Olivia and Moses, Twins?

My beautiful daughter Olivia and I were out recently enjoying a warm summer night. We just came from evening service and felt blessed and famished. Over a shared wok bowl, we were talking about random things when she tenderly spoke with tears:

"If I could have one wish...it would be to see my Chinese mother's face." 

One wish. 

More than anything in the world, all my little girl wants is to see her birth mother's face. 

Her words remained perennials in my heart.

Today, my heart led me to Moses. Olivia and Moses have a great deal in common. Both of their birth mothers couldn't care for them and put them in prominent places to be found and raised safely. Moses was delivered from Egypt. My daughter was delivered from China. Moses was "slow of speech and tongue", Olivia is hearing impaired. Both acquired confidence issues. Both procure an enviable fearlessness. Lastly, both suffered a monumental loss; Moses never entered the Promised Land and my sweet girl will never see her birth mother's face. 

While feeling grief for my daughter's loss, I gained an overwhelming peace as I was ushered into the story of Moses. You see, Moses received something far better. God would speak to him face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Can you imagine?

You know what?

I believe God has something better for Olivia too. 

I can hardly wait to see His best for her.

This post is dedicated to everyone whose one wish is eminently impossible. God has something eminently better for you. 

"Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine..." Ephesians 3:20

Thanks for reading,
L.

Crazy Easy Blueberry Hemp Crisp (Vegan)

Before:

After: 

Not only is this recipe crazy easy, it is also crazy delicious! With the capacious amount of blueberries my neighbor blessed me with, I couldn't experiment fast enough. In one word, success! You won't be disappointed. 

Ingredients:

1/2 lemon

4-5 cups of fresh blueberries

3/4 cup of flour (I like spelt)

1/4 cup of oats

1/2 cup of sugar (I use coconut palm sugar)

1 to 2 tablespoon of hemp seeds

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (Vietnamese is my all-time fave)

5 tablespoons of vegan butter, cubed (Earth Balance is perfect)

1 tablespoon of oil (canola or grapeseed oil work well)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease an eight inch square baking dish.
2. Pour blueberries into dish and squeeze lemon juice over berries.
3. Place the flour, oats, sugar, hemp seeds, cinnamon, butter and oil in a food processor and pulse a few times until crumbly. Pour over berries and spread out evenly. 
4. Bake 25 minutes. The top should be golden and like any berry dish, the berries should be bubbling.

It's THAT easy. 

I love that you don't cook the berries ahead of time. I love that you don't add sweetener to the blueberries. I love that I can have it "farm to table" in about 30 minutes.

Just one more thing before I leave you to your baking. For those who can't/don't eat dairy or refined sugar, "ice cream" seems inconceivable. Look no further. 

Luna & Larry's Organic Coconut Bliss is sublime. It's low glycemic, vegan, gluten-free, as well as free of soy. In essence, it's heaven in a small container. (Purchased at New Seasons Market.) The Ginger Cookie Caramel was fantastic with the crisp. Blueberries + ginger = nummylicious!  

Thanks for reading,

L.

Our Greatest Privilege and Responsibility

Our children have one prominent way to see and know God's love and that is through us. 


We can't leave this to chance.


If we don't show our children God's love, who will?


We've learned the world is not the best teacher of His love. It says you have to look and dress a certain way in order to be accepted. It says you have to act a certain way, saying all of the right things at the right time in order to be affirmed and validated. The world says you can't make mistakes. 


The fact is we will teach and influence our children. The question is what and how?


It's a Privilege 
I know of no greater privilege we have than showing our children God's love through our words and actions. We are their first look into who He is and how much He loves them. We get to pave the way to the greatest gift there is!


It's a Responsibility
Are we showing them God's love is unconditional? Are we quick to forgive and restore our relationship? Does our love and grace flow freely during the "unlovable" times? We have one shot at this, but it's never too late. 


Here is my goal and prayer:
I want my children to know that God loves them no matter what and that nothing they have done or will do can do can separate them from His love. Nothing. When they mess up, and they will, everyone does, there are consequences but God's love is unwavering and isn't measured by their choices. It is a gift. The best one we can give them. 


Thanks for reading,
L.