Friday, April 3, 2009

The "Why" and Banana Bread

Although this blog isn't full of great photography, amazing writing skills, or even particularly useful information, it DOES have a purpose.

Motherhood, with all of it's joy and wonder, can be rough. For one thing, I never knew it would be such hard work! Physical WORK. And tired? I didn't know it was possible to be as tired as I've been over the last 14 years.

If you're like me, you love your kids, pour your life into them, pray and train them to be used by God for His glory. You believe that being a wife is an amazing opportunity to support, encourage and help your husbands.

All of that has tremendous rewards.

But some of those rewards take awhile to be seen.

And in the meantime, we have to LIVE this life of a woman, wife, mother.

With the sickness, the dirt, the laundry, the food, the budget, the baby weight, the selfish children and good grief - the relationships!

Then there is THE GUILT.

Let me get rid of it for you right now. No one has a perfect life. No one. That's why we need Jesus.

And our desire to do it well - this thing called motherhood? That's a GOOD thing, when we take it to the Lord and ask Him to show us what needs to change, be let go, be a higher priority.

THAT is what this blog is about. My desire to let you see me, our home, our family FOR REAL. The growing, learning, changing, seeking.

That we can be thankful even when things go wrong. That God is working His will out in our lives every day. Even the rough ones, when the sun doesn't shine, no one says thank you and the house is dirty.

My life is amazingly blessed - but it's not perfect.

So that's what it's all about here at Mrs. Troop. Running this race for His glory, praying God's will for our kids while training them to obey the Lord and serving our husbands so they can be successful by God's standards. I've got a long ways to go.

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OK. Here's the promised banana bread recipe. I've tried tons of them. This is our favorite. Enjoy!

Banana Carrot Bread

Beat in electric mixer:
1 C mashed ripe banana (I use three)
1 C sugar
3/4 C vegetable oil
2 eggs

In a separate bowl, measure:
2 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Slowly add dry ingredients to wet.

Fold in:
1 C finely grated, peeled carrots (I use baby carrots that I've grated in my food processor)
1/2 C chopped pecans.

Pour into two greased, medium sized loaf pans.
Bake at 350 for appox. 55 min - test for doneness.

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And while I'm keepin' in real, here at Mrs. Troop, today, I should mention that I was up most of the night with my two year old. Don't know why. He was just screaming. Always fun.

The sad part is that the kids had a late start to school today because of a banquet we had last night. My opportunity to sleep in was lost. I finally gave up at 5 and just got up with him.

So while you are making banana bread today, go ahead and forgive me if my eyes took a long blink and I forgot something (even though I've checked it over and over!).

Little Man has fallen asleep on the couch. At 8:30 in the morning. Which gives you an idea of how tired he is.

Think I'll join him.

Happy Friday!

"Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Hebrews 10:35-37

6 comments:

jo said...

Awwww. This is such a sweet honest post. I want to give you a big hug right now. Do you know how many days I think of you and wonder what you would say or do. Its so comforting to know we have the same Father and can both go to Him with the mounting "stuff" of our day.
Thanks so much for keeping it real. If you're ever thinking of not blogging - don't do that.

Hubs LOVES some banana bread so we'll be giving this a try.

Lori Leigh said...

Amen sista! Running the race with you! And thanks for the banana bread recipe. I needed a good one!

Zimms Zoo said...

What a great post. I am pretty sure if everyone saw our real life they would run sreaming!

But you're right. We all run that race and sometimes we don't see the rewards even here.

We have made a lot of banana bread lately, because the Crest produce guy will bag me up some bananas and mark them down (when he is stocking) and we buy 4 bags at a time. Translate 20 pounds or more!

I have a few in the freezer to drop in smoothies, but most go straight to banana bread. We have added blueberries too and yummy!!

Anonymous said...

I enjoy reading your "real life posts", and for the record, you are a very good writer.
Through the phases of motherhood that I have trodded, there are always the wonderful, encouraging steps, but also those difficult little sleep, trying steps. God is faithful! Have a great weekend!
Probably won't work on banana bread this weekend, the twins turned 12 today- fun, calorie filled sugar desserts! :)

bkumor said...

Thanks for keepin' it real. The world needs more of that!

Simple Saving Savvy said...

Thank you so much sweet friend! Just what I needed to read...we don't get to talk much, but I thank my God for you! You are such an encouragement and reality check for me.