Tasty Bites: Mango Banana Smoothie: Fuel and Refuel

By Candy, RN (Steele the Day)

After exercise, it’s important to refuel your body with healthy protein and energy. The smoothie is one of my favorites as it is refreshing, cold, and you can prepare the ingredients ahead, put the blender in the fridge and blend it up when you get home. This combination of fruit, milk and yogurt packs a healthy supply of Vitamin C and the banana provides replenishment of potassium lost during exercise.

Mango Banana Smoothie

1 ripe mango, cut in chunks

8 ounces non-fat vanilla yogurt

1 banana, cut in chunks

½ cup  Skim Milk

1 handful ice

Put all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until smooth.

Candy Steele is a registered nurse who has worked with cardiac patients for over thirty years. “Functional foods” have become her passion, and she enjoys sharing her love of cooking, a random life and a faithful Jesus with her friends at Steele (the Day). She is blessed with three grown children, a new daughter-in-law, and a kind and patient husband who only knows how to fix popcorn (but she’s OK with that).

Fingerprint Fridays: Endings and Beginnings

By MAD21

I wrote earlier the week about our oldest graduating kindergarten. One of the things we like to do for big events in our house is have a countdown. My girls just love it. For this particular event, however, the countdown was bitter-sweet. We were all happy that summer was coming and all that it brings. But sad to say good-bye to another year of school (yes, my kids are still young enough that they LOVE school).

I am thankful that God is there for all of our endings, and our beginnings. His fingerprints are always a welcome presence in our lives, but it's in these times they are especially welcome.

Fellow blogger Beki at The Rusted Chain has a really great weekly post she does every Friday called "Fingerprint Friday." We are to look around and see where we can see God's fingerprints. Is it in nature? Kids? Animals? Anywhere? Go find out where Beki saw God this week, and be sure to check out the other bloggers who linked their stories as well.

Equally Worthy

By Pat

Out little granddaughter is developmentally disabled, and as she gets older it becomes more obvious that she is not on the same level intellectually and behaviorally as other children her age. An outside observer probably sees and hears her and notices only how behind she is, but those of us close to her know her and can see how much progress she has made in her special "early intervention" classes and her speech therapy.

We who care for her rejoice at what she has learned, and celebrate each little bit of improvement she makes. I firmly believe that God sees each of us like this; as different, unique and special children who are equally worthy of His love and grace. What a wonderful thing to know, and what a wonderful God we serve! I thank and praise God for His unbiased love for all of His beloved children!

Pat is a good friend who is passionate about her faith and her family. She works from home supporting a family business, and loves to read, write and garden when she can, and spends every spare moment with her grandkids.

YOB: #8. Go To Ireland (Part 2)

By Lara

[Here is the continuing story of Lara's account of YOB: #8. Go to Ireland. Be sure to go check out Part 1, and Beth's version, as well.]

IRELAND DAY 3 - We went on our day trip on the third day. The brochure was vague regarding where we were to be picked up, but we eventually got on the correct bus.

Apparently, Dubliners do not like to leave their homes before daylight. We were walking towards the Dublin Tourism office around 7:30 and the streets were practically empty... on a week day.

So. The day trip. The first stop was Glendalough. I LOVED Glendalough. It was beautiful and haunting. We saw some wild goats. The upper lake, the waterfall, my prayer rock, and the green road were all things that imagination are made of. I enjoyed the lower lake and the ruined monastery as well. Most of our tour group hurried off past the truly beautiful things in order to get a cup of tea before re-boarding the bus. Beth and I lingered. It was wonderful.

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This Time Is Short, Love Each Moment

By MAD21

My oldest graduated from kindergarten last night. It was an amazing program. The kids and their teachers had obviously worked very hard to put it together. This was the first time that I saw my daughter perform in front of people while looking like she actually enjoyed what she was doing, instead of being so nervous that she just kind of mouthed the words and barely went through the motions.

During the Headmaster's presentation, he spoke about the fact that turning six and graduating kindergarten is an important milestone. I, myself, have been pondering for the last few months on the importance of this time in my daughter's life. At first, I was struggling to figure out why some people make such a big deal out of this stage. Don't get me wrong, every minute I have with my kids is important to me. But I wondered why this specific time is celebrated.

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