God's Beautiful Power

Follow @makenzie_jones

Instagram

Tumblr

 

While we were gone to the beach, we had fantastic weather!  It only rained once, and it didn't even mess up our plans.  That is a huge blessing to get to enjoy over 2 weeks of perfect beach weather.  We had all the sunshine, heat, and humidity we could handle.  One night there was a lightning storm.  All lightning.  No thunder.  It was amazing!  It was constant lightning with no noise!  We stood out on the balcony and watched it for a really long time.  I thought this was an awesome demonstration of God's power.  He is the one who controls the weather, something powerful, and so unpredictable to us. I believe that is one thing He uses to show us that we are not in control; He is.  We can't know what will happen or how it will happen.  He is in total control, and His plan is amazing.

The golf night was a late night, and I was exhausted. I cherish my sleep, but I got in bed after midnight!  It was worth it though. If Dad had not wanted to stay longer and practice putting, I wouldn't have gotten to experience this amazing lightning storm.  It was truly amazing and made me watch in awe of how powerful our God is. He makes beautiful things happen that we can't understand so that He can demonstrate that awesome power.


This also led me to look up some verses about lightning and brought to mind a song by the Newsboys!  Here's some of what I found.

"The voice of the Lord strikes with flashes of lightning."  Psalm 29:7

Light light light up the sky
You light up the sky
To show me You are with me
I I I can't deny
No I can't deny that You are right here with me
You've opened my eyes
So I can see You all around me
Light light light up the sky
You light up the sky to show me
That You are with me

"See how He scatters His lightning about Him, bathing the depths of the seas.  This is the way He governs the nations and provides food in abundance.  He fills His hands with lightning and commands it to strike tis mark.  His thunder announces the coming storm..."  Job 36:30-32

"When He thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; He makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.  He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from His storehouses."  Jeremiah 51:16

The Mighty Mash

Follow @makenzie_jones

Instagram

Tumblr

  

I like to eat out of bowls. 

Why?  Well, there are many advantages to eating out of a bowl!  Since it has slanted sides, you don't have to worry so much about it falling off of your plate. You can mix things up. It is easier to pick up the food with your spoon/fork. It keeps warm food warmer for longer. Bowls come in more shapes and sizes than plates, so you can fit more in it. And who ever ate ice cream off a plate with success?

To my friends and family, I have become well-known for my crazy concoctions in bowls, but I just love being creative with my food and experimenting with how different flavors go together. Now nothing too crazy--I wouldn't try like chocolate and chicken or barbeque blueberries, but you get what I mean;  flavor coordination. 

I've gone back through my pictures and found almost all my bowls I've taken pictures of so maybe you can get some ideas!  Or just entertainment. 

Simple:  banana, protein powder, milk

Blueberry muffin, milk, blueberries. Warmed

Pumpkin, pumpkin seeds, spices, chopped carrots, honey, banana, egg whites

Almond butter, banana, egg whites, oatmeal, quinoa

Egg whites, protein powder, blueberries, strawberries

Microwaved eggs are just awesome. The fluff is real. 

Used my ninja to blend pistachios, milk cubes, pistachio pudding, and frozen banana for this powerful dessert

Almond butter, banana, quinoa

 

S'mores is one of my favorites!  Great additions are:  vanilla or boston cream pie yogurt, marshmallows, graham crackers, s'mores luna bars, brownies, dark chocolate, white chocolate macadamia TCBY, milk

Protein breakfast:  dark chocolate Special K protein shake, toasted coconut almonds, coconut flakes, coconut extract, cream of wheat

A variation of the previous:  vanilla instead of chocolate:  toasted coconut almonds, coconut extract, coconut flakes, almond coconut blend milk, vanilla extract, cream of wheat

One of my all-time favorite flavor combinations:  dark chocolate coconut

Honey and apple pie!

Simple dark chocolate and vanilla 

frozen yogurt, greek yogurt, protein bar, cereal:  the basic components of a rockin dessert.

Healthy banana pudding:  bananas, cereal, banana yogurt, milk

Apple cobbler:  apples, spices, apple pie yogurt, granola, cereal

Pumpkin, seeds, spices, cream of wheat is a great fall season breakfast

This is my homemade ice cream/yogurt stuff that has a description in another post

Apple and almond butter quinoa

Cocoa, banana, almond butter quinoa:  perfect post-workout

 

This was one of my more recent ones!  It was definitely a winner! 

Along with the things you can see in the picture is pumpkin, milk, spices, and apple.

At the beach, the hotel rooms did not have bowls big enough for my desserts, so I used the ice bucket.  Work with what you're given.

Protein+oatmeal=protmeal

This one is pumpkin, spices, egg white, granola, protein powder

Spaghetti with more than the usual trimmings is how we do it at the Jones residence.

From the dining hall at Furman:  sweet potato, cinnamon, greek yogurt, vanilla soft serve, granola, and my own cookies added in

Another FUDH:  banana pudding with strawberry frozen yogurt

The final dessert from Furman camp this year:  greek yogurt, chocolate frozen yogurt, protein bars

 

Some others that I don't have a picture of but I can think of right now are

dark chocolate peppermint:  Yorks, mint chocolate luna bars, mint chocolate yogurt and frozen yogurt, milk

caramel banana yoplait yogurt, blended milk and frozen banana, caramel apple granola

cocoa coffee simply bars, cafe latte yogurt, milk, cereal, dark chocolate espresso beans, cookies, etc

honey yogurt, oatmeal raisin cookies or bars, corresponding cereal, spices, dried fruit

carrot cake luna or clif bars, honey yogurt and frozen yogurt, milk, carrots, dried fruit, granola, cereal

butterscotch pudding, Resee's pieces, peanut butter puffins or cheerios or Resee's puffs, peanut butter chocolate protein bar, chocolate frozen yogurt, milk, etc

**Another all-time favorite:  CARAMEL yogurt, frozen yogurt, chex popped sweet and salty, simply bars, dulce de leche cheerios, milk, caramel popcorn, butterscotch pudding...the list goes on

white chocolate macadamia luna bars and same flavor pudding, vanilla yogurt, milk, vanilla almond cereal

 

sausage, cabbage, mustard, seasonings, eggs, onion, peppers

corn, beans, bbq chicken, onion, salsa

 

These are just a sample, but I mix all kinds of things together for all 3 meals!  I think it just makes them better together than on their own.  That's why I call it the mighty mash.

Mandisa- It's Christmas

Another one of my favorite artists is Mandisa, and she also has a Christmas album with classic and her own original songs.  Two fo my favorites that I have downloaded are It's Christmas and Somebody's Angel.

"We could be that shining light
To show the heart of Christmas time
People need love
And we all are able
So take some time and start today
To give some joy and hope away
'Cause you might be
You might be
Somebody's angel"

This is the chorus of Somebody's Angel.  Christmas doesn't bring the same joy to everyone, because some people don't have enough money to give to others, buy special decorations or food, and some can't even do anything to celebrate.  This song makes me think about how much I am blessed with, yet how ungrateful I am.  Thinking about all the unfortunate people across the world, from my own neighborhood to across the oceans, it makes me want to give.  People like that often find the greatest joy out of small thoughtful gifts from the heart.

You never know, you may be the one to make someone's year.

It's Christmas is a very upbeat, celebratory song!

"But let's not forget
In the middle of the busy-ness
Remember this
Jesus is the reason for
This time of the year
We're gonna celebrate

It's Christmas
Oh Let me hear
That joyful noise in the air
Wanna hear it everywhere
Heaven and earth proclaim
Come on let's celebrate
It's Christmas"

This is probably my favorite part of this song.  Right now, I am definitely feeling the business.  There is no way that this time next week Christmas will be over.  I feel like I have done nothing, because it has all just gone too fast.  But let's not think about that; it's too sad!  When we become overwhelmed, we just need to remember that Jesus didn't come to stress us out--No Way!  He came to save us from our sins, give us peace, joy, and eternal life.  This is what we are to truly celebrate!

"...what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.  She will give birth to a son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins...The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call Him Immanuel--which means God with us."  Matthew 1:20-21, 23

"For to you a child is born, to you a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.  And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."  Isaiah 9:6