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Tell the Next Generation

On Sunday I was standing in the choir loft at church while all the congregation was doing one thing that I love ~ reading Scripture together.  The passage on the screen was Psalm 145.  As one voice, we read the passage.  When we got to verse four, it was as though the brakes were hit and everything came to a halt.  The rest of the congregation read on, but my mind was mulling over one phrase:

One generation shall praise thy works to another…

The thought the Lord brought to my mind as I read that was, “That is mentoring and discipleship!”  One generation should tell the next

what God has done,

how He has answered prayer,

how He guides,

how He loves,

how His Word has the answer for all their questions.

The whole chapter tells all the mighty acts of the Lord that the psalmist was going to share.  You and I have our own “chapter” of what God has done for us!  The question is, Who are we telling? Am I praising and sharing God’s goodness?  I don’t know about you, but for me it’s easier to complain.  Griping comes natural to my sinful heart.  I get forgetful of all the wonderful acts the Lord has done on my behalf.  I worry about me instead of pouring into another person. When I focus on me and my gripes, I’m not praising the Lord.  In short, I’m not obeying this passage!

Do you have a younger person (or persons) with whom you are regularly sharing what God is doing or has done in your life?  If we’re keeping it to ourselves we’re not only disobeying, but we’re also missing out on the joy of encouraging them!  How might you and I go about telling others?

  • Share these blessing in a brief sentence on your Facebook status (Sure beats griping about the weather or the pokey driver on the interstate!).
  • Give a testimony at your church.  Don’t worry about tripping over your words or saying the “wrong thing.”  Give God the glory; that’s always the right thing!
  • Call a young friend who might be struggling in the area that God has worked in your life and share what He’s done so that He would be glorified and they would be encouraged!
  • When someone asks you “How are you?”  Tell them how wonderfully good the Lord has been!  They asked, so tell them!
  • Instagram a picture that would represent your answer!

“One generation will praise they works to another.”  Will you?

Lovingly,

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Freshen Up Friday

It wasn’t until a few years ago at my friend’s house that I tasted a Pomegranate. Seriously, where have these little guys been all my life?  Not only are they delicious, they’re really good for you!  It has little seeds that are full of juice.  Only the seeds and juice are edible, but they are full of flavor and the seeds have a nice little crunch. With all the other fruit I’ve been buying at Aldi’s recently, Pomegranates have been a major score at a little under a dollar.

They might look a little intimidating to peel, but they’re very easy to open up.  You don’t peel it like an orange or cut it like an apple – you do a little of both.

  1. Cut around the top and kind of “scalp” it so that the lid of the fruit lifts off.
  2. Score down, from top to bottom, where you see the six sections
  3. Pop one section off at a time.  The seeds will come right out.  Repeat on all the other sections.

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What a nice addition this is to a daily fruit intake!

  • Put in Vanilla  yogurt
  • Add it to fruit salad
  • Top your hot oatmeal
  • Make juice with it
  • Sprinkle some over your salad
  • Add it to a smoothie
  • Put on Top of Vanilla ice cream
  • Eat it right from the fruit!

Freshen up your Friday with a yummy Pomegranate!  It’s even the right color for this Valentine weekend!

Do you eat Pomegranate?  How do you eat it?

Stay refreshed,

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A Peek From My Porch

Grace For Every Step

A Peek into my life this week

As a pastor’s wife I am blessed to serve alongside my husband as he lives out his call as a shepherd.  Sometimes that means waiting at home while he is gone on ministry calls.  Other times I’m blessed to be with him and help in that shepherding.  Such has been the case this week.

As he ministered to folks this week at a funeral, a burial, a surgery, and in the hospital waiting room, I had a “front row seat” to watch believers live out the message that he preached on Sunday.  Part of the message text was

John 1:16 ~ And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.

My husband demonstrated as he walked that God gives grace for this step, and then the next step and the next.  That is the grace, upon grace, upon grace.

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When you come alongside folks who are grieving, and others who are awaiting an uncertain diagnosis afterward surgery, and you see the peace of God rule in their hearts giving victory over the rush of emotions, you know you are witnessing grace upon grace.

When you can hear quiet laughter even while tears are fresh on bereaved cheeks, you understand that here, too, is the grace upon grace.

While it’s difficult to see folks suffering, it was a blessing to watch that grace being lived out in their lives.  That same grace is also evident as I watch my shepherd-husband care for his hurting sheep and minister to them in their trials.

I don’t know what you’re facing today, but the Shepherd of your soul does, and He will give to you the grace needed for the next move you need to take…and the next…and the next.  Grace upon grace upon grace.  Look for it, and rejoice in its sufficiency for each step.

How have you seen God’s grace demonstrated recently?

Stay refreshed in your walk.

With love,

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Welcome!

Hello Friends!  Thanks for navigating over to the new site for my blog!  I appreciate you stopping by to see my new blog home!  Consider this my “Open House,” full of open doors, warm welcomes, flowers, cookies, punch, and a special surprise!

First, I hope you’ll take a few minutes to take a look around.  On the left side bar you’ll see a list of four different pages that will take you to different places on my blog.  

First, you’ll see Home.  You can always come back to this front page by hitting that Home Widget.

You’ll find a new little bio at the ~Meet Denise.  It tells you about me ~ my simple little life, my loves and some of the quirky things that make me me!  

Next is my Mission.  This is simply the reason behind why I’m writing this blog in the first place!  I want you to know my purpose and my heart ~ you’ll find that there.

Lastly is a huge page full of all my Recipes.  I’m continually adding to this and trying to make sure that all the recipes I post on Monday’s are indexed here so you can find them quickly.  These are all recipes that I have made, so I can tell you how I tweaked it or changed it to make it easier or a little better.  I hope you’ll use this to add some new foods to your table.  If you’re in a rut or need an idea for your weekly menu, I trust you’ll find some inspiration here!

These next paragraphs are for those of you who might not understand all the rest of what’s on the sidebar.  If you’re knowledgeable about all this, please skip on down to the next pink paragraph!

Below the pages list, you’ll see the Search box where you can, well, search a word to find a blog post that would cover that subject. All my posts from my old site are on this new site, so there’s lots of material here!  Therefore, you could search, “Marriage,” “friends,” a recipe name or a million other words, and if a blog post from the last seven years touched on that, it will list all I wrote about that.  Scroll down and see the different posts it lists.

Next is…me, in case you haven’t already seen a bazillion pictures! 

Below my picture is a box that says, “Follow me on Bloglovin‘.”  If you’re not familiar with Bloglovin’, this site allows you to follow your favorite blogs, and it will send you an email whenever they update their site.  You’ll know when a new post is up!  It kind of jogs your mind to check the blog, if you will.  Kind of nice!

My 5 most Recent Posts are listed next.  You can click on any title and it will take you right to that post.

If you want to Follow the Blog via Email, you can do that, too.

Next is a Follow Box.  Why would you follow?  For me, when I see who is following a blog, it kind of tells me whether it’s a site I want to read or not.  You give it validity.  I would love to have more than the One follower I currently have (bless her heart, she joined while I was putting this all together! Thank you).  So, please Follow! =)

Then the last thing on the side bar is the Archives, where you can go to the years past and pull up a month and find a post from that time.  

On each day’s blog post, you’ll see “Leave a reply.”  Hearing from you is a blessing! It helps me to stay connected with you and know better how to serve you as I write.  Share a sentence or two in the box that says, “Enter your comment here.”  If you’re not used to leaving comments, it won’t blow up your computer or give you spam in your email.  Just try it, it’s really simple.  

You’re going to want to leave a reply today because it will enter you into a drawing for a giveaway for a $50 Target gift card!

Yep, just leave a comment today telling me that you have clicked the “Follow” button here on my blog and you’ll be entered in for the Target gift card!  This is simply my way of saying thank you to those who fill read my simple thoughts here!

If you’d like your name in the hat for a second chance to win, make sure you’ve also gone to Facebook and type “RefreshHer” in the search box,  Then “like” my  RefreshHer Facebook page as well.  If you’ve already done that, be sure to tell me that in your comment.

That’s it!  Follow me here and “Like” the Facebook page!  The drawing will end on Saturday night at midnight.  Next Monday I’ll announce the winner!

Thanks for stopping by today to see my new home!  Hope it’s easier to navigate and that you’ll join me here again tomorrow!  I’ll look forward to hearing from you in the comments!

Stay refreshed!

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Enjoying the Little Things

I recently redid the chalkboard drawing on my mantle.  I love it.  Why?  Because the words, “Enjoy the little things” 

serve as a reminder all through the day not to take all the small stuff for granted!  On our birthday, anniversary or Christmas, it’s easy to rejoice in every second of the day, isn’t it?  But on those   ordinary days when the laundry is piled up, the dog gets sick on the carpet, the toilet overflows and you feel like you’re coming down with whatever all the children have, it can be difficult to rejoice in the little things.

What are some of the Little things we need to stop and enjoy?

  1. The sunrise – Stand in awe of its Creator.  Watch it.  Snap a picture and Instagram it so you won’t forget it.
  2. Your Bible – Be thankful for its Author.  Reread that verse that spoke to you just when you needed it.  Make a special note there in your Bible if you haven’t already.
  3. Your mate – Rejoice in his completion. Stop him.  Look at him in the eyes.  Connect early in the day.  Tell him one reason you are thankful for him and one things you’re praying for him today.
  4. Your children – Look at them and smile.  Laugh at their antics instead of scowling.
  5. Your morning coffee or tea – Savor its flavor.  Sip it in a special chair and enjoy the whole cup!
  6. Your home – Indulge in its comforts.  Take a bubble bath or sit in a cozy spot and thank God for this gift.
  7. Your extended family – Connect with their needs.  Send an email or text to tell them you’re thankful for them.
  8. Your friends – Return their care.  Call just because.  Or send over a batch of muffins or a loaf of Banana Bread and a card.
  9. Your talents – Use them.  Sharpen that skill.  Make a card, write a poem, play that instrument, paint a picture…whatever your talent is, enjoy it!
  10. A good book – Read one!  Enjoy a few minutes alone reading a book “just for fun!”
What “little things” will you enjoy today?
 
With love,
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