Birthday Cake for Two

I had a decision to make a few weeks ago ... my hubby and I had some special plans to celebrate his birthday at a favorite place of ours. Our family celebration would come later, but that day, his actual birthday, would be spent just the two of us. At a beautiful, restful lake about an hour from our home. And my decision was ... though there would be a birthday cake later in the week with family, what could I take along on his actual birthday, for just the two of us? 

This is the idea that came to me ... a two-ingredient "cake", for two. Quick and easy, with a favorite of my hubby's: dark chocolate.   

                                  

A page from my digital scrapbook, capturing the memories.

It was a delightfully refreshing day spent together, just the two of us.

Linking up with:
Inspiration Monday

Just Enough Grace

Do you ever wonder why we need to hear the same words from God over and over again? Even when we thought that we had that question figured out, that struggle taken care of, that we had heard the answers that give us light for our path ... why do we find ourselves in the place of needing to hear it again?

I know this is true for me.

With lessons I have learned, I find that I need to learn them again. And again.

Over and over again, I find myself in need. I find myself searching for the answers that I need. And I find myself running to Him.

Could it be that the process of running to Him when we are in need, is more important than the finding of the answers once and for all?

"He gives us 

just enough revelation,

just enough grace, 

just enough strength.

Why?

So we will live in 

daily dependence on Him.

He doesn't want us to rely 

on the revelation;

He wants us to rely 

on Him."

(Draw the Circle)

Thanking Him for His grace, mercy and love - new every morning ...

For more posts on this topic:

FIRST LOVE: What We Are Made For

Linking up with:

Bonnie at Beloved Brews

Homemade Potato Salad

Starting off this marvelous summer month with a favorite recipe! I'm surprised that I have not posted this before, as it's a favorite during the summer months around here. A recipe passed down to me from my mother-in-law! 

After I tasted her potato salad many years ago, I knew that this would be the best way to make potato salad. The main difference between this recipe and the other potato salad recipes I have seen is that the potatoes are grated, instead of cubed. This makes all the difference, and is what sets this potato salad apart from the rest. In my opinion, and in the opinion of other family members - it is the best!

As there was no written recipe for this, over the years I have put together my own recipe. Of course, it is very flexible, as you can use as many potatoes you wish, and adjust the amount of eggs, pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard, and salt & pepper. It's helpful to have a recipe to start with ... so here is my version. 

Potato Salad

Course: Side Dishes

Serves: 16

Ingredients

• 14-16 potatoes (medium)
• 8-10 eggs
• 2/3 cup pickle relish
• 2 1/2 cups mayonnaise (or salad dressing)
• 2 tablespoons mustard
• salt and pepper (to taste)

Directions

1. Boil potatoes (unpeeled) until tender.


2. Boil eggs to hard-boiled stage; peel.


3. Cool both. (I often cook both the day before preparing the potato salad; storing in refrigerator overnight.)


4. Peel potatoes.


5. Grate the potatoes and the eggs.


6. Add pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper, adding more or less of the mayonnaise for the right consistency.

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We enjoyed this potato salad recipe at a recent family meal. It really is like a taste of summer! The recipe (above) made plenty for the 12 family members who gathered at our home, and also was enough for a number of additional meals for my hubby and me.

Don't you just love summer recipes?

Linking up with:

Cheryl at I'm Lovin' It

Project Life 2015: Weeks 16-24

Our last few months have been quite full - too full to keep up with digital scrapbooking. But in the last few weeks, I've been able to take a bit of time here and there to slowly catch up. It's a relaxing, fun way for me to preserve memories, and to record the story God is writing in our lives. 

Here are a four of the thirteen pages I printed out this past week for my 2015 album. This year I've been using the "52 Weeks" style of scrapbooking. I'm also thankful for the Project Life templates and digital supplies that make preserving memories quick and easy.

Shown here are two of the nine pages that I created to record all that happened during our granddaughter's kidney transplant in April. So very thankful for all the ways that God cared for our granddaughter, Crystal, and also our daughter, Amy, who was the donor. You can click here to read more of our thanks.

It was a happy day when Crystal was released to go home from her stay in the hospital, and also when Amy was released to travel back to NE. And amazing that both happened on the same day - April 29! 

We arrived back home on April 30th, and entered the beautiful and full month of May. It was filled with graduation parties, Cru events, continuing to help Amy out after her kidney donor surgery (thankful to live just down the street from her), Mother's Day, and more ...

And now, we're past the middle of June already. Here's the most recent of the thirteen pages that I've made in recent weeks. Memories of our trip to a relative's funeral in KS, T-ball games for three of our grandsons, gardening. And more memories being made each day ...  

Gifts of His Words

Especially when going through hard times, we need a lifeline to hold onto. Such was the case for me in April when we walked through weeks of kidney transplant with our granddaughter, and also our oldest daughter, who was the generous kidney donor. And we've been through hard times before. 

Trials are never easy, and over the years I've collected favorite verses that have carried me through those times of trials. Verses that hold comfort, and give life and strength when we are at our weakest.

And often, even in the seasons without trials, I love to collect favorite verses, and mount them on 3x5 cards. There is something life-giving about pulling a card out of my collection, and asking God to open my eyes and my heart, to let me read it as if for the very first time. And the truths penetrate deep into my heart, again. And I love to keep the card before me ... on my desk, or propped up by the window above the kitchen sink, or by the bathroom mirror ... stopping to read the words often throughout the day.

How can we even explain the richness found in His Words? Truth and life that speaks to us in our deepest places ... words from our Creator, our loving Father. For us ... for me. Alive, and more true than anything else.

The words of the Lord

are pure words,

like silver refined

in a furnace on the ground,

purified seven times.

(Psalm 12:6)

Pure silver, of greatest value - His Words.

Sometimes when I am looking for a gift to give someone I love, especially when they are going through a hard time and need a lifeline to hold onto ... I remember, and I give them the gift of His words. Passing on to them the same comfort that I have received. From Him.

The faithful love of the Lord never ends!

His mercies never cease.

Great is His faithfulness;

His mercies begin afresh each morning.

(Lamentations 3:22-23)

Linking up with:

Holley at Coffee for Your Heart

Jennifer at Tell His Story

Bonnie at Beloved Brews

In the Kitchen

Time for another glimpse into my kitchen! A fun little post for me to write, and maybe a bit of encouragement for you in your kitchen?

We've had some cooler-than-normal days this spring, and on one of those days recently, it just seemed like a grilled cheese and tomato soup kind of day. Using some homemade Herb Bread made it even a bit more special.

On one of my recent trips to Sam's, I picked up a 6# package of ground beef, a 6# package of chicken breast, a package of fully cooked bacon, and a package of beef brisket. I like to divide up the ground beef and also the chicken breast into smaller packages (for the two of us) before putting in the freezer. The cooked bacon comes in handy for some quick recipes, and I purchased the beef brisket for an upcoming staff meal. Besides the convenience of buying larger packages of meat, it also is a better price to purchase in larger packages.

My hubby and I both had bad colds two weeks ago. It was wonderful to have some freezer meals on hand. One day when I didn't feel up to cooking,  we enjoyed this comforting dish that I had prepared awhile ago ... Sunday Chicken and Stuffing.

It's always such fun to start picking veggies from our garden, and usually the first thing that is ready each spring/summer is the salad greens. What a treat to use freshly picked lettuce and spinach for a refreshing salad this past weekend!

My hubby planted two rows of salad greens (two different kinds), and also a row of spinach. He did something different this year and put the pepper plants in the same row as the salad greens, as the salad greens have such a short season. After the greens are done producing, the green peppers will have all the room they need as they grow.

A New Week: Of Most Importance

A Holy Experience - Free Tools & Framables Library

As a new week begins, I find myself focusing on preparing the "to-do" list for the coming week. There are so many things to keep track of, and so many things to remember to do. 

It has been a busy few months for my hubby and me, and just when we were beginning to see glimpses of things slowing down a few weeks ago, we both came down with bad colds. Which actually did slow us down in some ways for a time. And then just as we were recovering from those bad colds, our week last week filled up with some unexpected events (two funerals) that we needed to go to. One involved traveling out-of-state. And we are thankful, and blessed, that we could go and be with those we love.

And now, again, I am preparing for a new week. It is my default to always first prepare the calendar, the planner, and the lists. These are all essential. But they are not of most importance.

For it is of most important that I prepare my heart. And remind my heart and mind that intimacy is more important than productivity. 

This is the work (service) 

that God asks of you:

that you believe in the One whom He has sent

(that you cleave to, trust, rely on,

and have faith in His Messenger).

(John 6:29 AMP)

That's my daily work,

the work God asks of me.

To trust.
(One Thousand Gifts Devotional)

As a new week begins, with calendar and planner filled, my focus is not productivity ... but my focus is keeping in close connection with God, taking one day at a time, trusting Him moment by moment. 

A week of intimacy, not productivity.

Commit everything you do

to the Lord.

Trust Him,

and He will help you.

(Psalm 37:5)

Sharing thoughts that are on my mind as I begin a new week, and as I am reading through One Thousand Gifts Devotional: Reflections on Finding Everyday Graces by Ann Voskamp. And thankful for the free images she shares here.