What about your little nest?  Are the eggs (your children) under your watchful eye, your listening ear, your teaching tongue?  They will do best that have their momma there to love and care for them, rather than frequently flying to be somewhere else. Even if you have your children with you, if you’re constantly on the run, it makes teaching much more difficult.  A nest is a secure place in which to consistently gather your brood.  Don’t abandon the nest; it’s God’s gift.   It’s a thought to ponder.

With love,

I love little children, and I enjoy having families of young children over for dinner.  We had the joy of having a young family over yesterday that have two adorable little girls.  I wanted to please their young palettes too, so I tried to plan my menu with thoughts of what children like.  It’s hard enough for children to be the  guests in someone’s home without having to eat something weird, you know?  So, especially for the sake of the girls, I tried to stick to basics – chicken, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob.  Simple flavors for young taste buds.

I also try to have a place for the children to sit where they feel comfortable.  I remember how tense I felt when my girls were small and someone had us over and would seat the girls at a table with beautiful linens or pricey dishware.  It made me so on edge.  I want the children to enjoy the meal and I want the parents to relax too.  If something spills, it’s okay.  Pulling out some toys or other items they can play with after the meal will allow their mom and dad to be able to visit leisurely. ( I just realized how much like a grandmother I sound! ) 

I made my old favorite – Katie Brown Chicken.  We tend to have more repeats for Sunday dinner than we do for weekday meals.  One reason is that not everything can be left to cook while you’re at church, and it takes too long to cook some foods once you get home.  The meal I fixed yesterday can be ready almost within minutes of walking in the door.  That’s always a good thing for hungry adults and hungry children!

Ina Garten says to try to have a great dessert, because that’s what everyone remembers!  I made a peach cobbler, but for my young guests, I had ice cream cones.  They were sweet young guests, offering plenty of thanks.  Their mom and dad have taught them well!

Here was my whole simple Sunday menu:

I hadn’t made a peach cobbler in a long time, but since this is peach season and I had gotten some perfect peaches, I made up a recipe from Southern Living.

2-crust pie crust

I used my standard recipe – 2 C flour, 1 tsp salt, 3/4 C Crisco, ice water.
4 cups peaches
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C cornstarch
1/2 C water
2 T butter or margarine, melted
1 large egg
2 T milk
1 T sugar

If you boil the peaches for 30 seconds, the skins will slide right off

Peaches with sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, water and butter added.



Messy, but homemade!





Jamaican Banana Bread

2 T butter or margarine, softened
2 T 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/4 tsp imitation rum extract
1/2 tsp grated lime rind
2 tsp lime juice
 1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1/4 cup flaked sweetened coconut
Cooking Spray

Topping:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp butter or margarine
2 tsp lime juice
1/8 tsp imitation rum extract
2 T chopped pecans, toasted
2 T flaked sweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2.  To prepare bread, beat 2 T butter and cheese at medium speed of mixer; add granulated sugar, beating well.  Add egg; beat well.
3.  Combine flour, baking powder baking soda, and salt.  Combine banana and the next 5 ingredients.  Add flour mixture to creamed mixture alternately with banana mixture,beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix after each addition.  Stir in pecans and 1/4 cup coconut.
4.  Pour batter in an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour (mine only needed 45 minutes).  Cool in pan 10 minutes, and remove from pan.  Cool slightly on a wire rack.
5.  To prepare topping, combine brown sugar and 2 tsp each butter and lime juice and 1/8 tsp extract in a saucepan; bring to a simmer.  Cook 1 minute,stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.  Stir in 2 T pecans and coconut; spoon over loaf.

If that recipe doesn’t suit your fancy, here’s another one from Cooking Light that we LOVE.  You can’t go wrong mixing chocolate and bananas, so you know that Marbled-Chocolate Banana Bread will be yummy!  Go here to find the simple recipe. 

I’m not really a big eater – unless one of the foods offered is POPCORN.  This is my favorite snack, though I don’t let myself eat it very often because of my piggishness love for it.  I found a recipe to update the old standard buttery snack.  The recipe is called  Sweet and Salty Popcorn.  It’s lighter in fat and calories than caramel corn, but still really good!  It was very simple to make.  Here are the steps and instructions:

Pop popcorn to make 10 cups.  I pour popcorn into a Corningware bowl, covering the bottom of the bowl with the kernels, cover it with a lid and microwave for 3 minutes – no oil or butter.

Whisk together, then microwave for 45 seconds, or until bubbly.  Place popcorn on a baking sheet that’s been sprayed with cooking spray, then pour the sauce over popcorn.  Toss to cover.  Bake at 250 degrees 25-30 minutes, or until crunchy.  (It will get crunchier as it cools)

I made paper holders and served it to company that came over.  Fyi, I sprinkled salt into the bag of popcorn after it was cooled.  I thought it needed a little more of the salty taste. 

Hope you enjoy these new takes on some old favorites!

See you in church Sunday!

With love,

I remember sitting in school and doodling in my notebook.  Mostly I doodled my name.  I liked practicing writing the “D”.  I’d make it fancy with a curl at the top that would then swoop down over the rest of the letters of my name like a jet leaving its mark on the sky.  I liked seeing my name written down.

You’ll be happy to know I’ve grown out of that level of immaturity and attention span, but you know what? I still love being reminded that my name is written down. This week I read in John 10:19,20 this wonderful truth that Jesus told his disciples.

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.

So the disciples names got their names written in heaven!   In Philippians 4:3 we read Paul telling about a lady named Clement who also had her name in the book of life, as well as other fellow-laborers.

How does one go about getting their name written in the book in heaven? It’s those who have received life in Christ that have their name in the book of life. John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. It’s not the popular, the elite or the well-respected, but those that have life in Christ that get their name written down. By this truth we know that the disciples had each placed their faith in Christ, and so did Clement, and the others that labored with Paul.

Why would we rejoice in the truth that are names are in the Book of Life? Because Revelation 20:15 warns: And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. Friends, that will not include me or anyone else who has trusted Christ. That is reason for rejoicing! My name is written down and I am secure in Christ!

I have two questions for you:

1. 

2.  If your name is written in the Book of Life, when was the last time you rejoiced and thanked the Lord for that truth?
Because I care,

Have you ever wondered what your pastor and his wife do all week? Whether your pastor is my husband, or you are under the care of another shepherd, the same will be true for most every pastor.  Lean in a little and we’ll peek inside the window  for a little glimpse into the lives of a pastor’s family. 

It’s Monday morning and the alarm on my husband’s phone does its little beeping thing, interrupting our sleep and announcing that another week of ministry in the parsonage has begun.  For us, a week of ministry begins on Monday.  Monday is typically our day off, but even though our bodies might not be engaged in ministry, our minds are thinking ahead to what’s coming up this week.  We’re thinking of who we’ll be meeting with, sermons or lessons that need to be studied, contacts that need to be followed up on, agendas that need to be planned, calls or visits that need to be made, notes that need to be sent, or meals that need to be prepared. 

Along with services and planned ministries in a week there are also calls from hurting sheep that need encouragement, the sick sheep that need a visit, the wandering sheep that need a nudge, and the lost sheep that need the Gospel. The Lord brings these dear folks to our hearts too and allows us the privilege of caring for them.

The week is often full – full of ministry – and full of blessings as we look to the Lord as to what needs to be accomplished each day. To be honest, occasionally it’s overwhelming, but that’s often when we’ve added things to our schedule that the Lord didn’t plan for us. Or if I’m walking in my flesh instead of the Spirit, it’s easy to be stressed out. Stress isn’t God’s plan; it’s a tool of the flesh and I also think it’s a tool the devil uses to defeat us.

No one can do what the Lord calls them to do in their flesh.  We need His help every single day.  We need the prayers of others.  So with that little peek into our window, here’s a list of things that you can pray for me and my husband or any pastor and his family.  Pray for:

• Time to study and be sufficiently prepared to handle the Word of God on Sunday
• Personal time in the Word so they’ll stay fresh and have an intimate walk with the Lord
• A vibrant prayer life
• Wisdom to make choices about what burdens need their attention today
• Wisdom to apply the Word of God in counseling situations
• Strength for each day
• Love for the sheep
• A heart of hospitality
• Protection of their marriage
• Family time
• Protection of their children
• Encouragement

We say with Paul,