That Other Thing I Promised To Tell You About....

So I promised to tell you about one more thing in particular that makes me smile.

Here it is...

A new Bible study!  

Jesus: 90 Days With The One and Only by Beth Moore.

I actually bought this months ago- I purchased a few as Christmas gifts and one as a Christmas gift to myself - but saved it, because it is always neat to start a new year with a new Bible study.  I am still working through another book or two on the side, but I have enjoyed this so much so far.  When I was looking at it in the store, the words on the back cover captivated me...

"You Think You Love Him Now..."

I was drawn to that statement because I do love Him.  I love Him so much and love Him more every year that I know Him.  But I want to know Him and love Him even more.  That is my heart's cry.  And the best way to know Him more is to spend time with Him in His Word.  I cherish that time.

If you want to know Jesus more, if you want to grow deeper in your relationship with God, I would encourage you to get a good Bible study and go through it.  You don't have to be intimidated by this or legalistic about it.  You may miss it some days.  That's okay.  I do too.  Just start, just try, just aim to spend a few minutes a day or a couple of days a week with Jesus.  

I promise that the more you do it, the more often you are going to want to.  Because as you get to know His character and read the wisdom, love, and grace He offers, you will start to find it vital to your everyday life as you face life's often uncertain and challenging circumstances.

So go out and get yourself a Bible study if you don't have one to start this new year, a good Bible (study Bibles are super helpful), some colored pens, and if you are like me, a caffeinated beverage!! Curl up in your favorite spot and spend a few life changing minutes with the Savior.  As I do this I'll be curled up in my green chair with my coffee or tea, thinking of you and praying that if you think you love Him now, you'll find that you fall more deeply in love with Jesus in 2011 than you could ever imagine!

So much love!!

Things That Make Me Smile...

My family.  Every day.  For obvious reasons.

The way the sunlight comes through the windows in the late afternoon at my parents' house and makes things glow. I just love that.

Fresh blueberries.  Don't you get so excited when they are in season and you can get a lot of them for a good price?!

Canned tomatoes because with a little time and a few ingredients I can turn them into fresh salsa.  Which is in my top ten favorite foods.

Oatmeal.  Regular, old fashioned, steel cut.  Call me strange but I get excited about oatmeal.  Walnuts, cinnamon, brown sugar, blueberries, dried fruit...just think of the possibilities!

New scarves.  I have always been a fan of scarves.  Always!

The way a new scarf can dress up an old or plain outfit.  (Am I seeing a pattern here?)

Okay.  New outfits in general make me smile.  Which is why my mom gave me this ornament in my stocking this year.  It makes me smile too.  :)

Natural beauty.  God's artistry.  The way I feel so free when the warm sun hits my shoulders and the cool breeze blows in my hair.  I could go on and on...

Date nights.  I think my husband and I are going on one tonight.  Yay!

Steam in the bag broccoli. I think I could kiss who ever invented this.  Or at least give them a high five. Perfectly cooked broccoli, no pan to clean.  I singlehandedly go through a few bags a week!

A certain little buddy who wears Buzz Lightyear cowboy boots.  That's a big one right there.

Opening my refrigerator and seeing this...along with 5 or 6 other types of creamer!  I'm a creamer addict.  And a "variety is the spice of life" kind of girl.

So, I could keep going with this post!!  There are lots of little things that make me smile! There's one more thing I really want to share, but I'll wait until my next post.  For now, I've got to go get ready for a date!!  I mean, I look good in my husband's old, size XL "Give A Hoot, Don't Pollute" t-shirt, but I'm not sure if it's quite date night material.  ;)

What things make you smile?!

No Matter What

Before I log off, I just have to share with you a quote from a picture that hangs on my wall.  It is by the artist D. Morgan, and this picture actually used to hang on a wall in our home when I was a teenager.  When my kids were babies my mom was going to give it away, and after reading it I decided to take it.  The other day as I was passing by I stopped to read it again, and the words pricked my heart.  They read...

Let us guide our children with wisdom

Let us listen to their problems

And help them find solutions

Let us give them unconditional love

No Matter What.

And when they are grown, let us find the courage to let go.

What a thought to ponder, prayer to pray, goal to strive for as a mom.  

I found it both challenging and encouraging, and hope those of you with children at home do too!  Perhaps we can take some of the wisdom from this artist into 2011 and be reminded and motivated to love our kids fully and guide them wholeheartedly.... no matter what.

Good night, friends.  Rest well, moms.  Tomorrow is a new day.

Farewell

Well, the time has come.  The time to say farewell to my Christmas trees and decorations.

You know how I feel about them.  They are the tangible evidence of my love of everything about the Christmas season.  You've heard me express the joy I receive from settling in my green chair surrounded by twinkling lights and beauty.

I sigh just thinking about it.

I would keep them up for another week except next weekend holds both a conference with the youth group and a visit from out of town family, so I know I won't have time to get to it.  So I bit the bullet and starting taking everything down tonight.  My living room is now covered in boxes and storage bins, so I hope to have it done by tomorrow night.

I think I may keep our bedroom tree up for a little while because it really does set such a romantic, calming tone and I think it looks sort of Valentine-ish with the cheerful red bow on top!  So that one may not come down until sometime in February.  Which makes me happy!

I am getting rid of the very old tree from my childhood that has been in our playroom the past few years. But don't worry, I found this for 30% off at one of my favorite stores after Christmas and have very fun plans for it for next year...

And the other day I was at Walmart and went to the Christmas section, which was mostly cleared out except for this one lonely, silver tree.  How could I resist it when it was sitting there all by itself and for only $4.50?

So you can rest well tonight knowing that though one tree has made its final stand, there will be two new ones waiting in the attic to make their debut in a little less than 11 months.  I know, you feel better now.  Whew.  :)

Okay, I guess I need to get back to the job.  This is a lot of work!  And a sad job to me.  But like I told my daughter (who was also sad at the thought of taking it all down), we can just look forward to putting everything up again next Christmas!  And in the meantime we can always do a little decorating for Valentine's Day...and Easter....and Memorial Day...

Farewell!

Recipes, Y'all, Recipes!

So I wanted to get these recipes out in case any of you wanted to use them for your New Year's Eve celebrations tomorrow!

The first is super easy.

Put these...

Plus this...

Plus a jar of grape jelly in a crockpot and let it cook for a couple of hours. 

 I made these exact meatballs the day after Christmas (in my super cool new triple crockpot wonder) and they were yummy!

The next is compliments of the one and only Paula Deen. I was flipping through one of Paula's magazines at my mom's house and on the very last page was something called Jezebel Sauce.  The name intrigued me, and so did the fact that it was pictured being served over cream cheese with crackers (I love the whole pepper jelly/cream cheese appetizer thing).  I made it and it makes a huge batch...I served it at a dinner party and one of our friends kept eating it, and asked for more of that "Delilah" Sauce.  I laughed and told him it was actually Jezebel Sauce (but I suppose we could just call it Bad Girls of the Bible Sauce like that one Bible study that was published a few years ago!!).  I think the idea behind the name is that this sauce is "sinfully delicious!"


At a party it really is terrific served over cream cheese with crackers, but it would also be good with meats or on turkey sandwiches.  The recipe is as follows...

MIX

       1 (18oz) jar pineapple preserves

       1 (18 oz) jar apricot preserves

       1/2 cup orange marmalade

       1 5.25 ounce jar prepared horseradish

       1 TBSP dry mustard

Cover and store in refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

It makes a ton so you may want to put some extra in little jars to share!

Forever May You Reign

Santa brought the kids the coolest Super Why learning board game this year.  (I think Mrs. Claus found it at Target it anyone is interested, by the way.) The kids and I had fun playing it today!

Santa also brought the kids Hungry Hungry Hippos.  We played that after the the Super Why game and let me just say it is just as cool as it was in the 80's!


  I think one of my New Year's Resolutions will be to stop more often to take a few minutes to sit on the floor and play games with the kids.

After our board games Madi got out some new Twistable crayons and a Rapunzel coloring book.  Trev pulled out a favorite car.  They are relaxing and playing and watching a Care Bears movie.


Long Live Christmas Break.  Forever may you reign.  :)

He Loved Us First

I John 4:19

We love Him because He first loved us.

John 3:16-17 

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Ephesians 3:17-19

 ...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height - to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.