Eat This: Pesto Mushroom Pizza

Basil screams summer! I love the fresh smell of it - but don't have a garden. So, when I get married in a couple of months - and start my spring garden - the first herb I'm going to plant is basil.

But, thank goodness for the grocery store! I wanted to make this pizza and knew that I could find jarred pesto that would do the trick. The result: my soon to be husband raved about it that night, finished off all the leftovers, and still raves about it!

You can of course make this entirely from scratch - or go the semi-homemade route which is what I did.

• 1 pizza dough (I used regular boboli pizza crust, just because I couldn't find whole wheat)
• 1 cup prepared pesto - or make your own.
• 1 lb cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 T unsalted butter
• Olive oil to cover bottom of saute pan
• 1 1/2 cups grated cheese: aged provolone (a must, 3/4 cup), 1/2 cup grated mozzerella, 1/4-1/2 cup shredded parmesan

Follow directions for the pizza dough (for length of time and temperature of oven).

Spread pesto on the dough as liberally as you would like it. I would go less, just because the crust gets oily if you use too much (is too much pesto ever a problem?)

Saute sliced mushrooms in butter and olive oil (wash mushrooms with a damp paper towel prior to slicing them). Put the burner on medium and let them just hang out and saute down and get nice and tasty! (This is the best way to eat mushrooms in my opinion.)

Top the pizza with mushrooms - yes all of them, though it will look like a lot.

Then top with cheese - glorious cheese. The aged provolone pairs so well with the nuttiness of the mushrooms. A must for any cheese lover!

This may just become a monthly staple in the Campbell home!

The above picture was taken outside a little cafe in Juneau, Alaska on a recent cruise.

Back to School Christmas Shopping

While you're back to school shopping, why not get a start on your Christmas shopping too? If you participate in Operation Christmas Child, you may remember that they ask for school supplies in the shoe boxes they send all around the world. 

Here are the specific school supplies they list on their website: 

• Pens, pencils and sharpener, crayons or markers, stamps and ink pad sets, writing pads or paper, solar calculators, coloring and picture books, etc. 

Pick up a few extras while you're back to school shopping, and bless a child this Christmas!

Painting: Rainbow Dots

      We are decorating our playroom for the first time since we moved into our home over a year ago.  In the midst of having a baby and getting everything else decorated, we have left it towards the end.  Now that my girls are getting old enough to be able to use this room, I am really excited to see it finished, and this was the first step.  This wall is in our playroom, which we recently painted "Sharkey Gray" from Martha Stewart, though I had it mixed in Behr's Paint and Primer in one.  I love that stuff, and we really love the color - I could see us using it somewhere else sometime.
      I saw a really fun, different rainbow-ish wall in a home tour on Design Sponge and pinned it to Pinterest about 3 months ago, knowing I wanted to do something with it.  Somehow, I came up with making it into dots spaced evenly on a wall, and I just finished it.  Here's the reveal.



This paint treatment was really quite easy - I mean it this time.  The Plaid Wall I did a while back really did take a long time, but this one took just a couple of days working very sporadically to finish.  Here's what you need.



Seven different colors of paint in sample size
A Level
Your Wall Color Paint (Sharkey Gray in our case)
a Pencil
A Circle to trace (I used a lid)
A Paintbrush (I used a craft paint brush, because I knew it would be easy to wash out between colors)

I actually started by figuring out how far apart I wanted my circles to be.  I settled on 1.5 inches apart.  My lid was about 7.5 inches across.  So, I figured that the middle of each dot needed to be 9 inches apart.  This made it simple to put dots every 9 inches in a level row.




I did 15 dots per row, and 7 different rows of color.  I found a clearish lid that had a center point so that I could see my marks through the lid and trace it.  Then, I traced the lid 105 times.  That actually sounds like a lot more than it felt like.

Then, I painted the 7 dots in the middle with the colors that I had picked out.  I used a craft paint brush and free-hand painted them.  After I got the hang of it, it went pretty quickly.



Because I wanted a "vanishing dot effect," I then started diluting the paint with a little bit of gray.  I put some on a paper plate.  With the yellow, I used way too much and ended up having a plate full of paint left over.



By the time I got to the darker orange, I had realized that you don't need very much, especially since I was mixing gray into it.



I used a paint stirrer to drizzle gray paint into whatever color I was using and mixed it with a paint brush.



With each dot away from the center, I mixed in a little more gray, so that it seems to blend into the wall more and more.  Overall, I am really pleased with the way it turned out, and I am very much looking forward to finishing out the playroom!





Carol is the wife of a small business-owner, mother to two little girls, crafter, very-amateur decorator, and occasional cooker.  She blogs at the John and Carol Show - wanna watch?

Recyclebank

I just found Recyclebank the other day and have already benefited from joining the site. I was able to take a few quizzes and click through "Green Your Vacation" and was able to get close to 300 points in less than half an hour. There are a lot of ways to earn points including entering codes from Kashi cereal boxes and Ziploc boxes as well as many others! With those points, I traded some in for a coupon for a FREE Happy Family product coupon. I have learned that the free coupons they give out are good, quality companies (like Coca-Cola) and you can earn them pretty easily. If you're interested in signing up, here is my referral link. Enjoy!

Words: Life or Death?

What you say can mean life or death. Those who speak with care will be rewarded. Proverbs 18:21 NCV

Have you had one of those moments, where your words come out before you have time to truly consider the impact they may have? Your child spills his glass of milk and you blow your top spouting off unkind and unproductive words? Or your husband walks in the door from the grocery store and says he forgot the milk that was on the list.

As the biggest influencer in our home (in my humble opinion) we have the choice of unleashing countless words full of blessing or curses upon those in our realm of influence. An unkind word can cut to the quick – once it’s said, it can never be unspoken. Without conscious thought and intentional effort we can do long term damage with our words.

Reacting in the moment with an angry retort or harsh criticism will surely come back to bite you. Even a sarcastic tone will imply a different meaning to what you are saying. Have you ever had your children say you are yelling at them and you are speaking in a completely conversational level? I can bet it is in your tone.

How can you take a pause in that moment to truly control what and how you are going to say rather than letting your words control you? I can remember when I would lose my temper at the drop of a hat with my small children and end up begging for their forgiveness. They always forgave me, but even today they can still recite verbatim some of the words I spewed forth in anger. I will always regret that.

After finding my ‘pause’ button and using it, I can now respond to situations that I find myself in with my children and my husband. It is wonderful to have a home that is filled with peace rather than shouting, laughter rather than sarcastic comments. Words can either establish a strong family bond or unravel all we are trying to establish.

As mothers, our words effective the quality of our children’s lives and the lives of our husbands. We are the barometer of our homes – creating a high pressure environment where everyone walks on eggshells or one with a feeling of belonging, acceptance and a one for all spirit.

Which describes your home?

Do you give life with your words or defeat others?

What can you do in order to create a pause before you respond negatively to those closest to our hearts?

Does it mean closing your eyes and counting to ten before speaking, or keeping a scripture tucked in your mind to repeat at just those moments? It looks different for everyone, but finding your ‘pause’ will be key to ending the perpetual pattern of damaging words. It is hard to do, no doubt about that. But only with His power are we able to choose our words with care. With practice it will come more naturally and soon you will find those moments that would have normally set you off, just don’t do it anymore.

Susan Heid is the mom behind The Confident Mom where she loves inspiring Christian moms to make small changes managing their home and family life giving them more time, less stress and stronger family relationships! She enthusiastically wears the hat of mom, step-mom and foster mom to 4 awesome kids – ages 18, 14, 10 and 17 months; is married to her very own prince charming, loves coffee, cloudy days, and does think the bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle.  Her FREE 5 part mini series: “The Opening Act” is helping moms worldwide become the calm mom they want to be!  Join the community of moms on Facebook or find her @ConfidentMom on Twitter.

Knit-a-holic Makes a Difference

Ever been so passionate about something that you forget to cook dinner or do laundry? Well, maybe those are bad examples since most of us moms would gladly forget to do both of those. But, what about being so passionate about this thing that you chose it over shopping, or even eating chocolate? I have to admit – I feel that way about knitting. Yes, I am a knitaholic and should probably be in a twelve step program for it. My knitting bag follows me everywhere – the car (no, I haven't figured out how to knit while driving but you never know when you might have a few minutes – like at a red light!), Starbucks, doctor's offices, soccer practices, track meets, Bible study, and even girls' night out. My pink drawstring knitting bag is such a part of me that I would be lost without it. I knit while I drink my coffee in the mornings, while watching cartoons with the boys or while they eat lunch, and my favorite time of day is after both boys are in bed and I can sit in my husband's recliner and knit while I watch TV. Yes, my husband definitely suffers from neglect while I knit but I try to make it up to him by making him things like scarves, socks and hats. Oh yes, I also made him an afghan to snuggle with. I always have at least two or three projects going at any one time: an easy one that doesn't need much attention (that way I can knit in the dark like at the movies), a portable one like socks or a hat, and a more challenging one when I have time to concentrate and need to stretch my brain a little. Yes, I love knitting and would be lost without it. I don't even want to think about a day that doesn't include at least a little time to sit and knit.

Now, what do you do with all of these projects once they are finished? I mean, your family only needs so many scarves and hats, and most of my friends are past the baby stage so that means no need for baby blankets and booties. About 3 years ago, I was faced with this problem. How could I take something that is so important to me and use it for others?? After a lot of internet research, soul searching and prayer, I had an inspiration – what if I gave my things to others in need? I could certainly justify buying a lot more yarn that way and my hand knit things would be put to good use. About that same time, two moms with children at my kids’ elementary school (one of which was our lead pastor’s wife as well) were diagnosed with breast cancer. This hit way too close to home – both of these ladies’ were my age with kids the same age as my own. Wow. I knew that God had revealed through their illness exactly what I should do with my talent. I began to figure out the ins and outs of charity knitting, figured out how to make chemo caps and started a group called Yarns of Hope. What started out with me bribing a few of my close friends and my mother in law to meet with me by buying them coffee has evolved to a vibrant and active group of knitters and crocheters. This group has created literally thousands of hats, scarves, blankets, toys and too many more items to name and donated them to various places both here in the Dallas area and abroad to orphanages, children’s homes and hospitals. While we love to make things and send them on mission trips, our main focus has always been and will remain making chemo caps and scarves for cancer patients. This is why our group was created and what has drawn each of our 80 plus members to join the group. Our greatest wish is to let cancer patients know that someone is thinking about them and wants to make their battle with cancer a little bit easier by sharing a bit of hope with them. This is why we make visits to four cancer treatment rooms at least once a month – to sit with the patients, encourage them, help them pick out just the right cap (or two), and to make the whole ugly cancer treatment process just a little bit brighter.

So, now you know about my obsession and how I turned it into a positive – what can you do to help? The possibilities are endless. If you live in the McKinney, Texas area, we would love for you to join our group. Check out our website at http://www.yarnsofhope.org/ for more information about meetings. Even if you are a beginner or don’t know the first thing about knitting or crocheting, we would be glad to teach you. If knitting or crocheting is not your thing, we love yarn donations! Or if you don’t live close by, you could mail items to us or you could find a charity knitting/crochet group in your area. If you can’t find a group, start your own. Trust me, it’s a lot easier than you think.


That’s my story. My wish is that it will inspire you to create or do something for others. Believe me, the rewards are endless.

Gina Hammack is a Christian, a wife to David for almost 20 years, mother to two boys, ages 13 and 8, an avid knitter, and sometimes crocheter. She started the charity knitting and crochet group called Yarns of Hope in September 2008 and has been thrilled to see it grow to over 80 members. When not knitting, she loves to read, cook, and hang out with her family at the lake. If stranded on a desert island, the three items she would not be able to live without are her Bible (or Iphone with a Bible App), her knitting bag (well stocked with yarn and needles) and her Kindle (this way she can knit and read at the same time!)

My Little Helpers

Moms have a lot of tasks to accomplish as household managers. There's meals, laundry, cleaning, tidiness. And that's just the basics! We have started to enlist the help of our two oldest in accomplishing these things. And while it's nice to have a little bit of "help" around the house, we feel like we are also teaching them the importance of being a responsible member of our family. We are also taking this opportunity to teach them good habits with money.

I've given this a lot of thought over last couple months and here is how we have impelemented chores and allowance. This is what works best with our two kids, ages 3 and 5, at the moment.

I used Simple Mom's chore chart as inspiration and for some of my images, then changed it just a bit to fit our needs.

Our chart is simple with 5 pictures.

Clothesline - The boys are asked to dress themselves, put their dirty clothes in the hamper and put away any clean laundry that I fold that day.

Bed - The boys are expected to make their bed every morning after getting dressed. Of course, their beds don't look like the beds in the pottery barn catalog, but that's not really the point of the chore.

Dishes - They are expected to take their dishes from the table to sink after meals and snacks.

Blocks - The boys are expected to pick up their toys in the playroom at least once a day before bed, or anytime that they are asked to do so.

Smile - This box is for general immediate and cheerful obedience. It covers all the bases from speaking kindly to sharing and having a good attitude.

Anytime the boys do not complete a task or disobey they place a red "x" in the box for that day. They can earn more than 1 "x" if they continue to disobey. We complete our chart in the morning for the previous day. If there is only 1 red "x" they are shown some grace and are allowed to place a check mark in the box as well. If a box has more than 1 "x" they cannot check the box as completed.

At the end of the week they kids can earn a quarter for each day they have all 5 boxed checked. If they have checks for every day that week, they get a bonus quarter for $2. At this point, we take our coins and split them up into saving, giving and spending.

It's been going really well at our house. The boys are very encouraged by the charts and getting to place check marks on their chores. Hopefully we are teaching them some good habits with responsible behavior and money management. And it doesn't hurt, that I have just a little less laundry to put away every day!

Do your kids have chores? Do you give them an allowance for completing them?

Women Teaching Women

Last night I spent 2 hours waiting for a delayed plane to arrive at the airport.  On that plane was my 18 year old (step) daughter who got off the plane with no return ticket to California.  My husband and I are blessed with her choice of living with us full time.

This morning I was thankful to have an 18 year old in my house.  At 8:00 I received a call saying my mom was on the way to the ER with shortness of breath and dizziness.  With a 10 year old and a 7 year old also at home, (and 3 more that I was babysitting today), having an 18 year old came in quite handy.  So despite jet-lag, I woke her up and I ran out the door.

I arrived and proceeded to wait in the waiting room for over an hour.  Just before going in, one of my church deacons came in because his wife had fallen.  Turns out she was placed in the bed next to my mom, so we were all there to minister to each other and pray for each other.  Not only that, but every person that my mom saw, she stopped and prayed for or prayed for them when she returned to her bed.

My mom is resting at home with a follow-up appointment scheduled, but she feels fine and is in good spirits.  The whole time she was there, all she could do was praise the Lord that she was improving.  She just kept praying for those around her and was in total peace.  I am constantly blessed by my mother's actions.  I don't know that I could sit in a ER and pray for those around me rather than worry for myself.  My mother is a blessing to me and to others.  She is a constant reminder and teacher to me of how a woman who loves the Lord should demonstrate His love to others.


Proverbs 1:8 says "Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching."  Titus 2 tells us how older women should teach the younger women how to follow the Lord.  I may be 32 years old, with children of my own, but God has graced me with a mother who I can continually learn from. Not all of us still have our mother's with us, but has God placed a woman in your life that you continually learn from?  What lessons have you learned that mean the most to you?

Elizabeth is a wife, mom, daughter, sister and friend who strives to serve the Lord in any way He has called her.

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches

About a month ago, my parents, sister, sister's boyfriend, and grandfather came for a visit. Yup, that's right--seven people in a two bedroom, 1000 square foot apartment. Pure craziness, at least in terms of space. As I do with any visitors, I wanted to be sure to prepare a fantastic dinner that everyone would love, but with several caveats: we couldn't grill out (apparently outdoor grills in "multi-family dwellings" are now illegal in the state of Indiana) and I didn't want to spend all night in the kitchen.

So what's a girl to do?

Use the crock pot, of course!

When Ben and I got married two years ago, I was a total crock pot skeptic. I thought crock pots were for lazy cooks and that nothing good ever came out of them. I vowed I would never use the crock pot we received as a wedding gift (in fact, we only registered for it at Ben's insistence). I totally ate my words on that one! Aside from my KitchenAid mixer (fortunately inherited from my grandmother), my crock pot is probably my most-used kitchen appliance. I love it for making soups, applesauce, and large hunks 'o meat.

As I was brainstorming what to make, I kept coming back to this recipe I had seen on Tasty Kitchen for Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches. The combination of sweet pineapple with vinegary, tomato-y BBQ sauce intrigued me to say the least. So I threw the ingredients together in my crock pot, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best.

And "the best" delivered. Many a sandwich were devoured by all that night, and the sweet yet savory BBQ just couldn't be beat. This is definitely a recipe to make again and again. It's so easy, so delicious, so tasty, so why wouldn't you? Enjoy!

Hawaiian BBQ Pulled Chicken Sandwiches (from MyRetroKitchen via Tasty Kitchen)

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds boneless chicken, thawed
  
• 1 large onion, cut into chunks
• 1 - 20 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice
• 1 - 18-20 ounce bottle BBQ sauce (I used KC Masterpiece)
• hamburger buns
  

Directions:

Place chicken in bottom of crock pot. Cover with onions. Drain pineapple, reserving juice (see note) and add over top. Pour in BBQ sauce. Cook on low for 8-10 hours. About an hour or two before it is finished, shred chicken with two forks, stir to incorporate the sauce, and let cook for the rest of the allotted time.

Serve on hamburger buns. If you're feeling extra ambitious, try these: they are quite easy and really tasty! Enjoy!

Note:

For an extra sweet sauce, the recipe recommends a BBQ sauce like Sweet Baby Ray's (which is so great) and the addition of up to 1/2 cup of the reserved pineapple juice. I didn't add any juice to mine and it was plenty sweet for us, but others might feel differently. I just chose to drink the juice! :)

~~~~~

Sarah began blogging at The Pajama Chef in order to chronicle her adventures in and love of cooking and baking. Sarah is currently a graduate student at Indiana University working towards a Master of Library Science and a Master of Arts in African Studies. Sarah's efforts in the kitchen would not be possible without the assistance of her husband, Ben, and his stellar dish-washing and sous-chef skills. Sarah and Ben were married in May 2009 and enjoy running, reading, involvement in a local church, and spoiling their kitty, Sheba.

How My Soul Yearns

It's funny how God teaches us lessons about weaknesses in our lives. One of my weaknesses is that when I don't know what to say, sometimes I don't say anything at all. Since my son's autism diagnosis, I've realized how hurtful that can be. Usually saying anything, even if you think it's the "wrong" thing, as least lets the person know you care. So when Ashley Wells mentioned on Twitter that she was writing an ebook about her infertility, I immediately contacted her and said I wanted to read it and share it with our Today's Housewife readers.

The first part of Ashley's book tells her struggle to get pregnant and the roller coaster of emotions she was on. She recounts her experience one morning at church, "How could I sing the lyrics, 'You give and take away. My heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be Your Name' when my heart was struggling to believe them?" But Ashely was able to seek God's face, even in the valley of her disappointment. She said she clung to Psalm 119:50, "This is my comfort in may affliction, that your promise gives me life." She was also encouraged when she began counting God's gifts in her life, "God is good. God provides. God blesses. God is trustworthy. God is here. God loves me."

Ashley also talks about "beyond" infertility. She writes, "...each of our stories will have a different beyond but they will all have the same purpose, an opportunity to give Him glory." She reminds readers, "Our plans are nothing compared to God's plans."

So many women struggle with infertility. I've had two friends in the last week email me about the longing in their hearts for children they can't have. Instead of ignoring their pain, I want to enter into it with them. Ashley's book has helped me do that. I know it could be a blessing to you--either as a woman struggling with infertility, or as a woman who has friends who are struggling. I'm thankful for Ashley's testimony, and I pray many women will be encouraged by reading it. And be sure to visit Ashley's site, Putting God First Place.


Ashley has generously donated a free copy of her eBook to one of our readers! If you're interested, just leave a comment on this post! (We'll announce the winner and contact her Sunday, July 17th.)  Giveaway winner: Carol F! I can't find your email address Carol so please email us at Todayshousewife @ hotmail.com and we'll get you hooked up with Ashely!

Sandra is the family editor for Today's Housewife. She's a pastor's wife, mom to two boys and is in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. You can see what her family is up to at Celebrate Every Day and follow her on Twitter at @SandraPeoples.

Lessons from a Clutch

With all of the babies being born around my life, doors have opened up for me to make fun baby items. I remember when my boys were little and still in diapers, I grew to hate the huge diaper bags. Some days there was a definite use for one, but most days I simply needed a couple of diapers and wipes just in case. I found a very small tote like diaper bag which worked for me then, but the other day I came across the Diaper Clutch and knew I had to make one. Well, maybe more than just one.

If you follow her tutorial you will do very well, but I wanted to share a few lessons I learned while making these clutches.

1. Cut the flap just like she has. If you choose to do it different, like I did on the brown one, remember to notch the material before you turn it inside out, like I did not do. It truly will help the material lay flatter.
2. Be careful about the placement of the Velcro. It is better to have it too close to the edge rather than too far away.
3. Don't use Velcro that is sticky on the back. This will gum up your sewing machine needle so it doesn't move smoothly through the fabric unless you clean it. A lot.
4. If you decide to super glue the Velcro on the third clutch you make because your sewing machine is not liking the sticky anymore, be sure you don't accidentally glue layers of fabric together. When trying to pull them apart you could easily create a hole.
5. When seaming the lining and outside fabrics together, use the seam on the sides as your guide when you turn the fabric. This will help the opening lay flatter once completed.

These things may very well be "known" to crafters and sewers who are experienced, but for me it was a learning process. Each clutch improved a little more and because I have a tendency to strive for the impossible (i.e. perfection) I bought some more material and tried again.

This time I did not use the Velcro, but rather a loop and button closer. I added the buttons before sewing the inside lining to the outside lining. The loop is strictly a hair band cut in half and sewn in. The only measuring difference I made was to cut the bigger pieces 8.5 x 14. The extra inch helped the flap secure when bigger diapers were placed in the clutch with the wipes. I like these clutches much better than the first! It just goes to show you that practice makes perfect. ;)

The diaper clutch turned out to be a great project. I made all three of these (both times) in about two hours. All in all it is a simple design which could very easily be converted to a sunglasses case, an electronic device case, or even a little purse if you add a strap. If you attempt to make one yourself, be sure to come and share your lessons and finished projects with us as well!

I have tried to contact those who wanted a Pinterest Invite from last week. If you have not heard from me but are still interested, please contact me at stacey daze @ gmail . com without the spaces and I'll be sure to shoot it off to you!

Also, over at this post on Sharing, I have some fabric scraps and a Algebra 1 Teachers Manual and video I am willing to mail to you on Friday if you are interested in either.

About the author: Stacey loves lists, works hard to be organized, and spends her free time crafting, reading, and writing. Her greatest goal currently is learning to love like God does. You can read more about Stacey's days and crafts over at her blog, My Unfinished Daze. Random Fact: Stacey watched Becoming Jane, Goblet of Fire, and Men of Honor in one day. Friend her on facebook for more random facts.

Perk Up!

We recently moved from Georgia to Maryland and I have been amazed at how beautiful and abundant the hydrangeas are here. They are one of my favorite flowers and they are everywhere! I only have a tiny shrub that I just planted but have been blessed by friends who've shared some blooms with me.

But cut hydrangeas can be temperamental. They easily wilt in the heat, even in water sometimes. Thankfully there is an easy way to get them to perk back up. Just water the blooms. Hydrangeas drink from their petals in addition to their stems, so spraying them with water can extend their life.

If you have a spray bottle , this is a very simple task. But mine is in a box somewhere so I used the kitchen sink and my faucet's spray function.

Gently shake them off and recut the stems. Fill you vase with fresh water and within in an hour your flowers should perk back up for at least several more days.

They really "dress up" the boxes, huh?

These flowers were a week old when I sprayed them and are still looking fresh this morning - 3 days later! Not too bad for a free bouquet!

Read some additional fresh flower tips here.

Now I need your help. We are going to have a "playroom" in our new house. We've never had one and I'm struggling with making it feel put together. I don't want to spend much money but it needs some things to unify the space. It's just a hodge podge of shelves, furniture and bins right now.

If you have suggestions or have pictures and posts of your own play spaces I would LOVE to see them. Leave a comment with you links!

A Chance to Win a Kindle!

If you want a chance to win a Kindle and a great way to financially support Sandra's adoption fund, be sure to check out her family blog. For a $5 donation, you'll be entered to win a Kindle! The drawing for the winner will be held next Sunday. Not only are you getting a chance to win, but you're helping them get that much closer to bringing home their little one from Ethiopia.

They also have a lot of books on sale for great prices at half.com. Be sure to check them out!

Photo used under Creative Commons from Ryan Smith Photography.

Remembering to Act

I love to read. I love to study. So reading and studying God’s Word fits well into those pursuits. And then I also love to write.

This writing ministry of which I’m blessed to be a member can serve God and others well when my focus remains on Him and I write words for His glory.

But, one way I must stay cautious is in not just reading and studying, but acting out my faith, too. If I only speak and study the Word, but then fail to show Christ’s love through my actions, I’m a poor witness and, honestly, a hypocrite.

Perhaps you love to read and converse with other believers, too, attending a bible study or fellowship together. We read and study so many great truths and ideas and tips to our faith. But we need to go beyond reading and really be sure we are acting on it.

James 1:22 says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” We can listen, we can read, and we can study the Word. But if we truly accept this faith and continue to deepen our relationship with Christ because we love Him, then actions must follow this study. The next few verses speak loudly as to what happens when we hear the Word but then do not put it into practice: “Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do” (James 1:23-25).

In First Timothy, Paul guides Timothy in a role of leadership within the body of Christ. The second half of 1 Timothy 4:12 admonishes Timothy and us to “set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.” Speech and conduct are both listed. The New Bible Commentary says this of that verse: “Speech is important but must be linked with life, that is a combination of right words and right actions.”

So, with all of our hearts, let’s speak, read, study, and discuss the Word. Doing so is essential to coming to a greater knowledge of God and growing in our journey to be more like Christ. But, then, let’s also show this gracious faith and this everlasting love through our actions and deeds.

How do you remember to go beyond hearing and act with God's love?

Above image from http://office.microsoft.com

 

Caroline is a wife, mother of a beautiful and charming toddler son, avid reader, and writer.  She is honored to write with Today’s Housewife.  You can also find Caroline at her personal blog (Under God’s Mighty Hand) and on Twitter.

 

Ten Books about Food

Do you read books about food? Not cook books or diet books, but books about what we eat, where it comes from, and the best things to eat? I have a few favorites and a few on my "to read" list! 

Books I enjoyed:

• Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
• The Unhealthy Truth by Robyn O'Brien
• The Spirit of Food ed. by Leslie Leyland Fields
• In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan

Books on My List to Read:

• The Supper of the Lamb by Robert Farrar Capon
• Fair Food by Oran B. Hesterman
• The Art of Simple Food by Alice Waters
• Food Rules by Michael Pollan
• Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan
• Bring It to the Table by Wendell Berry

What are your favorite books on food?