Tag Archives: blogger

A Letter to my Daughter…

13 Oct

The world will tell you that beauty can be found in a certain bra size or certain jean size but the truth is is that beauty is found in your heart size.  Let me be honest, you will be judged on these and so much more and it will sting.  The enemy uses those weak spots, those areas we are most conscious about to wiggle his way in and whisper destruction to your soul. Don’t be fooled or transformed by the vainness of the world but rather inspire true beauty even when it is hard or ignored or mocked.

Women, in particular, are digging themselves into pits so vast that they can’t find their way out. Their struggle to conform is killing them.  Maybe not always physically but emotionally. Searching for that one magic thing that will all of a sudden transform their lives from mediocre to magnificent.

It’s amazing the depths we will go for vanity or pleasure and how shallow our efforts are toward the Lord.  Proverbs 31:30 reminds women that our physical beauty will fail us all eventually.

We are so busy chasing someone else’s best 10 seconds that we lose sight on how terrific our life can be. Until we center our focus on the Creator and let Him lead us through the beautiful mess of life we will never find the magnificent we are looking for-it doesn’t exist apart from the Lord!

When you start to see yourself and your life through the eyes of our Creator you will be transformed by the marvelous creation you are.  It is then that you will truly see and understand your gifts, talents, and the greater purpose of your life.  Matthew 10:39  reminds us that if we are only concerned about finding ourselves first you will never will but if you pursue the Lord first you will find both Him and you.  So pursue the Lord with eagerness and expectation!

Fill those cracks and gaps in your armor with the life giving words of God and focus your efforts on becoming who He says you are!  Surround yourself with people who will encourage you and hold you accountable.  God never intended us to make this journey alone.  Female friendships in the media are always portrayed as conniving, selfish and, jealous.  Women using and abusing each other in hopes of gaining power and popularity.  Don’t buy into the lie.  Sisterhood, when Christ centered, can be one of the biggest blessings of life.

It’s not always easy but with that foundation of Christ in place whatever the stumble, you have that compass always pointing you back to the arms of the one who makes everything beautiful….even the broken and messy.

 

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

 

You can find me on Pinterest

 

“Image courtesy of [Stuart Miles] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Advertisement

It Also Looks Like This

30 Aug

I would like to introduce you to Thomas. He is the 8 year old best friend of my son Jacob and the son of my dear friend, Joelle.  These precious boys have been friends since diapers and are definitely two peas in a pod.  They love to be together doing all those neat things little boys like to do. They run, climb, and jump and when they have done all of that, they fall into a heap laughing like only innocence allows. No matter how much fun they have the same conflict always arises.  There is a constant disagreement with Thomas’s mind and his legs.  After a short time of boy play Thomas starts to get an all too familiar ache and stiffness in his legs.  He wants to keep going but his little body says no.  You see, Thomas was born with Muscular Dystrophy, Becker Muscular Dystrophy to be exact.

When we think Muscular Dystrophy we automatically think of young, wheel chair bound, gravely ill, children or more recently, ALS, thanks to the recent awareness from the ice bucket challenge.  Becker Muscular Dystrophy usually presents itself slow and steady.  Thomas has experienced gradual changes in mobility throughout the years but the changes are definitely a challenge not only to Thomas but to his family.  Without a cure, his days of depending on his arms and legs are numbered.

Thanks to MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association), they have been able to access state of the art services, help, and support they need to help Thomas strive. Great breakthroughs have happened thanks to the research grants and clinical trials and studies they have been able to fund.  The MDA association has given hope to families when all seemed hopeless.

This weekend, when you flip through your TV channels and see the MDA telethon, would you please take a moment and make a donation.  Even a small donation helps in giving hope to families like Thomas’s.

Our greatest prayer is that Jacob and Thomas can experience being old men together and that their laughter will continue to fill our lives for all of our days.

Jacob and Thomas doing what they do best!

Jacob and Thomas doing what they do best

I am inspired by this family’s courage, their joy, and mostly their faith. If you would like to learn more about MDA or would like information on how you can help just click on the link.  http://mda.org/  Have a safe and wonderful holiday weekend!

If you make a donation we would love to thank you! Please use #mdaforthomas on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

#mdaforthomas Becker MD awareness

Jacob wants a lab coat for Christmas so he can be the Doctor who cures Thomas.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am Pinning

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Frogs and snails and all the Wonderful Things Little Boys are Made of

5 Jul

With an extra goodnight kiss he will roll over and easily fall asleep just like most nights. I will retreat upstairs and watch the clock and time will pass all too quickly. I will sit and think of precious thoughts like sweet baby breath on my neck, those far too early mornings rocking a well fed baby watching the sun rise, and that one book I read 3,000 times…..and I will think how I would give anything to just do that one more time.

Babies don’t keep and neither do kids.  The years fly by, one quicker than the next and in the busyness you all of sudden think, “we are here, already?”.

I smile thinking of those first moments and years.

Tonight, in this dark room, I think of how he is now…smart and handsome as his daddy. Persistent, hard working, and loyal, character traits well beyond his years. He is a saver and a planner, so much so that his life is already planned.  He is funny and goofy and his laugh brightens a room faster than the summer sun. He is brave even when he doesn’t feel it and he is always observing on how he can be his very best. He is kind, thoughtful, and tender hearted to those who are hurting or lacking. He would give you his meal, his favorite toy, or the shoes on his feet-he sure teaches me what it means to have a servant’s heart.  He loves Jesus, soccer, chicken kabobs, chocolate fudge ice cream, his hero-daddy, his big sister’s, Ninja Turtles, but right now mostly his mama. 

He is getting so tall but he still fits in all the crooks and spaces of my lap and even though these snuggles are getting far and few between when he finds me he knows it is all his. His sweet head resting on my shoulder I close my eyes as I rest my head against his,breathing in the sweet smell of little boy. Fleeting but lost in the moment for this will soon be just a tender memory.

 Tonight as the clock quickly finds its way around a sweet little boy is dreaming sweet thoughts of presents and cake. For when he awakes he will be 7.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am pinning!

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Remember to Pray

4 Jul

Happy Independence Day!

I am reminded today to take a moment to reflect on the tremendous blessing it is to be an American. That despite all that seems to divide us here we are truly blessed to enjoy the freedom of difference.

We can easily take for granted that as Christians we can freely declare, worship, and proclaim that Christ is King without fear of persecution.

I am asking you, my brother’s and sister’s in Christ, to remember our persecuted brother’s and sister’s who are being persecuted but still hold fast to their beliefs no matter what the cost. I wonder if I would be so bold for Christ if under the same pressure.

Prayers for our soldiers who bravely give…… sometimes everything to protect the flag and country they love.

Have a wonderful celebration!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Come see what I am pinning.

 

 

“Image courtesy of [nixxphotography] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

 

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

These Muffins are Bananas

31 May

*Updated*

Let me tell you, I fail miserably at banana bread.  Burnt on the bottom, raw in the middle, deflated..I am not kidding! If there was a way to ruin it, I would. I have been on a mission to find the right combination of ingredients to yield a moist flavorful banana bread that cooks evenly throughout.  After a lot of trial and error…. I got to mixing and……..Houston, we got ourselves a winner;) I am really excited to share this simple yet delicious recipe for chocolate chip banana muffins. Scroll down for printable recipe. Let’s get baking!

 

 

Printable Recipe

 

We would love to know what you’ve cookin’!  Leave us a message or link in the coments and let us know.  Thanks for visiting!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Let’s be Pinterest friends!

Copyright © 2014 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

To all the Mama’s………

11 May
To all the mama’s who do this alone, to all the mama’s who chose life, to all those mama’s who chose to give that life to another woman, to all those women who wake to feel the sting of empty arms, to al those mama’s who never felt life grow in their bodies but love the children who grew in their hearts just the same, to all those mama’s who stepped in to raise another woman’s child because they were no longer able to, to all those mama’s who have angel babies, to all the mama’s who are caring for children with special needs, to all the ladies who don’t have the official title of mom but love just the same, and to all the people who think of their mama’s in heaven today………He sees you, sees every tear, and holds you in the palm of His hand. Today I honor you and pray that the love of God will bring you strength, comfort, and joy!
Happy Mother’s Day!
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Let’s be Pinterest friends!
Find me on Facebook
Photo credit:[ 89studio] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

O Holy Night

24 Dec

~ O Holy Night~
“A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn”. Hope, our great hope in Jesus Christ who came to the world in the most humble and lowly ways to be our sin bearer and to give us hope (Google Jesus and hope). When there seems to be nothing left to give, feel, or even take-we still have our hope in Christ and Christ alone. His mercies are new every single day! Amen!
“Chains shall He break,for the slave is our brother. And in His name all oppression shall cease”. He came to break the bondage of sin and Satan’s hold on us. There is a constant struggle of things that can hold us in bondage-grief, food, drugs, alcohol, p*rn, and just about anything else you can think of of this world. “For the slave is my brother” With Christ, you see a brother or sister in place where you might of just seen a prostitute, a drug addict, a beggar, a Muslim or Jew, or any other undesirable or different beliefed person we live among. To love them, so that even if they don’t seek or know Him, they will recognize Him in us.. Oppression of worldliness will no longer weigh me down in spirit and will cease to have any hold on my life.
Our Savior came to be the light of the world (John 8:12) and to save us from sin (Matthew 1:21). Rejoice with greatness and gladness that our Savior lives and our Savior brings with Him hope and life.

Merry Christmas. May you be filled with renewed wonder about the babe in the manger who came to live among us and die for us.
I leave you with a few versions of my favorite song-take a minute to really hear the lyrics and see how it resonates in your soul.
http://youtu.be/4Zh-yR0pbmU
http://youtu.be/lKSknasrE3k

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

“Image courtesy of [dan] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.

Let’s be Pinterest friends!

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

What do we Stand for?

20 Nov

Maybe we’re doing it all wrong.  We spend so much time letting others know what we’re against, maybe, just maybe, especially as Christians, we need to be showing the world what we are for.  I saw something today (in regards to the new Kmart commercial) that someone posted on my local news channel Facebook page regarding the said commercial and this person posted, “Yeah, just another thing for Christian freaks to complain about”.  My first gut reaction was to reply and speak my mind to this person but I paused.  This person might be on to something.  It really got me thinking.  How many opportunities in an average week do I have the opportunity to portray to the world what I stand for as a follower of Christ?  The answer is many.  I rub elbows with other mama’s, chat with neighbor’s at the mailbox, make small talk with the folks at the grocery store and all the while I have the awesome opportunity to be the face, hands, and feet of Jesus.  Why then do I waste that time spewing so much negativity?

Why do we become interested in something in the first place?  Probably because there is some sort of appeal to it.  We want the Good News to be appealing.  For people to stop and think about Jesus in a loving approachable way.  If we constantly on our moral soap boxes we’re just stirring up unnecessary conflict and we lose that possible connection to start a dialogue that could potentially lead another to Christ.  We need to preach the Good News and plant seeds but if we are lacking that neighborly love than all efforts to sow those seeds would be in vain.  We can’t expect non believer’s to have the same filter we do.  Once you invite Jesus into your life it is then the job of the Holy Spirit to convict us and help us to become right with God.  Being a Christian is a verb and we want to use those actions to draw people to Him like in Mark 1:17, Jesus said, “Follow me I’ll make you fishers of men”.  I am certainly not implying that we should idly sit by and not stand up for Christ.  What I am proposing is that maybe we find more ways to be cohesive, to be that Christian that is relatable and not hateable.  To get people excited about all that they would gain in knowing Christ and not all that they would have to give up to follow Him.

What do you think?  I would love to hear from you.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Let’s be Pinterest Friends!

Linked up with

rhm

Image courtesy of basketman / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

Awww Shucks!

6 Sep

I have really enjoyed my short time here on WP and have come across some awesome blogs.  I have received a few messages lately letting me know I have been nominated for a few liebster-awardawards. Thank you, I am very humbled!  Please visit and say hello to the sweet bloggers who nominated me, you won’t be disappointed!

http://alygeorges.wordpress.com/

and

http://kristenzuray.wordpress.com/

and

http://ebun23.wordpress.com/2013/09/19/the-liebster-award/

and

http://helenaalcala02.wordpress.com/

Have  nominated me for the  Liebster Award.

Here are the questions asked by http://alygeorges.wordpress.com/

MY 10 QUESTIONS FOR MY NOMINEES

1)      How has your childhood affected you?–It has shown me that with God nothing is broken.

2)      If you went back in time, is there one particular thing you would do differently?- It has all made me who I am. So I don’t think I would change a thing.

3) Is there any particular experience that has made a significant impact on your life? Being a teenage mama of a micro-preemie.

4)    If there was one thing you could do to make the world a better place, what would it be? End abuse and famine.

5)      What are the three most important things in your life? Jesus, Husband, and my chidren.

6)   What characteristic do you admire most in a person? Honesty and kindness.

7)   Is there anything you feel people don’t know about you that you wished they knew? Hmmmm…..

8)      What’s your favourite pastime? Bargain hunting and just spending time with my loves.

9)      If you had a chance to dine with three famous people, dead or alive, who would they be and what would you say to them? Jesus, Pontius Pilate, and John the Baptist.

10)  Do you have a favourite quote? If so, what does it state? I have many but this one comes to mind-“Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” ~C.S. Lewis.

and the sweet gal over at http://kristenzuray.wordpress.com/  asked these questions.

1.)  What prayer has God answered recently? School bussing for my oldest daughter. I love that God cares about even the smallest of details!

2.)  How do you wish God will use you? I have always admired missionaries who serve abroad, but God has me content where I am.

3.)  What is your spiritual gift? Service and mercy

4.)  What is something fun you like to do? Bargain hunting and spending time with my family.

The Official Rules Of The Liebster Award
If you have been nominated for The Liebster Award AND YOU CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT, write a blog post about the Liebster award in which you:
1. thank the person who nominated you, and post a link to their blog on your blog.
2. display the award on your blog — by including it in your post and/or displaying it using a “widget” or a “gadget”. (Note that the best way to do this is to save the image to your own computer and then upload it to your blog post.)
3. answer 11 questions about yourself, which will be provided to you by the person who nominated you.
4. provide 11 random facts about yourself.
5. nominate 5 – 11 blogs that you feel deserve the award, who have a less than 1000 followers. (Note that you can always ask the blog owner this since not all blogs display a widget that lets the readers know this information!)
6. create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
7. list these rules in your post. (You can copy and paste them from here.)
Once you have written your post, and published it, you then have to:
8. Inform the people/blogs that you nominated that they have been nominated for the Liebster award and provide a link for them to your post so that they can learn about it (they might not have ever heard of it!)

These are some blogs I have really enjoyed and think you will to! I nominate, in no particular order-

http://thevintagecouple.wordpress.com/

http://rebecajones.wordpress.com/

http://salruv7.com/

http://ahundredaffections.wordpress.com/

http://helianthusblog.com/

http://redhotinspirations.com/

If you so chose to accept here are my questions for you.

1. What is your favorite Bible verse?

2. Favorite place you’ve ever visited.

3. Favorite movie?

4. Who do you most admire?

5. Favorite season?

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Dreamy Creamy Chicken Burritos

3 Aug
 

This is easily one of our favorite meals and it is the most requested by my extended family and friends. Simple, delicious, and slow cooker friendly! Keep reading to get the printable recipe.

You will need: 1-10.5 Oz can of cream of chicken soup, 3/4 C salsa,
3/4 C sour cream, 1/3 C milk, 1-4oz can chopped green chilies and 1 C shredded cheese.
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Set aside.
I sprayed a Pyrex baking dish with non stick spray and added a little
salsa on the bottom of the pan, this keeps the tortillas from sticking
to the bottom of the baking dish.
 
 
Cook up the chicken and add the sauce.
Spoon chicken mixture onto tortilla and sprinkle with a little more cheese.
.
Add the rest of the sauce evenly over the tortillas and add the rest
of the cheese over the top.
Let rest for 5 minutes before cutting.
That is if you can wait that long! Enjoy!

Printable Recipe

This is also an awesome dip- I put the chicken mixture in a slow cooker and serve with tortilla chips.  Serve with shredded lettuce, fresh diced tomatoes and extra sour cream or salsa!  Serve this at your next potluck or dinner party and I promise everyone will want to leave with a copy of the recipe!
~Be Blessed and Be a Blessing~
Rebecca
Follow me on Pinterest 
Linked up with:
LivingWell
                                                                                                                                              ~Luvmybebebugs~                  

 

 

Copyright © 2013 · All Rights Reserved · www.andasprinkleoflove.com

%d bloggers like this: