curate and celebrate
- striveandflourish
- Jan 29
- 3 min read
AWAKEN AND CELEBRATE
All scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16 NLT
TWEAK AND NOURISH
BACK TO WRAPS: WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLA WRAPS. Excited to try something new, I picked up fresh whole wheat tortillas from HEB, our beloved local grocery store. I eagerly prepared the ingredients to fill my wrap: roasted eggplant, roasted zucchini, and sautéed mushrooms. Of course, a vibrant salad mix was a must!
An umami-packed sauce is the secret to taking this wrap to the next level. This week, I whipped up a homemade Cashew Cilantro Dressing. Without following a recipe, I tossed a cupful of soaked raw cashews into the blender, added a generous bunch of cilantro, a clove of garlic, and a splash of olive oil. A little water helped blend it all smoothly, and I seasoned it with salt. After tasting, I felt something was missing. In a flash of inspiration, I asked my husband to enhance the flavor. He rummaged through the fridge and found miso paste and parsley, then grabbed rice vinegar, honey, and togarashi from the pantry. He blended these into the mix, and WOW, the taste was phenomenal! This dressing can transform any dish into a masterpiece. I even mixed it with some guacamole my husband made, and it was absolutely delicious!
CREATE AND EVOLVE
PAPER CRAFTING: HANDMADE BIRTHDAY CARD
REFOCUS AND DELIGHT
A NEW YEAR, A NEW BEGINNING: A TIME TO RESET. My husband and I picked up some awesome Bible tabs from the Museum of the Bible last year, and I was so excited to finally use them! My set sat patiently on the desk for months, just waiting for the right moment. This year, I decided my Bible would finally get those tabs! On New Year's Day, I eagerly opened the package and found a page of instructions on how to apply them. Now, I have to admit, following written instructions isn't really my thing. I'm so thankful for my amazing husband, who read the instructions for my very first sewing machine—his Christmas gift to me 27 years ago—and managed to thread it perfectly! He even figured out how to read a pattern for a halter dress when I was ready to give up in my sewing class and started a row of stitches for my first knitting attempt. So, when I saw the instructions with the Bible tabs, I asked for his help once more after he finished putting tabs on his own Bible. He kindly worked on mine but couldn't quite finish it. In the end, I bravely tackled the remaining tabs myself, without even glancing at the instructions!
At the start of each year, I dive into the incredible wisdom of Proverbs, Psalms, and Daniel, along with The Daniel Plan Devotional and another inspiring devotional. Last year, it was Max Lucado's Grace for the Moment Volume 2 for 2024 and Volume 1 for 2023. I've been passionately reading the Daniel Plan every year since 2016, and it never fails to inspire me to stay disciplined!
For 2025, I've eagerly chosen Oswald Chambers' Utmost for His Highest. I've been wanting to read this book for ages, and now I'm finally doing it! From the very first page, I was hooked. The powerful messages motivate me to deepen my relationship with God. As I meditate on the daily scriptural texts and his profound insights, I'm driven to reflect on their significance in my life.
Yummy healthy dishes! Sometimes instructions just get in the way.✝️💕💜