Faithful Fridays: Revving up for 2011

Welcome to December 31, 2010: the springboard for a fabulous new year.  

How do you intend to spend 2011?

On Wednesday I shared a post about what God had laid on my heart for the new year.  I will be joining the 90 Day Bible Challenge (if you'd like to hop on board, click the button on my sidebar and go sign up with Mom's Toolbox), as well as doing one prayer/activation challenge each month during this time (Jan-Mar).  As a family, we've also set our own goals for corporate worship and I encourage you to do the same; getting the kids and hubby on board in any way at all will revolutionize your home!  I'm really excited about these things as I know they are God-inspired and that my obedience to His leading is going to open up the floodgates of blessing in our home and over our lives.

I have resolved to be consistent in my walk with God, to jealously guard and invest my time so that it makes an impact in the lives of my family and for God, and to step outside of my comfortable boundaries so that God can stretch me further.  My word for this year is PURPOSE and my theme is Walking Intentionally with Excellence.

I'm hoping that each of you has resolved in your heart to make some positive changes as well, and I want to encourage you to articulate them on your blog today and to link up with me today and each Friday as we discuss our commitments, progress, and God's faithfulness as we walk them out.  Today, I challenge to you to come up with 3 goals for this new season in your life and either a key word or a purpose statement to help you stay on track.  If you are joining us, link up!  I think that our praying for one another, shared encouragement, and the accountability of checking in each week will really make a difference.

Also, author Sue Taylor will be joining us on this journey and sharing on her blog "The Writer's Block" each Monday, so you can start your week with some encouragement and wisdom there and end it here at Graceful Abandon with your link up to tell us how you're doing.  Sue is an inspiring author, awesomely encouraging woman of God, homeschooling mom, and all around cool person; I'm sure you'll enjoy getting to know her over the next 90 days.

Be blessed and have a wonderful New Year's Eve!

A Quick Note about the Faithful Friday button...feel free to right click and grab it so you can use it on your Faithful Friday posts (you can always adjust the size once you paste it into your post), but I would like it if everyone could link back to this blog...thanks.  I picked the picture of wheat because I believe that these challenges are seeds we are sowing that will reap a BOUNTIFUL harvest in our families...and I will be praying for each of you and your homes each week!

Wise Investments

One thing God has really been teaching me in the last week is to be more conscious of how I invest my time.  It is just as important, if not more so, as investing finances and resources wisely.  Your time is YOURS and only you may choose what the best way to invest it is.  Once it is spent, it is unrecoverable.  Once it is invested, you cannot change the choice you've made.  Time is fleeting and each second must be valued.


I stumbled across a blog entitled Far Beyond the Stars and was quite challenged by the author.  He has chosen to live a minimalist lifestyle far beyond any I would ever want to achieve, but much of what he says is so relevant, so critical to living a productive life that I have excitedly returned time and again to read through his back blogs.  I highly recommend reading his 10 suggestions for minimalism and even adapting them as much as you can.  However, it was his suggestions for not losing time that have really stuck with me:

• I will value my time to the highest potential.
• I will not engage in activities that do not contribute value to my life.
• I will focus my attention on creating great work which changes the world.

What value do you want to leave behind in your wake?  To know this, I believe we must each write a purpose statement for ourselves and determine what our values are.  Once this is done, you can then determine what activities are value contributing, which works are great, what exactly the potential for our time is.  I want to go into the the new year with these questions at the fore; I am writing them on a sticky note and placing them at my desk, the place I am most likely to get side tracked from good time management.  I will also ask myself these questions at the start of each day and then check back at the end to see how I did.  Don't be afraid to hold yourself accountable; it works!

What will you do this year to help you invest your time wisely?

2011, Here We Come!

This past year has been one of tremendous changes, challenges, and opportunities for growth.  I am going to enjoy seeing many things happen in 2011 because of the choices and changes we made in 2010, but I am also anticipating the unknown.  You see, God has been prompting me in some very specific ways about how I need to start the new year out...January is a time to give God my firstfruit and to start the year as I intend to go.

I thought I would share with you these things that I will be doing and ask who all will be joining me.  I am going to open up my blog each Friday for the first part of the year (and maybe longer) to those who wish to link up and share what they are doing with these challenges and -more importantly- what God is doing in and to and through them as a result of these challenges.

The first challenge is being hosted by Mom's Toolbox and is to read the Bible through in 90 days (click the button on my sidebar, or HERE, to sign up for accountability and encouragement).

The second challenge I will be undertaking is one I've done before, but felt strongly that God wants me to do at the start of this next year.  It's called encouraging my husband and the daily list for it is found HERE.  If you aren't married, pick one of the other challenges here on this site.  I will be working my way through Encouraging my Husband in January, Choosing Gratitude in February, and the True Woman Makeover in March.

Lastly, as a family we will be reading devotions together every night.  We are using a book of Bible stories that are actually Scripture so the kids are hearing the Word of God, but it's from the International Children's Bible so it will be on their level.  And hubby and I are going to work our way through the book In Search of Significance together, each reading it on our own, journaling about it, and then discussing it a couple of evenings a week.  This is a year that we want to really invest in each other and in our family.

It might sound like a lot, but if I look at how I allocate my time for things much less important than my God, my husband, or our children I cannot help but make space for the things that matter.  I would LOVE for you to let me know in a comment today that you are going to join me for any or all of these challenges, and then link up each Friday for Faithful Fridays starting THIS WEEK with something having to do with the challenges...something awesome you have discovered while on your 90-day reading plan, something God has done in your marriage or home as a result of encouragement, or share your own goal that you are living out consistently and the impact it is having.  Have a blessed day...and don't forget to check back on Friday to start it out!  I encourage you by then to have 3 goals to share for how you intend to start and live out this next year.

Makin' Whoopie

Perhaps my favorite gift this Christmas was the giant tin of Whoopie Pies our Little Princess and I made for Daddy.  Growing up in Maine, they were one of his favorite treats and he hasn't had one in about 6 years.  So I contacted a friend up there, got a recipe, and my Helper and I got to work!  I thought I would share this delicious {not at all healthy, but oh so decadent} recipe with you.

First, we got all of the ingredients out and lined up on the counter and then pulled out the KitchenAid.

Next, we put 1 cup of shortening, 4 eggs, and 3 cups of sugar into the bowl.

While that is mixing, put on 1 cup of water to boil (we did this in the microwave in 90 seconds), and then stir in 1 cup of cocoa powder.  Make sure to mix it up well and then add it to your mixer.  The blend will be consistent in color, but a little grainy.  Now it's starting to smell really good!

 

Now it's time to add 1 cup of Sour Milk to the mix.  If you've never done this, it's super easy.  Take out your measuring cup, put in 1 TB of vinegar and then fill up the 1 cup line with milk.  Mix it in well.

Add in 5 1/2 cups flour, a little at a time.  Then add in 2 teaspoons each of baking soda and baking powder.

 

Make sure all the dry ingredients have mixed in thoroughly.  At this point, it's pretty thick...kind of like pancake batter.  This is your cookie cake batter.

Using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop, drop onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.  I used a spatula to spread them out a little more, so each drop was about 4" in diameter and left 2" between each cake.

Bake for approximately 10 minutes at 350 degrees.  The exact time will depend on how thick your cakes are.  Do NOT overcook them.  When they are done, you should be able to tooth pick them and have it come out clean.  Let them cool for a sec on the pan so they don't fall apart when you lift them onto a cooling rack.

Of course, I did have the Quality Control team check the batter before baking to make sure all would turn out satisfactorily!

 

All was deemed well and they baked up perfectly!

The last step is to pair all your "cookies" together so that you have them in like sizes (even using the scoop and spread method, this is a good idea).  The reason for doing this is that it's just about time to whip up some filling, frost them, and wrap them up!

FILLING:

2 cups shortening

2 lbs confectioners sugar

Dash of Vanilla Extract

Milk as needed to get desired consistency

(spreadable, but not runny)

You frost the flat side of the cake and top with another one.  I would have taken pictures of this step, too, except that my helper was busy and my hands were a little sticky...but they were amazing!  

Individually wrap each Whoopie Pie in either a sandwich baggie or with plastic wrap because the cakes are so moist they will stick to each other.  You can leave them out for people to pick on or freeze them; some like'em hot and some like 'em cold...but I'm not sure about 9 days old as they just won't last that long!  Have fun Makin' Whoopie ;)

Linked up with Tasty Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Bloghop, Tuesdays at the Table, Balancing Beauty and Bedlam,  

Things I Learned This Christmas

This Christmas was one of my favorite Christmas celebrations...ever.

Why?

Because it was simple.  It was not stressful, not complex, not expensive.  The focus was on family time, family enjoyment, and celebrating Jesus' birthday.  We didn't really talk on the phone, have company, or go visiting.  We simply enjoyed our day.  Together.

And then...well, then it snowed.  Here in the heart of Dixie, we had a White Christmas.  That was truly awesome!  Snow has always been magical to me, and I had even prayed that God would bless us with it.  For some reason, snow makes me feel the love of God in a very tangible way.

My  husband gave me very thoughtful gifts.  None of the gifts can be described as clutter.  None caused us financial stress or gave me pause figuring out where it would go.  He gave me things I needed and wanted, can utilize on a near daily basis, and that will bless our home.  We tried to do the same with the kids, although they do still have some presents we are working on finding a home for at the moment.  My best friend hopped on board and gave us things that enhance our life.

This is what life is supposed to be like: adding things to the lives of others that complement their existence.  I want to be someone who gives good things that bless people, their families, and their homes.  These gifts may or may not be tangible.  They are often well thought out, prayed over, and made with hands that show love.  Rarely do they come from a store.

God understood that; all of His gifts to us are eternal.  None of them take up space or cause stress.  They are full of blessing.  The one tangible gift He gave was here temporarily, but the impact is still felt today and echoes throughout the caverns of time.  I want to be like that.  I want to sow things into the lives of others that will help define their future, equip them for life, and enrich their present.  That is what Christmas was all about, and what every day should be.

In our home it looks like this: Every day I want to contribute something to our family.  When we give gifts, we are no longer going to focus on cost value or even momentary fun; we will look at what will help each person grow and become.  When we sow time, it will be intentional.  My biggest Christmas gift to my husband was a card that was a covenant with him to invest in him this year, one on one each day and in other ways unique to our relationship.  My presents to our kids involve things we can do together on our homeschooling journey, growing their mind and hearts and bodies.  My theme for the coming year is PURPOSE.  I want to invest my time with purpose, our money with purpose, our talents with purpose.  I will purpose to do things instead of just stumbling into them or letting life happen to me.  Today, I am going to purpose to put our home back together and start our simplification process.  Each day I will write a one sentence purpose statement to help me keep my focus.

Linking up with Women Living Well

There are days when I just feel like I'm a lump of clay: bumpy, pretty useless, and just a big 'ole mess. I look in the mirror and I think, "What am I doing?" I wonder at my life, seeing the faults and failures and missed opportunities. When those days come, it's incredibly easy to want to give up. However, I've learned something very important: My life is a lump of clay in the hands of the loving, faithful Potter. That means that I'm not just a useless lump, but rather a lump chock full of potential.

Sometimes I get ahead of God and begin to make my own plans. I begin to petition Him for what I think is best for my life. I start to design my own future, with very good ideas. Then it happens: I realize that my good is nothing in light of His great. Sometimes I wonder if God is watching me and shaking His head, smiling with exasperation and love, and wondering when I'll trust Him enough to just pray, "Thy will be done." The nation of Israel did that and God shared with them through the prophet Jeremiah just what a loving Father does when that happens:

He said, ² “Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.” 
³ So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. 
⁴ But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he
crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. ⁵ Then the Lord
gave me this message: ⁶ “O Israel, can I not do to you as this potter

has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.

Jeremiah 18:2-6

Sometimes God has to take us up, pound us down, and reshape us for His purpose. There are times I've made myself into a plate when God wants me to be a pitcher, I'm sure. Or times that I've just taken my life in my own hands, gotten knocked around, and been chipped or even shattered. But the Potter scoops me up, pounds me out, and lovingly reshapes me for His delight. Sometimes when I hit my point of desperation, God begins to do this work and I actually question Him. I begin to think, "Are you sure this is what You want to do? Wouldn't such-and-such be a better idea?" In my pride, I am blinded to the folly of questioning my Creator, the foolishness of doubting His wisdom and love.

Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, "He did not make me"? 
Can the pot say of the potter, "He knows nothing"? ~Isaiah 29:16b

Really, can the pottery ever know better what it's purpose is than the potter who made it? How silly of us! It has to be understood that as the clay, we are merely a vessel made by One who knows so much more than we. I take great comfort in that truth. I love that I am not responsible for making all of the choices that impact my life and the lives of those in my family; there is a loving Potter who knows what He wants us to be and I just need to trust Him to shape us all. I need to stop jumping off of the Potter's wheel, to stop hiding when I know He needs to re-shape me and pummel out my rebellion and fears with loving hands, to stop being fearful of what I might turn out to be. There is an intrinsic need in each of us to connect with Who made us, and yet still we hide from His hands when He reaches to mold us. It's time to start loving the process, even the painful parts. To stop disparaging yourself when you look in the mirror, and begin to understand the amazing potential of every life that is submitted to the Potter.

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. 
We are the clay, you are the potter; 
we are all the work of your hand. ~Isaiah 64:8

(reposted from a while ago, but thought it was worth bringing out...and it kind of goes with the theme of where I'm at right now.  Hope you were blessed!)

Identity

IDENTITY is:

• the state or fact of remaining the same one or ones, as under varying aspects or conditions
• condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is
• the sense of self, providing sameness and continuity in personality over time

Personally, when someone asks who I am I often answer: Child of God, wife, mom, student, businesswoman, etc.  But these are all things I "do" and really are not things that define my identity.  According to the dictionary, identity is more than I realized.  It is a constant thing; it does not change based on situation or whim or emotion.  It is the essence of a person or thing.  So, when someone asks who you are, what are the things about you that are constant? 

When put like that, I doubt very many of us can easily identify ourselves.  It is far more easy to define the things in our lives that change than the things that are constant.  I am working on praying about this; I think it is critical that we know our IDENTITY.  What in me will stay constant no matter what life brings my way or what my emotions do?  What in me will not be swayed by challenge or hardship or success?

I think the saddest thing I see these days is doubt in oneself based upon the actions or words of others.  It breaks my heart that adults can be so swayed by someone else.  I understand children and young adults, but there comes a time when we must stand on our own two feet in our adulthood.  I am praying that God gives me the grace I need and the wisdom required to raise two young people who know who they are and who are rooted in their faith and confident in their future.

If God defines who you are and if you know who you are, then what others think, say, do, or appreciate in you (or don't!) should not matter. Your character and integrity are yours alone to define. Your identity and your destiny have been set forth by God. Why care so much about others? True peace comes from knowing who God made you to be. End of story.

Marriage, Motherhood, and My Mouth

It seems that these days we are being pushed to be perfect in every area of life: the perfect wife, the perfect mom, the perfect homemaker, the perfect friend, and on it goes.  I admit it's kind of daunting.  Since I already talked a bit about the plague of perfection last week, I won't go back into it, but suffice it to say it's still on my mind.  I do recommend clicking over and reading that post, though, as I talked about what God was teaching me on how to be FREE from that burden.

In the last week, I've been told a few times by a close friend that I come off as perfect, or that I think my life is.  That's so weird to me, because so much of my time is spent dumping my short comings at the feet of God and asking for grace to overcome them.  And while I love my husband desperately, I am aware that he, too, is very human.  So why is that how I'm coming across?

I actually asked my husband that on Sunday afternoon as we drove around, just having some time together.  He told me it's because I've stopped complaining freely.  I've learned not to talk about the problems in my marriage, or the struggles I'm having staying positive, or my frustration with our lot in life.

It's not because I'm embarrassed by them or because I don't want people to know they exist.  It's because I've learned to pick my audience...and my words.

You see, when I complain about something it seems to get worse in my mind.  And since so many battles are fought in the mind, it's critical that our thoughts stay focused on the right things (more on that HERE).  However, when I pick my audience of One, things don't grow.  They shrink.  In the presence of God, nothing seems all that big or overpowering.

And words are so much more important than we often think.  Once uttered, they can never be taken back.  We are created in the image of the One True God who spoke the world into existence.  We know that what He says changes atmospheres and creates destinies.  We are not God, but as men made in his image, we must understand that words are powerful.

So why would I call a friend and say that my husband is lazy?  Or that my kids are annoying me?  Or that I hate my life?  Or that I can't stand someone?  Why would I complain about what I have and don't have?
PLEASE NOTE: There is a difference between crying out for help and complaining.  I am referring here simply to negative words, not asking for help or sharing a prayer need.

I don't want to be a hypocrite and represent myself falsely to the world.  I'm not perfect.  Our marriage isn't perfect.  Our kids are precious, but they are not without faults.  But to be honest, we're really very content and happy with our lives.  I don't feel like it's wrong to share those good things with people as a testimony of God's blessings, either.  And I think it's funny that I used to feel guilty for not being as troubled as other people about their lives.

Today, I am going to continue on with my journey of positive thoughts and life affirming words.  I am going to bless my children, making it a point to share with them that they are unconditionally loved - no matter what they become or what they do or how they act.  I am going to write my husband a love letter, like I used to do all the time (note to self: resurrect this habit!) and tell him some of the things that I absolutely adore about him.  I am even going to bless my home by lighting candles (which makes me happy), making some Christmas decorations with the kids to hang on the door (which makes them happy), and preparing a special dinner for hubby (which will make him happy).  Little actions and little words make BIG differences in the lives of those around us.

Today and the rest of this week I am going to focus on using my words to uplift and encourage, to strengthen and establish, to build up and affirm.  My words -YOUR words- have the ability to strengthen a marriage, inspire little people, and excite God.  What role is your mouth playing in your life, and what role do you want it to?




Linking up with: Make Your Home Sing Monday, Marriage Mondays, Raising Homemakers

Take a Moment

It's Saturday.  What are you going to do?  I am going to do a little maintenance cleaning in our home and hopefully sort out Christmas presents and start wrapping.  But I'm also going to take some time with each of our children to love on them, doing something that is JUST for fun with them.  And hubby plans on doing the same.  Then, tonight after they go to bed, hubby and I have a date with each other, the living room couch, a movie, and some special snacks I'll prepare later.  Take some time to love on your family today!

What the Bible Says About...ME!

The following is the result of a challenge given to me by a pastor about five years ago.  He commissioned those of us on a Retreat to read through the first couple chapters of Ephesians and personalize each verse.  This is what I came up with to read and proclaim as Truth over my life.  I hope you will take the time to do this for yourself, but in the mean time that you will be encouraged by what I have written...for it is true of you, too, my precious friend and joint heir in Christ!


I am blessed in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.


God chose ME before He even created the world to be HIS...holy and blameless in His sight.


It was His WILL and His DELIGHT to predestine me to be His, through adoption...thanks to my Big Brother Jesus who made it possible.


He has freely showered me with His Glorious Grace!


Not only am I redeemed, but I am forgiven my sins.  All because of His shed blood!

He has lavished me with the riches of His grace; they are not meagerly doled out or sparingly given...they are rained down upon me!

He uses wisdom and discloses to me the precious secrets of His will for my life and for all of Creation and that purpose will be put into effect when the fullness of time has come.


Not only was I created by Him, but I have been CHOSEN by Him!

From the moment I believed in Him, He has sealed me with His Spirit.  He has promised me an eternity with Him and an inheritance that is rich and beautiful.

God will indeed give me the spirit of wisdom and revelation so that I might know Him better.

God has called me to HOPE!!!

Even though I was once dead, I now have glorious life.

I have been saved not by what I do, but because of who HE is by His grace and not my own works.

I am the handiwork of the Great Creator, made to do good things that He has purposed for me.

I am no longer separated from Him, but He has brought me near.

God Himself is my PEACE.  

Perfectly Imperfect

Sometimes as a mom I struggle.  I struggle with the things I don't do, can't do, wish I could do, and even the things that I do manage to do (that aren't done well enough).  And I feel insignificant and discouraged.  I get angry and hopeless.  I rage on the inside and cry on the outside.

Why does this happen?

I'm sure there's more to it than I realize, but I want to share with you what I've discovered so far.

It happens when I look at Suzie Homemaker, at Harriet the Homeschooling Hero, and Wendy Wifely ... you know who I mean - "those" women who always have it together, who can juggle a dozen or more tasks and not let one drop, who look happy and perfect, whose family obviously adores them.  The one that is always tackling a task I wish I had time to, or the ability to for that matter.  It happens when I look at someone living a life that is not mine, and that I have not been called to ... but for some reason that I envy or admire just a little too much.

It happens when I focus on what we don't have instead of what we do.  When I look at the television or the shelves at the store, all showcasing items that seem to be normal in the average home today...but that we can't afford or don't have room for.  It happens when I look at the home of a friend that is newly built and has none of the "quirks" that our older home has.  It happens when I make my "wish list" instead of counting my blessings.

But does this have to happen?

No it does not.  I have a choice.  My choice -now- is to identify myself as God does: I am a child of the King. I am the delight of my Beloved.  I am created in the image of God, and am being transformed by Him.  I am not a slave to my sinful ways, nor am I destined to fall into a cycle of behavior that is devastating to me and those I love.  I have complete authority over my thoughts and over the enemy of my soul.  I can enter the Throne Room of God with confidence to receive mercy and to find grace to help me in my time of need.  I am the recipient of every blessing under heaven.  I can be content with all I have, for every good and perfect gift comes from above.

It's all about knowing who HE is and then discovering my identity in Him.  I want to encourage you today: seek Him out.  Ask Him to show you who HE is.  Ask Him to then begin to reveal to you who you are.  Stay tuned ... in the next day or two, I'll be posting some promises about who the King of Kings says YOU are...and I hope it will be a blessing.  In the mean time, please bless me and share some of your journey in the comment section, and feel free to share a link to a blog you've written if you have shared about this at all.


Also, for some great FUN today...The Legacy of Home is giving away at Great Cookbook about feeding your family feasts for only $75 a week...I know I want to win and I'm sure you'd enjoy it, too, so hop over and check it out :)  

What Does It Mean To Train Them Up?

Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not departfrom it.  ~Proverbs 22:6


I've been thinking a lot about what it means to train my children.  I've read scads of books, listened to teachings, sat at the feet of those with more experience than I as directed in Titus 2, and prayed until I've run out of words.  I want to be a good mom.  I certainly don't have all of the answers, but I have learned some beautiful lessons along the way.


First, when I asked God how to train up my children, I heard Him ask: "Your children?"  He gently reminded me that they were not actually mine, but HIS.  Yes, they are mine to love, mine to train, and mine to enjoy.  However, I needed to realize that ultimately the children He has given to me are His and I am a steward over their lives.  When I began to look at the lives I have such great influence over asbelonging to the King of Kings, it really changed how I interacted with them.


That brings me to the second part of what I am learning.  Parenting is all about being intentional.  Each part of our day is lived intentionally.  I intentionally live my life so that is a good example for them.  I intentionally plan our activities to teach themtasks and traits they need to learn: patience, analytical thinking, homemaking skills, educational knowledge, kindness, and even how to enjoy life.  


Next, I have had to learn that no matter what I teach them to do, it is what I teach them to be that is valued most by God.  And children learn to be what they see around them, day in and day out.  Therefore, it is so important that my life be pure before God.  No matter what I tell them, at the end of the day they will have learned what they saw.  Eyes take in more than ears ever will!


There is a lot more that I am learning, but the final thing I wish to impart is -for me- the best: Delight In Your Children!  When God created the world, and then man in His image, He decreed: It is Good.  Look at the precious, intentionally created children God has chosen just for you to raise up.    Take delight in the fact that God trusts you and has equipped you to raise them.  And then, take delight in them.  Enjoy their laughter, their hugs, their kisses, their silly little antics, their observations about the world around them, their sticky hand prints, and even their tears.  Treasure every moment, for each of them is fleeting.  Understand that God takes His delight in us, His precious children, and the Father wants us to experience that same delight.  What a blessing!

Table Talk (and a Focaccia Fantasy)

So, what's your homemaking dream skill?  You know, that one thing you want to master...that thing that will make you feel like Donna Reed and June Cleaver all rolled into one...that would make you proud to show case to company (and strangers!)...and that you haven't even come close to doing yet?

For me it's baking bread.  But there are so many, many variables if you want to do it the "old fashioned way" (sans the bread maker), and I can't seem to balance them all quite yet.  To be brutally frank, not one of my attempts have yielded something that we can use for sandwiches.  I'm great with muffins, fruit breads (like banana or pumpkin), and pizza dough...but sandwich bread eludes me at this point.  However, I'm going to persevere!  This is just like any other project I'm determined to tackle...and I *will*.

In addition to perseverance, I'm also learning to cultivate a sense of adventure in trying recipes that are foreign to me (or something that isn't new, but with  my picky taste buds I've yet to try).

I was excited to have found a recipe that hit just the right note with my pregnant cravings, menu plan, and baking abilities (or lack thereof, as is the case with bread).  So the adventure begins: Focaccia Bread!  

I started out with this recipe, and tweaked here and there as I went along.  This batch of bread is going to showcase basil, sea salt, garlic, and a four cheese blend for its topping while being baked (instead of the suggested rosemary).

Also, focaccia bread is known for being topped or stuffed with veggies (it was actually the precursor to pizza!).  Going to bake some sauteed red, yellow, & green bell peppers and pepperoni with mozzarella and a dash of pesto into the middle of it just prior to serving for some added flavor and color (inspired by this recipe).  I'd love to add black olives, but hubby wouldn't touch it if I did.  Dinner tonight is going to be uniquely fabulous!  The original loaf has already turned out well, and I'm going to stuff it and heat it right before the meal so that it's nice and fresh...mmm mmm delectable!!!


This weeks menu plan is:

• Tuesday: Focaccia Bread stuffed with Peppers, Pesto and Cheese, Chicken Caesar Salad
• Wednesday: Ham, Egg, & Cheese Burritos with Homefries
• Thursday: Chili with Sweet & Cheesy Cornbread (freshly made for dinner)
• Friday: Spaghetti and Garlic Bread (who knows...maybe it will be scratch-made, lol)
• Saturday: Steak Fajitas (it's date night with the hubby, so the kids get something simple and then he and I will sit down to a special candle lit meal a tad later)
• Sunday: Chili dogs with a side of Baked Mac & Cheese
• Monday: Leftover Night 

Feel free to leave a comment with your homemaking dream skill, a favorite recipe, or a link to your blog!  It's awesome to interact with you :)

Linking up with: Tasty Tuesdays @ Balancing Beauty & Bedlam, Tuesdays at the Table, Tempt My Tummy Tuesday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Tasty Tuesdays, Dr. Laura's Tasty Tuesdays, Ultimate Recipe Swap

I'm a Happy Housewife

We went away Saturday into Sunday to go visit a church for a worship and teaching conference.  It was a nice time.  I learned a lot about myself and saw just how drastically I've changed in the last year.  We learned, as a family, about the things that we enjoy and the different viewpoints we all have on certain issues.  But I learned a lot more than I'd bargained for.

One interesting revelation was that my husband seems to think that I sacrifice a lot.

I beg to differ.  In our family, he is the one who works two jobs so that I can fulfill my dream of being a full time wife, mother, and homeschooling mom.  He is the one who supported me while I finished my college degree...not to go back to work and alleviate some of his workload, but to continue being a stay at home mom.  He is the one who sends me out once a month to have a night out with some mom friends, or just on my own, so that I can have down time.  He is the one who works 55-70 hours any given week, and then comes home to help around the house, play with the kids, rub my back, and tell me how much he loves me.  I often feel like he sacrifices himself.

I mulled it all over in my head after he had made his comment and on the drive home took a minute to tell him I thought he was wrong.  I wasn't giving up anything.  I have the exact life I have wanted for a long time: I am a wife, a mom, and I get to live it every single day all day long.  I took it a step further and told him that I think often about how much he sacrifices for me.  "It's like you spend your entire life just trying to make me happy," I told him.

His reply?  "Well, yeah.  That's what I'm supposed to do."  He went on to say that sometimes he just wants an evening of quiet, but that's about it.  He really loves making me happy and being with our children.

WOW.  In an ideal marriage, the husband loves the wife as Christ loves the church {Eph 5:25, 28-33}.  Sacrificially, wholly, completely, to the point of giving up his life for her, seeking the best for her, protectively, joyfully, and with no other thought to do anything else.  It means providing for her needs, caring for her emotions, and paving the way for a bountiful destiny.  I am honored to be married to a man who embodies this standard.

BUT: What about the wife?  
How is she supposed to express her love for her spouse? {Eph 5:22-24}


She is supposed to love him by submitting to him as the church submits to Christ.  That means: without question, without entitled ideas, without bargaining.  It means delightfully doing it with joy, presenting herself even as a living offering...a living sacrifice.  Sometimes it means setting aside selfish wants to unselfishly serve. This is not meant to become a huge discussion on submission, but a simple thought.  I am simply talking about true love: love that does not demand rights or privileges for oneself, but is so focused on the other person that it becomes natural to seek to bless them, to please them, to give them delight.

• Today, I want to bless my home by preparing it for my husband's homecoming at the end of a long day at work.
•  I want to bless our children by allowing them the honor of helping prepare our home and our dinner for Daddy, who does so much for us. 
• And I will bless my husband by greeting him with a smile, setting aside the petty things that have frustrated me throughout the day and the things that have turned my thoughts away from my many blessings.  
• I will smile and thank him for working hard, greeting him with a smile, a hug, and an affectionate kiss.  I will feed him a special dinner, simple and frugal because I steward over his provision as a way of thanking him for his work, but hot, warm, and set at a lovely table. 
• And I will make it a point to rub his shoulders and give him some peace and quiet when he first gets home by having an activity that will keep the kids and I busy for at least 20 minutes.

Linking Up:

 

I need YOUR Help...Thanks :)

I want to make this blog go in a certain direction.  I'd like to have each day be specific to a certain topic...you know, faith building, being a wife, motherhood, frugal tips, homeschooling, that kind of thing.  I started to make my own list, but then decided I really wanted to ask YOU what topics you would enjoy.  So, here's your chance!  What would you like to read about on Graceful Abandon?

Exhaustion

Sometimes I just get tired.  Bone-weary, emotionally drained, mentally worn out...TIRED.  And on those days, all I want to do is curl up in a ball, pull on a nice cozy afghan, and rest.  I don't necessarily need to sleep, but I do want quiet and calm and peace.  


But I'm a mom with two busy children and one on the way.  I'm a wife with a husband who will be home soon after a long, hard days work.  I'm a friend with people who like to chat and often need encouragement.  I'm a business woman who is trying to help earn some money to help out with the family finances.  I'm a teacher who has two eager children in our home that need to learn.


So I just can't take a day off and hide from the world.


I think this is why God emphasizes throughout Scripture the importance of the Sabbath.  The very first example God set for us was creating the world...and taking a day of rest after it was all deemed "good" by Him.  We know God is not man that He needs sleep; one can only glean that He did this set a pattern for us to follow.


“If you watch your step on the Sabbath and don’t use my holy day for personal advantage, If you treat the Sabbath as a day of joy, God’s holy day as a celebration, If you honor it by refusing ‘business as usual,’ making money, running here and there— Then you’ll be free to enjoy God! Oh, I’ll make you ride high and soar above it all. I’ll make you feast on the inheritance of your ancestor Jacob.”  ~ Isaiah 58:14 The Message


I'm not sure about you, but I know that sometimes I am tempted to use Sundays to get things done.  This past Sunday was one of those.  I think, perhaps, that is why it's only midweek and I'm already feeling tired.  I prayed yesterday and asked God: "WHY?"  And shortly thereafter I bumped into the above Scripture.


I don't think God cares if we spend the Sabbath day doing nothing, or doing something.  I think He cares that we spend it loving Him, honoring Him by being with our families, and not taking care of business.  So, why am I talking about this on a Wednesday?


Because I am already planning the rest of my week so that I will be able to relax and enjoy my family on Sunday and so that we can all honor God together by delighting in Him.  I'm planning to get up, get dressed, and get moving on Sunday ... not sleeping in.  I want to prepare a nice breakfast to enjoy with our family, and then I want to move into the family room (which will be relaxingly clutter free by Saturday evening) so we can sing and read the Bible and talk about what God is teaching us.  And next week, I bet I'll feel so much more refreshed!

Thought Conrol

May the words of my mouth

and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, 

O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

~Psalm 18:14

How important is this?
Very!


Why?
Well, because as a person thinks, so is he (Proverbs 23:7).  Our thoughts determine our actions, which mold our habits, which reveal our character, which determines our destiny and identity.  Thoughts are the fundamental building block of who you are.


Last night I was having some very discouraging thoughts.  Not minutes later, my tone and my posture and my outlook became very negative.  I'm six and a half months pregnant, and unfortunately hormones are a part of the package.  It would have been so easy to have given in, had a good cry, and let the hubby take over last night.  But something kept whispering: BE TRANSFORMED.  


And so I was.  By the renewing of my mind, which happens by thinking of the things of God (Romans 12:2).  Don't get me wrong; it's not every that easy.  But it's very worth it.  How do you do it though?


Philippians 4:8 has the answer.  Think on THESE things:
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.


True: My God shall supply all my needs.  He loves me.  Every good and perfect gift comes from above.  My family is a gift from Him, and wasting even one night of time with them in self pity or a hormonal puddle of tears is still waste of a valuable treasure that He has entrusted to me.


Honorable: It is good to bless God, but we do that by blessing those around us.  I want to be a LIGHT in a dark place.  I want to pray for the sick and watch them recover.  But I also want my daily life to reflect Him in practical ways: by doing the laundry and putting it away with a song on my lips, by keeping my kitchen clean with a joyful attitude, and by loving my children consistently and with praise instead of exasperation.


Right: I have no entitlements or rights in this life.  The only thing that is right for me is to love God and to love people.  After that, the details take care of themselves.


Pure: I am part of a beautiful marriage covenant and my desire to bless and love my husband was created by God and is pure in His sight.  I love my husband and our marriage!


Lovely: Everything in our home has come because we have a benevolent God who delights in providing us with good things.  He took the time to create a beautiful world for us to live in; it's not only functional, but also filled with lovely details: the scent of a rose, the blue of the sky, the rainbow of colors found in autumn trees, and so much more.


Admirable: God has given us many people in Scripture to relate to.  Not all of them made admirable choices, but they all loved and served God admirably.  That gives me hope!


I pray that today your thoughts will be controlled by you {taken captive} and refocused on the things of Christ, resulting in a beautiful transformation not only of your thoughts...but ultimately of your identity!