Tonight's Meal -- 07/31/10 -- The Finished Product!

Earlier today, I gave you my meal plan for tonight. Now, here are the results:

YUM!!

'Nuff said. ;) Below are picture of our scrumptious meal!

Making the Vegetable Croquettes

Cooked Baby Spinach:

The Salad:

Making the Broiled Tilapia Parmesan:

AND the finished product:

YUM is all I can say. Now I'm going to go run a mile.... or sit on the couch with a book.

Scripture for the Week -- 07/31/10

Alright ladies (and gents!), here is the scripture for the upcoming week!


Titus 2:11-14
"For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Tonight's Meal -- 07/31/10

I love Saturdays at home. Sleeping in, a late breakfast, cleaning here and there, playing with the dog, relaxing with the hubby, going for a walk....blogging. :) At the moment my DH (that stands for Dear Husband) is sprawled out on the couch playing guitar with my cousin, Dj who has been spending the week with us. And me? Well, after cooking them breakfast, doing two loads of laundry, and picking up the house, I am sitting at the desk in the office trying to figure out what to cook for supper. After browsing through the deep freeze and cabinets AND surfing around the wonderful world wide web, I have made a semi-small meal plan for tonight. Hip-hip-hooray! So, what is on the menu?

Well.... the main course will be Tilapia since we seem to have a gazillion fillets in the deep freeze. I surfed around and found this so-yummy-looking-it-might-stop-your-heart recipe:

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Ingredients
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon celery salt

2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.

3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Nutritional Information:

Amount Per Serving Calories: 203

Total Fat: 11.4g

Cholesterol: 59mg

Does that sound delicious or WHAT! Mmmm.

But no meal is good without a veggie and since I LOVE baby spinach and we have plenty, I have decided on this:

Cooked Baby Spinach

Ingredients:1 pound baby spinach, cleaned

3 tablespoons butter

salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preparation:
Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat until foamy. When foam dies down, add the spinach. Cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, just until tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4

 

 

Next is a recipe that I am anxious to make myself. A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law made this dish and, though it sounds.... umm....interesting...it was fantastic! So, if I can summon up the courage, I believe I will make this:

 

Vegetable Croquettes

1 cup flour

1 cup cornmeal 

1 to 2 eggs

1 cup fresh tomatoes

1 cup fresh or frozen okra

1 medium onion

1 to 2 tsp horseradish

1 cup cooked brown rice

Make into small patties and fry in olive oil.

Believe it or not, but they were good! So that's the mene. I'll toss in a salad and we will be good to go! I'll blog a post with pictures of the finished product later! :) Better get to cookin'!

The "Happy Marriage" Recipe

I saw this today and LOVED it! May you be humorously encouraged!

Created To Be His...Help Meet | pt 3

Today, I will post part 3, excerpts from the book by Debi Pearl, Created To Be His Help Meet. This section is called "A Thankful Spirit" which ties into part 2 about having a Merry Heart. May you be encouraged today!

Genesis 2:18
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him an help meet for him.

A Thankful Spirit

A wise woman sets a joyful mood in her home. Through laughter, music, and happy times, she creates a positive attitude in her children. She knows that a lighthearted home relieves her husband of stress.

A Merry Heart vs. a Poor-Me Attitude

You might be one of the women who often complains about her family's lowly financial state and how she much "do without" because her husband "cannot support the family decently." This downcast, unthankful attitude is a dishonor to God and an attack upon your husband's ego. If you have ever been guilty of this attitude, now is the time to say, "Never again."

Some women remain perpetually discontented because they must live with stained carpet and damaged furniture. Some women feel their family is in desperate straits if they cannot afford to serve fresh broccoli and salad. Tension rules their home. Their sad, withdrawn faces reflect their suffering. They cultivate expressions of grief, reflecting, they suppose, the heart of God sorrowing on their behalf. Some women learn to accept the poor state of their physical surroundings. They don't want to be carnally-minded. They live only for the eternal. So they save their disapproving expressions for those times when they think it is necessary to remind their husbands of how sad they are that he sits in front of the TV, plays video games, or engages in any number of carnal activities. They keep the pressure on - just like the Holy Spirit would do. At least, that's their justification for doing his job so "faithfully." Some women get it in their minds that if the family would just move to the country, they would be happy and their children would not be getting into sinful habits. Or, if they lived closer to the church, or away from bad neighbors, or spent more time in family devotions, or any number of ifs, ands, or buts, then life would be better. This is a sure recipe for disaster. Discontentment is not a product of circumstances; it is the state of the soul.

Proverbs 15:15 - "All the days of the afflicted [are] evil: but he that is of a merry heart [hath] a continual feast."


Paul said in Philippians 4:11, "...for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."

Hebrews 13:5 - "...be content with such things as ye have..."

1 Timothy 6:6-8 - "But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Recently, I walked into a home that did not have running water, nor did it have an indoor bathroom. It had none of the things we consider necessities today, no washing machine or dryer and no kitchen cabinets, though they did have carpet - a remnant that covered about half the room, with its cut and frayed edges showing. Yet, this sweet new bride was smiling from ear to ear, telling me how thankful she was to have her own place. She told me over and over again how her husband made this shelf, and that place to store stuff, and how he is going to build a cabinet right here later. Thankful people have a view of life that begins somewhere deep in their souls, and outside circumstances just can't mar their joy.

Quite often our attitudes hang in the balance; by making a conscious choice, we can tip our souls into dark moods of complaining, or into thankfulness and praise. It is amazing how much your mouth controls your soul. You can smile with your mouth and say, "Thank you, God; thank you, husband; thank you, children," and your spirit is directed into gratitude with joy following. Thankfulness is how you think; joy is the abundance it produces.

Practice makes perfect. Practice having a merry and thankful heart.

Learn to enjoy life. Be thankful. Smile. When you catch yourself becoming irritated or disturbed at circumstances, stop and laugh at the little things that steal your peace. Count your blessings and learn to be appreciative. Thanksgiving is good; thanks-living is better."

Colossians 3:15 - "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

Galations 5:22-23 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. If you are a child of God, joy will be a visible reality in your life.

1. Where does joy start?
2. Have I been discontent about my lot in life? Am I, on occasion, a "poor-me" person?
3. Do I verbally show thanksgiving every day?
4. Do I daily remember to thank God for my husband?
5. Would my friends describe me as joyful, thankful, and content?
6. How can I add practicing joy and thanksgiving to my life?
7. Am I willing to lay down my grievance toward my husband for the hope of a heavenly marriage?

Philippians 3:13-14 - "Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Getting Serious with God

The book of Philippians is full of instruction to help us learn to become a woman of God. Philippians 4:6 tells us to "be careful for nothing," which is to say, don't worry and fret about everything being just perfect, but be content with what you have. Paul tells us in chapter one that every time he thinks of his friends, he prays for them. Philippians has only four short chapters. Read the book of Philippians and ask God to work His Word into you.



    Running With You,

The Reese Cake

A couple of weeks ago, I experimented with my first-ever layered cake. It turned out pretty well, if I do say so myself. Today, I am trying something new and so.... *takes deep breath* ... Here I go!

First, I made one yellow, butter cake in a round pan.

After cutting the edges and transfering it to the cake plate, I made a second - the same way! While the second cake was in the oven, I took 8 Reese cups and blended them up with 1 Tablespoon of peanut butter.

After blending the middle filling up, I covered the bottom cake with the mixture. Then, I placed the second cake on top!

Next comes - the icing! I picked up a container of Chocolate Buttercream Icing at the supermarket and stirred in 2 large Tablespoons of peanut butter. Then, I iced! :) And voila! Here is the finished product.

 

 

Now, it is currently chilling in the fridge; waiting for tonight! Simple, yummy, and completely loaded with carbs. But ah well. :)

As much as my husband loves peanut butter, I cannot wait for him to sink his teeth into this!

 ****EDIT****

The cake was ah-may-zing! (aka - amazing).

10 Habits of a Clean Home

I found this, 10 Habits of a Clean Home, from the I Dream of Clean website and just had to share it with you, wives!

It’s really quite simple to have a home that always looks like a showroom.

Don’t have kids, don’t get married, don’t have guests over, and don’t live life in your home. That will pretty much ensure that you have a clean home at all times! But, that also means you won’t have any fun!
If you’re someone who likes to actually live in your home, it will get messy. It will become unorganized. And it will get dirty! But, there are a few habits you can begin now to ensure that your home is reasonably clean most of the time.




1. Shine Your Sink


Several years ago I was on the flylady email list and the first think I learned was to “shine your sink” every night. (Unfortunately, that’s as far as I got with the flylady. Maybe I should try again!) Anyway, the shine your sink concept is a great habit to begin! Every night take five minutes to clean your kitchen completely. Put dirty dishes in the dishwasher, clean off the counters, and scrub and dry your sink until it’s shiny.






2. Wash One Load of Laundry Daily


Instead of waiting until the weekend to wash several loads of laundry, get in the habit of washing one load every day. As soon as you wake up, put a load of laundry in the washing machine. Then, before you leave for the day, transfer the load to the dryer. When you get home, fold and put away the clothes. You may need to modify the routine if you’re worried about your clothes getting wrinkled or you have more or less than seven loads of laundry every week. Just make adjustments and find a way to make laundry part of your daily routine.






3. Process Mail Immediately


Go through your mail daily. As you walk in the door, open all envelopes, throw away or shred junk mail, and put bills and other action items in your command center.






4. Create a Command Center


A command center is an area in your home that can be used as a catch all for items that need to be processed (i.e. bills that need to be paid, cards to send out, etc.). It’s also a place that can house items that need to be picked up quickly as you walk out the door like keys, bags, and phones. Some also benefit for having a calendar in this area. Customize the command center to fit your family and life!






5. Throw Away Trash


Throwing away your trash seems so simple right? But, how many times have you (or someone in your family) taken something out of a package and put the package on the counter beside you? Or, maybe you’ve taken tags off clothes and just placed them on the dresser instead of the trashcan? Instead of waiting until later, just take a few extra seconds and immediately throw away trash in the trashcan.






6. Straighten Up Every Night


Waking up to a clean home can make the start of your day more pleasing and productive. Take a few minutes each night to pick up around the house. It doesn’t have to be spotless, but straightening up nightly helps to keep the mess from becoming overwhelming.






7. Create a Cleaning Schedule


Depending on your personality, a cleaning schedule can be as detailed or scaled down as you want it. You may want to clean bathrooms on Monday, mop and vacuum floors on Tuesday, dust on Wednesday, cut the yard on Thursday, and something else on Friday. Or you may prefer to do everything on the weekend. In either situation, a plan will help you move through the list much more quickly. Just like other areas in life, a plan will encourage, motivate, and enable you to reach your goal for a clean home.






8. Become a minimalist


Reducing clutter reduces stress. You’ll have less to clean, less to pick up, and less to maintain. You may even be able to live in a smaller house! Or at least not have to move into a bigger one.






9. Do One Thing


Sometimes the list of household projects can seem so overwhelming. If you have a list of 10 things that you need to replace, build, or update, just pick one thing to complete. Then do one thing that will move you closer to finishing that project. For example, if you need to organize your closet, start with your pants. Then move onto skirts the next day, and tops the following day. Break down a large project by just doing one thing.






10. Have a Junk Drawer


Yes, a junk drawer is a must for a clean home. In some cases, a cabinet or closet may be more reasonable! Having a place to store random items that don’t have a home can be so freeing. Plus, when you’re in a hurry, sometimes it’s just easier to dump everything into one place. Of course, the only downfall is that you must clean it out periodically!

Created To Be His...Help Meet | pt 2

So this is Part 2 of my study on being a Help Meet, taken from the book by Debi Pearl, Created To Be His Help Meet. This section is called "A Merry Heart." Fellow wives, let us rise up and accept, with grace and with joy, the wonderful position God created for us.

Genesis 2:18
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him an help meet for him.

A Merry Heart

The joy of the Lord is my Strength.

The Bible tells us that the JOY of the Lord is our strength. For this marriage-making journey you are on, you will need all the strength affordable by the joy of the Lord.

God says in Proverbs 17:22 - "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." A merry heart is the foundation of health and happiness. And the day you have a merry heart will be the first day of rebuilding your marriage into the heavenly gift it was meant to be.

When your husband first fell in love with you, you were a sweet little thing, full of laughter and fun. From the very bottom of your soul you were thrilled with him. Every day you woke up planning some activity that involved you both. Is he still married to the same sweet little thing, or have you become a long-faced, sickly complainer? Love is like a flower: you can't expect it to grow without sunshine. Has your lover seen your sunshine lately?

Proverbs 15:13 says, "A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance."

Everyone is drawn to a smile. Who and what you are is reflected in your face. Does your husband see you as a happy, thankful woman? Does he smile when he looks at you, amused at the cheerful little grin on your face and the totally delightful things you think and say - even the dumb things? Learn to charm him with your mischievous "only for him" grin.

It is a mistake for a wife to take her position for granted, to assume that love and contentment exist because "we are husband and wife." Earn every smile and shared moment. Cultivate his love for you. Remind him of the loveliness and beauty that first attracted him to you. A woman holds her man with the fragile threads of adoration, thankfulness, delight, and just plain fun. He needs to hear gladness and appreciation in your voice when you speak to him, even when you are talking of everyday things. Always remember that the day you stop smiling is the day you stop trying to make your marriage heavenly...
God's perfect will is that I learn to be the best help meet possible. God's will is for a wife to have a merry heart, a cheerful countenance and a glow that will refresh the most stressed and tired husband on the planet. Bubbling cheer goes a long way to maintain or even restore a marriage. Make a decision right now to break the "poor me" habit. Today, put it down as sin and rebellion, and then tomorrow, wake up with joy in your heart and home.

Proverbs 17:22 -
"A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

Establish a habit

What can I do today that will make him smile?

Getting Serious with God

Do a study on the word JOY. The word joy is often coupled with shouting, music, the playing of instruments, dancing, gladness, and praise. Write down and memorize your favorite verses on joy. God's Word is effectual. As you read, memorize verses on joy, and ponder the word joy in God's Word, real joy will be worked into your heart.

Every morning, let the first thing your husband sees on your face be a gentle smile, even if your eyes are still closed. Any time your eyes meet or your hands touch, let it be a reminder to smile and offer a word of gladness. When you eat, always show thanksgiving by means of a smile and a joyful spirit. During the day, sing and play and dance as you work around the house. The lightness in your soul will help put you in a good frame of mind for your husband when he comes home. If you have reason to be hurt or discouraged and yet you sing with thanksgiving, this is a true sacrifice of worship to God.

Psalm 100:1-5
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations."


    Running With You,

Weekend Gospel Music Camp!

This past weekend was our Gospel Music Summer Celebration at my family's camp. What fun it was! There was plenty of guitar pickin', gospel singin', good fellowship, and great food!! :) Here are a few snapshots of the fun!

Baking cakes for the cake auction!

Me and the hubby ;)

Created To Be His...Help Meet | pt 1

One month before Grant and I were married, a sweet friend gave me a book that has changed and inspired my marital life. I consider it a beautifully written book that encourages and challenges wives to rise up and be exactly what God made them to be. The title is, Created To Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. I have been so blessed reading it over and over again but, now, I am studying the book. And as I go through each chapter, I would like to share the gist of the lesson with you readers. As wives, let us rise up and accept, with grace, the position God created for us.

Genesis 2:18
And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone;
I will make him an help meet for him.

God's Gift

A wise woman doesn't take anything for granted. She is thankful to be loved and seeks to make herself more lovely.

God gave Adam the most precious gift a man will ever receive - a woman. Genesis 2:18 - And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.
Genesis 2:21-23 - And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.

Later, God tell us, "Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing..." - Proverbs 18:22

If you are a wife, you were created to fill a need, and in that capacity you are a "good thing," a helper suited to the needs of a man.

As you have probably already discovered, you don't just marry "the right man" and live happily ever after. Every man I know is a bona fide sinner. And, considering that you, too, are a selfish, fallen creature, it will take real effort to make a heavenly marriage. A good marriage, just like anything worthwhile, takes doing the right thing every day...every hour...every moment.

When you are a help meet to your husband, you are a helper to Christ, for God commissioned man for a purpose and gave him a woman to assist in fulfilling that divine calling. When you honor your husband, you honor God. When you obey your husband, you obey God. The degree to which you reverence your husband is the degree to which you reverence your Creator. As we serve our husbands, we serve God. But in the same way, when we dishonor our husband, we dishonor God.

Men are created to be helpers of God. Jesus willingly became a helper to the Father. The Holy Spirit became a helper to the Son. Society is structured so that men and women must submit to authorities like government, employers, police, the Internal Revenue Service, child protection agencies, the courts, etc. There is no loss of dignity in subordination when it serves a higher purpose. God made you to be a help meet to your husband so you can bolster him, making him more productive and efficient at whatever he chooses to do.

It is our job to learn how we can help our husbands in every way possible.

God's perfect will for my life is that I be a help meet to my husband. I do have a choice in how good my marriage will be.

1 Corinthians 11:8-9
For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.

Make a new habit

Think of ways you can be a helper to your husband. Start today.

Getting Serious with God

Locate in Scripture (KJV) the following words or traits as they relate to a woman of God. Write the verses in your diary, and ask God to work each of these attributes into your character.

1. Virtue
2. Graciousness
3. Wisdom
4. Prudence
5. Goodness

A Good Help Meet has a Passion to be of ServiceThe words help meet bring up images in my mind of a woman who serves others. A good help meet will have a passion to be of service. Her first calling is to be of service to her husband, then her children, and when time affords, her passion of service will spill over to serving others.

    Running With You,

Flowers From My Husband

My sweet husband brought me flowers today - just because! Isn't he precious?! :)

I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.
~ Emma Goldman