I CAN'T do all things

Spring Break is over. For me it was a taste of what's to come this summer.....siblings readjusting to being with each other all day long, me readjusting to 3 kids being home all day long, no 8:00 bedtime, each kid realizing the restrictions of freedom according to their age (Addie crying as Evan gets to cross the street to play with friends, Isaiah crying at the front door window because Evan and Addie get to play outside). Yeah, it's going to be fun, right?...tending to each kid's needs...trying not only to keep them alive but also trying to instill some sort of godly character... trying to be teacher, nurse, friend, nanny, princess, wrestler, chauffeur, disciplinarian, referee, beautician, personal trainer, game planner, TV monitor, role model as well as chef, nutritionist, wife, mom, maid, laundry mat, personal shopper, comforter, encourager, gardener all at the same time!

How in the world am I going to get all of that done everyday with a good attitude and without losing my mind? Praise God I don't have to on my own strength! I've tried. It's not good. In fact it's down right ugly and it spreads through the whole household. When I get myself out of the way (pride, my own schedule, laziness, etc.) and start my day off tuning into God (reading the Bible and praying) then He provides the strength I need to get through that day. Things that might normally get me frustrated somehow dissipate as I look at it as a chance to exercise spiritual growth and God sanctifying me to become more like Christ. It's not always easy, but it is always worth it.
Matthew 7:13-14 says, "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." I know Jesus is talking about salvation here, but I think it can apply to this as well. Anyone can take the easy, wide road and choose to be frustrated, angry, inconvenienced by their kids, but that way-while at first may be satisfying-leads to destruction. However, if I choose to take the more challenging, narrow road and practice patience, self-control, speaking softly to my kids...it will lead to life!

Lord, help me to make seeking You first a priority every day so that I can know Your will and do the tasks You have for me in Your strength and not my own.

Honey-Mustard Chicken

This dish is an easy, tasty favorite at our house. The flavor of all the ingredients combined marry together wonderfully! FYI-if you aren't a big mustard fan I'd still give this a try. Somehow cooked mustard tastes different, especially when paired with honey. The flavor is very mellow. This is another one that I don't have a recipe for-you just squirt some of this and add some of that-but I'll try to assign some #'s to it for ya.

Honey-Mustard Chicken

4-5 chicken breasts
1 small onion
1 pint mushrooms, sliced
salt
pepper
honey
mustard
dill

Brown chicken in a large skillet on med-high heat with a little bit of olive oil.
While browning season chicken with salt and pepper.
Squirt some honey and mustard on each piece and sprinkle with dill.
Turn each piece over and repeat. (see pic below.....maybe about a tablespoon sized squirt on each?)
Add sliced mushrooms and onions.
Cook until liquid has evaporated, chicken is cooked through, and mushrooms and onions start to caramelize-about 20min.

Menu Monday

Hope you all had a happy Easter with lots of yummy food! We did. Spaghetti and meatballs with Tony's side and spice rubbed chicken with my side.

Here's what's on the menu for this week.

spanish chicken/rice/beans
hoagies/fruit
deep dish pizza
quesadillas/chips/salsa
roast/potatoes/carrots

The Greatest Love

As Easter approaches I think about this last week of Jesus' life. How last Sunday he rides into town on a donkey with people shouting praises to him (Matthew 21). And just a few days later those same people are ready to crucify him (Matthew 27). He is betrayed by one of his own, tossed around between Pilate and Herod, hears the Jewish crowd cry "crucify him!", is beaten and mocked and spat upon, is made to carry his own cross on his raw beaten back to the place where they will drive spikes through his hands and feet. He did all of this without fighting to get away, without complaining, without resistance. Why? Was he helpless to stop it? He could have stopped it. John 10:17-18 says, "For this reason the Father love me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again." Today's verse is John 15:13, "Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends." Jesus went through all of that willingly because he loves me and he loves you. God is a holy, righteous, and just God. Because He is righteous, He hates sin. Because He is just, He demands payment for sin. Romans 6:23 explains what the payment is, "For the wages of sin is death,". Anyone who has ever sinned even once is guilty and will be expected to make the payment of death! But, thankfully, Romans 6:23 continues and says, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." God demands death for sin, that's is what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus never sinned. I sinned. You sinned. I deserved the kind of death Jesus had to endure. But Jesus performed the greatest act of love by taking our place and dying for us. He did it willingly, with out resistance because he knew it was the only way we could be with God. If we believe that we are sinners, and we believe that Jesus did that for us, and we confess to God our need for Him, He gives us the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus. That means that when God looks at us, if we love Jesus, he sees our payment for sin paid. Justice was fulfilled. Jesus paid the price for us!

Here's everything I just said put to song. Please listen.



Thanks you Jesus for suffering for me and paying my debt. You have given me true life. May I live it for You! And never forget what it cost you!

Coffee Toffee Ice Cream

This coffee ice cream actually tastes how coffee smells! You better make a double batch and you better have people over or else you'll eat it all yourself.

Coffee Toffee Ice Cream
Rebecca's version of Ben & Jerry's recipe

1 c Heath toffee bits
2 eggs
3/4 c sugar
2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c milk
3 T French Roast coffee grounds

Combine the milk and coffee grounds in small saucepan.
Gently heat, stirring constantly until it steams.
Remove from heat. Pour into French Press and let cool.
Pour out strained flavored milk and refrigerate until cold.
Whisk eggs until light and fluffy. Add in sugar and mix another minute.
Add cream and flavored coffee.
Transfer to ice cream maker and follow manufacturer's instructions.
After ice cream stiffens, add toffee bits and continue mixing another 1-2 minutes.

Makes 1 quart

Menu Monday

Here's the menu plan for this week.

Swedish Meatballs/noodles/veggies
thincrust pizza/fruit
panera-like tomato soup/salad
grilled chicken/asparagus/sweet potato fries
roast/potatoes/carrots

What's cookin' at your place?

Spiritual Transformers

There are three things in this verse that strike me: conforming to the pattern of the world, renewing your mind, and knowing God's will. Let's unpack this a bit.

What is the pattern of this world? The world is God's. He created it. But, the world is fallen and we are sinful by nature. We come out selfish. Nobody has to teach a baby to be greedy and selfish. They figure it out on their own. And pretty, darn early too! We, as parents, DO have to teach our kids how to share and be self-less. Our minds are by nature self-worshiping. The world is by nature against God. If left unchecked, Galatians 5:19-21 describes some of what happens when you walk according to the world. It calls it "the flesh".

¹⁹Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, ²⁰idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, ²¹envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

At first glance, it's easy to read the list and think "Well, I'm not that bad. I guess I'm OK." But if you are honest with yourself and if you see things as God sees them, we are all in trouble. Did you see the last part of the verse? "will not inherit the kingdom of God"? God is so holy. To him hating someone is the same as murder, having lustful thoughts is the same as committing adultery (see Matthew 5). So we are all in trouble without a Savior. But how do we not do these things? That's where the renewing of the mind comes in. Because our minds are bent to do what is wrong, we need to continually be training it, or renewing it, to do what is right. It's an ongoing process, daily, hourly. And it doesn't happen on our own power. That would be selfish again to think that we could do it on our own. We need God's power through the Holy Spirit to lead us. If you back up in Galatians 5 to verses 16-17 we read...

¹⁶But I say,walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify^AE)"> the desires of the flesh. ¹⁷For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do.

To be transformed we need to walk by the Spirit. What does that look like? Keep reading in Galatians, verses 22-24.

²²But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control;against such things there is no law. ²⁴And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

So it is the Spirit who helps us not conform to this world by transforming us into Christ-likeness through the renewing of our mind by showing us God's truth in scripture.

"Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is..." We always choose our greatest desires. Do I want chocolate or strawberry? Should I sleep in or get up and read my Bible? Should I help my husband or keep watching my show? When we are walking according to the flesh our will or our desires don't line up with God's. Once we get into God's Word and He transforms us, we start to see things the way God sees them and our will will be the same as God's will. Our greatest desire will change and will be the same as God's. And His will is good, and pleasing, and perfect. What used to satisfy...food, drink, sarcasm, yelling, laziness, sleep, jealousy, envy, etc....won't satisfy anymore. Only God will satisfy.

Lord, help me to fight against the desires of my flesh. Give me the strength to do and choose what You are showing me is right. Continue to transform me so I look more like the fruit of the Spirit-love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.