Insights into Stress

This came through on Facebook and I love the image it creates. I've never thought about stress this way before.... I think it is worth remembering....

Can you Let Go?

A psychologist walked around a room while teaching stress management to an audience. As she raised a glass of water, everyone expected they’d be asked the “half empty or half full” question. Instead, with a smile on her face, she inquired: “How heavy is this glass of water?”

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.

She replied, “The absolute weight doesn’t matter. It depends on how long I hold it. If I hold it for a minute, it’s not a problem. If I hold it for an hour, I’ll have an ache in my arm. If I hold it for a day, my arm will feel numb and paralyzed. In each case, the weight of the glass doesn’t change, but the longer I hold it, the heavier it becomes.” She continued, “The stresses and worries in life are like that glass of water. Think about them for a while and nothing happens. Think about them a bit longer and they begin to hurt. And if you think about them all day long, you will feel paralyzed – incapable of doing anything.”

It’s important to remember to let go of your stresses. As early in the evening as you can, put all your burdens down. Don’t carry them through the evening and into the night. Remember to put the glass down!

So what do you do to let go of your stresses? I'm wondering how to be sure I am doing this every day.

Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Cheesecake

OK, I just have to say something about the culinary skills of one of my daughters. A few weeks ago she made her first ever baked cheesecake. This was the original inspiration...

This is the no-bake version, but we decided we wanted a brownie crust so she found this...

So here is the recipe she used.

Brownie Base 

12 tablespoons (6 ounces) unsalted butter  

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

3/4 cup (3 ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

3/4 cup (3 ounces) Unbleached All-Purpose Flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour (or spray with baking spray) a 9 x 9 square or 10" round springform pan.

Melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder. Cover, and set aside to cool.

Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs for 3 minutes (longer if you're using a hand mixer), then gradually add the sugar, beating 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in the butter/chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the flour and salt, just until combined.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Cool completely.

 

Peanut Butter Cheesecake 

2 pounds (32 ounces) cream cheese

1 cup peanut butter (not the natural kind that you have to stir)

1 1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

1/3 cup sour cream

1 cup heavy cream 

Be sure to have all ingredients at room temperature, especially the eggs and cream cheese. This will help keep cracks from forming in the top of the cheesecake.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (if you're doing the cheesecake the next day; otherwise just reduce the oven temperature). Put a kettle of water on to boil for the water bath. Wrap springform pan in 3-4 layers of aluminum foil to prevent (or lessen at least!) leakage.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium speed for about 4 minutes, until soft and creamy. Add the peanut butter and beat for another 2-3 minutes.  Add the sugar and beat for another 4 minutes. Beat in the salt and vanilla.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well (about 1 minute) and scraping sides of bowl after each addition. Beating at low speed, add the sour cream and heavy cream.  The batter will be thin.

(Note: If you're using a hand mixer, you will want to increase the mixing times).

Pour the remaining batter on top of the cooled brownie base. You'll want to leave a little room (half-inch or so) at the very top of the pan, but it should be nearly full (depending on your pan size and your base, you may have a little extra batter which can be cooked in small cake pans or muffin tins). 

Place the cheesecake in the pan for the waterbath, and place in the oven.  Pour the boiling water in for the water bath, it should come about halfway up the side of the springform.  Bake the cheesecake for about 55-65 minutes: it should hold together and appear set at the edges, but there will still be a lot of jiggle in the center. Turn the oven off, and leave the cheesecake in the oven for another hour. After one hour, remove the cake from the water bath, and let it finish cooling on the counter top. Remove the foil, and refrigerate overnight.

Rather than putting the pictured topping on she sprinkled chocolate chips and got this:

It was simply delightful! What a joy it is to have such a clever daughter.

Time Flies on Wings of Lightning

As I look over the month, already 1/4 past, I am reminded of the phrase "Time flies on wings of lightning". TIME is my most precious commodity. I love saving TIME because that means more TIME spent with my family. I love how they spend their TIME helping and serving each other. I love to see my children invest their TIME into the future as they study for exams and assignments. I find great joy in spending TIME with my best friend and lifelong companion. That TIME is made all the more wonderful when it includes our children, laughing, playing, learning, teaching and working. TIME is a wonderful gift.

TIME is a valuable resource. As I think about it, TIME is even more valuable than money. It is how we spend our TIME more than how we spend our money that will bring joy into our lives.

I have been so richly blessed to be able to spend my TIME in my home with my children. I love being a stay-at-home mom even though with a house filled with busy teenagers, staying at home doesn't seem to happen quite so frequently as it once did. I love that I am here to shuttle them around, visit with them when they need some time, and to discuss with them their problems and concerns. Aside from my husband, I consider my children some of my best friends.

I think that the most valuable investment of TIME that I observe in my children is their desire to read the scriptures. Now truly IS the time to prepare to meet God. Since nobody knows how long we may live, TIME is  so much more precious than even gold!  Every day I feel a degree of JOY and most of that JOY is reaped from the availability of my TIME to those closest to me. Thank you, each of you, for allowing me to spend my TIME with you. You light up my life!

Right Handy Wrap

We had something odd happen this month - more unusual I guess than odd. It was a broken arm. One of my girls fell in gym class, picked herself up and kept playing the game. She never said anything to the teacher. That night she participated in another athletic event during which she again fell. We really aren't sure which activity broke her arm, the second one certainly didn't help. We had her arm x-rayed the next day thinking it was just sprained and were surprised to discover that she actually had a hairline fracture running the about 1 cm long -  lengthwise in the bone. She came home from the hospital with her arm wrapped in a tensor bandage and instructions to refrain from physical activities that require the use of that arm for 10 -14 days. Even that was hard for her, but she feels pretty good now!

Truthfully, this was one injury that was pretty minor in how it affected what she could and could not do. Without a cast she was able to clean her arm and even use it to whatever degree didn't cause pain. She took next to no pain killer and was careful with what she did, but she healed very quickly. I am so thankful that the body has the ability to heal itself. Can you imagine how awful it would be to carry around every wound we have ever had without healing? Who knows, if that happened we would have to even deal with whatever infection came with it. We would have a hard time enjoying life and feeling good about anything being in a state of continual suffering. However, Heavenly Father wants us to enjoy life. He created us with the ability to heal. It is something that our bodies do naturally. Every time something happens, healing occurs as faithfully as the rising sun. I love this divine gift. It reminds me of the Atonement. Healing in all its forms instills a deep feeling of joy in my soul. I am so thankful for the little reminders we have in life, such as broken arms and cuts and dings that help us remember how important it is to take care of those wounds so they don't fester and stick around and cause us further discomfort. What a blessing our divinely created bodies are to us.

I love the following thought...

May joy and happiness abound in our lives and the lives of those around us! Have a wonderful day!

Bright Birthdays!

Teenagers are a lot of fun! I have been blessed with the best teenagers! This month saw a few of them add another year of maturity to their statures.

First Myles celebrated a milestone birthday this year. Last year it was warm enough to actually have an outdoor picnic with the family. No such luck this year, but we had fun celebrating his birthday just the same...

Myles is such a responsible boy. He works every day after school, helps around the house and helps me keep the walks shoveled when we have an overload of snow. He has helped me with his magic talents and his ability to share his knowledge with others. We are so glad Myles is a part of our family.

We had another birthday this month too. This birthday was celebrated by one of my girls who loves to spend time in the kitchen. She even asked if she could make and design her own birthday cake... Here it is...

She had a little help from her older sister. She covered the cake in fondant made with marshmallows. The ears are cookies.

Naomi is so talented! A few weeks ago she showed me some of her cooking aspirations, one of which was a peanut butter fudge cheese cake. I suggested we make that one since we already had everything we needed to make it. Well, she surprised me the other night with a very delightful dessert. She did awesome for her first baked cheesecake!!! Take a look...

Yup it tasted as good as it looks, maybe even better. I love to see the accomplishments of my children. Besides enjoying cooking, Naomi also works after school, helps around the house, loves to laugh and share her joy with those around her.  She is a special part of our family.

My children are probably one of my greatest joys in life. Children give their parents a wonderful gift when they choose to live and honor the good teachings they are brought up with. I joy in their accomplishments, talents and abilities. I am so thankful for my family. Birthdays are the best because they let us celebrate the joy that we felt as each one of our children joined our family - that is something worth celebrating!