Home maintenance tool!  My Swiffer.

Home maintenance.  It never ends, does it?  With white floors, it seems there is constantly something that needs to be wiped up in the kitchen.  Without daily maintenance there would be spots, crumbs and drips.  In between moppings I find myself stooping over to spot clean here and there if I want to maintain a clean floor.

Yes, they are roses and notes, but in reality, these are marriage maintenance tools!  My sweet husband brought me the red roses yesterday.  He’d gone to Ingles to pick up a few items, and came home with the flowers for me.  There was no occasion; no spat to smooth over – it was just a gesture of love.  I found the note cards at Hobby Lobby.  One side of the card says things like, “I appreciate all you do for me.”  the other side is just a pretty card, ready for my personal note.  I like to leave these in fun places where my husband will find them – by his toothbrush, on his pillow, in his Bible.

Are roses and cards necessary for us to be a married couple?  No.  But they are necessary to maintain a loving relationship.  Life could easily go on without flowers or cards, but the marriage would only exist.  Just like my floor would still be a floor if it wasn’t mopped, but it wouldn’t be a very attractive one, our marriage is much more “attractive” when we think about things we can do for marriage maintenance!

Even if your husband doesn’t bring you red roses for his maintenance contribution, you be on the alert as to what you can do.  The I Corinthians 13 love is kind.  It doesn’t seek its own (though that’s what our sinful heart wants to do!).  Just as home maintenance requires doing little things all day (wiping the counters, emptying the trash, filing the mail) it’s the little things in a marriage that make the difference. 

• Kiss him goodbye, good-night, good morning
• Hold his hand in the car
• Wrap your arms around him
• Leave a note in the car
• Wink at him from across the room or the dinner table
• Buy him a small gift
• Send a love note text
• Pray with him
• Tell him what you admire about him

Next time you get your mop out to do a little maintenance around the house, ask yourself if you’re keeping up with your marriage maintenance.  It just takes a little time, but it will go a LONG way in making a happy home!

From my parsonage windows,

“Anything your father could do, mine could do ten times better!”

This sounds like a war between two grade-school boys, doesn’t it?  It’s not.  It’s talking about our Father in heaven.  God’s ways are far above our ways, and when we follow His directives for our lives, He will also see to it that we will see results that are ten times better than what we could connive.

Just look at Daniel and his three friends in Daniel one.  They refused to defile themselves with the king’s meat.  After the trial of ten days, the prince of the eunuchs found these young men fairer and fatter than those that ate the king’s food. (Daniel 1:15) God’s ways were better!

When the men stood before King Nebuchadnezzar, he found them in all matters of wisdom and understanding ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm. (Daniel 1:20) If you asked Daniel, “How did that happen?”  He wouldn’t pat himself on the back or take a deep bow, he would point upwards to the God of heaven Who granted them the wisdom they needed.

The wisdom you and I need today will not come from our own wits, but from the God Who gives to all men liberally (ten times better).  The ordering of events that we need to take place will be ten times better if we remove our own weak hands and allow God to intervene.  We must do what Daniel did, however; we must be obeying all that we know God has told us to do (after blessing comes obedience).  Then we let God work.  Afterwards, when things turn out ten times better, we must give Him all the praise, for He alone is worthy!

What do you need to see God do?  Trust Him for the “Ten times better” things He is able to do!

With love,

I launched out this weekend and tried cooking my Sunday ribs in the pressure cooker. This piece of equipment is fast becoming my favorite tool!   I added a cup of water after salting the ribs, and in only 30 minutes of simmering, they were tender and ready for the barbecue sauce! 

I cooked them on Saturday, so I popped them in the fridge and then added the barbecue sauce on Sunday after getting home from church.  First, I warmed the ribs in the microwave, then I placed them in a pan, applied the sauce and let  them cook in a 375 degree oven for about 12 minutes.  They were so tender!

My menu:

I wanted to grill the ribs and this zucchini, but it was too hot to think about asking my hubby to stand out there.  So I opted to cook them both inside.  The zucchini was brushed with a little olive oil, then sprinkled with a garlic, rosemary seasoning and pan seared.  Mmmmm.

To kick the rice up a notch I cooked it this way:

Ingredients

• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons butter
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• 1/2 teaspoon salt
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• 1 cup Minute rice

Preparation

Grate a garlic clove. Stir together garlic, broth, butter, and salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in rice;  cover until broth mixture is absorbed and rice is tender.

This makes simple rice really good!!!

Applesauce Muffins

Applesauce Muffins
1/2 cup butter, softened (I used 1/4 C, and they were still very moist!)
1 cup sugar (I used 3/4 C)
1 egg
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup nuts, chopped

Cream the butter and sugar.  Add the egg.  Stir in the applesauce and spices.  Sift together the salt, soda, and flour.  Add to the applesauce mixture and beat well.  Stir in the nuts.  Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full and bake for 8 to 10 minutes. I used a mini muffin tin and the 8 to 10 minutes was perfect.  If you use a regular sized pan, you’ll probably need to increase the baking time. 
*Baked muffins freeze well.

My Sunday dinner companions:

As my husband was enjoying his ribs, he said, “See?  Good things can come from pressure!”  It’s true, isn’t it?  But not many of us enjoy the process!  Pressure can tender the heart, just like it did my meat.  Whatever stress you’re experiencing today, I trust that it will soon produce the fruit that the Lord has intended for your life.

What was cooking in your kitchen this week?  Or do you have plans to try something new in the near future?

From my parsonage kitchen,

The Junk Drawer.  Most people have at least one, and they’re usually found in the kitchen.  Here’s one of mine (yes, there are two in my kitchen.  The other one has all the odd utensils in it). 

I was at Hobby Lobby yesterday (love that place!) and saw their baskets were half off.  I bought a little red one that I felt sure would fit into this drawer and help me organize all the “stuff.”  It was only $2.50 and really helped to whip this mess into shape.  I need to go back and get one more basket to put the last little bit of odds and ends in.

I love opening this drawer now! 

So, you probably know what you need to do to freshen up your Friday~ 

• Find the/a Junk Drawer in your kitchen and empty it – yes, all of it. 
• Then go through and pitch all the trash and unwanted “warriors” and trash. 
• Find the proper home for all the gadgets, items, and articles that do not belong in that drawer.
• Sort and stash similar things in small containers – even boxes like the one your checks come in, (or go to Hobby Lobby and buy some while they’re half off).
• Wipe out the drawer (How do crumbs get in there anyway?!)
•  Place your organized containers back into the drawer.
• Smile as you look into the now organized “Junk Drawer!”  

Be refreshed,

Do you ever think of yourself as a shepherdess – one that watches over sheep?  It seems strange, but consider the truth of our responsibility found in Proverbs:

You might be a city girl, but we all have a “flock” if we have a family or a ministry. 

It takes diligence to look well to my “herd” (not sure my 20 year-old wants to be considered part of a herd, but, oh well!).  I have to stop and ask myself some questions in order to know how everyone in my home is doing.

Concerning children:

1. How are they doing spiritually?  Do they seem to be walking with God?
2. Do I need to offer a listening ear about something that is going on in their life right now?
3. Is there a wound in their heart that needs the application of God’s Word?
4. Are they feeding on God’s Word?
5. Are their friends encouraging them towards godly living?
6. Are they bearing the fruit of the Spirit?
7. Is there a need I should provide? Clean laundry?  A replaced button?  Mended hem?
8. Are they getting adequate rest and exercise?
9. Is there some way I could serve them?  This would be apart from the normal duties of a mom – this is a favor done in love.

Concerning husband:

1. Does he seem encouraged in the Lord?
2. Does he have a burden which I could pray with him about?
3. Does he have a stooping heart that needs a glad word? Proverbs 12:25
4. Does he respond to me as a man that feels respected by me?  Ephesians 5:33
5. Is there a way I could serve him today?  Run an errand for him, do a task he normally does, bake something he loves…
6. Are his needs being met?
7. Is there a need I should provide?  Clothes mended, finish a task I started for him, make  lunch for him to take to work…
8. Am I loving him with I Corinthians 13 love?  Forgiving, unselfish, not keeping score or wrongs, hoping all things… etc.
9. How could I demonstrate that kind of love today?

If you don’t have a family, many of these questions could apply to the ministry (people) to whom you are ministering (your job should also be your ministry).  

We all have flocks and herds.  Are they sick and scattered, or are they loved and cared for by us, their “shepherdesses?”  It does take diligence as the verse indicates, but Our Great Shepherd will help us, give us discernment and also strength to roam the fields looking out for their well-being.  It’s a high calling and blessed privilege!

What does it mean to you to “know the state of your flocks?”  How can you do that?

With love,