These Are a Few of my Favorite Things

Monday, I said to list ten of your current favorite things.  I like to think about my favorite things.  It puts a happy thought in my heart.  :)

Here are a few of my favorites...today.

Lilacs
The smell of freshly cut grass
Standing in the warmth watering my lawn
The books of the series Little House on the Prairie
The TV show - The Andy Griffith Show and House Hunters International
Dryer sheets
Getting my hands dirty in the garden soil
Soup
Coffee in the morning
Dinner in the crock pot

What is on your list today?

Recipe: Quick Chicken Stir-Fry

Quick Chicken Stir-Fry

I started making this recipe a very long time ago - when I was a young college wife.  I found it in a Pampered Chef cookbook.  It has been my go to recipe for a quick and yummy stir fry for a dinner meal.

1 tbsp. canola oil
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 package frozen broccoli stir-fry
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup pineapple juice
2 tsp. cornstarch

Hot cooked rice

In a deep-sided 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add chicken; stir-fry until no longer pink. Add frozen vegetables. Cover; cook 4 - 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, pineapple juice and cornstarch. Pour over chicken and vegetables; cook 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve immediately over hot, cooked rice!

* I use reduced sodium soy sauce for a healthier alternative.
* An easy way to get 1/2 cup pineapple juice without lots of leftovers...drain one can of chunk pineapple. Use the juice in the recipe and save the pineapple for a fruit with your meal!

Devotional: Every Child is a Problem Child

Every Child is a Problem Child

*I am teaching a mini series in my Ladies Connection Class from the book Kids Without Chaos by Mrs. Evans.  Here is what I taught this Sunday.

One of the best kept secrets is that every child is a problem child.  You are not alone in pulling out your hair trying to rear children.  It's hard!  In fact, many of us adults are fighting problems we had as a child.  So that makes it doubly hard!  

 What can you do with your problem and angel children?

Thoughts:

1.   Realize that you will always be spending more time with the problem child than you probably will with the angel child.  Don’t let your angel go unnoticed.  You will not want them to grow up hurt because Mom never spent time with me.  They need you just as much.

2.   Often, problem children, because of their personalities and drive, will go on to do great things.  Guide them to desire to do great things for God.  You have the influence to guide them in the right direction!

3.  Don’t compare angels to problems.  Not in front of them.  Not in front of each other.  Not ever.  It's not fair and it will only cause hurt to one or the other.

4.  Realize that just like you don’t like your own personal weaknesses – your child doesn’t like their weaknesses.  It frustrates them.  They feel inadequate next to the other child.  Help them work on their weaknesses.  Help them grow.

5.  Learn the children you work with.  They are not all the same.  Ex. Your children, your grandchildren, your SS children.

Learn their strengths and weaknesses.  Create a plan of how to help them.  Are they shy?  Give them opportunities to be away from you.  To be on their own in good scenarios.  Are they bossy?  Teach them how to be a leader.  They have those skills, they just need to learn how to use them. 

6.   Love who they are.  Love them individually and uniquely. 

“I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.” Psalms 139:14

Renew

Last week, I was at work...I took out my contacts and put them in their case.  Well, it was very dim lighting and I didn't realize that one of the contacts didn't make it into the case.  The next morning, I went to put it in and it wasn't there.  Thankfully, I was able to find it on the carpet in the place where I had taken them out.

Dried up...shriveled.  So, I put it in the case with contact solution and in just a little bit, it was restored back to its normal state.

Is that you this morning?  Do you feel dried up?  Do you need renewed?  

I admit.  My schedule and circumstances have taken a toll on me the last seven weeks.  A combination of living in a hotel...my home being in disarray...a different daily schedule...working 36 hours overnight weekly...daily demands...it all dried up my spirit.  

Everything around me was taking the moisture from my spirit and I was slowly drying up.

Today begins a new week.  I told my husband last night that I have been pushing myself too hard and this week, my focus will be on our last week of school for the year and completing grades.  The second focus will be organizing my kitchen area when the cabinets are installed.  I said...Don't bring up any other home improvement project needing done this week!  

Don't let things suck the life giving moisture from your spirit!  You need renewal every day to keep your spirit refreshed.

So, the first thing I did this morning...coffee and my devotions.  Give yourself the water of life.  

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Have your circumstances dried you up?  Have you stopped watering your soul?  Renew your soul starting today.

1.  Read your Bible.

2.  Make a small to do list of 5 things to accomplish today.

3.  Do something for someone.  

4.  Do something for 15 minutes you enjoy.

5.  Make a list of 10 things that are your current favorite things.  

Have a great week!

My Week

I feel a little behind!  I started this post last Monday morning.  So here is a week of life in photos!

Thought I would share some neat updates happening!

Last Saturday, we had the front of our church building painted.  I think it looks awesome!  It really changed the entire look of the building - making it more inviting. :)  We even had some comments - I didn't know the church had a steeple!  Ha!  

Let me encourage you - whatever your pastor is asking you to participate to give...whether it may be a painting project, a special missions goal, discipleship books...GIVE!  Why?  When that project is completed and you get to see the fruit of the labor...you will be so glad you had a part!!  Don't be just a church member that attends but doesn't give financially to your church.  Decide - whatever project is going on to further God's work - I am going to give - even if it is just $5 or $500!  Give!  

Thank you to each person who gave towards the painting project!

Before...what a difference!

Last Friday and Saturday, we had our bathtub redone.  It was a 100% difference!  When we bought our home, it had rust and corrosion.  It is so expensive to put a new one in because you have to replace the tile as well.  So, our contractor suggested Miracle Method.  It is a company that redoes the bathtub (they also redo tile as well).  I highly suggest them if you need this done!  They have different colors and can change the color of your bathtub (for instance, if you bathtub is pea green - LOL!) or the color of your tiles to update the look of your bathroom.  Our local guy is Jim.  Did a fabulous job.  

Last Saturday was a gorgeous, perfect day - weather wise!  This was Autumn's game...three "pops" watching. :)  Her dad, Papa Tastet and Papa Vern. Yes, we were multi-tasking by doing Awana verses.  Sierra also had a game. 

Then, my husband and Josh tried getting some home projects done.  I asked for them to take off the door of the old medicine cabinet.  Next thing I know, they had removed the entire cabinet!  Leave it to two guys to not follow directions! :)

Then they installed our new vanity light.  Love!

New kitchen clock.  So pretty!

They changed out the old, ugly hallway light.  Yay!

Then they changed out our two kitchen lights.  Again, a big difference with a small change!

I found a new bedset to replace the one my dog destroyed.  

:(  This was only $30!

So after a day of softball and home and church work...we ended the day with a beautiful sunset.  Taken from the window of our hotel.

Monday, we spent the morning packing up to go home.  It was quite the feat.  Spending exactly six weeks in a hotel, you manage to accumulate a lot.  Food, piano, school, clothes...a lot!  My husband then worked from 12-8 at Sportsman's while the girls and I tried to get unpacked.  Which is quite difficult.  Having your kitchen and bathroom items in the bedrooms.  No washer and dryer hooked up.  Laundry piling up.  It was quite overwhelming.  

Monday afternoon, I took lunch to my husband so we could have a little time together before he left for Indiana.  I then went to work that night.

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday was filled with working on house projects - which entailed mainly painting the hallway and bathroom.  Or I should say, Josh painted the hallway and bathroom!  He wanted to help while Pastor was gone to get us settled back in.  He did an amazing amount of work and I want to thank him...again!  I would never have gotten it all done without his help.

In addition to house projects, softball games and practices, work Monday - Wednesday nights, school, dentist appointment, Awana, babysitting, an inspection job...it was quite a busy week.

We had some beautiful weather the first couple days of this week.  I enjoyed watering the lawn and my lilacs.  Just being outside is good for your soul.

Something had ripped up our bark and plastic so I fixed that.

The lawn is slowly greening up!

I think Max thought we really weren't going to stay home and perhaps go to the hotel...so he jumped in the van.  I couldn't get him out for several hours!  LOL!

Painting project - mid way!

I repainted the bathroom cabinet, purged and reorganized with my downsized stash.

We had some stormy afternoons several days this week.

No, we still don't have a kitchen...so the grill it was!

My husband and daughter flew out Tuesday morning and my husband taught class and preached in chapel at Hyles-Anderson College on Wednesday.  They had a wonderful trip - got to see my sister and her family as well as my mom and dad and many, many friends.

They got to go to Chicago - American Girl Doll Store and Rainforest Cafe.

Good times and memories for them both!

My new mug for work!

More progress on our projects.  Josh installed the new vanity for our bathroom.

The view from the photo job I did!  Beautiful!

Our little treat while Dad was gone - Happy Meals. :)

Getting there!

Using my new scents from my secret sister.  MMM!

Friday, we finally had our cabinets delivered.  A piece of my heart was restored!  Yay!  Installation - Monday.  Can't wait!

My plants have made it through rain, snow, sleet and hail!  Still living!

Friday, the hubby and kiddo made it home from Indiana.  We had a date at the truck stop - chef salad and then crashed for the night.  Tired is not the word.  :)

Enjoying my goodies from my family - apple butter from my husband from Cracker Barrel.  Candy from Albanese candy factory from my sister.  And a Starbucks card from my parents. :)

That's all for now!  I must sleep!  

Crusty Dishes

Crusty dishes.  Since living in the hotel and having a tiny sink, you learned you had to definitely wash/rinse every dish right away.  There was no way to "soak" it eventually and take care of the grime later.  The longer you let it sit, the bigger the job.

Sometimes, we need to get rid of the negative around us.  The longer we let the negative be around us, the harder it is to get rid of later.  The negative just sits on our heart and soul eventually making us hard and crusty.

What may be a negative in your life at this time?  Wash off that negative with the soap of God's Word!

"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10

Get renewed today!

New Flooring and Such

Brr!  So the week started off very cold and a dusting of snow!  I am sure glad that didn't last.  

We were so happy to have our flooring put down on Wednesday! Yay!!  I really, really, really like it. :)  I already swept the vinyl floor and it really hides the dirt well.  So nice!!

One of my favorite places...the sunny dining area.  :)

Of course, it always makes your week when you see this!

We have been enjoying McDonald's small smoothies for only $1.25!  Love the mango pineapple!

Thursday, I had a photo inspection job of 13 houses.  Thankful for the extra money for our camp fund. :)

Friday, I did a second photo inspection job for this week - 11 houses.  Stopped by our house and did a few things.  Dropped Sierra off to go to a birthday party.  Grocery shopping.  Did four loads of laundry, grilled some hot dogs and cheddar brats for dinner and took the girls swimming - all at the same time.  Now that is fun multi-tasking!

We also had our old bathtub refinished today - so excited!  Next step is to paint and install the extra updates.

The girls enjoying the beautiful afternoon out back.

Lunches all packed, showers done and ready for a full day tomorrow of softball and home work.  Have a great Saturday!

Shades of Gray...Christian Version

One morning, I was getting a cup of coffee in the breakfast room.  I always put the cream in first and then add the coffee.  I'm a creature of habit. :)

A guy next me was getting a cup as well.  He noticed me the way I made my cup and said, "You put your cream in first.  Maybe I've been doing it wrong all this time!".  He was joking, of course.  I thought it was interesting.  We were making the same thing - just in a different way.  He wasn't right or wrong.  I wasn't right or wrong.

I was at Home Depot - choosing a paint color for our hallway and bathroom.  Saturday night with a four-year old.  I spent 45 minutes just standing there.  Every color had their own shade of gray!  The blues had shades of gray...the tans had shades of gray...the greens had shades of gray!  It was completely crazy.  I ended up leaving without buying any paint!!

When I got back to the hotel, I told my husband the story.  He says, "Don't they have a black and white section with grays?"  Ha ha ha!  I love men's logic!

Different.  We are all different.  All churches are different.  All pastor's wives are different.  All Christians are different.

Shades of gray.  Technically, we are all the same - a gray color.  But not exactly the same shade.

Our churches are all the same ingredients - just like the cup of coffee.  Maybe just a little different in the way we put the ingredients in - or the way we do things.

Remember this little analogy the next time you may start to judge a person or institution.  Ask yourself?  Are they gray like me?  Then remind yourself...maybe they are just a different shade.  And that is OK.  :)

Recap of my Weekend

I normally blog about my entire previous week but it all seems a blur now.  LOL!  Work...a lot of softball...cleaning the church...Awana...babysitting.

So I will just recap the weekend.  

Saturday was Opening Day for our softball league.

This season, Autumn and Sierra are playing.  Autumn is in 10U and on Team Chaos.  Sierra is in 8U and on the Purple Minions.

Little sister shenanigans.  She is such a stinker!

Archie, the mascot from the Reno Aces, threw the first pitch.

Autumn is one of the pitchers for her team.  I love the different stances in the photos. :)

Shhh....the best part of the day!  LOL!

Sierra finally lost her tooth.

Sunday, we had a wonderful crowd!  I started back our Ladies Connection Class and had a great time.  My husband preached the first sermon in his Life App series.  It was on the family.  We also had three baptisms.  Two young men - Jake and Alex.  And Angela.  

Angela sent this e-mail to my husband Monday following her baptism.  I wanted to share it with you as it encouraged our hearts.

Hey Pastor Eric,

Today was a rather uplifting day. I will tell you why, a co-worker of mine had ask me where I was yesterday. I had told him I was being baptized. His response was simply, "ah, who needs that crap!" I said, "no one does,but I wanted too. You don't even need to get into heaven. But it's something, I as a person, believe in." Of course we got into this argument. He had also told me that Christianity was a stupid religion. 

He grew up as a Catholic but now just believes in God. However, I told him Christianity wasn't a religion, it was a relationship with God. But long story short, I told him everything that I believed in. I'm still doing my own research in bible. I just wanted to tell you, if it wasn't for Devin and I finding you and this church. I don't think I could of had done that today. i couldn't have put my foot down for what I believe in. All of you have helped me see what I was truly missing. I was, once this guy.....I just believed in God and I didn't know what he was about.  I do now. 

Thank you for everything that you have done for us.We are truly blessed to have you and this church. Also, Thank you for the baptism. Hope the crock pot is still working for you. Oh, and the Sunday service was beautiful. It really reached out to me. 

All the love in world,

Angela Martin