Coffee, Pie, and other Things to Enjoy

Last night I made my first apple pie. I've had my eye on the recipe for a while now. It was simple, with minimal ingredients, and used a ready-made pie crust. The kids gave it two thumbs up! If I can follow the recipe, anyone can do it. I'd offer you a bite with your coffee, but it pretty much got devoured in one sitting after dinner last night.


You can find the recipe and try it for yourself at one of my favorite blogs: Eat at Home. She posts more than desserts. Every week she posts a menu, the recipes, and a grocery list to go with it! It's one of the most useful tools I have ever come across. If you menu plan, or want to start, I would recommend checking it out.

I'm sitting here watching my youngest son sword fight with his dad using spatulas from the kitchen. It sure is fun having one kid at home still. My husband would argue that he's going to be the most spoiled because he's the youngest. (Of course, that's coming from someone who's the oldest of 5 siblings!) I guess, in a way, he's right. No other kid gets to stay at home with mom alone for two whole years. Or gets to sword fight with dad on his day off. I'd say that the other kids get their share of 'spoiling' around here too though. There's plenty of love to go around. :)

This week I've been thinking a lot about the pace of life. I don't know about you, but it seems like for me, everything is moving too quickly. I zip around my house doing chores, sometimes forgetting to slow down and play with my son. I wait impatiently in the grocery line instead of stopping to say hello to the clerk, or the person behind me that's waiting as well. All for what? A few extra minutes of time in my day? No. Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day.

So this girl is going to slow down and enjoy the life that God has given me. Enjoy my husband, my children, and my friends. I'm going to take the time to make that phone-call (instead of an e-mail), and maybe even write a letter, put a stamp on it, and mail it. And yes, I'm going to take time to bake home-made apple pie.

Have a great weekend everyone!

~Melissa

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

10 Things Tuesday

How will I ever pick just 10 things today??? I have so much to be thankful for that my heart is just overflowing this morning! What's the saying? "My cup runneth over!" I guess that's appropriate, since this is the month we celebrate "Thanksgiving" here in the U.S.

1. I had an incredible time at the Beth Moore Conference with my friends over the weekend. The memory passage was Ephesians 4:4-6

   "There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

2. My sister in-law had surgery on Friday but is doing fine. She had some ovarian cysts removed. They also found endometriosis all over so they removed her appendix and she will take some medicine to get rid of the rest. Hopefully this will clear up a lot of the health problems she's been experiencing.
3. My brother in-law drove over the mountains to help with the care of my SIL, so I got to spend some time with him. I hadn't seen him since last Christmas.
4. The Fall Carnival at our church on Sunday was a HUGE success! The church was packed with both congregation members and neighborhood families. It was a fun, safe alternative to trick-or-treating.
5. My children used their own money to buy books at the book fair yesterday. Of all the things they could spend their saved money on, they chose books. I'm so thankful that they have a love for reading at such an early age.
   
6. After a couple of rainy days, it is a beautiful Fall morning. Blue skies, and a slight breeze. Perfect. The leaves at my children's school are still hanging on in shades of green, yellow and red and the sun was shining through them this morning to create a gorgeous scene.
7. Speaking of gorgeous scenes, check out the view from my window at the motel we stayed in on Friday night! One of the things Beth Moore commented on about Spokane, is the beautiful Fall colors we have here. :)
8. It's a new month and I am ready to take it on! Yesterday was a very productive day. I want to keep this positive attitude going. I feel a renewed energy and sense of purpose as a wife, mother, and homemaker.
   
9. RH is VIP in her class this week. I am so thankful that she was born over nine years ago. She is such a gem. I love her so much!
10. We have a month full of birthdays ahead of us. First, LH will be turning 6. Then I turn...well...I'm not embarrassed to say I'll be 37! And finally, CD is going to be 4. Plus my Grandma is turning 97, and my Niece will be 12. That's a lot to celebrate!

My cup really does runneth over. I am so blessed.

I know this is getting long, but stick with me just a bit longer to read the words of this incredible poem...

DRINKING FROM MY SAUCER

I've never made a fortune
and it's probably too late now.
But I don't worry about that much,
I'm happy anyhow.

And as I go along life's way,
I'm reaping better than I sowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

I haven't got a lot of riches,
and sometimes the going's tough.
But I've got loved ones around me,
and that makes me rich enough.

I thank God for his blessings,
and the mercies He's bestowed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'cause my cup has overflowed.

I remember times when things went wrong,
My faith wore somewhat thin.
But all at once the dark clouds broke,
and the sun peeped through again.

So God, help me not to gripe about
the tough rows that I've hoed.
I'm drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

If God gives me strength and courage,
when the way grows steep and rough.
I'll not ask for other blessings,
I'm already blessed enough.

And may I never be too busy,
to help others bear their loads.
Then I'll keep drinking from my saucer,
'Cause my cup has overflowed.

Author unknown


May you feel your cup overflowing this week!
~Melissa

A Good Working Attitude

If only I could do windows with a smile like that! :)

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men," -Colossians 3:23

10 Things Tuesday

It's Tuesday again! I don't think I've ever really explained why I enjoy 10 Things Tuesday so much. It allows me to pause at the beginning of my week, (after the craziness of Monday) and think of the many blessings in my life.

A book I once read suggested taking time at the end of each day to reflect and make a 'gratitude' list. Just three things that you had to be thankful for that day. I still do that sometimes. But here on my blog, I like to record the things that I'm thankful for because then I can go back on hard days and read through the lists and remember that there is always reason to give thanks.

Here's this week's list:

1. I'm thankful that I have Girls' over-night out to look forward to at the end of this week! It's finally here! We're going to see Beth Moore and stay overnight at a motel downtown. :) So fun!
2. I'm SO thankful for my husband, who is willing to watch the kids overnight so I can go be with the girls and get refreshed.
   
3. I am thankful that I have the right to vote. Though I don't appreciate all the commercials, junk mail, and phone calls, I do appreciate that I have a right to my opinion and have the freedom to express that opinion on my ballot.
4. I'm thankful for Ibuprofen. Even though I woke up with a headache this morning, the pain is now manageable.
5. I'm thankful that I have a vehicle to take my children to school every day and pick them up in the afternoons.
6. I'm thankful that I still have one of my kids at home to keep me company during the day. :)
7. I'm thankful for friends that take time out of their busy schedule to come over and visit.
8. I am thankful that I've got a menu plan this week and I don't have to worry about what's for dinner every night. Did I mention that I LOVE my crock pot? It's doing most of the work for me this week!
9. I'm thankful for all the produce that I got from Bountiful Baskets this week. What a great program!
   
10. I am thankful that the snow has decided to stay in the mountains for the time being...brrrrr!

Have a blessed week everyone!
~Melissa

Psalm 105:1-3

¹ Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.

² Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.

³ Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.

Safety First!

This week my children learned about fire safety in school. Yesterday one of my sons approached me a little concerned and asked "Mom, does Dad check those white things on the ceiling regularly to make sure they work?" It took me a minute to figure out that he was talking about our fire alarms. I told him yes, but he wasn't satisfied. "But does he check them every week? Because if there's a fire, we want to be safe."

His persistence made me smile. We have talked about exit strategies and where we would meet, and other fire safety rules. Should there ever be a fire in our home, (which I hope and pray never happens) we will be ready for it. I believe it is important to educate my children here at home about safety matters, and I'm glad they teach it in school also.

Apparently, after a week of discussing fire safety, someone thought it would be a good idea to have our own personal fireman watching over us. Let me explain with photos.

Do you see him there, at the top right corner of the fireplace? Here...I'll move in a little closer for you.

When I questioned my son about it this morning he said that the fireman was making sure we are safe. That's my boy! Safety first! :)

Have a great day everyone...and be safe!

10 Things Tuesday

I am so thankful that:

1. The sun is shining through my living room window and though there is a chill in the air outside, I am warm and cozy inside on this beautiful Fall morning.
2. As I sat reading my Bible and devotion this morning, my son sat by my side reading along.
   
3. The kids were all ready to go out the door on time this morning. We even had enough time to go back in the house for a forgotten backpack.
4. Today is a planned "at home" day. No errands to run. Just time at home, straightening, cleaning, and purging.
5. CD, my youngest child, follows me around all day asking what he can do to help!
   
6. The construction on my road is almost complete! Tomorrow they start paving.
7. Yesterday I saved a bundle on groceries using coupons combined with great sales and was able to re-stock my pantry.
8. We have enough room in our budget for unexpected expenses, like new glasses for my husband.
   
9. My wonderful husband cooked dinner last night so I could finish up folding and putting away the laundry.
   
10. After dinner we had family movie night and there was lots of snuggling involved. :)

"This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." -Psalm 118:24

Rejoice with me friends! What are you thankful for today?

Glad Surrender

"Discipline is the wholehearted yes to the call of God. When I know myself called, summoned, addressed, taken possession of, known, acted upon, I have heard the Master. I put myself gladly, fully, and forever at His disposal, and to whatever He says my answer is yes."

-Elisabeth Elliot, Discipline, the Glad Surrender

I have been thinking a lot about surrender lately. We sing about it when we worship Him. We talk about the surrender of our whole hearts unto Him. However, the Bible does not "directly" address the matter of what it means to surrender totally and completely to Christ. So what does it really mean to "surrender all?"

Mark 8:34-35 says this:

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Jesus lists three conditions here for those who wish to come after Him:

1. Deny yourself.

2. Take up your cross.

3. Follow Him.

Total and complete surrender. I abandon my own will for Christ's. Not without sacrifice, but with much reward.

Jesus promises in Mark 10:29-30:

"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life."

Eternal life. That is the reward of total surrender.

This morning in church we sang the song "Worshiping You" by Deluge. The words are simple:

Take this offering that I bring
humbly I fall on my knees
to proclaim your everything.
My life's nothing without you
take my hand and lead me through
you are my sustaining love.

I live to worship you (2x)

CHORUS:
Here I am worshiping you, with all I am worshiping you.
Bowing down in spirit and truth with lifted hands worshiping you.

Why do we lift our hands to the Lord when we're worshiping Him? It's an attitude of surrender. For me, it means letting go of whatever He asks. I gladly surrender to Him my life, because my life is nothing without Him.

What does total surrender mean to you?