Gratefulness

Lord, this morning the open window and shivering aspens in the breeze remind me of your Presence. And I’m grateful.  Not only for what I feel, but for what I DON’T feel. And it is refreshing. I don’t feel angry anymore or hurt or resentful–a broken stronghold given to me by your hand, Lord Jesus. Further down this road, I find my heart full of joy and peace. It all came about when I FULLY released everything to You.  I never realized that my holding onto something so precious and broken was in effect an act of pride. Once I …

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Their Names and Hearts are Safe

Recently I read my friend’s, Melanie Shankle’s, memoir on friendship. It’s called Nobody’s Cuter than You.  It is a must read for any and every mama who wants to be a better friend.   One concept she shared that has stayed with me is this. What Melanie says, “…the women we can surround ourselves with, knowing without a doubt that our names and our hearts are safe on their tongues and in their hands,” is important. Think about that. Is your name and heart safe on their tongue? Turn it around: Is THEIR name and heart safe on yours? Oh, …

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Why It’s Okay to Fail

School is about to be back in session for us. I love getting back to routines and its happy effect on my family. We all really operate well with routines. It gives us a pattern every day–a constancy in our weeks. Summer is fun and free and loose. And we need that for our souls for sure–space to dream and read and be. But back to routine is really where we shine, as a family. Every year, and you may ask my kids, I set forth some goals for the new year.   One of those goals is to make breakfast every …

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Taking Down the Hindrances to Hospitality

As a newlywed, there were many obstacles that should have in all propriety and dignity (said tongue-in-cheek) kept us from hosting people in our home. We lived in a small apartment. We had little in provisions, financially. We didn’t have fancy napkins or table settings. Maybe it is a personality thing, but I plunged in and invited people anyway. We made lasting memories, not because we had a perfect place or perfect food, but because we had welcoming hearts to friends, new and old. Then something happened about five years into marriage. Someone told me that I needed to have certain …

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Italian Fare on a Budget

Here is the last in our series of eating out foods you can make at home.  I started with PF Changs, then moved on to Costa Vida, and today I really wanted to do Olive Garden, but I have only found one unique recipe that I use often. And I have lately seen Olive Garden copycats, so I’m going to share some Italian recipes from another restaurant we enjoy! We are from East Texas near the LA border, and a staple restaurant for us there was Copeland’s.  My very favorite food there is this: Eggplant Pirogue 1 large eggplant (cut 1/2 inch …

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Sweet Pork Burritos

As I shared last month, we are a family of six. And while we enjoy eating out now and again, we really cannot afford it. So if I find something we all love, I try to emulate it. I will search for recipes and try them and tweak them until they taste right to us. So, for this month’s restaurant-style menu FIND, I offer this–it is very much like Costa Vida Sweet Pork Burritos. Shout out and  grateful hat tip to The Travelling Circus (she has a really great site, too!) for giving me a basis for what we do regularly …

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Save Money Eating Restaurant Food at Home

As moms, we often want to have a special night out with our family–and have a night off. But that isn’t always financially feasible, is it? We are a family of six, so eating out can be really pricey.  In fact, we met friends at a fancier hamburger restaurant this past Sunday night, and the bill plus tip was over $100. For hamburgers! This kind of eating HAS to be a rarity in our home, or we will be homeless soon.  So, I thought I’d start a series here on some of our favorite restaurant foods that we make at home.  Today, …

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Running on Empty

Six years into our marriage, still barren, I came desperately to God.  I was running on empty and needed to not only know more of God Himself, but to be comfortable in my own shoes, as His beloved daughter.  Still living to please others way more than I lived to please God, I found myself running on empty. It was time for me to take time out with God and know Him more. It was time to cease striving. For you see there was nothing I could DO that would put me into my heart’s desired place to be a …

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Our Family Formula

A friend once asked me long ago to share my family formula for a healthy family. It really made me think, because I KNOW what it FEELS like, but have never really put it to paper. So here’s a snapshot into my family about 8 years ago, which is very close to what we still do today! First of all, I am constantly analyzing the attitudes of my family….wondering, where did that come from? What may be contributing? So I find that the best way to get all in line is a little “pull in” time. That is when we have a …

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