Things stay so busy in the parsonage.  There are always pressing needs and concerns.  There are church members to care for, our own family’s needs, housework, studying, planning, and preparing for upcoming events.   It can be overwhelming at times, but it’s then that we know we just need a little time away from Johnson City. My husband will pry my fingers loose of all that I’m involved in and make plans for us to go do something together.

We had the blessing of going to Pigeon Forge yesterday to tour the Titanic Museum with a group from our church.  That is an incredible outing!  When we arrived, we were each assigned the name and identity of one of the passengers of the ship.  I was Edwina (Winnie) Troutt.  She was a 27 year-old woman on her way from England to Massachusetts to visit her sister.  At the time of the ship’s sinking, a man handed her a baby to take with her on the life boat!  She was saved from drowning in the icy waters and lived to be 100.  Whew!  Glad I she made it!

Walking through the museum and learning the history of the building of the Titanic, of its crew and passengers, and of its claim to be “unsinkable”  was a stern reminder that life is fragile.  There is a day that all of us will come to the end of life here and will be faced with eternity.  How will we spend the last day the Lord gives us?  It was a challenge to my heart.  Maybe all that “stuff” that I was so concerned about isn’t so critical!  We need to each live today to the fullest – first for the Lord, and then with those that we love.  We won’t have them forever.

The group all enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Pottery House Cafe’ afterwards.  This is one of our favorite places in Pigeon Forge.  The setting is so pretty and the food is really good.  If you have the chance to visit Gatlinburg, you need to stop off at The Old Mill area and eat at Pottery House!

I’m thankful for a husband who makes me take a break every now and then.  This time away was refreshing, enlightening and fun!

What do you do when things get stressful?

From the parsonage windows,

P.S. Today’s house cleaning challenge is to clean things that are repeatedly handled – switch plates, door knobs, etc.  Get out the Lysol and make it sparkly and germ-free!

Deep cleaning the bathroom(s) was today’s challenge.  I did it!  I have a couple other projects I want to do in there, like wash the shower curtain, but the bathrooms are clean.

I got a new welcome mat last Saturday at a sweet little shop we love in Erwin.  I usually get a new one each spring, due to the winter weather fading and wearing out the current rug.  It looks old and tired (like its owner!) by the time April rolls around.  I look at it and think, “Time to replace it!”  My new one is perky and pretty and, well, Welcoming!  I want people to come to my front door and be greeted with something fresh that will let them know we’re glad they’re here, rather than wonder if anyone still lives at this residence!

On Sunday my husband preached from I Thessalonians 1:6 – And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost.  He explained that the word received means to roll out the welcome mat.  That was their response to the Word of God!

As I sat there and listened to him, I thought of my new welcome mat on my front porch.  I got a new one because the old one was faded and worn and not too welcoming.  Do you ever sense that your approach to God’s Word looks the same as my old mat did?  We need a new approach to studying and Scripture memory.

I remember several years ago when I began to pray regularly for the Lord to give me a greater love for His Word.  You know what?  If you ask Him to do that, He will!  He gave me a new, fresh look and love for His Word.  Now when I go to my time in the Scriptures it is rich and sweet instead of an obligation.  My heart welcomes it!  Does that mean I don’t have to fight the enemy and my own flesh for that time, or that Scripture memory just comes easily?  NO.  It means that when I obey and endure, I find the joy that accompanies it.  The psalmist put it this way: How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 

Do you need to pray for a new love for God’s Word – a new Welcome Mat that you can roll out? God will hear and will answer that prayer!

Have you committed any Scripture to memory this week?  I’d love to know what you’re working on!

With love,

Money Saving Mom‘s challenge for today is to surface clean the living room and kitchen.  I got home from church last night before my husband, so I dove in.  Things were still kind of in disarray from Sunday dinner and guests, so I thought I’d take care of it then.

Yep, it was 9:51 p.m. – this is not like me, folks! The sugar in the pie must have kicked in!

You might think, “Well, there’s not much to clean; the house is pretty much in order.”  That’s the whole point.  If you stay on top of it and do the surface cleaning regularly and then deep clean in-between, it makes it so much simpler to keep on top of things.  There’s nothing worse than feeling so overwhelmed  that you don’t know where to get started.  If you follow this plan, it will get you on course and keep you there!

Did you take the challenge today?  How’s it looking at your house?  You could start today!

With love,

The flowers were a lovely hostess gift from my thoughtful daughter!

The chicken can be made ahead of time, which makes it a great Sunday dish.  I just use the timer on my oven and get the oven hot so I can pop the dish back into the oven to crisp up when I return from church.  That creamy cheese in the middle of the chicken makes it so moist and flavorful!  This is a special company dish!  They’ll think you really fussed, but it’s a simple recipe to put together!

Herbed Chicken Breasts

6 pieces Boneless chicken breasts
1/4 tsp parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme – (I like to use a little more than that)
1 Tbl. lime juice
8 oz pkg. cream cheese
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs (I use Panko)
1/2 stick margarine
2 Tbl. olive oil
1 beaten egg and 1 tbl milk added
1 tsp salt

1.  Cut pocket in boneless chicken breasts. (If the breasts are thin, I put the cheese in the center and roll them up, then secure with a toothpick.) Add herbs to cream cheese and blend in lime juice.  Put cheese mixture into each pocket of chicken breasts.  Dip each piece in egg wash, then roll in soft bread crumbs.  Lightly salt.  Brown each breast in skillet with melted margarine and oil until nicely browned on both sides.  

2.  Transfer to baking sheet and bake 40 to 45 minutes in moderate oven – 350 degrees.

To make this dish for Sunday dinner, I do all of #1 on Saturday night.  On Sunday morning I bake the chicken and let cool a bit, then return it to the fridge.  I put it back in the oven to reheat, (uncovered) when I return home from church.

Our first fresh Strawberry Pie of the season.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Here’s my recipe for this wonderful dessert…

Strawberry Pie
1 Cup sugar
3 1/2 Tbl. Cornstarch
2 Tbl White Karo Syrup
1 cup water

Bring to a boil and cook until thickened (Stir constantly). Remove from heat.
Add 2 heaping Tbl. Strawberry Jello.  Stir.  Add 1 quart fresh diced strawberries.  Pour into a baked pie shell.  Chill until set.

I love using my good dishes and silverware on Sunday.  I do it just to make the meal more special for those I have in.  They are worth it!  So is my family, and so is yours.  I hope you pull out “the good stuff” frequently and use it!  Sure it will get chips from use, but it sure is better than storing it in a china cabinet untouched!

Do you use your good china?  When?

With love from my parsonage kitchen,