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Hydrating Watermelon Smoothie
I’ve been trying to find ways to drink more water and stay hydrated. If you are too or you’re just out enjoying the hot summer day and need a refreshing hydrating drink, here’s a delicious idea:
Watermelon Mint Smoothie from Urban Fitopia
2 Persian cucumbers
1 1/2 cups watermelon
6 sprigs mint – de-stemmed
1 tbsp chia seeds
1 cup water
1/2 cup ice cubes
Watermelon is a whopping 91 percent water by weight. Paired with the refreshing mint and the cooling cucumber, this smoothie will leave you feeling rejuvenated even during the hottest heat wave.
Beautiful Traveler
She passed him on the highway about 2:00 in the afternoon. He was pushing a bicycle loaded down like a pack horse with seemingly all of his meager belongings. Her thought, was how could he push that bike with all that stuff? She thought about him for a few more minutes and turned up the radio and sped on. She had to get to work. There, she played the songs and shared the verses and offered inspiration and even gave some tips on ways to do random acts of kindness. He didn’t cross her mind again that afternoon.
On her way home, she cranked the radio again and thought about her family, her life, what she’d make for dinner that night and what her schedule looked like for the coming week. Then her heart leaped out of her chest when she saw the man again! Five hours later, he was still on his journey down that two-lane highway, cars passing him by at 60 miles per hour. It was an unusually cool day in July, but he had a jacket to keep the chill away. He was nearing the intersection of two highways, now riding the bike with determined purpose. She heard God’s voice in the words she had shared, the verses that He had pointed out to her that day. He said, “Share my love with him.”
At the next road she made a U-turn to find a place to buy him some food for the night. Loading her arms with a couple of sandwiches, snacks and nutritious drinks, she laid it all on the counter, planning to stop and give it to him out on the road, but then she spied him in the store looking at the soda case. She told the clerk, this is for that man over there. The clerk’s smile lit up the store at her gesture of kindness, but not as bright as when the woman handed the sack to the man, now standing in line behind her with just a Dr. Pepper in hand.
She said, “This is for you. God loves you.” His response was, “I know!” His tanned, leathery skin, tousled hair and huge grin that showed some teeth missing made her think of how God’s love washing over people makes them more beautiful than diamonds. God had given her an opportunity to bless him and he had blessed her even more than she had imagined. God showed her something beautiful in this highway traveler.
What’s the difference in God answering your prayers and giving you want you ask for?
What’s the difference in God answering your prayers and God giving you what you ask for?
There are so many times in my life when I really thought I understood what I needed or was convinced that what I wanted was the right thing to want. There are also so many times when I didn’t get what I’d begged for…what I’d requested God to grant in my life. ‘Been there?
Let me just say this, I’ve also had so many times in my life when I’ve been able to look back at what I didn’t get and have been able to see that NOT getting what I’d requested was truly the answer to my prayers! I know, that sounds confusing, but, here’s what I’m thinking….
My deepest prayer to God is that He will be able to use me for bettering His kingdom, that I will be the child that He wants me to be. I pray that He will be able to grow me to be more like Jesus. My prayer is that my children will become women of God and better the world and families that God is entrusting to them. My prayer is that my life and heart will always reflect Him.
My requests are sometimes different…I want someone to share my life with on earth, I want to have enough money not to worry about things, I want to be close to my children and grandchildren. I want to be active, I want the light to stay green so I’m on time….I want to wake up in the morning and be miraculously thin, and then I’ll maintain that perfect weight, I promise! ….notice that so often we begin our prayer “requests” with “I want, I need” … but God knows the deepest of wants and needs for us and He answers our prayers according to that knowing. God knows that sometimes our “requests” won’t line up with our true needs and wants. So, He answers the “requests” accordingly.
How many times have we been able to look back on the “requests” of the past and thanked God that He did NOT give us what we were sure we wanted or needed back then!?
Thinking about this today, I asked myself this question – and now I’m asking you too- When was the last time I sat down to thank God for saying no to me. When was the last time that I asked Him to forgive me for being hurt/angry/frustrated because He didn’t give me my request!? When was the last time I stopped being a petulant child and simply bowed to the fact that my Daddy God is answering the best prayers for me and my life.
What’s the difference in God answering your prayers and God giving you what you ask for? You can only see this little tiny piece of the puzzle and what you think it looks like – But God knows all of it and how it will really all fit together for your good/best. The difference is that God is always do what is the best for you, not what you think would be good for you!
I hope that makes sense to you, because I have to go in the other room and apologize to God for being a big whiney baby about “unanswered” prayer requests and thank Him that He has not always given me what I wanted. While I’m gone, maybe you want to think back and see if He has done you a favor by NOT giving you what you “requested
Cheap Summertime Fun for Kids
Your kids are out of school! How can you keep them entertained when you have a tight budget? Here’s some great ideas compliments of KaixinFun.com that will cost you under $10:
-Exploding paint bags can be a messy, fun art project for your kids.
-Make roads for toy cars by using colored tape on carpet.
-Turn your driveway into a fun target game using chalk and sponges.
-Have extra bubble wrap? Make stomp paintings.
-Cut up a tarp with scissors to make a cheap throwing game.
-Create a quiet, safe game of Jenga by using cut-up sponges.
-Go camping indoors and let your kids’ imaginations run wild.
-Make a mini bowling game with pencil erasers and marbles.
-Make soap clouds by putting a bar of soap into the microwave.
-Balloon ping pong – make the paddles with paper plates and popscicle sticks.
-Hang Strands of painter’s tape across the doorway to make a fun, sticky spiderweb.
-Cut up a rectangle shaped box to make a stair slide.
-Cut a pool noodle in half to make a marble race track.
-Or use those pool noodles and chairs to create a backyard obstacle course.
Check out the whole list on their Website and make some great memories with your kids this summer!
Shannon Ethridge on the Morning Show!
Shannon is a nationally known author and speaker on marital and spiritual intimacy and joined us for morning show merriment!
If I can just get through the morning without saying anything embarrassing we’ll be good. ~ Mike
Learn more about Shannon’s ministry at www.shannonethridge.com
1st Day of Summer Fun
It’s the first day of summer! Summer is most people’s favorite time of the year. School is out, the weather is warm (HOT here in East Texas) and it’s time to relax and recharge. Looking for ways to keep all the kids entertained? Care.com offers some summer fun ideas!
No.1 on the list:
-Make an ‘unplug pact’ and see if your family can take a break from all electronics together at least once a day.
-Throw a First Day of Summer Party
Make the backyard into a water park by turning a plastic tarp into a giant slip n’ slide, hanging a cluster of water balloons from the ceiling like a Pinata and giving everyone water guns for a splashing good time.
-Make a “Welcome to Summer” Fun Box
Create a kit that will help make this summer one to remember. Give kids a box filled with some of their favorite activities. It will provide inspiration for fun things to do, and will help keep them occupied during the warm weather months. Include things like sand toys, art supplies, games and books.
-Spoon Up Some Ice Cream
-Freshen Up Your Home
It’s work, yes, but we always feel better when the house is clean and uncluttered, right? Especially when all the neighborhood kids are in and out!
-Have a Picnic in the park
-Set up a Lemonade and Cookies Stand
-Play Ball!
Set a trend for an active summer and organize a baseball or softball game with family and friends.
-Fly a Kite
-Camp Out
Kick off summer with a night under the stars. Go camping in a state park or even your backyard. Do traditional fun camping things like grilling hot dogs and telling scary stories.
-Enjoy a Summer-themed Feast
What’s your favorite summertime treat? Maybe it’s homemade ice cream, BBQ ribs, burgers, s’mores or fresh fruits and veggies from your garden. Combine them in a meal that’s a toast to the season and reminds you of all the good times past and those to come over the next couple of months.
Whatever you do, just get outside and have some fun! Don’t forget the sunscreen!
Evening Show Recap – June 18th
It’s a wrap-up tonight that’s sure to make you re-examine and maybe re-tool some things in life (hello sitting could lead to cancer…)
- You’ve realized that your son’s blood pressure has been really high lately. But he’s only 14 years old!! Okay, how many caffeinated drinks is he having a week? If he’s been drinking anywhere from a full can of soda, a whole energy drink, or a cup of coffee a day, THIS is why his blood pressure is high. His heart rate could increase to dangerous levels as well. A sip here or there of the stuff, it’s ok. Everyday – not a good idea for guys 17 and younger
KVNE Guatemala Mission Trip – Day 5
Today is the last day for our team at the Little House of Refuge. We spent the morning finishing up projects and spending as much time as we could with the kids. Joe, one of our KVNE listeners on the team, spent all morning grilling chicken for their lunch, and for these children it was a feast they rarely get here at the orphanage. Yesterday I shared that I would be meeting my sponsor child, Lupita. She’s in the 9th grade, love school and loves to read. With the help of one of our team members who speaks Spanish I was able to share with her that I was her sponsor. I’ll never forget the way her face lit up as she gave me a big hug. Meeting her being able to be a small part of her life was truly the highlight of this trip for me. As we left that evening, many of us had questions about the future of these kids. One of our interpreters Paola reminds us in our evening devotion that they are going to be OK. Each one of these precious children is going to be OK because God is with them through every circumstance. She reminds us that this trip was not about us, it wasn’t about the kids. It was about God, and that we need to keep Him at the center of our lives. We had an evening of sharing, and just listening as we went around the room it was so clear that God not only worked in the hearts of the kids but he’s been working in our hearts too.
KVNE Guatemala Mission Trip – Day 4
Its hard to believe we’ve been here four days now – the time is really flying as we continue to work at the Little House of Refuge. There are seven boys here at the orphanage. One thing they don’t have here is a male role model, so our Vacation Bible School focus for the boys has been on biblical manhood and what it means to be a man of God. It’s been so fun to watch all of the men in the group get excited about teaching these young boys. We continued to teach the girls about how God created them to be special, and as I looked around at them laughing and having fun making crafts I realized that tomorrow would be our last day with them. I could feel my heart getting heavy at the thought of saying goodbye. We’ve been a family for just a short season, and I’m reminded that after the goodbye hugs and the tears, there is an eternal “see you again” promise. The hugs seemed to be tighter as we left today, and on our bus ride back to the hotel I made the decision to sponsor one of the children at Little House. Her name is Lupita. I can’t wait to tell her tomorrow that I’m her sponsor!
KVNE Guatemala Mission Trip – Day 3
It’s day three for our Guatemala team, and we’re starting to work on projects like murals, building shelves, painting a sports court for the kids and vacation bible school. By now we are really getting to know the children and why they came to the Little House of Refuge. I spent some time with Odalis, she is 14 years old and has been at the orphanage about a year. She comes from an abusive home, and has her 3 year old daughter Esther here as well. Odalis is learning to read, she likes to cook and help around the house. She often feels alone and unwanted – a lot of the children feel like that because of coming from bad situations at home. That’s why our vacation bible school focus for the girls this week is about how special we are to God. We used beautiful butterflies to share “En Christo Somas Nuavas Criaturas”, In Christ we are new creations. Just like a caterpillar transforms into a beautiful butterfly, when we accept Christ into our hearts we become new, beautiful creations. Tomorrow I’ll share about the boys VBS.
