Who Is Your Favorite?

Take a minute to think about all the people in the Bible. Now take a minute and think about one that you might consider your favorite – the one you’re most interested in, or drawn to.....outside of the God and the Lord. Who would that be in your life....and why??

For me, it has always been Peter. In so many ways I can find similarities between my walk with the Lord and with Peter’s. In Peter’s early days of following the Lord he was always quick to speak or react, but not so quick to take time to think before doing that.

Over my years of serving the Lord I have found myself doing those same kinds of things.
I feel like there have been so many times that the Lord has had to reign me in and tell me to take some time and think a situation through but acting on it.

Even when Peter denied the Lord three times, he never completely turned away from Him. No, he followed from a distance; knowing the sin in his own heart, but still so drawn to the Lord that he couldn’t completely leave him. I have been there too.

And when I read the passage in John (my favorite passage in the entire Bible) I can feel the emotion of Peter as he had that conversation with the Lord.

John 21:15-19 So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.
(16) He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. (17) He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
(18) Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.
(19) This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.

I could go on and on about this topic ~ but today I want to hear from others ~ so share with me, either by leaving a comment, or posting it on your own blog for others to read too. If you do that, drop me a comment to let me know so I can read what you have to say.

Have a great day everyone!!!!

My Whole Heart

Below here is a list of 13 verses that show a good, important point ~~ that point is God wants our WHOLE HEART. Not just part of it, half of it, almost all of it – but ALL OF IT!!

A person can’t live with only part of their heart; God didn’t design us that way. And a person can’t truly serve the Lord with only part of their heart. If that were the case, the remaining part of the heart would be serving something else and God says in Matthew 6:24 ~ No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

Ladies, take time today to make sure you are giving God your whole heart – and serve Him with all diligence.


Psalms 9:1 <> I will praise thee, O LORD, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works.

Psalms 111:1 Praise ye the LORD. I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.

Psalms 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.

Psalms 119:10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.

Psalms 119:34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart.

Psalms 119:58 I intreated thy favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to thy word.

Psalms 119:69 The proud have forged a lie against me: but I will keep thy precepts with my whole heart.

Psalms 119:145 KOPH. I cried with my whole heart; hear me, O LORD: I will keep thy statutes.

Psalms 138:1 <> I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

Isaiah 1:5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint.

Jeremiah 3:10 And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart, but feignedly, saith the LORD.

Jeremiah 24:7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart.

Jeremiah 32:41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.

Where Did February Go?

To my few readers, I apologize for dropping off the face of the earth last month. I won't even begin to go into the month I had - but I will say that God is so good, even when I don't deserve it. He stands beside me, holds me up, and give me exactly what I need, exactly when I need it.

One thing I will say is that February was a time for me to admit that I am NOT Superwoman. I cannot do it all, fix it all, and control it all...no matter how much my mind says I can. I have used these last few weeks to remind myself that God is the only one Who can do all those things and that I was wrong to even try to do His job.

I have apologized to those I needed to apologize to, I have repented and asked the Lord to forgive me, and most importantly...HE DID.

Now I am moving forward with a new purpose; and purpose I thought I had before but didn't really because I wouldn't let God be the One in control - that purpose is to TRULY follow the Lord, submit to Him in all ways, and set a good example to all those around me. That means to take each day and give it completely to the Lord, follow His will, and not worry when things don't go as I had planned for them to go.

Superwoman is gone now - and all that is left is the Lady that God intents for me to be. I can't even put into words how freeing that is. I am no longer in bondage!!!

Galatians 4:3-7 Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world:

(4) But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,

(5) To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

(6)And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

(7)Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.

Preparing My Heart

Ezra 7:10 For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments.

As I was reading through the book of Ezra yesterday, this verse kept coming back to my mind. How many times have I sat down to read, study, or instruct my children and not taken the time to prepare my heart?

According to this verse, Ezra prepared his heart to do three things:

1. To SEEK the law of the Lord
2. To DO it
3. To TEACH it

I should be doing the same. I need to prepare my heart so that I can LEARN what God would have for me, DO what I have learned, and TEACH what I have learned to others.

How about you ~~ have you taken time to prepare your heart today for what God wants you to do?? If not, stop right now, and PREPARE. It will make the rest of your day so much better!!!

Fruit Inspector

I got this in an email today – and thought it was too good not to share. I am going to be sharing this with my children today also.

Fruit Inspectors

"Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:16-20)

When choosing friends and entering relationships we need discernment. The wrong friends can lead us down the wrong path. In choosing friends watch their actions and listen to their words. Do their words build people up or tear people down? Do their actions show a kind and loving heart or a hateful and selfish heart? To help you walk down the right path choose friends and relationships with people who demonstrate righteousness and the love of God

I've Been Quiet

I’ve been awfully quiet lately, haven’t I?!?!?!? I don’t know why – just a lot going on and a lot on my mind – and not enough time to put it all out on print.

The Lord have really been working on my heart over some things ~ nothing bad, nothing serious…just things that have I’ve been thinking on over the last couple of weeks and God have helped me put into perspective.

January tends to be a busy month for me too. It seems by mid-month tax season is in full swing and people are lining up wanting to have their taxes done. I also have a few companies that need their year end and quarterly reports due. It keeps me busy – but I love the work.

I will post my menu for the week – mainly because I need to get back on track with several things and getting back into my old routine will help with that.

MONDAY ~~~ Tuna casserole & Crescent Rolls

TUESDAY ~~~ Chicken Parmesan over noodles, corn

WEDNESDAY ~~~TAKING MISSIONARIES OUT TO EAT

THURSDAY ~~~ Fish stick, mac-n-cheese, & Tater tots

FRIDAY ~~~ Patty Melts & French Fries

SATURDAY ~~~ Marinated steaks, Baked Potatoes, and Fruit

SUNDAY ~~~ Grilled Cheese Sandwiches & Chili

If you think about – whisper a prayer for me today. God is refining my heart and life in some things, drawing me closer to Him, and a few extra prayers sure would be appreciated throughout the process.

BIBLE THOUGHTS FOR TUESDAY

Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Being a preacher’s wife I get all kinds of ladies that come to me wanting advice about parenting and raising our children. One statement that I have heard over and over is, “I don’t understand why they are doing (fill in the blank). I raised them in church and in a Christian home.”

Ladies, I’m no expert – and I definitely haven’t done everything right – but I do know that that isn’t enough. Our children need more than just being taken to church and told they live in a Christian home. They need to see your faith in practice each and every day. They need to see faith in ACTION, not just in word.

They also need to be trained to put their own faith into action. Too many times children try to “ride the coattails” of their parents faith – and while that may seem work when they are little, when they get older and begin going through their own trials and temptations they need to know HOW to pray, WHY to pray, and WHERE to turn to during those times.

We won’t always be there to say, “Let’s pray about it,” or “I’ll pray about this for you.” They need to have their own faith to fall back on.

They also need to know that serving the Lord brings great joy. If all they see is the “Woe is me”, “I’m such a martyr”, and the “serving God is so hard” attitude in their home they will look somewhere to find happiness.

Sometimes it is so easy to get so overloaded with the daily cares of our life that we forget to make each day fun. There needs to be love and laughter in our homes and our kids need to be a part of it. Don’t lose your kids to the world because they think it is the only place to turn to have fun and enjoy life. Help them put their own faith in action and learn to:

(1) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.

(2) Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

(3) Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

(4) Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

(5) For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalms 100:1-5

ANOTHER NEW WEEK

I can’t believe we’re already into the second week of January!! Time just seems to fly by. This week be a week of juggling the work schedules of my husband and one of my sons – and planning meals that fit around those schedules and time spent in the car dropping people off and picking them up. (Who said it got easier as they got older??)

MONDAY ~~ Chicken Alfredo, Broccoli, & Homemade bread

TUESDAY ~~ Meatloaf, Baked Potatoes, and Fruit

WEDNESDAY ~~ Fajitas, chips and salsa

THURSDAY ~~ Beef Stew and rolls (CP)

FRIDAY ~~ Swedish meatball, Rice, and veggie

SATURDAY ~~ Egg rolls & fried rice

SUNDAY ~~ Leftovers (Lunch) / Homemade Pizza

The weatherman is saying we may actually get a taste of winter here in North Dakota this week, with temperatures dropping to zero and below for a while. That means I’ll do more baking too, just because it makes the house seem more warm and cozy.

Hop on over to Laura’s Blog and check out all the other weekly menus there are there. It’s a great place to get and share ideas!!!

BECAUSE

Have you ever said (or heard someone else say), “I love the Lord because…”? I know I’ve said it and I’ve heard it said many times myself. Last night I discovered that that phrase is in the Bible too.

Psalms 116:1-2 I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications. Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.

This is the only time throughout God’s Word that this phrase is used and is says SO MUCH. I know each of us could list numerous reasons for why we love God. But, really, what it all comes down to is we love Him because He first loved us.

The Psalmist said he loved God because God heard him and heard his needs and cries. God was there when no one else was…because God loved him.

1 John 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Above and beyond anything else GOD LOVES US!!!! How great is that?!?!?!?

What's Cookin' this Week??

I know, I know - I'm a little late in posting my weekly menu..but yesterday was a busy day at our house and I never got this far.

MONDAY ~~ We had a buffet going of appetizers, finger foods, snacks, and desserts

TUESDAY ~~ Tacos

WEDNESDAY ~~ Cheeseburger casserole, apple slices, & crescent rolls

THURSDAY ~~ Spaghetti, corn, & French Bread (Crock pot)

FRIDAY ~~ Pork chops, rice, and stuffing

SATURDAY ~~ Lasagna, salad, and green beans

SUNDAY ~~ Roast, potatoes, carrots & rolls

For other great weekly menu options hop on over to Laura's!!!

Have a great week of family eating and enjoying time around the table!!

I'VE BEEN MISSING IN ACTION

This time of year is always a busy one for my family and I. It seems there is always something that a pastor's family is invited to, involved in, or needed for during the holiday season. I think things should start to slow down here soon though and I can write more regularly again. I did have time for my twice weekly devotion that I post over at The Well and that I share here too.

ARE YOU SLIPPING

Psalms 73:2 But as for me, my feet were almost gone; my steps had well nigh slipped.

Just a question for everyone today….are there areas in your life that you have let slip?

Take some time and inventory your heart AND your time. Sometimes the slip can be so gradual we don’t even notice it right away.

DON'T FORGET

Ladies, I don’t have any fancy words or thoughts for you today. What I have is so much better – God’s Word and eight verses where He tells us to FORGET NOT. Take some time today to see what each of those things are that we are told not to forget.

Deuteronomy 8:11 Beware that thou forget not the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day:

Deuteronomy 9:7 Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.

Psalms 10:12 Arise, O LORD; O God, lift up thine hand: forget not the humble.

Psalms 74:19 O deliver not the soul of thy turtledove unto the multitude of the wicked: forget not the congregation of thy poor for ever.

Psalms 74:23 Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.

Psalms 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Proverbs 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:

Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

IN THE PIT

Psalms 10:1 Why standest thou afar off, O LORD? why hidest thou thyself in times of trouble?

Have you ever gone through times when you’re “in the pits,” so to speak, and you’ve cried out to God and asked Him to rescue you from that pit you’re in – and He didn’t. I know I have. And I asked God, “Why?”

Over the years I have learned that the reason He left me there was because His grace was just as sufficient for me while I was in the pit, as it was when I was out. It was during those times that I have had to learn that even though I felt alone, that God was truly there with me and that I needed to have peace in the pit, peace with the darkness, and peace when I felt surrounded by the enemy.

I have learned that for years I was asking the wrong question. I was asking, “God, what are you going to do for me during this time of trial?” But what I should have been asking was, “God, what do you want ME to do during this time of trial?”

Look at Daniel. Daniel was thrown in the pit with the lions. God did not rescue him in the sense of removing him from the pit. God left him there, surrounded by furious lions. God did not expect Daniel to conquer the lions, he just asked that Daniel have faith in Him and wait patiently (and in peace.)

Daniel 6:22-23 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. (23) Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

The lions were still there when Daniel left, waiting for the next victim; but they had no power over Daniel - and they have no power over you either! Daniel went on to prosper, and we will, too – so we need rejoice!

Sometimes I think we exhaust ourselves fighting against and trying to change the conditions around us – when all we really need to do is trust in the Lord, lean on Him, and have faith that He is in control of all that is going on in and around our lives.

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

THE OLSON'S WEEKLY MENU

Here it is…..the week before Christmas!! This Christmas season has been a very enjoyable one at our house – not too busy and NOT TOO COLD!!!!!

Here is what we’ll be eating at our house this week:

MONDAY ~~~~ Stir fry and egg rolls

TUESDAY ~~~~ WE’RE GOING OUT TO EAT WITH FRIENDS

WEDNESDAY ~~~~ Swedish meatballs, Rice & Broccoli

THURSDAY ~~~~ Calazone, corn, and Brownies

FRIDAY ~~~~ Marinated Pork Chops, Stuffing, & veggies

SATURDAY ~~~~ Steak, Potatoes, Salad, & fruit

SUNDAY ~~~~ Ham, Augratin potatoes, rolls

Check out other wonderful weekly menus at Laura's Blog. She has a wonderful blog that helps keep your home organized and running smoothly.

SLOWER COOKER THURSDAY

INGREDIENTS

• 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 cup milk
• 4 ounces sliced ham
• 4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
• 1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl.
2. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom.
3. Layer chicken breasts over the sauce.
4. Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese.
5. Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers.
6. Sprinkle the stuffing on top, and drizzle butter over stuffing.
7. Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High.

DON'T SLIP

Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Oh, how easy it is to let things slip ~ in our heart, our life, our homes, and even in our marriages. Obviously this doesn’t take God by surprise, because He warns us of just such things in Hebrews.

Sometimes things just become so routine that we just kind of operate on “cruise control.” We go through the motions, but our heart isn’t in it any more.

Let’s not let that happen to us or to our families. Let’s make sure we give the “more earnest heed” to those things we have heard. Take time to meditate over the preaching you hear throughout the week, the reading and studying that you are doing of God’s Word, and the actions you go through each and every day. You and those around will benefit so much by putting your heart into all that you do.

Let’s not slip ladies – those slips lead to falls – and those falls cause bruises and injuries (to you and those that end up slipping with you.)

THE HUSTLE & BUSTLE

MARTHA OR MARY?????

It seems like some people go crazy during the holidays. It seems they get all carried away with the shopping, decorating, entertaining, etc. I enjoy all those things myself, but it is so important we keep everything in its right perspective.

Can you picture a “Martha” type and a “Mary” type during the holidays?

Martha is the one who is more worried about whether everything is decorated or wrapped “just right.” She spends days baking and stresses out over all the holiday plans and activities.

She gets so wrapped up in the outward part of the holiday she forgets to focus on what is really being celebrated. She has no time for giving thanks and enjoying time with the Lord because there is “too much to do.”

Ladies, lets not get so carried away with all the “fluff” of the holidays and forget why we have the holiday to begin with.

Remember the saying.....HE IS THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Luke 10:40-42 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. (41) And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: (42) But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

THIS WEEKS MENU......

Well, this is looking to be an interesting week at the Olson house. It has been years since my loving hubby has worked anywhere but at home or the church. But, as of last Saturday he is working a part-time job assisting the manager at a local grocery store near or house.

Jeff is excited about this opportunity. We have shopped at this store for the last 8 years and over the last year and a half we are finally seeing fruit from all the witnessing we have done there. We now have a total of 4 employees coming to our church and many more showing interest, so Jeff is looking forward to working there and continuing to build a strong testimony with the employees.

What makes things interesting is just adjusting our household schedule and routine around Daddy’s New Work Schedule. We can do it though!!!!!

Here is our menu for the week and how we will work it around Jeff’s schedule.

MONDAY Tuna noodle casserole w/ fruit & crescent rolls (Jeff works until 8pm, so this will be easy to heart up for him when he gets home.)

TUESDAY Tacos (Jeff works from 6-11pm – We can have this dinner prepared and eat together before he leaves)

WEDNESDAY Cubed Steak, Potatoes, gravy, & green beans YUMMY!!!!!

THURSDAY Meatloaf, Baked potatoes, & sourdough bread (This is a crock pot meal. Jeff preached all afternoon on Thursday’s and then teaches Bible Institute in the evenings until 10pm, so I try to have a hearty meal ready before he goes from the retirement homes to the church)

FRIDAY Chicken Cordon Bleu (Jeff works 6-11pm. This will be cooked in the crock pot and we will eat before he goes to work.)

SATURDAY Enchiladas & Spanish rice (Jeff works 12-6pm – so dinner will be on the table when he gets home!)

SUNDAY Taco Salad (a quick, easy meal after church)

IT'S SLOW COOKING THURSDAY

And there is nothing new or special cooking in my crock pot - but here's the recipe none the less.

Tonight's meal is spaghetti. I'm cooking a big batch of it so that I will have sauce to make lasagna on Saturday.

CROCK-POT SPAGHETTI SAUCE

1 lb. ground beef Chopped onion, to taste 2 (1 lb.) cans tomatoes, cut up 1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce 1 (12 oz.) can tomato paste 1 c. beef broth (bouillon) 2 tbsp. parsley 1 tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves 1 tsp. dried basil leaves 1 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper Brown meat and onion in fry pan, drain off fat; transfer to crock pot. Add remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve over hot spaghetti. Can be made ahead and frozen.

To see more slow cooking recipes check out Sandra's Blog each and every Thursday!!!

Bar-B-Quing in the Snow

Yep - that's what we're doing tonight before church!!!



Our good friends, the Knight's, are moving the Washington soon. This is a family that we have grown so close to over the last 15 years. We have been there for the birth of 5 of the 14 children (one of which I even delivered), they have been there for our last two children's births, and never left our side for over a week when Steven died. To just call them friends is such an understatement. We are going to miss them greatly.



So, this evening we decided to do something that our two families have always enjoyed doing together....BBQing!!!! It may only be 15 degrees and the snow may be falling - but those minor little details are not going to stop us!!! (Besides, the guys will be the ones outside cooking ~~ the ladies will be inside handling all the rest.) LOL



Thing of the memories we'll make this evening!!! Then, once we're done we'll head to church together and praise the Lord for his goodness and grace - and for giving us such wonderful, special people to serve with all these years!!!

Getting Bitter or Better

WE HAVE TWO CHOICES

We all go through times in our life that are tough – sometimes those periods are short and sometimes they seem to go on and on. During those times, how we react will play a major factor in how our family and homes flow. We can either get BITTER or look to God and make things BETTER. The choice really is ours.

James 3:10-11 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

We can’t have a home that has blessings AND cursings (bitterness) run through it and not have it affect those who see us. Bitterness will affect all it touches ~~ picture a child’s face when they bite into a lemon. They can’t hide that reaction – and we can’t hide bitterness in our hearts and not have it affect our family.

Is there something (no matter how little) that is causing you to be bitter? Get rid of the bitterness and let the sweet water of Christ flow through you and your home. Those sweet waters will make every season of your life more pleasant….even the difficult times.

THIS WEEK'S MENU.....

It's taken me a while to get back into the swing of things - but I've doing much better now. Here is what we'll be having at our house this week:

MONDAY: Marinated Pork chops w/ Rice & Crescent Rolls (crock pot)

TUESDAY: JEFF AND I ARE GOING OUT ON A DATE!!!!!!!

WEDNESDAY: Grilled Ham & Cheese Sandwiches w/ Tomato Soup

THURSDAY: Spaghetti, corn, salad, & French Bread (crock pot)

FRIDAY: Chicken Alfredo and Broccoli

SATURDAY: Lasagna, salad, and Bread (use left over spaghetti sauce)

SUNDAY: Scalloped Potatoes & Ham (crock pot)

Yes, Lindsey - it's happened here too!!

I love reading Lindsey's blog - ENJOY THE JOURNEY. This week she had the joy of having one of her precious ones flush something down the toilet! (I'm only laughing because, yes...it has happened at our house, too.)

Actually, considering I had 6 children and ran a daycare for 10 years, I can't believe it only happened once!!!! But when it happened it was major. And I was very thankful it happened while we lived in base housing because I know it would have been VERY EXPENSIVE if we would have had to pay for the repairs.

I did learn something from the experience - and I will pass that knowledge onto all of you. Tupperware Toddler cups fit perfectly into the toilet and cause a major suction to make it impossible to get out without removing the whole toilet!!!!!

Thanks for the trip down memory lane Lindsey!! I love looking back and laughing over things from when my kids were little!

What a Night.....

It all started about 10 years ago - when I was pregnant with Elisabeth....and since that time it has only gotten worse ~~~~ INSOMNIA!!!!

At first we just thought it was due to the pregnancy, but obviously that is not the case anymore, considering the last time I was pregnant was 7 years ago.

When I say "insomnia" I'm not talking about an occasional night of inability to sleep. I think I could learn to live with that. For me it is an every night thing - and some nights, like last night, are worse than others.

The doctor's call what I have "chronic insomnia," and for years we have been trying to find something that would help. A typical night of sleep for me is 4 to 5 hours (and not all at one time.) But last night would be what I call a BAD NIGHT. Last night I got about 2 hours of sleep - in 15 to 20 minutes spurts.

I know becoming frustrated with the situation doesn't help, so I do my best to lay in bed and rest - and it is also a great time to pray.....I did lots of praying last night.

Finally, at 3:30am I gave up and GOT UP. I know I'm a morning person ~ but not THAT MUCH of a morning person!! Oh well, at least I can say the Lord and I had a wonderful morning together.

SHOW ME.....

I have to admit - I'm not one to sit at a desk and blog ~~ here is my typical way of working:

This is me sitting in my recliner, with a fuzzy blanket, 2 cats, and my laptop!!! AAAAHHHHH true comfort!!!

So ~~~ how about you??? Where do you blog??? I'd love to see where you work!!!

ARE YOU SERIOUS??

GET SERIOUS

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope." Romans 15:4

Are you seeking a closer relationship with the Lord? Last night Jeff was preaching on “making a Difference.” One of the things that he touched on really hit home with me – and was being complacent. Once we become complacent with our service, our walk, and our relationship with Christ, we stop growing.

Each of us should always be seeking a closer walk with the Lord. There will never be a time when we can say, “we have arrived!”

There is a way that we can be closer to the Lord and that is by knowing Him through His Word. I hear people say things like, "I wish I was closer to God!" or “I wish I knew my Bible better!” Then, when I tell them they can have those things by just spending time with the Lord in prayer and time in His Word, they act like that is impossible ~ like there is just NO WAY they could ever do that.

Sadly, our society is becoming a very lazy society. They want fast food, easy fix’s, and things that require little effort on their part to achieve. But when it comes to serving God and building a close relationship with Him, the only way is through time, effort, and a true desire.

How many times do we put off our Bible reading until “later?” I admit that I have. But when we do that we are putting off our time with the Lord. The Scriptures are here for our learning and to give us comfort.

If we don't know the Scriptures then we don't know God. If we don't know the Scriptures we don't know the full extent of God's mercy, forgiveness and love for us. By spending time in prayer and reading the Word of God and the things that He has done then we will develop a true love for Him!

Read the Bible, you will enjoy it!! If there are times when you don’t feel like reading it ~~ READ IT ANYWAY. Those times when you don’t feel like reading it…that is our sin nature trying to draw awedge in our relationship with the Lord. That sin doesn't want us to read the Bible, because the Bible teaches us and comforts us and that sin doesn't want us to live a spiritually healthy life.

Sin wants us to fear and to be separated from God. If you want to be close to God, then take God’s words seriously and open the Bible! Get serious about your walk with God and open your Bible!

Thank You Denise

Denise ~ my wonderful baby sister ~ made this picture for me. She will never know just how much it means to me either. When I saw this, my tears just flowed!!!!

Denise took my life verse ~ Colossians 2:5 ~ and put it with a picture of my angel. That precious little boy you there is Steven.

In the picture he is about 5 years old. Steven went home to be with Jesus when he was 12 ~ on August 22, 1999. Today he would be 19 years old.

Thanks Denise ~ This means the world to me!!!!!

Where Is Your Trust?

Psalms 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.

There are 14 places in the Word of God that tell us to “trust in him” and as I was studying today I was looking at those verses. Psalm 62 really touched my heart ~~ we are told to trust in him AT ALL TIMES.

I really took time to think about that. Why is it so hard to trust in God AT ALL TIMES??? It seems easy to say or to tell others, but then trials come along in our lives and we tend to replace our trust with worry and fret.

Psalms 37:7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

The reason is because we take our eyes off the Lord and put them on whatever is going on around us. When we take our eyes off the Lord we cannot rest in Him or trust in Him.

I admit I am guilty of doing this far more than I like to admit, but then the Lord points me back to His Word. He reminds me that He is there all the time, and as Psalm 62:8 says, He is waiting for me to pour my heart out before Him and find my refuge in Him.

STAND BACK ~ HE'S GONNA DROOL!!!!

This is Elliott.

YES ~ his tongue is always sticking out

YES ~ that is drool falling on my hubby's pillow!!!

We're BBQing!!!!!!

For those of you who don't know, I live in North Dakota - and this is not typically BBQ weather!!!! Usually there is snow on the ground and the air is COLD ~~~~ but not today ~~~~ today it is a beautiful 60 degrees!!!


I have steaks marinating and potatoes prepared to throw on the grill. It is such a treat to be able to BBQ this late in the year and we are going to take full advantage of it!!!!!

What a wonderful way to start the week!!!!

"I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty"

Yes, that is what my house is singing right now!!! It is shining from top to bottom and side to side now ~~ and I feel better now too!!

I had such a good time cleaning Thursday night - AND I even had time to do a Leslie Sansone Walk Away The Pounds workout ~~ WOO HOO!!!!

Last night we had an adult fellowship at the church. It was SO much fun. We played some of the funniest games, had a great time of devotion, and then sat around and visited over coffee and dessert. Some of the couples were joking about not remembering the last time they had "partied" so long on a Friday night. It was great to laugh and enjoy each others company - and some wonderful memories were made!!

At this moment I am sitting in my recliner (I am so thankful for laptops!!) with a fuzzy blanket and my favorite cat in the whole world (Tanner) curled up on my legs. I just know God put this cat on earth just for me!!! I have a hot cup of coffee (with just a touch of flavored creamer in it), the kids are all out running a couple errands with Daddy, and my house is silent. AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!! Does any one want to join me????

I have no major plans for the day - so, I think I'll go read some blogs and enjoy the peacefulness of my day!!!

Have a great day, all!!!!

MY MIND IS BEGINNING TO CLEAR

Boy, the last few weeks it just seems like my mind has been in a fog. Just last night I told I thought I was finally starting to feel more like my normal self again. Things have just been crazy around here!!!!

In celebration of my normal self finally making an appearance my hubby is giving me the house to myself for 3 whole hours tonight!!!!! Does that sound strange to you?? Well, here is the scoop....

NORMALLY ~~~ I am a cleaning machine. I absolutely LOVE to clean my house. (So, maybe I'm NOT completely normal after all!)

But over the last three weeks I have just kept things "looking" clean to anyone's eyes who might be looking.

So, this evening my sweet hubby offered to take the kids with him while he teaches Bible Institute to give me three whole hours of UNINTERRUPTED, DEEP CLEANING!!!! I am so excited!!!! Watch out wall, doors, doorknobs, cabinets, and any other dust bunnies that my be hiding......HERE I COME!!!!!!

What a Bummer!!!!

I sent all week doing a monthly menu and chore chart. It is beautiful!!! It has appointments, meals, chore rotations, etc. for the whole rest of November. When I was all done I printed it off (in color even) and THOUGHT I saved it!!



Now, I get ready to blog (which I know I haven't done all week) and post my pretty calendar - and it's GONE!!! I can't find it anywhere. I am so thankful I saved it.



So, you don't get to see this month's, but at least I can use it to start December, then when the 1st of the month comes around I'll be ready!!

THE WOMAN AT THE WELL

The noonday sun beat down in oppressive waves as she made her way through the empty streets toward the well. Each step was heavy and labored. She was burdened with far more than her clay water jars.

Shame, guilt, embarrassment, contempt . . . these were the weights around her neck, pulling her attention to the ground in front of her rather than to the eye level of those she may have encountered. Her reputation was well known in the community, forever marking her as untouchable, unapproachable, and unlovable.

What must she have been thinking? Fine, then. You people do not need me, and I certainly don't need you. Or perhaps, Why should I care what you people think? You've never done anything for me.

Maybe, though, her spirit was more broken than she realized, and her inner voice squeaked out, Love me. Look at me. Talk to me. Please.

Whatever her thoughts, they were interrupted by the voice of the stranger sitting at the well. "Will you give me a drink?" he asked.

Recognizing him as a Jew, the Samaritan woman could not conceal her shock at this surprise encounter. Racial tension was at an all-time high, and polite exchanges between Jews and Samaritans simply did not happen.

"You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" she responded. In her mind, a flurry of other questions arose. Can't you see I'm here at this time of day because I don't want to see anyone? Don't you know it is improper for a man to approach a woman in public like this?

The stranger's answer confounded her. "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink," he said, "you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

"What are you talking about?" she asked. "You do not even have a jar to draw water from the well; where can you get this living water?"

The love in his eyes and voice broke through her defenses as he answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst." Her curiosity was piqued. "Sir," she asked, "give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." She silently finished the statement, . . . because I want to stay safe at home and not subject myself to judgmental stares.

Suddenly, the stranger caught her off guard with a request.

"Go, call your husband and come back."

"I . . . I have no husband," she replied through gritted teeth and pursed lips. Her curiosity, which had turned to suspicion, now gave way to amazement and embarrassment as the man revealed his awareness of her private indiscretions. Her heart raced. Who is this man? How does he know about my life? The current discussion was too personal for her comfort, so she attempted to change the subject to a more theological issue.

The stranger redirected the issue back to her private affairs. She realized that he was interested, not in talk of religion, but in the condition of her life.

She had never seen such godly passion in any other person. Perhaps this made her think of the Jews' and Samaritans' shared prophecy of a coming Savior. She gave voice to her hope, saying, "I know that Messiah is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us."

She trembled as the man looked deeply through her eyes and into her soul and said, "I who speak to you am he." And then, she knew. This was no mere man, no simple teacher, no ordinary prophet. This was the Christ, God's Holy Son. Her shame vanished and her guilt fled as she stood tall in the love of the Lord.

Leaving the scene, the woman ran back to town. Down the same path she had just crept quietly, hoping not to be seen, she now bounded wildly looking for people to tell. For the first time in years, she did not feel like a walking scandal. Instead, she had a new job: she was a messenger of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. She no longer hid; now, she yelled in the streets, "Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?!" Perhaps to her own surprise, the people did come. They came in droves, and Scripture records that many in that area came to a saving knowledge of Jesus through this one restored woman's testimony.

She began with no hope and no purpose. Jesus changed that. He used a most unlikely messenger to transform the lives of many in Samaria, and He began with the one person who needed Him most.

Has Jesus changed your life? There is a power in your testimony that you may never have realized. If you have the Living Water in your life, take a lesson from this woman at the well and let it out. The results may astound you.

No Excuses.....

Where have you been, so of you may be asking. All I can say is......here. My mind has kind of been preoccupied with some things and every time I thought of blogging I would draw a complete blank.

I admit that part of it had to do with "me." I am the type of person that always wants to encourage. I want to see people smile and I want people to know that no matter what is going on in a person's life they should rejoice. After all God's Word tells us in Philippians 4:4 ~~ "Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."

Over the last couple of weeks I have almost been "faking" my happiness. What I mean is that I AM rejoicing in all that the Lord has done (and is doing) in my life - but I have been having a hard time exhibiting it. Because of that, I have just been kind of quiet lately. It's kind of like the old saying, "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." It's not that my words wouldn't be nice - but my thoughts just haven't been as encouraging as I would like to share with others.

There ~~ now that I have rambled on and on, what I want to say is.....

I AM SO BLESSED ~ I LOVE THE LORD AND I WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW THAT ~ MY LIFE IS SO RICH I COULD NEVER EVEN LIST ALL THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR ME

This morning Jeff was getting ready for church and singing:

"So, rise and shine and give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory
Rise and shine and
Give God the glory, glory
Children of the Lord!!!"

About halfway through the song he had us all singing along!!

How about you......are you ready to rise, shine, and give God the Glory??? I pray you are this wonderful Sunday!!!!!

Getting a Jump Start......

You may be asking, “Is this a repeat?” Well, I guess in a way it is. With the week we had last week half of the meals on the menu didn’t happen – so, since I already had the groceries on hand I just carried over the meals we didn’t eat last week.

Monday ~~~~ Swedish meatballs, noodles, broccoli & garlic bread
Tuesday ~~~~Chicken stir-fry and rice, egg drop soup
Wednesday ~~Burritos and homemade tortilla chips w/ salsa
Thursday ~~~Fish patties, mac-n-cheese & pineapple (Hubby is gone)
Friday ~~~~~Homemade pizza
Saturday ~~~ Fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, & biscuits
Sunday ~~~~ Roast, potatoes, and carrots (crock pot)

Don't forget to visit Laura's Place for tons of weekly menus to browse through!! She has a great blog that is a true joy to read.

Trying to add a link....

A friend found this link for me, so hopefully I did it right and you can hear this beautiful song!!

Even in the Valley

A song that means the world to me

Through the trials of this last week the Lord has given me a very dear friend. She has listened to me pour out my heart and shared some of the best advice another preacher's wife could ever share - advice that came straight from her heart and brought glory and honor to the Lord.

One of the things she sent me this week was a song. I wish I was smarter at blogging, then I could figure out how to put it here for all of you to hear, but I don't have a clue how to do that. (If anyone wants to tell me how I will gladly share the song with you all.)

This song has become my all time favorite - I will be looking for the music for it this weekend!! I am putting the words here below, so you can see just how beautiful they are.

EVEN IN THE VALLEY

High upon this mountain
The sun is shining bright
My heart is filled with gladness
Even with the cares of life
But I’ve just come through the valley
Of trouble, fear, and pain
It was there I came to know my God
Enough to stand and say

Even in the valley – God is good
Even in the valley – He is faithful and true
He carries His children through
Just like He said He would
Even in the valley – God is good

This road of life has led you
To a valley of defeat
You wonder if the Father
Has heard your desperate plea
But there is hope in the rugged place
Where tears of sorrow dwell
Can’t you hear Him gently whispering?
“I’m here and ALL IS WELL.”

Even in the valley – God is good
Even in the valley – He is faithful and true
He carries His children through
Like he said he would
Even in the valley – God is good.

IN NEED OF PRAYER

There is a situation going on here that is quite serious. I can't go into details - but I will say that I am so thankful that the Lord is in control and that my family and I are not going through this alone.

I am coming here asking that all who read this will pray for my family. God knows the need and our prayer is for His will to be done. I truly need and appreciate all the prayers we can get right now - the road ahead is going to be a little rocky for us, but our eyes are focused on the Lord and we know He is guiding our way.

THIS WEEK'S MENU

MY MENU FOR THE WEEK

Monday ~~~~~ Beef & Onion gravy over rice, veggies & rolls (crock pot)

Tuesday ~~~~~ Italian Calazone, Corn, and mozzarella sticks

Wednesday ~~~ Burritos and homemade tortilla chips w/ salsa

Thursday ~~~~ Farmer-style chops w/ potatoes, cabbage & bread (crock pot)

Friday ~~~~~~ Stirred-fried veggies (using leftover pork chops)

Saturday ~~~~ Swedish meatballs over noodles, broccoli, garlic bread

Sunday ~~~~~ Country style ribs & potatoes (crock pot)


For even more weekly menus, check out Laura's Blog ~ each week she dedicates a post for all who want to share their menus!

I just love when the weather starts to turn colder. There is just something about cooler weather and having the smells of cooking going throughout the house all day!!!!

And the older Elisabeth gets (currently 9) the more she is enjoying baking - so we usually have cookies, brownies, muffins, or rolls either cooking or in works throughout the week also.......and her Daddy LOVES that!!!!

Are you preparing???

What a beautiful Saturday it is here today! The air is crisp, the leaves are falling, it's about 40 degrees out, and everyone seems pretty content around here. (No, it isn't always like this here....I do still have 3 children living at home and my 20 year old is here everyday day too! But, at the moment all is quiet on the home front!!)

I just walked by my hubby as he was studying for tomorrow's sermon. He always makes sure he is completely prepared before he ever goes to bed on Saturdays. Years ago I learned that the preacher isn't the only one that needs to be prepared before he ever walks through the doors of the church ~~ each of us need to prepare ourselves, too.

Too many times I have seen too many people rush through the church doors as the songs are already being sung, hair disheveled, and grumpy because the family fought all the way to church. Then, they walk in, attempt to put their church face on, and say to themselves, "OK, God...I'm here now so bless me!"

Many times these same people stayed up too late the night before, stayed in bed 10 minutes later than they should have, didn't have time to eat anything (meaning they will be thinking of lunch about halfway through the service), and didn't even think to take time to pray before church (because they would be doing that once they got there.)

Coming into church in such a manner means a person is not prepared. They aren't prepared physically, mentally, or spiritually. And because they are not prepared they probably won't get all that God has for them or be in any position to be used of God to reach others.

Personally ~ I start preparing for church on Saturday...for myself and my family. I make sure clothes are ready, plan an easy breakfast for everyone, and make sure all the kids are in bed at a reasonable time.

Once the kids are in bed I prepare my heart. Spending extra time in prayer for the services, my husband/pastor, asking the Lord to show me things that may be awry in my own heart ~ all these things help prepare me spiritually.

Sunday morning we make sure everyone is up in plenty of time. Clothes were already taken care of the night before, so that isn't a concern. I make sure everyone eats (even if it's just a piece of toast) before we leave. And while we're at the table we take time to pray for the services before we ever leave the house.

I don't want to paint a picture that our family is perfect, because that definitely isn't the case. We have our mornings when things are rushed, juice gets spilled all over a child's church clothes, or someone just wakes up grumpy. Then there are the times when it seems the phone starts ringing as soon as we are out of bed and it takes more to keep from getting frustrated or irritable ~~ but because of the other things we have done to prepare, we are better able to handle the unexpected things that arise.

Why did I say all this??? I guess just to say, take time today to prepare for all that God has for you in His House tomorrow!

Crock Pot Cooking

Sandra, from Diary of a SAHM, have a post running for Slow Cooking Thursday.

I love cooking meals in my crock pot and over the years I have learned to cook everything from soups and stews, to desserts, breads, and meatloaf (a family favorite around my house.)

Cooking in the crock pot works so well for me because I have more time to begin meals in the morning than I do in the evening many nights. I also love smelling dinner cooking throughout the day!!

This meatloaf is a breeze to make, holds together and slices nicely- a problem I have had with meatloaves in the past. Experiment with other ingredients or our own family meatloaf recipe – I promise…..meatloaf in the crock pot is DELICIOUS!!!

2 eggs, beaten

¾ cup milk

1 cup bread crumbs (I prefer Italian)

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

2 lbs. Lean ground beef

In a large bowl combine eggs, milk, bread crumbs, and soup mix. Mix well, then add meat.
Mix thoroughly, then shape into a rectangle or oval.

To remove loaf when done, line crock with wide strip of aluminum foil, coming up sides of crock.

Place in crock. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours.

My Thoughts of Mornings.....

I admit that I love mornings!! It is my quiet time. A time that I have set aside for nothing other than time alone with the Lord. Over the last couple of days I have been really studying God’s Word to see what He says about mornings too. This all came about when I heard someone say they never do any devotions until late at night and then sometimes they don’t get to them because they are just too exhausted.

Sure, it can be hard to get yourself out of bed, especially when a person is in the habit of staying up late. But a person will do what they truly have a desire to do. If a person truly wants to follow what God’s Word says about rising up early – they can. It’s a heart issue.

That really made me think – no wonder God tells us numerous times throughout His Word to “rise up early.” When we first get up in the morning we don’t have all the cares, concerns, thoughts from throughout the day, etc. that we do by they end of the day. Our mind isn’t racing with a 100 different thoughts first thing in the morning. We aren’t so easily distracted by the things and cares of this world first thing in the morning.

Here are some of the things I have gleaned throughout my study these last few days. I won’t give you all the references and such – maybe you’ll want to study it yourself – but just some notes I taken.

People Mentioned in the Bible that Rose Up Early

1. Abraham
2. Jacob
3. Moses
4. Joshua
5. Hannah
6. Samuel
7. David
8. Job
9. Daniel
10. Jesus
11. The Apostles

(What a great list of faithful servants!!)

Israel rose up early once when Moses commanded them to – in other words because they had to, not because the wanted to – and the Bible says they mourned greatly

18 times in the Book of Psalms we are given instruction about morning worship, prayer, or meditation. But only 2 times is “evening” used in regards to those same things.

Okay – my rambling thoughts are over. Have a great day ladies!!

MENU MONDAY

I just can't tell you how thrilled I am to have discovered Laura's Blog. Last week I added her link to my blog ~~ and this week I am getting really brave and ATTEMPTING to add my menu to her's!!! (pray for me....sometimes this computer is a whole lot smarter than I am!!)

Here is what my family is having this week.........

MONDAY............Homemade Turkey Noodle Soup & Biscuits (crock pot)
TUESDAY...........Marinated Steak, Rice, and Salad
WEDNESDAY.....Meatloaf, Baked potatoes, and Fruit Salad
THURSDAY........Spaghetti, Corn, & French Bread (crock pot)
FRIDAY..............Chicken Breasts, Stuffing, & broccoli
SATURDAY.......Lasagna, Salad, Green Beans, & Garlic Bread
SUNDAY............Chili & Cornbread (crock pot)

Entertaining my children....

About 2 months ago I got a coupon to get a free Scotch Brite Toilet Cleaner. I can't tell you what a blessing it has been!!

"Is it because of how good it works?" ~~ you ask??

NOPE - I wouldn't say it works any better or worse than others....but what I will say is that now my two youngest children absolutely LOVE to scrub the toilet!!

Today they were arguing about who GOT to scrub the toilet - thankfully, we have TWO, so they both got to!! (And they do a great job, too!)