(L)Oven Monday – Summer Menu Family Favorites

May 15, 2017May 14, 2017 RefreshHer2 Comments

Hello friends! I trust you had a great weekend. We sure did! On top of the wonderful church service on Sunday (I’m so thankful for my church!), getting to go hear Chonda Pierce Friday night (hilarious!), and a fun day on Saturday, my cup was just running over!

We had a delicious Sunday dinner at home. I know, it was Mother’s Day, and mom’s aren’t supposed to cook, but I was glad to help. My husband did steaks on the grill for us and I happily contributed all the other parts of the menu. Everything on the menu is literally a family favorite for summertime cuisine! This menu is perfect in every way in our house! I’ve shared them all in times past, but let me tell you about it –

I usually always make a Teriyaki Marinade for our steaks because it makes them THE BEST EVER! Spinach Salad has a crunchy element of Water Chestnuts, some boiled eggs, bacon pieces and is then topped with a dressing that is a cross between Catalina and French dressing. Yum. Every now and then we step into the unhealthy realm and make our family’s favorite Golden Onion Rings. Again, they’re just the most delicious recipe ever, yet very easy to make. Lastly, dessert consisted of another family favorite – Fresh Strawberry Pie. In case you haven’t made any of these, or if you haven’t made these recipes in a while, let me share the links so you can put them on your menu soon!!

Teriyaki Marinated Steaks
Golden Onion Rings
Spinach Salad
Fresh Strawberry Pie

I was too involved with the guests to get good pictures of the food,
but here’s a little peek…

Dessert’s grand appearance was the Pie!

My “centerpiece” may seem a little odd to you, but let me explain – I wanted all three of my girls represented on the table. The Yankee Candle has a label on it with my oldest and youngest daughters pictures on it! A sweet friend gave that to me for a Mother’s Day gift and it touched my heart so much! Not only did it represent the girls, it gave a pretty ambiance to the table and it smells wonderful! Then the little pink rose in the bud vase and the porcelain baby shoes were to represent our second daughter, Ashley. She’s rejoicing in heaven, and we’ll join her before long!!

Our youngest daughter and her husband were here with us for supper, and I got to talk to my oldest daughter and my mom on the phone, so that was wonderful! Even though we had some of our favorite foods, the people we got to be with were the best part of the meal!

What was the best part of your weekend?

With love,

Family life · God's character · Heaven · home · memories · Motherhood · refreshment at home · Uncategorized

Family Friday – Mother’s Day Dilemnas

May 12, 2017May 12, 2017 RefreshHer2 Comments

That holiday is approaching. You know, the one where our family bows at our feet, singing our praises for the sacrifices of

laundry at midnight
science projects aided
homemade cookies baked for classroom parties
wounds kissed and cleaned
A patient, listening ear always ready to fix a relationship problem.

Okay, maybe not. In reality, likely not. Not if you still have children in your care. Not if you’re a single mom. Not if your husband is caught up in the pressures and stuff of life. But I’m not here today to shake my finger at them because it’s so easy to forget.

I admit forgetting, too. As a little girl, I was pretty much only focused on what my mom could and would do for me. Because she was so consistant, I came to expect a hearty meal every day at 5:00, clean clothes in my dresser, hugs when I was mistreated, and words of wisdom to guide my life. It wasn’t until I became a young adult that I realized how much was sacrificed in order for me to possess that kind of home environment. It was then that I really learned to say thank you to my loving mom. I began to comprehend how truly blessed I was. Every Mother’s Day since then, it’s been my goal to express to her how grateful I am today for all she was and still is.

mom's 80tha.jpg

So let me stop to say, Mom (Millie Ray), thank you for all you did to make home so special. Thank you for the meals you prepared that were both delicious and graciously served. Thank you for taking the effort to decorate our home and keep it clean, and also teach me how to do those household tasks. Thank you for sacrificing your own career so you could be home for us. Thank you for loving God and making sure I knew Him, too. And thank you for loving my dad and showing me that marriage was for keeps. I appreciated it as a child, but today I once again say thank you and I love you!

To all you readers who are moms, I say, enjoy Mother’s Day by not expecting anything from your family. Put your thoughts on your mom, or some other woman that the Lord has put in your life to encourage you, love you and support you. Be grateful for them. Do something to show your gratitude. Stop and thank the Lord for your children. Keep your focus on gratitude, rather than on your expectations. I learned this the hard way!

This is one holiday that makes me hurt for some dear women. To those of you who wish you were a mom and find pain on this day, I say I’m sorry, and even greater, God understands and sees your grief. Remember that He is a good, good Father, and don’t doubt His love because He has withheld this from you.

To those who didn’t have a loving mom, I say, God saw, God knows, and that is the reason we needed a Savior. He gave us His son so we could all understand the greatest kind of sacrificial love.

To those whose mom or child is in heaven, remember that we’ll be joining our loved ones sooner than we think, never to be separated again. I love to think about what my daughter, Ashley is enjoying in heaven at this very moment!

Let’s allow Mother’s Day to find us showing our families that our greatest desire is God’s, “Well Done,” and that the joy of His comfort is enough for every pain in our hearts. There are many coming behind us that need to learn from us that holidays are man-made, but the joy of being a Christlike woman is God-made! That’s a gift that only He can give us, and that is enough!

Find refreshment in Christ!

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Christian Life · Christian love · evangelism · salvation

When Your Life Bumps Into Sin

May 11, 2017May 10, 2017 RefreshHer4 Comments

bumper cars

Bumper cars are one of the carnival rides at Dollywood’s amusement park near us. The fun of the ride is doing exactly what its name says – bumping – into another car, into the walls and the poles around the structure. The cars are equipped with soft bumpers so the “crashes” don’t hurt you or anything you hit (Wouldn’t that be helpful at those drive-in’s where scratches and bumps are inevitable?!). Anyway…

It’s fun to go in with a group and get an eye on your target car and head for them as quickly as that little electronic car will let you travel. Their car goes reeling and you speed off, laughing that you got the first “hit!”

That fun scene isn’t so pleasant when the “bumping” happens when your life crashes into a situation that is sinful. I recently had an alarming experience when I slammed right into a lifestyle that is not only different from anything I’ve ever been close to, but one that the Bible renounces. I didn’t know how to respond. I was blown away. I was burdened for those involved. And honestly, I felt offended by the bruise it gave my soul.

For days I could not shake the disturbance this scene caused. I prayed about it. I pondered my response, and then I turned to God’s Word and dug in, looking for what God wanted me to learn. If I wanted to know how believers are to respond when their life bumps into sinful situations, I needed to be reminded of how Jesus responded. I turned to John, Chapters 2 and 4.

In John 2 we find Jesus overturning the tables of the money-changers in the Temple.

In John 4 Jesus meets the Woman at the well – the lady who had been married multiple times, and was now living with a man to whom she was not married.

The way He responded to the sins of both of these people taught me how He expects me to respond as well.

When my life bumps into sinners ~

Consider the location
- At church – Sin shouldn’t be practiced in this place. The money-changer was selling in the Temple, the place where worship and the teaching of God’s Word was to occur.
- In the world – We should expect it! There’s no reason to be surprised by sin here; these dear people don’t know the Redeemer (yet!).
Consider the person
- Money-Changers sold for a religious occasion out of a greedy heart. They were making merchandise of this Holy custom.
- The Samaritan woman married five times to fill a void in her life. She knew no better!
Consider the need
- The Money-Changers were making a living by abusing the Passover.
- The Samaritan Woman lived this way due to her sinful nature. She didn’t know better (yet!).

Application for you and me:

Sin is never to be overlooked, ignored or tolerated. That sin that I bumped into was in the world, a place where I shouldn’t be surprised at seeing it, but that doesn’t mean I can accept it – it’s still an offence against a holy God.
Sin should be answered through the Scripture. We mustn’t argue or debate the truth – we share it with the love that Christ showed the Samaritan Woman. We engage in the sinner’s life and ask good questions that will give us the opportunity to give God’s Word as the answer their hungry hearts are seeking.
Sinners should be introduced to Jesus – John 4:29
Share and live the Truth, then allow sinners to make up their own mind – to turn to Jesus or not. John 4:42
My response –
- In the world:
  - Love the sinner
  - Point to Jesus
  - Live out the life of a believer
  - Go my way looking for other sinners.
- In the church:
  - Remember your own sin first! If it were not for God’s grace, we, too, could be overcome with sin.
  - With a humble heart, point out the sin to those that claim Christ.
  - Use God’s Word, not my standard.
  - Ask questions.
  - Pray for change and then let the Holy Spirit do the convicting (we cannot change anyone).

Though I didn’t especially enjoy the bumper car experience when I banged up against sin in the world, I’m so thankful for what God taught me after the crash! I pray that my response will be biblical, both in the world and in my church from here on out.

Oh, and if I ever see you across the arena of the Bumper Car course, look out!

Have you struggled with how to respond to blatant sin in the world? How about at church?

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accessories · Husband · Pastor's Wife · Refreshment in marriage

What the Preacher’s Wife Wore

May 10, 2017May 9, 2017 RefreshHer5 Comments

Here are five days of outfits from least week. I hope these videos don’t just entertain you, but also inspire you to pull out some things you’ve had for a while and dress up for your husband, even if it means adding a scarf or necklace!

I don’t post these videos because I think I am a fashion guru, but only to encourage you to use what you have, purchase things on sale, and mix and match your clothes. It’s a fun challenge to me to do all of that!

Let me know if you enjoy these videos and if you’d like to see them continue.

Refresh your outfits!

Christian growth · Christian Life · Christian love · Encouragement · evangelism · Heaven

The Resale Value of Your Christian Life

May 9, 2017May 8, 2017 RefreshHerLeave a comment

car

After over 200,000 miles on the road, even a favorite automobile has to be laid to rest and replaced with newer wheels, a stronger engine and less numbers on the odometer. That is the story of our dearly loved and used Toyota Highlander. It served us well, but there were issues that needed to be addressed – and so as we prayed, we began looking for its replacement.

No matter what we chose, any car we sat in was definitely going to be an improvement. We would never choose one with more miles than our Toyota. The upholstery would be newer and the accessories in the dashboard would surely be an upgrade, maybe even including a back-up camera or navigational system! But the blessing was that Toyota Highlanders seem to hold their value and have a good resale. So, we had planned to trade the car in, which would, of course, help us purchase a car that was a newer/better model.

When most people shop for a car, they’re looking for the real deal – something that will be dependable and road-worthy. However, if I’ve learned anything, I have come to understand the importance of buying one that has good resale value (I’m a typical girl-y girl who usually goes for what looks good! I’m learning!!). Resale is really important in the long-run. If others want what you own, it will profit you and them!

That is also true in the life of a genuine Christian – a person who has put their complete trust in the cross-work of Christ on behalf of their sins. A Christian should be like a “New model” of the “old” sinner they were. Like that old car, they have gotten an upgrade! Old things are passed away and all things are become new!

People will look at that kind of Christian and want what they have because:

They don’t do the things they used to do. Their motivation is eternal rather than temporal. Their longing is for a heavenly reward, rather than the praise of men.
They don’t grind away at their job, complaining and grunting their way through their day! They work hard. They serve others with a smile and a sweet spirit.
They have purpose now – they’re living with the Holy Spirit of God inside them, and longing to be more like their Savior every day they live!
They’re constantly being changed by the conviction of the Spirit of God. Though they fall, they will rise up and keep going, with God’s help.
Their life has purpose and meaning. Even though the tears may fall in times of trial, they have an inner peace, because they know the One Who is triumphant over sin, death and the grave.

A true believer who lives out the Christian life makes others want what they have!

Does that describe you? Can the world tell the difference between you and an unsaved person? There are many Christians “on the lot” that are just your standard, no-frills-added believers. They “got saved one day” but they:

Don’t tell others about Jesus, or about their own salvation.
Don’t live out the Gospel in their every day life.
They fail to ~
- Love people – especially the “hard to love”
- Forgive those who hurt them
- Serve as Christ did
Don’t separate from the world.
- They do what everyone else does.
- They succumb to peer pressures and the World’s philosophy.
- They look and act like everyone else.
  - This doesn’t mean you have to wear culottes and tennis shoes! Nor does it mean you can be careless about necklines and hemlines.
  - If the world says ballgames are on Sunday, they go! If teams have practice on Sunday, they practice. If they’re too tired to attend services, they listen to their flesh instead of depending on the Spirit to help them.
Their lives look just like everyone else on their street.

Friends, I’m not talking about us being perfect Christians any more than I think we’ll ever find a perfect car. But what I’m begging us to consider is, Do others want our life as a Christian because they see its value, its power, and its transforming work going on in our lives every day of the week?

It’s time for each of us to be the best model of a Christian so that others will look at us and know that what we have is what their empty hearts need, too! Let’s live up to the precious resale value that we truly possess!

How are you living out your Christian life today in a way that makes it desirable to others?

Lovingly,

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