Thanking Him for a new layer of understanding and joy with reading these familiar words from Romans 5 in a new translation. How can we even comprehend that He sees us as flawless in His eyes, and that we are recipients of His unending marvelous kindness and love. Beautiful beyond description. All because of Jesus.
Saturday, April 16, 2022
The Incredible Joy of Easter
Thanking Him for a new layer of understanding and joy with reading these familiar words from Romans 5 in a new translation. How can we even comprehend that He sees us as flawless in His eyes, and that we are recipients of His unending marvelous kindness and love. Beautiful beyond description. All because of Jesus.
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
The Year 2022: One Quarter of the Way
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Monday, March 28, 2022
In the Kitchen: Winter Soups and Bread
Nothing in my kitchen can quite compete with the warmth and taste of soups during the cold, winter days and months. The beginning of January I made up a very flexible menu plan for January to March ... click here to see. I love to try new recipes, but this time I focused on using recipes from my favorites, some that I had not even made for awhile. And a favorite thing on my menu plan was to prepare one of my favorite soup recipes each week.
Now, about three months later, I just have two more soup recipes to make! We've enjoyed twelve delicious soup recipes, with two more to go. Even though it is officially spring now, the days have continued to be in the lower temps, so soups for a week or two yet will be just great.
Even though it's just the two of us here now (in contrast to years ago when all six of our children were still at home), I continue to make the regular size of recipe, and often even double it. Did you know that most soups freeze well? I love to have multiple meals of soup in the freezer, ready to pull out on a day when I don't have time to cook, or just prefer not to cook.
Here is a list of some (about half!) of my favorite soup recipes:
Copycat Panera Broccoli Cheddar Soup (photo above)
Lemon Chicken Soup with Rice and Peas
And another favorite during winter, and also all year through is homemade bread! I usually make a double batch of bread every 3 months or so, and have a ready supply in the freezer. My lovely Bosch machine mixes and kneads six loaves of bread dough at a time. I took time to make some more just recently. The aroma that fills our home is almost as lovely as eating the bread itself!
Sunday, March 6, 2022
Be Still: In the Secret Place
The secret place is a place where God answers and speaks to us. Nothing is more sustaining and life-giving than hearing His voice. God is always longing for an intimate relationship with His people in which we hear His voice and respond accordingly. (Secrets of the Secret Place)
Monday, February 28, 2022
A Collection: Inspirational Reading, Word of the Year, Desk Organization, and Remembering 20 Years Ago
Taking time to share a few highlights of this month, right before we step into the brand new month of March. I'm ready for this new month that brings the start of beautiful spring, and I'm also thankful for these February memories ...
It was the right time for me to start reading When Strivings Cease by Ruth Chou Simons. I purchased this book last fall when it was first released, but I waited until after the holidays to start this very insightful book. The subtitle says the main focus of the book very well: "Replacing the Gospel of Self-Improvement with the Gospel of Life-Transforming Grace". I am always so encouraged and refreshed by the writings of this author. I'm going through it very slowly, along with the accompanying Study Guide, and meeting with a good friend every few weeks as we share together what has impacted us.
Do you choose a 'word-of-the-year' each year? I have been doing so for quite a few years now. On January 1st of this year, the word that came to me to focus on throughout 2022 was one that had been on my heart often in the previous weeks, maybe even for a few months. And that word is:
Truth-filled
I am finding that it is of most importance for me to focus my mind and my heart on Truth; maybe more so with each passing year. Is it the same with you? I can be so easily prone to resort to worry, or to trying to figure things out on my own. And I can use up precious time by over-thinking, and depending on my own understanding. Maybe more than ever before, we need to fill our minds and hearts with Truth - His Truth, God's Word. I am continually adding more verses to my card collection of "Truth-filled" verses that I desire to keep handy, and pull out to think on through the days and weeks.
A bit of a tedious task this first part of 2022, but a much-needed one, and definitely worth all the work ... a re-organization of our "Home Desk" files. So much to always keep track of, and it was time to clean things up quite a bit. I especially like having my most frequently used files in easy reach, and was pleased to find these pretty file folders, and the decorative basket at Target - and also the pretty greenery plant at Home Goods. I love having this right on top of my "Home Desk", in easy reach for the weekly home office tasks.
Tuesday, January 25, 2022
Loving Good Books: Favorites from 2021
My review on goodreads: It may be difficult to adequately put into words how this book impacted me. It had been referred to me by a friend, and also is a book that our pastors and interns at the vibrant, growing church we are part of have all been reading, as well. The author focuses on a verse, or a quote in each chapter, and gives us a deeper, beautiful, insightful understanding of the heart of Christ. That from which everything He did on earth, and all that He is, flows from. Each chapter captured my heart in understanding more deeply what a loving, merciful, compassionate God we have. I highly recommend this book, and wish that each person I know would have an opportunity to read it. |
Monday, January 17, 2022
In the Kitchen: Menu Planning
When I actually prepare the recipe, I'll write it into the chart itself, and place a small check mark on the post-it-note. The reason for using post-it notes is that they can be easily moved around to a different week than originally planned for, if I wish. I am loving the simplicity and flexibility of this plan.
I like to switch up my categories of recipes that I pick from during the different seasons of the year. For January through March, I picked from three main categories of recipes in my collections:
One recipe from my SOUP section.
The next from my collection of CHICKEN main dishes.
And the third, changing off between FISH, PORK, or BEEF main dishes.
I'm only choosing three main dish recipes for each week (in this empty nest season of life we are in), as that is most likely the number I will need to prepare each week. The other days we will use left-overs from previous meals, or use a frozen meal that I've made on a previous week, or else we may be gone from home and need to pick up fast food wherever we are that day.
Also, at the bottom of each menu planning page is a space where I often put other ideas for the week as well: lunch ideas, sides or breads or desserts to make. Usually on post-it notes, as well, so they can be moved around, if needed. But the most critical planning for me are the plans for the main dishes each week.
I'm always looking for ways to live creatively in the home, and also, to simplify the responsibilities of life, leaving more time for the things of ultimate importance ... loving God, and loving those around us. Preparing tasty, nutritious meals is just one way to let His love shine through us. And menu planning is a big part of making this happen!
Friday, January 7, 2022
A Practice, A Habit, A Way of Breathing
It’s a daily practice,
a habit, a way of breathing,
as I take the first steps
into each day …
Before I continue on in my
reading through His Word
chronologically, now in the OT.
First of all … pausing, and
writing out my gratitude,
recounting His gifts, glimpses
of His love and care from
the day before, with thanks
and with adoration.
And then …
pulling out a verse card,
just one, from my collections.
Writing it out word for word,
letting His truth sink into
my heart and soul, truth to
hold close throughout the day.
Today’s verse, beyond my
comprehension, love beyond
compare. Our greatest gift,
to be loved by Him. A lifetime
and an eternity of being loved.
Each day, each moment.
I love each of you with the same love
that the Father loves Me.
You must continually let My love
nourish your hearts.
If you keep My commandments,
you will live in My love,
just as I have kept My Father's commands,
for I continually live nourished
and empowered by His love.
My purpose for telling you these things
is so that the joy that I experience
will fill your hearts
with overflowing gladness!
(John 15:9-11 TPT)