Modesty... it's more than clothng.

My guest blogger today is Sarah. I met Sarah several,several years back through an old mutual friend. She was just a young girl at the time,but now she is a young woman. She is stylish,sweet,and seeks to honor God. I know you will love what she shares today.


Hey guys, my name is Sarah and I blog over at BE31. I am a wife to my best friend and first time mom to our fifteen month old son, Westyn, who definitely keeps us running! I am so honored to serve alongside my husband who has a heart after the Lord and is such an amazing father to our little boy. Underneath my calling as a wife and mother, a few of my many passions is photography, fashion and bargain shopping. I also love to sew and reconstruct thrift store finds and create one-of-a-kind pieces for pennies! My husband and I both serve in the ministry at our church, he is a musician and is apart of the worship team and I am a childrens dance leader and assist in directing choreography for the womens adult team and love it! .

The foundation of my blog is to dress fashionable while maintaining femininity and striving to emphasize modesty as apart of daily life. So that is what I am going to share my heart on today :). The fashion industry today seems as though the goal is "Less is more" but according to Yah's word we are to be Kadosh = {Holy and set apart} from the world. Leviticus 19:2 " Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am Holy". He has specific instructions that he requires of us when we accept him as our bridegroom and finding out what he desires of us as his bride is so important!  I believe that the Father wants to address our heart first since what is in your heart will be your actions by default right? I believe that.. There are so many aspects to being "modest" it is not only referring to clothing but how we think, act and speak And we must get to those areas of the heart first and from there the Father can work in us if we allow him to. I encourage you to get into His word and see what the Lord has to say about how he has instructed us to dress as His Bride...I am not saying I have arrived and have it all figured out but I can say my heart is to learn and grow into the woman I am designed to be and I still have a long way to go and by his grace I will change as he shows me..

To sum up, modesty is a way of thinking that is characterized by humility and purity, and results in appropriate actions



My style is constantly evolving but one of my favorite things right now is hats and Maxi skirts. This outfit is easy and comfortable while chasing a very busy toddler around and the hat helps when you only have a few minutes to be out the door!

Hat: Target (Hudsons) 

Skirt: Cato (old) 

Shirt: Target (Hudsons) 

Bag: thrifted 

Watch: Target (Hudsons) 

I want to thank Sarah for guest posting today. I totally agree with what she shared with us.  Don't forget to hop on over to her blog and check her out.

 Sarah from BE31 has a passion for modest fashion and being a wife and a first time mom is her ultimate priority. Sarah loves to decorate and style her family by shopping at thrift stores and finding the best bargain possible!

Surrendering to God- Our All

If you know me, you know I am a Southern girl. I was born and raised in a small county in Mississippi, the Southeast part to be exact. I never dreamed of actually living in a big city full time,maybe for a limited time,but not full time. I love lots of trees. I love open skies. I love quietness. I love the country. Creeks,rivers,ponds,fields of grass,and patches of flowers. I love the laid back,slow paced country life. Guess where I live? You guessed it, the city. A big,noisy,busy city. Ironic? Yes. Coincidence? No not at all.

It all started when I got married. The man I grew to love was training to be a Highway Patrolman in Alabama. We got to pick 3 counties to be relocated in after he graduated. We were only engaged at the time and really had no clue where we would be put. We just had to trust God would place us where He wanted us. Part of me wanted to move to the mountains of North Alabama and just start completely over. The other part of me wanted to just move across the state line to Mobile County, just 45 minutes from our hometown. I was a clueless young woman and had no idea what God would do in our lives. I felt it had to be something big,something huge,something extraordinary. By God's will, we were placed in Mobile County. We had no clue what a blessing this would be in many ways.

Our journey of surrender and faith began to unfold once we wed in December of 2006. We were not placed at our apartment by chance either. Our landlord has been used by God so much to bless us in big and small ways. I don't know if she knows that or not,but she's been a blessing. We long for the country again and to be close to family and friends. We long for our boys to know what we knew growing up. Endless days in the summer sun,cold winter nights building fires in the backyard. They haven't known that yet to the extent that we have. Not all is lost though.

Surrendering to God is not easy,ever. It always means dying to something you want or desire. But it also means God opening up doors you would have never seen if not giving up your desires. God has given us more than we could have ever asked for. He has worked in ways we would have never known. We have seen his provision countless times in big and small ways while living here. At times I want to scream. I want to just leave and move somewhere that would seem easy for us. Some days I want to have the "easy" life,as if any life is easy,but that is what we think as people. We think someone has it easier by seeing pictures on Facebook or reading their blogs. We all have trials,struggles, and problems we will face in life.

God knows what we desire as a family,but He knows what we need as a family. It says in Isaiah 55:7-9 that His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We're still living in the city watching God do miracles. I am reading Pain Redeemed by Natasha Metzler,if you haven't checked our her site you really need too. A line that stuck with me from the book is this: Every miracle contains sorrow,for without pain there is no need for a miracle. But they also contain redemption. God is using my husband in many ways in his job. God is using us in our church. God is molding us and shaping us to what He wants right here in the city.


Even though we may not get everything we want,we can take refuge in the One who does know everything we need. He's our strong tower. He's our refuge. He's our very present help in times of trouble.

Where is God calling you too that maybe you don't want to go? It could be a physical place or a spiritual place in your walk.


Linking up with Time-Warp Wife for Titus 2sdays.

Putting On....

We have finished the Put On study that I started with the boys 8 weeks ago. I wasn't sure how it would go and I wasn't sure how much would stick with them. To my surprise it went well and they did remember what we talked about each day/week. I really recommend this for parents to do with their kids. My oldest boys are 5 1/2 and 3 1/2 and they loved it.


1. Compassion was our first character trait. This was something they really remembered. I would try to remind them to use their hands for compassion and not sinful actions. I traced their little hands and let them color them. The piece of clothing was a glove,so that is what we said these were.

Hands are for helping others and showing compassion.

2. Kindness was the second character trait we studied.The piece of clothing that represented kindness was shoes. I traced their feet and they just colored those. I reminded them to show kindness by going when someone called your name to help out or if you see someone who needs your help to go. I wish I could have find some foam shoes or something to decorate.

Our feet should move us to kindness.

3. Humility was the third character trait that we learned about. This was a little hard to explain even with help from the book. The piece of clothing that represented humility was a hat. I bought some foam hats and stickers from Hobby Lobby (my favorite store) and let them decorate the hats. I tried to remind them that being humble is knowing we are nothing without God.

Humility can help us be content where God has us.

4. Meekness was the fourth trait we learned about. The article that represented meekness was glasses. This was also hard to explain and help them to remember the difference from humility. I would try to remind them we cannot always see God's plan,but we can pray to see things from God's view. I found some foam glasses at Hobby Lobby and I was so glad! They decorated them with foam stickers. They really enjoyed this.

Meekness can help us see the bigger picture from God's view.

5. Patience was the fifth character trait we learned about. This was something that stuck with them. They knew what this was right off,which is funny. The article that represented patience was a watch. I tried to remind them that God has a lot of patience with us,so we should have patience with one another. I used some house hold items to trace a watch shape on the piece of poster board ( I should have written the items down I used ha!) and cut them out. They had fun coloring them.

Patience can help remind us to be patient and give others time to grow.

6. Forbearance was the sixth trait we learned about. The article that represented forbearance was a backpack. I really wanted to find some small backpacks for them to decorate,but I wasn't able to do so. I just bought a white gift bag and they colored it and put stickers on it. They were fine with that. I tried to remind them that we are not perfect people and we should try to bear (be patient) with others when they fail. We should not make excuses for them,but pray for them.

Forbearance can help us to remember how God is forbearing with us as we grow.

7. Forgiveness was the character trait that we learned about the seventh week. This was a good one. The piece of clothing that represented forgiveness was a belt. We made belts out of poster board. I tried to remind them that we all need a lot of forgiveness and that God gives as we ask Him to forgive us.

Forgiving one another holds us together.

8. Love was the eighth and final trait we learned about. The article that represented love was a jacket,reminding us to put on love. I tried to remind them that love is the greatest of all. God showed that by giving us His Son as a sacrifice. I found these jackets and thought they would work. I really wanted large brown paperback to make jackets out of,but I could not find them.

Love shows the world we are God's children.

Each week we added an piece of clothing or article that went along with the trait.

This study showed me that we may say we know what these things are,but it was hard to explain the difference in some of them. It was good for me too. I will definitely do it again with them.

Sweet boys!

Linking up with The Better Mom for Better Mom Mondays!

Friday's Fave Five

I have been so busy all day. My oldest has some type of cold that has made him bronchospasms at night,so I haven't even touched the computer much. I had this written out already and wanted to post. Please pray for Daniel. He is fine during the day besides a cough here and there. He is acting normal,has no fever,and isn't contagious. But the whole week at least once during the early morning he has woken up gasping for air,which is the bronchospasms. It's very scary for us,he doesn't remember it. We've got him on some medicine and he will start lung tonic as soon as Monday. My littlest one just has a cold,but he will start lung tonic too. So pray for him also. AND pray the other one does not get it. They are usually very healthy and do not get sick often. We try to do over the counter natural medicine or use an herbalist in north MS. He's great. Anyways. Just some prayer request to begin with. 

1. Cooler Temps... We have had cooler temps,if you can call it that. It's been in the lower 70's at night and not so humid during the day.
2. Family time... my hubby has been working a lot of overtime this month. We're like most families and trying to make ends meet,but we only have one income. Tuesday we had a family day. Mike took the big boys out to eat at Subway and I stayed home with Johnathan and played. It was so nice!
3. Pizza... we also ordered pizza on family day. I love pizza! I usually make homemade pizzas,but I love to order out.
4. Visiting family... My Daddy and Mama came by today after my Daddy's Dr. appointment. He did not feel good at all,but he spent plenty of time with the boys. We don't let them play the Play Station much,but I let them play with my Daddy today. Continue to pray for him. The Dr. says he has no Lyme (I don't believe that),but has Toxoplasma. It can be serious and the meds they will put him on can be dangerous. Please pray for him and my Mother and my family. I can't imagine the worst...
5. Walking... I have come to love the in home walking! I started a 5 day walking plan this week. I've been walking 3 miles. Whew... it is tough,but it helps me sleep better for sure!

Link up with Susanne @ Living to Tell the Story for more Friday's Fave Five.

Battling Insecurities

My guest blogger today is Kelly. I met Kelly at the small Bible college in Mississippi that we attended together along with her husband,Will. She is such a sweet,bubbly person. She has since moved away to Texas,but we stay connected via Facebook. I know you will be blessed by what she shares with us today.

    Insecurity.  It's something I've struggled with my entire life.  Even after I got saved at the age of 12, I battled insecurity.  I still do.  God has really been dealing with me this year on overcoming my insecurities.  I even spoke to a small group of ladies about it in a devotional.  Why?  Because as Christian women, we can be insecure too.  I messaged some friends to tell me their biggest insecurity. I appreciated so many being open and honest with me to share their hidden secret.  Some never responded, and I can understand how this can be a touchy subject.  As Christian women, we need to learn to lean on each other more and be vulnerable.  I believe God blesses when we let down our walls and let others in.  Sometimes I think we confuse humility with insecurity.  We feel like if we feel good about ourselves then we must not be humble.  That's such a twisted view of humility.  I want to share some different insecurities and some Biblical Truths that can help us.  God's Word has so many verses to help us see that we don't have to dwell in our insecurities, but with His help we can overcome!

Insecurity:  Finances.  Is there enough money to support our family?  This is one that I have battled as an adult for sure.  There have been many times that we barely were getting by, but we made it!  God has always been faithful, even when my faith was so small.  There was one time in particular that we desperately needed money for bills, and that same week someone sent us a check in the mail. I was in awe of what God had done.  Sadly, even though He always provides I still worry at times if we will make it.

Biblical Truth:  Matthew 6: 25 says, "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink, nor for your body, as to what you will put on.  Is not life more that food, and the body more that clothing?"


Insecurity: Appearances.  Overwhelmingly, this was the biggest struggle of my christian friends I polled and also for me.  I thought I was fat even when I was a bean pole.  There's something wrong with that!  Now I struggle with how much my body has changed after having 4 kids.  My husband is constantly telling me how beautiful I am, and I just don't believe him.  I'm trying my best to be happy with who I am, and what God wants me to be.  I do believe He wants me to be healthy, not perfect. 

Biblical Truth: Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceitful and beauty if vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised."


Insecurity: Am I a good mom?  That's something that all mom's struggle with at some point.  Comparing ourselves to other mom's, and seeing if we measure up.  God just wants us to look to Him for guidance.  To me a good mom is a mom who loves her kids and wants to teach them about Christ.  A few years ago I homeschooled my oldest daughter, Katelyn.  After I had the boys, I really felt overwhelmed and put her in public school.  I struggled with this decision, but God gave me peace about it.  One thing that I make a priority is doing a short devotion and prayer time in the morning before I take her to school.  It really has helped both of us with starting our day off right.

Biblical Truth:  Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it."


Those are just a few of the insecurities we all face.  I have in no way "arrived" when it comes to this subject.  God is still working in my life, and I pray that we all can overcome our "secret" insecurity and be confident and secure in the Biblical Truth's. 


I want to thank Kelly for being my guest. I was definitely blessed and encouraged by her words. Remember to pray for her and her family. They are ministering to a vital group.the youth. They really are a God seeking family.

Kelly Hutchinson is a stay-at-home mom and wife.  Her husband is a youth minister at First Baptist Church (FBC) Jacksonville, TX. They have 3 children at home: Katelyn (8), Isaiah (2), and Zack (1).  They also have a baby girl in Heaven, Ava Synclaire.  Kelly loves to help minister to the Youth and help minister to their own children at home. 

Good Moring Girls Online Bible Study

Today the enrollment starts for Bible study from Good Mornings Girls. It's called Loving Like Jesus and will go through some of the book of Luke. I participated in my first study last year. We began in the book of Luke and it became 3 separate studies,this one being the 3rd. I was so blessed by it. I love it because you are reading scripture and listening to the Holy Spirit for revelation. They are a wonderful group of women who just followed the leading of the Lord and now they are very well known on the internet.

If you haven't ever done one, I so encourage you to try it out. I will hopefully be leading a group. It will be the group I have been in since last Winter. I will take it over and lead this study. I am nervous and excited!! I get to encourage others and still be at home with my boys. All the info is on the blog,Good Morning Girls, today. So make sure you go there to check it out. If anyone wants to be in a group and you are on Facebook let me know. I will do my best to add you.

Friday's Fave Five

Whew,it's been a week here at my house. I am glad it's coming to a close and we get to start anew in a few days. It's time to look back at my week and count my blessings.

1. Friends... We spent Sunday afternoon with friends who are like family to us. We've known them for years,my husband longer than I have. It was a great time and the boys got to go to the creek for a bit.
2. Donuts... I love a good donut. I haven't had much sweets lately,but the boys and I found Smore's donuts today in Wal-Mart. Oh they were very good!
3. Family... The boys and I went to spend the day with my parents yesterday. It was a good visit. My Daddy just wasn't able to do anything. He had an adverse reaction to the medicine they had him on. Please pray for him if you think about it. Tony is his name. He is fighting Lyme Disease.
4. Slowing down... I have been writing for the last month on my blog almost every day during the week. I was trying to build my blog followers up,but I got to thinking is that really important? No it's not. My children are more important,so I have pulled back. I will post whenever I can or something is laid on my heart. It's been nice to not feel pressured to write everyday.
5. Exercise... I started doing my in home walking again. I have been walking 5 nights a week,starting out with the 1 mile and have been doing the 2 mile this week. I have switched to doing it at night. It works best. Oh my legs have been feeling it,but I can feel them getting stronger. It'll be worth it!

Join Susanne @ Living to Tell the Story for Friday's Fave Five.

Thankful Thursday

Oh man, this has been a hard week in our home. It's been one of those weeks where you question everything you are doing and if it's even the right thing. I'm so glad God gives grace because I know I used a whole lot this week.

I'm thankful for grace. Where would I be without it? I would be more of a mess than I am now. I mess up a whole lot,especially with my boys. I am glad they give grace to me so freely. I just don't know how I did it before knowing Jesus intimately. I am thankful He gives so freely to me who messes up so much. I love the hymn amazing grace. It soothes my soul and mind.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

How refreshing! How amazing! What are you thankful for? Join Iris @ Thankful Thursday and link up with us.

Doing the Unlikely For Our Husbands

Have you ever done something for your husband that wasn't quiet your cup of tea per say? Maybe riding motorcycles, hunting, golfing,or going to an art museum. Last summer I did something I have never done... I went on a canoeing trip. It was all in the name of love. For my husband of course. Our Pastor's wife set up a canoe trip for the younger couples in our church. My husband had off and mentioned he would like us to go. I sort of panicked inwardly. I kept seeing myself flipping out of the canoe and a huge alligator coming after me or hitting my head on the rocks. When it came down to the wire I decided I should do it.

                                                           Okatoma Creek Farm

I think it is important to do things with our husbands that they like to do, whether we like them or not. I like to be outdoors,but not floating down a river for 7 miles. I knew it was something my husband would really enjoy because he has a kayak and does that a good bit. I knew it was something he wanted me to do with him also. It knew it would show him that I love being with him no matter what we do. I decided not to let my fears or dislikes ruin an opportunity to show love to my husband. He has done many things with me that he may not like to do,but he has done them because he loves me. He enjoyed the time we were spending together and did not complain about what I chose to do.

Our marriages are not all about us. We are to serve one another and love one another. Isn't that what Jesus did? He did something He did not want to do. He went to Calvary and died a horrific death for us. He served His disciples while here on earth. He did things that were not the most comfortable things to do. It is about loving like Jesus. It is about showing our children how to love their spouse. They will watch us and our marriage,then pattern (more than likely) their own marriage after what they have seen. So it is very important to model a Christ like marriage.

Did canoeing necessarily enhance our marriage? No,the actual canoeing may not have,BUT it did show a selfless act. It did speak to my husband that I am willing to do and go where I may not like for him,my beloved. It encouraged him though that may sound odd. I would have done it when we were dating because we had fresh,new,young long. So why not do it now after 7 years of marriage? Our men need to know we just like to be with them. It helps them be a better Father when they feel loved,when they know we enjoy being with them. If we love them, we will respect them and they need that. A man that does not feel respected, will not be the man God wants Him to be,or Father,or husband. Love is not only a word,it is an action.

We had to communicate well so that we did not flip over and we had to communicate to steer properly by paddling. It felt good when we went over a rapid and worked together not to flip out. It felt good to know my husband was doing something he enjoyed. We had a good time and did not flip at all. We worked together as a team and he kept telling me how good I was doing. Communication is a huge key to a successful,Godly marriage. We have to communicate to our men how important they are to us and our children.

What says I love you to your husband? What is something you can do that you may not enjoy,but your husband has been asking you to do? I encourage you to take the opportunity next time it presents itself to do the unlikely for or with your husband. How can you encourage him this month as we celebrate Father's Day?

Childlike Faith

I wasn't going to write tonight because I am plum tired. We have been cleaning in our boys room. Oh my. We cleaned out their very cluttered,small closet. I also went through the bags of clothes that have been taking up space. It was tiring,but much needed. Their room is small and we wanted them to have some more space. Oh and now we can actually use the closet! I literally didn't sit down for supper until almost 7 and then folded clothes and washed up dishes. It didn't stop there, I did the 2 mile walk and I am beat! Well, I just had to share what God did for us today.

About a month ago our 2 oldest boys started asking for remote control cars for Christmas. They usually only get 1 big thing. We try not to make it just about getting,but giving too. We do shoe boxes and do so much pointing them towards the birth of Christ and His importance. So anyways. My husband was like oh that will be a great gift. I was thinking hmmm more stuff and less space ha! My husband is a kid at heart,so I knew he would definitely want to do it if we both agreed on it. I haven't thought much more about it,but my boys sure have. My oldest told me that he prayed God would give him a remote control car for Christmas. We don't do Santa Claus,though they know others pretend he gives their kids presents. So he went straight to the source.

Fast forward to today and my little boys prayer was answered. I step out on the porch to put the 10 bags of  clothes we were giving away to good will, I see 2 boxes with cars in them. I was puzzled. I stepped back inside (we live in an apartment) and asked my husband where did he get those cars from? He looked just as puzzled and he stepped out on the porch with me. There sat 2 remote control cars in one box and a tumbler with a remote control. We were speechless. If you know me,I am rarely speechless, I always have something to say. We had an idea of who left them,but she definitely had no clue that this was even brought up in our home. I was in awe of my God. I really wanted to run inside and tell my Daniel that God had brought him the remote control car. I was bursting inside! We put them in our outside storage closet really fast before the boys came out and saw them. My husband couldn't get over it either.

My God is so good. He is amazing. He is intricate. He is detailed. He is loving. What isn't He?! Just when I think He overlooks my life,He does something like this. He shows His love for me and my family through toy cars. Oh how I love You,Lord! I am crying. I am rejoicing. Those are just toy cars,but the act is a everlasting and deep and detailed love that my God has for me and my family. I stand in awe of who He is to me. He is so good. I can't say enough about His greatness! He is interested in the details of His children. He wants us to know just how much He loves us and how much He really pays attention to us. My boys are going to be so excited. I can't wait to be able to explain to them that God did this and not just so they could have cars,but because He loves them and that He listens to us.

This is not the first time that this has happened to us. A couple of years back our boys mentioned that they wanted some chalk to write with on the sidewalk downstairs. We said that was fine and we would have to get some. Not more than a week later a box of chalk ended up on our doorstep. Floored. Puzzled. Grateful. The person who left it stopped by to let us know she left it so they could write on the sidewalk. My husband told her that our boys had just asked for chalk. God loves to show us His love,yes even with chalk or toy cars. God builds our faith and He wants to build our children's faith. It just amazes me what He will use to say I love you and I am listening to you. God has been so good to us.I should never,ever complain,but I do. I just had to share this and praise God for His goodness. He is more than I will ever need.

What has God done lately to show you His love?

Linking up with Darlene at Time-Warp Wife for Titus 2sdays.

Weekend Links

Here are some great links that I read this past week. Hope you enjoy them!

• Developing a Self-Image of a Servant Leader In Your Children by Sally Clarkson at I Take Joy. Such a great blog that I always love t read. 
• Six Things I'd Say About Homeschooling by Lisa Jacobson over at The Better Mom.Some great thought from Lisa.
• It Could Have Been Worse by Deb Weakly over at MomHeart. This is a good reminder for us all.
• Redeeming the Daily Grind by Christin Slade at Joyful Mothering. Such a great post by Christin!
• Are you hurting today? by Bethany over at Laced With Grace. Bethany is so sweet. She guest posted for me a couple of weeks ago. 
• When Quiet Seems Impossible by September over at MomHeart. Such a great post!

Friday's Fave Five

1. Canoeing... Saturday I did something I never have before. I went on a canoe trip. The young married couples at church went to north Mississippi to canoe on the Okatoma Creek. It was quite an experience. I was scared too death,but we made it! My husband loves this kind of stuff...not me so much. It was nice to try it and see my husband having fun too.
2. Home meeting... We were able to attend home meeting this past Sunday. We had a full house too. It was good sharing with others and hearing their thoughts on the Word. 
3. Card games... We took our boys to Target Monday evening and found 2 card games for less than $2. We bought them and a regular priced one. We have Uno,Sorry Revenge,and Battleship. The boys have enjoyed playing them with us. I love playing any kind of games!
4. Celebrations... I love to bake. Aaron helped me mix of a cake yesterday morning to bake for my husband's birthday. I never got to bake him one here. So we baked it and blew some balloons up to tie to the kitchen table chairs. It was so sweet that they wanted to "throw" him a party.
5.  New recipes... I tried a new one last night. Chicken nachos. It turned out pretty good. Here is the link that has the recipe and the Corn Casserole recipe some have asked for. I hope you enjoy!

Join Susanne @ Living to Tell the Story to link up.

Thankful Thursday

What are you thankful for today? Want you share it with us! Iris @ Grace Alone is our host this month. Hop over to her blog to link up and find more thankful ladies.

I'm thankful for prayer. It's something I cannot live without. It's something I do not want to live without. Prayer meant something different to me 10 or 15 years ago. I really didn't know how to pray. I was young and on the milk of the Word. Over the past 7 years God has taught me a lot about praying. Not to pray my will,but to pray His will,no matter how hard it is. I'm so thankful I can go to my Father with a heavy heart,a concerned heart,or even a thankful heart. I can pray anytime I like and anywhere I like. I have learned to pray throughout the day since I'm on the move around the house daily. I'm so thankful I don't have to go to the temple and offer up sacrifices,but that I can pray while washing dishes,folding clothes, or cooking our meals. I'm so thankful that God doesn't laugh at my prayers and that I can go boldly to the throne of grace. Thank You Jesus, for Your sacrifice.

What are you thankful for? Share with us!

Food,anyone?

I love food. I love to taste it. I love to cook it. I love to take pictures of it. It's just part of me. I have learned not to let it rule me though. I will be sharing a good bit of recipes on here for you all to try. I love when others share things they have cooked/baked so others know if it's good or not. I hope you enjoy these I am posting. I posted some snack recipes a couple of weeks ago. You can go see it here.

Corn Casserole

Ingredients:
1 can whole kernel corn (not drained)
1 can cream style corn
1 box jiffy mix
2 eggs
1 stick butter
8 oz. sour cream

Soften the stick of butter,but do not melt it. Then mix the ingredients well in a bowl together. Bake in a 9x13 dish at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Make sure it is firm,but not burnt. It should not be runny.

Corn Casserole

Our Pastor's wife cooked this one Sunday for lunch when they had us over. Oh my it was so good. She is a great cook! I get a lot of my recipes from her.


Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:
1 2/3 cup of veggies (most of the time I use corn,green beans,sweet peas,and carrots)
1 cup of chicken (4 regular chicken breasts)
1 can of cream chicken
1 cup bisquick
1/2 cup of milk
1 egg
1 scoop of sour cream (I used a scoop and a half)
1/4 cup of water (I did this because it was thick when mixing)

• Boil chicken thoroughly and then let cool off. Chop chicken into chunks (or smaller pieces it depends on how you like it).
• Combine veggies,cream of chicken,sour cream,water,and chicken together in bowl and mix well.
• Combine bisquick,egg,&milk in bowl and mix.
• Pour chicken mix into pan and then spread bisquick mix over the chicken mix.
• Bake at 400 for 40 minutes.
• Melt 2 tsp of butter and brush over top of chicken pot pie after it's done,then put back in the oven for 5-8 minutes.

Chicken Pot Pie, no carrots this time.

A good friend of ours made this once for supper and it was delish! I decided to try it and it is so good and easy to make.



Chicken Nachos

Ingredients:
tortilla chips
rotisserie chicken (I used what I had,a pack of Southwestern Chicken already cooked)
black beans
cheese

Optional:
tomatoes
green onions
jalapenos
taco seasoning
salsa
sour cream
lettuce

• Pull chicken off the bone or cut it up,depends on the chicken you use.
• Put tin foil over the baking sheet (suggested by the reader)
• Layer chips,chicken,tomatoes,fiesta cheese, and beans on baking sheet  (rinse and drain beans)
• Top with desired amount of fiesta shredded cheese
• Bake at 400 for 10 minutes

My ingredients

Add cheese,tomatoes,and jalapenos.

Finished product!

I found this recipe last week when I linked up with Darlene at Time-Warp Wife. I would suggest putting cheese on the chips and then adding the toppings. I like my nachos to be sort of cheesy. I am going to try melted Velveeta next time to have it more creamy. They were really good though. I used salsa and sour cream to eat with them.



Mini Tortilla Pizzas

Ingredients:
soft flour tortilla shells
pizza sauce
cheese
pepperonis
green peppers (whatever toppings you like)

• Use a can of food to cut out circles.
• Place the small tortilla shell in the muffin pan carefully
• Add pizza sauce and other toppings
• Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes

Mini Tortilla Pizzas

I found these on Pinterest and they were yummy! I think I used 5 or 6 shells and came out with 12? I didn't write it down. You will know when you get started how much you can get out of one shell. I loved them for Friday nights.


What are some of your favorite recipes? The first two I use as main courses for lunch and the last two I use for supper. We usually always have a big lunch and light supper. Share some of your recipes with me won't you?

Who Has Time to Pray?

My guest today is Debbie. I met her a couple years back through blogging. She is a very kind and wise woman. I love to read her blog. She shares some very important thoughts today. Won't you read?

My life is busy. My to-do list seems to be getting longer.  My calendar fills up quickly.  I’m sure yours does too.  Maybe you have small children at home occupying much of your time and energy.  Do you ever feel like you have no time to yourself?  But even if your children are grown and on their own, it’s amazing how quickly activities will begin to occupy your time.  

As a Christian, we know that prayer and spending time with the Lord is important.  But who has time to pray?

Maybe you intend to wake up early in the morning to spend time with the Lord in prayer and reading His Word.  But the bed is so comfortable and it’s just so early.  So you close your eyes.  You plan to pray while resting your eyes but later realize you fell back to sleep.  There have been days when I find I’m only sending up SOS prayers when I need them or I’m praying in my car on the way to work.

I remember reading about Susannah Wesley.  She was the mother of John and Charles Wesley who became strong men of faith.  She had 19 children but nine of them died in infancy.  With ten children to raise and little money, I think you could agree she had her challenges. However, Susannah managed to commit to daily quiet time with the Lord.  Her children learned that when mother pulled her apron over her head they were to leave her alone.  She was in prayer and not to be disturbed.  So if Susannah Wesley could manage a prayer time how about you and me.  Prayer is where the rubber meets the road.

Philippians 4:6-7 says:

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Over the years, I’ve discovered that my morning quiet time is a necessity for me.  When I start my day with the Lord, it helps me to focus on His will and His ways.  I grow closer to Him.  I fill my cup each morning with His Word and His love and then I’m less dependent on other people to fill me.  God’s love overflows from within me to others.  

But I need to prepare in advance for my morning quiet time.  I gather my Bible, journal, highlighter and pen.  I have a specific place in my living room where it is quiet.  I set my alarm.  The coffee is ready to go so I don’t have to think about it.  

Making this simple choice to start my day with the Lord has become a habit for me.  The more time I spend in prayer and His Word, the more time I desire.  I no longer have to set my alarm clock as I awaken early anticipating this time.

How about you?  Maybe you have only five minutes to spend in quiet time.  But it’s a start.  When your family sees the importance you place on this time, they may realize, like Susannah Wesley’s children, that mom is not to be disturbed during this time.  It’s also a good witness and example regarding the importance of  your faith.  

Blessings and love,

Debbie

I want to thank Debbie so much for being a guest on my blog. Don't forget to check out her blog and say hey to her!

 Debbie Petras is a Christian; a disciple of Jesus.  She has been married to Greg for almost 29 years.  For twenty five years, she worked as a cardiovascular nurse specialist.  After a time of retirement, she went back to work in a private school working with 3-4 year old children.  Since she was unable to have children, this has been such a blessing for her.  Debbie has been blogging on Heart Choices since 2007 and loves getting to know other bloggers.  She loves to encourage and inspire others to make wise choices each day that impact body, soul and spirit.  Originally from Long Island, New York she now lives in Phoenix, Arizona. She blogs at Heart Choices.

Linking up with Darlene at Time-Warp Wife for Titus 2sdays.

Weekend Links

• Tips To Plan Your Homeschool Year by Christin Slade over at Joyful Mothering. Great tips she gives.
• What spills out of the depths of your heart? by Sally Clarkson at I Take Joy. Oh this is so good!
• What Are You Waiting For? by Debbie Petras over at Laced With Grace. This is really encouraging! She'll be a guest blogger soon on my blog. 
• 5 Ways to Pray For Your Future Children by Ashley Schnarr over at The Better Mom. This is a great post! 
• What I Thought About Motherhood by Chrystal Evans Hurst over at Sarah Mae. Great,great post!

Friday's Fave Five

1. Weekend Away... Last Friday and Saturday night we stayed with out Pastor and his family. We had game night at church Friday night. It was so much fun! The kids,men,and women had a blast. It was a nice change of pace to be away for a couple of days
2. Water fun... Saturday we rode down to the river with Bro. Brian and his family. It was so much fun! It was a hot day and we went to cool off. All the kids enjoyed it. They have 4 and we have 3,so it was fun to watch them all since they are around the same ages.
3. Provision... My cell phone crashed on Monday night. I have had problems with this particular brand,but won't pay the high rate for a new one until my contract is up so I can afford it. I went to the cell phone store thinking it would cost a lot and it didn't. They fixed it with no charge. I use my phone for alarms,memos notes,texting my hubby,and much more.
4. Reading... My boys love for me to read to them. Lately they have been telling stories to me and it's great. They are so precious.
5. Late night snack... Wednesday was just an off day for us. Everything seem to go wrong. By that night when my hubby made it home at 9 I told him I just needed to run out a minute. The boys were all alseep,so I went to McDonald's. Yep. Sometimes a cheeseburger and a coke do you some good. It felt good to go out and just think and sing loudly. 

What are some of your favorites for the week? Join Susanne @ Living to Tell the Story to share your post.

Thankful Thursday

What are you thankful for this week? Share with us and Iris @ Grace Alone today. She will be our host for the month of August.

• the moments each day I get to sit down and enjoy play time with my boys
• when I get to sit down at the computer to write and read blogs
• provision of the Lord when you forget to ask,but He still provides
• great friends who we spent time with this past weekend
• our church family, who are so caring and loving
• spending time alone with my husband after the kids go to sleep

 Those are just a few things I am thankful for today. I have so much to be thankful for each and every day. Too often I don't thank God enough for the little things He has blessed me with so graciously. Let us not forget how much He has given us.