I have the sweetest kitty.  You’ve seen her lots of times here on my blog.  Take another look at a recent photo and you’ll surely agree that she is so adorable.

She loves to sit on these bar stools and peek through with her furry little face and green eyes.  But  every now and then…

she’ll plop over on her side and reach out her paw, claws extended, and grab any unsuspecting person passing by.  If you’re not watching she could hurt you!  I think that’s the reason some dog lovers don’t like cats – they can turn on you.  Sweet one minute and scratching and hissing the next.

Hmmmm, remind you of any people you know?  Maybe yourself at times?  Yeah, I can see the “cat” coming out in me more often than I care to admit.  Things are going well;  purr, purr.  We like the way people are treating us; purr, purr.  This is a good day; purr, purr. Then… what?!  Someone crossed us?! Someone dare do or say something that we didn’t like?!  Out come the claws in the form of words and actions.  We arch our back and huff off, not realizing that we’ve left another person in our path wounded.  It may have been our child, our husband, a co-worker or a church member, but it matters not – they came too close, and they paid the penalty! “That will teach them!”

The sad thing is that, like mean cats, mean people drive others away.  No one likes a cat that turns on them on a regular basis.  People will stiff-arm us, too, if we are in the habit of turning on them like a cat!  A Christlike character will be longsuffering, not repaying evil for evil.  Proverbs reminds us over and over that even too many words can destroy.

I want Liza to turn cat haters into cat lovers because of her sweet nature.  She serves as a daily reminder to me not to imitate her occasional moodiness.  I watch her and  reminded of the importance of keeping my claws turned inward and my hisses to myself! How about you? ^..^

With love,

My bow-tie sporting husband and me.

The engaged couple!  Only 2 1/2 weeks!

Eating outside on a gorgeous day makes this meal even better!

Ingredients

Directions

Season the cube steaks on both sides with salt and pepper. Pour the flour onto a shallow plate and press the steaks into the flour; shake off the excess flour. Heat the oil in a large skillet with lid over medium-high heat. Place the steaks into the hot oil, and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side.
Pour water into the skillet to almost cover the steaks. Stir the beef bouillon and salt to taste into the water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until very tender, about 2 hours.

What did you do for Easter and Easter dinner?

With love from my country kitchen,

Yesterday I had a few stops to make at some stores, picking up the weekly sales on toothpaste at Walgreens, stocking my pantry with items at Big Lots, and grabbing a few needed grocery items at Ingles.  More than once I heard, “Have a good Easter!”  When I hear the word “Easter” my heart jumps and leaps like the lame man Jesus healed!  Easter!!! My response was –  “You better believe I’ll have a good Easter!  I celebrate it every day of the year as I realize that Jesus died and then rose from the dead.  That fact makes a difference in every single day of my life!”  One lady chimed in with me, “Oh, isn’t that the truth!”  (a believer’s response).  Another woman looked at me like I was claiming to be the Easter bunny (an unbeliever’s response).  However, it gave me a chance to witness to her of the hope that lies within me!

Can I encourage you to refresh someone else this Friday through Saturday?  As you’re out doing your shopping and preparations for the weekend and your normal errands, or talking with your neighbors, and they wish you a “Happy Easter,” tell them why you’re sure to have a happy Easter!  It’s not because the snow is melting and it’s a pretty day, or because you have a new dress to wear, or because your

mother-in-law has invited you over to her house for a ham dinner – it’s because Jesus lives!  Be prepared to give the Gospel. This weekend is celebrating the fact that our Savior rose from the tomb!!!  Let’s share it and refresh others with that Truth!

Be refreshed!  Oh, and Happy Easter!  =)

Easter is my favorite holiday.  I prefer to call it a “Holyday,: because that’s what it is.  I’m all about seasonal foods, decorations, and fun – I think you’ve seen that. Well, Easter is such a special day – not because of the food or decor, but simply because of Christ’s resurrection.  What if He had not risen?!  As the Scripture says, we would be of all men, most miserable.  Preaching would be in vain.  We would have no hope or reason to celebrate ever.

So moms, be sure you’re making much of the Lord Jesus this week.  Tomorrow is Good Friday and is a very teachable day!

• Talk about what Good Friday is.  It’s not some weird religious day, it’s the day Jesus died on the cross.  
• Serve Hot Cross Buns for breakfast tomorrow and tell/remind your children what Jesus did for them.  
• Plan to have a time of reading the Scripture with your children at three in the afternoon, if you can.  Read about the crucifixion in one of the Gospels such as Matthew 27.  If you will be apart at that time, read it at breakfast and tell the children to be thinking through the day about Jesus’ suffering on the cross for their sins.  
• You may want to go somewhere special like a park where you can sit and read the Scriptures, sing about the cross (At Calvary, The Pow’r of the Cross) and pray, thanking the Lord for His sacrifice.
• Go on a walk and gather some sticks and the other objects needed to create this:

Love this idea!

• Play a game that uses dice.  Remind your children that the soldiers cast lots to see who would get Jesus’ robe.
• If you color eggs and use vinegar, remind them that they gave Jesus vinegar to drink.
• Go out for a treat like ice cream and give your child 30 dimes to represent pieces of silver to pay for it.  Ask him what the 30 dimes remind him of regarding Jesus dying on the cross.
• Then, of course, remind them that Sunday is coming – the day we celebrate that Jesus did not stay in the tomb!!!!!

A look into my life from the past week(end)

Last weekend was the long awaited Ladies’ Retreat at The Wilds.  I look so forward to it each year. My sweet husband drove the church van and chauffeured us all weekend.  He’s a gem.  We made a whole day of retreating even before we got to The Wilds!  We shopped, sipped coffee and enjoyed some bakery treats.  We laughed, cried, sang, worshiped and shared with one another.  It was a great 36 hours away!  I hate that I didn’t get a picture of all of us at one time, but below are a few snapshots of the weekend: (click on the picture for a closer look)

Our speaker, Barb Leatherwood, was used of the Lord to encourage our hearts about the course on which He has each of us.  As different as we all are from one another, so are our paths.  Each pathway is unique and planned by our loving God.  We were challenged to evaluate our course and then press on!

All the ladies that went got specific needs met through God’s Word as Barb shared her heart.  As she spoke, she used phrases that were insightful.  Here’s a sampling of quotes: