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Gina DiMartino

~ finding beauty in pain

Gina DiMartino

Monthly Archives: January 2016

well with my soul

28 Thursday Jan 2016

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Breaking Busy

26 Tuesday Jan 2016

Posted by ginamd in Book Reviews, Uncategorized

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alli worthington, book review, breaking busy

breaking busy

 

Here’s a trailer for Alli’s new book and if you want to read my book review, check it out here!

 

we are already perfect

25 Monday Jan 2016

Posted by ginamd in Book Reviews, Uncategorized

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alli worthington, breaking busy, shame, worth, you are perfect

Breaking Busy

by Alli Worthington

breaking busy.jpg

Release Date January 26, 2016

 

 

“You don’t have to be all things to all people.
Just be the best you to the people who matter the most.”

 I always love when I get asked to do book reviews. I love reading, so it just makes sense. But it seems like every time I get asked, I have literally no time to read the book. I am soooooo busy. Coincidental that this book was about how to not be so busy. Three days before the book release I finally sat down to read the book. We have been snowed in since Friday, so I have been reading a ton. I mean, I have read three books in two days. But not the book for the book review. Nope that one was still sitting on my desk just waiting. Staring at me. Taunting me. Finally I picked it up.

“…you might be missing out on the life you are meant to live,
missing out because you are operating in a world of crazy busy
where the noise and distractions are keeping you
from what you were meant to do[.]”

I think the last chapter of the book hit me the hardest. It really dug down to the root of my “busy”. I stay busy because of shame. I am constantly trying to prove to the world around me that I have value. I always feel like I have to DO something in order to make people like me and appreciate me. Therefore, I have a hard time saying no to anyone. This has been a cycle in my life for as long as I can remember. Instilled in me as a child that I would never be good enough and I always had to keep trying my hardest to please those around me. What an unhealthy way to live.

“Staying busy with shallow acquaintances only leaves us feeling empty.”

I have this illusion that if I just work hard enough or do something perfect enough I will be accepted and valued. If I can’t do something as perfect as I feel it should be done, I don’t even want to try. But Alli says God offers us life. A life “free from striving for our own sense of perfection, a life resisting in the assurance that we are already perfect because of the work he has done on the cross.”  John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”

“When you know what your goals and priorities are (in both the short and long run), you can decide if a certain activity will get you closer or farther away from that goal. Make sure you spend time doing things that get you closer to your goals.”

God wants us to have abundant life, but what does that mean? I think it can only be achieved when we realize that we have true worth and the place that worth comes from is Jesus Christ. “Our worth does not come through our great accomplishments, nor does it come from other people’s acceptance (or rejection) of us. Jesus teaches us that our worth is in him.” We need to rest in this. Our worth is in Jesus. I know this is so much easier said than done, and satan will do whatever he can to get us to disbelieve this. Every day he tries to distract us, make us feel unworthy and unloved. But everything that comes from the enemy is a lie. Only when we turn to Jesus and find our worth in Him, will we be able to break the busy cycles in our lives and start doing what He truly has called us to do.

“He’s [God] waiting for you to stop striving and set everything aside that is keeping you busy and distracted, then turn your attention to him. In a living, daily relationship, he can then show you places you should go, people you should listen to, talents you should nourish, opportunities you should pursue, and passions and gifts he wants you to develop.”

I think the action steps at the end of the chapter are a great wrap up for the whole book and some great things for us to think about today. Go ahead and answer them if you want. Post your answers in the comments of this blog if you want to share. And be sure to grab a copy of this book for yourself! Here’s to Breaking Busy !

Action Steps (from chapter 10)

  1. Remember a time in your life when you felt a deep sense of shame. What lie were you believing?
  2. Identify an area of your life where your busyness is an attempt to prove your worth. What would change if you approached life from a deep sense of God’s grace and love for you, rather than a sense of shame or pride?
  3. Pray and ask God what truths he wants you to know about his love for you, and ask that he make love for him the central desire of your heart.

*all quotes taken from Breaking Busy by Alli Worthington

 

Chiang Mai Curry Noodles

18 Monday Jan 2016

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I promise you will not regret making this! It is delicious. As Shauna would say, stand at the sink and eat cold leftovers, delicious. Try it!

{Chiang Mai Curry Noodles}
Ingredients
1/2 lb. dry Chinese-style egg noodles (or 1 lb fresh)
2 TBSP red curry paste or panaeng curry paste
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into bite-size strips)
2 TBSP vegetable oil
1 TBSP chopped garlic
1 can coconut milk
1 3/4 cup chicken stock
2 tsp curry powder
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
2 TBSP lime juice
1/2 cup cilantro (chopped)
1/3 cup green onions (chopped 1/3 inch)
1/3 cup shallots (diced)

Directions
1. Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan/skillet (that has a lid to use later), and then add garlic. Toss well and add the red curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften in the oil, about 1 minute. Add the chicken and cook 1 to 2 minutes tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste. add the coconut milk, chicken broth, curry powder, soy sauce, sugar, and salt and stir well. Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer. Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through. Stir in lime juice, remove from heat, and over to keep curry warm while you prepare the noodles.

2. Cook the noodles in a large pot of rapidly boiling water, until tender but still firm, as little as 2 minutes for fresh and 7 minutes or more for dried. Drain, rinse well in cold water, drain again, and divide noodles among individual serving bowls. Ladle on hot curry, and sprinkle each serving with the shallots, cilantro, and sprinkle each serving with the shallots, cilantro, and green onions. Serve hot.

3. (Optional) For some extra crunch and intrigue, you can make ahead some fried noodle nests to top off your soup. Using 1/2 pound of fresh egg noodles, heat about 2 cups vegetable oil in a wok to about 375 degrees. Carefully add a handful of noodles, let sizzle and brown a few seconds, then transfer to a platter to cool. Serve on top of soup.

Taken from:

http://sarahlookingin.blogspot.com/2013/06/khao-soi-chiang-mai-curry-noodles.html

book writing is hard work

15 Friday Jan 2016

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I never thought writing a book would be so hard! I thought I would just sit down and write and it would pour out of me and I would just recount what happened to me and the amazing lessons I learned (that I still don’t know what they are exactly) And poof, I’d have a book done. But man it is much harder than I thought and much more involved. I thought I’d have grown so much and have so many words of wisdom on suffering and most of the time I just feel like I am blank and have nothing to say. Most of the time I just stare at the computer, or move sentences around. I want to finish it so badly. I am getting into more of a routine. I know I work better in a routine. But it’s still hard. And there’s still a long way to go, but I have a great team cheering me on, and I have a great group of writers that I am working with. I know I will finish, it just seems so slow at this point.

Georgia O’Keefe says “Making your unknown known is the important thing”. And I guess that’s what I am doing. Making my unknown, known. I’m writing this book to share myself. My story. And it might not touch very many people’s lives, but I know it will be healing for me and hopefully encouragement to others.

“chorizo” & brussels sprouts

14 Thursday Jan 2016

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I love chorizo. But it isn’t very healthy as it is high in both fat and sodium. I am trying to be very careful with what I eat and found a recipe to make chorizo and decided I could do it with ground beef. It tastes very similar to chorizo but is a bit healthier. I’m sure it could also be done with ground turkey but I haven’t tried that yet. It is delicious with brussels sprouts and together they make a wonderful meal.

1 t chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
1/2t oregano
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t cloves
1/4 t coriander
2 T white vinegar
2 T water
1 t olive oil
8 oz ground beef

Heat frying pan with olive oil. Add garlic and stir till fragrant, about 10 seconds, add ground beef and rest of spices, vinegar and water. Chop the beef while cooking so it is fine without any large clumps.

1 lb brussels sprouts
1 t salt
1 t olive oil
chorizo

Boil a pot of water, slice brussels in half. When water is boiling, add salt and brussels. Cook for 8 minutes, drain and rinse with cold water. Add to beef in frying pan and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes until brussels sprouts reach desired doneness.

enjoy!

 

 

 

rain

13 Wednesday Jan 2016

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It is pouring rain. I’ve been watching LOST re-runs, drinking tea, and snuggling on the couch. I have been so horrible at keeping up with my blogging. Something I hope to rectify in this new year.

2015 is over. I do wonder if there will ever be a year where I get to the end and think man, that was a great year! Instead of, that year was hard and I’m glad it’s over because maybe next year will be better. But it never is. Oh well, here’s to hoping 2016 is a better year. And part of it is my own fault. I know I need to make it better. I need to make the choice to be happy, to make better choices, to better myself and choose things that will make me feel useful and productive. As Ann Voskamp says, “Rejoicing in the Lord happens while we still struggle in the now. Struggling and rejoicing are not to chronological steps, one following the other, but two concurrent movements, one fluid with the other.”

We had Christmas at my parent’s house here in Asheville. Pete is now living in the area and Kim & her husband, Colton and their daughter, Elouise joined us as well. It was a small group, but we had a great time. We are definitely enjoying the North Carolina winters. It is so much milder than NY.

KILG3457

Elouise was nappy when we took this picture. Also Kim had her baby yesterday so we are happy to welcome Adaline into our family. She is a snuggly little bundle of cuteness.

Just a quick update for everyone. Did anyone make new years resolutions? I didn’t, but I’d love to hear yours!

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