katie stromwall's blog

I’m guzzling down some tasty hazelnut coffee at Panera making my meal plan for the week.  As in meal plan, I simply mean that I choose a few breakfast meals, all you need to make a good sandwich, and about 3 solid hearty dinner meals.  After almost two years of marriage, I’ve figured out that 3 dinner meals usually provides some great left-overs for our family of two as well as 1 or 2 nights of eating out with students or friends. My hubby would be very proud of my diligent planning today- definitely his strong-point and my weak-spot.  But we are a team and figuring out life together!

Have I told you about our new friends, Ali Joy and Zach Foty?  Well, they are blessing us in a lot of ways… but right now I am LOVING Ali’s blog.  After reading through her page Ali Eats, I was inspired to try some new meal ideas!  Nick loves smoothies, and She just so happens to have some really great smoothie recipes!  Did I also mention she is training for a marathon while finishing school/student teaching and being a wife- ALL at the same time?  GO Ali!  And thanks for the wonderful meal ideas!

So Here’s My Menu:

Breakfasts:

1) Green Monster Drink Smoothie

2) Spinach, tomato, basil, feta frittata w/whole wheat toast

3) Oatmeal, yogurt, and blackberries

4) Trader Joe’s Mutligrain waffles

Lunches:

1) sandwiches- Turkey, avacado, tomato, lettuce, pepperjack cheese, and olive oil mayo- Yum!

2) w/a side of veggies and homemade hummus

Dinners:

1)Summery Strawberry Salad w/Chicken

2) Slow Cooker Pork, carrots, potatoes, shallots, w/green beans

3) Spicy Black Bean Burgers w/sweet potatoes and grilled zuchinni

Dessert:

Rasberry Sherbet Icecream w/vanilla wafers… i LOVE rasberry anything.

My mom’s Chocolate chip cookies

Oh… can’t forget snacks!

1) mixed bell peppers and homemade hummus

2) chips and salsa… we are ADDICTED.

3) Kashi seven grain crackers with cheese (My hub loves cheese!)

Thank you Ali for the great ideas!

Off to my staff mtg… then to the store to stock up on these tasty meals!  I am grateful for stores to go to, for the ability to buy food, for recipes to eat that are healthy, for so much I don’t deserve…

Love,

Katie

8:30 run

10:00 clean up apartment

11:00 Plan meals/plan week @ Panera

12:45 Leave for staff mtg

1-4 Staff Mtg.

4:00 Grocery shopping, pick up tux at Rosedale for Nick

5:00 Practice guitar

6:30 Double Date w/the hub and some friends!  (No cooking tonight)

I confess Mondays are tough for me… I need a plan or else I will want to sleep all day.. anyone know what I mean?

Hope my list helps me!

Watching the sunrise on Easter morning! Because a sinless Savior died, My sinful soul is counted free; For God, the Just, is satisfied To look on Him and pardon me To look on Him and pardon me…

Eating Free Coldstone Icecream with students at the U!

This sweet guy…

Surprised me with these! I LOVE yellow tulips.

Especially when I find them in my car! Thanks baby!

Did I mention he plays the saxophone? Its his hidden talent… but not so hidden on Easter morning. I got to listen to my baby play for all the services… brought joy to my heart!

If you’ve ever been to our apartment, you might not believe me when I tell you that 18 sweet freshman women from the U came over for dinner this past Wednesday night.  I would have invited more if I could have fit more… the downside of living in my apartment is you have to draw the line somewhere when only have so much space! Here is the proof!  We might have to do this again, it was a blast!

Happy Spring!!

Today I am really grateful. There is nothing greater than being given the steadfast love of the Lord and His new mercy every morning. In fact, THIS morning. So often, I wake up with such a dead heart… and somehow He comes and melts me. Well, its safe to say I’m being melted here at Overflow Cafe.. physically and emotionally. Physically because its a whopping 70 degrees and the sun is shining here in the otherwise frozen tundra of MN!! (Hence, the Happy Spring greeting)… and sitting outside hearing the water from the fountain is also reminding me of life… emotionally because of the Word. It is NO JOKE. I just can’t believe that every time I open it, I come alive. Is it so strange that God’s own voice resonates with all the longing in my soul? The soul that He made? It makes perfect sense…

As I am reading this morning, I am humbled to tears. Because none of these words would make me come alive if Jesus had not died on the cross. If He was not my perfect advocate, the atonement for all my sin… if He had not come and opened up my mind and my heart, I would remain spiritually dead and unawakened. I would not have a heart of stone turned into a heart of flesh.

I was reading through the Psalms a bit today… and I just leaped in my soul echoing David in Psalm 65:1-4…

“Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple!”

There is just nothing better than being a daughter of such a worthy, humble, righteous king. I am a welcomed sinner in the arms of God. I am free to be showered with love and affection from Him… oh this is so much more than I deserve. This is so much better than anything else this life could offer.

All I can say today…is… I love Him. I love Jesus.  He’s come to such great lengths to rescue me… and it is so sweet to be saved by Him! I am in awe of His gift of life to me… of His steadfast love to such a wandering, lost distracted girl.  His humility and selfless love.. If that’s what God is like, I have so far to come in being like him.  If that’s what God is like, I cannot help but fall on my face and worship Him alone.  I can’t help loving Him today.. what grace.  These moments are rare… there are few days where I actually love Him.

Today, I do.  All because He has first loved ME.  I sinned against God, and He loved me.  A pretty lopsided exchange, huh?  His love doesn’t make sense, it seems so foolish He would love His enemies… He would love me.  I feel all light-hearted in my soul today… what can I say?  I’m totally captivated by Him today.