We had the wonderful privilege of spending the afternoon yesterday touring The Biltmore Estates. If you’ve been, you know how breathtakingly beautiful it is. It is beyond my comprehension that it was a family dwelling. There are 35 bedrooms and 45 bathrooms! That’s a lot of sheets to change and sinks to clean, but of course all the work was done by the 35-50 servants. Its size is mind boggling, its decorations lavish, and its detail staggering!

I said it and I’ve heard others ask the same question – can you imagine living there? Without those ropes that guide guests through the hallways, I can guarantee you I’d get lost going to the kitchen for a late-night snack! They must have had many guests – that I would love. No worry about everyone bumping into each other in the dining area – their dining table seats 150! I might not want to really live there, but I sure enjoy visiting. As a matter of fact, I’d love to see it in each season…sounds like I need a season pass one year. I’ll put that on my prayer requests. 🙂

Most of us will never enjoy extravagant daily living like the that in this life, but my mind certainly went to my heavenly home yesterday as we toured the Biltmore! The Bible says that Jesus has gone to prepare a place for those that have trusted Him as Savior. I have no idea if we’ll each have our own home or mansion, but I know that whatever Jesus provides will be perfect. There will be no renovation needed in 100 years, like the Biltmore has had to have! Nothing will wear out, grow old, or malfunction! We won’t need beds or bedrooms, for we won’t sleep. It will always be light there in that place where the glory of God will light the day. The streets will be gold and the gates’ hinges will be pearls. The neighbors will be perfect too, for each one will no longer have an old sin nature (praise the Lord!). The grass won’t turn brown, the flowers won’t die, and the foundation won’t crack. Its Builder and Maker is the God who loves us and has provided life eternal through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whatever hard thing you going through now, keep your eye towards heaven. Remind yourself that One day those that know Christ will be raptured out of here! As we wait, let’s do as I heard a radio preacher say recently – let’s be real estate agents for heaven! Let’s tell others about an eternal home and make sure they have the assurance that they will be with Christ and live in the place He has prepared for them.

Most of us don’t have a house like The Biltmore, but one day our heavenly home will be far better than even the Vanderbilt’s could’ve imagined. I pray they knew Christ and have gone on to enjoy their heavenly home, but while you and I have the opportunity, we must each accept Christ as Savior and secure the promise that heaven is our home. Are you sure you’re going there when you die? Don’t miss it!

Because I care,

She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens.

I walked into the house yesterday after being gone all morning and was greeted by the aroma of London broil cooking for our supper. As Rachel Ray says, “yummo!” All I needed to do was warm up the rice I’d made, cook the frozen peas, and make a salad, and the meal was ready. I love to have the main course of our supper/dinner well on the way early in the day. I truly feel like I’ve already accomplished much when that part is taken care of!

If you follow my blog with any regularity you know that on Monday I post “What’s Cookin‘ in the Parsonage?” I had someone say to me yesterday, “Okay, but we want to know how you schedule all this, when you get it ready for Sunday, how it all happens.”

So I’ll try to share my simple plan with you. Many of you probably already do all this, but if you need some encouragement and help with getting things ready for dinner, Sunday, or any night of the week, read on.

1. Plan the weekly menu – I sit down on Monday and look at my week and see when we’ll be gone, when I may need a quick-fix meal, when I’m having guests, etc., so I know what is needed for each day.

I even plan out how I can use the leftovers on another night in a creative way. For instance, we had the London broil last night, and later this week I’m using the leftover meat to have beef burritos. This will be one of my quick-fix meals because the meat is already cooked. Last week I roasted a chicken. With the leftovers I made pot pies one night, and then used the last bit of the white meat on my Hawaiian pizza. I like to disguise leftovers!

2. Make out the grocery list – I do this as I plan the meals. I try to use up the things I have on hand. Writing out the grocery list while making up your menu keeps you from buying green beans when you already have three cans in your cupboard, or from neglecting to buy the special ingredient needed for the new dessert you’re going to make.

3. Put the plan into action – Since you know what you’re going to fix all week, you can have the meat thawed in advance, or you can prep the salad ingredients early in the day. I was able to pop the London broil into the crock pot in the morning because I’d thawed it the night before and had all the other ingredients ready to go.

Think ahead. If you need cooked chicken breasts for a pot pie, and you have your oven on to bake or roast something else, go ahead and roast the chicken breasts early. Brown two pounds of hamburger – one for your sloppy joes and keep back one pound for your lasagna.

Because you’ve planned your menu and gotten the groceries for everything you’re making, Sunday dinner should be much easier. Many things can be prepared ahead of time – jello salad, breads and dessert if you work throughout the week.

I found a new web-site that is really helpful. It’s http://allrecipes.com/. If you have an ingredient you want to use, but don’t know a recipe that calls for it, go to the “ingredient” page, type in the ingredient you have and it will bring up recipes for you! I typed in some random things just to see what it would produce, and I found some interesting recipes! You can read the reviews on the recipes which is really helpful. If it has lots of poor reviews I by-pass it! It was here that I found the recipe for my London Broil. I wasn’t sure how to cook it. This recipe had great comments about how tender this is when cooked in the manner they suggested. It was great!

Meal time is an important family time and it takes effort to pull it all together, but the effort is really worth it!

I hope this helps. Are there other questions that have come to your mind? Ask! I’ll be happy to find an answer for you! Or if you have a good tip of something you do, please share it!

There was just no way to deny it – I was discouraged Sunday afternoon. My heart was heavy with the feeling of defeat. The enemy’s jabs were persuasive and I listened. “You’re not even effective in what you’re trying to do in serving God!” “There’s no fruit being borne in this place!” “You’re no good!” “You’re really getting old (and looking it!)” Blah, blah, blah, blah! On and on it went.

I went to choir to sing with no song resonating in my heart. I remember standing to practice and my heart was more on really trying, with the Lord’s help, not to sing right, but just to think right. I knew that I must combat the lies with the Truth. I searched my heart for encouragement in God’s Word. Phil 2:13 – For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. It is not me that does the work, it is the Lord. He will bring fruit in His time. Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. I must remember the blessings of the goodness of the Lord in the past and be reminded of His faithfulness. Prov. 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. The most important part of me is what God sees.

As we entered the evening service, I was feeling much better. During the song service my heart was even more encouraged as we sang “God gives wings as eagles, God gives wings to fly and strength to rise above. God gives wings, God gives wings as eagles. When my feet begin to stumble and my dreams begin to crumble, I mount up on eagles’ wings.”

Two men stood to sing a tenor duet of “Sweet Hour of Prayer.” I was reminded of my quiet place that awaited me. I thought of all the times God had met with me there, and of the sweet, sweet day that’s coming when we will say “farewell, farewell, to that sweet hour of prayer.” We will be in His presence at that time and can talk to Him face to face!

Our youth pastor stood to preach and share his heart and the thought that he said that was a sweet reminder is that we must plant the seed and wait. The flower or bean won’t spring up immediately. I know that, but that’s not what I want! I’m like the little 5 year-old that plants seeds in the garden today and wants to pick the fruit tomorrow! God says, “Wait.” Okay, Lord. I’ll wait.

After the close of the service, a man came to my husband to receive Christ as his Savior. This dear man is a brother to a friend and fellow-church member. Her brother has been prayed for for years! Now he is my brother too – in Christ. Again, my heart rejoiced! Here was fruit!

I came home with the song that had left me, thankful that I went to church, thankful that I have a God who cares for me and will give us a song in the night. To Him be all glory and praise!

What encourages your heart when you’re discouraged?

With love,

Now that we’ve become Empty Nesters, we’ve had to continue to work hard at having time for dates. It’s very easy, since we have so much freedom, to drown ourselves in ministry and not make time for each other. So, one thing I started doing about five weeks ago was having candlelight dinner in the living room. We never eat on the couch, but this is our exception, and it’s become a much anticipated time!

My husband bought me this beautiful candelabra that is so beautiful – especially when the votives are all lit! I pull the living room curtains to make it dark enough so we can fully enjoy the candlelight, and then I turn on some soft music. This time at supper has become a respite at the end of a busy week!

Friday night dinners have been pretty simplistic, but the atmosphere sure helps make it taste like gourmet cooking! Friday night I made a Hawaiian Pizza and salad.

We eat slowly, enjoying the beauty of the room, pleasant music, and quiet conversation. Then we may make a pot of coffee and sit together on the couch a while longer. One night we set the computer on the coffee table and watched Fireproof. (If you haven’t seen it, you must!)

I’d never made this pizza before, but we really loved it! I combined a couple of recipes and came up with my version. Here it is:

Hawaiian Pizza

Refrigerated pizza dough

Sauce for pizza:

1/3 – 1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

juice from a small can of pineapple

1/2 tsp. ginger

Topping for pizza:

1 cup Ham cubes

1 cup cooked chicken, diced

Small can of diced pineapple

Mozzarella cheese

Yellow Onion, sliced

Follow baking directions for pizza dough and bake for nine minutes. Remove from oven and spread some of the sauce over the dough. Place ham, chicken and pineapple on dough. Brush with more of the sauce. Sprinkle with cheese and onion slices. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden.

Remove from oven and serve immediately.

It’s a quick and easy recipe and really good! So you see, even simple foods, when served in a special way can make for sweet times and good memories!

What do you do for date nights? Do you cook at home, or do you prefer to go out?

‘Til next time,