Filling my pantry and freezer with tasty treats for future days gives me an abnormally high sense of satisfaction and enjoyment. Absolutely LOVE seeing rows and rows of those red tomatoes, golden peaches, and spicy salsas. There's something oddly thrilling about opening up that freezer door and seeing shelf after shelf stocked full of summer goodness and baked treasures.
So that's what I spent my last weekend of non-teaching freedom doing: putting a few more treats in the freezer. I have a few plans for a few more before the teaching plunge begins, but I am quite happy with what I put up this past season-- especially when I comfort myself with the reminder of being on near-constant bed rest for almost 7 weeks of this fabulous summer break.
If you follow me much, you are already aware of my fan-tabulous jams and salsas that I loved making (and tasting!). If you missed it, feel free to catch up ---> here and here or even here. But if you just want that sweet [eh, ehhhh... see what I did there?!] reminder, here's a few photos:
Here we have the always popular peach and plum jams {can we say: pb&j for days?!}
Also a crowd favorite are the fruity salsas and canned sunshine peaches!
My newest love... tomato jam, with stewed tomatoes singing back up.
A peak at that yummy salsa with a tease of cinnamon stick in the spiced peaches...
Never before seen footage: mixed berry oatmeal bars. I cut these yummies into little bars, wrapped each one up, and stuck the whole lot of them into a freezer bag. Ready for school lunches!
What to do with that "cannot resist a deal from the farmer's market" box of tomatoes? Well, let's roast 'em and freeze 'em! This was my inspiration, and I loved it!
If you are ever on a game show, and the host asks you:
"What is the #1 way to single-handedly sabotage the diet of Leah Gibson?"
Here is your simple reply: carbs. The answer is always carbs.
So, naturally. I had to make some and freeze some. I am of the strong opinion that I could put just about anything in a fresh piece of naan or wrap it up in one of my soft, dreamy tortillas, dunk it in a zippy dip, and call it a win! [*No data has been collected for this claim. Views and opinions are based solely on the personal experiences and preferences of this blog writer.]
Who knew you could freeze whole tomatoes?! Not this girl, that's for sure. But I gave it a whirl this year! I cored these puppies, then popped them right in a freezer bag. [Also, as a disclaimer: I did use a straw to suck out ever last little bit of air that is humanly possible from each of those freezer bags. I regret nothing.]
So, there you have it. All these yummy treats help me look forward to those long days ahead. There is no greater joy to my heart than having yummers for all the tummers of my sweet Gibson Gang!
I have three sweet precious gifts from the most Gracious God. These babies fill my heart and day with more joy than I could ever have imagined was possible. They have an innocent hope and zest for life that often causes me to just catch my breath with the deepest of love.
However.
As every parent out there is able to give a witness, in addition to the countless hours of blessings and love and joy, there are also times when these precious Sweet Ones can work a nerve.
My youngest Sweet One is currently two years old. [And I don't even have to write anything else for every person who has ever had the briefest interaction with a two-year-old to understand exactly what "currently two years old" means.] And added to the standard "currently a two year old" package, someone decided to upgrade to "also a miracle baby" with a side of "yep, he's the youngest". So. We are getting the opportunity for a LOT of learning moments in la casa de Gibson these days.
One of the things that both annoys and entertains me simultaniously is the moments when I have asked this Sweet Sweet to hand me something-- perhaps he has something that he shouldn't, or it is time to put away a toy or a cup or a blow torch. [I'm kidding. We don't let our kiddos play with the blow torches until they're at least seven. Kidding.] And this is usually how the exchange goes:
Mama: Hand the cup to mama. Sweet Sweet: [throws it to the floor, directly beside him/me] Mama: Samuel, pick it up and hand it to mama. Sweet Sweet: [weeping] Mama: Samuel, pick up the cup and hand it to mama.
More weeping, pointing to said cup, and unintelligible moaning that I can only assume is an attempt to explain why he couldn't possibly pick up the cup.
Mama: [taking the Sweet Sweet by his hand, gently pulling the hand towards the cup] Pick. Up. This. Cup. Please.
Suddenly, my Sweet Sweet has lost all use of his fingers. Suddenly, his hand no longer possesses the fine motor skills needed to grasp a small object. I literally have his hand on the cup. And he literally will not grasp the cup.
More weeping. More moaning.
Mama: Buddy. It is right there. Pick up the cup.
What is the miraculous healing for loss of motor skills? For my precious Sweet Sweet, his healing comes with an ever slight *smack* to the cutest, chubbiest little thighs you've ever seen. Granted, there is still weeping, possibly even an additional moan or two, but he picks up the cup and {grudgingly} hands it to me.
I share these moments from my Sweet Ones because I also want to share how it relates to my own heart and life. As I have been spending my time with the Lord in recent days, my heart has felt quite a bit like Samuel-- there has been weeping, pointing, and unintelligible moaning. I don't want to pick up my "cup". It doesn't matter that it is right there. I don't wanna. It's not that I have suddenly lost the ability to do what needs to be done. No, the bottom line is that I have a sinful, willful heart. And I simply don't want to do it. I would rather grunt and groan and weep than take that big step into obedience.
But Jesus is working on that with me, every so graciously as He is prone to do. In fact, I have had several different "themes" that I have used to help keep me on the right track in recent years. One year, it was #theyearofthanks. Most recently, it was #unshakable. As I've been considering what to select for this new school year, if I was honest, it would be #theyearofpitchingafit. (I told you I didn't want to pick up my cup!)
But then the Lord gives my not-so-cute-but-unfortunatly-just-as-chubbythighs heart an ever slight *smack*. My most recent smack came through the words of a gorgeous, conviction-packed worship hymn. You might be familiar with it: "O Great God". If you haven't heard it, or it's been a while, or even if you just need a loving *smack* to your cute little thighs heart, take a moment to listen...
I don't think it is by any accident that the frame that is frozen there as the visual for the video are the very words that were the much-needed and loving *smack* from my Heavenly Father.
Keep my heart and guard my soul... You are worthy to be praised with my every thought and deed.
I need to give my heart and will and soul to the One Who is able to guard me from the evils that I will and do face each day. I need to be reminded that no matter what is happening in my life at any given moment, as a Child of the King, my one task is to glorify the Lord-- and to have Him be glorified through me.
So instead of #theyearofpitchingafit, the Lord has gently encouraged my heart to instead focus on #lookingforthanks. This is something that I will need to learn, day after day. And I learn by practicing it-- even if I don't want to do it. I look for ways to be thankful.
Isaiah 1:17 says, "Learn to do good..."
Amos 5:14 further exhorts, "Seek good and not evil, that you may live; So the Lord God of hosts will be with you..."
So take a deep breath. Put on your big girl pants. Remember that training is never easy.
And for the love of all that is holy: Pick. Up. The. Cup.
Not "the cup". No, this is mama's-- he has no problem picking up THAT one! ;)
