Husband-Loving Bars

          The Lord has entrusted me with an awesome responsibility in the family He has given me to love and care for. A responsibility I rarely feel equipped for, which is exactly His design, I think. If I felt fully prepared with all of the necessary strength, endurance, and tools, what would I need Him for? When I find myself utterly overwhelmed by my life, the Lord is right there waiting to pick me up. Its often said that "God never gives you more than you can handle." Its my view that He does just that. He gives you more than you can handle ON YOUR OWN. He gives you just enough that you NEED Him, and thank God for that.

          The other evening when my husband got home from work and found a platter of cookie bars on the counter he said, "Who are these for?". "Well they are for YOU, of course!" That one simple question led me to all of this today. Who were they for?

         The previous day I had finished my chores, and set out to bake something. I hadn't posted in a while on my food blog, and I wanted to put up some content. I grabbed a cookbook that's been waiting to be worked through and got to baking. The next day, I laid out the bars and photographed them on a nice platter...for my blog. Oh. Crap. For my blog. Not for my husband. No wonder why he had to ask.

         Am I putting in the time and effort to impress my husband that I am to impress my readers? Do I care about presentation with him as much as I do with strangers? This just isn't about a nice platter and a plate of bars. Oh no.

         For years I've been mainly a stay-at-home-mom. I've had four kids, all boys, since 2004. Since September 2003 I've been pregnant, or nursing, or both. We got married in August 2003. I didn't adjust very well. "Homemaking" was a foreign concept to me. Very soon after I started staying home, I quit putting on makeup if I wasn't leaving the house. Not too long after that I started justifying staying in my pajamas, all day long. Less laundry, right? And who cares if the house is a mess. Its only us seeing it...right? Its okay. I mean, I have FOUR kids!! I don't have time for all that stuff anymore, right? Wrong.

        My husband, the one I cared most about, had slipped down to last on my list somehow. In fact, he had fallen completely off of it. Ouch.

       I know that I won't have time every day to have everything perfect in my home. I won't always have time to do my hair, or have the table set and dinner ready, or have a plate of treats made and laid out especially for him. That isn't the point. The point is that God has revealed to me and my heart that I should TRY. I should CARE. I should be respecting and loving my husband enough even in this season of our lives to put his needs up on my list over my blog. Over my message boards. Over facebook. Over last night's t.v. shows I have dvr'd. What does your list look like? Are you living a "J.O.Y.full" life? Jesus.Others.Yourself. Something my selfish heart has to be reminded of often. I want to be my husband's crown. Are you yours?

Proverbs 12:4 (NIV)
A wife of noble character is her husband's crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones.

 

Husband-loving bars
(printable recipe click here)
adapted from "A Book Of Favorite Recipes" compiled by Solway Senior Citizen Group of Munger, Minnesota, 1976

Bottom:
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cup quick oatmeal
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt (only if you used unsalted butter)


Topping:
1 - 14oz can Eagle Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Tbsp butter
6 oz milk chocolate

1. Cream brown sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and mix until combined.

2. In a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients. Slowly add in to wet ingredients and mix until combined. Press mixture into a 9x13 lined with parchment, non-stick foil, or well prepped with baking spray.

3. Using a double boiler, or a pot with an inch of water and another glass or metal bowl on top of it. Simmer water underneath, and add condensed milk, chocolate, and butter to top bowl. Stir until melted and combined.

4. Pour chocolate mixture over bars in prepped pan. Bake at 350 for 12-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.


Turns out these bars were some of my husband's favorites. I hope they can be yours too!

For more photos of this recipe please see my food blog, www.orwhateveryoudo.com

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