Should A Christian’s Easter Be Fun?

March 24, 2016March 23, 2016 RefreshHer4 Comments

Easter Chalkboard 1.jpg

Have you ever felt guilty about or slightly worried that maybe all the “fun” activities of Easter should be avoided by Christians – those who celebrate Easter as the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead? My own heart’s answer to that is that I believe our fun should be a reflection of the joy of the occasion! Easter is the most joyous of days for those of us who love Christ! So, this day should demonstrate that!

Another guideline is that as with anything we do, it should glorify God -we must give the right opinion of Who He is. That will determine what I do. I wouldn’t want to participate in something that would be giving a false meaning of this wonderful day. Let me illustrate:

The Easter Bunny has nothing to do with why we celebrate Easter, Resurrection Day, so I personally, have never been a fan. However, an egg hunt, Chocolate treats, jelly beans and chicks are just fun (and delicious!). They can even be used to represent new life in Christ – the whole meaning of the resurrection!

I’ve shared this in years past, but we tried to do all those kinds of things on Easter Saturday. I mean, think about it – if you’re taking your child to Sunday school and church right after they’ve received a basket full of sugar, you’re only asking for trouble. Your child will want to partake. The sugar will make them hyper. The chocolate will destroy their clothes, and then your whole Sunday will have started off on the wrong foot! Saturday gives these activities a time to be enjoyed. This is a great day for some family traditions – the egg hunt, the basket distribution, a special treat.

Reserving Sunday for worship and talk of Christ’s resurrection makes it a special day. This is also a great day for traditions! Why not serve a special breakfast early that morning and read the resurrection story from the Bible? I love these Resurrection Rolls. They show what happened on that early Sunday morning! You could read the Scripture as you’re making the rolls together. Serve them with boiled eggs that you colored earlier in the week.

PicMonkey CollageEasterrolls — The roll is empty after you bake it, representing the empty tomb. They’re also a delicious treat!

Easter Sunday could include inviting lost neighbors to the church services and dinner. What a blessing to get to share the Gospel with them! Make a special traditional cake or treat every year. Make it special because this is a super-special day!!!

So the answer to “Should a Christian’s Easter be Fun?” is, absolutely!

Plan it out wisely.
Make much of Christ.
Take your family to a Bible preaching church where the Truth will be given.
Give the right opinion of God and this day in all you do.

We have so much to be joyous about, so let’s celebrate our risen Savior in a way that will reflect the delight in our hearts!

Easter Chalkboard.jpg

He lives! Rejoice!

Prayer · Uncategorized

Spring Growth

March 23, 2016March 22, 2016 RefreshHer2 Comments

The highlights of my week at a glance…

Last week began with a great day at Biltmore. We enjoyed seeing the gardens beginning to pop out in bloom!!

The week ended by getting to attend my first Prayer Advance in Roanoke,Virginia. It’s not a retreat – it’s an advance – advance in spiritual growth, in prayer, in study of the Word. It was exhausting, not just because we were on the go, but because we were doing spiritual battle on our knees! I attended with these ladies…

My husband drove us there in our church van. What a servant he is! He carted us all over the place; willingly took his days to just serve us. Here he is giving a testimony of what the Men’s Prayer Advance has meant in his life…

Carol Trahan was one of the speakers. She’s become a special friend of mine. I love her heart for the Lord and His Word. She is full of Scripture! What a conviction that is to my own heart! Her sessions were so powerful and life-changing!

I’m excited to say that she’s speaking at our church’ ladies’ retreat this coming September 9, 10th! Mark it on your calendar and join us!!!

I got to join these dear friends in prayer as we sought the Lord’s cleansing and freedom from the bondage of bitterness. What a blessing to be free!!!

We had some fun times at this little place – Elderberry’s. It was a sandwich and Smoothie shop. When we had breaks for meals, our conversations always turned to what God was doing in our hearts in the sessions. Wow! What a blessing!!!

I believe there were close to 500 ladies at this event!! What sweet times of worship we shared together.

There were many times to stop and pray together for special needs.

Not only was there spring growth at Biltmore – we had spring growth in our spiritual lives! God is so good to allow us times like this. My heart needed it! God answered prayer in so many ways – while on the way, while there, and as we got home. We continue to seek His face as we “pray Big!” There’s nothing too hard for our God!

Are you afraid to pray about those “big requests?” We have a big God! Trust Him for the God-sized tasks. Ask a friend to pray with you and keep praying until He answers. Could I encourage you to try the CPR that we used as we prayed?

C – Confess – Ask God to reveal any sin in your life. Be still before Him and let His Spirit point out hidden places where you are guilty before Him.

P – Praise -Praise Him for who He is! Praise His attributes. Thank Him for His blessings.

R – Request – Now bring Him your requests with a thankful heart for what He alone can do!

Has anyone else attended a Prayer Advance? How did it change you?

With love,

Christian Life · Easter · Uncategorized

I Remember

March 22, 2016March 21, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

I worry about myself sometimes!

“Where are my keys?”

“Who was I supposed to email today?”

“What was it that I wanted to pick up at the store on my way home?”

There is a command in Scripture to do some purposeful remembering about something far more important than keys and groceries – we’re to be remember the cross:

And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

I’ve heard these verses read many times as I’ve taken communion at church, and I heard them again this past Sunday as we remembered the Lord’s death. The bread was distributed, then a prayer was spoken, thanking Christ for being our sacrifice.

I took the bread and put it in my mouth. As my teeth bit down into the small wafer, the words, “This is my body, broken for you” rang in my ears. Just as my teeth were grinding that bread into tiny pieces, once again, I was remembered that it was for me and because of me that Christ suffered. I put Him there. It was my sin. I caused the pain. I nailed Him there as surely as I was now grinding that wafer into little bits. My heart wrenched with the thought of my wickedness and His sacrifice!

How thankful I am for the reminder of Christ’s suffering that our monthly communion time brings. To sit in my seat and take of the bread and the cup is to remember that:

Christ died for individuals – you and me.
Just as I received Him as my Savior, I must personally keep a clean heart – before partaking of the bread and cup, and every day in between.
My sin put Him there.
He suffered untold pain and agony.
I’m preaching the message that I’ve been saved, and He is coming again every time I take comunion!

A personal message. A personal remembrance. A personal Savior.

Thank you, Lord, for making The Lord’s Table a command for believers, so we would go back to the cross. Thank you, dear Jesus for dying for me. I remember.

Have you taken a heart-felt trip back to the cross to remember what He did for you?

Lovingly,

Dinner · Easter

Do Ahead Easter Menu

March 21, 2016March 20, 2016 RefreshHer7 Comments

The result will be something delicious and beautiful, and you won't be exhausted!

It’s Easter week!!!! This is my favorite holiday! Without the resurrection, there’s no hope, no eternity in heaven, no joy for today! But because Christ lives, we have it all! He lives within m heart, and as a believer, I should celebrate every single day! I will definitely celebrate on Easter! We’ll celebrate at church this Sunday as we worship with the Galkin Evangelistic team. We’re excited about the day/week with them at BCBC!

Let’s talk about the Easter dinner today! Some of my favorite foods to fix for Easter are already posted here on my blog, so I thought I’d do an Easter Round-Up and share some of my favorite recipes that would make a wonderful Easter dinner, in case you need some suggestions for your menu this coming Sunday! These aren’t just good recipes, most of them are things that can be made in advance, which will lighten your load on the weekend!

Let’s talk dessert first! This Coconut Cake has been an Easter tradition for many years at my house. On the link you’ll find the recipe and my instructions of how to put the cake together easily. This cake is THE BEST! It’s worth the effort, and if you do the steps one at a time, a few days in advance, it won’t even be that much effort!

The result will be something delicious and beautiful, and you won't be exhausted!

This frozen fruit salad is so delicious and is made ahead of time, which is always a winning recipe in my book!

Frozen Fruit Salad

1 can jellied cranberry or cranberry sauce
1 can crushed pineapple, drained

2 bananas chopped in small pieces
1 c. chopped pecans
1 8-oz. container Cool Whip

Place jellied cranberries or cranberry sauce in mixing bowl and using a whisk, break it up well. Add pineapple, banana, and pecans and combine. Fold in Cool Whip.

You can put this in a 9 x 13 dish or make individual servings by placing cupcake papers in cupcake pan and filling with mixture. Freeze. When ready to serve, peel paper of and serve on a piece of leaf lettuce.

Fresh Broccoli Salad is often covered with a heavy dressing, but this one is a lighter version, but every bit as good! We love it. It would go well with a ham dinner. You can mix this together the night before.

Fresh Broccoli Salad
4 cups broccoli florets (about 1 head)
1/4 cup thinly vertically sliced red onion
1/4 cup (1-inch-thick) slices red bell pepper
1/4 cup raisins
2 1/2 tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 center-cut bacon slice, cooked and crumbled (drained)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
Preparation
Combine first 8 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine vinegar, sugar, and oil in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk to combine. Pour vinegar mixture over broccoli mixture; toss gently to coat.

Do-Ahead potatoes are a great time saver on Sunday. This recipe has been a favorite of ours for about 30 years!

Gourmet Potatoes
6 medium potatoes
2 C shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 C butter
1 1/2 C sour cream (I used light)
1/3 C chopped onion
1 t. salt
paprika

Peel the potatoes. Leave them whole. Cook in boiling water ’til tender. Cool.
Shred potatoes coarsely. In medium-sized saucepan, melt butter and cheese. Stir ’til melted. Remove from heat; blend in sour cream, onions and salt. Fold in potatoes and pour into a 2 qt. casserole dish.
Sprinkle with paprika on top. Refrigerate overnight. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Lastly, if you need a great do-ahead roll, these are my very favorite. You make them up to the point of just par-baking them, then pop them in the freezer. They only require about 10 minutes of baking from their frozen state when you need them! I make up half of this recipe and keep these rolls on hand for last minute dinners after the holiday meal is over!

rolls

This is Lee Drummond’s recipe. You can find it on this post.

Working on your menu a little at a time this week will cause less stress on Sunday. It’s all about the Lord Jesus Sunday – so make wise choices this week so you can focus on Him rather than having to fuss with the meal!

Do any of these strike your fancy? What will you be fixing for Easter dinner?

Lovingly,

Dinner · Family life

Add the Ingredient of Fun to Supper!

March 18, 2016March 16, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

Laughter is good medicine, and I’m afraid sometimes we don’t take our prescribed dosage! As we end the week dealing with the suppertime meal at home, I wanted to share some ideas to add fun to your dinner hour!

Take all the leftovers and warm them up and set them out on the counter. Tell everyone it’s buffet night. Let the little ones fill their own plate like they would at a restaurant. This is good training for not taking more than they will eat! It also ~~gets rid of~~ allows everyone to eat the leftovers!
Make up a realistic menu with the leftovers listed. You be the waitress or let your husband be the waiter, and take everyone’s orders!
Eat dessert first followed by the main dish, then salad!
Do a themed night and let everyone dress the part. Italian, Mexican, etc.
Use a board game and its pieces for your centerpiece. Play the game when supper is finished.
Make food that everyone can do their own version – mini pizzas, tacos or taco salad, or salad bar.
Eat supper in warm weather on a blanket in the backyard. Don’t be a fuddy-duddy! Even if your children are big or gone, enjoy a picnic night!
Eat breakfast for supper. Waffles or pancakes and bacon. Fresh fruit or other special toppings for dessert waffles would be fun, too!
Teach manners using fun reminders – like if you forget to put your napkin in your lap before you take a bite, you have to stand and sing Mary Had a Little Lamb.

Add your own ideas and make suppertime an event that no one wants to miss – either for the fun they’ll miss, the yummy food you’ll prepare, or the great fellowship they would have bypassed.

Keep suppertime refreshing,