Kristin Hill Taylor

Seeking God as the Author of Every Story

Place of Transformation {and a recipe}

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I don’t bake much, but one favorite recipe around here that does happen is Chocolate Chip Banana Bread. The recipe comes courtesy my high school boyfriend’s mom.

It always amazes me I can take mushy, seemingly-no-good bananas and turn them into deliciousness.

Don’t believe me? Try it yourself.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
From Jane Garcia

1 cup margarine softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 ripe bananas that I puree in a food processor
Chocolate chips

Cream margarine, sugar and eggs till light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time. Add dry ingredients and blend well. Then pour in the pureed bananas and mix until well blended. Stir in however many chocolate chips you want and pour into two greased and floured loaf pans and bake at 325 degrees for 45-60 minutes.

I’ve also discovered the bread freezes well.

I’m reminded how The Middle is a place of transformation. {Tweet that.} It’s in the middle where one thing becomes another, something is changed from the inside out with effort and time, and sometimes it takes some heat to do the job.

I’m talking about banana bread, but I’m also talking about my own heart. Food and faith are intertwined in celebration and the ordinary moments that make life sweet.

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I’m excited to join Britta Lafont for her Meet Me in the Middle Project during Lent, when I’m going to slow down and notice the pieces of life I bypass in a rush. Find all the details about the Meet Me in the Middle Project here or reference Britta’s introductory post.

#ThreeWordWednesday friends, I’d love for you join in Meet Me in the Middle by linking up there and here, but the weekly #ThreeWordWednesday link up is open as usual even if you’re not participating in this Lenten project. I’m always so glad y’all are here.


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 “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, or follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’.

Five Things I Learned in February

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1. A couple random TV/movies facts ::

Amber in “Parenthood” was Bernice in “Hope Floats” years earlier. Her real name is Mae Whitman. Before he was Cary Agos in “The Good Wife,” Matt Czuchry played a college boy in “Gilmore Girls.”

2. Christina Baker Kline is an author I love.

I read the popular “Orphan Train” in January and then “Desire Lines” and “Sweet Water” in February. I enjoyed them all. This month I also read “Bird in Hand,” which I didn’t enjoy but finished reading anyway. Kline is a great story teller who spans her suspenseful plots over two time periods, which isn’t easy to do well.

3. Making homemade BBQ can be easy.

I tried one of those Crock Pot sauces that is made to just be poured on the meat. We didn’t love the flavor. So I went to a recipe my longtime dear friend Katie shared. She shared it because of my love of Dr Pepper.

And now I’m sharing it with you. Because it was delicious.


DIRECTIONS :: Put rub on meat. Put meat in Crock Pot and the. Pour can of Dr Pepper over it. Cook on low for 10 hours. Shred and drain meat and then put back in Crock Pot with some BBQ sauce. I probably added about a 1/4 of the bottle and then turned Crock Pot to warm and then added more sauce closer to serving time. Most people added some more sauce on their sandwich.

Easy, peasy. And delicious.

4. Counting joys really is freeing. 

I have a list on my phone of moments, conversations, happenings that brought me joy. It’s just a running numbered list I add to when I think about them, so I’ve probably neglected a few things. Here at the end of February, I’m at #108. Talk about perspective.

5. Sometimes a book begs for discussion.

I started reading “You’re Loved No Matter What” by Holley Gerth. By the end of chapter two, I wanted to talk to friends about what I was reading. So I started a Facebook group so we can have an online book discussion. We’re going to start discussing chapter one on March 16. You’re welcome to join us! {More details here.}

How’s your month been?

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I’m linking up with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky. Read previous posts: {From 2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. {From 2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September. October. November. December. {From 2015} January.

 Want more insights? “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”

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5 Things I Learned in November

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Where has fall gone, y’all? It’s totally escaped me, although the weather hasn’t helped. It seems like it’s been either unseasonably cold or hot. And then there was that Snow Day that happened before Thanksgiving around here. Anyway, regardless of what Mother Nature is up to or how fast time flies, here we are at the end of November.

I love the Christmas season, so I’m looking forward to our traditions that come with that. But, first, before this month totally escapes me, I wanted to document some things I learned …

 1. Listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving really isn’t a bad thing. I’ve always been a must-wait-until-after-Thanksgiving-to-move-onto-Christmas-music person, which really doesn’t make much sense because I buy gifts long before I eat turkey.

I blame Shaun Groves for changing my mind. His remake of Goo Goo Dolls’ “Better Days” is fabulous. It’s right up there with his version of “Joy to the World” as my favorite. My only complaint about his Christmas album is I wish there were more. But, thankfully, he says there’s more coming next year.

{Listen and learn more here.}

2. Camping is fun. I’ve been camping probably four times in my whole life. All but one of those times I slept in a tent. Everything about camping except sleeping in a tent is fun. But the sleeping part kind of stresses me out. And then we borrowed my mother-in-law’s RV and went camping with our friends. I’m sold … as long as there’s a bed for me. {Read about our camping trip.}

3. Murray is like Stars Hollow. My cousin Mary, whose family stayed with us one weekend in November, noticed. And I like the comparison. I can see it when I drive down my street that borders the park. I can see it when we’re out and run into so many people who know us and love us. And I can see it when another parade goes down Main Street.

I’ve been watching “Gilmore Girls” when I fold laundry. How did I miss this show the first time around?! I’m so glad Netflix drew me in.

4. Cinnamon Moons are delicious. And easy to make. Thanks to my college friend Alexa who posted the recipe on Instagram, these are now in our breakfast rotation. Seriously. Copy this recipe now …

2 cans biscuits
1 cup sugar
Tbsp cinnamon
1 stick of butter


 1. Cut biscuits in half.
2. Mix sugar & cinnamon.
3. Melt butter and dip biscuits in.
4. Roll buttered biscuits in cinnamon/sugar mixture.
5. Cook 8-10 mins @ 350*. Makes a 9×13 pan.

 5. Cooking a turkey is hard work. And I’m retiring from doing it after my one time. The meat was moist and good, so I might as well go out on top, right? {Read more about my experience.}

How’s November been for you?

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 “Peace in the Process: How Adoption Built My Faith & My Family” is available on Amazon. And it’s on sale for just $2.99 for the last few days of this month. And if you’d read it, I’d love for you to leave a review at Amazon. Thanks, friends! 

 I’m linking up with Emily Freeman at Chatting at the Sky, who inspired me to document life this way. I love these monthly posts. Read more previous posts: {From 2013} June. July. August. September. October. November. {From 2014} January. February. March. April. May. June. July. August. September. October.

 Want more stories? Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, peek into my life on Instagram, follow 152 Insights at Bloglovin’, or subscribe to receive “Insights in Your Inbox.”