Gluten Free Banana Pancakes.

One little tradition that Michael and I have started this year is called "Sunday Nights". Sometimes this little tradition ends up taking place on a Monday night or sometimes even a Friday or Saturday night. But nevertheless, it all started happening on Sunday nights; hence the name. Our "Sunday Night" is basically the easiest and cheapest date idea in the history of date nights. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE dressing up in heels, spending $50+ on dinner for two by candlelight and ending the evening with a romantic walk by the river lights. We do spend many date nights out, but let's face it; date nights can't always consist of that. Our Sunday Nights started almost a year ago when we started binge watching the series, Once Upon A Time. If you have never heard of this series, you must go rent it; it is a very magical watch. I started this saga and instantly loved it. Michael after catching the ending of one, forbid me to watch anymore "without him". From then on we began watching them together; one here, one there. Next thing we knew, we were counting down the hours until Elias went to bed so we could watch the next episode. After that, snacks started appearing during our viewing hours; barbecue chips for Michael and gluten free pretzels for me. Chomp chomp. Then it morphed into a few Saturday morning viewings; complete with breakfast.  Michael and I are not big television watchers; we watch TV together in the evenings maybe one or two nights a week. But that all changed when Once Upon A Time drew us in; we were hooked. It was fun and some of the episodes were suspenseful so we would shut the drapes for fear wolves or evil queens were watching us from the outside. Hehe. Around season 4, our high naturally faded and we went back to our once or twice a week viewing. Our main binge watching night landed on Sunday evenings which led to sleepy Monday mornings. But we loved it and looked forward to it every week. Remember the Saturday morning, breakfast binge watching? Well we incorporated that in too. We'd make pancakes, waffles, sausage, bacon and fruit salad while Elias ate his dinner. Then we would sing Elias off to sleepy land and I would rush to my China cabinet and pull out all my candles. We would be shutting the drapes, lighting the candles and pulling out the cozy blankets all while waiting for Netflix to load. Talk about marathon training right there, folks! "Don't push play yet!" we would shout to each other as we brought in our breakfast feast and arranged it on our coffee table. No one was allowed to take a bite until the opening scene of the episode. Cuddling by candlelight with bellies full of pure bliss was absolutely the best way to end the weekend. Week after week, this was our special date night; our time we looked forward to all week. We laughed and snuggled and ate and whispered; never wanting the episode to end. But sadly, like all television shows, it came to an end. {For now that is, season 7 airs in October. :D} So what did we do? Continued our tradition of course! We are currently not on a series right now, but that doesn't stop us! We pick movies or cartoons, or sometimes a few funny TV sitcoms. It is one of our favorite things to do and we love doing it together! All that to say, how does someone who is gluten free eat pancakes you ask? Funny you should ask, I make gluten-free pancakes! Today, not only and I am sharing one of my favorite date nights, I am also sharing my all time favorite Gluten-Free Banana Pancake recipe! These are so yummy and addictive! One Sunday night I was out of bananas and actually ran 1/4 of a mile to my neighbor’s house to borrow a banana. ;)

May these pancakes bring you much joy! 

Gluten-Free Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:

~2 Large Eggs
~1 Banana
~1/2 Cup Oats
~1/4 Cup Apple Sauce
~1 tsp Vanilla
~1 tsp Cinnamon

Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. Cook about 4 minutes per side. Makes about 6-7 pancakes. Enjoy!

The Blueberry Hazelnut Pie.

This Week: The Pie Project.

If you have been reading, last week, I decided to begin my "pie a week" project. If anyone has not heard of “The Pie Project” by Phoebe Wood and Kirsten Jenkins, please go check it out! Amazing! And to kick start this new adventure, I made not one but, two pies. The first was Rhubarb, Strawberry, Thyme and Balsamic pie and the second was a gluten free {yay! Something I could actually eat!} Blueberry, Hazelnut Crust Pie. They both turned out amazing; although, the blueberry was a little tricky and challenging. 

The day {Friday} had started out with me chatting on the phone to my friend and cleaning the house. Michael and I were planning a day shopping and a visit with some friends on Saturday, so I had to prepare Friday afternoon. Which meant everything needed to work out; no time for mistakes; but this is Kelle we are talking about. ;)  So to begin, I made the Strawberry Rhubarb first and used my shallow pie dish. This was poor planning on my part because I needed a shallow dish for the Blueberry. The Strawberry Rhubarb came out perfectly and looked heavenly! That balsamic and thyme smell! The Hazelnut crust called for a little more hazelnuts than I had on hand, so I substituted with pecans; is that bad?? The recipe called for it to be baked while the blueberry filling was cooking. Bubbling and bursting, the blueberries cooked over the stove until it thickened and looked like jam. This is where the first mistake came; I went to place it into my cooked pie crust baked in my deep dish. The filling only filled half; it looked quite sad. "Maybe it will rise." "Maybe that's how it's supposed to be." I thought to myself. Winging it, I threw it into the oven and hope for the best; my second mistake. Thirty minutes later, it did not rise; don't ask me what I was thinking. Frantically, I looked at the clock and sighed. There was no way I had time to remake everything. Luckily for me I happen to live with Michael. If there is anything he taught me over the past few years of being married to him, it is to think outside the box and create a solution with things I have around me. Meringue! It's answer to any problem, of course. I pulled out my recipe and went to town. Eggs whites and sugar cooking over the stove, whipping to perfection and it tasted oh so glorious! I layered it over my small, sad looking pie and fluffed it up with my knife a little. “I’m a genius!” I sang to myself. Now, into the broiler it went; just for a little extra detail. I watched it like a hawk; opening the stove and peaking. We shall pause this story to remind you of my little Elias. He was a perfect angel all day; until the blueberry incident. Resuming, I peaked at it once more. "Ahhh, a few more seconds!" At this very crucial moment, Elias started to grab the stove knob and turn the flame on. "No no!" I said to Elias. He looked at me, paused, and touched it again; turning it on. "No no." I bent down and scolded. Elias shrieked and I picked him up and took him to the other room. "Why does the house smell like s'mores?" Then I shrieked, "The Pieeeeeeeeee!!!!" Squealing, I ran into the kitchen. I flung open the oven and pulled out a very black meringue pie. "No, No, Nooooo!" Pulling myself together, I wasted no time. I carefully removed the meringue and simply began again. Cracking the eggs very carefully, I began to separate them into the sugar mixture. Nearing the fourth egg, I peered over to the stove and there was my dear Elias; smiling and reaching for the knob again. "No, no Elias," I said. I looked back into my bowl. Sadly, the fourth egg had slipped out of the shell as I turned away. The yoke broke; intertwining with the rest of the whites. "No, no, noooooooo!" I tried as hard as I could to separate it. Hopeful, I cooked it and whipped it. Twenty minutes later, the eggs still had not thickened; they were a thin liquid splashing around in the bowl. I gave up. After putting Elias to bed I cleaned up the kitchen and, taking a breath, started again. There was no way I saw going to bring this pie anywhere looking like that. I had run out of sugar in my jar, so I grabbed a bag from above and started to transport it. At this time, Michael had come home from work and was sitting at the table eating some snacks. Unfortunately, the bag slipped from my fingers and sugar came pouring out everywhere. "Ugghhhh!!" I responded. "That's it, I quite! It's over! No meringue! I'm done!" Michael chuckled; not knowing what I had been through. Being the hero that he always is, Michael hugged me, cleaned the sugar up and encouraged me to keep going. After Elias woke up, Michael took him outside and told me to try again. So, eight eggs, tons of sugar and a whole afternoon later, I took out the ingredients again. Carefully measuring and separating, I made my meringue for the third time and broiled it to perfection. The pie was finally beautiful and and complete. Plus it tasted amazing!

My moral of the story; sometimes being a Mom means sacrifice. Friday, my sacrifice was my beautiful meringue, burnt to a crisp. But the outcome; my dear Elias learned not to touch the burners. At least I hope he learned. Until next time. :)

The Cheval Mirror.

Thursday. Where do the days go?
I wrote this Tuesday but Elias kept trying to push the power button on my computer and I thought finishing it when he went down for a nap would be better. So Thursday evening it is.

Below is a story of my recent find!

I was out with my friend at an antique store and saw an absolutely beautiful cheval mirror! Like really beautiful. I have been looking for a mirror to put in our bedroom for awhile and just haven't found one that I've liked. I'm really picky when it comes to furniture and clothes and colors and food and....I'm pretty much picky with everything. So after falling in love with it and learning everything was half price, I frantically searched for a price tag. Unfortunately we couldn't find one. I went to the main desk and asked about it. Sadly, it was not for sale; of course. I went home with it still on my mind and did a little searching. Surprisingly, I found one for sale on Facebook Market for $25! Can we all just take a minute and appreciate how wonderful Facebook Market is! I have found and sold many things on there. It's like an online garage sale! So anyway! I messaged the owner and it was indeed available! $25 later and it was all mine! I took it home and Michael brought it up to our bedroom. Pure bliss. Standing back and looking at the room, I decided the dresser needed a little nudge. "Michael, push it a little bit that way." "No, a little too much." "Oooo, just a little more!" It looked so cute! Michael walked out of the room and I thought, "Would it look good on the other side?" Excited, I didn't want to wait for Michael to come back so I gave the dresser a little nudge. Not realizing how heavy it was, I struggled and the candle sitting on the dresser fell and broke. Glass shattered all over the dresser and in the carpet. Oops. Michael came back in, "Go get the vacuum," He chuckled. I ran down and returned with the vacuum. "I should have waited, I should have waited!" was all that came out of my mouth. Rushing because I wanted to see how my mirror looked, I took the attachment and sucked up the glass pieces on the dresser. Suddenly, everything happened all at once. First went my bracelet that was laying there. Then went my diamond necklace. I gasped. "Ohhhhhh no." I shut the vacuum off and looked back at Michael. "What happened?" He asked; not looking surprised. "My necklace! It's gone!!" was all I managed to get out. Michael giggled. "Stop laughing!!" I said. "Please can you get it out!?" After a little digging and a mini heart-attack, Michael managed to get my jewelry out. I will never live this down. All that for my cheval mirror. And it turns out I ended up leaving it on the side it was originally on.

Anddddd I decided I didn't like the cherry wood color, so I painted it white. Why? Because of course everything is better white. It just goes with everything. Am I right??



Also, stay tuned; my newest idea yet. I have decided to work my way through a cook book. Not just any cook book, a book all about pies. The Pie Project. 60 homemade pies. My goal is to make one at least once a week. Starting tomorrow. :)

Golden Straw.

The sun shone through the old wood panels on the barn and cast its rays upon me.  I squinted and turned my head as the rays caught my eyes.  I threw a straw bale into the pen and climbed over the fence; swatting cows with my arms and legs to push them aside.  Grabbing a pitchfork, I started bedding the muddy cold ground. Pink noses rubbed against my sleeve and slobbery tongues licked my fingers.  All eyeballs were on me and the straw.  The crisp cool winter air turned my cheeks and nose bright red. It prickled my fingers and toes but I move quickly to avoid shivering knees. I looked down at my dirty boots and jeans and brushed my messy hair out of my face.  I kept working hard, anxious to get the job done. I began to climb the fence to the next pen when I noticed my surroundings.  The sun moved down in the sky and within minutes “golden hour” hit. Instantly everything looked different.  The hills covered in snow illuminated the sky; glittering and sparkling. The old barn pillars were no longer wooden but genuine gold.  Strands of gold straw floated in the air as the cows kicked up their legs; excited to play. Everything was captivated by the sun’s rays. Everything was pure gold. I breathed it in; the fresh smell of a barn. Outside, the snow lay on the ground; swooping and sweeping with the curves of the land. Exquisite. Magnificent.  I quickly finished my chores and jumped the fence; running to find Michael. I didn’t want to waste one precious golden moment. I found him in the back of the barn.  “Can we finish up quickly and catch the sunset?” I asked him, puffing cold air in between breaths. He smiled sweetly at me and said, “Whenever you want to go, you let me know.” We worked a bit side by side; lifting, carrying, feeding, cleaning. I peered down between the boards and gasp, “Now! Right now! It’s close!” Michael grabbed my hand and we ran out of the barn and through the snow. We trampled through the drifts and I shivered as snow fell down my boots. We neared the grain bins and I followed Michael up. With anticipation, we climbed the rickety steel steps quickly. Reaching the top, both of us gasped. It was beautiful.  The view all around us was striking and pleasing to our watery eyes.  We were high above the ground. Our little farmyard looked so different from up there. Everything was so small, but the space around us was so grand. The wind was stronger and the air was frigid, but  We stood up there leaning against the railing; holding each other to keep warm. After a few moments of silence we began to talk. Michael’s blue eyes looked deeply into mine. His strong arm held me tight. We shared our hearts and every thought that passed through our heads. We spoke with our feelings and reached deep down into each other souls. So many hopes, dreams and wishes. We watched the sun slip slowly down. The vibrant colors danced back and forth with each move. Then Michael stopped, “Watch, there it goes.” I looked and tried to grasp it. But very quickly it sunk down and slipped completely below the horizon. The colors above still danced but somehow the weather seemed colder. We made our way down and immediately headed for our warm house. The yellow warm lights made the inside look so cozy. We walked inside hand in hand and I sighed contently. Michael looked at me and our thoughts connected.

somehow the scene before us warmed our souls. It looked like a painting; the sun sitting above the horizon, the pinks and reds swirling and intertwined. They were woven together, changing every time we blinked.

Beautiful. Those little moments that make time stand still. Those little images that grab our attention. Those little “somethings” that make us smile. I think back to how I ended up here; how I went from a suburb to a farm; how the Lord answered my deepest desire.  I remember the things I thought I wanted, the things I prayed for daily that the Lord didn’t answer. When I look back on it, there was so many “unanswered prayers” in my mind that actually turned out to be the best “answered prayers”. So many things I thought I wanted to be happy but God knew I wouldn’t be happy.  He knew what was best. 

I love our farm. I love our house. I love our cows. Our farm is hard and it does take work. It takes late nights and early mornings. It takes sweat and frostbite; sore muscles and scrapes. It results in very large appetites three times a day.  Its mud all through the laundry room sometimes; strands of hay through the house and gloves lying over the heaters. It’s bundling up to care for a sick calf and buckets of hot water for a frozen water hose.  It’s panting and running after a runaway cow {or 16 of them}. It’s a small town and a small house.  It’s really getting “snowed in” and not being able to pull out of the driveway. It’s a cozy couch and a warm kitchen. It’s little star lights in the windows and lace curtains in our bedroom. It’s sometimes dirty and smelly and continuous in the barns.  It’s not perfect. It’s a little rundown barnyard but its true beauty to me; even when my hoodie is covered with warm sticky milk, or my jeans are mud smeared and ripped in weird spots.  Even when my husband walks in from work smelling like hogs from head to toe; mud smearing with every step he takes.  His cheerful smile, dancing blue eyes and simple kisses are beautiful to me.  Some people call farming a job, an occupation. But I call it a lifestyle. It’s simpler than I thought it would be. It’s just a way of living.  It might not be for everyone, but it’s what God has for me. God placed me here so I could fully grasp His beauty; even in all the little things that seem ugly.  I want to engrain those little moments in my thoughts so when I feel like being ungrateful or unsatisfied with where I am, I can look back at them like little pillars of light and be reminded. “Blessed be the Lord, Because He has heard the voice of my supplication. The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him and I am helped; Therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him.” {Psalm 28:6-7}

Sparkles & Love

I held on to Emma’s arm tightly as we walked around the empty room. She smiled as she tilted her head to talk to me. I breathed in and out slowly. Emma knew I was nervous, she could sense it in my eyes. My heart pounded wildly, butterflies swarmed around in my stomach and every muscle in my body was tight. Emma talked to me to pass the time. Her sweet laughter eased my thoughts. She looked beautiful with her hair all done and her gorgeous cream dress flowing with every step she took. I looked down at myself still in shock that I was the one wearing white. The sparkles on my dress glistened in the sunlight from the windows above reminding me of the day I first tried it on. That day it was so hard to imagine actually wearing it. My blue shoes peeked under the lace hem on my dress. My curls hung down my back brushing my neck and cheek. My eyes were tired as I remembered my sleepless night; the longest night of my life. The excitement of the next day and the promises it held were more than my sleepy mind could grasp.  Then finally the sun came up and that morning I woke up on the day I would marry my best friend. So many thoughts dashed through my head, so many memories overflowed me. As I waited hours for that afternoon to arrive, I tried to let it sink it. I dreamed of this very day, this most important day, this anxiously awaited day, ever since I was a little girl. I had been to so many weddings in my life. It seemed easier when I was younger to wait; days flew by then. But once I got older the wedding day seem so far off. And now finally, after months of planning I was the one walking the aisle. Excited, nervous, anxious, overjoyed, thankful; all these emotions and more consumed my soul. I whispered a prayer of thanksgiving followed by a prayer of need every ten minutes that morning. “This is torture.” I thought to myself as I listened to the endless ticking of the clock on the wall. I looked at my bridesmaids all dressed up. All these girls here to stand next to me. To support me. To love me. To encourage me. I was very humbled.

As I stood behind the closed, dark brown, wood doors holding my Father’s arm, dressed in his best suit coat, my heart beat faster with anticipation. I held my flowers tightly and looked down once more at my dress. “This is it Kelle. Are you ready?” My Dad spoke, breaking the silence. I nodded as I heard the music queue. Slowly the coordinators opened the doors. I followed my Dad as he took a step forward. Slowly then quickly, one by one, our guests rose. I gasped. So many dear friends and family stood up awaiting this moment. So many individuals supporting us, my mind could not grasp that moment. Then after two steps I looked frantically for Michael. It seemed so far up the aisle as I searched for him. Then, within seconds, I spotted him standing next to our pastor, smiling calmly. Instantly, every nervous, anxious emotion fell to the floor. I left everything behind me and walked forward calmly to my future. As I walked I kept my eyes locked on Michael’s. Murmurs from the people, music flooding the church, our bridal party standing in place; everything set the stage for the covenant that was to take place. Slowly walking, my mind flashed back to last year, January 6^th, 2014 when we first began. The very first day I opened the door; the very first smile that sprang forth, the very first words spoken. I know how people say "their life flashed before their eyes" and we all roll our eyes in disbelief; but mine truly did.  I thought of the long nights we spent talking about everything; from church to school, to farms and cows, from Jesus to our faith and cooking to child training. The Monday nights of sitting together pouring out our likes and dislikes and the many walks over the bridge together flashed through my head. I remembered the heartache I felt every time he drove away from my house and the excitement I felt when he came over. Every step I took closer to him I was reminded of every heart to heart talk that drew us closer together. Every day we counted down to our wedding, every night we said goodbye, every date we wanted to last forever was all coming to an end with one simple walk.  As we came to the end of the aisle, Michael took my hand and led me up to the altar. As we made a covenant before our friends and family and before the Lord, I blinked to keep the tears back. I had prayed for Michael for so many years. I had prayed for him before I knew him.  Now to stand up here with him, holding the hands of my soul mate, I thanked our dear Lord for His blessings before me. I looked up in Michael’s eyes and vowed to be his forever. The Lord was present that day and looking back He was present even when I couldn’t see Him; on those hard days, on those long days of waiting, wondering if I would ever find the right one. But the Lord knew my desires and He knew my heart. My job was to wait and trust Him. As we were pronounced man and wife I felt every ounce within me break forth with abundant happiness and joy.

To love and be loved is to feel the sun from both sides. I never could quite grasp what love felt like. I knew what it meant to love my family or my friends. But I never knew the feeling of being truly loved so much as an individual by someone else that they would want to spend the rest of their life with me.  That feeling is beyond words. It’s a humbled feeling. Someone to love you despite your flaws and weaknesses. Someone to love you when you’re ugly or moody. Someone to love you forever and never leave you. To love you when you say the wrong words or the right words at the wrong time. Someone to love you sacrificially every day. Someone to give you all of themselves and want nothing in return.  It reminds me a lot like the love of Christ. No matter how ugly my self is or how many days I neglect my quiet time, God still loves me. It humbles me every time I feel Michael’s love to know that Christ loves me more. So much that He gave His Son, Himself, for me. I don’t deserve Christ’s blood. I don’t deserve forgiveness. But God chose me. Not because of anything I did or anything I said. He chose me. How utterly blown away am I.  I am humbled that the Lord placed Michael in my life. My love for Michael grows more every day as does the love for my Savior. He knew I needed Michael. He knew what personality I needed to match mine. He knew where I needed to live. He knew Michael and I would  be better together than as separate individuals. Yes, the road was hard. Yes, it was long. There were days that I felt like God wasn’t listening. But He was, in His timing, not mine.

Marriage is a beautiful thing. It’s not all fairytales I used to dream about when I was younger. It’s not easy. It takes work. There are those chores that appear everyday that I'm responsible for now. Cooking meals. Cleaning sinks, towels, muddy pants and socks. Mud stained floors. Getting up early before the sun to fix a hot breakfast. Bundling up to help him do chores after a long day. Eating supper late. Rejoicing with him in triumph. Encouraging him in heartache. All those endless duties. But the joy that I have waking up every morning looking into Michael’s eyes, the contentment I have preparing a home for him to help him succeed and the happiness I feel holding his arm make saying “I do” so much more worth it.

 “I see who God is making you and it excites me! I want to be part of that. I want to partner with you and God in the journey you are taking to His throne. And when we get there, I will look at your magnificence and say, “I always knew you could be like this. I got a glimpse of it on earth, but look at you now!”

“Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm.”

More Precious Than Silver.

I sat in my rumbling jeep in neutral behind an endless line of cars awaiting the dreaded deep red glow to change green again.  It was a chilly late afternoon in February.  The cool, brisk, winter air streamed through the “needed to be fixed” hole in the floorboard.  I pushed in the clutch and felt the breeze on my bare ankles; reminding me that it wasn’t quite spring yet.  My breath was visible, fogging up my window as I leaned my head against it.  I cautiously peered down at my gas gauge as I felt my car back fire.  “Stinky,” I said out loud, hoping I had somehow misread it.  Feeling half sorry for my tired, exhausted, homeward bound body, I quickly switched lanes and headed East instead of West.  My mind was a thousand miles away as I turned the corner.  So many excited thoughts were flowing at once; circling my head in a steady stream.  

Then suddenly, I was caught off guard.  The sun peered through the buildings behind me and I glanced over at my dirty, rustic side mirror.  Red, orange and yellow eliminated my whole car.  Every window prided itself with the majestic glow of the radiating colors; so vibrant my eyes couldn’t comprehend.  Every mirror reflected this beautiful sunset.  I gasped and caught my breath.  I wanted to capture it quickly and somehow lock it away forever in my soul.  It soaked me through and I drank it in knowing it wouldn’t last forever.  Just minutes before I was impatiently waiting for traffic to quicken and now I shamefully sat at a stoplight not wanting to move for fear it might all be a dream.  Everything I was feeling at that precise moment shown through the sky.  It was as if God orchestrated that moment to drip into my soul and show me Himself. 

 How could God create something so beautiful?  Why does He continue to bless us?  I thought of the beauty around me that I experience everyday; the things I take for granted. {The piles of pure white glimmering snow in the sunshine.  The soft breathtaking sound of snowflakes gently hitting the ground as the warm yellow light from the lamppost glows during a nighttime snowfall.  The glistening icicles on the tips of the trees; covering their bare brown branches.  The smile from a sister; the deep love that radiates from her sweet tender eyes as she clings to me with a tight hug.  The precious heart to heart talks that last long into the evening with someone special and the blue eyes that look deep into mine.  The smiles exchanged that say a thousand words.  The excited feeling of what God is going to do.  My sweet dear little baby nephews and the way his eyes light up when he cheerfully and excitedly talks to me.  The spontaneous water balloon launch in the middle of winter with my brother-in-law.  The love of a family as we cry during hard times and laugh during the good times.  The long hours of prayer and the endless months of waiting.  The feeling of coming home to a warm house filled with laughter and talking, homemade bread and piles of shoes by the back door.  The way we share with each other our hearts and the wisdom we bestow on each other.} 

I thought of all this as I drove to the gas station.  Part of me felt so unworthy.  Unworthy to see these things every day, unworthy to feel the love of Christ and unworthy to accept God’s blessing.   I mess up daily, many times, and yet God still loves me.  I struggle and react in my own sinful way and He still cares about me.  I have selfish desires and selfish thoughts and He still calls me His child.  Without Christ I am nothing.  I have been bought with a price and I am humbly thankful.  I am honored to be His chosen.  How many times a day do I express my thankfulness?  How many times a day am I on my knees with overcoming passion for the Cross?  I will admit, not nearly as much as I should.  I look back at the past year and I am amazed at the work God has done; not only in my life, but also in those who I hold close.  God tries us and waits for us to let go of those things we cling to; the things we think are important.  God wants me all to Himself; He doesn’t want anything hindering my love for Christ.  Yes, it hurts, but God’s plan is more than our selfish wants.  God’s plan is more than what we think we see.  God’s plan is powerful and is more beautiful than anything imaginable. 

"Lord, You are more precious than silver.
Lord, You are more costly than gold.
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds,
And nothing I desire compares to You.

Lord, Your Love is higher than mountains.
Lord, Your Love is deeper than seas.
Lord, Your Love encompasses the nations,
And yet, You live right here inside of me!

Who can weigh the value of knowing You?
Who can judge the worth of who You are?
Who can count the blessings of loving You?
Who can say just how great You are?

Lord, You are more precious than silver.
Lord, You are more costly than gold.
Lord, You are more beautiful than diamonds,
And nothing I desire compares to You.

And nothing I desire compares to You.”