refreshing others · Time management

A Time to Serve

You just looked at your “to do list” and it’s a mile long.  You’re late for where you’re headed, you haven’t eaten breakfast, the laundry’s piled up waiting to be folded, and then you get a phone call and learn of a friend in need. You also remember the requests that were mentioned in church of hurting people and want to help, but where is there time to be able to minister to others in the busyness of every day life?

Solomon reminds us that there is  time for everything…

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: Ecc. 3:1

Perhaps we need to be a little creative so we might make the opportunity to be able to serve others.

One solution would be to find a day or even just part of a day each week that is a little slower than the rest.  There has to be at least one – even if it’s on Sunday afternoon.  Make that your “ministry day.” It’s not that you can’t minister to people on other days if needed, but make that your time where you really focus on writing cards, making calls or even making a visit.  Through the week, keep a list of people that need ministering to, then on that day put your thoughts into action.

783e8-cards2b004

You might even use that day to bake some things to put in the freezer for upcoming opportunities to minister.  Prepare an extra casserole, batch of cookies or bread so you’ll be prepared to serve others.  This will cost you some time, as well as expense, but

Ministry that costs nothing accomplishes nothing. – J.H. Jowett

ec9c8-bloggingbread004

Stop just wishing you could do something for others and starting planning a day to put your hands busy doing what’s in your heart.

Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2

denise a

baking · Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

pbcookie3

When you learn that a young man who just had a birthday loves Peanut Butter Cookies, and when your grandsons are coming over who also love Peanut Butter Cookies, you thumb through your cookbooks and find your best recipe so you can whip up a batch! I have an old cookbook that never disappoints, and this cookie recipe joined the ranks of recipes like my Beef Enchiladas that also come from its covers.

This recipe has simple ingredients and instructions.
The longest part of the process is chilling the dough a bit before baking.
The quickest part is devouring them when them come out of the oven with their signature crisscross patterns stamped on their little round tops!

If you have a Peanut Butter Cookie lover in your life, these will win their hearts!

pbcookie1 (1)

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/4 Cup Crisco
1/4 Cup Butter, softened
1/2 Cup Peanut Butter
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
1 1/4 Cup flour
1/2 tsp Baking powder
3/4 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Cup Chocolate chips (optional)

Cream butter, shortening, peanut butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add beaten egg and mix well.  Blend in dry ingredients.  Chill dough.  Roll into 1-inch balls and arrange on cookie sheet. Dip fork in sugar and flatten each with a crisscross pattern.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or lightly browned.  (Adding the chocolate chips makes this traditional cookie a bit more interesting.)

Sing with me….Peanut, peanut butter – COOKIE!
Enjoy!

denise a

 

Home decor · refreshment at home

Just Do One Thing

Untitled (5)

We all probably have a decorator that we love watching transform a space.  Whether it’s Joanna Gaines, another HGTV star, or a favorite blogger, we can be awe struck seeing them smash out walls, replace flooring, tear out all the cabinetry and then replace it with the perfect substitution.  Then we look around at our own home and feel

  • overwhelmed by the process it would take to change it.
  • under-prepared financially to afford it.
  • inner despair at the desire to improve it.

But I’m coming to encourage you today about how you CAN make a difference in your home! Continue reading “Just Do One Thing”

Encouragement · God's Love

The Doting Father

daddydance

A little girl, probably four years old, dressed in a red ruffly dress, and her daddy sporting a suit and a red bow tie caught the attention of all the customers on this Valentine’s night.  The setting was a very classy restaurant inside a lovely hotel, where the waiter formally placed a cloth napkin in her lap after seating her, and the menu contained items that would never been seen at a fast food restaurant. It seemed that this daddy-daughter duo were having more fun than any of the couples seated around them, as they chatted, laughed, and Continue reading “The Doting Father”