Frugal Recipe - Day 2

Here is the next in my series of new recipes that I have added to my families monthly menu rotations. Today's recipe is one that my children have come to LOVE and even ASK for! When I first started making them I never thought that day would come. It features beans. Dried beans are about the cheapest thing in the store and they go really far. For about $1.50 you can get a bag of beans and make at least three meals out of them.



I use these in tacos, burritos, and nachos instead of hamburger. My children eat them plain (with toothpicks) for lunch at least once a week. And I have served them over some seasoned rice for a hearty bean and rice meal.







I soak the bag of dried beans for several hours or overnight in cool water. Then I drain the water and pour the beans into the crock pot. Then I cover with water and season with a generous helping of salt, some cumin, some chili powder, some diced onion, a little pepper, and some garlic salt. I change it up a little every time. Some times I add some diced jalapenos, or some cilantro for a different taste. After these beans cook for about 6-8 hours or until tender, they are ready to serve or to freeze for later use.

It might take some time but I hope that all of you can learn to enjoy beans and the added nutrients that they can add to your diet. They are cheap, and fun, and VERY healthy. What more can you ask for in a $1.50 a bag.

A Week of Recipes and Frugal Cooking

I am going to try this week to share a recipe a day. I am going to focus on frugal, healthy, and tasty ideas that my own kids and husband love.

Granola

We eat this granola as a snack straight out of the bowl, as a cereal with milk, and on top of yogurt. I have tried it with different nuts and it is always delicious. You can also add dried fruit such as bananas, for a banana nut cereal, or raisins, for a cinnamon raisin treat.

Granola

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup honey

5 cups oatmeal

3/4 tsp cinnamon

Mix brown sugar, honey and oil in saucepan. Heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour over oatmeal and cinnamon in a large cake pan. Mix well. bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool in pan, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping. Store in an air tight container.

Let's hit our Knees

Prayer changes things! Many of us have seen it happen in our own lives and in the lives of those around us. This sweet baby and his family need your prayers. Please pray, pray hard, and pray often! God hears our prayers and I know that He is hearing Stellan's name a multitude of times today. He is hearing his name from all over the world in all different languages. But no matter where we are from, or what language we speak God hears and God knows.






I have never met this family in person but they have been an inspiration to me and have uplifted me many times over. They love the Lord and allow Him to use their life to changes other's lives.

Please pray for them today!

Choas, Pain, Hurt and Struggles

Hebrews 12:11-14

11Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
12Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;
13And make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.
14Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Each and every one of us has some type of situation in our life that falls into one of these categories. Whether it is an unsaved loved one, sick children, unstable job, poor health, lack of direction or whatever the case may be we can all fill in the blank. There are things about this life that hurt us, confuse us, overwhelm us, and cause us to wonder "why?". But as God's children we have a choice to make about these situations. Which one we choose can affect the effectiveness of the whole thing.

Sometimes God allows chaos, hurt, pain, and struggles into our lives at the hand of Satan. Satan's focus is to drag us down to failure and destruction. He wants to see us miserable and unhappy in our faith. He wants us to "give up on God" , so to speak. While at other times the hand of God brings into our lives situations that are not pleasant as well. But His whole purpose in these situations is to sanctify us and to allow our lives to bring HIM glory. Chastisement from the Lord* is never fun but always for our benefit, just like that of a loving Father. No matter the origin of these situations our response can make all the difference.

If we respond to these situations with Job-like faith and perseverance then God will be glorified. We can make God "famous" in our life by bringing Him into each and every situation that we encounter. If we allow Him to work in us and to use our life for His kingdom, even those trial that Satan intends for our destruction, will be used for God's glorification!

Can you just imagine God in His throne room talking to Satan and says "Have you considered my servant, ______ (your name here)". If He knows that we will give Him the honor and glory through a trial, than He will use us. How wonderful for God to know full well that we will serve Him no matter what. What an honor for God to know that we will not fail Him if He allows Satan to test us!

Let's resolve today to be people that God can depend on to make Himself "famous" in this world. Through each and every situation we should mention His name and His work in our life. Then one day we will be a people that God can know will not let His name down no matter the situation.


*Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Fingerprints

When I meet someone or come into contact with them in this life what kind of fingerprints do I leave behind? I am not talking about physical fingerprints. I am talking about spiritual ones. A fingerprint is only made when we touch something. Do I "touch" others for Christ when I meet them. Whether it be a close friend, a family member, or even the cashier at the store do I take time to "touch" them for eternity? When I walk away from someone what are they taking away from me?

Our fingerprints our left everywhere we have been. They are unique to us and different from everyone else in the world. So, when God looks at the fingerprints we have left is He pleased? Are they prints of His love and mercy or are they prints of anger and bitterness for the world or His children?

Do we slow down enough in this fast paced society to "touch" people or are we in too big of a hurry with our own agendas? To leave a finger print you have to make contact, slow down and "touch" someone or something, and to leave a lasting fingerprint we have to take the time to love. If our "fingerprints" are going to make a difference in this world they have to be done with the love of Christ pouring from us.

So, what do people take away from you? Are your fingerprints filled with Christ in a way that will forever leave a mark on some one's life? I am praying that when I come into contact with someone, no matter for how long, Christ is seen in me and that the "fingerprint" they take away from me will draw them closer to Christ and His love for them.

We touch so many people every day in this life. Our kids, our spouse, our co-workers, our friends, our church family, and even strangers are "touched" by our attitudes and actions. Lord, may they glorify You!

Father, help us to leave "fingerprints" for You all over this world. Help us to be so filled with Your love and Spirit that others are forever changed when we meet them. I pray that our "fingerprints" are those of Christ and are filled with His love. Help my attitude and actions be of pure motive and a right spirit. Thank you Father for the ways that You work in our lives. We love You and will strive to live for You. Amen!

Philippians 1:20-22 20 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!

Kate

Kate's medicine is helping most of the time. She has gone to getting up every hour or so to only getting up twice a night. She seems much better during the day although I think she developed some "habits" while she wasn't feeling well for three weeks. She still wants to be picked up often and only "snacks" every two to three hours instead of nursing well at one feeding and being done with it. But, at least she doesn't seem to be in pain.

She is playing more and "talking" to us more these past two days. She had gotten to the point that she just sat around and hardly even responded to anyone or anything. I was becoming worried with her lack of response so I am so relieved to see her acting like a normal six month old finally!

Thank you for your prayers. God answers prayers and uses His people to help each other.

Just a Quick Note

I haven't been on much lately. Our dear Baby Kate is not feeling well lately. After many things tried and failed I think we may have found something that seems to be helping. It has been three weeks now that she has been fussing and crying all day and up all night. Something was obviously bothering her. You could see the pain on her face. But no one could figure it out.
Finally we tried another acid reflux medicine and this is the third day. She finally is playing in the walker again !!! We will see how long it lasts.

She had been treated for acid reflux as a newborn and had seemingly outgrown it. But I guess it has come back with a vengeance. So please pray that this new medicine continues to help. She needs sleep to grow and mommy needs sleep to function! Plus the long term effects of untreated acid reflux can be VERY far reaching so we "need" to get this under control.

Thank you in advance for your prayers and support during this journey. I am a mommy first so the blogging and such will be taking a back burner for awhile. I need to get my baby well first. And then for some reason my other children need mommy time also plus food and clean clothes.

That is all for now!

Not Me Monday

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

Well, this week I have NOT been up every night multiple times with my Baby Kate. I am a mother to four now so it is NOT me who has no clue why she is not sleeping or what else to try to remedy the situation. Nope, I would know what to do so that is NOT Me!

I am NOT totally excited about putting out my first garden veggie this week. I am so ready to be in the soil again and watching things grow. God is so good!

It was NOT me that was totally relieved to get a good report from Josiah's ENT last week. We got an answer about his ear discomfort and found out that everything else looks normal. Yea!

We have been healthy for over a week now and it is NOT me that is still playing catch up from the stomach bug that passed through the house a couple weeks back. I would be much more organized and on top of things than that. So it is NOT my house that still needs to be cleaned and have laundry done. Never mind the fact that I have a continually fussy baby for no apparent reason.

Well there is my "Not Me Monday" post. I feel so much better! Hope you all have a great week.

Looks Who's Getting Bigger

This weekend I decided to take a break from the more serious posts that I have been doing and post some pictures. As most who read my blog know I have a sister who is out of state serving in the military. She is a very special aunt to my children and though the miles have seperated her from my children for awhile now they adore her and are head over heels in love with her. So... I wanted to share some of my favorite photos with all of you and with her. So sit back and enjoy seeing how my littlest blessing has been growing and changing.


This is my oldest and my youngest. I couldn't ask for a better big sister to my other children. Even at the age of 6 Maggie changes diapers, soothes Kate, pours drinks, turns on lights and helps in any way she can. The family unit is such a blessing from God.

Kate ate cereal for the first time this week. After all the trouble that her belly gave her at birth we were taking it slow and have now backed off all together. After several nights of crying and being uncomfortable we have quit for now and will try again in a couple of weeks.
Kate is starting to be able to sit up by herself. She still needs help from our beloved Boppy. If you are a nursing mommy you really, need to, MUST have one of these pillows. I didn't have one with my first two children and I don't know how I still have arms left. They have so many uses from propping, to nursing, to sitting!!

These other pictures are just some that I really liked and wanted to share. While Kate is fussy and a very "needy" baby still she is always ready to smile when someone will give her attention. Although the days are still pretty rough most of the time and the nights are often sleepless. I wouldn't trade these for anything. The love of a mother is a miraculous thing. When you look at what babies/children put us through at times it is unbelievable that we don't just ship them off to someone else. But that idea is just beyond considering. As the Bible says, children as a blessing and God's design is again perfect. The parent /child relationship is a beautiful thing.

A very Cool Family A very Cool Magazine

Please visit the Riggs family blog for encouraging posts and updates on sweet little Abby's fight against cancer. Also, they publish a monthly magazine, in which my blog is listed, so please visit this high quality magazine for some REALLY cool articles. The magazine is entitled serious.life . I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

One year later...

Today Josiah had his one year check up for his tubes. It seems like forever ago that my little boy went through this surgery. It was a scary day because after he was on the sedation medication in the NICU at birth he had trouble waking up. I was VERY worried that he would have complications from the anesthesia or something. But God blessed and came through with flying colors. Today we discovered that one of the tubes is fully blocked but that they are working their way out. So the doctor said to just a wait a little longer and see if they come out on their own. We will go back in September to check on their progress. I wanted to share some pictures from then and now. My how that little boy has changed!!!

Josiah after surgery. It took him awhile to wake up but once he did you couldn't even tell what had happened that morning.



This picture was taken during a park outing just a couple of weeks ago. It is amazing how much change can happen in a year. He is now potty trained, knows some of his colors, is counting, and is talking up a storm! He is an energetic little boy and all rough and tough most of the time. But I still love the few times that my baby boy makes an appearance and he wants to cuddle and rock. Oh what special moments that will soon only be special memories.

One last Blog Party Post

Well, last week was so much fun! I met some really nice ladies and was encouraged beyond my expectation. God can certainly use whatever medium He chooses to bless us and to speak to us. The party came at a time when I really needed encouragement and encourage it did. My mind is refreshed, my spirit is soaring, and I am moving into a new season. God has moved in my life even beyond this blog party this week. He is GOOD!!! So VERY, VERY, GOOD!!

So I am starting a new week with a renewed focus and dedication. I want to put into practice more of what I have learned and some of what I knew but wasn't doing. I want to seek God more diligently. I want to train my children more consistently. I want to teach them to be more loving and kind. I NEED to show them what is important to me. And that is them and their daddy. Not the computer. Not the phone. Not running around being out and about. But them and this home that God has given us. I want my children to be content with what God gives us and the only way they will be content is if they see it lived out. This week I am applying myself to get organized and make a few changes around here that will make life easier and better for everyone. The change might not be easy but it will be good. We will seek God's direction like never before and fall head over heels in love with this life He has called us to. Because if He gave it to me and called me to it then who am I to not enjoy every aspect of it. Sometimes this life hurts, I know that all too well, but EACH and EVERY event comes through the hand of my loving Heavenly Father. And He is so VERY, VERY, VERY GOOD!! So I am choosing to love my life and the family He has given me and consider each day a new opportunity to show them who is important to me.

Won't you choose to fall in love with the life that He has called you to and serve Him wholeheartedly with a spirit of contentment that the world will never understand.

1 Timothy 6:6But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

Blog Party - Keeper at Home

When I think about "keeping the home" I think of many different aspects of it. Some of us are full time keepers and some are not. Some of many children with which to train and some have few. God calls each of us differently, but the call still exists. When we keep something we don't just let it sit there and disintegrate. We watch it, guard it, care for it, protect it, and love it. That is how I few keeping my home.



I strive to not look at cleaning as just a chore, but as a way to protect my family from illness. Doing the laundry becomes more pleasant when viewed as a way to care for my family and to protect them rather than just "another job". Training, teaching, and disciplining become more important when we see that these are ways to love and care for our children. When we view a television program or a movie through eyes that guard our home, would we watch them? When we keep a home, we must be busy and active to care for every aspect of it. It is not just the physical but also the mental, the spiritual, and the social.

While our husbands should be the spiritual leaders of the home while they are away from the home during most of the daytime hours it falls to us to follow through and reinforce their teachings through out the day. We must take advantage of teachable moments and use them to again, keep our home.

So, let's strive to focus on our love for our family and Savior and His wonderful design of family. Let's look at cleaning and laundry and dishes and cooking with eyes of love and protection. As we KEEP OUR HOMES for the honor and glory of our Lord. And then it will be true of us and our children ..........

27 She watches over the affairs of her household

and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;

her husband also, and he praises her:

Proverbs 31:27-28

Pray for Me.....Pray for Others

We participate in "Pray for Me... Pray for Others" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to add your prayer request. Join a community of friends who care about you, and hope you will care about them.






I joined in this cool web-based prayer time today. If you have a minute jump on over and say a prayer for those listed and leave your own if you have one.

Godly Mothering

What a day for this topic!! I have sick children. I have one throwing up, one with belly cramps, and a baby that won't stop crying. Ahhhh, motherhood.

Anyway, I have been thinking about this topic for awhile now. Trying to put my thoughts into some sort of order and figure out what God would have me to write. I LOVE motherhood. It has been my life's goal from the time I was a little girl. I love being with my kids and watching them grow. I love nursing, I love diapering, I love wiping noses, and I love kissing boo boos. So, why do I not act like it all the time? Why do I allow myself to buy into the lie that a mother needs "time off" or mothering isn't fun? While I do feel it is the most gut wrenching, heart breaking, and back strengthening job anyone could ever have, isn't it what we as women are called to do?

The Bible calls children a blessing, a heritage from the Lord, so why do we turn our eyes away from God's ways and start to view them as a lot of work and too much trouble. We need to focus our eyes on what God designed us to do which is bear children and raise them for His glory. I pray for strength for every mother, soon to be mother, and one day will be a mother. May God change our heart and turn it back to His ways of motherhood.

Godly Wife

I really do feel strongly about this subject. I am totally committed to my husband and meeting his needs. So much of our society looks down on the woman that "waits on" her husband or serves him before herself. I know, from personal experience, that when a woman puts her huband's needs above hers she will be happier. God has called us to be a helpmeet to the man in our lives and if we are not doing so our relationship will not be fulfilled.



While writing this I am afraid that I will sound "holier than though" or as if I am some sort of "super woman" who always makes her man happy. That is the farthest thing from the truth. But I have tried over time to put into practice the advice of those women that are older than I am. And I have seen it revelutionize my marriage. When I am focused on meeting his needs, I don't worry about my own needs being met. I feel more fulfilled by serving the man God has called me to serve. We both are happier and I see us enjoying each other more when our roles are being played in the way God intended them to be.



When we, as women, become outward focused we will find ourselves happier. Selfishness is never becoming of a lady. But a servants heart is beautiful in many ways. When our husband feels honored and loved he will be more responsive to us in so many ways. Love and servanthood, is an attitude of the heart and sometimes an attitude starts with a choice. There are times that I have to choose to love my husband even when I don't "feel" it. I am so happy to be at the point in our marriage where I can look at him from across the room and feel my heart swell with pride over the fact that he is mine and I am his. Or I can watch him with our children and think to myself how much I love him.



When we can train ourselves to think like this, our actions will change to meet our thoughts. When we stop seeing our husbands as uncompleted "to do" lists, or missed birthdays, or late nights at work, and start seeing them as the men that we love we will WANT to treat them differently. And God will be honored and glorified through a wife that serves her husband and through a husband that loves his wife as she deserves to be loved. It is an amazing thing, this relationship we call marriage. It is certainly of God, for anything this wonderful must come from above.

May you be blessed,
Amanda

Blog Party - Spiritual Encouragement

For today's topic I have so much on my heart. I have seen and felt and been ministered to by God's hand in a very real way during times in my life. Sometimes we don't understand why we are called to endure persecution, or loss, or betrayal or heartache. But I really feel that many times it is through such things that our God becomes more real to us. Our relationship changes from something we enjoy to something we "NEED". When God is the only security that you have left you realize that He "is" enough. He "is" all we need. He "is" faithful. Everything that His word says "is" true.

When we throw ourselves fully into the loving Father's arms and allow ourselves to "cry" on His shoulder and to find comfort in His touch and in His word, we are ministered to in a life changing way. God is so good. He is so loving. And His grace is sufficient for everyday. He will minister to us through people in tangible ways at times just to prove that He is working in our lives.

He loves us and we must never forget that. No matter what comes upon us He is with us. And in Romans 8 we are told that when we don't know how to pray the Spirit interceded for us. I have been there. My heart has been so heavy that I didn't have the words to speak in prayer. I just sat and cried, knowing that my Father knew. He knew everything. He is so good!!!

I want to encourage you to look for an opportunity to "allow" God to minister to you. Cry to Him and on His shoulder instead of that of a friend. Fall head over heels in love with your Loving Heavenly Father and allow Him to become so very very real to you. It will change your life forever.

Romans 8:26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. 28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

My Intro Party post

Welcome everyone! This is my blog, my little corner of the world, where I attempt to share my heartbeat with friends and family. My heartbeat consists of two major things. The first one is my family, my four children and my husband. I long for and strive to be a helpmeet to my Godly husband. I try to support him in his pastoring ministries and his daily life. I am attempting to mother our children in the ways of the Lord and in His love. The second would be to help other women and to minister to them. As a pastor’s wife I have served in many areas of ministry, but my passion has been women’s ministry. Through my blog I try to minster to women through the things that God is laying on my heart and how He is working in my life. I also love to share my other passions which are frugal living, gardening, and simplistic home cooking.

My life has been full of hills and valleys just like the next person. Here is my story, I will stick with the short version. I will start at the time of my marriage. My husband and I met in the youth group at church. He was my first love and now is the love of my life. He has made me happier than I could have ever imagined. Together we have four children ages 6, 4, 2, and 5 months. We made the decision to home school when our oldest daughter was ready to enter school. It is a huge commitment but one that I am totally passionate about. I know that it is not for everyone and I feel that God calls every family differently. But it works for us. After the birth of our third child we were thrilled to have our first son. When he entered into this world through a scheduled c-section it was to everyone’s surprise that he was gravely ill. His lungs were not ready to breathe on their own. I had delivered in the small hospital out near our home. They were unable to care for him so he was life flighted into St. Louis, Missouri. When he left my side (before I had even held him) they told me they didn’t know if he would make it through the night. Having just had major surgery I was forced to wait two nights until I was strong enough to travel to be with him. It was five days before we could hold him and six days before I could nurse him for the first time. After ten long days he was able to come home and God has blessed him with remarkable health considering his life threatening start. Having been separated from my newborn and knowing that his future was uncertain forever changed me as a mother. I take nothing for granted and I am keenly aware of how fragile life is.

Just this past fall I was able to witness my first child come to a saving knowledge of her need for Jesus Christ. What a joyous day that was!!!

In the past month and a half my husband and I have gone through another tragedy together. I have learned that through these times we become closer and grow together and lean on each other. I cannot begin to put into words how proud I have been of my husband in the past month. We were forced to leave our church home of the past 5 years. It was not by choice or by God’s leading but the choice of men. It has shattered our hearts and torn us to the core of who we really are in Jesus Christ. It has cost me my closest friend. Many days I feel lonely as I try to adjust to this new normal. We are still seeking God’s direction for our ministry. I KNOW that I KNOW that I KNOW God is not done with us. He has another ministry somewhere planned for us. We are willing to serve and feel called to serve. I know He will use us. Right now is a time of healing for us. We are waiting on God to lead us and to reveal His will for us now.

So, that is a little about me. Here are a few other fun facts about me – the oldest of four children, gardening, scrapbooking, cloth diapering, baby wearing, home cooking, Jesus loving, and child of a living God. I love the life that God has called me to. Thank you for taking the time to get to know me a little better.