Women helping women

Today we started our M.O.M.'s (Meeting Other Mom's) group at my house.  It was nice to talk with all of the ladies again.  This is the second season sharing life with these ladies.  We had some new ladies and some returning ladies.  After our time together, I did my time with God.

We are going through a study as a church.  It's been a very good study for me.  I thought of a similarity today from our M.O.M.'s group to my bible study.  I am learning that we have a love relationship with Christ.  "Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind." This is the first and greatest commandment." Matthew 22 37-38"  Just as we are in a love relationship with Him, we need to be in a love relationship with others.  It's important to have people in our life that you like and, hopefully, love.  I have come to love these ladies.  I love their desires.  I love their children.  I love that we choose to share life together and be intentional with one another.  I pray that we come together as a group of ladies that love what God loves.  That when we do studies or go places, we will be doing it with the heart of Jesus.

I thought of this song as I was memorizing Matthew 22 37-38 this week.

 

I guess beds are for 3 year olds...

Rori has always been an amazing sleeper. Always that is until recently.  I don't know why, but she is having a tough time sleeping in her own bed.  We have found her in many places in our house.  August came downstairs one morning and found her sleeping on the stair.  She has come down and slept on the floor of our bedroom.  She will sleep in her sisters room on their floor.  I think I'll buy a night lite and see if that helps.  Until then, we'll just have to watch our step when we get out of bed...

Sleeping outside her room.  She brings her lamb and book with her

such a precious blessing

Tasty Tuesday

ITALIAN SAUSAGE NOODLE STEW

1 1/2 lbs bulk Italian sausage
2 (28 oz) cans diced tomatoes
4 (14.5) cans beef broth
2 (15-16oz) cans red kidney beans (drained & rinsed)
2C water
1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 (24oz) pkg Reames frozen egg noodles
2 (16oz) bags frozen veggies
shredded parm cheese

Cook the sausage first.  In crock pot add sausage, tomatoes, beef broth, beans, water, Italian seasoning.  Add noodles and veggies last 15 minutes.  Sprinkle with parm cheese and serve.

IT'S NOT A COINCIDENCE, IT'S CHRIST-INCIDENCE

We are going through a home group study with our church.  It is kicking my butt! I spent last week in God's word just totally open and honest.  I think that's where God does His best work.  When I am totally and completely focused on Him.  It hurts sometimes.  It makes me sad sometimes.  It makes me reflect on me and my relationship with Him.  It makes me happy sometimes.  It makes me thankful ALL THE TIME.  I sometimes can't believe that He still (and always) loves me regardless of what I manage to get myself in to.  Believe me, I can get myself into some STUFF!

I have often said that I don't believe in the word "coincidence".  I believe everything happens for a reason.  I also believe that God is involved in everything.  Whether it be times that we are obeying God or times that we go off on our own, God is there.  It depends on how much we let Him be involved. Dr. Bob Laurent from our church said it best.  There are no coincidences in life, they are all Christ-instances. 


I look forward to today's time with God.  I know He's my Abba and He loves me with the agape love that only He can. He breaks me down so He can build me up in His image.  That is what I want.

This is the study we are doing

The importance of dating

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This is Tim and Shelby.  Daddy and daughter.  Shelby had a date yesterday, with her dad.  These are the most important kinds of dates that Shelby can have.  We have 4 girls so to say our time as parents is divided is an understatement.  Unless we carve time out to be intentional with our girls, we will not get alone-one on one time with them.  It is so important for our daughters to have a good great relationship with their daddy.  He is who they will use as a gauge when they are dating and when (*gasp*) they choose their spouse.  Our girls know their daddy loves them and that he has high standards for them.  I treasure my family so much.  I don't know how I got so blessed to have them, but I know I'm thankful for them.


~~~a funny side story..
Tim already has the boys scared to come to our house.  Shelby told us that one time a group of kids came and "ding dong ditched" our house.  It was dark so we couldn't see anyone.  The one boy  refused to come to the door.  He stood on the opposite side of the circle of our house because he is afraid of Tim.   Tim considers that a compliment.  It means he's doing his job very well :)

Super Easy and Tasty recipe

It is a priority for our family to eat dinner together.  I am a HUGE fan of easy, quick recipes.  Here's a favorite of our family.

CHEESY CHICKEN

1      10oz can cream of chicken soup
1/2   can water
1/4 C white wine (I use the white cooking wine sold at Meijer)
6 slices swiss cheese
6 boneless chicken breast halves
1 box stuffing mix
1/2 butter (melted)

mix soup, water & wine with whisk.  Set aside. 
place chicken in 9x13 pan.
place a piece of cheese on each breast.
pour soup mixture over the top
place stuffing mix over chicken.
pour melted butter over top of stuffing
bake 45 mins @ 350 degrees

Girls night out

My daughters are amazing! I love them so.  I have 4 of them that have a large age gap between them.  I think this makes is hard to sometimes carve out one-on-one time with them.  We had a rare, but awesome, girls afternoon out recently. 

Our church's youth group is on Sunday nights.  GSM www.gccwired.com is TOTALLY AMAZING! This is held at our main campus which is 30 minutes from our house.  The middle school goes first and then there's a break until the high school goes.  Since we live far away, we stayed in between groups.  During this break time my girls and I went to the Hacienda to grab a snack and hang out until it was time to take Shelby to GSM.  We had the best time just the three of us have had in a looong time.  There was no "have to" talk.  We laughed and talked and then we laughed alot more.  The manager came and refilled our drinks and asked which one of us was in high school.  I chuckled knowing he was being very kind to me.  As Shelby was answering him, she realized what he meant.  Her face got a little red and then we laughed some more! The manager, his name is Bill, then gave us a free dessert! That was such a blessing.  We were sitting there immensely enjoying our time together and someone blessed us even more with a random act of kindness.  God is so good! I can't wait until the next youth group! Momma enjoys them as much as the kids do!

This is the manager, Bill, at Hacienda and my girls

This is the FREE mudslide we shared