What I Learned from Job - Reading the Bible in 90 Days

As you know I have started reading the Bible. I have 90 days to complete it and I am reading it with hundreds (1200+ to be exact) of other women. Each week (and even day to day) we check-in with each other on our progress, to pray for each other, and to share our thoughts. How cool is that?


So, I thought I would take each Book of the Bible and share my thoughts, verses, or people that stood out or spoke to me on that particular day. I have been doing most of my reading in the mornings reading whenever I can! The key is to get it done. If you get behind, you keep at it....catching up in chunks each day. The readings have been manageable and I am still praying it stays that way for me. I am currently several days behind schedule, but, gradually, I am catching up. I am learning so much am really excited about reading Psalms and Proverbs next.

So, here are my thoughts from the Book of Job:
 
Job 1:21-22 In all his suffering, Job NEVER asked "Why God?" "Why me?" or complained after all the pain and destruction in his life.  Our society is so full of complaint and "why me?" questions that it was such a humbling reminder that God has a plan and a reason - and that reason may just be to bring you back to Him.
 
Job 6:24 Teach me, and I will be quiet; show me where I have been wrong.
 
Job was so full of beautiful poetic verse like the following:
Job 11:13-18
Yet if you devote your heart to him and stretch out your hands to him,
if you put away the sin that is in your hand and allow no evil to dwell in your tent,
then you will lift up your face without shame, you will stand firm and without fear.
You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.
Life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning.
You will be secure, because there is hope, you will look about you and take rest in safety.
 
Job 16:2-3 I have heard many things like these, miserable comforters are you all!  Will your long-winded speeches never end? What ails you that you keep on arguing?  You can hear Job's frustration with his friends in these verses.  Haven't we all been in situations like this....it just goes on and on....I want to remember these words for just that occasion! :)
 
Job 19: 25-27 I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes - I, and not another. How my heart years within me!  I already had these verses marked in my Bible.  I am not sure when or how I came across them before, but it is such a calming verse and beautifully said. 
 
Job 42:2-3 I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted.  You asked, Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge? Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. Job's reply to the Lord here is so honest and humbling. 
 
Job 42:10 After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. Even though Job's friends accused him and rebuked him for doing wrong, Job still forgave them and prayed for them.  Not an easy task.  I too have been accused of wrongdoing by a friend and was innocent.  Today, praying for that friend has lifted a weight off of my shoulders that I had been carrying for too long.
 
I loved the poetic rhythm of the Book of Job.  I was amazed at all Job had suffered.  Some I knew before hand, but I had never read it to that depth before.  Reading the Bible in 90 days has certainly opened my eyes and my heart to God's wonderful lessons for all of us.
 
Now on to Psalms.......

What I Learned from Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther

As you know I have started reading the Bible. I have 90 days to complete it and I am reading it with hundreds (1200+ to be exact) of other women. Each week (and even day to day) we check-in with each other on our progress, to pray for each other, and to share our thoughts. How cool is that?


So, I thought I would take each Book of the Bible and share my thoughts, verses, or people that stood out or spoke to me on that particular day. I have been doing most of my reading in the mornings reading whenever I can! The key is to get it done. If you get behind, you keep at it....catching up in chunks each day. The readings have been manageable and I am still praying it stays that way for me. I am currently several days behind schedule, but, gradually, I am catching up.  I am learning so much and can't wait to get to Psalms and Proverbs.
So, here are my thoughts from the Books of  Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther:

Ezra 9:34 After hearing about the sins commited by the people of Israel, Ezra sat there appalled. If only more of us who be appalled at the sins being committed today in our world rather than ignoring it or placating others, what a different world it would be.

Nehemiah 4:16-18 I thought it was interesting how half of them worked on the wall and the other half stood guard.  They all united to help one another.  Some even did their work with one hand and a sword in the other.  It is important for all Christians to come together to do God's work and when we face adversity, we may need others to back us up.

Nehemiah 6:16 When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence, because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God.

Nehemiah 9:5-6 Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise. You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

Nehemiah 9:31 But in your great mercy you did not put an end to them or abandom them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.

Esther
I just loved reading the Book of Esther.  Esther was so courageous and had such a strong faith in God to step out and right the wrongs.  Most of us would not have been that determined and strong. I was also remembering the VeggieTale's version of Esther while reading it.  Our kids loved the movie ESTHER, and reading this made me want to watch it again.  What an awesome lesson she gives to all of us.

Now on to the Book of Job.......................

Review: 31 Days to Build A Better Spouse by Ashley Pichea

31 DAYS TO
BUILD A BETTER SPOUSE
An e-book
By: Ashley Pichea
Published: August 2011

Introduction:
Building a better spouse isn’t easy. It takes a lot of work. And a lot of faith. And, honestly, you can’t do it.
Only through the work of the Holy Spirit in your spouse’s life will he change. But, just because you can’t force change doesn’t mean that you can’t play a role in that change. You have the ability to build up your spouse through the power of prayer.
Prayer is one of the greatest privileges we have as believers. Having the ability to access the throne of grace with confidence whenever we have a need or want to offer up praise – what an incredible blessing we have!
Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. {Hebrews 4.16}
Prayer is the means through which we are changed in our own lives, and it is the means through which we see change in the lives of others. It is through prayer that you can have the power to change your spouse. But, beware – through prayer, you too, will experience change!

I was given the opportunity to review fellow blogger, Ashely Pichea's new e-book and couldn't turn her down.  The title definitely peaked my interest and 31 days seemed like a very manageable investment in my marriage.  I downloaded the Kindle version of Pichea's book and started reading through it.  I was surprised with how simple her plan really was.  Each day is given a theme.  There is a brief synopsis of that theme, a Bible verse or two related to that theme, and some tips on how to pray for your husband related to that theme.  Then, if you are like me, and sometimes need the exact words in front of you, she gives you an example prayer to use when praying for your spouse related to that day's theme.  You can go through each day's message in 5-10 minutes a day.  Who can't devote 5-10 minutes/day towards praying for your spouse? 

Even though this book is written by a female and all references are written towards praying for your husband, they can certainly be used for the husband in prayer for his wife.  Can you imagine how powerful prayer could be when both spouses are praying for each other?!?!  What I love though is that Pichea tackles my heart, right away on the very first day.  I can't "Build A Better Spouse" without first changing my own heart and opening it up to God.  It was a very humbling first day. 

As Pichea states, "Prayer is the means through which we are changed in our own lives, and it is the means through which we see change in the lives of others."  Whether you are newlyweds, have been married for 12 years like me, or 55 years, Pichea's book can be life-changing for your relationship with God, with your spouse, and for your marriage.  It is up to you whether you tell your spouse what you are doing for him, but through you and God and prayer, together, you can bring about the change you want to experience. 

Ashley Pichea writes LIFE by Ashley Pichea as a means of encouragement while seeking to apply the Word of God to her everyday life.  Pichea is a stay-at-home mom and wife.  She homeschools her oldest and works to make blogging a full-time career.  For more on Ashley Pichea and all her great resources, check out her website.  For the quickest way to purchase her book, click on the BUY NOW link to the right of this post.  Thanks to Ashley for providing me a copy of this book!

I was provided a free Kindle version of this book for review.  I was not compensated in any way for this review.  This review is my honest opinion and I wouldn't review anything that wouldn't benefit myself or my family.   I am a member of the affiliate program and if purchases are made through an appropriate link, I may receive a commission.

Things I Love.....In the Kitchen - The Pioneer Woman

Things I Love...

This is my feature where I get to share something that I just love. Since you are my friends, I like sharing things I love with others. It could be anything from a new product, food, recipe, song, image, to a person and everything in between. This will be something I am completely doing on my own, without pressure or compensation from a company, author, PR/Marketing firm, friend, business owner, etc. This will just be something that makes me happy and I want to share it with you. Enjoy some love!
For the next few weeks I am going to focus my Things I Love on things I love in my kitchen. I love to cook and bake and there are a few things that I Could. Not. Live. Without. Now I know this week's LOVE isn't actually IN my kitchen, but I have learned a lot about cooking and baking from her and wanted to share it with you.

Today's love is.............................The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond

I have been reading The Pioneer Woman Blog for a long time now.  Ree Drummond has a talent for many things and her blog shows it.  I read it for her recipes.  I read it for her photography.  I read it for her giveaways.  But, most of all I read it because she makes me laugh!  I am super excited because coming up tomorrow morning at 10:30 central time, her new show on Food Network will be appearing.  I have my DVR set and my morning blocked out.  I will be watching and you can bet my kids will be too. They LOVE cooking shows just like their mamma! Check out the commerical below and be sure to tune in! For more on the new show, check out her page on the Food Network site HERE.

What I Learned from 1 and 2 Chronicles - Reading the Bible in 90 Days

As you know I have started reading the Bible. I have 90 days to complete it and I am reading it with hundreds (1200+ to be exact) of other women. Each week (and even day to day) we check-in with each other on our progress, to pray for each other, and to share our thoughts. How cool is that?

So, I thought I would take each Book of the Bible and share my thoughts, verses, or people that stood out or spoke to me on that particular day. I have been doing most of my reading in the mornings reading whenever I can! The key is to get it done. If you get behind, you keep at it....catching up in chunks each day. The readings have been manageable and I am still praying it stays that way for me. I am currently several days behind schedule, but, I know I will catch up.

So, here are my thoughts from the Books of 1 and 2 Chronicles:

1st Chronicles parallels 2 Samuel and 2 Chronicles parallels 1 and 2 Kings.  So there was a lot of repeat information, but told a little differently. 

1 Chronicles 1:2 My niece Kenan is named after joining her parents' names Ken and LeAnn.  I had no idea there was a Kenan in the Bible.

1 Chronicles 4:9-10 Jabez's Prayer is one to follow.

1 Chronicles 15:16, 19-22 I think it is interesting that is specifically said Kenaniah was appointed the singer, because he was skillful at it.  Well, I would hope they would appoint someone who was a good singer rather than someone who wasn't.  LOL!

1 Chronicles 15:28 What a beautiful parade that must have been!

1 Chronicles 16:8-12 This psalm of thanks to the Lord from David is one that could be read every day.  What a great reminder to give thanks to the Lord.

1 Chronicles 16:34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.  A favorite of mine and one that is repeated several times throughout the Bible.

1 Chronicles 22:11-13, 28:8-9, 20 Excellent advice for any father to give to his son.

1 Chronicles 29:10 Another great prayer that can be referred to again and again.

2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 20:15-17 ....Don not be afraid or discouraged...For the battle is not yours, but God's. Tomorrow march down against them......You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you....Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.  Awesome words to turn to for all the battles we face every day.

2 Chronicles 21:15,18 You yourself will be very ill with a lingering disease of the bowels, until the disease causes your bowels to come out. After all this, the Lord afflicted Jehoram with an incurable disease of the bowels.  Gee, I guess God meant business!

2 Chronicles 32:7-8 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him. With him is only the arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles.

Now on to Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther......

I'm Back in the Saddle...errrr....Treadmill Again.....

Of course this is what I look like on the treadmill!!

It has been since July 23rd, since I have been on the treadmill.  Yes, THE treadmill that I begged and pleaded for and got for Christmas just 8 months ago.  Yes, my life has been busy, but there have definitely been days that I could have found 30 minutes to get on the treadmill.  So, today, I looked at my planner where I keep track of my life and found that is has been a MONTH since I was last on the treadmill.  My body shows it too.  So, back on it I went.  No, today wasn't my best time or my best distance, but I got on and worked up a dripping sweat!  It felt good.  I also tried something different today as well, reading while on the treadmill.  I have always watched a movie/tv show on the iPad through Netflix, but today, I thought I would try reading since I hear lots of other people do it.  Ugh! Not for me!  I had trouble keeping my balance.  I couldn't see the words and so I gave that up.  I would love to hear how other people do it and any tips because it would be great if I could.  I have lots of reading to catch up on.  But, I guess I will go back to my movie watching.  Even with the upcoming Netflix changes, we decided to keep the Instant and just drop back to 1 movie at a time at home.  So, that keeps our rate the same and we still feel like we have options.  So, guess it is time for me to get back into the routine of the treadmill - and finishing the movie, PRECIOUS.  I started it last month on the treadmill and need to finish it.  How about you, what do you do while on the treadmill?  Do you have any excuses that trip you up?  Mine is I don't want to shower twice in one day.  It really doesn't work for me to shower first in the morning.  I am much better late morning or late afternoon.  So, if I need to get up and shower in the morning, I don't want to have to do it again a few hours later.  Thoughts?  How do you work your treadmill/workout time into your day?

Review: 52 Ways to Wow Your Husband by Pam Farrel

52 WAYS TO WOW YOUR HUSBAND
How to Put a Smile on His Face
By: Pam Farrel
Published:  August 1, 2011

Book Description:

Pam Farrel gives wives 52 ways to wow their husbands and add spark to their marriages. Pam delivers humor in her fun woman-to-woman style through inspirational stories, godly advice, and easy-to-read offerings. Newlyweds, married with kids, or empty nesters will appreciate these ideas crafted for the busy life. A woman can try one idea a week for a year or take on a few at a time to deepen her spiritual, emotional, and physical bond with her spouse.


I found this book very enjoyable and intriguing.  This book is for the Christian wife who wants to show her husband her love and devotion for him.  Maybe a new spark is needed.  Maybe both husband and wife are falling into those bad habits of routinely "doing their own thing" and not involving each other into their lives.  Maybe you have even started to forget why you fell in love in the first place.  This book is for the wife who wants to change all that or just remind her husband that she is still "in love" with him.  This book encompasses stories, prayers, devotions, and "Wow" ideas to kick-start your marriage again.  The book is planned out for one "Wow Idea" each week, which is very manageable, but you can certainly pick your favorites to implement at any time.  The ideas range from the very simple (making his favorite breakfast in bed) to the more in depth ( planning a "courageous" date that may be out of your box, but exciting for him).

Even though I believe my marriage is very solid and happy, I have no doubt these ideas could create a spark in our relationship.  I have a few ideas up my sleeve and plan to spring them on my husband in the near future.  This book reminds you of why you fell in love with your husband in the first place and celebrates that.  It also reminded me of the need to pray for my husband daily.  I know that I have been neglecting that aspect of our marriage and this book shows you how to do just that.  How can you go wrong planning surprises for your husband and praying for him daily?

To learn more about Pam Farrel and her husband, Bill, check out their website http://www.farrelcommunications.com/.  You can learn about their many other books, their research, seminars, and free resources.  After looking at their website, I recognized several of their books, which are very popular among Christian readers.  If you would like to purchase 52 WAYS TO WOW YOUR HUSBAND, or any of their other books, check out their website and click on the products link.  52 WAYS TO WOW YOUR HUSBAND is available for the low introductory price of $9.00.  It is also available on Amazon and can be purchased for your Kindle.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing me a copy of this book for review.

I was provided an e-book copy for this review.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.  I wouldn't review anything that wouldn't benefit myself or my family.

Review: Robin Takes 5 by Robin Miller

ROBIN TAKES 5: 500 Recipes, 5 Ingredients or Less, 500 Calories or Less, for 5 Nights/Week at 5:00 PM

By:  Robin Miller

To Be Published November 1, 2011

Cookbook Description:

It's 5:00 PM. Everyone's hungry. It's takeout or fakeout, meaning nuking a processed meal from the freezer. But there's a third option that doesn't include processed food or an unhealthy heap of calories and fat--ROBIN TAKES 5.

Imagine quickly preparing delicious meals for yourself, your friends, and your family with just 5 fabulous ingredients. Does it get any better? Absolutely, with ROBIN TAKES 5. The book features 500 recipes and each dish is a mouthwatering 500 calories or less. Two-color recipe text complements full-color photography inserts. In addition, helpful icons note ideal recipes for holidays and entertaining as well as recipes with less than 500 mg of sodium. That's not all--nutritional information is given for each recipe.
In ROBIN TAKES 5, 500 recipes highlight at least 10 different ethnic cuisines, and dishes range from soups, pizzas, and pastas, to chicken, beef, pork, seafood, side dishes, and desserts. Consider 70 recipes just for chicken, such as Cashew Crusted Chicken with Roasted Jalapeno-Mango Chutney, and 50 dessert recipes, such as Orange Marmalade Tart with Chocolate Covered Almonds. Consider yourself armed for mealtime. The next time the clock strikes 5:00 PM and you want both noshing and nourishment, check out ROBIN TAKES 5.

I have been a huge fan of Robin Miller's ever since her debut on THE FOOD NETWORK.  I have her best-selling QUICK FIX MEALS Cookbook and have made several things from there.  So, when I had the chance to review her newest cookbook, I was super excited.  There were so many delicious recipes to choose from.  I also wanted recipes that mainly had ingredients already in my home.  So, with that, I chose the following 2 recipes to try.

PHILADELPHIA STYLE PORK CHOPS WITH ONIONS AND PROVOLONE

Serves 4 - Prep Time: 10-15 Minutes - Cook Time: 10 Minutes

1 Tbs Olive Oil

1 Yellow Onion, sliced into 1/4 inch rounds

4, 5oz Boneless Pork Loin Chops

1 Tbs Onion and Herb Seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash)

1/2 Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth

4, 1oz Slices of Provolone Cheese

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook for 5 minutes, until soft and golden brown.  Remove onions from pan.

Season both sides of the pork chops with salt, freshly ground black pepper, and the onion-herb seasoning.  Add the chops to the same pan over medium high heat and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until golden brown.  Add the broth and bring to a simmer.  Simmer for 3 minutes, until the chops are tender. Arrange the cheese slices on top of the chops and cook for 30 seconds, until the cheese melts.  Transfer the chops to a serving platter and top with the onions. 



Philadelphia Style Pork Chops with Onions and Provolone



These chops were super simple and quick to make.  They were really delicious with the cheese and onions over the top.  I have made chops several times and have never thought to cook them this way.  These chops got a big thumbs up from Pat and the kids!  We will be making these again!

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE-PEANUT BUTTER OAT COOKIES

Makes 24 Cookies - Prep Time:10-15 Minutes

3 Cups Milk Chocolate Chips or Chunks (I used 2 11.5 oz bags of Nestle Milk Chocolate Chips)

1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

3 Cups Rolled or Old-Fashioned Oats

Line two baking sheets with waxed paper.  Melt the chocolate in the microwave.  Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until creamy.  Fold in the oats and mix well.  Drop the mixture by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.  Let the cookies cool until set.  You can also place them in the fridge or freezer to speed up cooling. 



No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oat Cookies

Again, this was another super-simple recipe.  They were very much like my mom's chocolate oaties but just a little simpler version.  They were very tasty and it was nice to have some in the fridge for whenever you wanted a little chocolate.  They are also nice because you can make them as big or small as you want.  Also a big thumbs up from our family!

If you are new to Robin Miller and her cooking, you should check her out on Food Network.  Robin has been a food writer and a nutritionist since 1990. Her popular show Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller currently airs on the Food Network. Her primetime show Robin to the Rescue premiered on the Food Network in March 2007.

I really found a lot of excellent recipes to try in this cookbook.  I have no doubt this will be another successful cookbook for her.  To pre-order this cookbook for $18.99, check out Amazon.  Thanks to NetGalley for providing this cookbook for my review. 

I was provided with a e-book copy of this book for review.  I was not compensated in any other way for this review.  This review is my honest opinion.  I wouldn't review anything that wouldn't benefit myself or my family. 



What I Learned from 1 and 2 Kings - Reading the Bible in 90 Days

As you know I have started reading the Bible. I have 90 days to complete it and I am reading it with hundreds (1200+ to be exact) of other women. Each week (and even day to day) we check-in with each other on our progress, to pray for each other, and to share our thoughts. How cool is that?

So, I thought I would take each Book of the Bible and share my thoughts, verses, or people that stood out or spoke to me on that particular day. I have been doing most of my reading in the mornings  reading whenever I can, but some days I have to finish up in the afternoon or evening..or even the next day! The key is to get it done. If you get behind, you keep at it....catching up in chunks each day. The readings have been manageable and I am still praying it stays that way for me. I am currently several days behind schedule, but, I know I will catch up.
So, here are my thoughts from the Books of 1 Kings and 2 Kings:

1 Kings 3:9-14 Solomon asks for discernment and a servant's heart from God, not riches or a long life.  What a great lesson!

1 Kings 3:16-28 I love how this was a sign of Solomon's God given wisdom and a story of true devotion and love by a mother for her child.

I am looking forward to hearing more of Solomon's wisdom in Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs.

1 Kings 6:7 It is amazing how no hammering was done at the site so there was a silent reverence to God while the temple was being built. 

1 Kings 7:1 It took 13 years to build the temple.  A great lesson on patience for me while I am impatiently waiting 3 weeks for our porch to get done!

1 Kings 8:57-59 Solomon's blessing - May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. Mayh he turn our earts to him, to walk in all his ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers.  And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night.

1 Kings 11:3 Solomon had 700 wives and 300 concubines......Holy Cow!  How did he keep them all straight?????

1 Kings 13:18 A lesson in being aware of false prophets who claim to be speaking God's word.  A reminder to keep reading the word so I can discern false from truth.

1 Kings 17:7-24 I love this story of Elijah and the widow at Zarephath.  A wonderful story of great faith.

Another prominent instrument in the Bible is the Harp.  The trumpet has been repeated many times and now the harp is starting to show its importance.  As a child I always wanted to play the harp, but learned the piano instead. 

2 Kings 4 I loved ths miracles told in this chapter. 

2 Kings 6:28-29 Horrified at the thought - can't even reprint it.

2 Kings 11:21 Surprising that Joash was only 7 years old when he began to reign as king.  Many others were also young, ages 9, 12, etc.

2 Kings 12:15 They did not require an accounting from those to whom they gave the money to pay the workers, because they acted with complete honesty.  Not how our world works today! Wow!

2 Kings 21:12-13 ....I will bring such disaster on Jerusalem and Judah that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle.....I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. Quite an amazing vision that brings to your mind. 

On to 1 and 2 Chronicles..............

6, 5......1

Today we are officially the parents of a 6th Grader, 5th Grader and a 1st Grader.  I know everyone says it, but my how the time flies!  Even though we had the most summer days ever, it still seemed to go by in a flash.  We didn't get everything done that we wanted to, but we can hopefully fit some things in on weekends before it gets too cool out.

Some of our highlights from the summer:
-Our day at Adventureland Park and weekend in Des Moines


Waiting for the train at Adventureland

 -Reagan's first season of T-Ball and the boys baseball games
-Many nights just hanging out with our good friends and their kids.
-Traveling to Northern Minnesota for a weekend with our cousins at their cabin!

The kids' first dip in the lake



Me with one of my favorite people in the world - My cousin, Melanie




Love these kids!

 - Weekend celebrating my parent's 55th Wedding Anniversary
-Enjoying spending afternoons and evenings sitting in our new screened in porch!

 And now, the school year has begun.  I have my days back-for now-until the school starts calling me for subbing.  This year I don't plan to do any long-term sub jobs, so am hoping to have a year to focus on my priorities.  I am going to try to get "caught up" here at home, do some reading, some more blogging, and hopefully some lunch dates with Pat.  Tomorrow, I am going to THE HELP with a couple girlfriends and I can't wait!!!  And so it begins..........................

Things I Love....In the Kitchen - Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer

Things I Love...


This is my feature where I get to share something that I just love. Since you are my friends, I like sharing things I love with others. It could be anything from a new product, food, recipe, song, image, to a person and everything in between. This will be something I am completely doing on my own, without pressure or compensation from a company, author, PR/Marketing firm, friend, business owner, etc. This will just be something that makes me happy and I want to share it with you. Enjoy some love!

For the next few weeks I am going to focus my Things I Love on things I love in my kitchen. I love to cook and bake and there are a few things that I Could. Not. Live. Without.

Today's love is.............................My Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer

I have had my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer now for several years thanks to my husband getting me one for Mother's Day.  I honestly don't know how I ever lived without one.  I don't even put mine away because I am probably using it once a week.  It has a spot on my counter and is always ready and waiting to be used.  It makes baking time much quicker because while the cookie dough is mixing, I can be getting the next ingredient ready.  I haven't used the bread dough hook yet (using yeast and making bread scares me), but maybe someday I will get the courage to try it.  There are also lots of other attachments that can be added to the mixer like a meat grinder, ice cream maker, or a pasta maker.  But, for me, I just use the paddle and the whisk attachments. 

The Kitchen Aid Stand Mixers can run $200 and up, so it is really an investment, but as much as I use mine, I have gotten my money's worth out of it.  If you really want one, watch sales ads like Younkers or Kohl's, save up your reward bucks, or ask for gift cards and save them up to get your mixer.  You won't regret having one!

If you choose to purchase through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. Thanks for supporting SincerelyStacie.com. 

Summer Reading

As I mentioned at the beginning of the summer break, I expect the kids to read during the summer to keep their brains active.  We got the Barnes and Noble summer reading forms and started keeping track.  Since Barnes and Noble required 8 books to be read, that is what I required too.  I told the kids if they read 8 books, they would get a free book from Barnes and Noble's list and would get to pick out a free book from me as well. 

On Monday, we traveled to Barnes and Noble to get our books.  After we were there for a bit, I overheard our son, Bennett, say, "This is my favorite store.  I could spend all day in here!"  My heart swelled to hear that because I feel the same way.  I LOVE bookstores and libraries!  After over an hour, everyone had their picks and we headed for the checkout.  I'm not sure who was more excited, the kids over getting new books or me watching their excitement!  I am so proud that our kids love to read!

If you are looking for some great books for your kids, all the books come highly recommended for kids their age!  Here is what they read this summer:

Patrick, Age 11 - 6th Grade
SLAM DUNK by Matt Christopher
HOT SHOT by Matt Christopher
LONG-ARM QUARTERBACK by Matt Christopher
DOUBLE PLAY AT SHORT by Matt Christopher
LAWN BOY by Gary Paulsen
BIG NATE by Lincoln Peirce
BIG NATE STRIKES AGAIN by Lincoln Peirce
BIG NATE FROM THE TOP by Lincoln Peirce

Bennett, Age 10 - 5th Grade
HARRIS AND ME by Gary Paulsen
TROUBLE WITH CHICKENS by Doreen Cronin
LAWN BOY by Gary Paulsen
LAWN BOY RETURNS by Gary Paulsen
BIG NATE by Lincoln Peirce
BIG NATE STRIKES AGAIN by Lincoln Peirce
BIG NATE FROM THE TOP by Lincoln Peirce
THE STRANGE CASE OF ORIGAMI YODA by Tom Angleberger

Reagan, Age 6 - 1st Grade
SAVING SHADOW by Dara Dokas
CLASS MOM by Margaret McNamara
JELLY BEANS AND THE BIG CAMP KICKOFF by Nate Evans
A BALLOON FOR ISABEL by Deborah Underwood
THE PRINCESS AND THE POTTY by Wendy Cheyette Lewison
RAINBOW MAGIC: A FAIRY BALLET by Daisy Meadows
RAINBOW MAGIC: THE RAINBOW FAIRIES by Daisy Meadows
DORA'S BOOK OF MANNERS by Christine Ricci
Reagan read lots of other books beside these eight this summer.  She is such a little reader!

Now these are the books we got free and purchased from Barnes and Noble:

LITTLE LUCY by Ilene Cooper - Reagan's
EXTRA CREDIT by Andrew Clements - Free One - Boys'
SUMMER ACCORDING TO HUMPHREY by Betty G. Birney - Free One - Boys'
FRINDLE by Andrew Clements - Boys'
STAR WARS: BEWARE THE DARK SIDE by Simon Beecroft - Boys'
MERCY WATSON THINKS LIKE A PIG by Chris Van Dusen - Free One - Reagan's
BARBIE I CAN BE A ROCKSTAR - by Mary Man-Kong - Reagan's
BIG NATE OUT LOUD by Lincoln Peirce - Boys'
SISTERS OF THE SARI by Brenda L. Baker - For Me!  I had to get one too!!!

Happy Reading!

55 Years of Blessings

This weekend we celebrated my parent's 55th Wedding Anniversary.  We traveled to the home I grew up in on Friday night and spent the weekend.  I ended up sitting up late with my parents Friday night talking and hearing stories that I had never heard before.  Then on Saturday my 2 sisters and their children and grandchildren came over.  Even though there were a few short rain showers to deal with, the kids didn't seem to mind.  They continued to play, even in the rain!  Two of the grandkids weren't able to make it, but all the great grandkids were there.  The grandkids range in age from 6 years-30+ years and the great grandkids range in age from 3 weeks-11 years.  As you can imagine, there was a lot of activity!  The kids loved splashing around in the sprinkler and wading pool and then running to the soft-serve ice cream machine for a cone or dish of ice cream.  Yes, my parents have a soft serve ice cream machine!!  My mom LOVES ice cream and is always looking for a reason to start that machine up!



My parents




Our family with my parents

 Saturday night ended with a bonfire and smores!  I asked mom what she remembered most about their wedding day.  She said it was well over 100 degrees that day and everyone was so hot.  She remembers the best man passing out.  She remembers being chivareed (sp?) Chivaree is an old custom to welcome the newlyweds to their home by doing things like taking all the soup can labels off, shortsheeting the beds, moving furniture outside, etc.  My mom had bought several flats of peaches to can and they ate all my mom's peaches which she wasn't happy about!  Mom also said it was special to have her mom there for her wedding.  My grandma was only able to see her oldest of 5 daughters get married as she passed away one month before my parent's one year anniversary.

Sunday morning was full of more delicious food.  Mom made her famous cinnamon rolls, and there were pancakes and bacon.  And, of course, we had to finish up the ice cream that was in the machine!! It was the perfect ending to a great weekend. 

I know how blessed I am to have both my parents with us and still married.  It seems to be a rarity in our world today.  My husband and I will have to still be married in 2054 at the ages of 84 and 82 to enjoy our 55th.  I can only hope and pray that happens!  Mom and Dad didn't have it easy in their early years and I can admit that I didn't make life easy for them when I was growing up.  But, I know I saw in their eyes this weekend, how proud they are of their family.  All they wanted was for all of us to be together and that is just what they got!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad and here's to many more!

DaGeDar Winner

The Winner of the DaGeDar toys is........

True Random Number Generator



Min: 1


Max: 14


Result:


6


Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Comment #6 was frugalmommieof2 said...


I would give this to my 6 year old son.


I will be contacting you shortly!  Congrats to frugalmommieof2 and thanks to all my new followers!!  Stay tuned for a VeggiesTales giveaway coming up soon!!!

Things I Love....In the Kitchen - Bunn Coffee Maker

Things I Love...

This is my feature where I get to share something that I just love. Since you are my friends, I like sharing things I love with others. It could be anything from a new product, food, recipe, song, image, to a person and everything in between. This will be something I am completely doing on my own, without pressure or compensation from a company, author, PR/Marketing firm, friend, business owner, etc. This will just be something that makes me happy and I want to share it with you. Enjoy some love!
For the next few weeks, I am going to focus my Things I Love on things I love in my kitchen. I love to cook and bake and there are a few things that I Could. Not. Live. Without.

Today's love is..............................Bunn Coffee Maker

For Christmas last year, my husband gave me a new Bunn Coffee Maker.  I was skeptical at first because I didn't think we really needed a new one.  This one also didn't have the programmable feature that our other one had.  But, I gave it a try.  The key is it will make a FULL POT of coffee in just 3 MINUTES!  How awesome is that.  So, really no need for the programmable feature. There is always a reserve of hot water ready anytime we want to brew up a pot of coffee, which is quite often around here.  Another great thing is that when we have company (like my dad who loves coffee), I can ask, "Dad, would you like some coffee?" and I can produce a fresh hot pot in 3 minutes! 

So, if you go through lots of coffee and are in the market for a new coffee pot, I think the Bunn is the way to go.  They are a little in the pricey range, around $100, but for heavy coffee drinkers, it is definitely worth the price!



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What I Learned from 1 and 2 Samuel - Reading the Bible in 90 Days

As you know I have started reading the Bible. I have 90 days to complete it and I am reading it with hundreds (1200+ to be exact) of other women. Each week (and even day to day) we check-in with each other on our progress, to pray for each other, and to share our thoughts. How cool is that?


So, I thought I would take each Book of the Bible and share my thoughts, verses, or people that stood out or spoke to me on that particular day. I have been doing most of my reading in the mornings when it is quiet, but some days I have to finish up in the afternoon or evening..or even the next day! The key is to get it done. If you get behind, you keep at it....catching up in chunks each day. The readings have been manageable and I am still praying it stays that way for me. I am currently several days behind schedule, but, I know I will catch up.

So, here are my thoughts from the Books of 1 Samuel and 2 Samuel:
 
Both of these books were tough to get through.  There is a lot of violence, killing, polygomy, and evil acts.  But there were also some verses that jumped out at me.
 
1 Samuel 10:6 The Spirit of the Lord will come upon you in power, and you will prophesy with them; and you will be changed into a different person.  When the Spirit of the Lord becomes part of you, you will surely be changed forever.
 
1 Samuel 12:20 "Do not be afraid," Samuel replied, "You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. You can still be forgiven by God if you repent and change your ways.
 
1 Samuel 16:7 ...."The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."
 
1 Samuel 16:8-13 This section reminds me of CINDERELLA where the prince comes to find the woman who fits into the glass slipper and he asks, are these all the daughters in the house and out comes 1 more.  Maybe Disney got their story idea from the Bible.
 
1 Samuel 17:50 So David triumphed over the Philistine (Goliath) with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. With God on your side and complete trust in Him, great obstacles can be overcome - even giants!
 
2 Samuel 1:26 I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women.  David's grief over losing Jonathan was deeply felt. 
 
2 Samuel 3:1 The war between the house of Saul and the house of David lasted a long time.  David grew stronger and stronger, while the house of Saul grew weaker and weaker.  When God is behind you, you will be strong. 
 
2 Samuel 3:2-5 But even those who follow God make poor choices - David's many wives and children were not looked upon as favorable to God.  In future chapters, David suffers due to his many wives.
 
2 Samuel - I'm still having trouble with all the killing and cutting off of heads.  Then if that wasn't enough, they carry the heads around with them.  UGH!
 
2 Samuel 6 - Reading about all the dancing reminds me of FOOTLOOSE when Wren quotes from the Bible at the school board meeting to get them to allow the school to have prom. 
 
I have also been noticing the importance of the trumpet throughout these first several books. 
 
2 Samuel 10:6 When the Ammonites realized that they had become a stench in David's nostrils.... Quite the use of descriptive words to describe David's disgust here.
 
2 Samuel - Even David has becom so full of himself that he doesn't even recognize his own sin.  A good reminder for Christians that we are still vulnerable to evil and poor choices.
 
2 Samuel 22:2-3 The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation.
 
2 Samuel 22:29-30 You are my lamp, O Lord; the Lord turns my darkness into light. With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall. 
 
These last four verses are ones that I will refer to again and again.
 
I hope you are learning along with me.  Maybe your interest has even been peaked enough to pick up your own Bible and begin reading.  I know I am certainly learning things I never knew before. 
 
Now on to 1 and 2 Kings....

Announcing A New Look

I am super excited to announce my new look!  I have been toying around with the idea and trying to see if I could do it myself.  Yeah, that wasn't going to happen!  So, I saw a post about Cutesie Blog Designs and I decided to go for it. 

Leah was soooooooooo patient with me.  She answered every question and explained things in terms that I could understand.  She had lots of great ideas and integrated them with my own ideas.  I am really happy with the result and her prices were very reasonable. 

If you are looking to change up your blog design, you should definitely check out Leah's work.  You can see lots of other sites she has done on her own blog.  Leah is also a teacher and is expecting their first child, so you better act fast before she gets too busy!

Thanks to Leah at Cutesie Blog Designs for all your hard work! 

Things I Love...in the Kitchen - Kuhn Rikon Knife

Things I Love...

This is my feature where I get to share something that I just love. Since you are my friends, I like sharing things I love with others. It could be anything from a new product, food, recipe, song, image, to a person and everything in between. This will be something I am completely doing on my own, without pressure or compensation from a company, author, PR/Marketing firm, friend, business owner, etc. This will just be something that makes me happy and I want to share it with you. Enjoy some love!

For the next few weeks I am going to focus my Things I Love on things I love in my kitchen.  I love to cook and bake and there are a few things that I Could. Not. Live. Without.

Today's love is..............................Kuhn Rikon Knife.

I was first introduced to these knives when my cousin, Melanie, gave me a pink one for a gift.  Then I convinced my husband to give these knives to his top clients in his annual Christmas box.  Since he works for ING, they had to be orange, of course, so I now have an orange one too.

These knives have a steel, nonstick blade that is super sharp.  They also come with a little cover that the blade slides into.  I don't even put these knives away.  I keep them right in my dish drainer because I am using them All. The. Time.

They retail for just $10.00 and can be found in your favorite kitchen supply store.  They also come in a huge array of colors.  What a fun way to brighten up the task of cutting onions!!!  What's your favorite color?

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A Chuckle for the Day

Do you ever feel this way?  Has this ever happened to you?  Thanks to Baby Blues for giving me a chuckle!
I tried everything to get this to lay the other way but my mediocre technology knowledge wouldn't let me.  So, just turn your head or your laptop and you'll get the idea!



What I Learned from Judges and Ruth - Reading the Bible in 90 Days

As you know I have started reading the Bible. I have 90 days to complete it and I am reading it with hundreds (1200+ to be exact) of other women. Each week (and even day to day) we check-in with each other on our progress, to pray for each other, and to share our thoughts. How cool is that?

So, I thought I would take each Book of the Bible and share my thoughts, verses, or people that stood out or spoke to me on that particular day. I have been doing most of my reading in the mornings when it is quiet, but some days I have to finish up in the afternoon or evening..or even the next day! The key is to get it done. If you get behind, you keep at it....catching up in chunks each day. The readings have been manageable and I am still praying it stays that way for me.

So, here are my thoughts from the Books of Judges and Ruth:

Judges 2:10 After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel.    What will happen if our future generations don't know the Lord?  I need to be sure that my children and my grandchildren and great-grandchildren know the stories of Jesus. To be sure they know he is their Savior.  As well as teach them to share that "Good News" with others to create a new generation of people who love the Lord.

In Judges there was a lot of drifting away from God and not following his laws.  Not following God has consequences, but God is still forgiving if you repent and pray.

I'm seeing a lot of comparisons between our world and Israel during their days without a king. SCARY!  I am putting my faith in God that he will arm me for the battle that is yet to come.

Ruth 1:16-18 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.  When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stoped urging her.  What a beautiful woman Ruth was.  She sacrificed and gave of herself for her mother-in-law, Naomi. 

Ruth 2:4 Just then Boaz arived from Bethlehem and greeted the harvesters, "The Lord be with you!" "The Lord bless you!" they called back.  Can you imagine going to work every day and having your boss say, "The Lord be with you!"? Wow!  What a wonderful place of work that would be!

Ruth 2:10-12 Ruth's character is definitely one to model:  loving, kind, faithful, courageous, hard-working, determined, and loyal.  All qualities I would like to emulate and strive to achieve on a daily basis.

What an amazing faith Naomi and Ruth had in their Lord.  Awesome role models!

Now on to 1 Samuel!

Some Aha Moments

Over the last couple weeks I watched a video series called "Calm, Productive Upbeat Days for Busy Moms" by Lisa Byrne.  It was a 3-Part video that I was able to watch on my own time and it was FREE.  Check it out HERE if you are interested.  Visit http://www.wellgroundedsite.com/  for more information on Lisa's resources.

Last week, I also took a class called "Habits of Mind" at our local AEA Agency for some relicensure credits.  The class was based on the book NAPOLEON HILL'S KEYS TO SUCCESS: THE 17 PRINCIPLES OF PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENT by Napleon Hill.  In this class I had to create my own success model.  I decided to do my success model on having a more organized routine to my day.  I plan to kick that off once school starts in a few weeks.  I am really looking forward to being more structured in my day and getting some things accomplished instead of running around all day, starting lots of projects and not really completing any of them.

Some key AHA moments for me from these two opportunities were:

You would never consider taking away play and rest time from your children, so why would you take it away from yourself?  I am embarrassed to say I had NEVER thought of it that way.  Of course I know how important play time is for the kids and obviously rest time.  I wouldn't allow them to get 6 hours of sleep or spend their entire day working.  Why do I do that to myself?  Thanks Lisa!  I need to plan for free time in my day just like I plan out my other tasks.

A recent study found that people who multitask really do not accomplish as much as others who focus on one task at a time.  That was a slap across the face....I have ALWAYS been a multi-tasker.  What mom isn't?  But, after listening to the instructor explain the findings, I think my jaw dropped.  I do run around the house all day...starting dishes, then the dryer buzzes so I grab them quick, then on the way I see trash needs to be taken out so I take it out so I push it down farther, then the phone rings and as I am on the phone I walk around and pick up things off the floor, etc, etc.  You know what I mean!  So, if I focus on one task at a time, I am more likely to get those items completed and move on to the next one.  This may be an obvious thing to you, but coming from a multi-tasker this was a light-bulb moment for me. I am going to try to structure my tasks more and see if I feel like I have actually accomplished something at the end of the day.

An essential component to feeling that you belong in life, you need to have a WO'MANCE. A Wo'mance is a relationship with another woman in your life who is someone who guides, supports, loves, understands and believes in you.  This person can be a sister, mom, friend, aunt, cousin, daughter, etc.  But, it is someone who you can be completely "real" with.  Someone besides your spouse who is one of your biggest cheerleaders.  I am lucky to have one of these people in my life and without her I know my life would crumble.  We "talk" almost daily and support each other, laugh with each other, and guide each other through the tough moments in life.  Thanks, Mel for being in a Wo'mance with me and thanks to Lisa for giving me a reason to cherish that relationship even more!

Having a Positive Mental Attitude is a key to a happy life.  Ok, duh, I know that should be obvious.  But, I know you know someone who is always complaining, creating drama, finding the negative in every situation and just spending time with that person can bring you down.  I have cut a few of those people out of my life and others, I have learned to tune them out or not play into their downward spiral.  One day last week, after leaving class I saw this truck that had seen better days.  In the back end of the truck, piled high was what looked to me like "junk".  I know one person's junk is another's treasure, but this looked clearly like junk.  Then across the back of this truck was this statement..."Same Nightmare Different Day".  I thought to myself, yep I bet it is. If that is how you think about your day, then that is how your day/life is going to be carried out.  Yeah, I may think doing laundry, dishes, sweeping, etc can be a monotonous "nightmare" some days....but if that is the perspective I give it, then I am certainly going to feel like it is a nightmare.  If I look at it as providing clean, fresh smelling clothes for my family, so they can look and feel their best, then I am going to feel better about it.  Having a PMA every day about whatever it is you may be doing will help you create success.  If you feel positively about getting the dishes and laundry done, you are more likely to get them done.  If you are dreading doing the dishes and laundry, you are going to find ways to avoid them and feel grouchy about doing them.  So, turn on your favorite Pandora station and get those chores done! Also, in general, having a PMA on a daily basis about your life will cause others around you to be happy and positive as well.  You know the saying, "If Momma ain't happy, then nobody's happy."  I am the first to admit that when I am in a grouchy mood, it radiates throughout the house.  I really am going to be working on my PMA in the next few weeks.

None of these above items are new ideas or shocking to the average person. But, for me, it just took the right moment, the right person, and the right attitude for me to listen and take these ideas to heart.  They were AHA moments for me, and maybe they will be for you too. 

If you are interested in learning more about any of these topics you should definitely check out Lisa Byrne at http://www.wellgroundedsite.com/ or any of Napoleon Hill's books.  May you have a positively successful day!