Valentine but I want my Santa Baby. ;) All these things are wonderful and woo my heart for the season.

However, there is an even bigger reason why I love Christmas so much. I love hearing the stories, songs, and scriptures about Jesus' birth. Everywhere you turn there is a reminder (no matter how small) of God coming to us in flesh to show us his loving grace. It's a constant reminder.. the gospel is always on the forefront of my mind at Christmas and I love that. One of my favorite Christmas Hymns is "Hark the Herald Angels Sing". There is just so much great theology in the words of this song:

Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
Join the triumph of the skies
With the angelic host proclaim:
"Christ is born in Bethlehem"
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
Late in time behold Him come
Offspring of a Virgin's womb
Veiled in flesh the Godhead see
Hail the incarnate Deity
Pleased as man with man to dwell
Jesus, our Emmanuel
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Hail the heav'n-born Prince of Peace!
Hail the Son of Righteousness!
Light and life to all He brings
Ris'n with healing in His wings
Mild He lays His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

My prayer for you, dear reader, is that this season you would really dig into the Christmas songs that roll so easily off our tongues and find the Truth in the words.. or even perhaps find where songs have gone terribly wrong in their theology. Sing the Truth.. sing it often.