Praying from Head to Toe

I received this at Mom to Mom this week from one of the leaders. Little did she know we were talking about praying for our husbands this week. I do not believe in coincidences!

Dear Lord, I pray for my husband, from head to toe.

His head-That he will look to You as Lord of his life (1 Corinthians 11:13).

His mind-That he will have the mind of Christ and think as the Holy Spirit would lead him and not the flesh (1 Corinthians 2:16).

His eyes-That You will keep his eyes from temptation and that he will turn his eyes from sin (Matthew 6:13, Mark 9:47).

His ears-That he will hear Your still small voice instructing him (1 Kings 19:12, Psalm 32:8).

His mouth-That his words will be pleasing to You (Proverbs 19:14).

His neck-That he will humble himself before You and be strong, courageous, and careful to do everything written in Your Word so that he will be prosperous and successful (James 4:10, Joshua 1:8-9).

His heart- That he will love and trust You with his whole heart (Deuteronomy 6:5, Proverbs 3:5).

His arms-That You will be his strength (Psalm 73:26).

His hands-THat he will enjoy the work of his hands and see it as a gift from You (Ecclesiastes 3:13, 5:19).

His feet-That You will order his steps and that he will walk in Your truth (Proverbs 4:25, Psalm 26:3).

Praying for Scott

Praying for my husband is a responsibility I take very seriously.  I am humbled and grateful for the relationship we share.  There are many Scriptures that describe Scott and the relationship we have … and I have used them time and again as I have prayed for him, his ministry, our family, and his life.   I have also used The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian as a guide for praying for Scott.



I have been using Ephesians 6:10 – 20 as a guide to pray for my husband.   I have long incorporated the spiritual armor into my prayers.  But this year, I feel a strong calling to pray daily for Scott using this passage.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.  Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. Ephesians 6:10 – 20 (ESV)

Thus my prayer is this …

• That he will be strong in the Lord, prepared to stand firm against the enemy (v.10 –12).
• That he will be fully prepared, completely armed, against spiritual attacks (v.13).
• That he will live in truth, not deceived by the lies and emotions that can distract and dissuade us (v. 14).
• That his life will be marked by righteousness and integrity (v. 14).
• That he will be a sower of peace (v. 15).
• That his faith will be strong, shielding him from attack on his body, mind, and heart (v. 16).
• That he will be confident in his salvation and faithful to pursue intimacy with the Lord through time spent in the Word (v. 17).
• That he will be a man of prayer (v.18).
• That he will always be bold to share the Gospel (v. 19).
• That he will live fearlessly for the Lord (v. 20).  

How do you incorporate Scripture into your prayers for your husband?





Teri Lynne writes daily at Pleasing to You where she seeks to encourage women to let the lines blur between sacred and secular and just live every day to love others and serve the Lord.  Passionate about Jesus, family, books, coffee, and chocolate (usually in that order), you can follow her on Twitter (@TeriLynneU) and on Facebook. 

Pray for your man and rest in His hands

Nothing has taught me more about prayer than marriage, 

and nothing has freed me to embrace what God has called me to do in my marriage like prayer. 

Back in my late teens and early twenties, I wrestled with the idea of submission and Biblical womanhood.  Part of my struggle was trying to figure out what "Biblical womanhood" actually was, part of my struggle was that darn sin nature, and part of it was fear.

Yes, fear.

You see, giving my life to God and entrusting my future to Him did not scare me.  I was walking with Him, I trusted Him, I knew that He was perfect and always working for my good and my growth.

But, entrusting my life to a man, a fallen, flawed, sometimes selfish man (just like me!) was terrifying.  I struggled with this internally so much when I was engaged to NP.  I knew that he was following Christ.  I had no qualms about his character, or that he loved me, or that he was selfless, or anything.  But it lingered in my mind... what if?  What if one day he freaks out?  What if he struggles with deep sin or stops listening to God?  What then?  Do I submit then?  Do I throw my dreams and desires to serve the Lord out the window?  Am I stuck?


In God's amazing providence, one of my Bible professors invited a missionary couple he knew personally to speak in our class one day during our missions conference.  Lo and behold, this was their story.  They worked each other through medical school to pursue their calling of being medical missionaries in the bush of Africa.  And then one day, he stopped following the Lord.  He became bitter and angry with God.  She was left to write home upbeat support letters and run the mission clinic and minister to the sick in the name of Christ.

And I sat in my seat, stunned.  This woman was voicing my deepest fears.  It really might happen.

But what grabbed my heart, and the reason why God brought our paths together that day, was that she shared how tenaciously God led her to pray for her husband.  To pray and pray and pray and pray and trust that God could and would intervene.  And He did.  And now this couple is spiritually reunited and serving side-by-side once again.

That day God gave me a new perspective of submission.  It struck me that Ephesians 5 tells us to submit to our husbands as to the Lord!  I'm not entrusting my life into the hands of my husband instead of the hands of God.  I am placing my life in NP's hands, knowing that God's bigger, perfect, holy and sovereign hands are cupped under NP's.  God is just as sovereign over NP as He is over me.

And in the meantime, I pray.  One of my jobs as NP's wife is to pray like my life depends on it.  In a way, it does.

To lift up my husband to the throne.  To pray about his husbanding, his fathering, his ministry, his weaknesses, his worries, his work, his sin... to bring him to the Father and not fret.  To trust that God is working.  To remember that God delights in this man I love much more than I do.  To know that as I submit to my husband, as God has told me to do, that I am still safely in His hands.


And girls, there is nothing quite like seeing a huge change in your husband's life that you have prayed directly for.  To hear him say specific words that you have prayed over him, without ever telling him those things directly. 

God moves.  He hears you.

Pray for your man and rest in His hands.

Only because of Him,
Kristi

Praying for JD

As Alicia said yesterday, praying for JD is often neglected, especially when I am with him every day. I know that he (and our marriage) suffer for the lack of time I spend lifting him up to the Father. Shame on me. I recently came across this plan of how to pray the scripture for my husband. Now that I have once again been convicted and challenged, it is time to take my husband to the Lord! I will no longer be silent!

Sunday

-That he might become a holy man, a man of prayer, mature in the Lord, growing in his knowledge of God. (1 Thes. 5:23; Col. 4:12; Eph 1:18-19)
-That he might daily seek God with all his heart, walking in the Spirit moment by moment, growing in his dependence on Him. (Ps. 119:1-2; John 15:5)

Monday

-That he might learn to take every thought captive, to not be conformed to the world’s thinking and to think scripturally. (Rom. 12:2; 2 Cor. 10:5)

-That he would learn to not depend on his circumstances for happiness, but on God alone. (Hab 3:17-19)

Tuesday

-That he might have new strength in the midst of his busy schedule and that the Lord might infuse him with His strength. (Is 40:31; Eph. 3:14-19)

-That his self-image might be a reflection of the Lord’s thoughts toward him. (Eph. 1:17-19; Rom. 12:3; Ps. 139)

Wednesday

-That he might become a called man, not driven, with well thought through and prayed through goals in life. (1 Cor. 9:24-27)

-That the Lord might give him wisdom to lead his family physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. (Eph. 1:17-19; Jam. 1:5-7)

Thursday

-That he might stand firm against the schemes of the devil and resist Satan in all circumstances. (Eph. 6:10-18; Jam. 4:7)

-That he might not be deceived into unbelief or sin. (Gal 6:7)

Friday
-That the fruit of the Spirit be exhibited more and more in his life. (Gal. 5:22-23)

-That he might learn to love God as God commands. (1 Cor. 13:4-7)

Saturday

-For Godly protection and guard his course. (Prov. 2:8)

-That he might learn to manage his time well. (Eph. 5:15)

 
 
 

 

  Photo Source

Praying for Tim

When Tim is away from us I find it very easy to pray for him. I find myself praying for his safety, for his comfort, for his walk with the Lord. Somehow praying for him makes me feel closer to him. When there are no emails and I haven't heard from him in a while, the simple act of speaking to God about him brings us closer when are so very far apart. It's not unusual for me to spend a lot of time praying the Psalms over him and our relationship. And that time is always precious and treasured.

But sometimes praying for him when he's home with us is a little more difficult. It's not that I don't want to pray for my husband, but there are so many other "important" tasks at hand. There are dishes and laundry and diapers and all kinds of things to be done. I often find myself spouting off a quick prayer to thank the Lord for him and bring him home safe that evening.

I seem to act as though the prayer that sustains us through many months apart isn't that necessary to sustain us through the days we have together. And let's face it, there's nothing further from the truth. Marriage is hard. Loving our husbands is hard. Being submissive (yeah, I said the "s" word) is hard. But how can I expect to have the correct attitude toward Tim if I'm not praying for it?

I've been very convicted about not only the lack of time I spend praying for my husband, but the subject of my prayers. Maybe I should pray less that Tim becomes a "better" husband and father and spend more time that I become a better helpmate and wife. There's nothing wrong with praying specifically for God to work in our husbands lives. I encourage you to do it if you haven't been. Pray that your spouse would love the Lord more, be strong leader in your home and train your children in the Lord. Sandra's post had some fantastic scripture suggestions for praying over your spouse. But I would also encourage you to pray for your own response to your husband, that you will love him and encourage him in the way Christ desires us to love our mates. Pray John 15:12 over your marriage that you would be able to "love one another as I have loved you." Pray Colossians 3:12-18 as well that you would submit in joy and love to him.

What other scriptures would you pray over your marriage that address your response and attitude to your husband?

Praying for Lee

"'Make known your requests unto God.' The 'requests' must be made known unto God. Silence is not prayer. Prayer is asking God for something which we have not, which we desire, and which he has promised to give in answer to prayer. Prayer is really verbal asking. Words are in prayer. Strong words and true words are found in prayer. Desires in prayer are put in words. The praying is a pleader. He urges his prayer by arguments, promises, and needs." ~EM Bounds

I keep prayer cards for the people and situations in my life. The prayer cards help keep me focused and diligent. In other words, they keep me from being silent. I have cards for my family, church, missionaries, adopting families, repentance cards, and hope cards. On the card I list important requests, verses I want to pray over the life or situation, and sometimes the date of an answer.

This week we are talking about how we pray for our husbands. For Lee, I pray that he would "know thee as thou art, love thee supremely, serve thee wholly, admire thee fully" (from The Valley of Vision). I pray that he would "preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2) and that the words of his mouth and the meditations of his heart would please God (Psalm 19:14). I pray that he would bring up our boys in the discipline and instruction of the Lord (Eph. 6:4) and that everything he does be done in love (1 Cor. 16:14).

The details of my prayer may change from day to day, or even hour to hour as Lee calls from work to let me know what's happening. But the above verses are the cornerstone of my prayers for him. Through these prayers, I feel like God and I are on the same team, wanting Lee to submit to the truth and power of His Word. There is power in praying Scripture for our husbands!

A Heart that Loves Him

"How to make husband happy...how to make husband happy...how to make husband happy..."

I have to confess. I don't usually sit around thinking about how to make my husband happy. Sure, there are days when blessing my husband is on my mind, but with a part-time job in ministry, two little rambunctious boys, writing, homeschooling, fiddle lessons (yes...I said fiddle...we're from the South)...whew...I just got worn out writing all of that stuff...much less doing it all!

Who knows what I'm talking about? Show of hands?

Getting left out

I'm afraid that all too often my precious husband, who is such a blessing to me, anchors my to-do list instead of heading it up.




He's so good to me. The man mops my floors, cleans my toilets and showers and takes our aging dog out to (you know) most of the time. (Secret: I have NEVER, in my married life, cleaned a toilet.) I know full well what a treasure he is. So how can I be a blessing to him...how to make husband happy?

Focus on the heart

A few months ago the Lord placed Malachi 4:6 on my heart as a prayer for my husband. "And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers..." For some reason, God blessed us with two strong willed children. The funny part of the story is that we thought our oldest was strong willed until number two came along...blew him right out of the water. In all honesty, our home isn't always peaceful. Our babes have already, at ages two and four, had a fist-fight, smack down, black eye, and multiple bruises inflicted from "wrastlin" too hard.

They're exhausting.

My husband's job is very stressful. He works crazy hours and is often sleep-deprived and over-worked. I wish I could present him with a home that is a quiet haven for him to rest and unwind. But all to often his day gets even more stressful when he walks in the door...and there just isn't anything I can do about it right now other than continue to patiently train our children and hope that someday soon our hard work and consistency will pay off.

But I can pray. I recently incorporated a personal daily prayer routine for my children. I'm asking the Lord to do all kinds of wonderful things in their lives that only He can do. And I know God will honor this over time and in His perfect time. I also began praying a specific prayer daily for my husband with the verses from Malachi 4:6 being the major theme. I'm convinced that being on my knees for him, interceding on his behalf, is one of the most important things I can do in my quest for keeping husband happy.

Practically speaking

Practically speaking I know there a few things I can do that make my husband extremely happy. But they're personal to our relationship...our family. So instead of listing them here I want to encourage you to make a list of your own. Let number one be daily prayer. And let number two be asking him to pray for you everyday. Most husbands want so much to protect their wives and provide the things they need. They just don't know what we need. So tell him. Ask him to pray for you out loud, every day. Tell him you NEED this from him and that there's no one else who can pray for you like he can. You'll be surprised by how much this will mean to him, even if he turns you down. If he says yes, you'll be blessed by a new season of intimacy in your marriage.

The rest of the list is yours! Get creative ladies and remember to pray! Pray that God will give you a heart to be a blessing to your husband and that He will use your offering of blessing in the life of your husband.

Brooke can be found writing daily at her blog A Life in Need of Change. She has a passion for Truth, being real, Hokie football and ambassadoring Christ to her husband and children. You can follow her on Twitter, subscribe to her blog, or become a Facebook Fan to keep up with the latest. And don't forget to join her once a week, Wednesdays, when she prays for you by name.

Making Home a Haven

When we were newlyweds, I found myself frustrated about how to love my husband.  I knew that he was an "acts of service" person, but my ideas of what that meant didn't seem to match up to NP's. Among other non-realistic things, I dreamed of waking up and making him lovely breakfasts; I found it highly offensive when I discovered that he only wanted cereal!  [Cereal, to my husband, should be its own food group.] 

After almost eight years of marriage, I know my husband better.  I know God's Word better.  I have a much clearer framework for what Biblical womanhood looks like, beyond a simple reading of Ephesians 5.  And I have found that loving my husband is relatively straightforward once I have embraced who God made me to be and what He has called me to do.

The most effective ways I have of showing my husband love are embracing my role as his helper in all aspects of life, and by embracing my work of being a home-maker.

You see, unlike my newlywed dream of carrying a tray of homemade pancakes to my husband in bed, my husband feels loved when I am aware of his needs, and with a respectful servant-heart (not a controlling or belittling one!) naturally care for him and help him.  I can practically love him when I strive to make our home a haven for him - a place where he is embraced, listened to, cared for, respected, and at times forgiven.  [Lo and behold, this does not include whining that he doesn't want my homemade breakfast!!]

So, what does this look like on a practical level?

My dear hubby is admittedly a little OCD very organized and deliberate.  Part of loving him means anticipating his needs and wants.  He hates to run out of things, whether it's toothpaste, decaf coffee, or clean undershirts.  [He actually commented a few years ago that he loves to open the drawer in the bathroom and see extra unopened tubes of toothpaste!]  Sometimes loving him is as simple as looking in his drawers before I decide what laundry to do that day or what I need to stock up on at the grocery store.

Another aspect of making our home a haven for him is being aware of how he is greeted at the end of each day.  NP works several nights a week, so I've tried to make the evenings when he is home for dinner a special occasion.  I get dressed in something other than sweatpants and an old t-shirt, put on makeup, fix my hair.  I try to make sure the house is orderly, make sure the children are not covered with jelly and marker ;), turn on some music, and light a candle.  I want him to walk through the door and feel how much we love him, respect what he does all day, and that we have anticipated his return.

It's interesting that our 4 year old daughter AG has really picked up on this.  She'll see me go to get dressed and now she wants to be "fancy for Daddy" too.  [This might include a hot pink tutu and plastic jewelry, or sometimes she "decorates" her room to make it special!  The other day she also got LB dressed in their chicken costume as a special thing for Dad!  LOL...]  I love that they actually pick up on this sense of special anticipation and excitement that Daddy is coming home and greet him with great enthusiasm!

Sometimes loving NP means joyfully doing things that we both hate to do.  For example: cleaning out the litter box (which I admittedly do NOT do often, but he so appreciates it when I do!!) and keeping mail/bills/paperwork/other junk that collects off of our desk.  A while back I spent SEVEN HOURS cleaning off our desk.  Yeah, it was bad.  We had gotten so behind on entering receipts that Quicken actually gave me error messages of "are you sure you want to enter a transaction that old?"

I wish I had a picture of NP's face when he got home from work that night and saw the desk.  It was priceless!  This huge weight was lifted off of him - because even though technically those receipts were "his job," we had had so much going on and had gotten so far behind that it was overwhelming to him.  He surely does not want to spend seven hours of his precious time home from work staring at Quicken and shredding mail!  I've been working hard to keep the desk clear for the last month, and he has told me on several occasions that walking down the stairs and seeing the desk just thrills him!

Bottom line: my husband feels loved when I willingly and joyfully help him, honor him, respond to him.  He feels loved when our home is his haven.

It's counter-cultural, for sure.  My much more feminist-leaning self 10 years ago would have balked at this post I just wrote!  But there is a freedom in embracing who God made me to be as a woman, who God made my husband to be as a man, and the amazing influence he has given us as wives and mothers in the atmosphere of our homes!

Only because of Him,

Kristi

What practical ways do you show love to your husband, or what areas do you need to improve on?

The "I Love You" List

On Wednesday nights this semester our church is going through Chip Ingram's study Marriage Built to Last. Unfortunately, due to my husbands responsibilities at the church, we are unable to go together. Therefore, I really do have to listen to bring back all the meat and homework assignments for us to do together at home. This past week one of our homework assignments was to come up with an "I love you" list. Here are the directions from our study guide:

"Each of you takes pen and paper. List seven simple actions your spouse could do for you that would make you feel loved. (I feel loved when you...) Make sure these actions are do-able, not too expensive and not problematic."

I challenge each couple to make separate lists over the next couple of weeks. The most imporant part is sharing them with each other. You never know what you might find out!

When He's Away...

Our life on sea duty means that our marriage is in a constant state of adjustment. We prepare for Tim leave, say good-bye, adjust to life without Dad, prepare for Dad to come home, experience homecoming, then finally adjust to life together again. Rinse and repeat every couple of months for 2-3 years. Sometimes it can feel like all you are doing is surviving the current phase of your relationship instead of really living and loving each other. And while not everyone is a military spouse, we all have periods of adjustment to change where we can make conscious choices to display love. Maybe it's a move, a new job, a new baby - whatever it is, it's still a choice to honor our husbands.

Here are a few ways I show Tim love as he is away from us:

1. Put family photos in a digital picture frame for him to take with him.

2. Write him honest and encouraging emails.

3. Send cards with love notes to be opened when he needs encouragement most.

4. Gather cards and letters of encouragement from friends and family to send with him.

5. Pack his favorite snacks and treats to enjoy while he's gone.

6. Continue to take our boys to church and do family worship at home.

7. Play DVD's of Tim reading to the boys while he's gone.

8. Pray for him.

I would love some new ideas of practical things I can do for Tim to show him love when he leaves for his next time at sea. What ideas do you have that you can share with me?

Loving Lee

Lee and I have been  married six and a half years, and I'm still learning how to show him love! We have different temperaments, personalities, strengths, weaknesses, hobbies, "love languages," and even favorite restaurants! So when thinking about what makes him feel loved, I have to get past what I think makes him feel loved, and ask him.

So let's do a little experiment! I'm going to list five things I can do or already do that show him love. Then I'll ask him for his list of five. Let's see how close I get!

My list:

1. Stay off the computer when he's home
2. Get dressed each day (not dressed up, just dressed!)
3. Put his laundry away (I've resisted this for six and a half years so far!)
4. Watch one of his favorite shows with him
5. Don't cook broccoli

His list (he says I already do the first three, and could do more of numbers 4 & 5):

1. Proof read for him
2. Cook good food
3. Take good care of the boys at home every day
4. Kiss more
5. Laugh more at his jokes!

Looks like I have my work cut out for me! What do you think your husband would say if you asked him how you could show him love?

More than store-bought valentines...

Confession: I have totally flopped on the Valentines Day prep this week.  Like KLee, this is birthday bonanza time 'round these parts.  AG's birthday is February 2nd, LB's is the 9th.  Their party is this Saturday, the 13th.

...I did buy a package of valentines at Walmart for AG to give to her friends at church on Sunday... does that count? :)

I still have a few days to redeem, however.  And, I've been keeping my eyes out for cool ideas floating about in the blogosphere.  Here are some of my favorites.

For AG and LB's Sunday School teachers, I thought we could whip up a batch of these yummy looking Valentine Rice Krispie hearts from a pretty cool life... AG loves to make rice krispies, and dipping them in chocolate would make it all the better!

I think that along with her paper valentines, AG and I will include these easy candy dot hearts (great cutting practice, too!)

For Daddy... I love this adorable 1 Corinthians 13 box of chocolates from Alyssa at Keeping the Kingdom First!

I also loved all of the uber-creative ideas over at ABC and 123 for Valentines-themed learning activities!  I would not have thought of all the ways to use conversation hearts for homeschooling!  [And, by the way, there's a linky up at ABC and 123 today for sharing valentines day ideas!  Check it out or add your own!]  And for more brilliant and adorable valentine craft ideas, check out the Crafty Crow!

I'm still on the hunt for more ideas... got any favorites to share?

P.S.  Also looking for ideas for our zoo-themed birthday party! :)

-Kristi

The Heart of the Matter

February is "birthday month" at our house. JD's is the 2nd and LilE's is the 15th. The past 3 years I have been learning all about how to plan a kid's birthday party and Valentine's has been pretty much ignored. Bummer, because I think it is a fun holiday to celebrate with kids.

This year I have been better organized about the party so I can focus more on Valentine's Day. Here is a little bit of what is going on at our house.

A very lovely pink breakfast.

Making Valentine's for school.

Playing with homemade Valentine's play dough.

And my favorite, having a heart attack.

This has been a great way to build LilE's character. We have been staying away from physical attributes we love in her and focusing on qualities that are pleasing to the Lord. While working as a camp counselor, at the end of every week we would write "CQs" or "Character Quality" certificates for the kids. It has been such a joy to list out for my own child what positive things I see in her character. And it is a simple reminder of what a blessing she is in my life!

Cutting and Cookies...

I love celebrating Valentine's Day at our house. It's so much fun to surprise the boys with a special breakfast and show them my love. One of my favorite memories growing up was heart-shaped pancakes and other special breakfasts my mom always made. I want my kids to have the same kinds of memories.

I asked Mark what he wanted to do to celebrate Valentine's Day this week and he wanted to make "party heart" cookies. I actually made these for an auction event I had last week, but I plan on making these hearts and white circles for him tomorrow. I'll let him help me ice them and then the following day he can decorate them with markers. I'm no expert on cookie decorating, but I've learned a lot from Bake at 350 and my cookie and icing recipe are the ones on her site. Plus, the edible markers for decorating cookies can be ordered through her as well.

Lastly, I decided that this week would be a great week to work on our cutting skills. We are making homemade Valentine's to send to our great grandparents who live in Texas. Mark was most impressed that he could cut the line I drew, then open the shape to reveal a heart. "Mom! That's amazing! It IS a heart!" (It's the little things, right?)

What are you doing with your preschooler this week to celebrate Valentine's Day?

Valentine's Day Is for the Birds

February is Wild Bird Feeding month. I saw a cute idea for bird seed biscuits in Family Fun magazine, and decided to combine bird feeding and Valentine's Day. We made Valentines for the birds!

I found heart shaped ice cube trays at Target for $1. I used them as the molds for the bird seed biscuits. You mix 3/4 cup of bird seed, 1 T flour, and 2 T of water to make a kind of paste. Be sure to grease the molds, then pack the bird seed mixture into the mold (or cookie cutters, as suggested in the magazine). Cut up drinking straws, and push a piece of the straw into each shape. If you are making small shapes, don't make the hole too close to the sides. A couple of mine fell apart because there wasn't enough support.

Place your molds on a foil lined baking sheet and bake in the oven at 170 degrees for one hour. After baking, let cool. Then remove bird seed biscuits from the molds. You can take out the straws and run a ribbon through the holes. We used red ribbon so it could easily be found after the bird seed has been eaten.

Hang your bird feeder in a well covered area where you may have seen birds! Enjoy celebrating Valentine's Day and Wild Bird Feeding month!

MMMMMMMM.... chess bars

My friend Amber makes these amazing chess bars. I had never heard of such a thing before meeting her - I hear it's a Kentucky thing. Wherever they come from, it is a good day when Amber makes these for our small group! I love them. She gave me permission to pass these on to you. You're welcome.

Chess Bars

For crust, mix:
1 yellow cake mix (not butter recipe)
1 egg
1 stick of softened butter

Press crust into greased 9x13 pan

For filling, mix:
3 eggs
1 lb. powdered sugar
8 oz. softened cream cheese

Optional: stir in 3/4 c. of mini chocolate chips (do it - you will not regret it!) :)

Pour filling over crust and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes until light brown on top. Let bars set before cutting.

Obviously, these are hardly low-fat! I did find this intriguing Weight Watchers version here. I am skeptical that it will be as good, but maybe the calorie/ guilt differential will make up for it. Maybe.

Enjoy!

-Kristi

Turtle Cheesecake

Cheesecake. So delicious. JD and I love taking trips to The Cheesecake Factory, even if it isn't more than once a year. We each have our favorites. His--Oreo. Hers--Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple.

A few months back I decided I wanted to try my hand at making a cheesecake. I was more than a bit intimidated. I found a recipe for a white chocolate cheesecake online. After researching how to cook it in a waterbath (among other questions I had) and making several phone calls, it turned out just about perfect.

In my October issue of Taste of Home came a recipe for a Layered Turtle Cheesecake. Since the others that I made turned out well, I decided to step it up a notch. Pecan crust, chocolate on bottom, carmel and pecan in the middle, with a plain cheesecake, then topped with a chocolate ganache sprinkled with pecans. Divine.

What is your favorite cheesecake? Do you have any recipes I can try?