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Ice storm and a simple recipe.

 Good Morning!

As I am writing this post, it is thundering, lightening and the sky is dropping ice pellets like it ain't no thang (I'm not afraid to use Midwest slag). And I'm listening to bluegrass radio on itunes; it just sounded great.

 I'm praying for my husband's safety while he is making his way to work. As I am off work for the morning, I thought it would be spent well by finally posting a simple recipe I've been meaning to show you all. 

You may or may not work full time away from home, or you may be a stay at home mom. Whatever the case, if you have trouble coming up with simple, healthy, and tasty recipe every night like me, you may appreciate this one. 

Fish. So good if it's cooked well, and if you've got the loving taste buds for it. Lately, my husband and I have been eating a lot of tilapia in different ways. Here is just one.

Pan cooked tilapia and asparagus on the side.

Here is where you're going to begin. The best thing about fish is that is doesn't take but a half or less to thaw out. So if you didn't have time to take out chicken, beef, or any other meat for the matter, and you are trying to stay away from microwaving to thaw, you're set here with fish. We buy individually packaged fish, that way the thawing process is easy.

First, plug your sink or fill a large bowl 1/4 to 1/2 of cool to room temperature water. Do not use hot water as it can make your fish fall apart easily while cooking. You will want the fish to stay cold before cooking it. Let them sit in the water for a half hour or less until thawed. 

While the fishies are thawing, yes fishies, you can prepare your asparagus, or any side you decide to eat with this scrumptious fish. Roasted oven potatoes, steamed veggies, etc. To keep our asparagus hydrated and stay fresh longer, I keep it standing up in a cup or small bowl in the refrigerator with a small amount of water to submerge the ends. (I learned this from my Momma in law). :)

Once you have rinsed your asparagus well, prepare them by chopping about an inch off the ends. 

These will take about 10-15 minutes to cook on stove top depending on how crunchy or soft you like them. We like them in the middle. You can also roast them in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. This is an estimate of time and temperature since I cook with a gas stove. You can adjust your time and temperature according to your oven, but I would say to keep a timer and your eyes on them if you decide to roast them. I like to cook mine over the stove top on medium heat with a tbsp of olive oil, sprinkle of sea salt, pepper, and a small quarter squeeze of a lemon.

Once you've placed your asparagus on your stove top or in your oven, begin seasoning your fish.

The best seasoning we love is the acidity of a lemon, and we keep it simple with Lemon pepper. Most lemon pepper will have salt added as well, so be careful with how much you use. We like to place the fish on a plate and cover both sides of the fish with seasoning.

Look at the color striations, isn't real food just beautiful?

The fish only needs 3 minutes on each side, so you will want to start the fillets when your asparagus has been cooking for about 5 minutes. Place a tbsp of olive oil in a medium to large sized pan and let it heat up over medium heat for a minute. But be careful to not leave the pan over the heat and oil or any longer. 

Once you've flipped your fish and tossed your asparagus around a few times over the heat, you are done. This is about a half hour to 45 minutes of your time for dinner or lunch. This pairing takes a short amount of time, preparations are easy and you've got food on your table like...voila! 

List of needs for this recipe of two:

-2 fish fillets (tilapia or whatever fish you choose; salmon would be great also)

-Half a bundle of asparagus

-Olive oil

-Sea salt and pepper

-Lemon pepper seasoning

-Quarter of a lemon

Hope you all enjoy!

Always with Love,

Lindsay

I'm not dead.

Hey Folks,

I promise I haven't forgotten about you, but I have, however been in a whirlwind since the Holidays. I think things are beginning to settle down and I hope to be sharing fun ideas, recipes, and life with you.
Hope all is well.



Sincerely,
Lindsay

Nashville.

The weekend before last, my husband and I were given the opportunity to travel to Nashville, TN to go to our friends' wedding, Garrett and Hope. My husband also shot their wedding and it was such a perfect Autumn day for  such a beautiful wedding!

On the days we weren't on photo duty, after the wedding, we traveled that evening to the downtown area and witnessed the massive amounts of bars and venues full of musicians playing mostly country and classic rock songs..not to mention there were several lone song writers along the streets playing for money. They don't call it the music city for no reason, folks!

Sunday we made our way to good ol' Trader Joes to buy special groceries that we missed since living in Cali and since we've been home, have been enjoying their roasted tomato soup (accompanied by gouda bacon grilled cheese sandwiches), warm spiced apple cider, and a nicely sized container of yogurt covered raisins (that my husband devoured in 3 days time).

On our way home we found a sweet little town called Paducah in Kentucky where we ate lunch, walked along the river side, and found the biggest collection of records I've ever seen.
I picked up Ray Charles and Bing Crosby to add to my tiny collection that I hope to continue to grow.

Getting away from home clears my mind every time and I think it is necessary for us to do so every often. This trip reminded me of how much I love to travel and see new things. I remembered to dream again like I used to about traveling. Our time is so limited here in this world. I've spent the majority of my life in Missouri and sometimes feel a little naive in the way that I haven't experienced stepping foot in foreign soil. I think stepping outside of my comfort zone of home and what I know every single day gives me the opportunity to step away from getting so caught up in my routine and take more time to meditate on what the Lord is saying. I've always been timid and indecisive about many of my decisions. I'm hoping to live a little more freely this next year, in the arms of Christ; to be less afraid of what others think of me and being veiled in what the Lord says that I am. I hope to be more assertive in my decision making and moving forward to reach the goals I always place to the side. I'm praying for strength, for motivation, for an abundance of joy to live life more freely and out of my timid shell. I'm praying to fearlessly pour out to others what I've so graciously been given.

With Love,
Lindsay

Nesting.

Last night my husband and I said it smelled just like Autumn. Maybe it was the neighbors fireplace smoke, or the million wet leaves in our yard, or maybe the cool crisp air stirring it all about. I'm pretty sure Autumn is the best time of the year because it is so short of a time. The leaves on every tree are bursting with color and the coolness of the air is just enough to make sure you cook chili and drink hot cider. Too much of something good isn't as interesting or exciting because it spoils it and we end up taking it for granted.

Our new home is so great and such a quiet and peaceful place. It's still a mess in certain rooms and we are still substituting certain furniture (or boxes filled with things) for uses they don't quite fit naturally but work in the mean time. I have to stop myself sometimes to just be thankful for all we have and all that God has given us. A lot of my blog posts in the past are about patience and waiting for our own home. He's given us so much and I am taken back sometimes because He's supplied us with more than we asked for.

I'm looking forward to inviting our friends and community into our little nest for dinners, (once we find some dining chairs of course; we only have one at the moment..Eek! ), putting up our first real Christmas tree as a married couple of over three years, and continue to make it an organized space.

I hope you're enjoying this beautiful Autumn weather and hope you'll consider following my blog! ;)

With Love,
Lindsay

I'm back...with a new name.

Welcome to my blog, The Bungalow Nest! With a new look and name. A name is part of the first impression after all. The Bungalow Nest is more current for me, even though I may be using the name Needle & Twine for selling any of my crafts in the future.

I couldn't stay away from blogging I guess. But I did take quite a long break from my blog and decided that when I have something important to say, writing is the perfect outlet for me. I fumble with my words in person...but give me some time to get it all out on paper or on my handy Macbook and I am there.

I cannot promise anything here. I can't promise that I'll be sharing all of the million crafts I'd like to show you how to do, or get every perfect picture of my favorite outfit of the weekend posted, or show every delicious recipe I love, or trick you into thinking my life is perfect because we all know life isn't.

I do want to share these things because they are a part of my life, but my greatest hope with this blog is to share good ideas and bring warmth into your home, your nest. My hope is to spark a fire of faith through words of encouragement and the light that is Christ. I hope to show that pushing through the not so good seasons and persevering to celebrate the good ones is a beautiful way to live.

Here's to a beautiful Autumn and Winter season and onward to 2013!

With Love,
Lindsay

Control leaves us joyless.

The more control I feel that I have by pushing forward on my own without trusting in the Lord to guide me, the less peace and joy I have. This season, as long as it has been, the Lord has been teaching me to rely on Him; to lean on Him with all my needs. I've discovered how joyless and miserable I am when I take the steering wheel. 

I think I'm getting closer to what I want, when I just end up crashing and burning. 

Everytime, Christ is there waiting for me.

Romans 8:5-8

⁵ For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, ⁷ because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, ⁸ and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

When we want something, really badly, we figure in our own brain, 

"Why can't I have my way? Don't I deserve this? I think I've waited long enough."

This has been a very long season of waiting for me. I could probably have a whole blog on it's own over this season of waiting. The harder and more difficult a season, the more the Lord can and will teach us.

Just when we think life is unfair, as believers, we have to take a moment to step back and ask ourselves, 

"Am I who I say I am? Am I living in the Spirit? 

Am I allowing Christ to dwell deeply inside of me in everyday life or am I pushing away from Christ?"

I have to admit I've grown tired and weary. I've forgotten that disobedience is sinful. 

I've learned discipline is in the Lord's favor because of His great love for us. 

   Hebrews12:7-11 

⁷ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? ⁸ But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. ⁹ Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? ¹⁰ For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

We may not always understand why we go through various trials or difficulties, but be reminded that God does. We may think life is unfair at times, but let us not forget the great suffering Jesus endured for our salvation and redemption. Let us not forget He holds us in His hands, and His hand is upon us, watching over us, guiding us along the way. Be awed by His mysterious works, whether too quiet to hear, or invisible to the naked eye. Away He works, when we're awake or sleeping, day in and day out.

When we are too weary to pray, remember words aren't always necessary. 
The Spirit knows our hearts;

Romans 8:26-28 tells us so.

²⁶ In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words; ²⁷and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. ²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 

How sweet it is that He carries us.

Learning patience.

It's been a while since I've written. I can honestly say I will probably never be consistent at posting, 

unless maybe it was my full time job. Dream on for me.

As for learning, yes learning...

I'm learning how important patience is. (I think I write on this topic too often)

But if we want to be content with where we are, with what we have, in what we're doing,

Patience is a necessity.

This is something I've learned and have been relearning (yes, it's true) the past 6 months since Matt transitioned into working with School to the Nations, and starting his own business.
I've been reminded of the rewards God provides for us with our trust we place in him. 

Matt's business is growing and it was a huge step for us to part ways from a regular full time job.
This is his dream, and it's coming true in so many ways.
I love seeing him motivated, happy, and content in what he loves to do.
And in seeing all of these things, I think..
 Lord, You are so good to us. So faithful. Without you, there wouldn't be. 


He is always faithful, always loving, always providing, always.

Sometimes we have to take a big step in order for our eyes to be opened to what the Lord can really do.
I trusted what the Lord was voicing to Matt months and months ago.
We know when the Holy Spirit is working;
a quiet whisper, is sometimes loud and clear to us when it feels right.

If you want Him to use you, honestly use you and you trust Him. 

Take a step, a big step.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."

Romans 12:12 

 I'm learning as a small business owner to try and let go of my fears and worry.
Be patience here and now. And take action.

 Trust the Lord, because His guidance is all-knowing.

It is and always will be.

"Let us not become weary in doing good, 

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up"

Galatians 6:9

Rest.

Sometimes I think stress creeps into my life, and becomes this habit, a way of living..like it's normal. 

I don't want it to be normal. The past few days I have been off on my sleeping schedule, and have found that it's been harder to shut off my mind. I've been working everyday this week and when I don't have enough time for myself to just sit and think...all of my worry that was being drown out by other activities during the day, floats to the surface. These past few nights, I haven't been able to fall asleep right away. 

Yes, normally when my head hits the pillow I am out like a light. Lucky me, right? 

I'm not exactly sure what the point of this post is.

Maybe just that I wish I could get on a plane and fly out of the country to clear my head.

Well, I know that is not going to happen. 

But I do know Prayer is essential in these times.

Jesus said in Matthew 11:28,

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest."

I believe He will give me rest.

"Perfect Love casts out fear.."

"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love" 1 John 4:18

Tonight, as I was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner, I began thinking about what I'd like to be doing day to day, the things I would like to accomplish, and where the Lord is going to lead me this year. I think of the things I would like to do, but am unsure of how to do them. I think of the places I'd like to go, but I do not know how to get there. While thinking through all the possibilities and great opportunities I could have this year, I realize my thoughts are gripped by fear. I realize how much I live by fear and make my decisions based upon those fears; my insecurities, my lacking. I also realize that I don't place very much emphasis on the trials which have been overcome by the Grace of God. I've forgotten how I got to the place that I am in. I began thinking of how far I've come since I graduated from Massage Therapy School, and how my dream has always been to have my own business, with a relaxing atmosphere; a place for comfort, build relationships, and add simple little touches that made my business special. I've accomplished the things which I thought I could never do. I know the Lord is teaching me to rejoice, to look towards the future with hope in Him and not fear.


I know without a doubt that I am weaker vessel without Christ in my life. I have a hard time each morning choosing to sit down and reading His word. It is one of the many things I've always had trouble with. I claim to love the God who I worship, but do I really know Him? If I want my life to reflect Christ, I need to spend my time relishing in who the Lord is through His Word. I know my fleshly desires are strong and the only thing that can overcome my sin is seeking the truth of His word, day in and day out. I cannot do the things I wish to do without Him. I know that I have a hard time not believing these fears and failures every single day. 

I choose this year to not live by fear, but by the Lord's truth about the new creation I am through only Him. He has washed us clean. Isn't it time we delight in the fact He has done this for us? To choose to think on the things that are holy, pure, blameless, righteous, true. Clinging to scripture and deep in prayer. I will think upon these things and live by the Hope the Lord has given me as His daughter. Only He has washed me clean. Only He casts out fear and darkness. 

For He is Light.  

Come and behold him, come fall in love again.

His desire is for you.


All He wants is you.

"For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!"

"For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and self-discipline."  2 Timothy 1:7

"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing which you think you cannot do." Eleanor Roosevelt

With much Love,

Lindsay