A Thankful Post - Two Weeks Late :-)

Making cookies - in my pjs -
doesn't everyone?

I know I’m a few days late on the “I’m thankful for . . .” post, and I’m gonna weird it out even further by being thankful for a room in my house (don’t fuss at me - yes, I’m thankful for my family and all the normal stuff - keep reading). I’m thankful for my kitchen. And chocolate chip cookies. Yup. That’s weird, I know. But both items have been my sanity-savers over the last 3.5 years as I’ve dealt with traumatic brain injury. If you are looking for me on almost any day, you will find me in my kitchen. And I'm probably making chocolate chip cookies.

The kitchen island where all those
cookies get made

Baking has become my favorite therapeutic outlet - it’s a great way to gently stretch my brain, engage in something creative, and love on those around me (finding a way to contribute to the world when I spend so much time at home has been absolutely vital to me). In God’s perfect timing, a major remodel of our kitchen was finished just a few months before the accident that caused my brain injury. God knew what was coming and made sure I had what I would need in the toughest season of my life. He’s good like that.

Side note:

Yes, God knew I was going to fall.
Yes, God knew it was going to change my life in many ways - some of them very painful.
Yes, He could have prevented my fall.
No, I don’t know why He didn’t prevent all that I have gone through.

But

I do know that God loves me - more than I can imagine.
I know that He is good, and He will bring good from this.
His Word promises these things.
I know He is a God I can trust.
He has been faithful - SO faithful to me - all my life.
I can look back over my 43 years and see Him at work in my life time and time again.

Because I know He loves me, and because I know He’s trustworthy, I can trust Him in this situation too.
He will work it for my good.
He will heal me at the right time. His time.
In the mean time, He will walk beside me as I deal with this injury and all it involves, giving me His strength, brand new, for each day.
And He is ready to catch my tears when they fall, hear my honest (sometimes angry) questions, and occasionally, even send answers.
He is a good God.

A box of cookies with my
very own label on it - my
sister designed this label
and had them printed up
for me

On that note, back to the kitchen 🙂 Early on, brain rest got really boring, so I watched a ton of Food Network. That got my creative juices flowing, and I ended up in the kitchen when I felt up to it. I tried so many different recipes. My family was thrilled with all my experimenting, and I was happy to have a gentle way to engage my mind. Not using your brain is dull and boring!! Over the course of a year or so, I landed on a chocolate cookie recipe that was pretty decent. I played with it over a few months and tweaked it to make it my own. Then one day I decided to put a bunch of those cookies in a cute container and send them to Jazz Band with Aaron. Just like that, my new “thing” was born.

Here we are a few years later. My boxes of chocolate chip cookies have gone to the school district offices to help lift their spirits during snow season. Boxes have been delivered to the middle school - who needs cookies more than middle school teachers and office staff? Boxes greet marching band in the stands every Friday night as they support the football team. And the high school football, basketball, and track teams all get boxes after games/meets. Young Life leaders take home bags of cookies, and some preschool teachers have found them in their staff room during meetings.

Why am I telling you this? I sound so boastful! “Look at all the people I’ve given cookies too! I’m awesome!” No!! Look at what God did!! He gave me a kitchen. He helped me find a recipe that I could tweak. He helped me find a way to contribute to my community (when I desperately needed one) even though I need to spend most of my time at home. He gives me ideas of who to send cookies to. He helped my sister and I find the cute boxes. He gave my sister the fun idea of making up labels for my boxes just to make them cute, and to make those who receive them feel special. And every time I make a batch of dough, it’s because God has given me the physical and mental strength to do it. This is His story. I’m so honored to be able to tell it!

God is using a simple chocolate chip cookie to spread His love around my little town. Teenagers know they are loved. Adults know they are loved. God is doing that. He just lets me be the hands in the kitchen. And you know who is benefiting the most?? ME! I get to be the delivery girl and see the smiles on their faces. I get the “thank you” hugs. I get the therapeutic outlet of baking. I’m so thankful for my kitchen, chocolate chip cookies, and a God who lets me play a part in His story.

I'm a Philadelphia Eagles fan. And It Makes Me Crazy!

"Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that."
 - Bill Shankly

I hate the Philadelphia Eagles. Really. I do. But I'm also their biggest fan. Confused? Allow me to explain what it's like to be an Eagles fan.

Here in Philadelphia, we really love our sports teams. Whether it's the Phillies, the Sixers, the Flyers or the Eagles, we are an insanely loyal bunch. We love our teams! We dare anyone to criticize our teams!

But my team makes me crazy! The Eagles have an uncanny habit of winning by the smallest margins at the last possible minute. No game is ever a blow out. No game is ever decided before the last second. No "sure thing" is ever a sure thing. We lose games we should win and win games we should have lost. It's so confusing to be an Eagles fan.

Have you ever driven past a really bad wreck on the side of the road? You know it won't be pretty, but you just have to look? That's what being an Eagles fan is like. I know it's going to be an ugly game. I know they are going to call stupid plays. I know there will be turn-overs that make me want to yell at the TV. But on the off chance that they actually win, I have to watch! It's my team! Even if it's a complete train wreck, I have to watch the game.

And on those special days when they pull out a win, I cheer, I do a happy dance, I celebrate. I am an Eagles fan! I love them, and I hate them. It's how we roll in Philly.




Linking up with Finding the Funny.

Want To Hear About A Strange Tradition In Our House?

Family traditions counter alienation and confusion. They help us define who we are; they provide something steady, reliable and safe in a confusing world.
 - Susan Lieberman

We are all Philadelphia Eagles football fans in our house. DH and I really enjoy watching football together and as our boys have grown, we have passed our love of Eagles football on to them. Now, when football season starts each fall, we celebrate as a family. I have instituted what we like to call Eagle Day. It occurs the day of the first home Eagles game of each season.

Since games are on Sunday, our celebration doesn't start until we get home from church. The first thing we do when we get home is change into whatever Eagle gear we happen to have - each of us owns quite a collection of Eagles t-shirts, jerseys, hats, etc. Then DH  starts making lunch while the boys and I get the living room ready for TV watching and lunch eating.  Our lunch consists of traditional Philly foods - cheese steaks, Herrs potato chips, and Tasty Kakes. If you have to ask what any of those things are, you really need to visit Philly soon! You are missing out.

We sit down to eat our lunch and watch the game together. As the boys grow, our football watching experience has changed some.

When they were babies, we would sit on the floor and entertain them with baby toys during the game. And we had to be careful not to cheer to loudly - I've made each of them cry at least once when I yelled at the TV (yes, I really get into my football).

Now that they are a little bit older, we can explain the game and enjoy their responses to the plays. They know some of the major players and are starting to understand the basic fundamentals of the game.

It's so funny to hear us all cheer together when they score or groan in unison when our quarterback throws an interception.

What would a celebration be without presents?

So now, we've eaten a Philly lunch and cheered on our Eagles through the first half of the game.

At half time, we do presents!

Yes, Eagle Day involves gifts. I know, right! So fun!!

Everyone gets an Eagles themed gift - a lunchbox, a new shirt, trading cards, etc. The gifts are always a hit.

Then we go back to the game. The boys eventually tire of the drama that comes with being an Eagles fan - it's never smooth sailing - and wander outside to play. DH and I watch the rest of the game in relative peace and quiet.

What's the point of Eagle Day? An excuse to give presents? A way to justify watching football? A chance to eat lunch in front of the TV?

For us, Eagle Day is a way to make a memory. Traditions are part of what makes life special. It's part of bonding a family together and making childhood a wonderful time. It's also something that makes our family unique.

"We celebrate Eagle Day. It's just how we roll at my house. What do you celebrate at your house?"

So what do you celebrate? Do you have a special day in your house? Something that's unique to you and yours? If you do, I would love to hear about it!

If you don't have any unique days yet, consider starting one. What special thing does your whole family love? How can you make a tradition out of that thing?

If we didn't have Eagle Day, I think we would have to celebrate "Talk Like A Pirate Day" every year. Now that I think about it, maybe we should add that one to our list . . . . .