Bible Verse Friday #33

"But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness."~ Romans 1:18

My NLT Life Application Study Bible says the following:

1:18 Why is God angry at sinful people?  Because they have substituted the truth about him with a lie (1:25).  They have stifled the truth God naturally reveals to all people in order to believe anything that supports their own self-centered lifestyles.  God cannot tolerate sin because his nature is morally perfect.  He cannot ignore or condone willful rebellion.  God wants to remove the sin and restore the sinner--and he is able to, as long as they sinner does not stubbornly distort or reject the truth.  But God shows his anger against those who persist in sinning.  Make sure you are not pursuing a lie rather than the true God. Don't suppress the truth about him merely to protect your own lifestyle.

Let's read verse 1:25 real quick to see what the above referenced-

"They traded the truth about God for a lie.  So they worshipped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!  Amen".

As I reflect on this verse I can't help but think about the little things from day to day that remind me there has to be a God.

Take butterflies for instance.

So many kinds.

Each one, though small, is jam packed with an intricate design and powerhouse of colors.

There has to be a God who created such a creature.

"...truth God naturally reveals to all people..."

He shows us daily that he is real and yet there are still those who refuse to believe.

You've met that person who will argue just to argue that there can't be a God because of all the bad that happens in the world.  

The ones who think that Christians use God as a blanket of comfort to hide from the 'truth' that this is a harsh and cruel world we live in.

Sometimes, I think these people are lying to themselves more than trying to convince us that there is no God.

I know that God shows them daily that he is here, but they choose to ignore it so that they can continue living what they perceive to be a comfortable or fun lifestyle.
It is funny to me how non-Christians think that by being a Christian it means you can't have fun anymore.  (Maybe we just have different definitions of fun.....)

I feel that I come from a different perspective on being a Christian.

I don't think I am an IN YOUR FACE kind of person.

I'm not going to argue with you about God's existence.

Instead I pray that God will shine through me and that people who meet me will genuinely see Gods love and acceptance in me and in turn feel drawn to learning more about our heavenly father.

I know that there are evangelical Christians, the kind that get in your face and preach the fire and damnation.

There are the holier than thou types, who think their way is the only way.

And yes there are judgmental Christians, these are the ones that push people away from God without knowing that is what they are doing.

I think I need to give a special thanks to our last church for opening my eyes to God's love more than ever.

God loves all people, don't let this verse scare you that he doesn't.

What I get from this verse is that people tend to worship things rather than God.

People create false idols and forget who put those things here for us.

People would rather be blind than see the truth and that is what the verse is referring to.

I challenge you to reflect on what Romans 1:20-21 says:

"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky.  Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature.  So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks.  And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.  As a result, their minds became dark and confused."

Look around this weekend and take in everything God has made.  

Focus on the details he put into everything.

Thank him for his wonderful creations and worship him for his divine being.

The next time you encounter someone who wants to argue God's existence, think about your words before you speak.  Do not come across as harsh.  Focus on coming across lovingly.  Choosing your words carefully and maybe even saying the quickest of prayers that God would choose your words for you.  Your reaction to an encounter like this could mean the difference of someone worshipping false idols OR seeing God's love reflected and choosing to believe in him.

I hope you have a Blessed Friday!

Big ole Sticky Bun

I finally bought a Bundt pan.

I had been wanted to make this recipe for quite sometime, but not having one of these beautiful pans was holding me back.

So I bought one and I am so excited for all the recipes I can tackle because of it.

If you want a breakfast treat or just a sweet snack this is for you!

Here is What You'll Need:

1. 2 tubs of jumbo biscuits

2. 3 Tbsp. melted butter

3. 1/2 cup pancake syrup

4. 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed

5. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

6. 1/4 (or more) chopped pecans (optional)

Spray your pan with non-stick spray (UBER importante!)

Combine butter and syrup in a small bowl and set aside.

in another bowl combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and nuts.

Place about 1/2 cup of your syrup/butter mixture into the bottom of the pan.

Sweet goodness!

Then sprinkle 1/2 of the brown sugar mixture in next.

Now lay the biscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping.

I had about 4 biscuits left over so I made those up separately, no wasting here! 

Now top with remaining syrup and brown sugar mix.

It's so pretty already....

plopped that in the oven at 375 degrees for approximately 20-25 minutes.  

When it's golden brown pull it out and let it cool for at least 1 minute.

Now invert ont a serving platter and enjoy!

Seriously...I want to make another one and eat it all by myself.

I won't.

But I want to.

....if I were any of you....I'd whip this up for a nice treat on a Saturday morning.

Someday when my little ones have sleep overs I look forward to kids waking up to things like this.

I hope you have a Blessed Thursday!

Bob Your Head #20

First off let me give a big shout out to Bitsy's Godparents!

It was because of them that we were introduced to the following group.

MINGO FISHTRAP

Subconsciously, that might be one reason we chose Bitsy's Godparents the way we did.
We knew that they know us in a different way than our family does.
We also know that should anything happen to us, they could at least keep her open to good music such as this.

Please go to iTunes and check them out!
If anything this group will get your toes a tapping...
your hips a swaying...
and your head a bobbing!

I hope you all have a Blessed Wednesday!

Baby Diaries #43

 BITSY IS 6 MONTHS OLD!!!

Today we purchased a new stroller a jogger that allows her to face forwards sitting up or reclined back.

I have also ordered her new car seat. 

(she's getting to tall for her current one...boo!)

So much has changed in this last month.

But let's start off with some basic stats and comparisons.

Today she weighed in at 21 lbs and 13 oz (That's up 1 lb and 7 oz from last month) = 100+ Percentile (She's actually over 100 for this stat....more on that later)

She is 27-1/2" (That's up 1-1/2" from last month) = 99th Percentile (She's tall!)

And her head circumference this time was 45 cm which is in the 98th Percentile.

Okay back to the weight topic.

Our pediatrician asked if we had any questions today.

I didn't, but Bud did.

He asked, "if her weight was normal/good"...something along those lines.

Our pediatrician informed us that according to the charts some pediatricians would consider Bitsy overweight.

However, he asked how much we were feeding her.

Since I am an exclusive pumper and we feed via bottles I was able to quickly tell him that she eats between 25-30 oz a day.  

He did the math and that comes out to about 550 calories.  

Based on that information he said that technically she is underfed.

BUT... he said taking that into consideration that she eats 550 calories a day and still weighs as much as she does...he is not concerned about her weight at this time.

So...the moral of this story is find a pediatrician that you trust.

I have no doubt that as Bitsy gets older and more active she will get longer and leaner, I was a long lean baby myself!

In the meantime, I plan to nibble on those rolls every opportunity that I am given!

Bitsy's personality is emerging at a rapid pace.

She can be quite mischievous at times.

And other times she is just coy and curious.

These pictures were taken on St. Patrick's Day.

Bitsy would not smile for these pictures.

Silly girl!

And no...no one was pinching her...besides she was wearing green.

Maybe she doesn't like the color green?!

Speaking of pinching, today Bitsy had her 6 month shots.

They had to give her 4 since they were out of one that is a combo of 2 in 1.

4 shots and our little girl was a mess of red face and alligator tears.

It breaks my heart!

Daddy was there for the whole process this time and he did the job of holding her still.

Which meant he got to swoop her up first and comfort her.

It's exhausting for her to have to deal with so much in such a short period of time.

While at our friends house Bud put Bitsy in his lap to sit, but she wasn't comfortable and she proceeded to wiggle her way into the following contorted position.

Despite the look of fear in her eyes...she was QUITE content at this angle.

In the last month Bitsy's desire to drink from our cups has increased drastically.

Although she has yet to figure out how to actually get anything out of the cup...her multiple attempts are quite entertaining.

(P.S. That is an empty coffee cup...no caffeine was consumed by the infant) 

Bitsy's ability to sit up has increased dramatically and she seems to love the new perspective on the world.

She may not be able to hold herself up for long, but it's a drastic change from last month when 'sitting' meant being propped up on a few pillows.

Daddy is officially home from his 9 weeks of training and Bitsy took to him with no problems at all.

I love watching them together.

She loves her Daddy.

And well...he is smitten with her too!

Isn't this sweet?

Napping together on a lazy Saturday afternoon.

Bitsy is so big now that she is wearing 12 month clothing!!!

We had the fortunate opportunity to hit the semi-annual consignment sale in our area and scoop her up a bunch of dresses and shorts to help get her through the summer.

I don't know what I would have done if it hadn't been for the consignment sale...I guess I'd have to keep my eyes peeled for yard sales...which I still might do!

Another new development...as of a few weeks ago when Bud got home we attempted to start solids.

First off let me say that I didn't have a highchair.  

I had registered for and received a chair that attaches to your dining room table.

I had chosen it in hopes of not owning another cumbersome piece of baby furniture.

Well being that Bud & my Dad built our table, (it's not quite finished yet...hopefully I can post on it soon....we purchased the stain today!) it's too thick to accommodate said chair.

I'll hold onto it though as it may come in use for going to friends houses and traveling.

Because of this predicament we purchased a highchair, later when she is older the legs come off and it attaches to a chair to be a booster seat.

Simple, medium priced, gender-neutral....win win win.

But let us get back to the food.

We decided to go with oatmeal mixed with breast milk only to watch our daughter spit out and gag on every single attempted bite.

So finally a few days ago I whipped out the Baby Bullet my Aunt & Uncle got for us and I made our first batch of baby food!

Bananas.

We tried them for the first time yesterday and although Bitsy still doesn't seem to want to eat, (she closes her mouth so tight) when we do get a spoonful in she seems to be tolerating it better than the oatmeal.

I know that she needs more practice.

Patience is a must when you venture into the land of solids.

Last, but not least, Bitsy is officially rolling from back to stomach to back again.

I'm convinced that if I take my eyes off her she might roll across the room one of these days.

When she is on her belly she already seems ready to get those legs moving, so I know that crawling will be here before we know it.

The best part about having a baby is watching the growth, change, and development.

The smiles, tears, giggles and tantrums are all proof that she is a little person!

I hope you all had a Blessed Tuesday!

Big Kid Mac & Cheese

Although I can still eat a box of mac'n'cheese and enjoy it...

I don't think it's the same as when I was a kid.

So now I need Big Kid Mac & Cheese.

Here Is What You Need:

16 oz of macaroni (cooked according to box directions)

1 can of cream chicken

1 can of cream of mushroom

1 (4oz) can of mushroom stems & pieces

1 can Rotel

1/2 or whole small onion (depending on how much you like onions)

1 small green pepper

1 lb 2% Velveeta or equivalent (notice my Wal-Mart brand).

1 (12.5 oz) can chicken breast OR if you have chicken shredded already use that 

(you can learn how here, it's great to make and keep in the freezer for occasions such as these)

FIRST: Spray your crock-pot with non-stick spray, makes clean-up so much easier!

 Put your cooked macaroni and shredded chicken in your crock-pot.

 Drain your mushrooms. 

(if you don't like mushrooms feel free to nix this from the recipe, if my hubby were here I'd have to go without!)

 Add your soups, rotel, and mushrooms.

(Again if you don't like mushrooms, get 2 cans of cream of chicken and forgo the cream of mushroom)

 Cut your 1lb of Velveeta into cubes and add to crock-pot.

 Chop onion & green pepper, add to crock-pot.

 Add about 1/2 cup of water to the pot.

Now give everything a good stir.

Cook on low for 2-3 hours.

I recommend stirring occasionally.

Then serve!

 

 We've been having some cooler rainy days so this has been an enjoyable meal to have on hand!

The other great part is that since this only takes 2-3 hours in the crock-pot you could prep everything the night before and when you get home from work/school you can throw it in and dinner will be ready by the time everyone is home!

I hope you had a Blessed Monday!

Book #32: My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife - Sara Horn

Have you ever read Proverbs 31:10-31?

I have.

It's intimidating.

I can only imagine it's more intimidating when you are a working wife/mom.

I think the back of the book says it best:

"Sara Horn always admired the Proverbs 31 wife...from afar.  But when she became a busy writer and mom, that image began to look like an impossible ideal.

Or was it?

With humility and humor, Sara set out to immerse herself in all things domestic just to see if the Proverbs 31 woman could exist in the twenty-first century.  But when her family's situation changes and she must return to a full-time job, she's forced to look at the Proverbs 31 woman from a whole new viewpoint.  Through cooking experiments, Cub Scout campouts, failed attempts at knitting, and other household challenges, she discovers:

• a new way to define being godly woman, wife, and mom
• how investing in family and faith brings surprising (and happy!) results
• how mistakes are opportunities for growth...and laughter

Join Sara as she offers you full access into her one-year domestic experiment to see if this biblical model can be embraced by a modern woman--even one who can't sew."

As I read through the book I caught myself mentally checking off items that I knew I did well and items that I knew I needed to improve upon.

I don't know if it's possible to be all things Proverbs 31, but then again none of us can be certain that this woman even existed.

What I do know and what I felt was reinforced by Sara's book is that giving all you can to your family is one of the most rewarding jobs that God put us on this planet for.

Some women must work to help serve their families.

Some women want to work to serve their families.

Other women are blessed to stay home.

Yet no matter what your situation is, being a Proverbs 31 wife is a task that can only be achieved via God.

By putting everything we do in his hands and asking his blessing upon it we will notice a change in ourselves that will help us to be the wives and mothers that God intended us to be.

If you have ever had one of those days where you didn't feel you were living up to your role, this is a great book for you!

If you are the spouse to a military member, this is the book for you!

If you are a mom, a wife, a woman....this is the book for you!

I encourage everyone to get your hands on a copy of this book and soak up the life lesson that Sara is sharing!

To learn more visit Sara's blog and while you are there show her some love!

I hope you had a Blessed Saturday!

Bible Verse Friday #32

"You have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted.  "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" ~Numbers 22:29

My NLT Life Application Study Bible says the following:

22:29  The donkey saved Balaam's life but made him look foolish in the process, so Balaam lashed out at the donkey.  We sometimes strike out at blameless people who get in our way because we are embarrassed or our pride is hurt.  Lashing out at others can be a sign that something is wrong with us.  Don't allow your own hurt pride to lead you to hurt others.

Guilty.

I am so guilty of this.

I have had situations in the past where I let into someone despite the fact that they had nothing to do with my current situation.

If I acknowledge my error for what it is, I make an effort to swallow my pride and go back and apologize to that person.

Have you done this yourself?

Have you recently done this?

My most recent encounter of this type of foolish lashing out has occurred since Bud got home.

It's not quite the same in the sense that I'm not lashing out because I've been embarrassed, but you'll see what I mean.

Since Bud has gotten home he is learning the rhythm of life with a baby.

I don't want to hover as I know he appreciates doing it on his own.

However, there have been a few situations in which I have swooped in a criticized how he was handling a certain situation.

Last night as I was relaxing with him in the living room, Bitsy in bed, I turned to him and apologized.

I told him that I was sorry that I was short with him at times, that I knew he was still learning and that it was no excuse for me to be hard on him.

He is a gracious husband and he forgave me.

I think I was more hurt by my actions than he had been.

My point here is that we need to make sure we aren't lashing out at the wrong person.

If we are doing something we shouldn't we need to take responsibility for our own actions.

If you have recently been short with someone...even if it's been a few days, I encourage you to go apologize to them.

They may brush it off, but I guarantee they will see you in a new light.

Not only that, your heart will be lightened. 

That anger likes to weigh us down...and it hides deep inside of us.

However, when we put a name on it and rebuke it, it is forced to leave us!

Ask God to forgive you for your short temper.

Apologize to those you have offended.

Find peace in knowing that you control the anger and not visa versa!

I hope you have a Blessed Friday!

Baking Mix...for more than pancakes & biscuits?!

I used to think that Bisquick™was only for biscuits or pancakes.

I had never thought of its multiple other uses...until this recipe!

Here is what you will need:

- 3/4 cup peanut butter

-2 eggs

-1 cup packed light brown sugar

-2 cups baking mix (aka Bisquick™)

- 1 bag of M&Ms™ or chocolate chips whichever you prefer.

Heat your oven to 325º

Combine and mix the peanut butter and eggs until well blended.

Add in baking mix until moistened.

Gently stir in the M&Ms™

While that is mixing, spray your 8x8 baking dish with non-stick spray

Spread mixture into pan and back for 35-40 minutes.

Now here is the big secret.

Put your toothpick in the center to check for done-ness.

Once it comes out clean let your cookie bars cool for a while.

They need to set.

If you cut into these before they are set...you will think they are not done.

I made that mistake...thought they were ruined...and when I came back an hour later I realized they were perfect!

Now enjoy.

These are very peanut buttery

They will satisfy your sweet tooth.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Have a Blessed Thursday!

Bob Your Head #19

I think everyone I know has now ready The Hunger Games....

It comes out in theaters this week.

I wish I could go, but I'll be patiently waiting for it to come out on video.

(It's not really the kind of movie you can bring a baby too.  And I'm not ready for anyone to watch her just yet)

This song is from the soundtrack though...

I remember tears streaming down your faceWhen I said, I'll never let you goWhen all those shadows almost killed your lightI remember you said, Don't leave me here aloneBut all that's dead and gone and passed tonight...
Just close your eyesThe sun is going downYou'll be alrightNo one can hurt you nowCome morning lightYou and I'll be safe & sound...
Don't you dare look out your window darling;Everything's on fireThe war outside our door keeps raging onHold onto this lullabyEven when the music's gone, gone
Just close your eyesThe sun is going downYou'll be alrightNo one can hurt you nowCome morning lightYou and I'll be safe & sound...
Oooooo, Oooooo,Oooooo, OoooooLala... Lala...Lala... Lala...
Oooooo, OooOoo,Oooooo, OooOooLala... Oh Lala...
Just close your eyesYou'll be alrightCome morning light,You and I'll be safe & sound...
Oooooo, OoooOooo,Oooooo, OoooOooo,Oooooo, OoooOooo,Oooooo, OoooOooo,
Oooooo, OoooOooo,Oooooo, OoooOooo...


Read more: TAYLOR SWIFT - SAFE AND SOUND LYRICS http://www.metrolyrics.com/safe-and-sound-lyrics-taylor-swift.html#ixzz1pcCx9B24
Copied from MetroLyrics.com 

So just know that if you are going to see the movie in the theaters...I'm jealous.

Don't worry though.

I'll get over it!

I hope you enjoy this and the movie and if you haven't already...the books!

Have a Blessed Wednesday!