When Others Are On The Move

JD and I have been so fortunate to reside in the same home for 6 years! We did move once before this big move without the aid of movers. My one and only practical tip for moving is how to label the boxes. Each room was assigned a color--living room-red, bedroom-green, garage-black, etc. We color coded all of our boxes by taping a piece of construction paper on top of each box to coordinate. In the new house we taped large pieces of contruction paper on the wall in each room with the assigned color. When our free labor (parents and friends) came to help move, they matched box colors to room colors. Viola!

Since we have been stationary for so long, we have seen many new people move into our neighborhood and church family. It is definitey not easy to be the new kid in town. I remember the days of feeling alone and overwhelmed with trying to get it all unpacked. Here are some things that others did for us and we try to do for others to help make transitions easier.

1. Treat the family. Who would turn down a homemade meal? In all the hustle and bustle of moving, there is not much time for cooking. An already cooked meal saves the family time and money. Or give them a basket of snacks to munch on between meals.

2. Offer to help. You can offer to help unpack, but it can be difficult for the new homeowner to know where they want to store things without having to make quick decisions to tell you where to put them. But you can help watch the kids. Have your kids play in the front yard with the new kids, where safety is not an issue. Or you could mow the yard to take that task off the family during the spring and summer months.

3. Invite them over. We felt so alone after making a cross country move. It was so nice to have people invite us out to lunch or over for dinner. It doesn't mean you have to be bussom buddies, but it shows them you care. But especially during the holidays when family is not around, make sure the newbies have a place to celebrate. Hey, Easter is this Sunday!   

4. Be a beacon for Christ. When neighbors move in (or anyone for that matter), you cannot see their heart. Let them always see Christ in you and be a witness for them so they will want what you have to offer--a relationship with the Savior!

What else do you do to make moves for others easier?

 

Right Where We Need to Be

One of the characteristics of life in the military is the tendency to move - a lot. It's often both a joy and trial of this life. Some people can't imagine moving as often as we have, but it's just part of what we do, so we do it. And there are definitely some positives to moving frequently. We get to purge our belongings and clean out closets often. We have friends all over the US and the world. And if you don't like something about where you live, you know that in not too long you'll be moving on to new and different annoyances. (Currently, the sand gnats are at the top of my "Can't Wait to Get Away From" list. I'm fairly certain that this swamp land we live in was not meant to be inhabited by anything other than bugs!)

But most importantly, it's trusting that God is sovereign and good that gets us through any part of this crazy life. My husband and I know that we are doing exactly what He has called us to do vocationally for now. And therefor, this must be exactly the place that we are supposed to live (gnats and all!) While it's not a perfect town, we are blessed beyond measure by our friends and our church here. And even on the days that we can't see exactly what His purposes are, we trust that they are far superior to our desires for where we'd pick to live at any given time. I often hear things like, "I could never do what you do!" But the truth is that I don't do it well. It's only when I let God work through me and grant me His grace that I deal with each and every move in the way that I should.

And while I am no expert, I thankfully have learned a few things along the way that I can share as some practical advice for those of you looking ahead to a move.

1. Get rid of things before you move. You don't want to be unpacking and realize there was no need to move that broken toy or outdated decorative item. If it doesn't have a place or use in your current home, it probably won't in your new home. Donate it to charity and keep your receipts for a tax write-off.

2. Think ahead to what you might need before you get a chance to unpack. Baby items, towels, blankets, paper towels, toilet paper, flashlights, snacks and cleaning products all top my list. Plan for spending the night in your new home before you unpack. Think about anything a hotel would offer - that can help you decide what to put in your "Open me first!" box.

3. Plan for items that the movers won't take. Ask for a list before the pack out date of what they won't move. It could include candles and other items you want to move yourself. Plants and food are at the top of my list of things I don't usually move, but don't want to waste. If you aren't taking your plants in your own vehicle make arrangements to give them to a friend or neighbor. Consider doing the same with some of your opened food. A good friend would often be grateful for that almost-full bottle of mustard that you would have to throw away.

4. Unpack your kids rooms first. This was huge for us when we moved twice in 6 months with a baby and a toddler. While it's tempting to start with the kitchen or another high-traffic area, try to completely get your children's rooms set up on the first day of unpacking. It will help them adjust to their new surroundings and give them a safe place to play and sleep while you tackle other rooms.

5. Above all, be flexible. It will never go as you expect it to go. Make a plan and then when things change, don't sweat it.

Where I'm From

I lived 18 years in Duncan, OK. Then 3 months in Pearland, TX. 4 years of college in Abilene, TX. 1 year in Allen, TX. A few months in Bakersfield, CA. Then six years around the Raleigh, NC area. Now I live in south/central Penn. When someone asks, "Where are you from?" this easy question is actually difficult for me to answer.

When does where you live become where you're from?

When you're in school, where you're from is not a question about where you live. You are expected to be from somewhere other than where you live. My college and seminary directories both listed my name, phone number, address, and home town. This assumed my address did not tell my home town.

But while in seminary I married a local boy (from Raleigh) and had two kids. I still struggled to say that I was from there, even though my little family was from there and we lived there.

Now that we live in Pennsylvania, it's even harder for me to say where I'm from. Do you want to know where I grew up (this question is usually to figure out my accent), where I moved from, or where I live now? You can see how this question can lead to a five minute explanation.

When visited my parents we went out to eat and the hostess asked, "Where are you from?" My first answer is usually, "Texas," but since I was in Texas that wouldn't work. So I said, "We live in Pennsylvania." I immediately felt guilty. My husband and I love our church. We love the area where we live. We hope to be here for years! So when will I be able to say that I'm from Pennsylvania?

Those of us who are taken to places other than our "homes" for ministry (or other reasons) sometimes have a hard time feeling permanent there. But I am where God has placed me. Acts 17: 26 says, "...[God] has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings..." So it is not my husband, our church, or a job that has placed me where I live but God. To not put down roots where He has placed me is to doubt His love, wisdom, and plan for my life.

Home is not only where the heart is, but home is in the center of God's will. And there's no other place I'd rather be.

This Week: Moving

This week we're talking about moving! Between the four of us, we could count close to twenty moves- just since our weddings. So if experience gives wisdom, we have a lot to pass along!

We won't have a guest post this week, as we celebrate Good Friday and Easter weekend. Praying that you all are touched by the power of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection as you celebrate with your families and church families. 

Brooke's Life-Affirming Mission

“No one wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal, caught in a trap, wants to gnaw off its own leg." – Frederica Mathewes-Green

The Journey

From my earliest memories I've been various levels of what is frequently termed "pro-life." I no longer care for that label though...I prefer "life-affirming."

I once sat at a baseball game with a woman and told her that I just couldn't understand how anyone could ever have an abortion. "Why," I asked, "don't they just put them up for adoption? Don't they know that there are thousands of couples out there who would give anything to adopt their baby?"

I didn't understand.

But I do now.

The first time I read the quote above by Frederica Mathewes-Green I was blown away. It paints a vivid picture. One that now, after ten years of service in pregnancy care ministries, I know to be a true picture of what most women go through as they make the choice for life or death.

"Someone has to die," she thinks. "Either I will die to all of my hopes and dreams and plans, or this baby will die." And she quietly chooses herself over her baby.

Perhaps she thinks there will be plenty of time to have babies later, when they're wanted.

Perhaps she doesn't want to be tied to the father of the baby for the rest of her life. Maybe he abuses her, or has betrayed her.

Perhaps she can't afford a baby right now.

Perhaps she will lose her college scholarship if she continues the pregnancy.

Perhaps she has been raped, or is a victim of incest.

Perhaps her life really is threatened medically if she has this baby.

Perhaps her parents will be duty-bound by their religion to kill her if she reveals she is pregnant.

The list goes on and on...real life situations. In my time serving in pregnancy care ministry I've seen them all.

I understand why the women I've served think abortion is the only option. Do I think it's the right option...the best option? No. But I understand why they do.

“No one wants an abortion as she wants an ice cream cone or a Porsche. She wants an abortion as an animal, caught in a trap, wants to gnaw off its own leg." – Frederica Mathewes-Green

Pregnancy care ministries offer a caring and compassionate response to the issue of abortion. Thousands of men and women, some touched by abortion themselves, serve as well-trained volunteers who hope to share truth in love with the women whose paths they cross.

From the moment our clients enter the door...


As they wait to be served...


As they share the inner sanctuary of their heart...

 
See the life within them...


And find support for their practical needs...


They are loved. Not a political agenda. That's why I don't like the term "pro-life." Anti-life workers have worked hard to make this term a hateful one. No, we affirm life. Affirm women.

"Who would oppose the work of centers like these? They don't threaten anyone's access to abortion, but just offer support to those who make a choice. Without the thousands of pregnancy centers like these giving hope and help across the country, the abortion rate would be much higher than its present four thousand per day. Pregnancy care centers give women an alternative to abortion." -Frederica Mathewes-Green

"And I praise God for you," said Alicia*, a client who chose to give life to her baby after visiting the Center, "I didn't want her. Didn't see how I could possibly have her. But faith said no."




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. Brooke has served for the past ten years in pregnancy care ministries. She currently serves part-time as Director of Clinical Services at her local Center in Roanoke, VA. 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.

*not her real name

Steps of Obedience

Last week, Sandra was kindly helping to get the word out about a human trafficking series I have been running on my blog.  She wrote, "One of my on-line friends, Kristi Stephens, has a mission. Her mission is to help rescue women and children from human trafficking."

In a weird sort of way it was uncomfortable to see in writing - someone else's writing - that freeing victims of human trafficking is my mission.  I never felt "called" to fight human trafficking.  There was no clear sign from God.  I didn't wake up one day and decide to be an abolitionist.

But I know this: I was redeemed from my own slavery to sin by a God who loves justice and mercy, who gave me grace when I deserved hell, who offered me true freedom in His Son.  So when I heard that 1.2 million children are trafficked internationally each year, or that as many as 4 million women and girls are bought and sold worldwide every year, or that 3,000 children are forced into commercial sexual exploitation at any given time just in San Francisco... my heart was stirred.

Then I became more closely acquainted with Women at Risk, International (WAR) - It started as a jewelry party I helped to put together for our church - the easiest, most "fun" way I think there is to make a real difference in the lives of trafficking victims!  As I sat in my seat and listened to stories of individual women, as I heard that half of the women who come to the safehouses that WAR partners with eventually accept Christ as their Savior, as I discovered what a rampant problem trafficking is within our own borders, I knew I wanted to do everything within my power to help them!  

I contacted WAR and told them that I loved their mission of helping wrap circles of love and protection around the most vulnerable women and children in the world.  I told them that my largest sphere of influence, with the potential of reaching hundreds (and by extension, thousands) of women around the world, was online through my blog and twitter- and began to discuss with them how we could use it as a vehicle to inform others.  The Redeemed series was born.

It seems to me that often our "missions" that God gives us are quiet, small opportunities He places into our lives to share the love and Truth of Jesus Christ.  When we obey and take the first step, there is often a second step to take.  If we continue to follow His call, He often will grow and expand what we are able to do in His name - for His vision is bigger than ours.

Wondering what your "mission" is?  Look around you. What breaks your heart?  What gifts, talents, wealth, influence has God entrusted to you?  How can you use it to touch others in His name?

You never know where He might take you.  You just might turn into something you never set out to be!

To learn more about human trafficking and what you can do, check out the posts in the Redeemed series.  As you consider what your mission in this world might be, I highly recommend the book Zealous Love.

Everyone Needs Compassion

"...and whoever welcomes a little child like this in My name welcomes Me." Matthew 18:5

During my freshman year of college, I, like Sandra, was called to adopt. But not in the way you are thinking. I was called to adopt a child I would most likely never meet. A child who lives on the other side of the world. A child who does not have a family who can provide meals on the table, clothes for her back, medicine when she is sick, or a proper education.

I was called to sponsor a child.

After doing some research I found Compassion International and learned that in response to the Great Commission, they "exist as an advocate for children, to release them from their spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enable them to become responsible and fulfilled Christian adults."

What I love the most about Compassion is not only their desire to meet economic, social and physical needs, but MOST importantly, their desire to share my Jesus with these children. And it is not a second thought. It is their top priority! I do not have the abilities to be with them each and every day and teach them about my Savior, but Compassion makes sure they are taught through the local churches about saving grace!

Compassion International began in 1952 with one man's dream to help 35 orphaned children in South Korea. Today, more than 1 million children are sponsored in 26 countries! Praise the Lord! You can read the entire history here.

After my calling, I began to sponsor Siwaree from Thailand in 1997 for $24 a month. I had to make sacrifices as a college student, but it was a sacrifice I was willing to make. In 2003, I was notified that Siwaree was no longer enrolled in the sponsorship program.

This did not deter me from sponsoring, it encouraged me that even if Siwaree no longer needed assistance, there were other children who did need me. At that time I found a sweet 5 year old girl named Fon in Thailand. JD decided he also wanted to sponsor a child that he could correspond with. He chose Richard in Brazil. We continue to sponsor these two children to date. Each month we send Compassion $38 per child. It is a small sacrifice on our part to meet the needs of these two precious children.

We are able to correspond with these two. We are able to write them as often as we like. We do receive letters from them about once a quarter. We also get updates on their project information as it changes. I love seeing how they are similar to kids in the states. Fon likes to play dolls, group games, and hide-and-seek. Richard likes to play soccer and cars. Kids will be kids anywhere in the world! And I love getting their artwork in the mail. Absolutely precious!

More than money and letters, the most important thing I can do for these two children is pray. Pray for their parents as they work and provide. Pray for their education. Pray for their friends. Pray for tender hearts as they hear the Bible teaching. Pray for them to accept the free gift of salvation. Isn't that really all that really matters?

If you would like to sponsor a child through Compassion, you can find one here. Compassion Sunday is right around the corner.

Sponsor a Child

What have I really given up for Him?

It's not that hard to be a Christian for me. Sure, there are a few "sacrifices" here and there. We give up some luxuries to tithe and support missionaries. (If you missed my post on missionary support, please read it. It's another mission I feel strongly about.) But what am I really giving up, a few Starbucks here and there, some new clothes or evenings out to dinner? Big deal. And what kind of persecution have I faced in my lifetime for being a Christian? Uh, none. I'm fairly certain that the occasional weird look or mocking comment hardly qualifies as persecution for my faith. We might like to think that it does, but let's be perfectly frank with one another. In this country, for most of us, we don't suffer for the cause of Christ. And I'd venture to say that thinking about true suffering makes us all quite uncomfortable.

But that's all the more reason we should probably be exposed to suffering. One mission organization that we support is Voice of the Martyrs. They provide aid and more importantly, prayer support to the millions of Christians in our world who do face true persecution for simply believing in Christ. You can give money to support their ministry, but you can also sign up to receive updates on specific countries, churches and Christians. These updates give you specific ways to pray for the persecuted church in our world today. You will be amazed at the situations and trials these Christians endure for the cause of Christ.

And if you've never read it, I encourage you to read Foxe's Book of Martyrs. It will remind you just how blessed you are. It's been a trying couple of weeks for me. I've been extremely busy with a large commitment I made and in the middle of it all my grandfather passed away, we had a family wedding in another state and Tim faced a very difficult work situation. I will admit to feeling a little sorry for myself quite a few times in the course of it all. But writing about martyrdom is a wake up call to be eternally grateful for the life I have and the ability to live without fear for my family and my children. If you are struggling right now, I would like to ask that you consider devoting some time to praying for others who are suffering for their faith. It just might give you some much needed perspective, like it did for me.

Our Mission: Bring Him Home

The moment you become a mother is pretty clear. You realize it when you see a plus sign on the pregnancy test.

The moment you become an adopting mother is less clear. Is it when you google "adoption agencies" for the first time? When you sign your first paper? When your new son or daughter walks through the door of your home for the first time? That answer may be different for each adopting family.

We became an adopting family even before Lee and I said, "I do." From the beginning, we talked about our future children. We thought we'd have a couple and adopt a couple. It's easy to make big plans when everything is still in the planning stage.

Fast forward seven years and now we have a couple children. And even after spending my days tripping over trains, folding endless laundry, and changing diaper after diaper, I still feel the call to adopt. I want to bring into our home a little boy who may not have five different Thomas the Trains to choose from when he wants to play. He may not have a closet full of clothes that change with each season and with each inch he grows. And he may not even get his diaper changed every time he needs it changed.  

Our mission is to bring him home.

So we are googling "adoption agencies." And we can't wait to start signing our names to all that paper work. And we really can't wait for the day he walks through our door to his new home.

Because in our minds, he's already ours. God has chosen him to be part of our family, just as we became members of God's family through adoption. We didn't deserve it; we couldn't earn it. But through His grace, we became His children.

At this point, we have as many questions as we have answers. We are praying for a boy, under three years old, from Africa. We will "officially" begin the process this August. We don't know what agency we will use. We don't know how long it will take. We don't know how we will afford to bring him home. We don't know if he'll like hamburgers or hot dogs (or be like our James and not like either!). But we do trust that God knows the answers before we even ask. And as we are faithful to what we see as our mission, we trust He will be faithful to bless our efforts.

Resources:

• Adopted for Life by Russell Moore
• 5 Adoptions Myths You Shouldn't Believe from Steady Mom
• I Don't Want My Children to Be Happy from It's almost Nap Time

(You can keep up with our adoption process on our family blog, Celebrate Every Day.) 

This Week: Mission

This week our topic is mission. We will share with you the passion God has laid on our hearts to live beyond ourselves. Whether it's making a difference in our neighborhoods or across the world, our missions are opportunities to join with God in His work.

Please pray for us this week. Pray that we will communicate clearly what is on our hearts. Pray for our readers, that each one will find her mission. God in His goodness and wisdom has given all of His children unique gifts, abilities, and passions. Each one of us has a mission, and with God, nothing is impossible!

Our guest post this week will be from Brooke, who blogs at A Life in Need of Change. Brooke has a passion for helping women in crisis pregnancy situations. In January she did a moving series on her site on the effects of abortion. You can read her posts from that week starting here. 

They Want to Eat What??

Our guest post today from Mindy who is a stay at home mom to two wonderful kids, ages 6 and 3. Worshiping Jesus is her favorite thing to do, followed by scrapbooking, reading and finding great deals. She and her husband are involved in many ministries in their church and love to serve the people there. They live in Post Falls, ID (north Idaho) and enjoy being close to relatives.

Cooking has always been fun for me, that is until I had kids….

Somehow I thought that my kids would automatically love my food, be thrilled to eat their vegetables and walk away from the table praising my name for making good food. Reality hit when my son hit 1 year and began eating table food. Soon, he began to “pick” out the food that he would eat, and that was usually only bread.

Three years later, my daughter arrived and refused to eat my home cooked meals, surviving only by eating bread, fruit and chicken nuggets. For a while I completely gave up, and we ate a lot of pasta, take-out and the staple, chicken nuggets.

Not too long ago, I decided that our budget could no longer afford all the take-out and that I could reduce our grocery budget if I started cooking from scratch. My kids have not totally embraced my grandiose ideas, but we’ve found a few recipes that they seem to tolerate. Much trial and error has occurred the last few months as we’ve formed our favorite recipe.

When I cook, I have some guidelines that I use: fast, inexpensive, not too many ingredients and must be foods that are ordinary, meaning that I’m not going to buy a bottle of something I’ll only use one time.

Here’s what I’ve come up with:
Chicken Rolls
3 cups cooked chicken
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup frozen broccoli
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 packages crescent dinner rolls

Combine all ingredients, except dinner rolls in a bowl. Unroll crescent dinner rolls and put together two crescent dinner rolls, to make a rectangle. Put ¼ cup of chicken mixture onto each rectangle and pull opposite corners together on top of the rectangle. They should look roundish with some chicken mixture peeking through the dinner roll. Place on greased cooking sheet and bake for 25 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Hope you enjoy our favorite meal!! For more ideas to help kids eat home-cooked meals, please visit the Culver Family Blog!

Super-healthy blender pancakes!

Breakfast is the most beloved meal of the day at our house.  Whether it is mini-bagels with cream cheese, oatmeal and applesauce, blueberry pancakes, or scrambled eggs... my kids can put down an amazing amount of food first thing in the morning.  I like knowing that they're eating a large amount of healthy food in the morning!

Now is the time in this post when I'm going to tell you something today that will make you think I'm a weirdo. Ready?

I mill my own flour.

I take wheat berries, run them through a grain mill, and bake with fresh flour.  It is so good for you and everything tastes AWESOME.

If you don't happen to have a grain mill, I thought I would share my favorite breakfast recipe with you today.  These pancakes are so delicious and amazingly good for your family - and you can make them right in your blender!  You won't want to go back to humdrum pancake mix! :)



By the way, if you are now wondering where to buy unmilled grain, I have seen it in bulk bins at our local health food store, my favorite Amish bulk store, and my sister has found someone at their local farmer's market who sells it... check around and you'll probably find something!!
Blender pancakes

Before bedtime the night before, pour into your blender:
1 cup of plain yogurt thinned with milk or buttermilk
1/2 cup of whole grain wheat (this is unground grain - not flour!)
1/2 cup old fashioned oats


Blend on high for 3 minutes. Then let this sit on your counter overnight.

In the morning, add:
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp honey
1 tsp vanilla

Blend for 1 minute, or until all ingredients are mixed.

Add 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking soda; pulse three times, just enough to mix.
Mixture will foam up and get very light.

Cook immediately on a hot skillet... delicious!!!

What's your favorite meal of the day?

-Kristi

p.s. Beginning next week, I will be hosting an event on my blog called "Redeemed" - a two week long series to raise awareness about human trafficking and specific things that can be done.  You won't want to miss these powerful personal stories, startling statistics, and ways that you and your church can make a difference.  You can visit the main page for the series here.

Let's Fire Up the Grill

I love my girls! My Monday night girls. Monday night is my Bible study night. We decided about a year ago to enjoy dinner together (instead of appetizers) before we began the study portion of the evening. Instead of pigging out on junk food, we can actually have a filling (but not always the healthiest) meal. Of course, we do not forget the dessert!

We have been through a couple of studies that actually include recipes for the week. Sometimes we stick to the book, sometimes we don't. The last time we meet it called for taco soup. It was 60 degrees and sunny outside. I just couldn't heat up a pot of soup with the gorgeous spring weather. JD fired up the grill for me and cooked some super tasty chicken. Along with the juicy meat we ate mac-n-cheese and salad with "the" dressing. I think we may have had salad with the same dressing every single Monday this semester. Served with yeast rolls and then it was followed with Turtle Cheesecake.

It was such a tasty meal! I can't wait to make it again this spring and summer!

Chicken Marinade:

Poultry Seasoning (Rubbed into meat)

¼ cup Italian Dressing

1 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP Worchestershire Sauce

1 tsp Paula Deen Seasoning (or to taste)

"The" Salad Dressing:

¼ cup EVOO

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¾ cup sugar

2 TBSP ketchup

dash Worcestershire

That's it?!

I decided I'd write about my husband's favorite meal this week because I cook it much more often than my own favorite meal. We call it Mexican Stack and it once was a sore point in our marriage.

When we first married I dreamed of cooking Tim gourmet dinners and just knew that if he tasted enough of my *fabulous* cooking that he would pick a new favorite meal. And not only did I not think his favorite meal was impressive enough to be his favorite, but we used to fight over what to call it! (I know, we were the picture of newly wedded bliss, right?) He'd grown up calling it Mexican Stack, while I'd always called it Girl Scout Tacos. I have since come to appreciate the simplicity and ease of his meal and it's what I always make for his birthday, homecomings and sometimes just because I love him.

I start by making a pot of homemade pintos. There are lots of ways to make them, but I like the crockpot. Wash and soak a bag of pinto beans 6-8 hours. Drain, rinse and cover with 2 inches of water. Add a smoked hamhock, 2-3 T kosher salt, 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped and 3 T chili powder. (The better the chili powder, the better the beans. I stock up when I go home to Texas. Gebhardt's is my favorite, but Mexene is also very good.) Cook on low for 6-8 hours until tender.

We usually make several meals from the pot like beans and cornbread and bean burritos in addition to the Mexican Stack. For Mexican stack night, I brown ground beef and add taco seasoning, grate cheddar cheese and cut lettuce and tomato. We serve it over tortilla chips and with salsa. (I told you it was nothing too impressive or difficult!) But it's my husband's favorite and just because I love him I've got a pot of beans soaking right now.

Sandra's Favorite Meal

Even though I have lots of favorite foods (Mam-Maw's apple pie, Dad's ribs, Mom's layered salad...), thinking of my favorite meal is easy. From appetizer to dessert, here's my absolute favorite meal!

When I was growing up, we lived in the same town as my grandparents. Every Sunday after church we went to their house for lunch. As soon as we got there, (before we were told, "Either get out of the kitchen or set the table!") Grandma had a dish of pickles and olives waiting "just for me." So my favorite meal starts with a pickle (or two or three, if Mom and Dad weren't looking).


Finally it would be time to sit down for Sunday dinner! I would take my seat (always to my grandma's right) and the table would be full of my favorites- chicken fried steak with gravy, mashed potatoes, tomato macaroni, bread, and fruit salad. Oh, I'm hungry and a little homesick just thinking about it!

I have only tried to make chicken fried steak my grandma's way once or twice. I just can't get it right. Luckily, my mom can get it right so the meal continues to be special to me. I will share the recipes for the fruit salad and tomato macaroni with you!

(I realize there are two types of cooks- recipe following measure everything cooks, and make it up as you go along, dash of this and that cooks. I am the second type, which I know drives the first kind crazy! The following recipes are as specific as I can get!)

Fruit Salad:
Peel, cut up and combine apples, oranges and bananas.  Add a couple handfuls of marshmallows. Squeeze half of an orange over the fruit salad and stir! (If you aren't going to eat it immediately, hold off on the marshmallows until it's time to eat. Just add them and stir.)

Tomato Macaroni: 
First, get a pot of water boiling and cook a box of macaroni. In a large skillet, fry up some bacon (4-6 slices). When the bacon is done (Grandma would get it extra crispy), remove it and add about half of a diced onion to the bacon grease. When the onions are soft, add a can of stewed tomatoes. When the macaroni is ready, drain then add to the tomato mixture. Stir it up, heat it up, serve it up- topped with the bacon in small pieces. 

No favorite meal is complete without dessert, and the perfect compliment to my favorite meal was chocolate pie. I always got the first slice because I didn't want it with whipped cream, or maybe it was because Grandma knew it was my favorite.

I am so thankful for the favorite meals and memories I have from Grandma's house. She had a way of making all twenty-seven of her grandchildren feel special!

This Week: Favorite Meals

First thing is first- the winner of the Busy Mom's Bible is Tabitha, with comment #19! Tabitha, I found your email address and will be emailing you ASAP! Congrats to Tabitha and thank you to all who entered the giveaway.

This week we are talking about our favorite meals! From comfort food to fancy favorites, we will share meal ideas and even a recipe or two!

Our guest post on Friday will be from Mindy. She is a stay at home mom to two wonderful kids, ages 6 and 3.  Worshiping Jesus is her favorite thing to do, followed by scrapbooking, reading and finding great deals.  She and her husband are involved in many ministries in their church and love to serve the people there. They live in Post Falls, ID (north Idaho) and enjoy being close to relatives.

Ministry through Meals

A story in the Bible that has always stood out to me has been the story of Mary and Martha.  Mary and Martha were sisters and hosted Jesus and his disciples in their home.  In Luke 10:38-42, we read that while Martha prepared the meal and served it, her sister Mary sat at Jesus' feet and listened to him teach.  Martha complained to Jesus that her sister was not helping her, and Jesus gently chastised her because Mary was not wrong in wanting to listen to Jesus' teaching.

I have always felt led to the ministry of hospitality.  Opening our home to people has always been such a blessing to me.  Preparing a meal that is prayed over, enjoyed, savored - few things in life bring me more joy.

Easter Sunday, 2005, I woke up with so much to do.  I thought I'd prepared enough ahead of time, but as the day dawned, I realized that time was not on my side.  I had lamb that had been marinating all night long that needed to be cooked, I had potatoes to peel, eggs to boil, a cake to decorate -- and in front of me loomed a full day in a Spirit filled church where the pastor would just be warming up about 12:30.

But after church, I had 40 people coming over, including the pastor and his family, the music director, and various other guests and their children.  For the first time in my life, I would not be attending church on Easter Sunday.

About 9:00, Gregg and Kaylee left and left me alone to finish decorating, to hide eggs, and to finish cooking.  About 12:50, Gregg returned and said that everyone was just minutes behind him.  He had enough time to pour the ice into the cooler and put the dog in our room before the doorbell started ringing.

The pastor and his wife came in first.  I joked with her (her name is Mary) that she got to worship at the feet of Jesus while I stayed back in the kitchen.  She was and is a dear friend and told me that there are times when Martha just needs to work, and that they understood that this particular morning was one of those times for me.

Since then, whenever I've heard the story of Martha and Mary, I think that Martha often gets a bad rap.  Despite how Mary wasn't necessarily doing anything wrong at Jesus' feet, someone was still expected to prepare the meal and serve it.  And that fell to Martha, who had to carry the burden of her sister's work, too.  Yet the focus of all of the lessons about that story look at how spending time with Jesus was a priority to one woman.

Because of the effort and hours and hours of work on my behalf, a large group of friends and church family were able to relax and just enjoy the holiday, fellowshipping together without worrying about Easter dinner or patronizing a restaurant or going home to an empty house (as was the case with our widower music director.)  Instead, they walked into a loving home filled with tables covered with pastel table covers and set with gold rimmed dishes and crystal glassware, centered with beautiful bouquets of fresh cut flowers.  Children got to finish eating the last of their dinner and run outside in their Easter best, carrying beribboned baskets and competing in a hunt for the most eggs.  And late in the afternoon, everyone was able to return to their own homes and enjoy the rest of their holiday together.

During dinner, the question was posed: when would I start cooking for the church on a regular basis?  I'd done special dinners, banquets, fed visiting pastors and missionaries more lunches and dinners than I could count.  And we'd only been attending that church for about 6 months.  The idea was sparked and within a few weeks, the Cuisine Team ministry began.

Every Wednesday, I cooked dinner for our church.  The first week, we fed 23.  The last week we were there, we fed 94.

I learned how to cook good, affordable dinners for large crowds who were coming in paying, if they could afford it, $5 a plate.  I learned some meals aren't easy to do (breakfast for dinner) and I learned just how easy some of the more complicated meals can be (chicken cordon bleu.)

This was in Florida.  In 2007, we moved to Kentucky and intentionally sought out a church where I could continue my ministry.  The first church we went to had an amazing congregation and an awesome pastor.  But my ministry while appreciated on a certain level just didn't really fit in there.  In 2009, we felt the call that we answered to another church. The move wasn't easy but it was the right move for our family.

We started going there in August, and in January this year, I started cooking Wednesday nights again.  This time, Gregg is gone.  He's in Afghanistan.  Thankfully, and because God is good, he was home on vacation for the first two meals and helped me start back into my rhythm.  This time, I have two toddlers running around the church gym, playing in the toddler nursery, and basically hanging out at church on Wednesdays from 12:30 until after 8:00 most weeks.  But they love it.  They wake up Wednesday morning dancing and singing about it being church day.

Our youth pastor's wife comes to help me, and she has a daughter the same age as Scott.  So, the three of them run and play and play and run and have so much fun while we peel 20 pounds of potatoes or break down 10 chickens or make individual cheesecake cupcakes.

I have rarely felt so much in obedience to God as I do right now.  The first Wednesday that I walked into that kitchen and put on my apron I felt "right". 

I do it to serve.  I do it so that the dozens of people who come in, harried from work or from school or simply from a long day can come with their families and sit down to a home cooked, healthy meal and prepare their minds and their bodies for their hour of worship to God.  I do it so that they don't have to swing by a fast food restaurant on their way in to church and mindlessly fill their stomachs with bad food that usually doesn't even taste that good.  I do it so that a group within the body of Christ can come together and have a time of relaxing fellowship before they begin their evening.

It's hard work.  It's days of planning, shopping, preparing.  It's hours and hours of chopping and cooking and baking and serving.  It makes me late for my own class and gets me home late after a really long day.  But it's a blessing to offer to my church family a Martha that allows them to focus on nothing more than being a Mary for at least one night a week.

Hallee the Homemaker is a mother of 3 in small town Kentucky who juggles cloth diapers, grain mills, two precocious toddlers, a teenager, and a ministry that has her cooking full meals for 50+ people a week -- all while her husband is in Afghanistan. She has been blogging since August and covers everything from fresh ground whole wheat bread bowls and the breakdown model for Biblical womanhood, to how to clean chubby little lipstick hand-prints off of eggshell white walls. Hallee the Homemaker is delighted to be included in the Today's Housewife lineup.

Remember to enter to win the Busy Mom's Bible! Winner announced Sunday afternoon! 

God's vision was bigger than mine

I've always known that God had called me to do something.

The question was... what is that "something?"


When I was in high school I had the privilege of going on two week-long missions trips to Haiti and probably 6-8 more short trips to Mexico (we lived in Texas at the time - international missions trips could be a weekend jaunt!).  My heart broke for the desperately poor, the orphans, the forgotten ones.  I thought I was called to missions.  I was willing to go!  I still am - but that is not where God is taking me at this point in my life.

My junior and senior year I was in a public school for the first time in my life.  I loved the friends God brought me into contact with.  My heart was heavy for them.  I thought God was calling me to teach in a public school.  I was willing to go!  ...and then I wrestled with the fact that I absolutely hated being an education major in college.  I kept pushing on for two years, convinced that this was what God had for me.  Until my future husband asked me a question that changed my life, "but what do you really want to do?  What are you passionate about?"

Answer: Bible curriculum!  I sat and talked to NP for probably over an hour about how I would love to write a Bible curriculum.  A good one that teaches the larger narrative of Scripture and then fits the smaller "bits and pieces" into the overall picture.  I went back to college and changed my major to Bible with an emphasis in Christian education.  I was convinced I was called to write a Bible curriculum - the good kind that is hard to find.

I got married.  I taught Bible in a Christian school.  I languished.  I, indeed, did not like the curriculum options I had.  I wrestled with politics within private schools, and also within the church.  I was frustrated, spent, burned out.  When my husband's educational journey brought us to another state, I refused to even consider teaching again.  So, with my Bible major and minors in math and chemistry, I went to work in offices with long-term temp positions. What am I supposed to be doing, Lord?

During those years I poured myself into relationships with some unsaved work friends I came to deeply love.  I started attending women's Bible studies at our church.  It felt like a holding pattern.  What am I supposed to be doing, Lord?


I stopped working and became a full-time homemaker when AG was born.  I loved it.  I learned, like Sandra shared, that there is a special calling in motherhood that is of profound worth in the sight of God.  But still the question... What am I supposed to be doing, Lord? 

I was asked to facilitate a women's Bible study at church.  A dream formed in my heart - Bible studies for women that teach them the big picture of Scripture... the curriculum I talked about years ago, but for women.  It started to come together.  My professor from college gave me permission to build a series of Bible studies based on notes and lectures from his class.


After leading these studies and seeing others catch the vision for what had changed my own life - understanding the "big picture" of Scripture and how those bits and pieces fit together into God's grand metanarrative- I wondered about blogging through it.  An online reference of notes for my Bible study girls.  A friend gave me the push I needed to start blogging.

In the meantime, we had decided to homeschool our children - something I had vowed I would never do.  However, it is something that is much less intimidating with two years of education classes (albeit hated) and minors in math and science.


I don't see how all the pieces fit together yet - but I'm starting to get a glimmer.  God does know the plans He has for us.  They are usually different from our own.  They are usually much bigger.  Maybe not flashier, but bigger.  My definition of ministry was too small - it was bound by titles, professions, education.  God's definition of ministry included all of those times when I thought I was in a holding pattern.  When I wondered how I would ever arrive at "the" ministry He had for me.

His definition of ministry included waiting on Him and growing in faith as I waited.  It included loving those He placed around me and sharing Truth with them as we went through life together.  It included things I later thought were a waste of time.

So, what do I do in ministry?

I'm a wife.  I'm a mother.  I'm a friend.

I am a teacher to my children, to other women within my church and in my home, and to hundreds known to me only as a screen name and a tiny profile picture.

I even have the opportunity to shine a light on issues like human trafficking and practical ministry to the homeless - my heart still breaks for the forgotten ones.

I watch stats from the pages of my blog and marvel as I see hits from all over the world.  I am a missionary of sorts from my living room.

It might not have a clear-cut label, but God has surrounded me with opportunities to minister.  His vision was bigger than mine.

Feel like you're in a holding pattern?  Keep trusting, listening, obeying, loving Him and those He places around you as you go through your life.  Be willing to go and ready to respond to His call.  He has a picture in mind - He doesn't waste anything.

Only because of Him,
Kristi

**Please note that the links to my site are not working today - I'm in the process of moving from blogger to wordpress, and hopefully it will be back up and running this weekend!  I apologize for the timing! :)

P.S. Have you entered to win the Busy Mom's Bible? Click HERE to enter!

Called to Serve

My husband was called to be a minister. A children's minister. A minister to 1st-5th graders. You would think that as his wife I would also be called to children's ministry. I plugged into a "Sunday School" class on Sunday mornings to get to know some other young couples, but on Wednesday nights I stayed by his side. I was helping at the Welcome Desk for a while--getting to know families, registering kiddos, directing traffic, and answering lots of questions. He was in dire need of teachers in the classroom, so I volunteered. Seriously, he never pressured me, but since I wasn't teaching anywhere else, why not, right? I started teaching a fantastic group of 4th grade girls. I loved those girls and watching them grow spiritually.

But there was not a peace about teaching. I didn't feel it was my niche. After 3 years of serving with the elementary aged kids, I realized this is not where I was to spend my time serving.

I am not really sure how it all came about. The bed babies were in need of a teacher. I love babies. I actually had an 18 month old at the time. It was time to begin holding babies again! I absolutely love being able to walk into that classroom each and every week and pick up a crying child and give them comfort. I may not hold them and rock them like mommy does, but I will keep trying until I figure it out.

But what I love the most is being there for parents who without the nursery would not be able to freely worship. I take the responsiblilty off their shoulders for an hour and a half each week so they are able to sit at the feet of our Savior. So they can open the Word and discuss what it says with other believers. So they can fellowship.

Not everyone is called to warm bottles, sing songs, rock to sleep, and change poopy diapers. But this is what God has called me to do each week. I am so thankful for the time I can spend loving on babies.

1 Peter 4:10 says "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

How are you using your gifts to serve those around you and in your church?

P.S. Have you entered to win the Busy Mom's Bible? Click HERE to enter!