Author: RefreshHer

Motherhood

Motherhood: A Picnic?

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Years ago I heard about a woman who was seen with a group of children at the park. A man walked up to her and asked, “Are all those children yours, or are you on a picnic?” She replied, “They’re all mine – and it’s no picnic!”

Mothering is a wonderful gift of God, but it isn’t for the faint at heart, is it? When my girls were growing up there were many days when I wanted to turn in my parenting badge! It’s not that they were so awful, there were just days in which they revealed their sin nature more than others! It seemed on those days that all I did was discipline, correct and instruct, and many days it was over the very same things. Someone wasn’t getting the message, or they were testing my resistance and we would have to reapply the board of discipline to the seat of the tester!

I remember being in tears myself after those trying times. I would often go to my bedroom for a moment of solitude and cry out to the Lord. As I prayed and read His Word I’d be reminded that this was my responsibility to instruct my children. If I wasn’t doing it who would? If nothing else got accomplished in the day but teaching a child to obey, to talk in a way that honored God, or to tell the truth, then I had to view it as a day that was prosperous.

Proverbs was such a help to me. These verses are highlighted in my Bible:

Proverbs 19:18 – Chasten thy son while there is hope, and let not thy soul spare for his crying.

Proverbs 29:17 – Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.

Proverbs 22:6 – Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:15 – Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.

Proverbs 29;15The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.

I’m writing to encourage those of your that are in the thick of the training years. Don’t faint – you will reap a harvest. Right now you’re sowing the seed and you are wondering if the harvest will ever come – it will! You will reap in another season that you sow. Make sure you’re sowing the seeds of the Word of God as you discipline. You will reap the same kind that you sow. Be faithful. You will reap more than you sow. One day you will see that it was worth it. Be consistent and don’t throw in the towel! One day you can take all your children out to the park and it will be a picnic!

If you could get help in one area of mothering, what would it be?

With love,

Cooking

What’s Cookin’ in the Parsonage?

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This was a busy weekend, complete with a wedding to coordinate and then a visit from both our daughters. One was in the wedding, the other popped in from her camp work at The Wilds. This is her first time home since camp began. It was great to have them both here at the same time – that doesn’t happen often these days.

Our older daughter had to head home shortly after the wedding, so she wasn’t here for Sunday. Since Allison doesn’t get to be here for Sunday dinner very much, I asked her what she’d like to eat and set my planned menu aside. “Steak, that salad and potatoes!” was her enthusiastic reply. So I made:

Sirloin Steak Shish kabobs
Parmesan Potatoes
Brownies and Ice Cream

The shish kabobs were marinated in Teriyaki sauce, a favorite of ours. The recipe is simple and it gives great flavor to any steak. (Recipe to follow)

These potatoes might not look very pretty, but they’re so good! When you make these everyone will be scrambling to get those cheesy bits on the bottom of the dish!Melt about three tablespoons of butter in the bottom of a glass dish; sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese. Place scrubbed potatoes, cut in half on top of cheese and butter, cut side down. Bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes. (I put mine in the oven on time bake. If you don’t have that feature, you can bake these for about 10 minutes in the microwave, then place them in a 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes to crisp them up).

Teriyaki Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup salad oil
2 tbl molasses
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp dry mustard
6 cloves garlic, minced

Combine ingredients and mix well. Add meat to marinade, stirring to coat and let stand 5 minutes at room temperature.

I made up the kabobs first, then laid them in a 9 x 13″ pan with the marinade and set it in the fridge while we were at church. The kabobs only took a short time to grill once we returned home.
Even on busy weekends, it’s great to have dinner at home. It doesn’t have to be complicated and fancy – just home cooked and served at the table where everyone can enjoy it together!

What was cooking in your kitchen this weekend?

With love,

Family life

Enjoy the Dog Days of Summer

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Does this picture put a chill in your spine? This was last winter – a snowy winter for East Tennessee. I thought summer would never get here! Well, we’re now experiencing mid-summer weather with temps in the 90’s, but I am not complaining!

I love going outside with no coat on, having flowers blooming in my yard, and the fact that it’s still light outside at 9:00! I love having local fresh vegetables and fruits that are sweet and tender. I love the sight of lightening bugs at night and the sound of the cicadas in the trees. I love swinging on my swing on the deck early in the morning or late in the evening. I just love summer! I hope you’re enjoying it too.

Psalm 74:17 Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.

Just in case you’re a mom who might have run out of ideas to keep your children busy this summer, I thought I would post some great suggestions I found in a home and garden publication.

1. Make a summer scrapbook. Include everything–even the little stuff. The price tag from your fave sundress, amusement park ticket stubs, photo booth pics of you and the crew and vacation postcards are all awesome additions to your book. It’ll be a summer you’ll never forget.

2. Grow a green thumb! Purchase some packets of flower seeds–cosmo, poppy, sunflower (unsalted, of course!)–and plant them in your own garden patch. Tending to your sprouts will keep you super-busy, and it’s oh-so satisfying to watch as your blooms blossom.

3. Rent a tandem bike for a day. It’s a bicycle built for-two. Grab a pal, hop on and pedal off for some good laughs: Yeah, it’s goofy…. So what?

4. Head for the nearest gumball machine. Now, get four gumballs for a buck for you and each of your girls, and have a contest to see who blows the biggest bubble.

5. Hit the kiddie section of the dollar store, and buy a few bottles of soapy bubbles. You’re never too old to blow bubbles!

6. Buy some zany sunglasses, and wear them in public. They can be ultra-glam, ultra-goofy, ultra-big, ultra-anything! The trick is to find a pair that really attracts attention. You’re guaranteed to have an ultra-hilarious day!

7. Play the claw machine two times for a buck. You know–the one in which you try to pluck prizes with a mechanical crane. Yeah, it’s usually a waste of money… but it’s sooo irresistible!

8. Fly a kite on a windy day. Haven’t flown a kite since you were a tot? You’re missing out! It’s not easy to keep that thing gracefully floating up there–but that’s what makes it challenging! Fly your kite on the beach or in an open field, where the wind is often at its strongest mph.

9. Go backyard camping. Call your pals, pitch a tent, grab some sleeping bags, and head out your back door. OK, you’ll have to forget about the campfire, but that’s no reason to forgo the traditional campfire songs and tales. Have a blast sleeping under the stars-while enjoying the indoor plumbing just steps away!

10. Become a bookworm. Make it a goal to finish off a certain number of books this summer. Pick a genre you’ve never tried before–biographies or historical fiction–and then stake out a few reading spots. Climb a tree, stretch out on the porch swing, or even curl up on the couch on a rainy day.

11. Visit the library for the afternoon; it’s cool in there and you can occupy yourself with books, magazines, computers, story time, etc.

12. Have a water fight. Get all your pals together, and designate teams. Then grab your water guns, water balloons, buckets, hoses and whatever else you’ve got…and ATTACK!

13. Catch fireflies in a jar. Make yourself an all-natural lightning-bug strobe-light lantern for the evening. Don’t forget to throw in a few blades of grass and poke holes in the lid. Just be sure to let them go after a few hours!

14. Become a volunteer at your local nursing home. Your electric smile and enthusiastic personality will have folks at the local home uplifted in no time. Spending even an hour a week playing board games or just talking with residents whose families can’t (or don’t) visit makes a big difference in their lives. Oh, and the stories they tell!

15. Start a cool collection. It doesn’t matter what you collect–just pick something you like, and go for it! Sea glass, shells and bottle caps are popular summer collectibles. Or be a collector of something totally unique, like ceramic cats, cute bandannas or vintage buttons. To get into the collecting groove, visit a local museum and check out its collections for inspiration.

16. Play tag–in the rain. Why stay indoors just because the sun’s not shining? Nothing screams summer like a game of soggy tag. Running around in the rain (um, as long as there’s no thunder and lightning!!!) is a great way to cool down.

17. Set up a lemonade stand.

18. Make homemade play dough.

19. Get a cardboard appliance box and turn it into a playhouse.

20. Go bowling. Some lanes have special rates on certain days of the week.

What other things are you doing to have a great summer?
See you in church Sunday,

Christian growth

A Spiritual Quilt

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After I graduated from high school I took a dress making course at a Singer store. I learned to really enjoy sewing, and made many garments for myself during my days of being a poor school teacher! It was great fun. Then when the Lord gave me daughters I also had the delight of making little outfits for them. But in all the sewing I’ve done over the years I had not learned to quilt…until this past week.

I told my parents I wanted them to teach me, so I went to their home with a small stash of material to begin a Nine Patch Quilt. The first thing I was taught was how to cut with a rotary cutter. My dad, the engineer, has it down to an art. He demonstrated…

then gave instructions, and lastly handed the cutter to me. He stayed there giving little tips of things he knew would be helpful. After all, if you start out with lopsided squares, what will the quilt look like? Yep, a lopsided mistake!

With the material I had, and some my mom shared with me we were able to cut just over 900 squares to get me started. I love the way the pieces look stacked together. This is just part of them…


Then began the process of sewing rows of 3, handing them to my “iron er” (dad), then sewing the three rows together to make a block.


Before I left yesterday I had made 22 blocks. Now I only have 302 more to go! I’m not letting it overwhelm me. I figure if I make 32 blocks a week I’ll have it ready to quilt by mid September.
I laid out my blocks on a table and took this shot. Remember, the quilt isn’t sewn together…

A few thoughts while I was sewing…

  • Every quilt that’s made is unique with it’s fabric, colors and design. As a Christian, I am different than every other person the Lord has saved, and that is on purpose.
  • There are no perfect quilts, but each one is still cozy and warm on a winter night. I’m full of “mismatched corners”, if you will; many imperfections, but God can still use me.
  • My dad gave me instructions to help me, not to hurt me. God gives us instructions in His Word, not to be mean, but to help us.
  • My parents were right there to teach, watch and help. The Lord promises never to leave me or forsake me! He’s given the Holy Spirit to be my Teacher.
  • A quilt takes time, but it’s worth it to get the end result. Growing in my Christian life is one step at a time and it’s more than worth it.
  • Everyone wants a quilt, but not many are willing to put the work into making one. Lots of Christians want to be strong believers, but aren’t willing to discipline themselves to accomplish growth.
  • There’s no shortcut to making a beautiful quilt. There’s only one way to be what God wants me to be – obedience.
  • If I miss a day sewing some blocks together, I’ll get behind in my goal. If I lapse in my study of God’s Word and prayer, the goal of Christ likeness will be pushed farther and farther away.

I’m thankful for the lesson in quilting, and I’m also thankful for the lessons my Heavenly Father is teaching me.

How’s your spiritual quilt coming?

With love,

Uncategorized

Word to the Wise Wednesday

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Get organized!
Okay, be honest – have you ever driven in a neighborhood at twilight and “peeked” into the windows of the beautiful homes as you pass? I confess that I certainly have. I’ve often said to my husband, “Please slow down! You’re going so fast I can’t see anything!” I guess that’s why we all enjoy home tours; we get to look without the guilt! 🙂
I’m going to give you a tour through a few areas of my parents’ home. It’s so lovely, so organized and so full of wonderful ideas that I knew you would love to see it. My mom is very creative and comes up with great ideas and my dad is gifted with his hands and able to do whatever idea my mom comes up with. You’ll see what I mean…

To add a decorative touch to a wide doorway they placed a small decorative curtain rod high on the wall, draped a curtain and tied it back to add a splash of color and interest.
Here’s the curtain from the other side…

These double doors are right off the eating area and kitchen. What could be behind them?

It’s the “laundry room.” Not only are the washer and dryer stored there, but also shelves for the storage of needed laundry detergents, spot removers, etc.

A pretty glass jar holds spools of thread for loose buttons or mending jobs.

Linen napkins sit ironed and ready to be placed on the table at mealtime.

There’s a spot for everything. A cute little wooden box on the wall holds the dryer sheets. Who says that the laundry room can’t be decorated with flower arrangements and prints?

A small cedar box holds a button collection.

The pretty baskets on the top shelf hold tablecloths and place mats.

A pretty tassel added to a cabinet door adds a lovely decorative touch.

Behind a decorative box and behind some greenery the computer’s router is well-hidden!

Everyone has a drawer full of gadgets. My dad added this sliding drawer in the pantry to hold all those things that are too big for a regular cabinet drawer.

Because the spices were out of reach and always toppling over, my dad made this spice rack in the door of the pantry. How convenient this is!

Everything’s within easy reach and much easier to find!

The food pantry has wire shelving in the door to hold lots of small items.


Clever, huh? Now you understand why whenever I get home after visiting I do a major overhaul on my house. I reorganized, straighten and decorate because they always inspire me. I hope they’ve inspired you too!

With love,