Perspective, on my knees!

Blessings to you today. I have been pondering the depth of perception we have in relation to our place in prayer.

Do you find your perspective changes when you are on your knees?

Do you see things differently at a new angle?

Do you like what you see?

I was reading this post that I saved from the Proverbs 31 Blog. http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/2010/07/when-im-on-my-knees It goes along well with some of the thoughts I have had on the position we find ourselves in while praying.

When I am on my knees my head is often bowed before my King. My heart is humbled and my hands are open.

When I am on my knees I am seeking His heart, His plan and His purpose.

When I am on my knees I am looking to the fullness of His grace and sufficiency, not my own.

Where are my thoughts when I have my sights lifted elsewhere?


The problems of every day life threaten to close me in, but on my knees I cast every care away. ( 2 Peter 5:7)

The burdens of hurts are a weight my own shoulders can not bear, but on my knees my Lord reminds me to exchange my burdens for his. (Matthew 11:30)

The stain of my sin is a shame that colors my view of grace, but on my knees I am reminded that nothing separates me from His love.( Romans 8:38-39)

When I am on my knees, I am stationary no longer working to secure the answer.

When I am on my knees, I am quiet to the world and eager to hear His sweet voice.

When I am on my knees, I am abandoned to reality of facts and embrace the fullness of His truth.

When I am on my knees, I see my King raised up upon His throne, in complete and utter control, smiling down at me.

My blessed friends, our vision changes on our knees. Practically we get a glimpse of things we can NOT see while upright and busy. Are bruised knees as sign of submission or strength? Or both? :)

Don't limit your ability in prayer, just because of your elevation~

Elevate the only one whose power and ability is limitless, He is made perfect in our weakness, and remember all knees will one day bow before him.

Fruit Dip, Scones and using what you have

Good Morning!

It is a humid and muggy day here. I love it though. I love this season of summer. It reminds me of how the seasons of our lives reflect different stages of our walk with the Lord. Summer is a time of resting, enjoying the beauty of the Lord, delving into His presence and relishing the varied scents of of His majesty in a new way every day.

I am trying to train myself to set a schedule this summer. Then I can be more effective at training my children. It seems, though, that as the Lord teaches me and I am a more diligent student it is at that place where my children learn. They learn alongside of me more often than with me as the dutiful and well-learned master.

I have purposed to bless my husband and my children by trying harder to be more structured, have more of a schedule and not "fly by the seat of my pants" quite so much. Though, that is my personality and I seem to thrive on some spontaneity. Key word... SOME. :)

So each day is a day to work with what I have at hand. I want to stretch the resources and be a good steward. Be a diligent and faithful steward of my time, our finances, our supplies, etc. My goal is to learn to be joyful in the sometimes seemingly boring and dutiful task of keeping a home with a happy heart. ( Note: it is important to keep a home in diligence but I am being completely real that at times I find myself less content and I need to be reminded of the supreme privilege of being a mother and a wife and keeping a home for His Glory.) :)

"A wise woman looks well int the ways of her household, and eats not the bread of idleness. Her children rise up, and call her blessed: her husband also, and he praises her." Proverbs 31:27-28

I love Proverbs 31! I long to be a woman of virtue and character that shines with the attributes of this Godly woman. Verse 26 reminds us that when she opens her mouth , it is done in wisdom and kindness is on her tongue. God's Word is so vital in maintaining a heart of grace seasoned with love. There is no limit to his grace, there is no tank which can hold the depth of His love. That His grace and love would be the starting point of my day would be my diligent decision.

So I am learning to be a maintainer of my home, but to also be a life giver. Peter told the lame man that he would give him what he had, though it was not of a visible help in the temporary sense.... it was of deep eternal value.(Acts 3:6) He gave him the life that came through a revelation of Jesus. What do I truly have? I have time.. I have words... I have truth in my heart that needs to be taught to my children. I have a hope of a life that is found in eternal beauty and a blessing of fellowship with like-minded women who lift me up and remind me of God's call in my life.

Sometimes when I take my focus off of His purpose I find myself in the valley of doubt and despair. One that takes me the opposite direction of His plan for me. When I openly embrace Him, then it means I must also embrace His plan. After years of walking with the Lord I am ever amazed at the depth of His love and patience. Yet, joyful in his faithfulness.

Do I despair over home maintenance and child-rearing?? Well, honestly yes, because I just have NO clue what I am doing most of the time. Yet in grace we are saved.. saved from our sin and our selfishness to a higher and more relevant status. In grace, I can come with what I have and lay it at the cross. Seeking His wisdom which is above all earthly wisdom and knowing that even in the mundane He is with me. He is teaching me, He is guiding me. He is healing hearts and training minds for Kingdom living. Though I don't enjoy the maintaining, there are so many other things I would enjoy, however, I appreciate the work, the result and the promise.

My sweet children deserve a life filled with good things, yet they live in a fallen world and at times I have to truly be firm and responsible, to be a mirror of God's Word. Training is not always enjoyable... it is usually hard, tiring and painful. Aha! the end result is worth it. I have to keep reminding myself the end result is a life full of Kingdom Glory. :)

So...my title is Fruit Dip, Scones and using what you have. What I typed flowed.. God always works that way with me, but wasn't my initial intention. I was going to write on using what you have in your pantry. :) ha!ha!

My fruit dip is so yummy that I had to share. I usually make it with Cream of Coconut but yesterday while having breakfast with a friend I made it with yogurt. Yumm!

Fruit Dip

Cream of Coconut

1 pkg of cream cheese, softened

1 container of cool whip

Whip together and chill before serving.

Alternate : Use your choice of yogurt in place of the cream of coconut. Yumm!

I have a very firm belief in using what I have to make something. If I find a recipe I like but don't have all the ingredients I improvise. There are times it doesn't turn out but more often than not.. it works.

I shared a scone recipe recently from Prairie Flower Farm ( http://www.prairieflowerfarm.blogspot.com/) called Coffeehouse Scones. It was a huge hit here. However, when I went to make it today, I didn't have sugar. So.. I improvised a little.


Here is the recipe I made today. It was yummy!

Honey Scones

2 c. flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c . butter

I put it all in my Kitchen Aid mixer with the whisk attachment. Note: I cut the butter in to small slices then added to the flour. I turned the mixer on till the mixture was crumbly.

In a measuring cup I added 3/4 c. buttermilk 1-2 tsp. vanilla ( I didn't measure I just poured it in) and 1/4 c. honey.

I took the bowl off the mixer, poured the liquid ingredients in and stirred till the ingredients were moistened.

It was a very wet dough that I couldn't knead as original directions had required. I decided to try it this way and instead of kneading, I poured into a pie plate and baked at 375 for about 30 min.

When done I whipped butter and honey together and put immediately the hot scones. Oh, my goodness! It was melting in my mouth. The kids were devouring it in no time.

I served with the fruit dip above, and sliced fruit. ( For a yummy addition to sliced fruit I drizzle a little honey and lemon juice over the fruit in a bowl and toss. The fruit stays fresh and doesn't brown , not to mention the glaze tastes wonderful.)

So, don't be afraid to use what you have. You never know what you can create in terms of the atmosphere in your home, destiny in your families lives and delicious treats in your kitchen!

Blessings to you!

What Summer Break Means to Me

It's that time of year again! Are you thinking " Summer Break! Time to relax, enjoy the beauty of living in the Midwest, read a good book, have fun with the kids, etc."

Yes, it is. :) And a hint, these Spring, Summer and Fall tend to make up for some of those crazy Midwest winters. I wish I could take a picture of the beauty I see when I look out my window. My favorite time is right away in the morning when everyone is quiet, I am all alone and I can sit and enjoy what I see. I can sit and bask in the presence of my awesome Saviour and enjoy the gift of just being alive. I think He gives us those little moments to carry us through the rest of our day. The times of chaotic rumbling which seems to define life for me. Do I ponder the chaos or grow in it? Hopefully, I can grow through and train my children well, but such is the mode right now...growing children, gardens and bees ( and sometimes laundry!) :)

So as I ponder the beauty of creation, consequently how can one ever deny the amazing gift of the Creator when looking upon the demonstration of a sunrise and the massive power of a thunderstorm, the serene beauty in a gentle wind and the tenderness of a timid rain shower.

Genesis 1:1 says " In the Beginning God created the heavens and the earth"

The Bible shows us the awesome power of the creator in a myriad of ways which disproves theories which try to lay claim to an explanation for all we see.

John 1:3 tells us that " Through him all things were made;without him nothing was made that has been made."

As I relax in this time of resting, though that is a term I would never apply to my summer schedule, it is a time of pondering, a time of considering, a time of reflecting and a time of renewed hope.

Hope is a loaded word. I find when my hope is placed in things that are not of God or in plans that are not initiated by His hand, in my life, then my hope becomes deferred.
Proverbs 13:12 tells us that " Hope deferred makes a heart grow sick but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life." Hmm.. think on that for a minute.

Deferred hope detours us from our destined path and reroutes our life towards a time of sickness, loss and perhaps death. Death of dreams, death of desired outcomes, death of desires which were well-springs of life. Yet, when we set our hope on the one who makes our bitter experiences sweet, there is a depth of peace and resilience which can not be deferred, deterred or rerouted.

So many times I have found my own thoughts wandering and allowing my feelings to overtake the truth of His plan, His purpose and the future He has set for me. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that the plans He has for us are to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope and a future. Where in that scripture do we find deferred dreams, detoured highways or rerouted plans?

Does the Lord change our plans, yes.. perhaps "Our Plans" but He does not change and I find a great peace in knowing that He is always good. That there is hope in who He is and there is a profound joy in His presence.

I have known those moments of peace that passes all understanding which gives me a solid foundation to stand on in moments of trial and pressure in the storm. I have been so thankful for the intimate way He will reach down and fill my heart with a hope that is immeasurable knowing that He will work out all things for good to those who love him.( Romans 8:28) I have been reminded of Psalm 103 and how He has redeemed my life from destruction and removed my transgressions, covered me with loving-kindness and tender mercies and given me good things so that my youth is renewed as the eagle's.

Psalm 91 reminds us that we are to hide under the shadow of His wings that no evil would befall us nor calamity come near to our dwelling.

Hiding His precious promises is a hope found in Psalm 119:11 which reminds us of the power of His word, which keeps us from evil.

Back to my summer plans:

I am not someone who enjoys just "sitting". :) I like resting, but I am always thinking. Sometimes the Lord has to sincerely get a hold of me and remind me that He is the author and finisher. :) However, my summer is one of planning.

I love to plan.. I am learning to implement those plans. And learning to be ok with "imperfection" in my plan ( aka...me and my abilities.. but that is an entirely different post for a different day.)

I find though that my plan isn't always doable. Meaning.. I tend to overfill my schedule, my planner, my to-do list as if I was wonder woman and then ponder why I can get it completed. It is times like this I have learned that God has a sense of humor.
Psalm 127:1 reminds us that "Unless the Lord builds the house, they who labor.... labor in vain."

As we enter our 10th year of homeschooling there is so much to "unlearn" and so much to ponder. What have we done right? What can we change? What should we do?

This is how I spend my summer! Seeking His will and planning for our school year. Looking to His heart and asking Him to give me a vision. A vision I can write down and follow. I tend to rebel against a schedule, though I know how helpful one can be.... :) so I have to be careful when I plan that I allow myself room to be spontaneous and fly by the seat of my pants. I seem to be at my very best in that scenario.

side thought... I often wonder after those valuable teaching moments if they are less the poignancy of spontaneity and more the leaning not on my own understanding...the guiding of my path by One who is supreme knowledge and wisdom.... :)


Proverbs 29:18 tells us w/o a vision the people perish and Habakkuk 2:2 tells us to write it down plainly. I will continue this thread in another post about planning and what I have learned. But I must close now.. I have kiddos who are needing their momma, a garden who is needing its caretaker and laundry that is needing to be hung on the line.!

I wanted to leave a little gem with you. I found this company ( a different name then) when I began homeschooling. I still have their catalogs because of the profound wisdom within the pages. They are not homeschooling their children any longer, because they are all grown.. they completed the circle! :) But they still have a wonderful outreach to homeschool families and wisdom that has not expired. http://www.homeschoolmarketplace.com/


Blessings on your day!

Just thinking

I have been spending a lot of time in my flowers this week. It has been such a gift of peace and comfort to my heart. Through the years I have found that I have such a joy in my heart when it is spring, an ability to roll with the punches a little easier than other times. I sincerely think that the time I spend in my garden, time I really try to spend with Jesus, thinking and praying... time well spent.

What is your love language? What is it you value most? The one thing that you find speaks to your heart in a real way?

One thing that truly has been a stumbling block for me is wasted time. The definition of wasted time can change from day to day, but if I feel as though I have really used my time wisely it is pleasing. If, however, I find that my day or my time has been wasted, it is a source of disappointment. Funny as that sounds, I think about the time I have wasted and felt was spent wisely. Time that perhaps would have been better spent in prayer, creating a memory, laughing with my children.

We are at the end of our school year here. We have the next 2 months to relax and enjoy the freedom to spend our time "as we wish", yet I find myself filling our day with "to do" lists and goals to achieve by the end of summer. It makes me laugh at my own little perfectionist heart, and this continual need to fill my time with important things.

Our youngest daughter is reminding me to stop and smile. She is reminding me of the contagious nature of laughter and how easily is spills forth when like a child we view the world around us. She sees summer as days filled with bike rides, swims in the pool and mom's homemade lemonade. She awakes to the day with no burden save the amount of time it will take for her to get outside to enjoy the warmth of the season. She flits about her day with a heart so free and a spirit unhindered from the tethers of life. She reminds me of the person who heeds the Word in 2 Peter 5:7... Casting all your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you. ~


Because pondering things has always been one of my favorite past times..... :) I have been pondering the beauty of resting in His grace and being graceful to those in my life, those in my sphere of influence, and those outside of my sphere. If we are willing God will open those doors for us to walk through.

And since this is summer and it is a much needed break for a homeschool mom to make herself take, especially someone who thinks she needs to fill every minute with something meaningful, here are some of the ways I have been spending my time:

Coffee on the Patio.... so nice because it is warm and quiet

A walk/run while the kids ride their bikes. This helps me get back into those shorts that used to fit last summer.

Working with the bees.... This in and of itself, is surprisingly one of the most relaxing things I do during the spring and summer. Even when I get stung. ;)

Pulling weeds... I love to pull weeds, it is the best therapy in the world. Plus, I have a flower bed that is in serious need of "recreating" so it fills in my little creative niche that all of us have in one way or the other. It is so fun to find new plants in the midst of the chaos of the overgrown weeds. I found 2 tiny lupine plants in my ever expanding Spearmint yesterday. I love it when I find those gems. Oh.... and the best... My rose bush bloomed. I took some pictures and if I can get them to work I will get them on my blog! There is a story with the rose bush that I will share one of these days.

Working in my garden. I love to plan the garden each year. Which plant goes where, what plant would do better next to my tomatoes( for those of you who really want to know.. Carrots Love Tomatoes and Basil is always a wise choice). Just to show my anal retentive nature, I make a map of my garden each year to remind me what was successful, what was a failure, etc. Plus, I usually forget what I plant because I never put the plant stakes in my garden. I tend to run them over and break them, so I just use twigs from the fallen branches. It works for me! ;)

And I think one of the sweetest and I find for me a big help, time with friends. During the summer it is nice to just take an afternoon to visit with our friends. It is so nice to connect, to fellowship and to encourage each other. To make relationships and carve that place in our lives for those important people. To take time for each other and instill in my children's hearts the desire to bless others. As I grow older I am learning to value more the preciousness of my God-friends. :) yes.. not just good friends but my friends in Jesus, those precious women who are sharpening me with the beauty of His light inside of them.

My husband is reminding me of the joy of just being still by encouraging me to not be so busy. I need that reminder, because taking a "break" is not second nature for me. Yet, when we stop... when we slow down... when we pause and think.. Selah.... We hear that still small voice in our ear saying.. " This is the way, walk in it.". ( Isaiah 30:21)




Here is a wonderful fried chicken recipe that I made tonight. Very easy and not so "fried" that it is too greasy.

Enjoy!

Oven Fried Chicken

Optional: Marinade your chicken in Buttermilk seasoned to your taste before you cook atleast 2-4 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Lightly oil a baking dish, I used a 9 x 13 pan and another small pan because it wasn't big enough.

In a shallow bowl combine:
2/3 c. graged parmesan
1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
1/2 c . cornmeal
3 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Whisk 2 eggs and 2 Tbsp. melted butter together in shallwo bowl.

Dip chicken in egg and butter then coat in the cornmeal mixture. Arrange chicken, skin side up in baking pan. Drizzle 2-3 Tbsp. of melted butter or olive oil over chicken.

Bake 35-40 min. Serve hot or cold. :)

I served this with Buttery Garlic Green Beans, Cheddar smashed potatoes, and homemade coleslaw. Can't forget the lemonade.. a staple at my house. Here is my recipe:


Lemonade
1 c. sugar
1 c. lemon juice
2-3 quarts of water ( depends on my mood, sometimes I want it sweet, and other times I don't)

Mix well and serve with ice cubes and lemon slices!
** You can blend frozen berries, adding sugar and a little wather to this and make a flavored lemonade. Our favorite is Raspberry! Yummmm!


Blessings to you!