Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Fail

So, as you can tell by my blog, I love to try healthy recipes and making healthier substitutions. Well, I tried this again today...and it was a total fail. I mean ew! I made this recipe, but I substituted plain yogurt for the oil, and they turned out just like a sponge! Tyndale (my 18 mo old) even spit it out! Sigh. Oh well, you win some, you lose some:) I hate to throw them away, but I promise you...I won't be eating them.

Also in light of my post's title, I've been thinking about all the ways I fail lately. I'm not the best mom I could be. I'm not the best wife I could be. I'm not the best friend I could be. I'm not the best pastor's wife I could be. I'm not the best me I could be.

And then I remembered.

It's not about me.

It's about letting Jesus work in me to be the best picture of HIM I can be!

I suppose I've been feeling a little down lately. To be honest I think it's because every time I get a new hospital bill I'm reminded all over again about our miscarriage and almost bleeding to death (thank you Lord for blood donors!). I'm trying to remind myself that I shouldn't be viewing that experience negatively, but I should be viewing it through God's eyes. He has greater plans than I can imagine and I must trust Him. When I am trusting Him, I'm not failing, I'm thriving. His Word is the light to my path, but lately I've not been letting it sink in. So, I'm sorry for letting obstacles cloud my vision and I promise to continue this journey to be a faithful female in this world of faithless people. Are you with me???

Phil 1:3-11

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Deals and Steals!

Here are some deals that I have personally used and LOVED! Just thought I'd share! Hope some of you can find some great deals for yourselves (Christmas gifts!?) through these links! Feel free to ask questions if you'd like! Enjoy!
 

thredUP

If you use this link, and then use the code SHIPNOV12 you will get free shipping (plus 10 dollar credit to sign up!) Great deals! Just thought I'd share!:)
 

Zulily

Here's another great deal for those of you needing to buy for babies/kids/maternity. I've ordered several items from here. They have great customer service and great prices (usually:) When you sign up using this link you get a $10 credit!!!

http://www.zulily.com/invite/laughxiaosmile488


Ebates

I know I've been posting a lot of money saving tips, but I can't help myself! Last year I bought christmas gifts through Ebates!

cash back! NIce;)
http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=ZLRaLh3L9oJSB1Kew5Ei2Q%3D%3D 
Ebates.com is the leading cash back shopping site with over 1,500 stores and 5,000 coupons. Ebates members have earned $100 million in cash back just for shopping at their favorite stores. Join free now.

Monday, November 12, 2012

Meatless Mondays...and Thursdays?

Hey ya'll!

So, I've been trying to cut back our grocery budget lately so I have instituted Meatless Mondays (much to my husband's dismay:). However, this week I went really crazy and had a Meatless Thursday too!

I have a recent obsession with black beans. They are cheap, delicious, and healthy! What's not to like!? On Monday I made a black bean and sweet potato delight! Here's the original recipe. I switched out a regular potato for a sweet potato and it tasted fantastic! At first the hubs was a little sad when he did not see ground beef, but once he dug in he was not disappointed:)

I used a sweet and spicy salsa which I added to my sauteed onions and garlic.
 Viola! It was delicious!

On Thursday I made Black Bean Spinach Enchiladas! These were more work but SO GOOD! I used multi-grain tortillas which boosted the healthy level a bit. Even if you're not a fan of spinach you should try these! The spinach works well with all the other ingredients. I did change a few things. I added greek yogurt to the spinach/bean mixture and added white beans instead of corn (I'm not a corn fan:).




I like to post good recipes once in a while. I'm always looking for something new and healthy (and mostly CHEAP:).

Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Faithfulness....

As the presidential election has come to a close, I can't help but think that Christians are already losing focus. It's ok to be disappointed and it's ok to be sad that President Obama has been re-elected. However, we live for much greater purposes than to slander and disrespect Democrats and Obama supporters. The deed is done, so now let us focus on lifting President Obama in prayer. Let us also lift up all the women and girls who are pressured into abortions. Let us lift up those who amend laws which go against Biblical teaching. Please do not waste time despairing what has been done. Stand firm! Trust in the Lord. His ways are good all the time.

1 Corinthians 13:12 (ESV) 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

 

 

Monday, November 5, 2012

Through many trials, toils, and snares....

....I have already come, but GRACE has brought me safe thus far, and GRACE will lead me home.

This hymn "Amazing Grace" has been playing in my mind so often lately. I know it's been a YEAR since I've last posted, but so much has happened in this year. I will give you a little run down and you can read if you're interested:)

First, we have moved from Louisville where David was in seminary (he graduated!) to Maryland where he was called to pastor a church. We are loving it here! God has been very faithful to us and continues to bless us. We are feeling more at home every day. We love getting to now our church family members better every week!

Secondly, we went through a traumatic miscarriage just over a month ago. It was hard. However, I can't help but feel at peace. God has always taken care of us, and I do not doubt that he will continue to do so. I'm reminded that our outlook/perspective has a lot to do with our contentment. When our perspective is "me" focused it's easy to feel lonely and that life is unfair because we only look at how it affects "me." However, when our focus in on Jesus, the Author and Perfector of our faith, we look at trials as ways to grow closer to our Heavenly Father. He always provides, but we do not always notice. We tend to think that if our bank account is running low, God is being unfair. Or if we get bad news we are being punished. The truth is that God loves us. Bad things happen because sin entered the world. Sin negatively impacts every person on this world. But God has given us a way to leave the world behind by providing salvation and eternal life in heaven. God has saved me from being held bondage to the evil of this world and it's evil mindset.

This passage of Scripture has been encouraging to me...

James 4:13-17
New International Version (NIV)
13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. 17 If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.

My life is not about my life. It is about serving the One who has saved me. The One who has given me His amazing grace.

Hoped this encourages you.

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