Transitioning Fall Into Your Home

September 4, 2015September 9, 2015 RefreshHer7 Comments

On our walks this week I’ve seen little touches of fall – a few red leaves are swinging on tree branches, the corn is cut and turned to silage, the hay bales are rolled, and acorns are rolling on the street like marbles in a little boy’s pocket.

I love how the Lord slowly brings us into the fall season like that. We don’t wake up one morning and find it. BLAM! All the trees have changed colors, the birds have flown south, the days are short and summer is out of here! No, it happens slowly. It waltzes in, swirling and blowing about our feet.

The “Blam!” description has often been my approach to fall decorating. I’d open the boxes and spill it out everywhere. But I’m trying to make my technique mature a little. I’m having to rein myself in, but I think it’s going to happen! I still want to hang onto summer while I can and enjoy its sunshine and warm days, but also embrace the cool nights and changing hues. I believe it’s really best if our home decor echoes what’s going on outside.

So, here’s how I’m trying to do that:

Layering. I’ll start with subtle layers like here on the coffee table. As the season progresses, I’ll add additional layers by placing rugs on the floor, or throws on the side of a chair or the bed. It gives a warm, inviting feeling to the room.

My fall magazines and Scrabble tiles give a natural transition into September and the new season.

What says Autumn more than hot coffee? Coffee beans around a candle are almost as good! I love Susan Branch’s seasonal books! They inspire me! This one is my favorite!

Of course a kitty makes any room more inviting!

I think a bookcase is so inviting and welcoming on its own, but with a few touches it can also say Autumn! I added a few books, leaves and an acorn dish.

So, there’s a little of what I’ve done so far. Little by little, it will be finished – maybe just in time for the first day of Autumn at the end of the month!

Do you transition the fall decor into your home or do you add it all at one time?

Stay refreshed,

Christian Life

How Can We Walk With God?

September 3, 2015September 9, 2015 RefreshHerLeave a comment

Here’s a Throwback on this Thursday from a September post several years ago. Sometimes children can ask just the perfect question that will stir an adult’s heart, just as happened to me when I was teaching the 4’s and 5’s Sunday school.

I have recently begun co-teaching the 4 & 5 year-old Sunday school class at church. I love this age – you never what they’re going to say (or do!). I’ve been listening very carefully to each of them as they answer my questions, respond to the story, or talk with their peers. There are always little nuggets of truth in what little ones say, and I don’t want to miss anything!

Sunday’s lesson was on Enoch walking with God. This was a little bit of a challenge to teach to little ones to get them to understand how we, too, can walk with God as Enoch did. I shared with them that the Bible says that Enoch’s ways pleased God. When we are close to God we will want to do what He says – we obey Him. We will pray and talk to God about everything, and we will confess our sins and tell Him we are sorry when we sin against Him.

Toward the end of class I was playing a review game with them, and I asked one little girl, “How can we walk with God like Enoch did?” Her answer was, “By holding His hand.” I don’t remember exactly how I answered her, but I think I said something like, “Well, we can’t actually hold His hand like we would our mommy or daddy’s hand, but we do need to be that close to Him that it’s like we are holding His hand.” Precious…

Monday morning as I was having my quiet time I thought on that child’s response and I prayed,

“Lord, help me to stay so close to you all day today so that I feel your hand in mine.”

The truth is, that is how God wants us to walk with Him. I mustn’t walk ahead of Him, making my own decisions, my own plans. Don’t walk behind Him, doubting and questioning when He asks me to do something. We are to walk with Him, holding His hand. He is the One Who holds us, but we need to stay close within His reach. Oh, the sweet security we find there!

Are you aware of His nearness and the loving tenderness of His grip on you today?

Lovingly,

Uncategorized

How I Spend My Time Each Day

September 2, 2015September 3, 2015 RefreshHer6 Comments

As I was typing the title – “How I spend My Time Each Day” the word spend struck me. Time is like money – it’s given to us to use wisely. It’s our choice to “spend” it on bubble gum or sirloin.

When my girls were in home school, I’d dream about the day when I’d be able to run to Target and the grocery store alone and without the worry of what I needed to help them with, or what school responsibilities were waiting for me when I returned. I loved being with them, but we spent lots of time together and it was fun to have an hour or so by myself. Now that I’m actually in that place in my life, it seems there’s more to do than ever! I find now that more than ever, it’s really important that I organize my week so I can maximize my time and not waste it on trivial things that don’t matter. This is truly an issue I give to the Lord over and over again.

One important step to spending time time wisely is writing out a plan of what I need to accomplish in my daily planner. That usually happens either the night before or first thing in the morning. I also have my menu written out so I know if the meat needs to be thawed, or something put in the crock pot for supper. I can look ahead and see if I need to get a jump start on something that’s coming up later in the week.

So here’s what a typical day looks like (and remember that interruptions that change what we planned are also of the Lord):

Rise between 6:00 – 6:30. Some days the Lord wakes me earlier and I try to get up when He does. I believe that’s His prompting that I need those early morning hours with Him. Just this week as I read Mark 1, I was reminded that the Lord got up long before it was day just to spend time with His Father. I believe it was in those prayer times that the Lord Jesus got His direction for the day (v. 35). How else would He have known which town to go to, or who needed Him the most? I must follow His example, if I’m to know how to spend my time each day!
Wash face, brush teeth, the FEED THE KITTY!
Head to the laundry room to feed Liza. Pick up the laundry load get it in the washer..
Quiet Time. Bible reading, journaling, Bible memory work and prayer time. (This is usually and hour and half or two hours. It’s such a luxury to have this amount of time – I remember the days when I’d be in prayer and I’d have many knocks on my bedroom door. =) That was fine, but it’s a blessing that my only disturbance now is a kitty wanting attention or my husband bringing me coffee!)
Walk around 8:00. – I walk close to 3 miles
Breakfast
Shower, get dressed for the day. While doing that I’m tossing the clothes in the dryer, then folding them after I’m dressed.
Clean bathroom.
General housecleaning – Each day it’s different tasks, but could include – dusting, wiping down appliances, mopping floor, cleaning glass doors, wiping out oven and fridge, grocery shopping,etc.
Lunch
Write blog post before supper
Work ahead on things coming up – Bible club, speaking engagements, Bible studies, etc.
Prepare supper
Ministry/ time with my husband in evening

I’ll Quickly show you what each day of the week may hold:

Monday – Rest. After a busy week, I try to sleep in a little and catch up on time with my husband.

Tuesday – Normal routine. Work ahead on projects, if possible.

Wednesday – I found that Wednesday is a good day to devote to “others.” Since Wednesday night night we’re planning on being at church, I just make that the day I think about others all day! If someone needs a card, a call a visit, or a meal made, I try to do that on Wednesday – my Others Day.

Thursday – Aside from my normal routines, this is the afternoon I have Bible club with the neighbor children, so I need to get things out and ready for our 4:00 time together

Friday – I try to work ahead for my blog on Friday. I like to keep Sunday media-free, so I do Monday’s post either on Friday or Saturday.

Saturday – Prepare for Sunday. This may include preparing for having company for dinner. I set the tables, prepare the food and also make sure I’m ready with clothes ironed for the morning.

Sunday – This is the Lord’s day. The only work I do is the meal. I nap after dinner and look forward to being back in church Sunday night!

Extra tips:

I keep books I’m reading in a couple places in the house, so when I have a few minutes I can read, rather than waste time on my phone or computer.
I keep my memory verse cards at my fingertips so I can take them with me in the car or around the house and review as I’m driving or working on a project at home.
I try to challenge myself to do little 5 minute projects like clean out a drawer, iron linens, or sweep while I’m on the phone, waiting for the coffee to perk, or waiting to head out the door to an appointment.

I confessed a minute ago that I wrestle with wasting time – mostly with with my phone, and it’s something I give to the Lord, but I seldom ever watch television, unless I’m doing something else while watching. I see the benefits of spending my on sirloin, rather than bubble gum!

vs. Related image

What do you choose?

Do you wrestle with spending your time wisely? What changes need to be made in your routine? The Lord will help you!

Lovingly,

Uncategorized

Training Your Preschooler to Sit in Church

September 1, 2015September 1, 2015 RefreshHer12 Comments

You looked so forward to being in church last Sunday, but by the time the service was over you had wrangled with your preschooler in the pew, your blouse was spotted with juice drops, the floor was littered with Goldfish Crackers, and you’re more ready for a deserted island alone without food or water than you are for the Sweet By and By!

Been there? Most of us have! But there is hope for you and your child to be able to sit through an entire service and actually hear the message and get a blessing out of it! Read on!

The picture below is the best place to train your preschool-aged child to learn to sit in church…

This is your living room or family room couch. That’s right, the best place to train your child about church is in your own home. If you wait until Sunday morning to try to teach them to sit down rather than run the aisles and to whisper, rather than shout out their requests, you’re headed for disaster and major frustration. Here are my suggestions for training a preschool-aged child to sit in church:

Clear the area you’re going to sit in and make it free of distractions. TV is off and toys are stashed away.
Get one or two quiet activities like a Bible flannel book or other quiet book, and perhaps one quiet toy like a coloring book and a few crayons (no markers!). These toys will be reserved only for your Quiet Time, so they’re “new” each time they’re brought out. Purchase or make several books/quiet toys to keep only for this teaching time and Sundays. Take a look at this! Find similar ideas on Pinterest!
This is a magnetic fishing pond! Super easy to make and super fun for your child. Also super cheap!
Set the timer for five minutes to start. Gather yourself and your child and tell him he is going to sit on the couch with you until the timer goes off. Give him one book or toy and tell him he may play with it while you sit on the couch, but that he may not get down or talk. It’s time to listen. Show him how to sit, and remind him this is QUIET TIME. Tell him If he talks the toy will get taken away – he must play without talking.
Turn on a Podcast of your pastor, if available. If your pastor’s sermons aren’t online, use another broadcast. Have your Bible out and you sit still and listen.
When/if your child starts talking, try not to answer with words, but put your finger to your lips and shake your head “no.” Don’t answer a question for those five minutes. Give a couple silent warnings the first couple of days, but after two heads shaken, take the toy away as you promised you would do. If the child throws a fit or screams, take him out of the room, go to his bedroom or yours and remind him what you’re asking. If he continues to disobey you may need to apply loving discipline to correct his disobedience. The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Prov 29:15
When the timer goes off, discuss how they did. “You talked to Mommy, but remember, this is Quiet Time; time to listen to pastor preach. Or, “Yay! You sat so quietly and played! I’m so proud of you and so is God! We got to listen to Pastor preach and that makes God happy!”
The next day and for the whole week, keep up with the five minutes. The next week extend it to ten minutes. Keep at this until you’ve worked up to 30 minutes. A three or four year-old will be able to sit and play without food for thirty minutes. They’ll wiggle, they’ll sigh, but don’t give in and don’t give up! It will be worth it!
If you have more than one child, have a separate bag for each child. Give only one toy at a time, and have each child on either side of you. Be consistent! If they talk, warn once, then remove the toy.
If they throw a fit, discipline in another room, but then bring them back in and complete the five minutes. This will be the same routine once you take them into the service at church. If they disobey, you must discipline, and it shouldn’t be just that you go out and play in the foyer – that’s what they want! Either discipline, then bring them back to the back row where you were wisely seated, or sit out there with your arms around them so they are not able to get down and play.
Make this training time at home something to look forward to – not a miserable drudgery. That can be accomplished by the activity you choose to put into the bag, but again – just a quiet toy – not treats or lots of toys. Make it biblical, if you can, so they’re also “hearing about God.”

Who knows? You might even glean some wonderful Truths during your at home Quiet Times! It won’t be long – just a couple of months until you’re able to sit in church and actually enjoy the service. You know what? Your child will enjoy it a whole lot more, too!

Any questions? Any other suggestions?

Lovingly,

Cooking · Dinner

Thirty Minute Meal Guide

August 31, 2015August 28, 2015 RefreshHer10 Comments

One day last week when I was out of town, my daughter sent me a ~~cry for help~~ text. It said something like this:

When I finish teaching lessons, I’m starving. What chicken recipe could I fix that’s fast?

I went to my blog and sent her a couple links to recipes that I knew could be made in 30-minutes or less. She made Chicken Piccata, loved it and thanked me later for rescuing her!.

We’ve all been there, haven’t we? You’re so hungry you’d eat anything in the pantry, but know you should have a good meal, yet you have no clue what that might be.

Today I am sending you a life boat full of food through some quick recipes! I’ve made a New Category on my recipe page. Just beneath Appetizers you’ll see “30 Minute Recipes.” I’m only adding entree recipes. Some are “lunch-like”, others are more hearty. There are soups, chicken, and some beef. I’ll continue to add to this list so that you’ll have a whole arsenal of recipes that are fast, delicious, and ready on the table in 30 Minutes or less!

Do you have a 30-minute meal that’s your go-to recipe when you could eat the wallpaper off the wall? Tell me about it!

With love from my country kitchen,