Brighten Up Your House On A Winter Day

January 15, 2016January 20, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

It’s easy to get a little down in the winter. When the sunshine is scarce, the temperatures are frigid, and the daylight hours are minimal, our spirits can drop quicker than the outside thermometer. We need to be aware of small things we can do that will not only be pretty, but will also help to cheer winter doldrums.

Buy fresh flowers occasionally. I got the bunch above for about $3 at Kroger in their sale bin – and they’ve lasted more than a week! I can tell you that that little bouquet has really perked the kitchen (and me) up! To have the color and the life is so encouraging!
Keep things light inside. We always have our inside door opened during the day, but when it’s freezing, we obviously have it shut. That means that the morning sunshine is shut out. So I add put lights up high above bookshelves, down low, beneath a bench, and at table level. In the morning I go around turning on the lamps so that it won’t be dark and dreary!

Burn candles for fragrance and add others for the atmosphere it will bring. Add them to your dinner table each night. It’s probably dark when you eat, so add the ambiance while you can enjoy it!
If you have a fireplace, make a fire! Nothing cozies up a space visually like a roaring fire! Pull the furniture close and enjoy the warmth and the beauty!

Lift the shades and pull back the curtains in the morning! Don’t block out the natural daylight. Even if it’s cold, the sunshine or daylight will cheer your home and your heart!

Keep winter from making your spirit’s sag by brightening up your home!

What do you do to keep your home cheery in the winter?

Stay refreshed,

Prayer · trials

A Talk With My Father

January 14, 2016January 13, 2016 RefreshHer4 Comments

In church on Sunday I got to sing one of my favorite old songs for special music – “I Will Serve Thee.” Here are the lyrics:

I will serve Thee because I love Thee

You have given life to me.

I was nothing before You found me,

You have given life to me.

Heartaches, broken pieces,

Ruined lives are why You died on Calvary.

Your touch was what I longed for,

You have given life to me.

As I sang, I thought about all the years I’ve been God’s child and how faithful He has been. I sing, not because of any special talent – I sing because my heart is so full of gratitude. What a wonderful Savior He is. As I sang I didn’t know how soon I’d need the reminder of this message, or how quickly I would see His goodness displayed to me once again.

The following morning I received news that my father was being admitted to the ICU of the hospital following a procedure. While my fleshly daughter’s heart wanted to panic, pack a suitcase, drive to KY and stand watch, the daughter of the King had a little preaching session with herself. “There’s nothing I can do there right now. My mom and sisters are there. He’s in the Lord’s hands and nothing will happen outside of His control. I can trust my earthly father in the hands of our Heavenly Father.” Then, too, the song from Sunday flooded my heart – “Heartaches, broken pieces, ruined lives are why you died on Calvary.” What comfort to be reminded that all these heartaches and broken things I was feeling was part of why I needed a Savior in the first place.

The next morning, again, I was seated in my Quiet Place, reading, praying, and taking to my Heavenly Father the burdens on my heart. While I was reading and studying about prayer, I had read Psalm 21:1,2 –

The king shall joy in thy strength, O Lord; and in thy salvation how greatly shall he rejoice!Thou hast given him his heart’s desire, and hast not withholden the request of his lips.

I took my burdens to the Lord in prayer, then my phone rang. When I answered it, it was my dad! He called me from his ICU bed to say hi, tell me he was feeling better, and to check on us! The voice of my father…it comforted me. It reassured me. It made me rest.

After hanging up from our conversation, I made the connection with what had just happened. I had prayed for my dad. I had studied about prayer. Then I got to hear his voice (my dad’s). Then I got to hear His voice (God’s). It was God’s whisper to my heart that He cared. He is at work. He is answering. He was soothing my heartache and broken pieces. He didn’t have to do that for me, but He did.

Falling to my knees once again, my heart cried out His worth of my praise and of my service. “I will serve Thee because I love Thee. You have given life to me.” Yes, it’s still one of my very favorite songs.

You may not have seen such a response to your recent prayers, but it doesn’t negate God’s love or involvement for you and your situation. It’s times when His voice is silent that we must believe in faith that God is at work doing what is best for us. He still cares – even when we cannot hear His voice.

How have you seen God’s Fatherly love towards you this week?

With love,

Marriage · Uncategorized

What’s Going On This Week

January 13, 2016January 13, 2016 RefreshHerLeave a comment

It always surprises me when I look back at the week to see how there seems to be a theme threaded through the events. This past week I’d have to say the theme is “Celebrating.” Let me explain with pictures below.

The first picture below was taken at Christmas…hence the red shoes with the green sweater. =) It was my attempt to be subtly Christmas-y! This is my dad, for those who may not know. This picture has been on my phone screen many times this week as I’ve thought about and prayed for my dad. He had a scope done at the hospital, then things were difficult for his breathing afterwards and he ended up in ICU. There are some special issues that need attention, so he’s still in the hospital where he’s been given a couple units of blood, oxygen and steroids. I’m celebrating the fact that as of right now my dad is doing some better. He was good enough to give me a call on his cell phone yesterday morning – right when I was studying the Scriptures and reading about prayer. How good is our God?!

We got to help our son-in-law celebrate his 24th birthday this week. Alli made him a scrumptious chocolate pie, then we played Quelf – an hysterical group game. We laughed ourselves silly. If you’re a little reserved, just eat a piece of chocolate pie accompanied with coffee before you play. You’ll have enough caffeine in you that you’ll be bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm and will win! Ask me how I know!

Last week I made a challenge about posting pictures of your attempt to make the most of your marriage. The next picture here is one of the pictures I took one night while my husband and I had a popcorn and game date. We had a great time enjoying our favorite snack, the fire, a fun game, and one another’s company. We choose to celebrate our marriage – a gift from the Lord!

There were seven this Monday that posted photos on #mondaymarriagematters on Instagram. I loved seeing your pictures and your ideas of time with your spouse! I hope even more will join us next week. Just snap a picture of a date with your spouse, a gesture you made to improve your relationship, or a verse that encouraged you in regard to your marriage, then use the hashtag #mondaymarriagematters so we can all see it!

On the last Tuesday of January I’m going to share (with your permission) my favorite post here on my blog! Whitney, from Come Home for Comfort will also be linking her blog to mine on that day so her readers can see the best picture of the month! Will you encourage someone to join us? You can share the picture on Facebook if you don’t use Instagram. Marriage matters, and it’s worth celebrating!

Lastly, cold winter days beg for a warm blanket, and Liza Jane found one puddled at my feet early one morning. We celebrate those mornings we get to stay home, inside, enjoying the fire and God’s Word! A kitty at my feet just makes it all the sweeter.

Each day is a gift. What are you celebrating this week? It’s all about the little things!

With a thankful heart,

Uncategorized

Divine Order

January 12, 2016January 12, 2016 RefreshHer4 Comments

Order. I need it. I just read an article that describes a way of having better order in my home and my heart is leaning hard into her plan. “Only keep that which brings you joy.” Hmm, she has me thinking and wondering if I can make this work!

The Lord also gives us directives to have order in our lives and it comes through (brace yourself) submission. Why do we squirm under that term? If we obey it, it will bring even more calm and blessing than perfectly ordered dresser drawers! Through submission a nation is honored, a home is at rest, and a church is guided. Consider what Peter 5 tells us:

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:

²Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;

³Neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being examples to the flock.

⁴And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

⁵Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.

⁶Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

⁷Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

⁸Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

So to have order we learn:

The pastor/Shepherd is to feed his church, and to lead them by his example as he submits to the Chief Shepherd – the Lord.
Next, the younger are to submit to the elder. They are to come under the authority. In this passage, it’s referring to the authority of the pastor.
Then we are all to submit to one another with humility.
Lastly we realize that we do this because we are all to submit to God’s authority.

All of this is God’s order – his design to bring peace and joy to our lives and our world.

But just like the article I read about getting rid of things that don’t bring me joy, there is an action we must take for all this order God has given to bring us peace and joy. We must implement it! We are to submit; honor the authority over us. Can I suggest a few ways to do that?

Don’t talk negatively about your authority. No matter if it’s your pastor, your husband, your boss or your president – they are in a position of leadership allowed by a sovereign God.
Use terms of respect – Call them by their title, their position, in kind terms. My doctor is my age, but I refuse to call him by his first name. He has earned the title of “Doctor.” I will use that respectfully.
Teach your children to honor those in authority. I am amazed at people who are much younger than their authorities who demand things and/or speak disrespectfully to their parents, teachers, pastors, bosses, etc. Really? A person who does this is coming completely out from under the order God has given and will end up with a bigger mess than a messy attic or garage!
Pray for those over you. Until recently, I never connected verse 5 of this chapter, “Casting all your care upon Him” with submitting to authority! But it follows those verses! Let’s make the connection and say that if you have a problem with the one over you, don’t take your issue to them and “let them have it!” Pray for them. The Chief Shepherd of their soul can deal with them far better than you ever could, and it will be lasting.

My recent read about un-cluttering said to say good-bye to things that aren’t useful. Perhaps we need to say “Good-bye” to pride that keeps us from submitting. “Good-bye bad attitude and disrespectful terms!” Afterwards we’ll find joy – real joy that comes from the Designer of the Universe. Remember that

“Your job is simply to be obedient to God. God will handle everything else.” ~ Lysa Terkeurst

How are you doing at submitting and honoring those over you?

With love,

Crock Pot · Dinner · main dish

Five Minute Prep Beef Stew

January 11, 2016January 9, 2016 RefreshHer2 Comments

Last week I had plans to spend most of the afternoon out with a friend, but wanted to get dinner started before I left. I sent her a text,

“I’m putting my Beef Stew in the crock pot; I’ll leave in a few minutes.”

That is literally how long it took me to get this delicious meal into the crock pot!

Not only is this meal fast to put together, it’s also so comforting and delicious on a cold winter day! This recipe was given to me by my sister many years ago, and it’s the only recipe I use for Beef Stew. The ingredients come together to make a golden and yummy gravy over the meat and veggies. I added a salad and corn muffins and the meal was so satisfying when I got home!

stew1

Here’s what you’ll need:

1 lb.Beef Stew Meat
1 can diced tomatoes – undrained
Carrots – I used about half a bag of baby carrots
1 Onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2-3 potatoes, diced
1 can Golden Mushroom Soup
Salt and pepper

Place all ingredients in the crock pot, season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Turn crock pot on low and cook all day.

Seriously, it doesn’t get any easier than this recipe. If you have a busy day and need supper to be waiting for you that will be a crowd pleaser, you seriously need to add this to your menu!

Happy Monday!