Project 5: Experiment in the Kitchen

I am joining this week's project from Fixing Your Heart on Titus 2 from At The Well. Each Monday, they share a project that relates to being a Christian woman and living out our Titus 2 roles in real life.

This week’s project is: 

to get creative in the kitchen. Part of being a Titus 2 woman is being a homemaker and busy at home. I personally love being busy in the kitchen! Some have even said that this is the heart of the home.
So, this week let’s try one new recipe!
Need some inspiration? Check out our Tempt My Tummy Tuesday Monthly Feature, you are sure to find a new recipe there!

Later this week, I hope you will check back and see what new recipe I tried and what my family thought about it.  Will you join me in this project?
God bless,
Pat

2011 so far....stressed or blessed?

     My friend and I talked at the end of last year how hopefully 2011 would be a better year for both our families.  Seems like we had so much illness, job losses and other losses and we just wanted this to be a better year.

      Well, this is January 27th and it has been a "year" so far and today I was thinking am I stressed or blessed so far this year?  I have to admit it is both....hubby still doesn't have a job and unemployment is running out, we have almost all had the stomach bug, we had a HUGE financial setback, my son has (is) facing serious illness and my 9 month old granddaughter got 2nd and 3rd degree burns over much of her body and had to be airlifted to Children's hospital 2 hours away.

      I know wow, that is the stress but if you have made it this far, now I am going to explain the blessed.....

     My hubby does not have a job but yet all our bills have been paid. I have even gotten some of my wants.  My 9 month old granddaughter has gone from this first picture to the 2nd in less than a month and the doctors can't explain it but I can-God answered the MANY prayers that went up for her. There were people in almost every state and several other countries praying for her.  Now is she healed?  No, but she is way ahead of where she should be medically.  As for our huge financial setback, my son and daughter-in-law and God are working that one out too.  It is not what I would like but it is much better than it could have been.  As for my son, he is better in some ways than we thought as we found out from the first tests and  he will undergo more tests to know for sure what is going on but we are placing him in God's hands and trusting and believing he will be okay.  Through it all I have learned I am too blessed to be stressed.

 

     I know this too, no matter what we may face, God is there..He may not choose to calm the storm we are facing but He will calm and comfort us.  After we make it through the storm we can also take what we have learned and been through and use it to help another along their way too.  

      So, as I look at it now, 2011, is not too bad so far.  I have God, family & friends who are mighty prayer warriors and I think that is good enough for me.  How is your year so far?

God bless,

Pat

Week 2 Be My Valentine Challenge

Join me for week 2 of the Be My Valentine Marriage Challenge!

This week's challenge is: be a little more creative with your praise. Surprise your husband with:

1. A love message on the mirror
2. A love message packed in his lunch
3. Use sidewalk chalk and write a love message on the driveway
4. Write a list of ten things you admire about him and then read them out loud to him.
5. Make a toast to him at dinner with friends. Or raise your glass at dinner and list the things you admire about your husband for your children to hear!
6. Buy or make your husband a trophy and engrave it with the words "The Best Husband in the World." (I found a cheap trophy at a party supplies store - the kids loved presenting it to daddy)
7. Write a poem - even if you can't write - it can be goofy. Include in it references to your favorite movies, restaurants, places to go and memories. He will enjoy the trip down memory lane and the laugh!
8- Blow up balloons and put a loving message in each one. Fill your bedroom with balloons as a surprise.
9- Take a roll of receipt tape and write a long message with the things you admire and respect about your husband - then roll it up and put it in a bottle for your husband to open and read. (I made many of these for my husband in college when we were dating long distance. I mailed them in packages.)
10. Get creative with your selflessness!

These were ideas she had but you might come up with other ideas that fit your husband better, just find ways to not only tell him but show him you love him.....

"When you touch your husband's deepest need something good almost always happens!"~ Dr. Emerson Eggerich

So I challenge you today to not just show your husband you love him but show him that you LIKE him!

 

Now I am off to see what I can up with for my hubby, how about you?

God bless,

Pat

Be an Encourager

 

I am joining this week's project from Fixing Your Heart on Titus 2 from At The Well.  Our project this week is to be an encourager. This is something that I really love doing though I often forget to do it! So this week, I am intentionally going to be an encourager!

Here are some suggestions :

to share your words with someone as an encouragement. Send a card to someone. Write a letter. Send a quick e-mail sharing your gratitude. Call someone just to say, “Hi.”
This week, be intentional each day and choose to lift up a woman in your life (daughter, sister, mother, friend, neighbor, etc…).

Our pastor was just talking about this last night.  He was asking us to look around and see who was not at church, who is sick, hurting or just need to know someone cares.  I am asking God this week to show me who He has for me that I can be a blessing to. I challenge you to do the same whether you link up or just do it.
God bless,
Pat

Praise Your Hubby Challenge

Have You Praised Your Husband Today?

The answer should be yes, but I can tell you honestly I have not.  I was bloghopping around this morning and found the new challenge that Courtney at Women Living Well has started  called Be My Valentine Marriage Challenge.

The first order of business with this challenge is to praise your husband.
At home
At the store
At church
In front of family
In front of your children
In front of friends
In private

Any chance you get, give your husband praise.
This challenge I know I need to take and I hope you will join with me and stop by here and see how it is going....Each week will be a different challenge.If you want to join in then click the link below.....

God bless,

Pat

Happy Meals And A Dime

      In November, Mrs. Diane, a missionary out of our church spoke at the ladies meeting.  She was talking about several of the programs she has started in the Philippines.  The one that really struck my heart was the one for feeding the children.  She said for approximately 10 cents a day American money she can feed a child.  As many as they feed, they just can't feed all the ones that are hungry.

     I just could not get this off of my heart, I realized that for the same price as a kids meal that I think nothing of buying for my grands, you could feed one of these kids for a whole month.  I knew I had to do something.

     Then God laid an idea on my heart.  I teach 4 & 5 year old in Children's church.  We are called "Gods Little Froggies".  I was at the dollar store and I found a green frog bank similar to the one above and it even counts the money so you know how much you have.  My class has adopted a little boy and girl from the program and we are raising dimes and we want to raise enough money each month to feed them.  For a 31 day month we only need to raise $6.20 and we can feed them both for a month.

     Now will I still buy my grands a kids meal?  Yeah, every once in a while I will but I sure look at it differently now. Next time you see McDonald's think about this and if the kids cross your mind, pray we can raise this money or more.  God has blessed us so much and I just want to teach my kids to be a blessing back.
God bless,
Pat

Over committing? I do, do you? How do we stop?

 

     Overcommitted?  I tend to do it to myself over and over.  Someone needs something done and they ask me and I say, yes.  I say yes, way too often.  I end up tired, stressed out and wanting to quit not only what I am working on but everything.  Do any of you ever do this?  How do you keep from doing it?  

     I have been guilty of this so many times.  I tell myself, well it needs to be done;no one else wants to do it;it's a good thing;they want me to do it or they would not have asked;who will do it if I don't?  I did this so much last year and ended the year overwhelmed, exhausted and really not very happy.  I thought I was being a good Christian and that I was just not organized or I could handle it all better.

     I have been praying though and looking at different ways to get organized, which I really need to do, but as I have read and prayed, I finally saw something else.  I don't have to do it all, I shouldn't even attempt it.  So this year, when asked to do something, or I see something that needs to be done, I am going to first ask God what He wants me to do;I am going to look at what I already am committed to do;I am going to think and then I will say yes or no, I will ask for help and I will not feel guilty either way.  

     Now, will I still be busy this year?  yes, I am married, a mother, grandmother,homeschool, Children's ministries director at church, and more.  But I won't be (as) frazzled cause I will be in God's will for my life and not the worlds.  

I don't want to look like this in 2011....

     I am sharing this not just to tell ya'll where I am, was, or will be.  I am not sharing to complain or brag but because I see too many women out there just like this, just like me.  We do not need to do this, this is not what God wants for us.  So this year, slow down,and pray before you answer; say yes or say no but say what God wants you to say. As a Christian, we should have joy, not exhausted, stressed out and ready to scream.  I hope that this will help at least one lady out there the way the Lord has helped me and that is why I am sharing.

God bless,

Pat

House Of Prayer

 

Isaiah 56:7b ....for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

      Lord, I want my house to  be Your house.  The dinner may burn, the children may be out of control, but in the midst of it all, our house can be a house of prayer.  A place of comfort and peace, a refuge to those in need.  help me make our home a blessing for all who pass through its door.

     This was part of the devotion I read this morning.  My house may not look the way I wish it did but I want to open my home more to my family and friends.  More than that I want it to be a place where they can come for support, comfort, prayer, whatever they may need;just as God's house is for me(and them).

     If you have anything that I can be in prayer for please leave me a comment or send me an email at bbcmoma@yahoo.com.   I would love to pray for you.  i know I cherish the prayers of my family and friends.

God bless,

Pat

1/1/11

HAPPY 1/1/11

     Welcome to 2011, do you make resolutions?  Set goals?  Choose a verse for the year or a word?  I have friends that are doing all of the above and some are doing a mixture.  I guess that is where I fall, a mixture.  

      My verse for 2011 is:

     I chose this verse because if I only speak, think and say things that are of the Lord then the rest of my life and goals will fall into place.  Now, I know I will still face trials and temptations but I will face them with the strength of the Lord on my side.

     I wrote out my goals for 2011 and they can pretty much be summed up with one word-MORE!  I want to first, spend more time with God in prayer, reading and thoughts and what He wants from me and my life this year.

I want to spend more time with my family-talking, listening and playing games, enjoying the time God allows us to have together.

 

I also want to spend more time walking, eating healthier and drinking more water.  This is not to lose weight, thought I need to but rather to take better care of the body God has given me and so I can feel better and have the energy to serve Him and spend time with the ones I love.

 

To sum it all up, I just want to be more...more for me, more for my family and more for God.  What about you, what do you think or hope for 2011?

God bless,

Pat