Our Green Meal

Just for fun... for St. Patrick's Day...

We had a green meal. It was very good. Even the children ate and enjoyed the soup.

We had Cream of Asparagus Soup, homemade green bread, and Watergate salad.

Cream of Asparagus Soup
2(15oz.)cans asparagus
3 chicken bouillon cubes
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1 c. light cream
3 T. butter
2 T. flour

Drain cans of asparagus, reserving liquid. Chop asparagus stalks, reserve tips and set aside. Add water to reserved asparagus liquid to equal 4 cups. Put into 2 quart saucepan with chopped onion and chopped asparagus stalks. Add bouillon and parsley. Simmer 10 minutes with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat; blend until smooth in processor or blender. Melt butter in saucepan, add flour to make a paste. Slowly stir in soup stock, stirring until thick and creamy. Slowly stir in cream. Add tips. Serve warm.

Great Quote!

This is such a great quote about the Woman and her relationship to Man (her husband).

"The Woman was made of a rib out of the side of Adam;

not made out of his head to rule over him,

nor out of his foot to be trampled upon by him,

but out of his side to be equal with him,

under his arm to be protected

and near his heart to be beloved."

By: Matthew Henry

Vintage ABC Bible Verse Cards

Here are some vintage Bible verse cards I've made recently. They are great for kids to review their ABCs as well as for Bible verses, etc. (They look so cute too!) They are actual vintage pieces someone took the time to scan in and share! I have made a few sets of these cards. They make great little gifts too.

If you'd like to make up a set of Vintage-looking ABC Bible cards, click Here!

Loving Children As Individuals

"Lord, remind me each day that these precious children are so different from each other and from me!

You created them so uniquely. Show me, as their mother, how to love each one just the way they need to be loved individually.

Help me love them according to their own personality and needs and not just the way that comes easiest to me. Give me discernment as I learn their needs, and creativity as I learn to love them accordingly."

~ Quote from Sandra Stanley

Hint of Spring, Reminder of Love

The weatherman was saying we could get more snow. Thankfully I woke up to just a flake here and there floating around. (I can easily deal with that.) I do love the way this world looks so pure when it is blanketed in snow. The snow scapes give another reason to rejoice in the Lord over His beautiful creation! However, we’ve been “almost buried” in snow this month. Now, I am ready for Spring! And thanks to my wonderful husband I have a beautiful hint of Spring in our home. He brought these home for me yesterday when he came home from work! A beautiful reminder of God’s wonderful bits of creation all around us as well as a sweet reminder of my husband’s love for me. Even though I am not perfect, he loves me unconditionally. We vowed to do so as long as we both shall live. This is like the Lord’s love for us as well. We are imperfect and yet He loves us so much more than anyone can! He loves us unconditionally even though we sin against Him everyday! His mercies are always abounding!

“The supreme happiness of life is the conviction of being loved for yourself, or, more correctly, of being loved in spite of yourself.” ~ Victor Hugo

Praying For Our Teenagers

So many things cross my mind in a day... in my wonderful job of being a mother. I have children at many various stages in life and love that. There is more though to pray about I think as they get older and are in the teen years. I think it is mostly because I realize my time with them at home is lessening. (I have mixed emotions about that.) I am around teenagers and pre-teens a lot and I enjoy them a lot. A close friend and I were just commenting to each other this week how it is so nice to see our daughters becoming young women and how nice the mother/daughter relationship becomes when you can start talking more as adults and you have more "grown-up" conversations during the days at home, etc.

This morning I ran across this information in a newsletter I get and printed it out. I also wanted to share it with you. It is a great list to use when praying for our children... and their friends.

Praying for Our Teens
What to Pray for Your Teens :
* A heart which personally and fully understands, embraces, and shares the gospel
* Reverence for God, and a passion to please and serve him
* Continual filling, anointing, and equipping of the Holy Spirit
* God-honoring family relationships filled with respect, affection, compassion and cooperation
* Protection and strength to face moral temptation and cultural pressure
* Repentance and humble acceptance of correction
* Guidance for decisions about high school options, as well as future college and career
* Maturity to make the right decisions for the right reasons
* Wise priorities for using time
* Preparation for marriage and parenting – pray for their future spouses, too!
* Ask your teens how you can pray for them!

What to Pray for Ourselves as Parents
* Unity in and commitment to your marriage – or if you are a single parent, basic harmony with the other parent (and any step-parent) in raising your teen
* A warm and trusting relationship with your teen, characterized by healthy and open communication
* Forgiveness and release from bitterness, whether conscious or subconscious
* Confidence and boldness to lead, even when a teen attempts to manipulate or rebel
* Wisdom to know which battles are worth fighting, and when to let your teen make decisions (and face the consequences)
* That you will be an example of godliness, wisdom, grace, and good humor

(List taken from The Hope Chest e-magazine written by Virginia Knowles)

“…We have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints.” Colossians 1:9-12

Protection and Friendship

Father, please guard my children by day and night,

Keep them in Your care.

Raise up for them friends who know You and love You;

bring them into their lives to reinforce Your ways and values that they may seek them out.

Prepare them to be a trusted friend to others just as You are to us.

~ Lori B. Whitman~

A Funny Moment (with my little children)

I was awakened by a small sweet person. I saw that it was still early and so I lifted the blankets for that little one to crawl into bed.

Within 2 minutes I had two little children in bed with me. We cuddled and I was hoping they’d rest a bit longer. The wiggles and squirms indicated otherwise. Then I had a brilliant idea… "Let’s play I Spy.”, I said. (This game works well in stores while shopping and on car rides.) However, I very quickly realized this is not such a brillant idea as you need to have your eyes open to play this game.

During the game though my 5 year old son was spying & naming things of a certain color when he guesses ........... “that time machine” ? .....What?

(He was pointing to my alarm clock!)