After a recent check-up at my doctor’s office, I learned that in order to deal with Carpal Tunnel in my right wrist, I need to use the computer mouse in my LEFT hand.  Okay, I’m left-handed, but I only eat and write with that hand, and I do everything else (including move the computer cursor) with my right hand.  However, the pain has driven me to do the unnatural.  I’m getting better at it each day, but I literally feel like I’m doing everything backwards!  The cursor has been flying all over the screen while I’m learning to maneuver the mouse with my left hand.  Whew.

Like using our “comfortable hand,” another thing that comes all too natural to us is telling a lie.  We don’t like to call it that – we say, “stretching the truth” or “coloring the story.”  We may also go as far as to say that we’re only protecting the hearer from something painful.  However, each of those statements are lies from the Father of lies – the devil himself.  Listen to what the Lord says about lying –

A few pics for you to see what we’ve been up to this week…

1.  Some rare lap time with Liza
2.  Animal prints =)  Free shoes from Cents of Style (“free” is always the right price!)  Liza and I were enjoying the sunshine during devotions this week!
3.  A little wedding reception preparation.  I’ll let you guess what’s in the bowl!
4.  Loving the beautiful weather and the gorgeous view from my front yard!

What’s happening on your porch this week?

With love from my country porch,

Every family has a story that they’re known for.  Think about these families…

Adam and Eve
Joseph and his brothers
Cain and Abel
Simon Peter and Andrew
Aquilla and Priscilla
Annanias and Sapphira
Timothy and his mother and grandmother

If you’re familiar with the Bible, you could probably come up with a word or two to describe each of the aforementioned families.  My descriptions would be:

Adam and Eve – Disobedient, Not submissive
Joseph and his brothers – (Brothers) Hated (Joseph) Forgave
Cain and Abel (Cain) Disobedient, murderer (Abel) Obedient
Simon Peter and Andrew – Evangelistic
Aquilla and Priscilla – Servants
Annanias and Sapphira – Liars
Timothy and his mother and grandmother – Faithful, obedient

What is your family’s story?  You have one!  When folks think about you as a mother do they think, “Kind words” or “Screamer”?  Do they raise their eyebrows to describe your children’s response to one another and use the word, “Fighters”?  Or would they describe them as loving?  What words would describe your marriage?

You may have had little to do with the story of your family while you were growing up, but as an adult, you can control your response to your parents and siblings, your children and your husband.  Are you thoughtful?  Caring?  Or are you bitter and holding a grudge?  You are not responsible for others’ reactions, but you are responsible for your own.  You can change your family’s story just by your response towards each member.  By walking in the Spirit and being loving, joyful,peaceful, longsuffering, gentle, good, and meek, you could turn your family’s reputation into a best seller!

God created your family to bring honor and glory to Him.  What do you need to do today to change things?  You can do all things through Christ…that includes family relationships!  Ask the Lord to enable you to have a family story that will point others to Him!  Begin by changing the things in your own heart and response.  God will take care of the others.

With love,

I hope you had a wonderful weekend.  Mine was great.  It was filled with getting some needed tasks done, spending time together as a family, worshiping our great God at our church, serving together by packing Gospel DVD’s to be given out at the World Cup this summer, and enjoying fellowship with dear friends.  

We also enjoyed some good food this weekend.  I made a roast chicken for Sunday dinner – our favorite!  Earlier last week, however, I made one of our favorite types of meals – Mexican food.  I’ve shared other enchilada recipes, but the one I’m sharing today is my very favorite and I’ve been making it for years!  It is a great do-ahead dish.  You can make it the day before and slide it into the fridge until you’re ready to bake it, or you could put it in the freezer for later use.  

It only has a couple of steps and has a great payoff!  The sauce is so yummy to scoop up with tortilla chips while you enjoy the meal!  If your family likes Mexican, you need to make this…soon!

You make the sauce…

Brown the meat…

Then fill the tortillas, roll and place into baking dish…

Beef Enchiladas

Sauce:
1 medium onion, minced.
2 Tbl oil
2 Tbl flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 4 oz. can chopped, mild green chilies
2 cups canned tomatoes, drained and chopped

Filling:
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp salt
12 tortillas
2 cups grated cheddar cheese

Saute Onion in oil until soft.  Stir in flour and cook for 1 minutes.  Add broth and garlic powder, cook until thickened.  Add chilies and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
Brown meat in large skillet with onion.  Drain fat.  Add vinegar, chili powder, and salt.

Dip each tortilla in sauce to soften it.  Place a large spoonful of meat, a little cheese and a spoonful of sauce in each.  Roll up.  Place in baking dish, seam side down and repeat with remaining tortillas.  Pour remaining sauce over all, top with cup of grated cheese and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 – 20 minutes.  Serve with toppings, lettuce, sour cream, and Guacamole and tortilla chips.

This freezes nicely!

What has been cooking in your kitchen?

With love from my country kitchen,

Though we had SNOW this week, I’m still thinking about springtime!  I know it’s just around the corner.  With the spring weather come birds that have been wintering elsewhere (smart little guys!).  I’m hoping to lure some of them to the tree near the window that’s beside my desk.

When I saw this simple little bird feeder, I knew I wanted to make one – first because it’s just so stinking cute!  Then I really would like to see some birds coming for some seed near my seat at the window!  I hope it will do the trick, but even if it doesn’t, this little craft was fun to make and will be cute in the tree out back.

Cut a piece of fabric to fit a clean can…

Put fabric glue or decoupage glue on can.

Roll fabric onto can and glue.

Add lettering – stenciled letters or craft letters, a Popsicle stick and twine to hang it…

 Refresh yourself and any birds that may be in your area with this cute little bird feeder!

I hope Sunday finds you in a Bible preaching church!

Be refreshed,