God's Creation

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse."

Romans 1:20 NIV

Memorial Day

I'm an Air Force wife and have been for nearly 8 years. This past year was the first that I truly felt like a military wife. Jeff has been away at different trainings since last September. We saw him for the month of January and a few times here and there, but we have been separated for the better part of a year.

Thankfully Jeff is stateside and I know he is safe. My brother, Dean, on the other hand has been in Iraq since December. He missed his 1st anniversary with his wife, his 21st birthday, and the birth of his son just to name of few things, as he serves our country in the Army. I am so proud of the military men in my life.

Regardless of where troops are serving, stateside or in a war zone, they are ALL HEROES to me.

Please spend this Memorial Day thanking God for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice with their lives and their families. Pray for protection over troops and families across the world.

Kindergarten Graduation

Our little man is a little bigger today! That's right he is a graduate! Goodbye Kinder and here we come First Grade :)

Does he look excited to you? I love how he wears his emotions so openly. He couldn't hide that if he tried.

"Hello my name is L (no he really has a first and last name, but to the www it is L) and when I grow up I want to be an Astronaut."

L getting his diploma. His teacher is an amazing teacher and really blessed L this year. She was a homeschooling mama of 5 until her family needed a second income. So she could relate to all of my fears and anxieties about putting my child in public school when I had so desperately wanted to homeschool him.

L and R! The handsome graduates! R lives a few houses down and is such a sweet boy :)

As this chapter closes we are in prayer about what next year holds for our children.

We know for certain M and J will be home for school.

I am so excited for summer vacation regardless !

You know you are sick when....

- You go to check the load of clothes in the dryer that you "started" 8 hours ago - only to find you only put half the clothes into the dryer, put more dirty clothes on top of the clean clothes, and didn't start either!

- Your 6 year old son offers to wash walls out of the blue to help you feel better faster (not sure how that works - but the boy did a good job :P)

- Nearly every word out of your sweet 4 year old daughters mouth sounds like nails on a chalk board and you wish she had a mute button.

- Your two year morphs into spider man and climbs everything in the house because he doesn't think you can catch him ... he IS wrong!

- The game of the day is doctor.. I'm sorry children there are only so many times a mommy with a raw sore throat can open and close her mouth before she passes out from pain.

- You get chill's in the relaxing hot bath you are taking and then can't get warm again.

- And finally your husband calls and the sound of his breathing on the phone irritates you and hurts your inflamed ears so you are snappy with him - when really you just wish he could come home right now and scoop you up in his arms, carry you to bed, and let you get a full nights sleep while he lays next to you and keeps you safe.

I miss you babe and I'm sorry I was a MEGABEAST today!

Dealing with Name Calling in the Home

Recently my children have discovered the art of speaking nasty or harshly with each other. Sometimes it is not even what they say but the tone they use to say it. So I thought I'd share the solution that seems to smooth over all situations.

For every mean word they used against their sibling they must give 3 things they love about them.

Now my children are still relatively small (6,4, and 2), so when the offended child hears 3 kind things about themself, they can't help but melt and turn into a goofy and lovey sibling. They forgive nearly instantly and almost always that child will even go out of their way to do one of the 3 things their brother/sister said they love about them to make them happy.

"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

Homesteader Cornbread

So I am convinced that many women buy prepackaged foods because they don't realize how little time it takes to prepare something from scratch. I know that was me and cornbread was one of those foods. I used to love to buy the packaged Marie Calendar's, but this is just as good and super easy. Fresh from the oven with no preservatives or added chemicals - yummy, guilt-free and healthful.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cornmeal
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal and milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
2.In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Mix in the cornmeal mixture, eggs and oil until smooth (for fluffier cornbread mix up to five minutes). Pour batter into prepared pan.
3.Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.

*Honey Butter: 1/2 c room temp butter and 1/4 c honey mixed together with a spoon :)

When Jesus Speaks - do I doubt?

This morning I am reading in Matthew again. Lately the red letters in my bible have been speaking to me more than ever before. I had the eyes of my heart opened to the fact that the God of the universe spoke for me to listen, and well I just can't get enough of it.

I'm in chapter 14, John the baptist was beheaded, Jesus just fed 5,000 people and then went up to take time alone to pray. The disciples are out on their boat, in middle of the night in some heavy winds and Jesus heads out on the water to be with them. All stories I've heard at least 100 times. But this morning the read letters spoke to me again.

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear."
But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

This part of the passage makes me think of when I seek the face God in need of answers. Sometimes the wait is long and often the timing God uses to move catches me off guard and I am afraid or unsure. I make up excuses for what is happening and doubt that it is God actually coming to move me in the right direction. So I ask for proof.

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."
"Come," he said.

Peter and I have that in common, I want to know without a doubt that God is calling me to something and I want some huge confirmation. A lot of times in my life Jesus simply says, "Come". That's it - nothing fancy. He's basically saying, "You know me and I know you. You know what I'm capable of and you don't need more from me. Take your step out in faith and move in my direction. I placed that desire in your heart, follow it."

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

The number of times I have done this are too many to count. Jesus calls me, and I go and then the world comes at me. My waves and wind are the opinions of others, self doubt, fear, and the question, "was that really God?". What a foolish girl I am at times.

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.

I don't think Peter and I are alone in this. There have been times when I get right in the middle of what I know God has for me and I lose the vision, the passion, or doubt the authority God has given me to carry out his work. The world rushes at me, sometimes other Christians doubt me, or what I am being called to do is so counter cultural it appears strange - and I don't want to be strange. In those moments I panic, maybe not on the outside but the inside for sure - until Jesus reaches out his hand and pulls me back to reality. He brings me back on board with Him.

The reality of His truth is that He often calls me to things that are bigger than me, where I need him. The reality is that He is ALL that matters and when I am walking as I have been called there are going to be some waves. Sometimes it offends others, sometimes it upsets others, and sometimes it inspires others. Regardless of others - my ultimate calling in any circumstance is to be obedient to God and have faith. This is so that when God's plans succeed, and I have weathered the storm, His name is glorified.

The Blessing of Children

In the Scriptures, the concern of godly women was not discrimination in vocation but rather, the barrenness of the womb. Women were not pining away, pleading the Almighty to be priests and prophets. They were praying for the blessing of bearing children.

Non-Christians laugh at the hypocrisy and inconsistencies within Christendom. Rather than blame the culture, the selfishness of men, finance, legalism, or even "irreconcilable" differences, we Christians should put the blame where God does when He reproves His people-we should blame our own idolatry. "Wherefore should the heathen say, 'Where is their God?' .. " (Psalm 79:10).

Though the world's concerns are shifting sand (Matthew 7:27), God's Word is timeless. While children today are considered an expense and a burden, God's Word calls them a reward-a heritage. They are probably the only gift (Deuteronomy 7:13-14) that we no longer desire in abundance. Furthermore, under the leadership of a godly man, children are considered "arrows aimed against ungodliness:

Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them they shall not be ashamed but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate. (Psalm 127:3-5)

Taken from Passionate Housewives Desperate for God by Jennie Chancey and Stacy McDonald. Pgs 41-42.

Raising Children to Know God in the Moments

Morning bible reading–check.

Family worship–check.

Church on Sunday–check.

I think these activities are the under-girding of the Christian life and are needful and good.

But I don’t think they are the essence of teaching our children to walk daily with the Lord, to cultivate a living, breathing relationship with the Creator.

It begins with the simplest of observations:

“This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

If I could summarize what I believe is the most important thing we do as mothers, it would be “teaching God in the moments”. That is what we are called to. And the lack of this vision is why so many mothers don’t feel the gravity of their job, and either become bored or exhausted with the “mundane”.

I also wonder if it’s why so many children grow up to have “a form of godliness” but deny any power of it.
Are we raising “church-goers” or disciples of Christ?

“Susie, sit at the table and eat with your mouth closed.”

Yes, but why?

Not necessarily because manners are good; why are they good? “Because the Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself, and this is one way we show love.”

“Tommy, don’t yell at your brother for knocking down your lego house.”

Yes, but why?

“Because the Bible says that a man who doesn’t have control over his own spirit is like a city with broken down walls.”

“Mary, please help your sister make up her bed.”

Yes, but why?

“Because the Bible says to serve as Jesus served.”

With God as our strength, let us seek to live it first, then teach “God in the moments” to our children.

By: Kelly at Generation Cedar

Fluffy Wheat Sandwich Bread

Ok. I have been trying to find a wheat bread recipe that is as fluffy as store bought bread and I FINALLY hit the jackpot with this recipe! After making my own bread for 2 years at least once a week I have tried no less than 20 recipes and this is by far the best in taste and texture!


Ingredients:
1 cup warm water (110-115 degrees F)
1 tablespoon milk
2 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups bread flour
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons instant active dry yeast (bread machine yeast)

Instructions:
1. Put all ingredients into bread maker and use dough cycle.

2. Turn out on counter and punch dough down; knead for a few minutes until smooth and then form into a loaf. (I do this by lightly rolling back and forth until length of pan). Place in greased loaf pan and cover. Let rise in a warm place until almost doubled in size, about 30 minutes. (I turn on the oven and set on top while it is preheating).

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. If loaf starts browning too soon, lightly lay a piece of foil on top of the loaf to prevent too much darkening.

4. Remove bread from oven and allow to rest in pan for a few minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cover with a cloth.

5. I store bread in a plastic bread bag (I have Wal-mart brand but I know Presto makes some too). This bread kept the longest of any bread I have ever made. It was still fresh nearly a week later - which is an eternity for homemade bread. I am not sure if it was the bread itself or the bag that helped preserve the freshness, regardless it is yummy.

***This recipe is for a 7x3 loaf pan and in MY EXPERIENCE is too small. This recipe was taken from Tammy's Recipes and she has some AMAZING tips on her site. One thing she discussed was bread pan size, I didn't realize that was why my bread wasn't turning out pretty. I like to have a puffy top on my loaf - similar to store bought so I adjusted the amount used in this recipe and made 1 1/4 times the recipe listed above for my 9x5 pan.***

Growing Weary?

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to your word." Psalm 119:28

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." Gal 6:9

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matt 11:8

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint." Jer 29:35

"You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary." Revelation 2:3

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31