Worry, Worry, Worry

July 25, 2018 RefreshHer6 Comments

chalkboard verse a

There are some mornings that I am up doing my usual routine and there’s a gentle nagging inside. It isn’t always recognizable, but it causes me to be uneasy, even grouchy – not a pretty thing by any means!

When my girls were small we listened to LOTS of Patch the Pirate music. There was one song called, The Worry Warthog. The chorus says,

“Yes I’m a worry warthog, I worry every day. I worry, worry, all my time away. And if you want to look like me just fear and fret and snort, and very soon you’ll wake up with a great big worry wart!”

This described me recently. I’m not sure what it was that was nagging at me, but I got my coffee and headed with my Bible to my quiet place. I was currently doing a Bible study on having a peaceful heart (no coincidence!).

The Bible study book had me read passages about times when Jesus was in a stormy time like ~

the death of Lazarus
the betrayal of Judas
praying in agony in the Garden of Gethsemane
His arrest leading to His death on the cross.

As I read these passages it was brought to my attention that Jesus had been sorrowful, in tears, and in agony of spirit. None of these responses to His storms were sinful. The author reminded its readers that it’s okay to feel troubled about situations we’re in. However, if that troubled feeling is worry that is a sin.

How do we know if it’s worry that we’re experiencing and not one of the other emotions previously mentioned? She made it very clear –

“Disciplined thought moves in a straight line through a tangle of difficulties to possible solutions. Worry is a swirling tornado of thoughts centered on a fear. They repeat themselves over and over, making you dizzy but accomplishing nothing else. When fretful thoughts begin to sound familiar, that’s worry.”

When I read that, suddenly the Holy Spirit put His finger on that uneasiness in my heart – it was worry. My husband and I had been discussing something the day before that had my heart fretful and worrisome. One of the passages I studied that morning was Matthew 6:24-33 reminding me of God’s great care for His creation. What peace this brought to my heart. Yes, I can trust God to care for our needs; He is faithful. When I don’t believe this truth I John 5:10 says that I am actually calling God a liar! I asked the Lord to forgive me for worrying about this and gave it to Him that morning. I will believe and not doubt.

Gone was the irritating uneasiness and it was replaced by His sweet peace.

Is there something in your life today that has your thoughts twirling like a tornado – doing only damage? God cannot lie (Titus 1:2) and He will provide for you whatever it is you’re in need of today – strength, wisdom, provisions, faith, grace. It’s readily available in vast supply!

If you’re wondering if my grouchiness left too – it sure it did. You can’t be a grouch when you’re back in fellowship with the Lord!

Give your “tornado thoughts” to the Lord, believe His Word, and enjoy the peace that will take its place!

Denise

Brunch · entertaining · Hostess Goals · organization · Time management · Uncategorized

Tips For Hosting a Stress-Free Shower

July 23, 2018July 23, 2018 RefreshHerLeave a comment

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I love hosting showers! Babies and weddings are just fun events to celebrate! They are both gifts from God, and that alone makes them special! This past Saturday I had the blessing of having a wedding shower in my home for a sweet young woman who has been a part of my Adult Bible Fellowship this year. I had so much fun coming up with a menu and decorations to help her celebrate her upcoming fall wedding!

I thought I’d show you how I plan and work ahead of time to keep things from being too stressful the morning of the shower.

Decide on a menu – I went with brunch and served:
Egg and Sausage sliders
Strawberry White Chocolate Scones –
Crackers with Cheese Dip
Fresh Fruit & Dip (Provided by a friend)
Cappuccino Punch/Coffee/Water
These are wonderful!!!

Decide on a color scheme – I used pink and deep maroon flowers, the colors of the bride’s wedding.
Begin to decorate the week before. Here are some things I had done before Friday~
Flower arrangements
Mantle decorated
Sketched on my chalkboards
Make/prep whatever food you can ahead of time. My do-ahead’s included:
Cooking the sausage for the sandwiches
Cutting strawberries for the scones
Putting all the dry ingredients for the scones in Ziploc bags, ready to mix
Get out all the dishes/platters you’ll need ahead of time. The night before set the tables, label platters and places where the food will be placed. I use sticky notes on the platters telling what food goes there. Then the day of the shower, if someone wants to help, they know where to put things. or if I’m working alone, that keeps me from getting frazzled!
Cute chalkboard labels are great to label food platters
Get the pitchers, utensils, plates and napkins ready.
The day of the shower, try to have the food ready for the oven, or finished, if possible 30-60 minutes before your guests arrive. Then you can have the kitchen clean and you’ll be ready to greet your friends as they come.
Also, accept help if others offer! A friend from church did the fruit and the punch. My daughter came an hour early and helped me finish plating food. Oh,and having a husband who is so wonderful to do dishes is a super-duper blessing!!!!

Working ahead is the best way to keep from being stressed. A relaxed hostess can make her guests feel welcome because she really will be glad they came!

Happy showering!

With love from my country kitchen,

Denise Signature 150 px

home · hospitality · refreshment at home · summertime · Uncategorized

Full Home ~ Full Heart

July 20, 2018July 20, 2018 RefreshHer4 Comments

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This has been a full summer, and I’m not necessarily talking about how busy it’s been. I’m referring to the fullness in my home and my heart. You see, we have had the joy of hosting many people here. We have had our church family here in small and large groups. We hosted prayer meeting, after service fellowship, children’s Bible Club and women’s Bible study. I’ll share the events via some pictures and explanations.

Continue reading “Full Home ~ Full Heart” →

Biblical Womanhood · Church · expectations

What Are You Looking For At Church?

July 18, 2018July 18, 2018 RefreshHer10 Comments

Your Church.jpg

My love-hate relationship with Walmart started after a couple of “bad experiences.” Irritable employees, obnoxious stock carts blocking the aisles, and a failure to meet what I thought they should do for their customers led me to constantly be frustrated when I endeavored to shop! Each time I went it was almost as though I went looking for the irritants that just didn’t meet my standard for a pleasant shopping experience. Guess what? When I went looking for those things, I always found them! I’d point the accusing finger and say,

“See?!!! There they are doing it again!!!”

All this eventually caused me to leave Walmart for good and find another grocery store where I could shop and love it!

My grocery shopping experience/expectations can be a good illustration for our churches, too. Continue reading “What Are You Looking For At Church?” →

Dinner · dinner in 30 minutes · Fast meal · grilling

Grilled Hobo Packets

July 16, 2018 RefreshHerLeave a comment

A favorite summer meal of mine is cooked on the grill, but doesn’t require constant attention, which is great on these hot July days!

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These Hobo Packets are easy to assemble and don’t take long to cook. This is another great 30-minute supper! Hobo Packets are simple a foil pouch filled with kielbasa, potatoes, onions and peppers. They are seasoned and then rolled up to cook on the grill. The grill gives everything a great flavor and you’re not heating up the kitchen!

There are a few key instructions to ensure the cook evenly without burning.

First, use heavy-duty foil. Then spray the foil with a cooking spray.
Another important reminder is to slice the potatoes thinly, so they will cook in the same amount of time as the kielbasa and vegetables.

You could vary the ingredients in the packets. I’ve added corn on the cob, cut into small pieces, and that is a delicious addition! Get creative and enjoy a great meal cooked in individual portions outside on the grill!

Here are a couple video clips that may help:

Hobo Packets

1 package Turkey Kielbasa, chopped into pieces
2-3 potoates, any variety, sliced into eighths
½ Red Onion
Yellow and red peppers, sliced
Salt, pepper
Olive oil

This will make two hearty portions, or you could use less meat in each packet and make four servings, adding more vegetables.

Spray 2-4 sheets of foil with cooking spray. Layer Kielbasa and vegetables on foil. Add salt and pepper over top, sprinkle with Olive oil. Fold foil over and secure sides. Place on the grill over medium high heat. Turn a quarter turn every ten minutes. At the end of 30 minutes, test the potatoes for doneness.

Open packets onto plates and enjoy!

Hobo packets 1

I served my packets with a cucumber salad, which is also a refreshing summer salad. Here’s how I make it:

Cucumber Salad

Cucumbers, diced into bite-size pieces
Chopped chives or green onions, chopped
Salt & Pepper
Sour Cream

Add cucumbers, chives and salt and pepper. Add enough sour cream to cover cucumbers. The moisture from the cucumber will thin out the sour cream, so start by adding a small amount and add more if needed.

Hobo Packets 2