The Beauty of a Thank You Note

May 4, 2017May 4, 2017 RefreshHer7 Comments

I recently saw a picture of myself from the 90’s and it made me laugh out loud. The fashion statement in those days was the addition of shoulder pads. They made my small frame look like I was trying out for some football team. Not pretty.

Some things like shoulder pads go out of style, but some things never do – like a thankful heart. Gratitude is always attractive! The means to display gratitude is another thing that will never be passe’ and it comes in the form of a Thank you Note. Thank you notes are a special touch to demonstrate your gratitude for an act of kindness or a gesture of generosity.

That being said, let’s talk a little about when and how to write one.

When should we write a thank you card?

When you receive a gift.
- Birthday
- Christmas
- Wedding/Baby Shower
- Wedding Gift
- Graduation
- You get the idea…we get gifts often, and so a thank you needs to be sent…often.
When you have been a guest in someone’s home
- For a meal
- As an overnight guest
When someone has done a kind gesture
- Helped when you were sick
- Encouraged you
- Done a task for you

What should a thank you note say?

What the person did
Why it meant something special to you
How it will be used (if it was a gift)
That you are grateful

It doesn’t have to be long, just include the essentials listed above, and do it promptly. The saying that has stuck with me is,

Swift gratitude is the sweetest!

If you wait until 6 months after your wedding to send Aunt Betty a thank you for the place setting of your china, it’s not going to be received as warmly as it would have a couple weeks after your honeymoon. So being prompt is key.

I receive lots of sweet thank you’s and it always means so much. Just that the person would stop to write out their gratitude means a lot. It’s a social skill that will never grow out of style. Let’s all try to put on thankfulness and see how it embellishes our personal style far better than those 1990 shoulder pads did!

Are you an avid thank you note writer? When was the last time you received one?

Lovingly,

Our North Myrtle Beach Favorites

May 3, 2017May 3, 2017 RefreshHer2 Comments

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As you may have read, my husband and I were on vacation last week. We love the North Myrtle Beach area because it’s relatively quiet (especially in late April!). They’ve added lots of great shopping and restaurants in that area, too, making it one of our favorite places to retreat! Today I am sharing some of our favorite places and activities when we’re there!

Walking/Running on the beach.

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We love to get up early and walk/run while the sun rises. It’s invigorating, it’s beautiful and it’s fun! Time together strolling later in the day is also fun. Hand in hand, we stop for a look at the pier or a beautiful shell, or to watch the parasailors do their thing. It’s just so relaxing to walk the shoreline!

Enjoying an ocean front room.

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We spend lots of time on the balcony. I had my quiet time out there each morning. We ate our meals out there. The door is kept open so we can hear the beach any time we’re in the room! Being ocean-front is like living ON the beach without the sand!

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Eating at Fun restaurants.

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There’s a breakfast place we love – Golden Griddle. It’s so inexpensive, but the food is great. I always order from the kids menu and it’s plenty of food for the morning! There’s always a line out the door, letting you know it’s really good (and worth waiting for!)

We also make sure we eat at Sea Captain’s House. Their hush puppies alone make it worth the visit! We had salmon fixed with a Southern twist and it was delicious! We always share a meal and both of us are filled!! The view from the window is spectacular!

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Another favorite place not pictured is California Pizza. The pizza is great, but we also love the atmosphere of sitting in their open air restaurant and enjoying the sights and sounds around us!

Time together!

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What’s better than not feeling in a hurry to get to the next thing? Time together at the beach is great for our marriage, even as empty-nesters!

The sky!

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These pictures are totally unfiltered. Every day the view is different and beautiful, pointing to an Awesome Creator!

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We’re home and back into ministry and our daily routines, but how fun it is to look back at our pictures and remember our time away.

How good the Lord is that we vacation at the beach and come home to the mountains! We are indeed blessed!

Where do you love going on vacation? What do you do to refresh yourself?

Thanks for stopping in to see our vacation favorites!

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Christian Life · Christian love · eternal · evangelism · Heaven · joy · Life · obedience

Bringing People To Jesus

May 2, 2017May 1, 2017 RefreshHer1 Comment

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I’m one of those ~~strange~~ people who enjoy grocery shopping. I love to walk the aisles and see new items and also find the best deals on the things I’ve written on my list. Sometimes, though, it can be difficult when you’re trying to find something you don’t usually buy.

Such was the case this week when I went looking for Gluten Free tortillas. Would they be in the Organic section? No. How about the Ethnic food aisle? Not there. An employee at the Kroger store where I was shopping must’ve seen my desperate searching and came to ask me if I was finding everything I needed. I explained that I was looking for Gluten-free tortillas, to which she said,

“I think they’re over in the dairy (I would’ve never looked there!). Follow me and I’ll take you there.”

I told her she could just point me in the right direction, but she insisted that she was happy to walk over with me to be sure they were really there.

As my cart and I shadowed her steps across the store, the Lord brought to my mind that this is exactly how my life should tell others of Christ! It’s not enough to just give an explanation of who He is and what He did! They need someone (me) to say, “Follow me and I’ll show you where you’ll find Him!”

How and when does that happen since He’s not simply on the other side of the building?

At home – I engage in people’s lives and have a hospitable heart so that I can invite others into my home where I can share the Gospel.
In my neighborhood – I invite my neighbors to my church and church activities.
In my social contacts – I give them a Gospel tract and a testimony of God’s goodness to all of us.
At church – I engage in conversation with visitors at church and I look for a opportunity to ask them about their relationship with Christ.
At the grocery store, bank, doctor’s office – I learn the names of the people who work there and build relationships so that I can share the Gospel.

It’s such a privilege to share Jesus with others. Why? Our lives are empty and searching for something and He is the answer! He came to die for the sins of the entire world, yet each person individually. He came to take our place on the cross. He took the punishment that should have been ours so that we could have a relationship with God and go to heaven when we die. He’s the only way to heaven. Having a relationship with God now makes life’s trials have purpose, and makes this life here abundant and purposeful! This is a message that every person needs to hear, and it has to come from people who know the Truth!

I love Kroger for lots of reasons, but their personal touch is one thing that always stands out when I’m there. As a believer in Jesus Christ, others should constantly be receiving a personal invitation from me to come to my Savior. It happens when I invite them into my life and ask them to follow me. “Oh, Lord, open my life and my lips to bring others to You!”

It’s my duty, but it’s also my highest privilege!

I struggle with this – I really do, but I so want to bring people to my Savior! Are you inviting others to follow you so you could take them to Jesus? How are you accomplishing that?

Lovingly,

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breakfast · Make-Ahead

(L)Oven Monday – Baked Oatmeal Cups

May 1, 2017September 13, 2017 RefreshHer3 Comments

Oatmeal Cups 1

Hi Friends! Happy Monday and Happy May 1st! I hope you all had a great week last week. I had a restful time away, but am happy to be back here with you today sharing another great recipe!

I’ve shared my recipe here for Baked Oatmeal – it’s a great do-ahead dish. It’s nice to have on hand for a couple of days. But there are times when I don’t have that made up and I need to eat something before heading out the door in the morning. I’ve recently found a recipe for a Breakfast Oatmeal Cup that is a baked oatmeal made in muffin tins, creating the perfect single-serving size. Once baked, they can be kept in the fridge for a several days, but what I’ve been doing is freezing them and popping one into the microwave for those busy mornings. I put one into a bowl and add milk, just like I do with my other Baked Oatmeal. It’s so delicious, and keeps me from getting that low-sugar drop later on. This is so good, and lots better than regular oatmeal! I love the texture of these as opposed to the traditional bowl of oats.

You could add any variety of fruits and nuts. This recipe is one of my favorite combos – Strawberry-Banana. So good! Here’s the recipe:

Strawberry Banana Oatmeal Cups

Ingredients

4 cups old fashioned oats
1½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2⅓ cup low-fat milk
¼ cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
⅓ cup pure maple syrup – you could use honey instead, if desired
1 cup fresh strawberries
1 banana, sliced
½ cup sliced almonds or walnuts

Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F. Add all ingredients to a large bowl and mix well until everything is combined.
Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and scoop oatmeal mixture in using a large ice cream scoop or a ¼ measuring cup. The mixture will be a little watery, so it’s important to mix well before each scoop to make sure you get an even combination of milk and oats.
Bake oatmeal cups for 20 minutes, or until cooked through.
Keep in fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months.

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To eat from frozen state, thaw overnight in fridge or in microwave, then warm for about 30 seconds. Add milk and enjoy!

What do you keep on hand for breakfast on busy days?

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Uncategorized

Taking a Week Off

April 24, 2017April 24, 2017 RefreshHer6 Comments

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Happy Monday, everyone! Wow! I had a wonderful weekend full of fellowship, old friends, new friends, family time, teaching from God’s Word, and lots of fun and laughter! I can’t wait to share it all with you!

But…first a little rest. I’m going to take a week’s vacation from blogging, but don’t forget me! I’ll be back next week with recipes, ideas, and pictures of what I’ve been up to! If you’re not following my blog yet, you could hit “follow” and you’ll get an email when the next post is up. My mind will keep coming here this week, but I’ll resist the urge to write and save it for seven days from now.

I pray you’re having a great day. Stay refreshed, and I’ll see you next Monday!

Lovingly,

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