Around the parsonage there is obviously lots of preparation for ministry services and events.  This past Monday was our final monthly ladies’ Bible study for this year.  On those Bible study days, I am usually busy all day finishing up preparations for the evening.  No matter how busy the day was, I’m always so thankful for the evening time to fellowship with the ladies as we share God’s Word together, enjoy a light refreshment, and then learn a practical lesson for our homes.  

We ended the year with a wonderful lesson – taught by a godly young woman, Mary.  How appropriate that Mary would teach the lesson about “Kitchen Service” and about having a Mary spirit in this Martha world.  She exemplified this spirit to us with her sweet delivery.  What a blessing that she referred us to many references in Scripture to validate her lesson.  After all, it really doesn’t matter what anyone thinks, does it?  We must know what God’s Word says!  Thank you, Mary, for pointing us to the Word and to Christ, our Savior!

After our Bible study, we had a great fellowship time around a dish of Blue Bell Ice cream (it’s on sale this week at Ingles, by the way!)  We also then took the opportunity to judge the five tables that had entered our table design contest.  We were challenged to creatively and beautifully set a table with a theme.  The winning table received a $30 gift card to TJ Maax!  

I’m sorry to say I missed getting a picture of one of the tables.  Sorry Bev!  One friend (just for a joke) set a themed Boones Creek Bible Table.  She placed all paper products for the plates, cups and napkins, she added two bulletins from last Sunday, as well as peppermint candies to the middle of the table!  It was proof that anyone can set a themed table!  She gave us all a good laugh…as she often does!

Here are pictures of the other four tables. 

Ethel Johnson did a country farm kind of table complete with sheep, bandannas, and red and white geraniums.  The red barn behind her table was painted that day for our summer children’s ministry.  Pretty nice that it happened to go along with her theme!

Though I wished we would have had more participate, and we were down in numbers in attendance, those that stuck it out to the end of the year had a wonderful time together.  It makes all the scurry in the parsonage on those days very worth it.  I may sleep in a little longer the next day, but it’s with a smile on my face, because of the blessing that group of women is to me…the parson’s wife.

I love each of you.

From the parsonage windows,

Yesterday morning as I read Exodus 33 I was reminded what a blessing it is to have friends who walk with God.  Moses was such a man.  Let me explain.

God’s anger was kindled against the Israelites because of their continual sin and God said that His presence would not go with them into the promise land.  Moses spoke to God on their behalf, telling God that they couldn’t go on unless God would go with them.  Verse 11 says, “And the Lord spake unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.”  Because of his intercession, God said to Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken: for thou hast found grace in my sight, and I know thee by name. What relief that the Israelites wouldn’t have to trudge on in their own devices, their own weak ideas and strategies!  God answered Moses’ prayer!  Moses was friends with God, and those that knew him as their leader must have been awfully glad that he was on such good terms Him! 

While I was reading that passage and being reminded of dear, godly friends that the Lord has given me, I received a text message from one of those friends.  Another called while I was getting ready for the day.  A third called as I was driving to do some work at church just to tell me she loved and appreciated me!  And lastly, another godly friend met me at the church to help and support the work I was attempting to do!  My cup was running over with the blessing my friends.  Each one, led by the Lord was calling to encourage or bless in some way.  That is a godly friend!  God spoke to them, and they followed through to tell me what He said to them!  That’s just like what Moses did!

I have to stop and ask myself if I am that kind of friend to others.  How about you?  Do you hear the Lord speak a word to you to call and encourage someone or to stop and pray for them and then you do it?  If He prompts us to do a loving act for them are we quick to obey?  Do we go out of our way to help and support them as they are serving the Lord? 

May we each be “Moses kind of Friends!”

Do you have a special godly friend for whom you are especially thankful?  What have they done to push you closer to the Lord?

With love,

This has been such a beautiful weekend.  We have eaten many of our meals out on our deck.  It makes for a wonderful day!  Eating outside just makes it more relaxing!  

We even decided to grill out on Sunday – something we don’t usually do, for time’s sake.  But I had a turkey tenderloin and knew it wouldn’t take more than about 25 minutes to cook, and grilling always makes the flavor so much better.  This was a good decision! 

Here was my full menu:

I found a recipe on Myrecipes.com  for a rub to put on the turkey breasts.  That made them soooo good.  I’m wondering what else I could put this rub on…perhaps chicken and pork. Here’s the recipe for the rub:

Spice-Rubbed Grilled Turkey Tenderloins

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 pounds turkey tenderloin

2 tablespoons olive oil

1. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Stir together first 6 ingredients. Brush turkey tenderloin with olive oil, and rub with brown sugar mixture.

2. Grill turkey, covered with grill lid, over 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 165°. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

The grits casserole was a new recipe from Cooking Light.  I love grits, so this piqued my interest.  It’s an unusual side dish and was pretty good.  It needs a little tweaking.  I think I’ll try it again and use chili beans instead of the white beans.  The sun-dried tomatoes really didn’t do anything for it, in my opinion and are quite expensive.  I think I may leave them out next time.  We liked the dish – but will make those few adjustments next time.

Grits Casserole with White Beans and Rosemary

4 (1-ounce) slices French bread or other firm white bread, cubed
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley

7 cups boiling water, divided

3 ounces sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil, chopped

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups vertically sliced red onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 (19-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, drained

1 1/2 cups uncooked regular grits
2 tablespoons butter

Cooking spray

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs measure 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, and parsley in a small bowl; set aside.

Combine 3 cups boiling water and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand 10 minutes or until soft. Drain tomatoes over a bowl, reserving 1 cup liquid.

Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, rosemary, crushed red pepper, and garlic; saute 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and reserved 1 cup liquid. Bring to a boil; cook 7 minutes or until most of liquid evaporates. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and beans.

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine 4 cups boiling water, 1 teaspoon salt, grits, and butter in a large saucepan. Cook 8 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly. Pour grits mixture into an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon tomato mixture evenly over grits; top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until golden.

Honey-Glazed Carrots
 
1 pkg. (16 oz) baby carrots – I used large carrots cut into matchsticks
Cover with water in saucepan and cook until knife can be inserted easily.

2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl honey
1 Tbl lemon juice
Melt butter in another saucepan.  Add honey and lemon juice and cook on low, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.  Add carrots; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until glazed.

Have you been eating outside where you are?  What has been cooking in your kitchen?

From my parsonage kitchen,

I can’t think of too many things that need freshening up any more than LAUNDRY TIME.  Whew!

Washing, folding and ironing take lots of time, doesn’t it?  It’s truly a necessity, so why not do something to make it a little more interesting and even fun?!  Recently I was watching a show on PBS where they said that old televisions can really destroy the looks of a pretty room, so they suggested taking the old set and putting it in the garage in the work area.  Well, I don’t have a garage, so I found another place!

I got the bright idea to put that old set in the laundry room on my laundry folding table. I have an old set that has a video player in it and I have lots of shows like I Love Lucy and Little House on the Prairie that we recorded years ago, so there’s no worry that it isn’t hooked up to cable. When I go down to iron or fold a load, I enjoy watching even part of an episode of a recorded show.  Yeah, it has definitely refreshed my laundry room and my time spent down there!

If you don’t have an old set, keep your eye out while the yard sales are in high gear and grab one for a few dollars and watch how fun laundry time becomes!  If you don’t have videos or DVDs to play, you can always borrow some at my favorite place – the library!

Be refreshed,

A friend of mine cut this cartoon out for me years ago.  I had stashed it in my kitchen drawer and kept it and recently came across it; it just makes me laugh.  You see, she knew that fixing things isn’t a forte’ of my husband’s, and she thought this was an appropriate chuckle.  He can laugh at himself, and he thinks it’s funny too.

While an occasional laugh is appropriate, I don’t tease my husband about this kind of stuff.   Every month as I read through Proverbs I am struck with the power of a woman’s words to a man. What comes out of our mouths has the force to encourage, motivate, bolster and cheer on our man.  Of course, on the flip side, our speech can also degrade, discourage, dishearten and deflate him. 

Proverbs 12:25 says, Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad. It’s our responsibility and privilege to encourage our husband with our words.  What can you say today that will lift your husband’s heart?  Need an idea?  Tell him what a great provider he is, what you admire about him, or a character trait that you see evidenced in his life, then watch his stooped over heart stand up tall and straight because of your words!

Want to brag a little about your husband?  Tell us something you admire about him in the comments section!

With love,