Cracked...

My laptop was cracked on our flight to Vegas so I will be taking a break from blogging for awhile. Have a great day!

A Lesson from a Buckeye

Today's a good day to be an Ohio State fan.  Which I am. :)  Born a Buckeye...always a Buckeye. 

Yes, it is a good day to be a fan.  

But not all days can be championship games.  

In fact, they are just a lot of hard work.  Practice...practice...practice.  Work...work...and more work.

Reminds me of the ministry.  

There is a lot of work that goes on in the ministry.  Many times for one hour of time...one event.  

May I encourage you to become a player on the team instead of the fan?  

A fan in the ministry just shows up on game day.  Yes, they may have lots of enthusiasm during that time...but where are they during all the practices?  Where are they when preparations are being made?  Fans aren't there.  They simply show up to the game and "claim" the fame.  

Woo hoo!  That's my church!  Yeah!  

Players are there long before the game begins.  They are there every time something needs to be done.  They are there involved and committed.  

This year, decide to be a player in your church and not just a fan.  

Someone has to print the bulletins...make the coffee...set up Sunday School classes...clean the church...make the visits and phone calls...prepare the lessons...contact absentees.  Preparation...practices...work.

What can you do more this year in your ministry?  

In your church?  For God?

Sierra View - your church - needs a team of players.  Who will stand up and take the challenge?

Recipe: Jambalaya

A favorite recipe of mine I have used for many years is this recipe for Jambalaya.  This one is simple, hearty and makes a big batch.

Jambalaya

1 medium onion
2 green peppers
fresh garlic
2 rings - smoked sausage and kielbasa
1 package shrimp
3 cups uncooked rice
2 cans of diced tomatoes (one with green chilies)-undrained
1 can tomato sauce

Cook rice according to package directions while you prepare the other items.

Slice sausage/kielbasa.  Chop onion and peppers into bite size pieces.  Saute both with garlic and a little oil.  Near the end, add the shrimp and saute around five minutes.
Add 1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies and 1 can plain diced tomatoes.
Add cajun seasoning to taste and 1 can tomato sauce.

Add above mixture to finished rice and mix well.

What To Do When Your Church "Changes"

(My laptop is having some virus issues in addition to my daughter's portable DVD player not playing anymore and she has been using my laptop for school...so my blogging has been scarce this week.)

Change.  Many people don't like change.  Many people embrace and welcome change.

I really don't like change.  I prefer the same weekly schedule.  The same predictable life.

Yeah...that really doesn't match the life that God has given to me.  If there is one area as a pastor's wife that I HAVE to do and be...it is flexible. 

 If I refuse to become flexible and adapt to change when it comes, I will be ineffective in the role that God has given to me.

A growing and passionate church will always involve change.  

At Sierra View, we are always trying to better our systems.  And in that process, we will always be changing.  There may be new programs added...service times changed...workers placed in different areas.  Yes, there will be change.

What would your pastor like to see in you? 

 A willing servant's spirit.  

A person that sees his vision - the bigger picture.  One that says, "Wherever and whatever I can do, Preacher.  It is not about me, it is about what God is doing in our ministry."  

One year ago, we had a wonderful couple, Josh and Jenny Musser, join our team.  My husband gave them the music ministry.  In doing so, Jenny took the role as church pianist.

If I were to be very vulnerable and honest right now with you, I was very sad.  I felt I had "lost" the area of service that had been "mine" for the last 3 1/2 years since the inception of our church.  I cried. 

But it wasn't about me! 

 It was about our ministry going to the next level. 

 It was about God and what He was going to do at Sierra View.  

Sometimes change hurts.  It is growing pains. 

 Let me encourage you to grow as a Christian with that change.  

Don't look at change as bad.  Instead, find the opportunities to grow in it.  Change is inevitable.
Your response to that inevitable change will break or make you.

What change is on the horizon for you in 2015?  Something for us is adding an additional Sunday morning service at Sierra View.  THAT, my friends, is huge for those in ministry.  I pray that all at Sierra View will embrace the changes coming and find new ways and take new opportunities to serve and grow.  

Update on 2015 Goals

Mondays are a great time to make a fresh start.  Or to continue the resolve in the areas you are working on in your life.

Did you make any New Year goals?  If so, how are you doing in accomplishing them?  

Here is the progress I have made on my goals:

Take my vitamins daily.  I bought a pill container and this enables me to grab and take them with me even in a rush.  A great place to get affordable vitamins is Puritan's Place online.  They have great deals like Buy One, Get Two Free and Free Shipping.  I should have an order coming in this week to replenish my vitamin supply.

Weekly date.  My husband had a lot of work to do on Wednesday so I took Qdoba to his office and we ate together.

Pay off our remaining credit card debt.  On January 2, we made a huge step towards this goal!  We paid off the first of two credit cards. Keeping track of numbers is a great way to motivate yourself because you can see your exact accomplishments.  We paid $1,598.24 in just 22 days...and during the Christmas season!  You know the key?

  Create the plan and just do it.  

Of course, every time I went to make that payment, I wanted to hesitate.  I wanted to rethink it.  I wanted to just wait and make sure I didn't need that money for anything else.  But no... I would as quick as the money came in, I would "Click"...make that payment. 

On November 28, we paid off our van loan - $1,972.53 in 33 days - Nine months early.  

Make that plan and no matter what hesitation you feel, JUST DO IT!

Would you like to learn godly money management?  Take our Financial Peace University course coming in February.  Or find one offered in your area.  You will revolutionize the way you manage your money forever. 

No media night.  Friday, we turned off phones, TV, etc from 5-9pm and played Monopoly and had Papa Murphey's pizza.  In the words of my four year old, "This is the best Christmas Eve ever!!"  LOL!  Well, she had the day wrong but I knew what she meant.  :)

Run a 5k.  January 1 - I was too drugged up on Nyquil to make it off the couch.  LOL!  I did go out Friday to run and I went 1.95 miles on Sunday afternoon.  Some goals are just one small step a day. Running a 5k is really making a 30 minute run at least 3 times a week.  

The character of the daily will lead to the big life successes.  

(This is the view of where I run. :)

I also added a few more goals on the side personally.

Read two chapters a day of a book.  I am reading God in the Shadows - Walking from East to West by Ravi Zacharias.  My husband actually inspired me to add this goal.  He has really become a reader since he went full time as a pastor.  He is always sharing the most recent books he is reading with me and I was encouraged to do the same.  

Read one chapter of our devotion book with the girls on our non-church nights.  

We are using The Bible Story series.  I love this series - it really has a depth to it being first published in the 1950's.  We have the entire series.

Coupon weekly.  I used to do a lot more couponing and really have a stock.  My goal is to simply go couponing one time a week and at least do one couponing transaction/deal. Last week, I got pull-ups and razors for a great deal. :) 

Read my Bible through this year.  I am doing the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan from You Version app.  This is the best Bible app I have ever used.  I love using a Bible app because I can read my Bible wherever I am on my phone.  

Goals are not to defeat you.  They are to encourage, inspire and better you!  Keep going!

Qdoba and That Word Consistency

  Every Wednesday, my husband and I have a lunch date to Qdoba.  This fall, we purchased a card to support our local high school football team which gave us a card for unlimited use for Buy One Entree, Get One Free.  This entire meal cost us $10.99.  :)  

Dates don't have to be expensive.  They don't have to be even different.  They do need to be consistent.  

What is the complaint of many wives?  "He never takes me out on dates until I complain or am having a meltdown!"  You need consistency in date nights.  Been there, done that.

Consistency is more important to us than anything else.  In this season of working multiple jobs, raising young children, home schooling, growing a young church plant and just life, it is easy to be inconsistent in the area of marriage.

What area do you need more consistency in your life? 

 Make a simple goal in that area.  Our date goal is simple.

Qdoba - Every Wednesday for lunch.  Period.

We don't have to decide where we are going...we don't have to decide when we're going...we don't have to decide if we are going.  

If you make your decisions on if you "feel like it" or "I don't think I need that today", you will never gain consistency.

Yes, there may be some days I don't "feel" I need to get out and have a date.  But I still do it.  It is healthy for our relationship and marriage and for me.  (BTW, that never happens.  LOL!)

Consistency is unchanging in achievement or effect over a period of time.  

I like that.  Make that simple goal today.  It may be simply reading your Bible every day.  That is a goal.  Now create a plan.  At 7am, I will read one chapter of the Bible.  Then do it over a period of time.

Whatever area you need consistency, this is a great time to start!
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me!

Recipe: Tater-Topped Sausage Egg Bake

I recently made this dish for dinner one night.  It was a fun twist using tater tots!

Tater-Topped Sausage Egg Bake

12 eggs
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup milk
1 lb. cooked ground sausage
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 bag tater tots

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, beat eggs, water and milk until fluffy.  Fold in sausage and cheese.
Pour egg mixture into baking dish.  Top with frozen tater tots.
Bake 55-60 minutes or until center is set.  Serve immediately.

*Bacon or ham can be substituted for the sausage.