A New Year

A new year a little late that is.  I've been wrestling with God in my mind on doing a blog like this for a long time. I love writing and I've always thought that the best writing flows from the gut. If that makes sense to any other reader, but me. I just wasn't sure if I was capable of doing that on an ongoing bases.

Just a little about me.  I love the Lord and am reformed in my theology. I love to write and have become alright with writing for an audience of one. I post a blog in the hopes of the accountability and the possibility of encouraging someone else in their walk with Jesus. Theology and Apologetics  are  fascinating and daunting all at the same time to me. I think Christians today have no idea what they believe and churches for the most part have become a country club for people with a similar socioeconomical groups of people gathering every Sunday.  I also love my family and being a mom.  I enjoy my job of serving and loving my family and will post on that regularly. Everything else I write about I guess we'll both find out as I grow and change reforming my ways.

Enough

Welp, here I am again friends and family. It's summer and the last time I blogged we were all sad because we had lost my grandpa. Now we are in the middle of trying to sell a house in a horrible market. Never a dull moment. When it's a trying day I have these crazy thoughts like, "The house isn't selling, the baby has been crying his head off, and why can't I loose this last 15lbs?" I know it's horrible.

A few weeks ago I went through this awesome time with the Lord. I felt moved to fast for a week. I fasted from food, screens, and I also put away the scale. It was so liberating. I actually set aside time to be with the Lord. The pressure to check my e-mail was, I'll be honest, mostly gone. I wasn't sure how it would be because I had never fasted before. I feel very American when I say, I was afraid of being hungry. I saw early on that it was about God being my sustenance for everything and that alone was satisfying.

While fasting, I did this little study on some women in the Bible. It was uplifting and encouraging in many ways. I think I may highlight some of them over the next few weeks. I wondered if they ever had thoughts of screaming babies, houses not selling and weight not lost. Maybe they did, but you know very few times does it give an abundance of physical descriptions if any. Which is what we mommies tend to get caught up on. I'm wondering even now how much mental energy I've wasted on this.

Let me tell you about Joanna. She is mentioned in Luke 8:3 as a follower of Jesus and the wife of the man that ran Herod's household. It says Herod. The man that sentenced Jesus to death. Do you get how outrageous that is, that this women would follow and support financially someone that could cause conflict in her own home, possible costing her husband his job? That is someone that is so focused on Jesus that nothing else matters. Wow. She refused to be defined by anything because the draw of the Messiah was too much.

It moves me and I hope it moves you too. I mean, if during my fast I realized it was about having communion with the Holy Spirit and him being my sustenance, then what has changed in the past few weeks? Why would I be going back to the same behaviors, the same mental patterns? Worrying about this and that and if God is really listening. That time that I set aside to be with the Lord was doing no favor to the Lord. It is I that need him. It is my sinful nature that needs his redemption and sanctification. Joanna and the other women that followed Jesus got that. They got it.

Yes, babies will still cry, houses will be sold and bought, and the lbs will come and go, but God.......and that is were I have to stop my blog tonight. But God...Lord......Jesus......Holy Spirit....Messiah.....He is enough.

Come and See Me

I have been out of the loop this week due to the lose of my grandpa. It has been a hard week with little time for writing. I'm certain there will be many typos in this post, so please forgive me.

After going over all the memories in my mind and with family, I had a thought. Everytime I would say goodbye to my grandpa he would say, "Come and see us." I always thought that was something he just said. I see now he truly meant it and feel remorse that I didn't fit more time in with him. He was an awesome guy.

I wondered how much my heavenly father lays that on my heart and I don't listen. "Come and see me." At moments like these I want to see Him as much as I can. Still, just like my grandpa it's the busy moments that I think it can wait.

At moments of death I'm reminded how temporary this world's busyness is. I pray it sticks with me and I spend time with my Lord because I don't want to trade busyness anymore for the blessed, "Come and see mes."

Internet Love

ORDINARY DAYS EXTRAORDINARY MOMS

Suzanne lives with her husband Lew in Bartlesville, Oklahoma were they have two kids, Lewie "4" and Evie "2". They share their story of meeting on the internet.

Valentine Cake For Your Sweetie

YUMMY MUMMY RECIPE
posted by guest blogger Jacqueline Schwenke
Door County, Wisconsin 4 kids (3 girls 1 boy)
Penny Savvy Dollar Wise on Facebook

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner! If you want something sweet for your ‘sweet’, then take a look at this recipe. It’s not only easy, but it’s delicious! If you want to make this really fancy or special, make them into small Bundt sized cakes. You can even decorate it with melted white chocolate (Almond Bark), and possibly add a half-dipped maraschino cherry on top. (Drain it first) Maybe some chocolate curls or tiny heart shaped candy deco’s. Be creative- serve it on a silver or gold heart-shaped doilies.
This recipe is one that Gooseberry Patch has provided for free on their website! It comes from a cookbook they sell called Almost Homemade. I love all Gooseberry Patch recipe books, and in fact I own quite a few of them. The drawings inside are wonderful and homey, as are the cookbook fronts. The catalog they send out is the same- just a joy to flip through!
I have included a few pictures of Almost Homemade, taken from the Gooseberry site. You’ll find the link for Gooseberry Patch with the others I have provided, at the bottom. Take a stroll through the Gooseberry site- you’ll be glad you did.

Chocolate-Cherry CakeSubmitted by: Renee Redcloud from Nashville, TN
18-1/2 oz. pkg. devil's food cake mix21-oz. can cherry pie filling2 eggs1 T. almond extract1 c. sugar
5 T. butter1/2 c. evaporated milk1 c. milk chocolate chips1 t. vanilla extract

Combine cake mix, pie filling, eggs and almond extract in a mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on high speed until well mixed (cherries will break up somewhat). Pour into a greased 13"x9" baking pan and bake according to package directions. About 5 minutes before cake is done, whisk together sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil; boil for one minute. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in chocolate chips and vanilla extract. Remove cake from oven; immediately pour icing over cake. Let cake stand for at least one hour. Serves 8 to 10.


Paper Embellishments
Looking for paper embellishments? You must visit Fancy Flours. They have every color and pattern of cupcake liners, Dragees, picks, toppers, stencils, transfer sheets, cake jewels, and so much more! I’ve included a few pictures to help spark your imagination- and don’t let these pictures discourage you, if you are a beginner baker..they are all simple to make. Look, click the links, and enjoy!
Look at these adorable heart-shaped cookies! ..and have you ever seen more lovely cupcake liners?
Delicious and easy Old fashioned cookie or cake toppers


Links:
Here is the Gooseberry Patch page with the recipe. Gooseberry is also on Facebook and Twitter! http://www1.gooseberrypatch.com/gooseberry/products.nsf/v.weball/M918?editdocument&cartprocess=trecipeweek
The link for Fancy Flours:
http://www.fancyflours.com/

Sick Days

It's this time of year when the holidays are over and we are looking forward to spring that cabin fever sets in and so does the sick season. We are in full swing at our house with every child sick. We give new meaning to "No Child Left Behind".

I posted good sick food just last week, but we have both cold and stomach symptoms listed and I the mom, have started to get sick too. Who knows what to cook and who feels like cooking it anyway.

Soooo, my post is short and sweet today. I know it is hard when mommy gets sick with everyone. It stinks actually. I mean I am so out numbered here 5 to 1. I think of that verse, "Never grow weary of doing good." It looms over me on days like today, but it keeps me going too. Even on our sick days when everyone is cranky we are creating memories, we slow down and I may sit with a child in my lap that has needed it and hasn't had it in awhile. Work is out the door and just being with each other in our sickened state is in. There is that moment when everybody is almost well and all bodily functions have stopped there flowing states and there is that lull, sort of a peace. Then, the energy kicks back in and it's back to the hustle and bustle. I won't say I enjoy it I just know I'm doing good. Even if it does smell weird.

Mothering my mother

I am not the daughter that is dealing with an aging mother at this point in my life, but my mother is and so are many others. So, here's a short story that is just a little glimpse in honor of all of them.


“I’m going to go and see Rachel and the new baby, Mom” Anna said, walking into her aging mothers room.
“Rachel?” her mother said with a little bit of a grimace on her slim face.
Anna knew her mother had once again forgotten what she was talking about. It was painful to see her mother forget the things that would normally have brought such joy.
“I told you that girl was going on too many car dates unchaperoned. Now, a baby!” she said grief stricken with this news she had just pieced together. “That’s okay,” she said, straitening her petite frame. “We will get through this. She can live with your daddy and me. We will help..”
Anna interrupted, “No, mom. This is Rachel and Michael’s third child. They’ve been married for fifteen years. You remember.” She needed so badly for her mother to remember. “And dad has been gone over a year and half now. You’re living here with me and Tom.” she finished with a sigh, raising her voice as she spoke.
Anna didn’t really know why she did that. Raising her voice as if speaking in a louder volume would make it somehow clearer to her mother helping her comprehend.
She looked around at the little things in her mother’s room that were left from the large two story home they had brought her from. The memories of a time when everyone who had passed on was still here. Gifts her mother had received over all the past Christmases and Birthdays. Anna wished somehow those times could be preserved the same way the nic-nacs were.
She looked into her mothers frail features and realized she probably wouldn’t be going anywhere today. Anna saw an older version of herself in her mother. They both were short and petite with fair features.
Her mother broke into her thoughts. “What? I know, I know.....did they have a boy or a girl this time?,” she said clearly not knowing, but trying to get her brain to operate in the here and now.
“They had a boy momma. They named him Joseph after daddy. See, look over there on your book shelf. She sent you a picture of him. I was going to go and see them and stay a few hours.” Anna said with her mothers eyes still fixed on the picture of the tiny baby that was the name sake of her Joe. “Momma, do you hear me? Are you listening? I said Tom is going to stay here so if you need anything he’ll be right here.”
“You don’t need to raise your voice. I can hear you.” she answered cooly.
She wasn’t unpleasant, just firm. Anna’s mother never had been an ugly person. She was always quite delightful to be around. She just hated to be reminded by her own daughter of all she had lost and of those that had gone before. It was even more frustrating to be reminded that she was beginning to forget them. She was afraid of the abyss she was slowly slipping into. Even worse was that her own child was having to witness it. She wanted to stay strong.
Anna realized she wouldn’t be able to go anywhere today. Her mother was having another bad day. She sat down slowly in the chair next to her mother with a bitter sweet feeling, sad she was missing the first moments with her brand new grandbaby, but Understanding she was trading it for the last moments with her mother.
Her mother looked over to Anna with a spark in her eye, “Why Anna, when did you get here? I was just getting ready to put on a pot of coffee while I was waiting for your daddy to get home. Would you like a cup? There’s nothing like a hot cup coffee to lift the spirits. You look like you could use one right now. Making a cup of joe for my Joe I always say. Your daddy can join us when he gets here.” She said with a little bit of a giggle.
It made Anna feel good to hear her mother remember one of her common sayings. Even if it was painful to think about the loss of her daddy and her mother’s inability to accept it.
“Sure momma, I’d love a cup of coffee.”

copyright 2010