Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

We had a recipe/meal plan idea exchange at a Mom's group that I go to and this was one of the recipes that I decided to try...a little reluctantly, I should add! However, it turned out really great so I thought I would share it.

• Cut up a whole bunch of veggies. I used 1 lg sweet potato, 1 medium white potato, 3 carrots, 1 onion, and 1 cup of diced green pepper (from my freezer stash). You could also use beets, squash, zucchini, etc. (Carrots I cut quite small)
• Toss with oil and cook on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet at 400 for 20-30 min. I found that the carrots took the longest to cook so it would be best to separate them from the others. I had 2 cookie sheets full of veggies.
• I mixed the veggies with 1 can of 4 cheese pasta sauce and put in the fridge for the next day (I have to cook in stages these days)
• Cook your lasagna noodles according to pkg directions.
• Mix 1 container of cottage cheese (I like the lasagna style) or ricotta, 1 egg, and a bunch of cheese.
• Layer in a 9x13 pan: Cooked noodles, Cheese mixture, Vegetable mixture, noodles, cheese, vegetables, noodles, vegetable
• Cook in the oven at 350 for 30-40 min. Then top with some more cheese and bake another 10 or so minutes.

I was really surprised at how much I liked it considering that there is no meat, and veggies that I would have formerly thought very strange to be in a lasagna!

Welcome Theodore Arthur to the world!

Well our beautiful baby boy finally decided to make an appearance into this world on Saturday July 30th at 1:46 pm during a thunder and lightning storm!

4 Days overdue!

 Theodore Arthur

8 lbs 6 oz

20 in. long

It's a boy!

We're all very happy!

 

Chubby little newborn cheeks!

40 Weeks and 2 Days!

So I've made it to the overdue club! But I'm trying to wait patiently for my new little baby!

Yesterday I thought that Rebekah and I could try to Dance the baby out. So we put on the soundtrack from "The Sting" (Scott Joplin Rag tunes) and bounced around....maybe we'll try again??

She always makes this silly face when she sees the camera!

 

40 Weeks 2 days!

3 weeks Left!

Just about 3 weeks left until my due date! We've been really enjoying our summer. The weather has been perfect - for me! Nice and cool. We've had a few hot days in July, but so far things have been very comfortable. I am so thankful! It is nice to see the sun every now and then, though :-)

Here is our pumpkin on her little swing.

Back Again! :S

I am so bad at being consistent with my blog writing! But I'll make another attempt at posting. We've had a pretty busy but exciting month! I wanted to add more pictures, but my camera is not cooperating! I did manage to get a few added though :-)

We had this little boy and his parents over a few weekends ago.

This picture is probably the best one that we got of them because they are both so busy! 

They just move and talk non-stop! 

But they had so much fun playing with each other. 

And we had so much fun watching them play!

 

And this little one is still growing! This was taken at our 20 week ultrasound.

I'm now at 33 and a half weeks! So just under 7 weeks left. 

I'm feeling really well, Dr. appointments have all been good, there is a lot to be thankful for.

And this is a fruit tart that I made a few days ago! yumm.

Journey to Contentment - Part 3

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God

that at the proper time He may exalt you,

casting all your anxieties upon Him,

because He cares for you.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Offering a Humble Heart Before God

This point takes us further along Linda Dillow's book to the chapter called "Worry is like a Rocking Chair". (I didn't go in order of chapters for my acrostic) She hits the nail right on the head with that title! Worrying "will give you something to do, but it won't get you anywhere"! That's so true.

There are certain things that never really worry me. I know God will provide financially. I never worry about not having clothes on my back or a roof over my head. God has placed so many wonderful people in our lives that always seem to be right there when you need them. We have seen God work in these ways over and over again.

But then again, there are other things that can sometimes really get to me. When I first started reading this chapter, it was miscarriage. 

When I found out that we were expecting again I was *delighted!* So happy and excited. So thankful that God would give us another child! And then the sickness began and my spirits began to sink. (I found with both of my pregnancies that this was a very low time for me.) And then worry hit me like a dark cloud. Every time I thought of being pregnant I felt discouraged and afraid. I couldn't fulfill my daily tasks. Even doing laundry and cooking for my family was really hard! 

The reading in the chapter started to make me think about and wonder why I was so fearful and angry. I realized that it was because I knew that it wasn't just the wicked who lost their babies. It was the children of God too. I started thinking of other things that worried me like rape, murder, car accidents, etc. God allows these things to happen to His children!! I heard about a missionary whose orphanage was broken in to. Her husband was killed, she was raped! God why would you allow that!? They were serving you in a foreign land, sacrificing comforts for your name's sake and you would let this happen? I was angry! If I wouldn't let things like that happen to my children, then why would God let them happen to His?

And then I read "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the might hand of God". Let me quote from Dillow. She says it well.

"Many of us have memorized 1 Peter 5:7 and tucked it away to be pulled out whenever we have a problem. Too often, though, in applying the wonderful part about "casting all your cares" we forget the first part about "humbling ourselves under the sovereign, mighty hand of God." Not only are the two verses one thought, they are one sentence! They must be read together and applied together. 

What does it mean to humble ourselves before the mighty hand of God? Humility means to have total trust in God alone. It is the surrender of our total being -- intellect, emotion, will, plans, and judgments. It is relinquishing everything. For me, humbling myself involves yielding to God as the Blessed Controller of whatever situation or person is causing me anxiety."

 Somewhere along the line, I made a mistake about God's character. He is the Blessed Controller. His thoughts are higher than my thoughts. His ways are higher than my ways (Is. 55:9). He can see the whole of creation from beginning to end whereas I can only see one little tiny part. God doesn't just forget about us little specks of dust on this earth (although he has every right to!). He hasn't just forgotten the Moms and Dads who have gone through the terrible loss of a baby. He hasn't just forgotten about that missionary. He has planned everything for a purpose, for His Glory, for our good.

And even though I will never understand it this side of heaven, I just know that I need to humble my heart and trust Him, for he cares for me.

My Journey to Contentment - Part 2C

This will be my final post on the topic of "Considering the Cup/Portion that God has given you". To see the previous part click here.

I began in part 2 speaking about how God has given everyone a beautiful and unique cup. Even Jesus Christ had a cup while he was on this earth. Luke 22:42 shows us our dear Lord and Saviour in Prayer before his Father. He knew the cup that the Father had given him. To die on the cross for the sins of His people. And so he prayed, "Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me." This cup was a very difficult one to bear! We certainly can't blame Him for asking this of His Father. But what he says next shows the ultimate example of submission and for our purposes, contentment. "Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done."

Dillow points out that what Christ was essentially doing was taking His cup and holding it up to the Father and saying "I accept this cup Father. I know it will be difficult and painful to bear, but I know that Your will and Your plans are perfect and I will follow them for Your glory!"

Is that what I was doing with the cup that God had given me? With the portion of Motherhood? Unfortunately, No. I took a sip of my portion and I spat it out! I took my cup and I smashed it! I didn't want it. Take the cup, God! I'll go find my own cup. Meanwhile, I would be miserable and discontented.

I prayed and asked for the Lord to forgive me for not accepting the cup and portion that He had given to me. I realized that I wasn't thinking about His Glory. I was thinking about my own. I was thinking about my own comforts and pleasures. I was being selfish. 1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". Thank you Lord for that!

The lesson wasn't over though. The Lord still needed to show me in a way that I would never forget! That very same evening I went into my pumpkin's room to check on her and I found her laying perfectly still with her eyes wide open. I stood there for what seemed like hours waiting for her to move or breathe or cry or anything that would tell me that she was still alive! As I waited there I cried out to God in my mind, "I just  learned to accept this cup today and you are going to take it away from me!" Just then, she closed her eyes and turned her head. She was alive!

I left the room very shaken up. My legs were weak, my heart was pounding, I started crying and had to sit down. It was like a slap in the face - one that I deserved!

Of course this scenario of going into the room and wondering if she was still alive had happened many times before and many times since. I'm sure every parent knows of it! But this time, God really seemed to draw out those few seconds!

After this, I wrote in my journal:

I needed that Lord. Thank You. Both for your justice and your mercy. I am learning to accept this cup and portion that you have given! Help me with this! So that I may bring glory and honour to you.

 I am still learning. And God is still helping me.