Author: RefreshHer

Blessings
Praise · Uncategorized

Blessings

RefreshHer2 Comments

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We have had a week full of blessings.  My cup is literally running over.  The Lord is so good to me, and I am praising Him for His wonderful work in my life.

Blessing of snow ~ Last week my husband and I were talking about three wishes we would make.  One that I mentioned was, “I’d love to be snowed in for three days.”  Wishes are not prayers, but my God knows the desires of my heart, and in His love and kindness, He allowed me to have that desire last week!  It began snowing on Thursday night and it dumped enough snow to keep us inside for three + days! It was wonderful!  I’m not sure how anyone could really get bored at home.  I could keep myself happily occupied for weeks!  Let me show you some of the fun we had while snowed in…

Blessing of another birthday ~ Friday was my  husband’s birthday, so I made him a cake.  His favorite is Carrot Cake.  I opted for a lighter version, and he loved it almost as much as my fattening recipe!

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Blessing of a warm, cozy home ~ We sat by the fire and enjoyed our steaks, onion rings, salad and cake.  Then we played games while we listened to some old songs on Pandora.  Fun times!

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Blessings of family traditions ~ It’s our family tradition to have breakfast in bed on your birthday.  Since my husband needed to be out early on Friday, I delivered his birthday breakfast to him on Saturday.  Eggs Benedict is what he’s requested for the last couple years.

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Blessings of leisure time ~ Sunday services were cancelled, so I took the time to enjoy my coffee and my Bible reading from the warmth of my bed – something I usually only do on my birthday!  It was so nice to be unrushed and able to really focus, unlike most Sunday mornings when we’re scrambling to head out the door.

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Blessing of time in worship together ~ I don’t have a picture of this, but my husband had sent out a Bible study for families to do while home from church.  Our time in the word and in prayer was precious to me for many reasons.  What a blessing to worship together and to pray, knelt beside the family room sofa!

Blessing of beauty ~ What’s prettier than a snowfall?  The picture below was early in the morning.  Any direction we look shows God’s handiwork in so many ways – the moon, the sun, the snow, the mountains…What a Creator!

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What blessings are you thanking God for this week?

With love from the snowy countryside,

 

Marriage

Marriage Matters

RefreshHer5 Comments

For the last two weeks I’ve asked you to post pictures on Monday of your efforts to show that Marriage Matters to you.  I had some great photos, and rather than just choosing one favorite, I thought I’d show you a gallery, that share some really great truths about how to keep a marriage moving forward.  My friends did a great job showing how its done!  These are in no particular order. You can click on a picture to enlarge it.

 

Whitney’s post is the snowy one.  She said, ”

Paul had to work on Saturday, even though our roads were covered in ice and snow. I got up early and made his favorite hot breakfast. I really wanted him to stay home and watch movies with me, and I’m sure Paul would have enjoyed a rare day off. But I made sure he was aware of my admiration of his incredible work ethic and dependability. He needs to hear those words of respect from me!

This picture is an important reminder that we show respect to our husbands for who they are and what they do.  Using the words, “I respect you for…” are critical.  Good job, Whitney!  Whitney blogs at Come Home for Comfort and is linking up with me today!

Angie posted the picture of the lit up deer.  Her comment about her post was:

Pretty Christmas decorations when we had a date night while visiting family in Huntsville. We don’t get date nights very often, so I cherish that time together.

I think the truth in her post is that our date with our spouse might not be exactly what we’d dream, but when the opportunity avails itself (babysitters are provided, a little extra cash is available, or you have a few rare minutes), make use of that time!  Don’t let it slip by because it isn’t a cruise!  Thanks, for participating, Angie!

The picture of the wedding bands was posted by Kellie yesterday.  She said,

This week for#mondaymarriagematters I thought I would share two verses that I say to myself every morning as I put my wedding band on. My wedding band is a visual reminder that I am to be a good thing to my husband every day for as long as I Iive. I want to be a good thing to him because that is what God expects of me as a wife and I want my marriage to glorify God. It isn’t easy, and I fail often. But when those verses go through my mind, as they often do throughout the day, I’m reminded that my marriage matters and I want to be a “truly good wife” like the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31.

I think it’s easy to forget that God’s Word gives clear instruction to couples – and lots of it!  Memorizing Scripture that will help you be what you need to be as a wife is the best way to have a meaningful marriage. Way to apply God’s Word, Kellie!

The two hearts is my picture.  I shared the very simple day-to-day things my husband and I do for one another.  My demonstration to him was to iron his handkerchiefs and spray a little of my cologne on them.  He tucked a “Love is…” clipping from the paper into my make-up bag.  The little things that cost nothing are sometimes the most effective.  What little demonstration could you do today?

“Please forgive me” was posted by my sweet, humble friend, Melissa.  Here’s her honest admission:

I can be so selfish. 😞 I can be so proud. 😖 Sometimes I need to humble myself and go to my husband and ask for his forgiveness for my attitude towards him. 😢 It’s not always easy to do that, but it is what is pleasing to the Lord. And, it is what will restore the sweet relationship with my love that I desire. ❤️ I have been greatly challenged by a series of lessons on@reviveourhearts called My Personal Petitions. I need Him every hour of every day. I am praying that through the tough times, He will continue to shape me into who He wants me to be.

“I’m sorry” are hard words to say, but we all need to practice asking forgiveness when the Spirit of God convicts.  Do you need to ask the Lord to help you ask your husband’s forgiveness for an attitude that is sinful?  Good job, Melissa!

Alli’s picture shows her and her husband at a ballgame.  I happen to know that this was a last minute privilege allowed them.  Her comment about the photo was simply

Watching the #etsu basketball game with @andrew 🏀

The truth this reminds me of is spontaneity.  Go with the flow!  When your husband suggests doing something, be ready with a positive answer!  “Sure!” “That’s sounds great!”  “I’d love that!” Don’t be a fuddy-duddy.  Be fun. Be spontaneous.  Looks like you all had fun, Alli!  Way to go!

I’m going to keep posting pictures on Mondays of our marriage efforts.  Marriage really does matter, and I want the world to know!  This was God’s great plan, and I’m so thankful!  I’d love for you to join me using the hashtag #mondaymarriagematters.  What a great testimony to a watching world!  We picture the Gospel when we live out our marriages with love and forgiveness.  Let’s preach it!

Of these ideas posted, do you have a favorite?  Who else will join us?

With love,

baking · Side dish · Uncategorized

Indulgences/No Guilt

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I don’t always eat indulgences, but there are cravings for yummy things that hit like the recent winter storm – hard and with little warning!  But I like to eat what I love in a way that doesn’t bring guilt.  How to eat  delicacies and still feel good?  Enter Cooking Light.  You’ve seen their links all over my blog because with their recipes you eat real food, but it’s just lightened up and tastes outstanding!  

I tried a recipe on Cooking Light for Chocolate Chip Cookies that are a cross between cake and cookie.  Excuse me?  That means Delicious in my book. So would they be called Cakies or Cookes?  I think I’ll go with Cakies – Chocolate Chip Cakies. To make them low-fat, they replaced some of the fat with applesauce and you don’t miss anything but the calories! These are SO good!

Cakie a

Chocolate Chip “Cakies”
Ingredients

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
Cooking spray
Cakie

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk.

Spoon applesauce into a fine sieve over a bowl; let stand 15 minutes. Discard liquid. Scrape drained applesauce into a large bowl. Add sugar and butter; beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in vanilla and egg. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed until well-blended. Fold in chips.

Drop by level tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 10 minutes or until almost set. Cool on pan 2 to 3 minutes or until firm. Remove cookies from pan; cool on wire racks.

Now for my next low-fat cooking test…I’ve been playing around with Oven-fried Onion rings, trying to find the perfect combination of crunch and flavor.  It’s a little tricky to do when you’re not deep frying.  My old recipe, which will always be my favorite onion ring on a day when I want to splurge, requires oil and deep oil at that, so in order to live without clogging up my arteries, I thought an oven-fried method would be better!  This recipe was found on Food Network’s sight on the Sandwich King’s recipes.  The mix of flour and Panko breadcrumbs give it the perfect crunch with a fraction of the oil!  

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These little guys had to be husband-worthy, because they were part of his Birthday dinner!  It would be safe to say, he LOVED them!  I had a few…he had the rest.  End of story!  Here’s the recipe…

Oven Fried Onion Rings

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups buttermilk
4 eggs
3 cups panko breadcrumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 large yellow sweet onions, such as Maui, sliced 1/4-to-1/2-inch thick

Directions

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place parchment paper onto 2 baking sheets and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, paprika and 2 teaspoons salt. In another bowl or shallow dish, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Add half of the flour mixture to the buttermilk and beat until smooth and thickened.

In a separate bowl, combine the panko, olive oil and remaining 2 teaspoons salt.

Lightly dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture and then drop into the buttermilk. Drain the excess batter and then dredge in the panko mixture.

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Arrange on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer. You can place smaller rings inside bigger rings if necessary, just make sure there is space between them. Then place in the oven. Cook until golden brown, 14 to 20 minutes. Halfway through the cooking time, flip over each onion ring to ensure even crisping and browning.

Recipe courtesy of Jeff Mauro

I feel for people who settle for substitutes for real food when they want to cut back.  There’s no need to do that when there are recipes this good!  I hope you’ll try a Chocolate Chip Cakie or an Oven-Fried Onion Ring!

What do you do to enjoy your favorite foods without the guilt?

With love from my country kitchen,

  P.S. Don’t forget to enter a picture on Facebook or Instagram today for #Monday Marriage Matters, then check back tomorrow for a post about my favorite photo(s)!

Cooking · Home decor

Favorite Things

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Julie Andrew likes raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens – I like home decor and utensils that make life easier! Today I thought I’d share two things that I purchased quite some time ago, that have become some of my favorite things!

The first is my artificial Boxwood Wreath.

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I love it because it can be hung at any season.  After Christmas it seems hard to know what to hang on the front door – it’s too early for Valentine’s decor or spring-y wreaths, so what to do?  The boxwood is perfect.  I embellished mine with a chevron bow and our monogram for my winter door.

I’ve also used this wreath inside and it looks great, adding just a little touch of green and life in the house.

I found this one at Tuesday Mornings a couple years ago and I paid $20 for it, which is a great price.  Even if you have to pay more, it’s really a super investment!

Another favorite item that’s a kitchen tool is the Pampered Chef Micro Cooker.  It is obviously used in the microwave, and it’s great at warming and cooking things!  I melt butter in mine when I’m baking and the lid keeps it from splattering all over the microwave.  It’s also great for heating up soups or leftovers.

But one really great use for this cooker is browning hamburger.

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Put the hamburger in the cooker and break it up with a spoon.  Cook for a minute.  Stir and break up the meat.  Keep doing this at one minute intervals until the meat is cooked.  It only takes about 5 minutes for a pound of hamburger!  Then you simply pour the fat off through the strainer/lid!

I love to use this method to brown meat and have it in the freezer to use for future meals like tacos, pizza toppings or quesadillas.

I hope you’ve been inspired to purchase a boxwood wreath or a Pampered chef cooker!  I don’t think you’ll be sorry!

What item have you purchased that has become a favorite thing?

Stay refreshed,

children · Parenting · Uncategorized

Hope for the Parent of a Prodigal

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On Monday morning when I was having my Quiet time, I was thanking the Lord for the blessings of the day before.  My heart was full of the joy of seeing Andrew continue to follow the Lord’s leading in his life, and then my thoughts went to Alli, his wife, and our daughter.  Yes, I thought about her standing beside him Sunday, tears puddling in her eyes.  I remembered the pride and the awe that glowed from her expressions, but there was something far deeper that came to my heart as I prayed on Monday morning.

My heart and mind went back to Alli’s mid to late teen years.  I have a clear memory of kneeling beside her bed one night, asking her to tell me the assurance of her salvation.  Due to attitudes, actions and heart responses, it was obvious that she was distant from the Lord.  My mother’s heart wondered if it was because she wasn’t truly saved, or if it was due to the fact that her heart had become cold; that she was backslidden.  That night she told me of her salvation as a child, and knew in her heart it was anchored in God’s promises to save her if she would call on Him.  That was good to hear, but it was obvious that things weren’t right, that she wasn’t really living and enjoying the relationship with the God who came to seek and save her.

My husband and I continued to pray.  Every time we had a service I’d pray she would get right.  Every time she attended a revival, I was looking for that to be her day to return to a close walk with the Lord. But still she resisted and I waited, and in truth, I wondered why the Lord  wasn’t answering my prayers.  I knew He wanted her to draw near to Him, but I couldn’t see anything happening, and my heart was so very heavy.

Her cool heart revealed itself by apathy towards spiritual things.    There were attitudes and sighs and shrugging of the shoulders, an unconcern about others and a centering of her thoughts on self.  John writes that

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth. III John 4

While there is no greater joy, I doubt there is any greater sorrow than for a parent to see their child not walking in truth.
But what I didn’t see was what the Lord was doing in her heart.  I didn’t see the future issues that He would bring that would humble her and make her so needy for what only He could do.

But it did happen! It didn’t take place overnight or in one mighty swoop. It happened little by little. There was a gradual turning of her heart, a realization that true life is only found in Christ. I would hear it in the same way I’d seen the coldness – her attitudes, her words, her actions. There was a tenderness and a care for others, a desire to be in His Word and with His people. God answered by bringing other people into her life, hard situations, and the preaching of the Word. But I couldn’t see its gradual creeping into her life. It was like the snow clouds gathering, unbeknownst to us, then we awaken to three inches on the ground. It was happening all along while we were busy with other matters.

The God of the snow is the God of our children. He is sovereign. He cares and He is at work. I don’t share this story to embarrass Alli, but to give hope to many parents who are burdened for their children. I know Alli’s heart would want to encourage you as well. Don’t quit praying. Don’t wonder where God is and when He will answer. He is eternal, therefore, time doesn’t matter to Him. What I didn’t understand at the time was that the Lord was wanting to teach me as much as He wanted to teach Alli. I learned about His character better in those years than I would have otherwise. The hard part for parents is that we can see the prodigal. We can hear their sarcasm and denials, but we cannot see what God is doing, and so we doubt. In truth, as I thanked the Lord on Monday for the work He’d done in my daughter’s life, those years of praying seemed very short. While I prayed and waited, it seemed like an eternity, but it wasn’t. God worked perfectly in all regards, as He will always do because He is a perfect God.

So, mom, keep praying. Keep trusting your sovereign, eternal God. He is at work. One day you’ll be on your knees, tears of joy streaming down your face for how wonderfully he has answered! He is at work. Trust Him even when you cannot see.

With tears of joy,