Friday Favorites

September 16, 2016September 15, 2016 RefreshHer1 Comment

This was a week of many blessings! Let me start with last weekend – our Ladies’ retreat…

Carol Trahan was used of the Lord to give us Truth about the things God brings into our lives. We may have a lament right now, but God will bring it to an end that will glorify Him! We saw that in the lives of Leah, Hannah and Esther. Such a joy.

Our church ladies worked so very hard to bring this retreat about! There are too many tasks to name, but everything was done beautifully, and for God’s glory. We had great food, good fellowship, wonderful workshops, and beautiful decorations. It was just a fun weekend with other women around God’s Word!

Sunday brought a double birthday for me! My physical birthday is 9/11 and my spiritual birthday is also 9/11! This year I celebrated 50 years of knowing Christ as my Savior; what a blessing!

I got to celebrate with my family, minus Paul, Whitney’s husband. We had a grilled steak dinner at home after church. It was topped off with White Chocolate Raspberry cupcakes, made by a talented baker at church! We had a sweet time at the patio table outside enjoying the meal, family time, and lots of laughs!

The picture of the French Toast and Bacon was my birhtday breakfast (tradition) delivered to me by my sweet husband. French toast is his specialty! Birthdays are big events in our family, as you can see!

The next picture is a screen shot I took of my parents as we chatted on Skype on my birthday. I love them both dearly and am thankful we can “visit” using this means. It almost feels like they were here!

The bottom right picture is my gift from my husband. It has lots of special elements to it that make it really special to me. He gave it to me and explained what drew him to this particular print. I will always remember that sweet explanation when I look at it! What a great reminder, too, not to be anxious about ANYTHING, but to let the peace of God rule in my heart. (What are you anxious about today? Pray and thank God so you can have His peace!)

Liza Jane makes every day better. Here are some of her cute antics I captured this week:

It doesn’t matter if she’s napping or snooping, she’s just cute!

This weekend brings another retreat for me – this one for pastor’s wives. I need God’s help. I cannot serve Him in my own strength. I’d appreciate any/all prayers that the Lord will meet with us and encourage the hearts of these dear servants of His!

What was the highlight of your week?

Be refreshed,

Denise Signature 150 px

Staying Charged

September 15, 2016September 13, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

One day I got a message on my phone saying,

“When You Version (my Bible app) is open on your phone it drains the battery. Dismiss app?”

I use that app every morning for my Bible reading. I realize that it’s true that my battery is really drained at the end of my Quiet Time, but seldom do I think to take my charger with me to the place where I have my devotions.

As I head to the shower and leave my phone on the bathroom vanity, it continues to drain. Then after I’m dressed and ready to head out the door for an appointment, I see that my phone is at 39%! I think to myself, “Oh well, I have a charger in my car…I’ll just plug it in as I drive.” It may go up to 41% by the time I reach my destination, but I find that all day long, because I let that battery drain down, I’m trying to keep it from going dead the rest of the day!

That phone battery is much like my spiritual heart. If I get up and run on into my busy schedule and fully packed day before I “recharge” in God’s Word, it seems like I’m constantly on empty. I have little strength to fight off the enemy. I have nothing to say to someone who needs spiritual encouragement. My own heart is hungry and seeking for what I should have given it when my feet first hit the floor – the honey of God’s Word.

Psalm 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

A drained battery is hard to charge, and an empty heart has little to give. Don’t be in such a hurry to start your day that you miss filling up on what you need the most! Sip from the Honey and be filled! I’ve learned to plug the phone in while it’s helping me do my tasks in the morning, and I’ve learned to charge my spiritual heart before it gets drained, too!

Lovingly,

Fall

Fall Home Decor

September 14, 2016September 13, 2016 RefreshHer1 Comment

Wow, we’re only about a week away from the official date for fall to begin. I have a busy schedule of things going on in my life in the next couple of weeks, so I brought out a few fall decor items this week to get a little jump on things.

Let’s face it, fall is an amazing season. Though I have a real love for summer, fall would come in a close second. I was glad to see these items adding their charm to my home!

Let me show you the few touches I’ve added so far:

Here’s the fireplace wall ~

I’m going light on fall decor in here. A pumpkin, the fall colored paper decor and the lights on the mirror was all I added.

Beside the fireplace I hung a picture and a framed print-out I found on Pinterest of, “The Ultimate Guide For the Best Fall Ever.” It has some cute ideas.

Here’s the foyer – where I really added the biggest display.

A closer look:

That Susan Branch book is one of my favorites that she’s done! It’s full of beautiful fall drawings and fun ideas! The fabric pumpkin was a craft I did at a ladies’ retreat in California last October. I love it!

The silver pumpkin below was last year’s end of the season deal. I’d forgotten about that and it was fun pulling that out!

A little touch on my kitchen counter ~

In my dining room I placed my chalkboard on an easel and wrote a greeting:

That’s it for now!

Who else has decorated for fall?

With love from my country home,

Marriage

Calming a Marital Storm

September 13, 2016September 13, 2016 RefreshHer7 Comments

Back to back. That’s how most couples sleep who have had a disagreement. Don’t you hate it when the devil slides in a blow that causes discord between you and your spouse? It happens at my house, too, because there are two sinners living together that fight their flesh and the devil every day.

I hate to bring this up, but did you read my recent post about my not-so-sweet words that I spoke to my husband? Immediately after that happened, I apologized because I saw in his eyes the pain it brought to his heart. I knew I was wrong. He acknowledged my apology, but things didn’t seem right. We were sitting in a restaurant at a small table. It was at that moment that the Lord brought to my mind something we had read in our couples’ devotional recently. It suggested that when you’re having any kind of disagreement, one spouse should reach out and initiate you holding hands – both hands.

Image result for married couple holding hands across the table

So, I reached across the table with outstretched palms as an invitation to hold his hands. We clasped our fingers together, looking eye to eye. It did something. It brought us back together as one. It calmed the storm. It unified us once again.

God had prepared me for that moment, and it changed the situation. I later made sure that I apologized for being disrespectful to him and I also asked my Heavenly Father’s forgiveness. Things were right, but it really started with one literally reaching out to the other.

The next time there’s an issue between you and your mate, I’d encourage you to initiate holding both his hands in yours and looking him straight into the eye with a loving heart. Someone has to be the first to reach out. Why don’t you make it YOU?

Refresh your marriage,

Denise Signature 150 px

baking · Uncategorized

Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Biscotti

September 12, 2016September 11, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

Are you a dunker? I not asking if you put people under water when you’re swimming, or if you can put a basketball through the hoops; I’m asking if you like to take a crisp cookie and dunk it in coffee, tea or milk? If the answer is “yes!” then you will love this recipe today!

Biscotti means – Twice baked. This is a simple rolled out type of cookie that gets baked two times. Let me give you a visual of how to make them, then I’ll share the recipe.

First the dough is mixed together. It is dry and crumbly! Press forward. “Mush” it together. That’s my not-so-technical word for “do whatever you need to do to make it into a ball of dough. Then press it into two logs on a baking sheet. Press down to make one-inch high rolls.

Bake those rolls for 30 minutes. Let them cool for ten minutes.

Slice the rolls into 1/2 inch pieces and lay on a baking sheet, flat side down.

Put them in a lowered temp oven for 10 minutes. Flip them over and brown the other side for 10 more minutes.

Cool on baking rack. They will harden up as they cool. The crunchiness makes them perfect for dunking in that cup of coffee, because little pieces don’t fall into the cup!

I’ve made all sorts of different kinds of biscotti and I love them all! I hope you’ll try making a batch. They make great gifts! Take some to your hostess, or make some for a coffee-loving friend for Christmas. Fill a tin with the cookies or fill a cellophane bag and tie it with a ribbon, and you’ll have the perfect gift for the coffee drinkers on your list!

Here’s the recipe:

Cranberry-Chocolate Chip Biscotti

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 large eggs

Cooking spray

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour and the next 5 ingredients (flour through salt) in a large bowl. Combine oil, extracts, and eggs; add to flour mixture, stirring until well-blended (dough will be dry and crumbly). Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 7 to 8 times. Divide the dough in half. Shape each portion into an 8-inch-long roll. Place rolls 6 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; flatten each roll to 1-inch thickness.

Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool 10 minutes on a wire rack. Cut each roll diagonally into 15 (1/2-inch) slices. Place the slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire rack.

Enjoy!

With love from my country kitchen,

Denise Signature 150 px