January 8, 2013

Does anyone else feel like it's going to be the beginning of January forever?

I struggle with what to do with this stretch of the year. It's hard to be excited about the bleak winter ahead... it's hard to pick up where I was before the holidays. I was plodding along just fine in the fall, then the buzz of the holidays came and swept me up in the excitement, and now I'm figuring out how to begin doing normal life again (without something big and hopeful like Christmas break on the horizon). I think that must be the nature of January. Time to shake myself up a little and get a new plan. I'm going to need a plan to be resilient through the winter!

our desktop, with the first memory verse for 2013
My course of action so far has been..
1. God's promises. This is the main thing the Lord has laid on my heart for 2013. To know, claim, and believe His promises more firmly than I've done before. For my faith to increase in fullness, constancy, simplicity. I'm working my way through a collection of biblical promises, picking one promise per week to hide in my heart and watch how God is faithful to it.

2. Fighting for my thoughts with the sword of the Spirit. Grant and I are memorizing the fighter verses this year. It's a super simple tool. Just a list of scriptures to memorize that are useful for fighting against temptation, doubt, anxiety, and any other schemes of the Enemy.

3. Enjoying the things that need to be done. Delighting in everyday jobs. Working hard (and hopefully cheerfully) at the same old things I do all the time. Realizing that the sink of dishes I wish I didn't have to wash is the same sink that I, in reality, like to stand at and make things clean. Remembering that I would be sad if I didn't have responsibilities and how satisfying it is to do a job.

One of the responsibilities I'm especially glad about is simply: meals. They have to be made and cleaned up (or at least thought about) every day, 3 times a day. I like this. It's a constant that keeps me from getting too lazy or too busy. You have to get up off the couch and get something to eat. Or, you have to stop working on that stuff and get something to eat. It's nice, isn't it? And really, I don't think there's a more satisfying feeling than eating a good meal and getting it all cleared away at the end. Here's one of the meals that is in regular rotation at our house. Nothing special, but it's easy to love and perfect as leftovers.

 Everyday Stir Fry 
everybody makes stir fry their way, this is ours.

2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken thighs,
fat trimmed and cut into large pieces
2 T. olive or coconut oil
sea salt 
4 cloves minced garlic or more
veggies of choice/whatever is in season:
5 carrots, peeled and chopped into match-sticks
1 or 2 zucchini, chopped
handful of asparagus spears, chopped
handful of chopped broccoli or cauliflower
optional: cooked rice to stir in or serve alongside


1) Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken to hot pan and brown on both sides. Add in carrots first if you need more time to chop the other vegetables (they take the longest to cook) and toss with chicken. 2) Add remaining veggies and stir well, season generously with salt. Let everything sit and cook, without stirring, for a little while. 3) Continue cooking, switching between sitting and stirring, until meat is cooked through and vegetables are as soft/crisp/crusty as you like. 4. Add garlic in the last few minutes of cooking, as well as cooked rice (if you're using it). Finish with a final sprinkle of sea salt and serve hot.

7 comments:

Christina said...

That's pretty much my everyday stir fry too only instead of salt I add a splash of soy sauce and a squeeze of lemon or lime.

Our fourth baby arrived on the 3rd, so January is ending up much more fun and full this year than usual. Usually it's SO always-winter-never-Christmas around now.

Lizzie said...

Can you provide the info on who designed your blog? I love the layout.

summer said...

@erin YES! I would love to share!

@Lizzie That would be ME! :)

Lizzie said...

I'm so impressed. Do you ever design other's blogs? What are you prices?

summer said...

Hi Lizzie! Would you like to leave your email or send me one? summer.harms@gmail.com
I'd love to talk!

Laura @FoodSnobSTL said...

We have birthdays and anniversaries in January to celebrate, so that makes it not so bad. I think finding significance in the everyday is so vital though. Doing the dishes and cooking does matter. You just have to have the right perspective.

ChelseaF said...

This is soooo how I love to do stir fry! If I have any fresh ginger I usually grate (largely) and toss that in too. :) Now I'm craving this stuff...I think I have a bag of organic carrots in the fridge calling my name ;)

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about this blog

Hello, I'm Summer. A people-loving introvert whose hope and life is in Jesus. His promises are my passion and my ministry is homelife. This blog is a place for me to write about everyday things. Especially food. My favorite thing to do is sit around a table, lingering over a long meal with good conversation. I live with my husband and our 2 littles. We like blizzards, thrifting, grammar, guacamole, cheerful hearts, nice manners, good movies, and making simple, real, nutrient-dense food.

"If Christ be anything, He must be everything."
-C.H. Spurgeon

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