Not Being Able To Do It All

March 17, 2016March 17, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

I’ll never forget coming into my mother-jn-law’s kitchen while we were visiting from another state. We’d been out all day long as a family, touring and seeing the sights in the Atlanta area and we were coming in right at suppertime. In short, we were all hungry.

We walked into the kitchen and it was dark. Nothing roasting in the oven. No aromas wafting in to greet our hungry stomachs. No heat from a crock pot or simmering pan. Cold. Dark. Hungry – the kitchen and our stomachs.

I’m not hating on her – she did NOT like to cook, so it was a real effort to do anything in the kitchen. However, those visits taught me the importance of being sure that I had something prepared ahead to feed my family. It reminded me that even the appearance that things were on the way to presenting itself on the table can encourage a hungry soul.

If you struggle with suppertime because of your lifestyle – be it work schedules, being a single mom, or having such a hectic life that you find it almost impossible to sit down together as a family, I’m writing this post to encourage YOU! There really are things you can do to provide time as a family at least some of the week. Ready for a few suggestions?

If your schedule takes you away at suppertime, but you’re with your family at breakfast or lunch, make that your time to share a meal and make it special! There’s nothing sacred about the 6:00 dinner hour. If you’re only able to eat breakfast, then put forth the effort to set the table the night before, prep some muffins and get the bacon ready (maybe even cook it ahead of time), and scramble the eggs just before the meal, so you can sit down and share an unhurried breakfast together.
If you’re unable to be with your family at suppertime, provide food so that everyone won’t be scrambling to find something to eat. The very gesture of providing for your family will be a sweet memory and a blessing to their daily lives.
- Cook chicken breasts in the crock pot so it’s ready for tacos, salad, enchiladas, quesadillas or wraps.
- Have canned soups in the pantry as well as breads, crackers, fresh fruit and vegetables.
- Bake up cookies and muffins on the weekend and put them in the freezer so they can be thawed a couple at a time and still be fresh.
- Have salad makings ready in the fridge- maybe even already in a bowl.
- Provide cheeses to make a grilled cheese sandwich or to top crackers.
- Make a list of suggestions for the meal you will miss and tell your family where to find the food.
On the weekend or your day off, make the most of the main meal on that day! Do it up big! Rather than lamenting over your time away, make the most of the time you do have. Linger at the table after the meal is over so you can chat and spend time together. Be sure to include time in God’s Word and prayer. You might clear off the dishes and play a game together afterwards.
Work ahead. Set the table. Cut up vegetables. Marinate meat. Start the crock pot. All these things will encourage your family when they see them, because they’ll know something is “in the works!”
If you’re a single mom, invite families with a strong male figure that can be a godly influence on your children (especially if you have boys!). Your pastor, youth pastor, their Sunday school teacher, a visiting missionary, a family in your church who would be a male role model are all people that you should invite to join you and your children at your table. No one expects a gourmet meal – make what you can afford. A pot of beans and corn bread, spaghetti, chili or a baked potato bar would all be perfect and they won’t break the bank!

These ideas are very simplistic, but they prove that a meal together as a family really can happen! If you’re in a tough situation with meals, pray and ask the Lord to help you be creative so you can bless your family when it comes to mealtimes together.

With love,

Make it Practical and Pretty

March 16, 2016March 15, 2016 RefreshHer5 Comments

Ever hear someone say, “Set a pretty dinner table for your family,” and your mind goes to a picture like this:

This was taken in the Breakfast room at the Biltmore House in Asheville. Impressive, right? Realistic for every day? Of course not!

So today as I speak to you about setting the table for your family’s supper meal, let’s simplify waaaay down to what is practical! Okay?

For some, the first step you may need to take is to transition your meal to the table.
The couch may be comfortable, but it is not a replacement for sitting at the table where you can look one another in the eye. It’s also easier to make conversation at the table. It’s the place where you can teach manners and putting others first.
Use real dishes – not paper plates for your main meal. This is a part of showing your family that they are special! Using pretty plates and glasses is giving them your best. This doesn’t have to be your china – but put forth the effort to use dishes that need to be washed. Even the clean up of the meal can bind a family together. Mom shouldn’t be left alone to clean. Involve everyone!
Set the table with fork, knife and spoon for supper. Even if you’re just having soup and salad, get in the habit of putting out all the silverware. A fork might be needed for dessert. A spoon might be needed to stir cream into coffee. A knife might be needed to cut that lanky piece of lettuce! Set the table so everyone has everything they need. There’s nothing more embarrassing than being the guest in someone’s home and they give you only a fork, and the meat cannot be cut! What to do?! Ahhh.
The fork goes on the left, the knife and spoon on the right with the spoon on the outside.
Give everyone a napkin. Paper napkins would be fine. Cloth napkins are, however, economical and pretty! They’re also better for foods like corn on the cob or barbecued chicken or ribs!
How about if you want to bump it up a notch? Consider:
Use a tablecloth or placemats.
Add a centerpiece. Fresh or silk flowers, a bowl of fruit, or a candle would all be perfect!
Fold the cloth napkin in a pretty fold, or use a napkin ring. Here’s a site for instructions for napkin folding.

Some other tips to make the table pretty is to think layering. A tablecloth and then a runner down the middle adds a nice softness to the table. Here are a few pictures to inspire you.

I found this long tray at Hobby Lobby. It makes the centerpiece so versatile! A long basket or wooden tray would work in the same way.

I love the bunny napkin fold. You can find my step by step instructions/pictures here.

Vintage aprons were the chair covers for a lady’s gathering.

20150214_090740_resized — Valentine’s Day brunch – Heart-shaped cookie cutters and heart-shaped box on a pedestal made up the centerpiece.

ba2e9-2918_194563670200_561655200_6639538_897609_n5b15d — Pastels for spring!

Just use what you have and grow from there. You might need to break your family in a little at a time, but I bet they’ll feel like the Vanderbilt’s when you make the table special for suppertime!

What other ways have you decorated your table?

Lovingly,

Family life

Inviting God For Supper

March 15, 2016March 14, 2016 RefreshHer2 Comments

Supper table 2.jpg

I have such great memories of supper meals when I was a child. Mealtime was regular, delicious, and a daily family event. When I got married I was determined to make it the same for my family. We guarded our evening meal as a sacred time each day to gather together to eat, of course, but also to make memories and build spiritual principles in our girls. How would we do that? By making sure that God was always an invited and welcomed guest at our table.

Whether or not you have children, mealtime should be a time that points you and those at your table to God. Here are a few ways you can do that:

Be sure to stop and say a heartfelt thanks for the meal and those gathered around your table. This may seem like a given, but it’s easy to either forget to pray or to just offer a quick little “empty” prayer. Why not consider:
Ask a different person to pray each night.
Have everyone at the table say a sentence prayer.
Pray at the end of the meal instead of before.

Use table conversation starters that point the conversation to spiritual matters.
“What was a challenge to you when you read God’s Word today?”
“How did you see God at work in your life today?”
“How can we pray for you?”
“What can you thank God for today?”
Make the end of suppertime your family’s devotional time.With busy schedules and hectic bedtime routines that follow the meal, it can be hard to find time as a family to be in God’s Word later. Take 15 minutes to read the Scriptures and/or a family devotional book while you’re seated at the table.
If you have guests, and you’re a singing family, why not sing a hymn together? We have friends whose husband plays the guitar. What a sweet time we have in their home as he gets the guitar out and we sing and rejoice with them after a meal!

These are simple ideas, but I hope it gets you to thinking about making suppertime a special time to bring your dinner companions to God’s Banquet table!

What ideas could you add to these suggestions?

Tomorrow we’ll talk about setting a pretty table!

With love from my country table,

dessert · Side dish · Uncategorized

The Real Reason for Supper

March 14, 2016March 14, 2016 RefreshHer2 Comments

supper table 1

All this week we’re going to talk about a subject dear to my heart – the Supper table. From the why’s to the who, and the how – we’re going to discuss it all! If you have any questions or comments about things you’d like to hear about, please let me know in a comment here! Let’s get started today with the why of supper!

My husband was gone for a few days last week and I missed him greatly! On the day of his return, I wanted to make a nice supper for him, even though it would be a little later than we normally eat. I knew he wouldn’t have stopped for anything, and he’d be hungry!

I could have just warmed up soup or made sandwiches, but I wanted the meal to communicate something to him – I missed him. I was thinking of him. He was worth the effort it took to prepare a nice meal. Supper is more than just filling our family’s bellies. It’s about letting them know that we care for them. It’s about taking the time to sit at the table and chat. It involves reaching across the table for their heart – not just the bowl of mashed potatoes! So this is why it was important to me to make a nice supper for my husband’s homecoming! I had a message to share!

Here was my menu:

Short Ribs
Wild Rice Mushroom Bake
Parmesan Roasted Broccoli
Parkerhouse Rolls
Ginger Cookies

I wanted the ribs to be really tender, so I did them in my pressure cooker. It only took 15 minutes – which is incredible! Because I was using my oven for the rice dish, it made it easier for me to cook them this way. I followed these instructions.

We love broccoli, and though I usually just steam it, I thought I’d try roasting it. I used Ina Garten’s recipe with Parmesan Cheese and garlic. Roasting it gives it a different kind of texture – a little crispier than steamed, but it was good!

Parmesan Roasted Broccoli

4 to 5 pounds broccoli
4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
Good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot.

The Rice & Mushroom Bake was a nice change from potatoes. This is an old recipe my mom shared with me years ago. It makes a lot – so I have some in my freezer for another day. It’s creamy and delicious.

Rice bake

Wild Rice Mushroom Bake

Saute one onion and cup of celery in a half stick of butter. Add 2 cups of beef broth, one cup of sliced fresh mushrooms and a box of Uncle Ben’s Rice. Bake 45 minutes @ 350 degrees in covered dish. Uncover and bake 15 minutes longer.

We don’t often have dessert on a weeknight, but you have to make something special for a homecoming meal! The Ginger cookies are his favorite and I’ve shared them here. I bake the large size for 11 minutes and it makes them just soft enough to be perfect with a glass of milk or cup of coffee!

Ginger cookies.jpg

I encourage you to think about what your meals are communicating to your family. No matter if it’s you and your children, you and your husband, or a whole table full of people. Make your supper meal an occasion – not just food. You’re making memories around that table, so make them delicious and special!

With love from my country kitchen,

children · Easter · Uncategorized

Object Lesson About Why Jesus Died

March 11, 2016March 10, 2016 RefreshHer5 Comments

I like spring birds, bunnies and eggs as much as the next person, but when it comes to explaining the true meaning of Easter and why Jesus came, all the “cutsie” objects I just mentioned, are just that. We need to make sure children understand what Easter is all about.

If you need a jaw-dropping illustration for children of what Christ did for us on the cross, you’ve got to see this great object lesson.

When I did this for Bible club the children asked to see it again and again! It is a great picture of the meaning of the cross, isn’t it?

With whom could you share this Gospel object lesson?

Stay refreshed,