8 Dec 2011

Fruit and Bran make a wonderful muffin

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Moist, healthy, filling, fruit: what more could you want in a morning muffin?

I have tons of recipes that I’ve torn out of magazines over the years and I’m trying to actually cook through them.  Now that I have someone to cook for it makes it a little easier (and I always need ideas)!

These were very moist and have plenty of fruit and fiber in them.  And they are under 200 calories. 

1 1/2 cup all bran (the cereal)

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

3 T sugar

1/2 tsp baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon

1 egg

3/4 cup buttermilk

1/2 ripe banana, mashed

1/4 cup molasses

2 T oil

1 apple, tart, chopped

1/2 cup frozen blueberries (don’t thaw) – use you can use fresh

Combine first ingredients (through the cinnamon).  Mix the wet ingredients.  Mix together with dry.  Fold in apple and blueberries.  Bake in greased muffin tins, fill 3/4 of the way, bake at 350 for about 23 minutes, give or take.  Cook for 5 minutes, then cool on rack.  Serve warm.

8 Dec 2011

Crockpot Potato Soup

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Since being married, I’ve already made this soup: TWICE.  My husband likes it, it is vegetarian (not vegan), and it is so easy.  What is not to love?

6 large russet potatoes, leave them skinned, chop them all about the same size (1/2-3/4 inches)

1 large onion, chopped

2.5 cans vegetable broth (or chicken)

1/2 stick unsalted butter

2 1/2 tsp salt

1 1/4 tsp pepper

1 cup half and half (I didn’t say it was fat free)!

1 cup shredded cheese (I usually have taco or Mexican cheese on hand)

Toppings: sour cream, chives, bacon, cheese

Crockpot: potatoes through the pepper.  Turn on high for 4 hours.  Add in the half and half and cheese.  Turn off, stir, let sit till ready to serve.

Enjoy with toppings of your choice.

(Thanks to Elizabeth Beeler: wonderful cook, mom of 4, wife of a youth pastor, for this great recipe!)

8 Dec 2011

Book Review: Note To Self (Joe Thorn)

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“Like the Israel of old, you tend to forget the most basic things.  Important thigns.  You need constant reminders, and what you have been gleaning from others is not enough.  You need to find ways to remind yourself about the things that matter, because when you aren’t intentionally setting the truth before yourself you forget.” (pg 135)

If you have ever heard the term “preach the gospel to yourself!”, made popular by people like Lloyd-Jones, Jerry Bridges, and CJ Mahaney – here is a how-to book.  I love Joe’s simple truths, yet ones that we need to hear every day.

He has given us 48 “sermons” that we can preach to ourselves.  They each take about 3 minutes to read – so its a perfect addition to your daily quiet time. 

Be compelled to start taking the Word that you are reading and putting it into practice in your daily life: life with children, life with your husband, life in the workplace or in your home community group.  Apply it to the areas of your personal life where you are struggling, apply it to the areas of life where you are winning!

God’s Word is applicable to every part of your life – not just the Sunday morning corporate worship time.  After finishing Joe’s book – write your own Note To Self book (this is what I’m doing for a friend as a gift).  Use can use personal verses that mean a lot to you and write them down, stick it in your purse or in your car – so you can read it often.

“God’s face shines on you when you are learning – experientially – His Word.  This means His favor and blessing are upon you, and that you have sweet communion with Him through Scripture, but only when you receive it for what it is; God’s life-giving Word meant to be believer, received, and obeyed – not only dissected.” (pg 130)

Here are just some of the “mini-sermons” that I liked from Joe:

“Thankfulness is the joyful and humble response of a heart that has been transformed by grace.” (pg 43)

“Small Jesus does not inspire awe, command respect, lead to worship, or compel us to talk of him (much less suffer for him).  And small Jesus is too little to arrest the attention of the world.” (pg 48)

“You have to make the most, not just of the day as a whole, but of all the parts that make up the day.” (pg 90) – This is helping me be like some other women I know who are industrious and not wasters of time.  I don’t do this perfectly, but God is working grace in me in this area.  Thankful.

“Stop thinking so small when it comes to teh church gathering for worship.  It is for God’s pleasure, your good, and the health of your church.  Prepare for such a meeting with God today, and worship out loud with your brothers and sisters.” (pg 116)

“You should be seeking God for wisdom and strength in the midst of your calling, whether that is in the home, at the office, or in the garage.” (pg 118)

 

7 Dec 2011

Guest Post: Abbey Cooler: Finding Balance

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Christmastime is a little frazzled isn’t it?  Lines are longer, traffic is more congested, seems like everyone is a little crankier, money is tighter (oh, but the credit cards)…my friend Abbey Cooler wrote a blog post about balance: especially for wives and mothers, but you can take the principles and use them no matter what stage of life you are in.  Be encouraged, friends.

Finding Balance

Laundry, dishes, meals, playgroups, date nights and time with family and friend..how do we maintain the balance? Who in scripture can we look to for direction and instruction?

Like many Christian women, I grew up in the church and grew up hearing about the great Proverbs 31 woman (Proverbs 31:10-31). This seeming perfect woman has been drilled into my head. . I grew up going to Sunday School, choir, GA’s, Wednesday night supers and youth retreats. I was saved at the age of eight but I have been a Baptist since birth. Every year on Mother’s Day I heard messages on “her”. Every youth trip and college retreat I ever attended would have a “girls only” session, and we were given instruction on how to become the Proverbs 31 women. During my single days in my twenties I read every book that Lifeway or the Family Christian Bookstore carried on becoming the Proverbs 31 women. Then in 2006 I became a wife and in 2008 I became a mother. Then all my knowledge I had and all the plans I had made about being the perfect woman went out the window!

Before I had my daughter I always said that when I become a mother, my house will stay spotless, my child will follow every word of Babywise and I will NEVER leave the house without looking like I just walked out of an Ann Taylor catalogue. I was never going to be one of those “frumpy, stay at home moms”. Then I actually had a baby, who was premature, on a three hour feeding schedule, and who had gas, constipation and reflux! One afternoon I realized we were out of diapers and formula and I needed to run up to the local grocery store. I got dressed, got my daughter ready, and headed to Kroger! I took my time in the store, bought the formula and diapers, and went back out to my car. As I was about to pull out of the parking space, I looked in my review mirror. That is when I notice the dried sweet potato in my eye brow! So much for being the perfect, Proverbs 31 woman who has her life balanced and figured out!

After that embarrassing but funny incident at the local Kroger, I thought to myself, “It’s time to regroup”. How can I can I complete everything on my “to do list”, spend time with my friends, family, husband and child, and maintain a dynamic walk with the Lord. As I thought about and prayed about my “regroup”, three “P’s” came to my mind. Even though it has been eight years since I finished seminary I have a hard time giving an explanation without using three points (or four points in this case) and alliteration!

1. Plan: Plan meals, plan your grocery list, plan your days, plan when you will do housework, put plans on your calendar and plan ahead for all things unexpected. By making plans you can take the seemingly endless to do list that we all have in our lives, and break it down into smaller chunks of times, so we do not get overwhelmed. Like my mother always told me, “Plan your work and work your plan”!

2. People: It is so very important to maintain the relationships with those special people in your life. They are your family, friends, husband and children. Make time in your daily, weekly and monthly life in order to grow, nurture and invest in to these relationships. This can be a playgroup with friends, date night with your husband, or celebrating special occasions with family members.

3. Perspective: At the end of the day, have the right perspective. When your child is eighteen, graduates from high school and moves from under your roof, what will they remember? Will they remember your house being spotless, eating organic, homemade food for every meal, and their clothes always being perfectly pressed or will they remember that you loved them unconditionally and invested in their lives?

4. Pray: Above all, cover your family, friends, household, spouse, children, with prayer. God has commanded us to pray without ceasing. You can pray at each red light, over your children while they sleep, at mealtime with your family, and all throughout the day. By seeking God and His will first, everything else in your life will fall into place.

So while you and I continue to try and strive to become a well balance woman, like the the Proverbs 31 women, we need to give ourselves a break. It is okay to stop and have a cup of coffee and read a book during naptime instead of making, cleaning or picking up something. It is okay after a difficult day, to run by Little Caesars and pick up at $5 pizza. You and I need to remember that God’s grace is sufficient and we need to give ourselves some, each and every day!

6 Dec 2011

Be at Peace! Be Comforted!

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Kroger can do wonders to your mental state.  (I’m kidding, sorta).

I went to Kroger on Saturday and it was one of many items on my to-do list: including a wedding, decorating for Christmas, writing, etc.  Well, needless to say, Kroger took longer than I wanted.  There were no buggies, waiting, pride, couldn’t find items I need, so the searching began.  Tried for lower priced, so that took some time, Kroger is expensive (in my opinion). 

So, by the time I got home I literally had 1 hour to fix lunch (bring on tuna helper), take a shower, get dressed, and leave for the wedding.  It did happen, but not without a tearful conversation in the kitchen with my husband.

During our quiet time that morning (we usually have our quiet time, seperately, but next to each other on the couch), we were talking about ______ subject.  (Really, the subject isn’t important, and maybe not knowing will help you apply these truths to your personal situation).  I didn’t respond much right then but was just pensive and thinking about we went back to our reading.  Kroger was fine as well as my other errands.  But, then I came home, stood in the kitchen, waiting for the water to boil, and started sobbing.

My poor dear husband, didn’t know what in the world had brought that on?  Where did all of this come from?  (Oh, ladies, he lives out that verse very well that says live with her in an understanding way, praise the Lord!)  He took my face in his hands and said these words to me, “Be at peace!  Be comforted!”.  They were spoken soft and sweetly and were exactly what I needed to hear.  He spoke the gospel to my heart (because true peace and comfort can only come because of Jesus). 

We read this morning in Isaiah 7 (our advent reading for today) that His peace will increase.  We pondered that.  Without looking at a commentary or my Logos Bible software…here is what I took away.  Jesus is coming.  Praise the Lord.  We now live in the Jesus has come and is coming again.  His reign of peace will have no end – and actually, the deeper we go into Christ, the more peace we will know.  The song lyric from a popular Christmas carol that has stuck with me this holiday season is “the weary world rejoices”.  We are all tired, flustered, bothered by something, anxious about a given situation, in an argument at one time or another…listen to my husband… “Be at Peace”

Jesus knew that the disciples would need a comforter after He returned to the Father, so He said he would promise (and He followed through) with the Comforter – the Holy Spirit.  John 15-17 and Acts 1-2 tells us that this Holy Spirit is powerful and can do wonders in our lives for His glory.  One thing He wants to do in our lives (all of ours) is to bring us peace and bring us comfort.  There is no need to concern ourselves with things that are ultimately out of our control.  God is definitely in control of all matters.

And, I need to want to bring a comfort and peace to our home – and I’m striving for that (and failing some days).  And, my husband does a fabulous job at staying calm and bringing me peace and the gospel.

What areas of your life do you need peace in this holiday season?  Is Christ reigning in your heart – He is the one who guards your heart so you can stay at peace.

(Photo was taken last New Year’s Ever at Sip: A Wine Store in Cary, NC)

5 Dec 2011

Much and Link Love: December 5

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Hey folks (whoever you are – let me know if you are reading this, just to say hi!)

Can I tell you how much I love being married?  I love the security of my husband’s love (through Christ).  I love the fact that I go to bed and wake up with him every day.  I love Fridays because we both have off and we get to hang out and eat Thai food together and shop for clothes!  I love knowing that I can tell him how my day has been and he actually wants to hear about it.  I love that I can just sobbing in the kitchen on a Saturday and he’ll put his arms around me (more on that later).

1.  What do you with the question “why”?

2.  How do you keep white space in your calendar during the holidays?  Is that important to you or do you go full throttle and pick the pieces in January?

3.  Some of my friends are leaving RDU – that always makes me sad – but excited for them.

4.  I love intentional relationships.  Knowing that I can be real with people and they will still love me and encourage me.  And on the flip side, surfacy relationships are more difficult for me.

5.  I am learning there is much pride in my life.  My heart is ugly – but bought for – and God keeps santifying it more and more each day.  That is His purpose in my life: to make me more like Christ.

6.  Wives/mothers: do you have a housekeeping schedule?  What is it?  Would you share?

7.  I liked this post by Tim Challies about women and the public reading of Scripture in corporate worship.

8.  I think every woman should study theology.  Note: I didn’t say every woman needs to attend seminary: but every woman who professes Christ needs to study about God.  Here is an excellent post on the subject.

9.  We decorated our first Christmas tree together last night.  We picked up the tree on Friday and then finally had time to decorate it last night.  How fun – and there were (thankfully) not “discussions” (hint: arguments).

10.  Leave it to Stephen Altrogge to lay it down about America’s shopping habits.

11.  What are your Christmas plans and what was your first Christmas like when you first got married?  Just curious!

Enjoy the beginning of December!  This month has a magical feel to it.  Soak it up.

30 Nov 2011

Wives vs Dogs

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The old saying goes “a dog is a man’s best friend” – but is a dog a better spouse?

The new country song hitting the airwaves, climbing the charts, might make men reconsider marrying, and encourage them to go down to their county’s SPCA branch instead.

Curly-haired, country hit singer, Billy Currington has another winner on his hands.  At least in the minds of country record execs.  Here are the lyrics:

He never tells me that he’s sick of this house
He never says why don’t you get off that couch?
He dont cost me nothin when he wants to go out
I want you to love me like my dog

He never says I need a new attitude
Him and my sister ain’t always in a feud
When I leave the seat up he don’t think that
it’s rude I want you to love me like my dog does Baby

When I come home, I want you to just go crazy
He never looks at me like he might hate me
I want you to love me like my dog

He never acts like he don’t care for my friends
He never asks me “Where ‘n the hell have you been?”
He don’t play dead when I want to pet him
I want you to love my like my dog does,
honey

He never says, “I wish you made more money”
He always thinks that pull my finger’s funny
I want you to love me like my dog

He don’t get made at me and throw a major fit
When I say his sister is a b*

Here are my FIVE QUESTIONS for wives, just some things to consider:

1.  Do you constantly nag or complain to your husband?  It could be about his friends, job, schedule, schooling, ministry responsibilities, or his salary.  I am not saying you should never share your opinions or question a friendship he has (especially if you see it leading your husband away from God), but does your husband actually enjoy hearing you talk because complaints don’t always come out of your mouth?  Scripture: Proverbs 19:13, Proverbs 21:9, Prov 27:15, Ephesians 4:29, Ephesians 5:33

2.  Are you demanding of the finer things in life?  Are you satisfied with what you have and what your husband has provided for you and your family?  Right now my husband has asked me for my birthday and Christmas list.  As I say “I want…” I think about these questions.  These aren’t even expensive items, but still living in a state of “pinterest” desires.  Scripture: Ps 145:16, Isaiah 55:2, Matthew 6:24-34

3.  Do you get along with his family?  Does he often feel like he has to choose between you and his mother/father/siblings?  Do you strive to live in peace with everyone, even if you don’t get to have your way all the time?  Often times, parents are the most important relationship to a husband outside of his own wife/children.  Do you make that relationship easy or hard by your attitude?  Scripture: Colossians 3:20, Romans 12:18

4.  Do you make him glad to come home?  Or do you look horrible (no make up, bathrobe, dirty clothes), smell bad (have you brushed your teeth or put on deodarant today), or bombard him with how bad your day has been?  Let him come in the door, breathe for 15 minutes, give him a hug and kiss, try to be home when he arrives, be a good aroma for him.  Scripture: Titus 2:4-5

5.  Do you ignore/refuse his sexual advances?  Does he even bother trying to “come on” to you anymore because you have negated or swat his hand every time he has tried?  Are you willing to give him sometime in the morning or evening, if he so desires?  Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7

29 Nov 2011

Inspiration

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What I want to do with this blog post: encourage those who encourage me.  Help you to see that there are many ways out there to be a P31 woman – not just in our typical run of the mill ways.

What I don’t want to do with this blog post: give all the glory to these people (because none of these people would say their lives are about them) and also not to give the rest of us a “busyness” mentality or that we have failed if we don’t do some of these things.  This is the one my husband has to remind me of often and where I struggle with the most.  As a friend of mine says, “Here’s what I don’t do so that I can do what I do.”

Here’s what to do with this post: be encouraged.  Especially with the new year coming quickly – pray about areas of growth or new goals for your life.  Pray with wise women around you.  If you are married: seek your husband’s advice and counsel on this, as well as asking other women.

So, here we go (and these are in no particular order)

Women who INSPIRE me and why:

Leah Finn: because she loves her family and seeks to serve them above doing anything else.  In doing this: she is ultra creative and crafty.  But, even besides this she is hospitable and giving.  Finn definitely married himself a P31 woman.  And she is so real with me and never lets on that she has everything together.  She desperately knows her need for the Gospel!

Janel Blanchard/Rebecca Horton:  These two girls I met when they were both students at Carolina (THE Carolina).  Now, one is in Chicago and one is in Savannah.  These are my two that challenge me to engage the world, engage the lost in the art/culture/theology/thiking world.  They do so with not knowing all the answers, but trusting that God will use the gifts He has given each of them to make a difference in the world for Him!  I love these girls.

Karisse Schilling: A friend from college.  She has beaten death – meaning God has shown her great mercy in sparing her life from bouts with cancer over several years, almost a decade probably.  She faces death head on, she believes God for BIG things.  She teaches me to live life to the fullest, live out the Gospel to the hurting, and ask God for BIG GIGANTIC THINGS.  I need to pray more like this.  I think I’m afraid that I’ll get my heart so set on the answer that if I don’t get it – I’ll be hurt.  That is wrong for two reasons: DOUBT and putting my hope and trust in the gift rather than the Giver.

Laura Williams:  She is maybe the craftiest person I know with doing things with her hands: she cooks wonderfully, is known for her brilliant creative cards that are featured in so many of the card making books out there (that you find at Michael’s and places like that).  She loves her family as well.  She has two young boys and she is skilled at art and photography and uses those skills to make their lives more fun. Eric – you got a great wife!

Christi Davis: My pastor’s wife and friend.  She is a mother to five ranging from college age to kindergarten (about).  She is concerned about her husband, her family, and her home.  That is her primary domain.  But, she opens her mouth and she speaks in wisdom and kindness (see Proverbs 31).  I’m so grateful to have her in my life and I look forward to all that God will show me through her.

I could go on – but these are the ones I wanted to mention today.  I’m challenged by these women to:

Live out the gospel and their need of it.

Engage the world around them.

Know their primary domain and be ecstatic about that – and do it well

Use the creative gifts that God has given them and enjoy it

Pray Big!

 

28 Nov 2011

Books This Week:

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Since I’m actually getting opportunity to read more, I’ll probably update this little list weekly. 

1.  This Momentary Marriage: I’m really loving this book by John Piper and how it includes singleness and divorce in a book on marriage.  His reasoning: to keep us from idolizing marriage.

2.  I do…Every Day: This is a quick Kindle read that offers practicle life suggestions for newlyweds.

3.  Note to Self: Be SBTS grad Joe Thorn.  Practical book (and short daily reads) to help you know what to preach to yourself.

4.  Lit!: Helps me with all this reading.

5.  Excellence: Mostly for Christian scholarship – but trying to apply it to everyday life as well.

6.  God on Sex: this book is very practical

 

You may ask yourself – what about the other books that were on your list.  Still in the currently reading pile – but these on this list are what I’m concentrating on this week.

28 Nov 2011

Much and Link Love: Last of November edition

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Well, Thanksgiving is behind us now.  Almost all the leftovers are out of our fridge.  Whole Foods parking lot is back to normal and life returns to normalcy for a few weeks.  I am writing on Psalm 23 today and have been reading commentaries on it this weekend.  We need this in our lives (everyday).

1.  I loved having 5 days with my husband – it was like a mini-honeymoon again. 

2.  Hugo is a really cute movie – though the marketing ploy to put in Jude Law was a rip off (not that I cared), but he was in there for like 30 seconds or so…

3.  Watching football with my FIL on Thursday was great – even though the football wasn’t stellar.  I miss football.  But, I get a lot more accomplished around the house and have better conversations with my husband without it.

4.  We were going to hit Kohls at midnight, but after hitting Michaels in the evening, I fell asleep while we had a movie on the tv.  But, we still hit Kohls on Friday night and it wasn’t crowded at all.  Got great deals – I love Kohls!

5.  Q3 of this is all done editing!  And i’ve got three new writers to help!  Love teamwork! 

6.  This week is about Raleigh and buying our first Christmas tree.  I am looking forward to all of it.

7.  If you have children, you need to get this Bible.  What a great Christmas gift!

8.  I am finishing two craft projects this week (I know, who am I?): a Christmas wreath and an advent calendar. My husband is patient.  My “craft table” right now is our rolling chopping block. 

9.  First Thanksgiving with the in-laws went great.  Good food and time together.  Thankful for in-laws who love me, love their son, and love Jesus.

10.  Bring on December.  Looking forward to holiday parties, chances to cook and bake, an open house, and days spent with my husband (maybe a snow too)!