Yesterday we left the work that was calling for our attention and headed towards the mountains.  Rains are promised this week, and we wanted desperately to drive through the colored majesty of the higher elevation.  It was glorious.  No camera will picture what we viewed with our eyes.  It will attempt, but it will not do it justice.  It was majestic and awesome because it was painted with the brush strokes of our Creator.

Photo un-edited!

I enjoyed the beauty of the drive, but to me the best part was being together and alone for a few hours with the man who owns my heart.  Life and ministry can be so demanding, and it’s very easy to let that run our days, weeks and months without taking time to slow down for just a little while and “be.”  We can both so easily run on our own single track of busyness, to-do lists and other people, that we have to determine to make time to be a couple.  We need the opportunity to be together.  To be “us” instead of  “me.”

Slowing down for time for an “Us-ie”!  =)

 We enjoyed a shared lunch at a little bakery in a small town we love.  We listened to bluegrass music in the car.  We laughed and talked and held hands and enjoyed time as a couple as we meandered across the mountain roads.  We came home refreshed in our bodies, our hearts, and our relationship.  And though I’m writing this post later than I normally would because we were away most of the day, it’s okay because the knitting of our hearts makes everything better.

Do you need to schedule an “us” day for you and your husband?  Write it into the calendar for a day in the near future.  It probably won’t just “happen” on its own.  Plan it.  Then you’ll have something to look forward to during the crazy days.  Your marriage is worth that effort it will take to make it happen!

How do you plan for time together with your spouse?

With love,

We love Mexican food.  We love soup.  Put the two together, and you have a fabulous combo ~ it’s called Enchilada Soup!  I found this recipe on Pinterest and tucked it away for a fall day.  That “day” came last week.  This is one of those “dump” soups.  You pretty much open up cans and dump them into the pot.  I even used Rotisserie chicken that I’d frozen, so I didn’t even need to roast the meat for it!  

This makes a nice large pot full, so if you’re feeding a large group of people, this will make plenty!  I served it with crisped up tortilla strips (done in the oven), sour cream and Monterey Jack Cheese.  It was delicious!

Enchilada Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
1 (10-ounce) can green enchilada sauce
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce – Caution – even the Mild is a little spicy!
1 (15-ounce) can corn, drained
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
2 tablespoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup sour cream
Garnish: sliced green onions, toritilla chips

Instructions
In a large pot melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chicken, onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook mixture for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is done.
Add the broth, enchilada sauces, corn, pinto beans, black beans, diced tomatoes, cumin, and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the cheese and sour cream and stir until melted. Garnish with green onions and tortilla chips.

I’ve posted recently about a Molasses Ginger cookie recipe I tried.  They were good, but I was looking for a recipe that would mimic the ones my husband loves from a nearby bakery.  My twin sis, who is  a great cook, shared her cookie recipe with me, and so far, it’s the best one we’ve tried yet!  So, Dianne, I’m naming your cookie, “The Best Ginger Cookie” ~ at least until I find one that can top it.  I’m not sure anything could be better!  These are soft, thick, and perfect with milk.  So, though I’ve recently shared one Ginger Cookie recipe, I’m going to share this one too so you can try them.  They are de-lish!  I packaged up a few and sent them to a neighbor.  

The Best Ginger Cookies
4 1/2 C flour
4 tsp ginger
2 tsp soda
1 1/2 ts. cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C shortening
2 C sugar
2 eggs
1/2 C molasses
1/4 C coarse sugar (or granulated)

In medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat shortening until softened.  Gradually add the 2 C sugar; beat until fluffy.  Add eggs and molasses; beat well.  Add half of flour mixture; beat until combined.  Stir remaining flour in with wooden spoon.  Roll 1 Tbl. (or 2 for large cookie) in ball.  Roll in the sugar.  Bake on ungreased sheet at 350 degrees 12-14 minutes (don’t overbake).  Let stand 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack.

Those are two of the new recipes I tried last week.  There’s another new one I can’t wait to share with you. One hint:  it has apples in it!  

Have you tried anything new this week?  

With love from my country kitchen,

To create some “rich” memories to make your family even richer, how about doing something memorable this weekend?  Here are a few suggestions:

When we were raising our girls, times were very hard.  Financially we literally lived from day to day.  Bills were bathed in prayer and paid by prayer.

We didn’t go on fancy vacations.  We rode bikes, played board games, and made the most of the amusements the Lord sent.  Fallen leaves were our trampoline, a snowfall our Disney World.  The playhouse built by Pappa was the place for fantasy and fun.  We shared cups of hot chocolate in its warmth, set it up as a Little House on the Prairie mercantile and used it for themed birthday parties.  Reading books under the huge Maple trees in the yard took us on outings with the Boxcar children Henry Huggins and missionaries.

I fixed lots of meals of beans and cornbread.  Freeze Pops in the freezer were hidden away for the times when the ice cream truck came jingling down our street.  We somehow managed to make the girls think they were getting the better treat than something sold on a truck.  Breakfasts in our tree house on Easter morning, Little Debbie cakes savored in front of the freshly decorated Christmas tree accompanied by steaming cups hot cocoa, and marshmallows toasted at our backyard campfire made us the envy of the other children on the street.

Every Sunday and Wednesday found us loading up our van to head to church where the best treasure was found.  Their daddy preached God’s Word.  Their mommy sang.  Sometimes we would sing as a family one of the songs we’d worked on at home during family devotions.   Our girls began serving in their church by playing their piano pieces, first as the offertory, then eventually as our accompanists for congregational singing.  We saw people turn to Christ in our little country church and it made the sacrifice worth it all.

As a family, we didn’t own much, but our hearts were full, very, very full.  In truth, we weren’t poor; we were rich with a wealth money cannot buy and people dream about owning.  We were a family who loved God and raised our family in His Word, His church and by trusting Him daily, and that was more than enough.  We were the Richest Family.

With love,

Last Thursday through Saturday was a time away for a retreat.  This was a special group of pastor’s wives. We all need uplifting times, but ministry life can be especially draining, and these ladies came hungry for encouragement.  The weekend together was planned by the hosts to be fun, restful and spiritually uplifting.

The mountain setting was gorgeous, and we had fall weather that made it even more cozy.  They lit the fireplace in the lodge where we had our meetings.  That was wonderful!  The food prepared for us was done by a volunteer.  Let’s just say we had comfort foods all weekend.  Yum.

I met new friends and enjoyed chatting and sharing our hearts.  We prayed together, laughed together and cried a bit, too.

My roommate just happened to be my daughter, since she’s now a pastor’s wife.  We had a fun time together.  How sweet to share this time with her.  She was our musician, playing the keyboard and her guitar for our singing times.

I taught five sessions from I Kings 17-22 about the life of Elijah.  I’ve been doing a study on him for almost a year, and the Lord has taught me so much using this servant. He and I have become good friends!  He had some great times of service for God, but also struggled at times.  It struck a chord in my own heart because that’s just like me!  Ups and downs are a part of all of our lives, but there was a prevailing theme in his life, and it was the times he spent alone with God.  The greatest lesson I learned while studying is that the greatest part of my life isn’t about the times out in public when people see me serving and doing “great things for God.”  The most important part is the part no one else sees; when I’m hiding away with my God, talking to Him and hearing from Him.  Oh, that the hidden part may consume more of my time!

I’m back home once again and reveling in a loving God who speaks to me ~ on the mountain top and also on my country porch.

With love,