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Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Grocery Store

I found myself alone in the car today. I was feeling a little sorry for myself-Stressed at the first week chaos of homeschooling and all the little things that come up in life. I won’t lie, there were tears. Oh poor me tears. Self consuming tears. Selfish, life isn’t fair tears. But then, something funny happened. God showed up in a song and it changed my heart. A song I’ve heard a hundred times, but today the words came to life.

It got me thinking about how very blessed we are to live in a country where we are free (for now) to share our thoughts and opinions, to disagree, to think freely, to dress as we please, to go where we please, to eat what we please and to worship our God freely and openly without fear. This is normal life to us. We don’t really appreciate these freedoms until we are reminded that life isn’t so everywhere else.

I know many friends who came here seeking a safe place to lay their heads. Coming from places so volatile that all they can mutter about it is that they are blessed to be here. Perspective is the greatest humbler. So I will shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth (Psalm 100:1) and I will do it without fear, for I am a blessed American woman! Here is the song that changed my attitude http://youtu.be/_MbcYyOsF50
A prayer for you:
Thank you God for blessing me with being a woman, wife, and mother here in America. Thank you for the blessing of clean water, abundant food, education, and medicine regardless of money. Thank you God for the freedom to worship you wherever and whenever we choose- free from persecution. Lord, I pray for the people who live oppressed persecuted lives. For the people who live in fear and without hope. Lord, somehow someway touch them and deliver them from the bondage. With praise and thanksgiving to you, my mighty, loving King.

How is God working in your life? I would love to know.
~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

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Tags: American, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, bondage, burdened, children, christ, Christian, christian music, christianity, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, forgiveness, God, gratitude, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, homeschooling, housewife, humble, humbler, husband, Jesus, Joy, Lord, love, media, mother, motherhood, music, parenting, perspective, praise, prayer, scripture, Servant, serving, sin, songs, stress, stressed, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family

Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

7 Aug

I know in a bid to make healthier food choices many people are jumping on the low carb wagon. I saw a similar recipe online and tweaked it to suit my families taste. Keep reading to see their reaction and to get a printable recipe.

What you’ll need.

In a large skillet heat butter and oil.

Caramelize the veggies

Remove pepper shells from oven and pour out excess water in each shell.

Place a slice of Provolone cheese at the bottom of each pepper.

(One left cheese less for my son who sometimes doesn’t like cheese)

Fill each pepper with filling.

Top each with another slice of Provolone.

Place in 400 degree oven for 15 minutes and voila! Cheesesteak
stuffed peppers. And the verdict is………………..

Thumbs up for the cheese less wonder.

And an ‘eh’ from the Broukie Bear. Hubby really liked it but he missed

the bread. I really enjoyed it and I will be making this again!

*Prebaking the green peppers allows them the chance to become a little more tender but it also allows some of the moisture to cook out. This prevents it from being mushy and soggy.

*Salt draws moisture out of the onions and mushrooms and waiting to salt the veggies at the end of cooking allows the veggies to caramelize quicker.

I hope you enjoy!

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Printable Recipe

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Categories Food

Giving Up on Perfection

5 Aug

In the age of Pinterest and similar social media, It is easy to feel the inadequacies of others seemingly perfect lives. I know that there are moments in my day that I hope nobody stops by for an impromptu visit. I will admit that I have heard a knock at the door at a time my house wasn’t looking so hot. Scooping my children to the floor and giving them the “look” that would make an angry bear stand still. Have you been there? It’s OK to not live in perfection and it’s OK to invite others to be a part of your imperfections. To most, it would probably be a sigh of relief. I will say that I don’t think it is OK to live in filth and utter chaos but crumbs on the floor from lunch and toys strewn about the living room shows that their is life and a family in that home, and they are living life and enjoying it and hopefully willing to welcome others into it.

Go ahead and share about the meltdown your child had in the busy grocery store, or that you fell asleep and missed the bus dropping off your 4 year old child and you didn’t hear them trying to call you for over an hour,(sorry Alison), or fill in your own blank. You just might make a difference, a connection, and a friend.

I think it’sur vulnerability and imperfections that allows others to see God’s work in our lives. Isn’t that the point? To see God where you least expect Him-in the imperfections and ugliness of life. That no matter what, “He’s not finished with me yet!” (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=typAqPJ-Zn8)

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

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Tags: beautiful, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, burdened, chaos, children, christ, Christian, christianity, crumbs, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, facebook, faith, family, giving up perfection, God, God's work, heart, home, homemaking, house, imperfect, imperfections, Jesus, Joy, Lord, love, media, meltdown, mess, message, motherhood, mothers, parenting, perfection, Pinterest, prayer, real, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, share, sharing, social media, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, ugliness, ugly, vulnerable, weary, welcome, Woman, women

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Categories Faith, Family

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

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Tags: and a sprinkle of love, appetizer, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, blogger, budget meals, burdened, burritos, casserole, cheap meals, chicken, chicken breast, chicken burritos, chicken dip, chicken enchiladas, chicken enchilida's, children, chip dip, christ, Christian, Christian blog, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, church pot luck, comfort, company, cooking, cooking with kids, creamy, crock pot, dinner, dinner party, dip, dreamy, easy, easy dinner, economical meals, enchilida's, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, family friendly, family friendly meal, family meals, favorite meal, food, freezer cooking, freezer meal, God, gratitude, holiday cooking, holiday party, homemaker, homemaking, hot dip, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, Lord, love, main dish, meal ministry, meal planning, meals, media, menu, menu planning, mexican, mexican casserole, motherhood, nachos, parenting, party food, party recipes, picnic, pot luck, prayer, quick dinner, recipe. recipes, scripture, Servant, servants heart, serving, simple, simple ingredients, slow cooker, teaching, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Food

The Quarrelsome Wife

1 Aug

A long day, over scheduled, tired mama keeping it together until the garage door opens. In he walks, hoping for the smiling faces, warm embraces, and the imminent smell of dinner. Instead, he walks into a pressure cooker. He already knows he is in for it and immediately wants to be anywhere but home. His home is no longer a safe haven from the world it is a place of discord and tension.
Yes, I am guilty of being that wife. I am guilty of nagging him until he relents, treating him as if he is inferior, and throwing all his shortcomings at him (exaggerated and imaginary ones at that). Shameful! I have seen the tension and pain this has caused him and my family. I don’t want to be THAT wife. So how do I strive to be the wife my husband deserves?
First and foremost I meet with God daily and pray that I would be a wife of noble character (Proverbs 31:10-31). We pray for our family or for so-and-so to change, but really we need to be in prayer for God to help us change our hearts. Secondly, I can’t expect my husband to be my god. If you hold your husband responsible to be your everything-he will fail you and let you down, daily. Give him grace and trust that God will meet all your needs (Philippians 4:19). Respect him. It can be tough, but a man would rather be respected than loved. God doesn’t tell us to respect our husband only if he (name any expectation). God calls our husbands to love us and for us to respect them (Ephesians 5:33). Lastly, prepare for him to come home. 20-30 minutes before he gets home have the kids help you tidy up, comb your hair, brush your teeth, get dressed, do something that makes you feel pretty (make-up, perfume, jewelry, etc). Get the kids excited. A few minutes before he arrives home tell them something like “Hurray, daddy will be home soon, who’s excited? Who will be the first to give daddy a big hug?” or something like that. When the kiddos are excited chances are you will be too!
Just think of the power you have to set the tone of your home. When your husband is greeted by a cheerful wife chances are this man will do just about anything you ask of him. Believe it or not, he really does want to please you, you just have to go about it the right way.
Give it a try and see what a positive difference it makes not only in your marriage but in your family.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~
Rebecca

Tags: believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, burdened, cheerful, children, christ, Christian, christianity, comfort, couple, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, faith, family, forgiveness, God, grace, happy, homemaker, housewife, husband, Jesus, Joy, joyful, Lord, love, man, marriage, men, nagging, needs, noble, positive, prayer, proverbs 31, quarrel. quarrelsome, respect, scripture, Servant, serving, stress, teaching, tension, transformation, trust, Truth, weary, wife, Woman

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Categories Faith, Family

Fix it and Forget it Pork Chop Bake

30 Jul

It’s true…making homemade scalloped potatoes is not scary-in fact it is almost fool proof (trust me). This recipe was born out of my love for the potatoes but not of the strange looking dehydrated like potatoes you can buy in the box. This is a fix it a forget it meal. So versatile and you can easily add in extra ingredients and flavors to fit your likes. I will share the basic recipe and from there have fun making it your own!

Ingredients needed to get started.

First step add1-2 bouillon cube (s) to 1 3/4 C water and bring to a boil and remove from heat.
You want the bouillon cube to dissolve. Or go ahead and use equivalent already prepared stock (14 oz.)

In a large skillet heat 1-2 Tbsp olive oil over med-high heat.
Season your chops with salt and pepper.
Add pork chops to pan and brown both sides-3-4 minutes per side.

While chops are frying prep your potatoes.

Nice and golden on both sides.

Add your sliced onions to the same pan. Let the onions cook in the drippings

Remove onions from pan.
Melt 2 Tbsp butter in hot pan.

Add the flour and whisk to make a roux.

Add in the chicken broth and cream of chicken soup( and optional cheese.and any other veggie add ins).Add the onions back in and turn heat to low.

Butter a 13×9 (or whatever works for you) casserole dish. And arrange
potatoes in an overlapping stacking pattern (yes, it is OK to arrange the potatoes in 2 layers-
it will still cook evenly and thoroughly).

Pour sauce over potatoes-no need to mix.

Lay pork chops on top of potatoes. No need to press them down.

Cover with foil and bake in a 350 oven for 65-75 minutes or for extra tender chops bake in
a 300 degree oven for 2-2 1/2 hours.

Ta-Da! Remove foil and let sit for 10 minutes to give the sauce a chance to thicken.

Click Here For Printable Recipe

See-easy 🙂 You can also make this ahead of time and stick it in your fridge until you are ready to cook. Just remove from fridge 30 minutes before baking to allow the pork chop bake to come to room temperature (ensures even cooking time and keeps meat from being tough).

Try adding sauteed mushrooms, different cream soups such as cream of mushroom or cream of celery, or our favorite green beans. Season with your favorite herbs and spices to give it even more flavor. Try adding some grated cheese to the sauce-makes the dish even more decadent! This is also an easy meal to put together to bring to a sick friend or a family with a new baby.

~ Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Comments 62 Comments
Categories Food

These Muffins are Bananas!

24 Jul

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. Let’s get baking!

You will need:
To preheat your oven to 400 degrees
3 very ripe bananas-1/2 C vegetable oil- 1/2 C sugar- 2 eggs-
1 tsp. vanilla-1 tsp baking powder-1/2 tsp baking soda-1/2 tsp salt-
1/2 tsp cinnamon-1 2/3 C all purpose flour-3/4 C chocolate chips-
cupcake pan-12 cupcake liners

Start off by adding 2-3 heaping Tablespoons of your already
measured out flour and add them to the chocolate chips. Why?The flour coats the chocolate chips and keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.

Peel your 3 ripe bananas and with a fork mash them down well.
It is OK for there to still be lumps in the bananas

Add the oil and the eggs to the mashed bananas and give it a quick whisk.
Next, add the vanilla extract and sugar and whisk well to combine.
Add in the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and give it another whisk.
Whisk in the flour. Lastly gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill your cupcake liners with the muffin batter. If you use a 1/4 C
measuring cup you will get exactly 12 muffins. This is the first muffin
recipe that has ever worked out like that for me! YAY!

Bake 15-18 minutes at 400 degrees. Because ovens vary I would
check at about the 15 minute mark to see if they are cooked through.
If not continue to check at 2 minute intervals to be sure they don’t
over bake. They are finished when a toothpick inserted into the center of
the muffin comes out clean with no crumbs or batter stuck to it.
Remove from oven and let cool for 15-20 minutes before you bite into
these delicious muffins.

Recipe
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 2/3 C all purpose flour
3/4 C chocolate chips
12 cupcake liners
cupcake pan

and a sprinkle of love

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line your cupcake pan with the liners.
Add 2-3 heaping Tablespoons of your measured flour into the chocolate chips and mix well to coat the chips.
Peel bananas and mash well with a fork. Add oil and eggs to the banana mixture and whisk together.
Next, add vanilla extract and sugar and whisk to combine.
Add the baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon: whisk well.
Add the all purpose flour and whisk well. Fold in the chocolate chips.
With a 1/4 C measuring cup start filling the liners with your batter (Remember, using a 1/4 C measuring cup will give you exactly 12 muffins).
Bake in a 400 degree oven for 16-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffin comes out clean. Cool 15-20 minutes and enjoy!
Makes 12 muffins

These muffins turned out moist and flavorful just as I had hoped. The balance of flavors is perfect. As always you can personalize this recipe to reflect the likes of you and your family. The muffins would also be delicious with some chopped walnuts mixed in the batter.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe as much as my family did! Thanks for taking the time to stop by!

~ Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Tags: baking, baking with kids, banana chocolate chip muffins, banana muffins, children, Christian, christianity, cooking with kids, easy, easy recipes, economical, family, family friendly, food, Jesus, motherhood, muffins, parenting, recipe, recipes, thrifty, Woman

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Categories Food

God Will Meet You Where You Are

18 Jul

Finding a quiet moment when you are parenting little ones can be tricky. There is never enough hours in the day. Sleep is a precious commodity, and going to the bathroom alone requires careful orchestration. We are busy caring for our children and husbands, tackling a never ending laundry pile, cooking dinner, running errands, and a hundred other things. Something has to give and unfortunately that usually means our quiet time (guilty!). Carving out a few minutes to meet alone with the Lord each day is so important-especially in this busy season. What are the benefits? Many. We get direction and wisdom from His word (Psalm 25:4-5). We grow more like God and His word gives us truth and correction (John 17:17). We have the opportunity to delight in the Lord and to worship and thank Him (Psalm 29:2). Those are just a few of the reasons. God will meet you where you are. In the bathroom, in the car, and even at Target. Start small, a few minutes each day. Grab your Bible and/or a devotional and meet with God.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

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Categories Faith, Family

Bedtime Prayer

16 Jul

When night rolls around and all is quiet, I close my eyes and stretch my face toward heaven with a deep contented sigh I thank the Maker of the heavens and earth for another day to walk among His glorious creation. To revel in sweet sleeping faces, sticky floors, and tooth paste on the counter. I sit and count my blessings of the day and can think of many-freckles on little noses, white wispy clouds being blown away by a warm summer breeze, watermelon trickling down your chin, holding my husbands hand in the car, and hours of Candy land. I then leave my troubles at His feet. A smile and an amen, knowing that the Lord was in my today and He will be in my tomorrow. While I sleep, He is up to something and I pray that tomorrow I will glorify Him even more than I did today and that His will for me be done. Sweet dreams.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Tags: bedtime, bedtime prayer, blessed, blessings, children, Christian, christianity, counting blessings, faith, glory, God, gratitude, husband, Jesus, motherhood, prayer, summer, trust

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Categories Faith, Family

Talking to our kids about Boston

9 Jul

This was something I wrote and shared on our MOPS blog right after the Boston bombing. My thoughts on talking to our children about such things–

It seems more and more we are having to be so deliberate to shield our children from never ending bad news. Shooting, war and now a bombing.

I still remember the morning more than a dozen years ago when I turned on the TV just in time to watch live as a plane took out the second tower. It was the first time I knew that I couldn’t hide the bad news from my then five year old, Alison. Minutes later my nightgown wearing barefoot daughter made her way sleepily to the living room. As she snuggled down deep next to me she knew that this morning was different. You don’t necessarily think when you are cradling your baby in your arms that one day you would have to explain evil to them. You are not prepared and I don’t think you can be. It is just one of those jump in head first and pray that what comes out is sufficient enough to be truthful and satisfying without ruining the innocence and wide eyed curiosity that only childhood can yield. How do you remind them the that here and now in my arms or at school or at grandma’s they are safe? I know we need to filter but most of the time it is unavoidable.

Several months ago. Another school shooting. This time it was Brouke’s turn to see what evil looks like. And now, an all American wholesome activity marred by destruction and devastation is plastered everywhere. The horror and destruction is all over the TV and on the lips of every adult.

It is a fine line and letting your kids steer your conversation will generally give you parameters to work with. Kids usually ask great questions and beyond what they ask is most of the time unnecessary. They will clue you in to what is in their heart and how much they can handle. With the little ones be selective, you don’t want to compromise their sense of safety. Older kids will be able to process more but all children will need extra love and reassurance. Speak scripture to them. Remind them not be worry or be anxious (Matthew 6:27) that God will deliver us from our fears (Psalm 34:4). Tell them that God will give them peace and that He is in control (Phillipians4:6-7). Remind them for every bad person their are thousands of good people. Let them get involved in making the world a better place by giving them opportunities to serve others and their community. It helps channel all their fears and gives them a sense of control over their environment. Mostly, trust your instincts. God gave you the children you have for a reason.

~Be Blessed and be a Blessing~

Rebecca

Tags: and a sprinkle of love, believers, Bible, blessed, blessing, blog, blogger, boston, burdened, catastrophe, children, christ, Christian, Christian blog, christian blogger, Christian mother, Christian wife, Christian woman, christianity, comfort, conversation, daughter, easy, Encouragement, Eternal Vaue, evil, faith, family, family friendly, forgiveness, Freedom, fun, God, grace, gratitude, heart, Heaven, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit, home education, homemaker, homemaking, homeschool, hope, housewife, husband, husband and wife, Jesus, jesus christ, Joy, learning, life, Lord, love, mama, marriage, media, mom, mother, motherhood, parenting, peace, Pinterest, praise, prayer, precious, safety, scripture, TV, violence

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Categories Faith, Family

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…..and a sprinkle of love

Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Grocery Store

Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

Dreamy Creamy Chicken Burritos

The Quarrelsome Wife

Fix it and Forget it Pork Chop Bake

These Muffins are Bananas!

God Will Meet You Where You Are

Bedtime Prayer

Talking to our kids about Boston

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