How do you stay connected to God? I don’t mean just going to church, emergency prayers during the day or saying grace at dinner but really close to God all the time. I mean totally surrendering to God and trusting him completely in every aspect of your life. The kind of relationship where you know HE is right there beside you, that HE was ahead of you and made your afternoon perfect, or that HE didn’t answer a prayer and you have no resentment because you completely trust HIM.

I think I have a pretty good relationship with the big guy but I often wonder how I can so easily float on and off his path during my day. Not floating in a bad way but floating from hour to hour on my own and then realize 2 hours have gone by and I am back to planning and making my decisions without a consult with HIM. I know I am human and make mistakes. I know HE forgives me always and I know I am so indebted to him for dying for my sins BUT as close as I feel to HIM all the time, I still falter.

Here are some of my BITS to always stay close to God:

BE THANKFUL-Be thankful for what you have because so much is out of your control . This could mean being thankful for a winter cold, a long commute to work or a new baby who is screaming non-stop. Being thankful in all situations is God’s way of teaching us.

INVITE THE HOLY SPIRIT IN-I just say “Come Holy Spirit Come” and almost automatically I feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders.

TAKE A DEEP BREATH– Worry doesn’t come from God. Talk to God and ask HIM to calm your heart and tell him you trust HIM .

SAY A PRAYER– When I am stressed rote prayer is the first place I turn! These are prayers like the “Our Father” and “Hale Mary”. I don’t have to think about what I am going to say to God, these prayers just come out naturally. Later I can get more specific.

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise;  you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down;  you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord-PSALM 139:1-4 

**For those of you who have followed a few of my previous posts about Neb, the young man who needed a heart and was in the hospital, he passed away on August 14, 2016. His Funeral is August 30th. 

God Bless,

Karen

Cauliflower Steaks with Capers and Tomatoes 2 ways 
This comes together quickly! I made this the other night for my Vegan daughter:) I slow roasted my own tomatoes so allow time for roasting otherwise you can buy.

1 head of cauliflower, washed and thoroughly dried

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, washed and dried (1/2 pint are slow roasted or use store bought sundried tomatoes)

3 T caper, rinsed and dried

Olive oil, good quality

Preheat oven to 325F for tomatoes or 350F for cauliflower

1. If you are making your own sundried tomatoes turn your oven on to 325F. Toss in some olive oil, salt, sprinkle with dried oregano and/or dried thyme. Bake for about 45 min to an hour until fairly dried. Don’t let them burn.
2. Slice cauliflower into about 4- 5 1/2 inch slices. They may not stay together in once whole slice
3. Arrange cauliflower on baking sheet sprayed with PAM or lightly oiled
4. Bake at 350 for about 15-2o minutes or until desired doneness. I don’t like my cauliflower super soft
5. Meanwhile, heat up a saucepan on medium heat. Add 2 T olive oil. Whiz up 1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes in a Vitamix or blender just a bit and then add sun dried tomatoes and whiz another couple of pulses and add to heated olive oil. Let sizzle and cook for about 4-6 minutes
6. In a separate pan, heat 2 T olive oil in a small sauce pan and add capers and saute for about 4-5 minutes on lowish heat.
7. Take cauliflower out of oven and put on plates, add sauce and capers ENJOY:)

Serves 2