How 120 kids, a news anchorman, dancing, singing, and the Bible relate

Countdown begins...and I am antsy, jittery, and full of nervous energy.

Dec 17th is the big day - 3 months of work all displayed in a 45 minute explosive night of 1sts. The Best Christmas Gift Ever - featuring a news anchorman covering the story of a group of students planning a birthday party for Jesus.

Firsts are intimidating - you never have walked that road before so it's all new, surprising, thrilling:

• 120 students all on one stage
• High energy choreography (with very little room to do it!)
• 20 actors and actresses making their acting debut
• 15 student soloists (sing into the mic!!! Don't move around! Sing out, I know your nervous, but sing like you are not!)
• Tech crew - learning music systems, lights and cues oh my!
  
• Singing multi-part songs
  

2 1/2 weeks left to finalize a million details. And I still have my daily Spanish 1, 2, and 3 classes to keep moving along.

Climbing a mountain...one move at a time

My friend over at http://www.diaryof1.com/ in pondering about Never giving up hit home. As I take on this monumental task of working full time, teaching 1st through 12th graders, being a mom, a wife, a follower of God, a friend, a sister and still trying to maintain ME I too have wanted to give up, throw the towel in and walk back into my past life of getting to stay home, live on my own schedule, and be free to come and go as I wished. I miss catching planes to locations all over the US to perform with my brother, David. I miss going for a run in the middle of the day along the river banks. I miss just being out and about.

But these times, these super hard times, are really cool too. It's in these times that I find myself learning, growing, and becoming faster then I ever did when life was not so rigorous.

I get to a spot in the climb and it appears at first, impossible. I stare. I ponder options. I stare some more. I ponder more. And finally, I see a possible place to put a left foot that just might allow me to pull myself up and be in a whole new place on the rock...I try it, it's working....I slip...back to the begininning....

Stare....ponder....plan....Try again....

I slip again....

Stare...ponder...plan....Try AGAIN!

It's working! And I get my right leg to a foothold, push up a bit, allowing my left hand to grab a great hold and pull up and suddenly, I am moving into a brand new position, a brand new plateau, a brand new perspective.

The last spot that had me stuck is now figured out, it's now a part of my tricks, adds to my confidence. I get to enjoy the peace that comes when I make it past a sticky spot, but only for a moment.

It's time to take what I learned and think through how to make it past the next spot. And so it goes, one maneuver at a time, all the way to the top.

Gaining perspective one move at a time.

Which won't come if I give up.

And oh view , the sweet view from the top, a little taste of God's perspective on the little planet we wander around on.

I will lift my eyes, to the maker of these Mountains I am climbing!

Kale chips recipe

This recipe is one of the many amazing creations you can find in the new e-book Nuts Over Nuts! which contains 50 raw vegetarian recipes created by V anessa Nowitzky (student of Victoria Boutenko). KALE CHIPS Recipe These chips are so fabulous you will never need regular chips again. Dried kale is surprisingly filling-- these nutritious and rich chips are a meal unto themselves. Each of the following recipes uses about 1 head of green kale. Ruffles have ridges- therefore curly kale holds the flavor best. Wash the leaves well; do not use a leaf if it has those little bugs that like to stick to the backs of the leaves. Don't use the woody stems. Tear large bite-sized pieces of the leaves into a large bowl and pour a sauce (recipes below) over the kale, massaging with your fingers until the kale is thoroughly saturated. Spread saturated kale pieces onto dehydrator trays with teflon sheets and dehydrate at 105° for 12- 15 hours. The leaves shrink and should emerge crispy. No dip needed for these chips, but a side of cherry tomatoes or sliced cucumbers helps wet the whistle. Hummus Kale Chips Light and lemony. • ½ cup sprouted pumpkin seeds • optional: ¼ cup sprouted sesame seeds • 1 clove garlic • 2 stalks green onion • 2 stalks celery • juice of one lemon • ½- 1 teaspoon cumin • ½- 1 teaspoon cayenne. Grind seeds well in coffee grinder. Chop all other ingredients and blend together in food processor. Follow directions (above). Sesame Kale Chips Call these Dragon Wings for their fire-breathing Asian flavor! • 1 cup sprouted sesame seeds • 2 medium plums (pitted, about ¾ cup chopped) • 1 stalk celery • 1 clove garlic • juice of ½ lemon • ½ cup chopped onion • 1 inch fresh ginger root, minced • Cayenne to taste. Grind sesame seeds in coffee grinder. Blend all other ingredients in food processor, finally adding ground sesame. Follow directions (above). Fat Free Kale Chips You will thoroughly enjoy this amazingly delicious fat free version! In the Vita-Mix, blend the following ingredients well without water (use the tamper): • 1 medium small zucchini • 1 large red, orange or yellow bell pepper • ¼ cup chopped onion • 2 stalks celery • juice of ½ lemon • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste. Follow directions (above).