This is a re-posting of one of my favorite stories!  

January is always a special time for me. It holds the memory of the first date I had with my husband in 1980. It still amazes me how the Lord brought us together. Dale had been dating someone very seriously and I had been dating someone as well. Dale and I had been friends, but nothing more. On the same day, we each broke off our current relationships.

I was teaching school at the church where his father pastored and the Christmas break was over, yet he was still home from college. I was in the hallway with my first graders. Dale and I chatted, sharing with one another the break-offs. He invited me to go out and go bowling that night “just for fun.” What did I have to lose? We’d been good friends, and we both needed to get our minds on something else! We did go out that night and had a great time together. I was blown over at his kindness, his “gentlemanly” courtesies, and the way he treated me with such thoughtfulness. I was not in love, of course, but I had experienced a date with a man’s man that knew how to treat a girl and I was impressed!

Of course, that was only the beginning, and the Lord knit our hearts together in a sweet love that led us to marriage in June of 1981. Only the Lord could have orchestrated bringing us together at that time. It was a sweet love story that continues to today, for which I am so thankful.

I was reading in Genesis recently.  I came to the second chapter where God created Eve for Adam. It says in verse 22 “And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man.” Adam didn’t have to do anything. Eve didn’t have to do anything. God brought her to Adam. God did that for me when He brought Dale into my life. If you’re married, I trust this is your testimony too.

If you’re still single, be comforted by the fact that God continues to bring couples together in this fashion. He doesn’t need our help. He can bring two people together from the opposite ends of the earth. Single girls need to understand that they don’t need to act flirtatious, put themselves in a place where single men are hanging out, or let everyone know they’re available. If you believe in the sovereignty of God, you can trust Him to bring to you the one that He has created for you to marry. Today simply be where God wants you in His will. continue to serve Him and be faithful in living for Him. In His timing and in His perfect way, He can bring the right one into your life. You trusted Him for salvation, trust Him for the details of your life too!

How about it, ladies; how did you see the Lord bring your husband into your life?

With love,

Last Thursday I got busy in the kitchen and got several meals made at one time.  In four hours time, I had a pot pie, a pan of enchiladas and Sloppy Joe mixture all in the freezer for later use.  What a great feeling of accomplishment!  You see, I knew the weekend was going to be very busy, so I wanted to get things made ahead of time.  I would rather enjoy my company and family than be spending every minute in meal preparation when they’re here.  

There are lots of great ideas on Pinterest for freezer cooking, but even if you don’t spend the day filling your freezer, there are still ways to get ahead of the game.  If you’re going to brown a pound of hamburger, go ahead and do two pounds and freezer the other for tacos, spaghetti sauce or sloppy Joes.  When roasting chicken breasts, do a couple extra, then dice them up for pot pies, enchiladas, or any other dish that requires cooked chicken.  

I had a little extra pot pie filling, so I poured it into a freezer bag and froze it flat so I can pour it over homemade biscuits for a quick supper meal.  I also had extra enchilada sauce.  It is also in the freezer for the next time I make Mexican food.  

Now, for my Sunday dinner. . .
Here’s my Enchilada recipe from Pioneer Woman.  It was really fast to make, and this kind of dish freezers really well.  So, even if you don’t need it the next day, if you have time, make it early and pop it into your freezer a few days or a couple weeks ahead!  You’ll be ready for supper in no time on a busy day or weekend!

Simple Perfect Enchiladas

Ingredients
Sauce:
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
One 28-ounce can enchilada or Mexican red sauce
2 cups chicken broth – (I only added about 1 cup, per the comments on the recipe)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Meat:
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
The Rest:
Canola oil, for frying
10 to 14 corn tortillas
Two 4-ounce cans diced green chilies
1 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup chopped black olives
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
Cilantro, for garnish

Directions
For the sauce:

In a saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the canola oil and flour. Whisk together and allow to bubble for 1 minute. Pour in the red sauce, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer while you prepare the other ingredients.

For the meat:

While the sauce is simmering, brown the ground beef with the onions in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the fat, add the salt and stir to combine. Turn off the heat and set aside.

For the rest:

In a small skillet over medium heat, heat some canola oil. Lightly fry the tortillas just until soft. Do not crisp. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat until all the tortillas have been fried. (I skip this part!)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread 1/2 cup of the sauce in the bottom of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Next, one at a time, dip each tortilla into the sauce. Set the sauce-soaked tortilla on a plate. Place on some of the meat mixture, chilies, green onions and black olives. Top with a generous portion of grated Cheddar. Roll up the tortilla to contain the filling inside.

Place the tortilla seam side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas and pour the remaining sauce over the top. End with a generous sprinkling of cheese and any other bits of chiles, green onions or olives you have left over from the filling.

Bake the enchiladas for 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Sprinkle chopped cilantro over the top and serve.

I had about a cup of the sauce left over.  Rather than pouring over the dish and risking them getting soggy, I saved it for another time.

That’s what was cooking at my house.  What did you fix for dinner yesterday?

With love from my country kitchen,

Recently my husband came across a great find at the bookstore.  It was called Our Q&A a Day.  This is a 3-year journal for couples.  It asks questions like, “What famous couple would you like to go on a double date with?” Or “What new resolution have you stuck with so far this year?”.  There’s a place on each page for you to answer that question this year and the next two successive years.

We’ve made supper our time to write in our book, and have thoroughly enjoyed the discussion it has created.  It will be a good journal of our relationship over the next several years as we read what we wrote in the earlier years, and where we are today.

This is a great tool to refresh your marriage – and who doesn’t need that?  We all need to keep growing in our relationships!  I found the book on Amazon here, some as inexpensive as $9.  This might make a great Valentine’s Day gift!  Or you could make your own kind of journal, using an empty notebook and creating questions together.

My husband reminded a small group that he’s teaching about communication in marriage, that God communicated with us His love for us and put it in words – 66 books called the Bible.  God knows that we need communication in our marriages too.  A little book like this is just a simple way to help boost the conversation and intimacy created by sharing your heart.

How do you stay connected in communication with your spouse?

See you in church!

Be refreshed,

This is my verse for 2014. Recently I’ve meditated on “None of these things move me…”

What are the “these things?” The are the hard circumstances in my life; the hurts, the injuries that touch my pride. All the events under the category of “how could they treat me like that?” Or “That isn’t right/fair.” The times when my flesh wants to jump up and defend itself is a situation that tempts me to be moved. However, if I’m to finish my course with joy, then this will not move me. No, it won’t move me to react, defend, get bitter, quit or lash back.

I must stay steady. Resting. Trusting an almighty, sovereign God to take care of the person or the trial that He has allowed to sear my heart in two. His Son was not moved when He was mistreated. He kept His eyes on His mission – the cross. How thankful I am that He wasn’t moved to quit His purpose.

My hurting heart says, “Yes, Lord. I’ll stay on course, too, that I may finish what you’ve called me here to do. And I’ll finish with joy. Joy because this makes me more like You. It reveals your glory when I respond to this hard thing with joy.

Instead, draw me nearer, nearer, nearer blessed Lord, to Thy precious bleeding side.

Do you need to stop and ask the Lord to help you not to be moved by the “these things” in your life? He will help you. You, too, can finish instead with joy!

Resting,

Decorating a home is really a continual process. There is always some fluffing, adding and rearranging that needs to be done. Then each season brings about different decor as well. I knew my family room needed a large clock over the cedar chest/bench, but I couldn’t find just what I was looking for. I wouldn’t buy until I found the perfect size and color. Also, I needed curtains for the double window, but didn’t want to settle for just anything. Then I took a trip to Kingsport. . .and look what I found!

The clock was on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $20! The light blue chevron curtains were also found at HobLob for half price! LOVE that store! When I saw both of these items, I knew immediately that they were perfect. I love it when that happens!

Thought you might like a peek! Thanks for stopping by!

Are there certain home decor items that you’re looking for? Keep a list in your purse or on your phone with dimensions, window width, etc. You never know when you’ll find that perfect item!

From my country porch,