Running a house...

This tutorial for a quick and easy household management notebook is great!

Check out this link for forms to help you stay organized in your chores and special projects. http://moneysavingmom.com/downloads/household-management-forms

Happy Homemaking! :)

Andrew Peterson - Dancing in the Minefields (Official Video)

"Breastfeeding Is Offensive"

A Really Good Take on Things:
(For women to read only!)


http://www.cafemom.com/journals/read/1501574/Breastfeeding_is_Offensive

Tim Lane - Relationships a Mess Worth Making

A List

• Click on these to dive in to more information...
• 
  
• El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
• El Elyon (The Most High God)
• Adonai (Lord, Master)
• Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
• Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
• Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
• Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
• Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
• Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
• Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
• El Olam (The Everlasting God)
• Elohim (God)
• Qanna (Jealous)
• Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
• Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
• Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

Out Of My Control

‎I have a heavy heart today for things and people and situations that I have no control over... and I am stuck in that place where I have run out of words to pray.  And so I'm saying this back to God.
You will steadily and firmly set things right.  You won't tire out and quit.  You won't be stopped until You have finished Your work.
And then I'll say it again.
And again.
And I'll ask the Lord for the strength and faith to believe it.
"HE will steadily and firmly set things right. HE won't tire out and quit. HE won't be stopped until HE had finished HIS work." (Isaiah 42)

Kids Eat Free

Hey - I don't know what you're doing Sunday night... but if you're looking for a fun place to go - Tin Star Taco Bar on Callaghan by the med. center allows 1 kid to eat free with 1 adult after 4pm.  Although, I myself have not been to this restaurant, I hear it's two-thumbs-up... and if you're going out to eat anyway, why not let the kids eat free?

Don't Give Up, Mom!

The training of a child's will is vital.  Children who never learn to do things they don't want to will be hampered by that lack of discipline throughout life.  -Youniquely Woman: Becoming Who God Designed You to Be By Kay Arthur, Emilie Barnes, Donna Otto


Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days.
-Proverbs 19:20

Lots to Think About

http://everydaysurprises.blogspot.com/2010/09/idols-of-heart-questions-from-david.html

Blogs to Watch

OK - now that I'm getting ready to come to America, I have to re-learn how to shop.  Truth be told: I've never taken care of a home in the States and so grocery shopping for real and on a budget seems like a big under-taking.  (They do have a name for what I'll be going through: Reverse Cultural Shock.)  An article caught my eye about coupon shopping... and then I talked to my friend who is the queen of coupon shopping and deals.  Of course you can buy a week's worth of groceries for a big family for $10!  Oh, goodness... I have a lot to learn.  The secret is to be purposeful and dedicated... It seems like a lot of work to me, but I guess if you think of paying yourself for the hours you put in with the money you save...  Anyway - here are two sites she recommended.  I'm not ready to start printing out coupons... but come next April, watch out.  Here comes Mrs. Sumner with a notebook, a plan, and lots of savings.  Well, that might be a little big over-kill... but I'll try.  That has to count for something.
http://thefrugalgirls.com
http://hip2save.com/

Resisting the Urge

My parents will be here in less than a week.  It's the first time in my whole life that they have come to stay at my house.  Eat here.  Sleep here.  Be here.  I am resisting the urge to open every drawer and make sure it's perfect. It's not an easy battle.  One that will last for the next 3 or so weeks.  I don't want to spend the time they are here worried about how clean, how organized everything is.  I want my parents to feel relaxed here... to be able to stretch out their souls.  The point is not that I impress them with my house-keeping skills but to be together.  So, come sit down MarthaApril.  MaryApril is pouring another cup of coffee on the balcony while we all have a nice long chat.

I Did Tell You!

I know you don't know my sister... but she can be a hoot.  One time we were talking about something I was supposed to have done but didn't do.  I didn't do it because I didn't know I was supposed to.  She eventually confessed that yes, she had told me - in her head - but I just didn't hear her.

I get annoyed at people, too, when they don't do what I want them to do.  No matter how often I tell them to do it in my head, they just aren't good at reading my thoughts and obeying them.  Hmmm...

BABIES - Official Trailer [HD]

If I were in America right now, I'd have you all over so we could watch and discuss this. It's amazing. a-ma-zing!

"Brother's Keeper" by Rich Mullins

Now the plummer's got a drip in his spigot
The mechanic's got a clank in his car
And the preacher's thinking thoughts that are wicked
And the lover's got a lonely heart
My friends ain't the way I wish they were
They are just the way they are

Now this roof has got a few missing shingles
But at least we got ourselves a roof
And they say that she's a fallen angel
I wonder if she recalls when she last flew
There's no point in pointing fingers
Unless you're pointing to the truth

And I will be my brother's keeper
Not the one who judges him
I won't despise him for his weakness
I won't regard him for his strength
I won't take away his freedom
I will help him learn to stand
And I will ~ I will be my brother's keeper

Genesis 3:16

Dr. Richard P. Belcher in "The Origin of Our Problems"

The desire here, I think, is the woman's desire to rule over her husband.  And the husband is not going to let that happen.  And so marriage becomes a battlefield.  A harmonious relationship that was there before sin - with Adam having the leadership role - has now been distorted.  

Food Tips

I'm stealing all these from Weight-Watchers.  There are some big treasures here!

Use small amounts of highly flavored ingredients — such as Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, toasted sesame and hot chili oils — rather than larger amounts of mildly flavored ones. You'll add more flavor for fewer calories.

Toast nuts, spices and seeds to enhance their flavor: Bake nuts at 350ºF in a shallow pan, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Briefly toast spices and seeds in a hot skillet, stirring until fragrant.

Top desserts, casseroles and other dishes with shaved chocolate, shredded cheese and chopped nuts. Ingredients that are in small pieces cover more surface area so you can use less of them and still get great flavor.

Puree silken tofu and use it as a cream substitute in soups and a creamy sauce base for pasta dishes, as well as in salad dressings. OurCreamy Green Goddess Sauce Over Spaghetti hits the spot.

Swap applesauce for up to 1/3 of the total butter or oil in a cookie or cake recipe (light-colored batters) or substitute the same amount of pureed prunes if you're making a chocolaty dessert. Pureed pumpkin and sweet potato are also good substitutes. Experiment.

Rely upon fresh herbs, pungent spices, citrus juices, spicy relishes and/or hot peppers and chilis to boost flavor when cutting back on fat in recipes. Fat carries a lot of flavor so you need to replace it with strongly flavored ingredients.

Cut back on oil and enhance flavor by using health-conscious cookware and gadgets such as nonstick skillets or woks, grill baskets, steamer baskets, zesters and silicone baking mats.

Make a large pot (or two) of homemade chicken, beef or vegetable stock and freeze the broth in ice cube trays. Pop out only as many cubes as you need to add wonderful flavor to your food, especially on busy days when you don't have much time to cook.

Bake sliced peppers, carrots, onions and other favorite vegetables with cooking spray (or a drizzle of olive oil) and Kosher salt to bring out their natural sweetness. Enjoy them as a side dish or chopped up and incorporated into other recipes for added flavor and texture.

Sauté vegetables in chicken or vegetable broth instead of butter or oil. Also try using wine or fruit juice for a flavor boost. Try cooking rice, couscous and other grains in broth, too.

Add dry crispy rice cereal to muffin and brownie batters for very low-calorie volume. Give it a try with our Raspberry Muffins.

Chill a block of reduced-fat cheese before shredding it — this makes it easier to finely grate the cheese.

Thicken soups with prepared instant mashed potatoes (or pureed cooked potatoes) instead of heavy cream. Evaporated skim milk can take the place of heavy cream as well.

Puree a cooked potato into gravy for a fat-free thickener. Try it out in ourYankee Pot Roast Dinner.

Sprinkle bland dishes with strong-flavored crumbled cheeses like feta and blue cheese to maximize taste with just a small amount of added fat.

Use toasted, rolled oats in lieu of nuts in some baked goods.

Make your own whole-milk substitute: Just add a little fat-free yogurt, pureed tofu or powdered skim milk to fat-free milk to thicken it.

Add "authentic" color to egg white-based dishes such as frittatas and casseroles by adding a dash of turmeric to the egg-white mixture.

Replace the mayonnaise in tuna, egg, pasta and chicken salads with pureed, seasoned silken tofu or plain low-fat yogurt, dressed up with your favorite diced vegetables and seasonings.

Coat chicken and fish with a seasoned oat, cornmeal or cornflake "batter" and then bake for a crispy "oven-fried" result. Taste it for yourself with our Cornmeal-Battered Oven-Fried Catfish.

Rely on freshly grated orange, lemon and lime peel (zest) to add tremendous flavor to food. Be careful not to include any of the bitter-tasting white membrane called the pith.

Make your own taco shells by hanging soft fat-free tortillas directly over an oven rack and baking at 400°F until crisp.

Swap plain yogurt for sour cream in dip recipes. Opt for Greek yogurt, if possible, to take advantage of its naturally thick, creamy texture.

Season homemade mashed potatoes with fresh garlic and chicken or vegetable broth instead of butter and milk. Better yet, roast the garlic first for the most robust flavor.

Piper Sermon

This really hit me at some core issues... you can look for it in iTunes podcast or find it here:

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/Sermons/ByDate/2009/4398_Behold_Believe_Be_Raised/

House Keeping Advice

I don't know where I read it, but this is one of my favorite house-keeping tips. Store things where you actually disrobe them. What? Well, where do you always take off your watch? Keep a little box or tray there. Where do you naturally throw dirty clothes? Put your laundry basket there. Seriously, I recently read of a woman whose husband takes off his clothes (for the most part) in the living room - so, instead of fighting the habit - she put a laundry basket there. I keep a box on my desk for my earrings and hair things. Then I have one in my bedroom and one in the bathroom. Seems silly - but it's better than having one place and little piles everywhere else. And yes, sometimes I have to hunt for something - but it's in one of three places.

Need cooking inspiration?

Got this recipe from allrecipes.com. I really like this site. You can search for recipes using a certain ingredient you have in your kitchen that you need to use up (it helps me waste less food). We all really liked this! To cook meatballs, just put on a cookie sheet and bake @350 for 30 min. instead of pan frying..it is much easier! I served it over brown rice and added frozen green beans too. I think it is a pretty forgiving recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
• 2/3 cup crushed saltine cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup minced onion
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 (15 ounce) can pineapple chunks - drained, with juice reserved
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, cracker crumbs, onion, egg, milk, ginger and salt. Shape mixture by rounded tablespoonfuls into meatballs.
2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place meatballs in skillet and cook until evenly brown, and meat is no longer pink. Drain excess fat.
3. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, brown sugar, reserved pineapple juice, vinegar and soy sauce. Mix until smooth, then pour into the skillet with meatballs. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils, about 5 minutes. Stir in the green pepper and pineapple chunks. Heat through.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 442 | Total Fat: 21.9g | Cholesterol: 106mg

Pillow Talk

I know I'm out of my league, girls... but this lecture on Sexual Issues in Marriage gives us some good things to think about. It's actually a class on counseling, but - well, I don't know... it might be helpful.

Look up Lecture 14. It's titled "Conflict..." but - they are titled wrongly...

http://www.worldwide-classroom.com/courses/info/co520/

You have to register, but it's free and I think you'll find it worth while.

Coffee Mousse

Do you need a quick but elegant dessert? Sorry, Alisa! This one will have milk in it and has gluten.

All you need is a packet of instant vanilla pudding (sugar free if you'd like!), a packet of Dream Whip, 2 cups of cold milk and 1/2 cup of cold coffee.

Get out your mixer - and there you have it! Decadent but light - and an elegant spin on something "normal"... make it even more fancy-pantcy by topping it with chocolate shavings.

Have you seen this site?

http://www.couponmom.com/

Self Discipline

No Facebook during "working hours". Weight Watchers. Dave Ramsey. 1.5 liters of water. Exercise. Stay on schedule. Shoot - I even made little cards on what to clean every day. Don't I sound self-disciplined? Well, don't be fooled. I'm not! Which is why I need all these rules in the first place. And now, that I'm working from home... yikes! I hate living by all these structures - yet, I'm better - I'm more content when I am. So, why this continual war within me to resist them? And, how is it that Monday through Wednesday I'm on target - but by Saturday it's out the window? How do you motivate yourself toward Self Discipline?

Granola and thoughts

Well, since April started us back on the blog, I am excited. We were actually talking about this last Sunday that the blog could be used to update each other instead of the email system that Joanna started. Part of the idea was to share practical things like recipes, prayer requests, ways to love/teach our children and husbands, etc.

So, here is a great granola recipe to start us off!

2 c rolled oats (can be gluten free)
1 c unsweetened coconut (or 1/2 c roasted soy beans and 1/2 cup mixed nuts)
1/2 cup dried fruit ( I like cranberries)
1/2 cup raw almonds
1/2 sesame seeds
1/2 c cashews (or walnuts)
1 1/2 c natural peanut butter
1 c honey
1 tsp vanilla

Combine all of the dry ingredients and set aside. Mix the wet ingredients in microwave-safe bowl and cook for 1 minute. Mix both bowls together and spread in a 9x13 pan. Bake @ 350 for 15 minutes. Cut into bars when cool.

Jason and Mabry love these and I have had to put myself on a daily ration b/c they are so good and call my name! Brooke, if you like nuts and fruit you will love this for a quick snack when you are feeding a newborn and your body is recouping. I needed food asap right after nursing and labor! :)

James 1:5

It's time to talk about wisdom. But before we do, let's "make parenthesis" (it's what Italians say when they want to change the subject for a minute or two or nine). Let's look at this one little word in verse 5. James has just told us to ask for wisdom if we lack it. Ummm... who doesn't lack it? Anyway, he goes on to say that God gives generously without finding fault. At least that's what the NIV says. In Greek, this term "finding fault" interests me. It is the word to upbraid. Hmmm? I have no idea what that means. Good thing we have a dictionary! OK - good thing we have Google.

It means to scold, to reprimand.

He's not going to scold you for asking. He's not going to say, "Hey stupid - you should be old enough to know the answer." He's not going to say that you should just do it by yourself. He's not going to tell you how weak and how silly you are. He's not going to roll His eyes at you sighing that you are not good enough or smart enough. He's not going to be exasperated with you.

Sometimes I need help from other people... but you know the feeling - you're worried that they are too busy and that this problem is too petty. Or you're worried that if you ask they'll hold it over your head (at least in the back of their minds). Or you're worried that they will say no and then you'll feel awkward the next time you see them... or that they will say yes and then they'll make you feel indebted for life...

But not with God. He will not upbraid you. He will not rebuke you for asking. He will not be grumpy with you. He will not be annoyed or frustrated with you. He wants you to ask. So, go ahead. Ask Him.

James 1:2-4

Here's a little exercise for you. I'm going to give you a word and I want you to list five words that come to mind. (If you're really brave, write them in the "comments" section.) Ready? Here it is:

JOY.

My 5 things:

ice-cream, my mom, yellow flowers, laughter, my nose

Hmmm... I totally did that impromptu - and am a little surprised at my answers! I have been craving ice-cream for a couple of days, so that was what first popped up. My mom is a woman of joy. Yellow flowers? I don't know - I always choose pink or white. Laughter - that makes sense. My nose? I think that has to do with how much good-smelling things delight me. Perfume, candles, laundry-soap, fresh cut grass...

Anyway, the Greeks' word association also surprised me. The Greek word James uses here is chara which means what you would think it to mean... gladness, cheerfulness, whoo-hooing, etc... but it also means this: calm delight.

A cup of tea on a cool morning. A long morning of snuggling. An extra five minutes in the shower. Oh! I love calm delights.

I'm actually having one of those moments right now. It's raining and it's cool. I have a cappuccino and I'm lounging on my bed writing. The house is clean and my work for today is done. I'm looking forward to eating chili tonight and talking to Dave and finishing an interesting book. Yes. This is joy! This is a calm delight afternoon.

But wait. James isn't talking about calm delight days. He's talking about trials. He's talking about the testing-of-my-faith!

He's talking about loneliness and fear. He's talking about me dying to myself. He's talking about having a calm delight when I'm too busy to sit down with a cup of tea. He's talking about having a calm delight when there's no one to snuggle with. He's talking about having a calm delight when I don't have a minute to myself even to take a shower - much less have five extra minutes in it!

I have to confess, today I had a breakdown. I was not having a calm-delight morning. My worries and fears and loneliness and hormones were strangling me. Dave called and I had a full-blown-pity-party. Poor guy. I had that pity-party because too often, I require my environment to provide the calm delight. I want the candles and the roses, the big bathtub and Bach. I want things to be easy, to go my way. I want to be right. I want to be strong. I want to be in-control. That's not the joy James is talking about.

When he made his list of "joy" words - he wrote some nasty words: temptation, adversity. That's a joy that has nothing to do with the circumstances of today. It's has to do with me wanting to grow in the Lord - and be His above all else. He also chose the words faith, patience, maturity, completion, and perseverance.

That sounds to me like the joy of an old couple rocking on the front porch with big glasses of iced tea... having earned their wrinkles and gray hair... yes, that sounds like joy to me.

Ciao... James1:1

So, this blog was one of those good-intention things that fell by the way-side... but it's about to come to life. Are you ready?

What if we started with a man. That's what we like to talk about, isn't it? Our men. Well, this one's name is James. And he's one of my favorites. Most people believe he was the brother of Jesus. He has a lot of good stuff to say - he's full of encouragement and life and hope... but he has a lot of hard things to say as well.

He describes himself as a "servant" of Christ. Now, let's buy into the idea that he was Jesus's brother. Wouldn't you announce yourself as that? Where would your heart have to be to call yourself a servant.

I like being a servant. Well, if I get the oooo-s and ahhh-s when I set my masterful cake on the table. I like being the servant when people I love need me to do something I enjoy doing for them. I like being the servant when it's easy. When it's fun. When it's dramatic. When it's rewarding.

I like to be the servant when it's my choice.

But... ummm... James didn't really use a word that means that kind of servant. He used the word slave. Oh. A slave who is a slave by force - or by choice. And that slave word comes from the Greek word deō which is a verb meaning "to bind, tie, or wind". It doesn't sound so pleasant. Goodness, I get panicky if my headphone cords get all tangled up around my neck.

Galatians 5: 13 says that we are called to be free... we aren't called to be slaves. Were we? Paul goes on to say that we are to use that freedom - not for our sinful nature - but to serve one another in love.

I've been thinking a lot about that verse that says "A cord of three strands cannot be easily broken." It's talking about relationship. It's talking about being so untied in love that we are tangled up in each other. It's about becoming servants of each other. It's about becoming slaves to each other. And it's about choosing to be slaves to one another.

Italians, as well as many Europeans greet each other with the word, "Ciao." It comes from the Venetian phrase of "I am your servant." What if that was really how we greeted our spouses, our children, our co-workers, our neighbors... what if when we said hello, we were really thinking, "I am your servant"?

And what if when we made that our first prayer of the day and the one we cried before going to sleep? Lord, I am Your servant.

And what if we lived lives so full of God and His love and grace that when people thought of us they thought, "There goes a woman who is a servant of God."