31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 26-27

Day 26

Pray that your husband will discover and live his God-given purpose. Pray that he will offer all his dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those goals that will bring God glory and count for eternity. (Jeremiah 29:11; 1 Corinthians 10:31)

Jeremiah 29:11 (New King James Version)
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (New King James Version)
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Day 27

Pray that your husband will understand the importance of taking care of his body—the temple of the Holy Spirit—for the glory of God. Pray that he will practice self-control by making wise food choices, and get sufficient exercise to stay healthy. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 9:27)

Romans 12:1-2 (New King James Version)

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (New King James Version)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.

1 Corinthians 9:27 (New King James Version)
But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Camera Fun

Sandra over at Diary of a SAHM is learning about all of the features of her new camera. I thought it would be fun to do it along with her.

This is our camera we purchased a little over a year ago. I really love this camera. The more I learn about it and its features the better pictures we have. Also, since I love to scrapbook it saves me time when the pictures do not need to be cut.

Today we are talking and using the ISO feature on your camera. The camera we have is a Kodak ZD710 Easyshare. It took me some time to find how to change this setting on the camera. On our camera there is a setting on the mode dial in the back called PASM, it stands for Program, Aperture, Shutter Priority, Manual. Today we are just going to consentrate just on the ISO setting.

Under the manual feature you have much more control over how your pictures will look. Don't be afraid to play around, almost every camera has a reset button on it. You can always go back to the manufacturer settings if you want. But i'm sure that once you see how better your pictures will be you will not want to. But make sure you write down, if you are like me and forget how you got there, the steps.

Turn the Mode dial to PASM.
Press to choose P, A, S, or M.
Press to move between settings, open a setting, or change a setting.
Take a picture with different ISO settings.



ISO speed - control sensitivity to light. If you can't use a flash, increase the ISO. 3200 available only at 1.2, 2.1, and 2.2 MP. Higher ISO can produce unwanted "noise."



To do this I decided to "shoot" our cat. Don't worry no cats were injured in this shoot!! LOL! This picture is taken with the ISO set to 1600, depending on the setting with our camera the ISO will go up to 3200 depending on the megapixils chosen. Notice how bright it is, it is really hard to see the cat's face and it is very grainy.


This picture is taken with the ISO set at 100 see how much better it is. You can see his face, very clear.

Sometimes when you are taking pictures in different situations you will need a higher ISO. For example when you are in church, or in a museum where you can not use a flash you will need to increase your ISO. Play around with your own camera. Get to know all that it has to offer you. You will be glad you did.

Next week we are going to talk about shutter speeds. So grab your camera and start shooting!!

Love Dare Days 7-12

Day 7-Love believes the best

1 Corinthians 13:7- "Love believes all things, hopes all things."

Today the chapter talked about different "rooms" in your heart, appreciation room and depreciation room. In the appreciation room there are all kinds of good things about your spouse. Things like they are honest, smart, great provider, handsome/beautiful and the list goes on and on. Before we were married we used to spend many hours in this room. I use to spend hours in the bathroom getting ready to see him. I would go to bed at 1am and get right back up at 7am to talk to him again. Now if anyone knows me they know that I am not a morning person anymore. I often ask myself what happened? I believe that now we are married the "chase" is over and I have let myself go.

The other room is the depreciation room, unfortunately this is visited as well. Here things are that bother or irritate you about your spouse, frustration, hurt feelings, unmet expectations, bad habits. Spending time here kills marriages. Even if you tell yourself "these things are true", remember we are all sinners. Do not let yourself stay in this room, it will not help you or your marriage. It takes a while to stop going into depreciation, it becomes a habit. As everyone knows it is very difficult to break a habit.

The dare for today was to make a list of positive things and negative things about each other. I must say it was much easier to come up with positive things about him. One of the questions we had to answer was "What attribute did you thank your spouse for having?" I was so thankful he was a hard worker and strong in his faith. At work he battles everyday with people who like to give him a hard time just for being a Christian.

Day 8-Love is not jealous

Song of Solomon 8:6 "Love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire."

This one speaks for itself. I struggled with this one a lot when we first started dating. I didn't get it under control until we accepted Christ as our Savior. Oh don't get me wrong I still get those thoughts of who was that woman he was talking to?? But I pray for a clear mind about this. Besides being jealous of my Husband for any reason is just me being selfish!! There is no room for selfishness in love.

Our dare for today was for us to become our spouse's biggest fan and reject any thoughts of jealousy. Share with him how glad I am for his success he has enjoyed. We then had to destroy the list we made yesterday of the negative. This has been such a wonderful journey for us. We are more aware of how we talk to one another, act around each other. We have always been affectionate towards each other in public. So much to the fact of making family members sick...LOL! Our children are always rolling their eyes at us. I remember being embarrassed of my parents holding hands in public, but now I see that you can not stop doing this with one another. When is the last time you held your spouse's hand?

Day 9-Love makes good impressions

1 Peter 5:14 "Greet one another with a kiss of love"

This chapter talked about the way we greet each other. I had gotten into the habit of just sitting on the couch and saying "hi" when he came home. Yes I am recovering from back surgery but if I can get up through out the day to do different things I can most certainly get up and greet him with a smile. I also began thinking of how I've let my appearance go. I was always in sweats and tshirts/sweatshirts, hair in a pony tail. So I went and got my hair cut short and treated myself to getting my ears pierced. I feel so good and now I can't wait for hubby to come home from work. We tend, especially SAHM's, to let ourselves go from time to time because...we have no one to impress. I told myself..."WAKE up yes you do!" I am so excited to see him when he comes home that I can tell it has an affect on him also, greeting him with a smile and a kiss when he comes in the door. The chapter ended with this, "Remember, love is a choice. So choose to change your greeting. Choose to love."

The dare today was to think of a specific way we'd like to greet our spouse. Mine was to be there when he came home. If I'm in the kitchen then I make it a point to walk to him and greet him with love and tenderness, show him how happy I am that he is home.

Day 10- Love is unconditional

Romans 5:8 "God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

This chapter had us really thinking about unconditional love. We started by asking ourselves the question "Why do you love your wife/husband?" The normal answers are beauty, sense of humor, kindness and inner strength. Maybe it's the cooking, decorating, being a good Mom/Father. Now what if all of that stopped? Would you still love them? The only way love can last is if it is unconditional. So many times couples "fall out of love" with each other. You must ask yourself, did you have unconditional love? The Bible calls this agape (pronounced uh-GOP-ay) love. This love will not be swayed by time or circumstance. Ever wonder why our great-grandparents, grandparents and even our parents did it? It's because they have the unconditional love, at least most. If you do not let God grow this love inside you, you will struggle to reach this kind of love. It will take some work, there will be ups and downs but the end result will be wonderful!

The dare for today was to do something out of the ordinary for our spouse. Since I had gotten out of the habit of making his lunch I did that for him today. Instead of expecting something in return for doing something just do it because you love him/her.

Day 11-Love Cherishes

Ephesians 5:28 "Husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies."

This chapter talked about a man and a woman becoming one. When one goes through something the other does as well. Over time disappointments, and the fact that you are both imperfect sets in. Starts eating away at you. You start mistreating each other, snapping at each other then not talking at all. This pretty much speaks for itself. Just remember to work on how you treat one another. This chapter has helped me out a lot. Too many times I snap because of something he said, like You didn't tell me this. Although I knew I had....I am working on just repeating it instead of snapping at him.

The dare for today was to meet a need that our spouse had today. I found that my hubby needed to hear how much I appreciated what he does for us everyday. Also like yesterday, I greet him with a smile at the door when he comes home.

Day-12 Love lets the other win

Philippians 2:4 "Do not merely look out for your own personal interests but also for the interests of others."

We had a lot of fun with this chapter because we rarely argue. While we were reading this I kept saying, "I already do that". If we do have a disagreement we do not yell at one another. I get real quiet and he...ready for this....cleans the house. How can I loose??? LOL! All joking aside, I do not like it when we disagree on anything. I know many couples who fight, not just argue, all the time. Some even let it go on for days without speaking to each other. I can not and will not let us get to that point. We give it a cooling off point and then come back to it before bed. Do we always see eye to eye? Not at all. But we learn from each other during those disagreements.

The dare today was to choose an area to give into. Tell them you are putting their preference first. I'm not sure of this yet, but I know there will come a time for me to give in. So I'm placing it in the "bank" for now.

This has been more of a personal journal for me during our Love Dare. But if you are reading this please leave me a comment and let me know. Also my Husband over at The Guys Side is also keeping the journal on Fridays. He posts them on Friday night or Saturday so go on over and read them and leave him a comment.

31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 24-25

Day 24

Pray that your husband will have a balanced life—that he will balance work and play. Pray that he will fear God, but also gain favor with people he knows at work and church. (Luke 2:52; Prov. 13:15)

Luke 2:52 (New King James Version)
And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Proverbs 13:15 (New King James Version)
Good understanding gains favor, But the way of the unfaithful is hard.

Day 25

Pray that your husband will be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, and that he will stand for the truth. Pray that he will protect you and your family from Satan’s attacks. (Ps. 31:24; Eph. 6:13; Ps. 27:14)

Psalm 31:24 (New King James Version)
Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart, All you who hope in the LORD.

Ephesians 6:13 (New King James Version)
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Psalm 27:14 (New King James Version)
Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!

Slow Cooking Thursday

This is a good recipe to use when you have a lot of left overs. The recipe calls for canned veggies but I use frozen veggies that are thawed slightly. I also mix some of the cheese into the potatoes before placing in the crock pot.

Shepherd's Pie

1 pound ground beef/turkey browned and drained
1 can Tomato soup, condensed
1 can corn, drained
1 can green beans, drained
2 cups mashed potatoes
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1/2 dried basil

In separate bowl, combine all ingredients except potatoes. Pour into greased slow cooker. Spread mashed potatoes on top. Cover and cook on low heat 5-6 hours. Last hour of cooking sprinkle cheese on top.

For other slow cooking recipes visit Diary of a SAHM.

Pork chops with Gravy

I made this last night and the pork chops were so tender and juicy! When ever I make pork chops they are always dry. So I did them this way....

Season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Place them in a cast iron skillet seasoned side down and sear on each side until slightely golden brown.

Remove pork chops from the skillet and add 1 can of cream of mushroom soup and 1/2 cup of milk. Wisk together until well blended.

Place the pork chops back in the pan, cover and bake at 200 degrees for 1-2 hours, or until done. These were so tender and juicy. I will definatly make them this way from now on. Usually my pork chops turn out so dry.

Enjoy! Serve with mashed potatoes and a salad or green beans. I love my cast iron pan. I will be using it much more than I have.

31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 23

Day 23
Pray that your husband will be a good father—disciplining his children wisely and loving them
unconditionally. If he is not a father, pray that he will find a young man to mentor in the things
of the Lord. (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; 2 Tim. 2:1-2)

Ephesians 6:4 (New King James Version)
And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.

Colossians 3:21 (New King James Version)
Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

2 Timothy 2:1-2 (New King James Version)
You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Gratituesday

Share what you’re grateful for this Gratituesday! Read the details over at the Heavenly Homemaker's blog.

I am grateful for our ladies bible study at church. It is great to get together with Christian women who share in the desire to learn about what God's word says to us about various topics. No one there puts up a "front" that says they do not need to share anything. We are very open and honest with one another. The best part is I know that no one will share with anyone outside of the Bible study what we shared. Last night our topic was anger and how God views it. I know everyone from time to time struggles with anger.

Matthew 5:21-22
“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.

Yikes! So according to this passage God views our anger like murder.

Galatians 5:17-21
For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

According to this passage God views anger as "works of the flesh". I am grateful for this study to help me grow and get rid of the things in my life I consider "small sins". But I've come to realize that no sin is small in God's eyes!!

Bagel Bread

I always do bread this way. I have never had luck making bread without my breadmaker. I have not baked the bread in the bread maker for sometime because the bread comes out very small.

This is my breadmaker, a Sunbeam, which I have found has been discontinued. :-( I really like this model. I had another one which I did not care for. This one even has a setting to make jam in, I have yet to use this, but I'm thinking about trying it.

This recipe could easily be adapted for those who choose to make it the "old fashioned way".

Gather your ingredients. Flour, salt, sugar, egg, milk and yeast.

Place in the breadmaker pan according to manufacter instructions. For those of you that do not have a bread maker, some manufacters instruct you to place the liquids first (which is what mine says) and some tell you to place dry. Press the dough cycle and start.

When the dough cycle is over take the dough out of the pan. Sorry I didn't get a picture of this step, by the time I remembered my hands were all messy. Place the dough in a greased bread pan and let it rise until doubled in size.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Here is what you end with. Surprisingly it does taste somewhat like a bagel. Next time I'm going to play around with the recipe and make cinnamon raisin.

Bagel Bread

1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup water
1 egg
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select dough setting and press start.

After the cycle ends remove from the pan and place in a bread pan. Let it rise until doubled in size, then bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 mins depending on your oven.

31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 22

Day 22

Pray that your husband will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others. Pray that he will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

Eph. 4:32 (King James Version)
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Heb. 12:15 (King James Version)
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Happy Homemaker Monday

On my bedside table: Bible and the Love Dare. I have not started anything new yet.

On my TV: Gettysburg, Hubby and I started this yesterday.

On the menu for tonight: Pork chops, scalloped potatoes, green beans

On my To Do List: make more bread, baking for the week, get ready for the new furniture to arrive this week!!!

New Recipe I tried last week: bagel bread, I will be posting the recipe tomorrow.

In the craft basket: I am finishing up the afghan for Andrew. Then will be starting some squares for an afghan for Katie and Hannah.

Looking forward to: spring!! I'm wishing it were in the 70's here!!

Homemaking Tip for this week: When you have a lot to do make a list. Especially if you are like me and tend to forget things. Not only will it save you time but also money.

Favorite Blog Post of the week (mine or other): Not only is A Magnolia's Heart Beats my favorite of the week, I love to read her posts everyday. She has such a wonderful way to explain things. I also love the word studies she does.

Favorite photo from last week: Andrew and my Husband made me a planter box last weekend while the girls and I went to a jewelry party. Notice the little tool belt?? Too cute. Andrew said, "I did ALL the work while father stood there and watched me!" LOL

Lesson learned the past few days: That no matter how good our marriage is, there is always room for it to get better. Going through the Love Dare with my Husband has been such a rewarding experience so far. We are more aware of how we treat and talk to one another.

On my Prayer List: My Husband, Naomi (her sister goes to our church) who was in a terrible car accident. She has a severe head injury and many broken bones.

Devotionals, Scripture Reading, Key Verses: Jeremiah 29:11 (New King James Version)
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

To join in on Happy Homemaker Monday go on over to Sandra's blog Diary of a SAHM to read more about it.

Time for a change....

Now that I am almost fully recovered from back surgery I thought it was time for a change. I have not had a hair cut in almost 2 years. Well today I went and had it cut! I wasn't going to get much cut off but I saw a sign about Locks of Love hair donation for children's wigs that are battling cancer or other medical issues. Since my cousin has a disease where all her hair fell out and she received her wig from locks of love it is close to my heart. So I said Ok cut it short! The kids were funny because I think they thought I was going to cry. But I am defiantly a short hair person! Below is the before picture.....

Here is the after pictures. What do you think? I don't care for the way she styled it but I like the cut!
Oh yes and I also got my ears pierced again. Again I think the kids were waiting for me to cry or something...LOL! It had been years since I've worn earrings. Sorry about the glare on my glasses.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 22

Day 22

Pray that your husband will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others. Pray that he will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

Eph. 4:32 (King James Version)
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Heb. 12:15 (King James Version)
Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 21

Day 21
Pray that your husband will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in his greatest times of stress,
find joy and peace in his relationship with God. Pray that he will submit his schedule to the Lord.
(Neh. 8:10; Prov. 17:22; Ps. 16:11)

Nehemiah 8:10 (NKJV)
Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

Proverbs 17:22 (NKJV)
A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

Psalm 16:11 (NKJV)
You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 20

Day 20

Pray that your husband will yield his mind and thoughts to the Lord. Pray that he will not entertain immoral or impure thoughts, and that he will resist the temptation to indulge in pornography. (Prov. 27:12; 2 Cor. 10:5)

Proverbs 27:12 (King James Version)
A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished.

2 Cor. 10:5 (King James Version)
Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 19

Day 19
Pray that your husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger,
but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses. (Rom. 14:19; Ps. 34:14)

Romans 14:19 (NKJV)
Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.

Psalm 34:14 (NKJV)
Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

I missed this yesterday so I'm posting both of them today. To see all of them go to Sandra's blog at Diary of a SAHM.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 19

Day 19
Pray that your husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger, but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses. (Rom. 14:19; Ps. 34:14)

Romans 14:19 (King James Version)
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.

Psalm 34:14 (King James Version)
Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it.

To see all of the past days of prayer for our husbands go on over to Diary of a SAHM.

The Love Dare Day 1-6

Each Friday I am going to post about our journey through the "Love Dare" book. Hopefully I will be able to get my Husband to share on his blog, The Guys Side, about his point of view during this wonderful journey we are on.

Day 1 Love is Patient

Ephesians 4:2

with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,

Our dare was to not say anything negative to each other. For me it wasn't really a hard one. We learned very early on in our relationship we needed to communicate with each other, good or bad but in a very loving way. Now remember, we were unsaved until 2 months before our wedding in November 2005, but we still had a huge amount of respect for each other. I have learned to hold my tongue when I feel the urge to spout off in anger. My Husband may tell you differently....LOL! But I think I do a good job.

Day 2 Love is Kind

Ephesians 4:32

And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Our dare today was to do at least one unexpected gesture as an act of kindness. We decided that because the next day we were going to look at furniture that was a great act...LOL! The best thing about doing this together as a couple is we are more aware of each other. There is a part in the book that asks you about what drew you to each other. We kind of chuckled because we reconnected again online through one of those dating websites. I did it as a "dare" from my sister who had me her husband on it. When my husband responded to it he said in it he didn't like really anything that I did! LOL!! I liked to go out, he liked to stay home. I liked to camp, he did not...LOL! Get the picture. The point of this is do not wait for your spouse to be kind first. You both will reap the benefits.

Day 3 Love is not selfish

Romans 12:10

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

Our dare today was to do something that says we were thinking of them today. I decided I wanted to do this a bit later because he would be expecting it the next day! See there is a method to my madness. Besides, we had just bought new furniture this day and if anyone has bought new recently you know none of it is cheap! But it is something we both agreed will help us make our home a haven for all of us, a source of pride.

Day 4 Love is thoughtful

Psalm 139:17-18
How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

Since we talk on the phone everyday during his breaks at work again this was something we did on a regular basis. But we are more aware of it. We make it a point to actually have a conversation, not just how are you...good....U? In the book it tells you to start preparing for the next event in your life. Which will be our birthdays, they are 1 week apart. I am going to plan something special for him. Obviously I can not discuss the details before hand, because he reads this everyday!

Day 5 Love is not rude

Proverbs 27:14
He who blesses his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, It will be counted a curse to him.

Our dare today was a bit more difficult. We had to name 3 things that irritated us with each other, but we were not to get angry about it with each other. When we read this we first just looked at each other...LOL! He said, "Ok, you first". GULP!! Ok one that comes to my mind is the way the towel is hung up in the bathroom. Ok now his turn, at first he said oh nothing really comes to mind. Then after some thought he mentioned the fact that I do not put things away, especially on the computer desk, which led to a discussion on that topic. But it was nice to be able to discuss these things and not get angry over them.

Day 6 Love is not Irritable

Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

The dare today is kind of a self examination. We were asked to make a list of any area where we need to add margin to our schedule. Then list any wrong motivations that we need to release from our life. In the reading before the dare it talked about selfishness. One area that stuck out to me was "Life is a marathon, not a sprint". Every day we run around in a whirl wind trying to get everything done. By the end of the day we are so tired that we do not have the energy for spending time together. Before this dare started I use to get irritated with my husband for falling asleep while we were talking. My husband always said, I fall asleep because I'm so relaxed when I'm with you after a day of dealing with people at work. I didn't buy it until reading this chapter, "A loving wife is not overly sensitive or cranky but exercises emotional self-control." Ouch!! I was not being a loving wife to him in this area, I wanted his FULL attention.

So I hope you will be back next Friday when I talk more about our Love Dare journey. We are really enjoying doing this.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 18

Day 18

Pray that your husband will have an eternal perspective—living in light of eternity. Pray that he will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in his life. (Matt. 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12)

Matt. 6:33 (King James Version)
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Deuteronomy 6:5 (King James Version)
And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.

Ephesians 5:16 (King James Version)
Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Ps. 90:12 (King James Version)
So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

To see more about this wonderful thing we as wives can do for our Husbands go on over to Diary of a SAHM.

Slow Cooking Thursday

To see other recipes from Slow Cooking Thursday visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM. This recipe is a great alternative to the canned soup, kids love it!



Alphabet Soup


1 lb. ground beef or turkey, browned and drained
1 can (14 1/2 ounce)tomatoes (which ever type your family likes)
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 bag of frozen mixed vegetables, partially thawed
1 cup uncooked alphabet pasta

Combine meat, tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and soup mix in greased 3 1/2 to 5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook 6-8 hours on low heat. A half hour before serving, stir in vegetables and alphabet pasta. Cover and cook 30 mins. on high heat. Add more water if it gets too dry or thick.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 17

Day 17

Pray that your husband will enjoy his manliness as he patterns his life after Christ and strong men in the faith. Pray for his physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual strength. (Eph. 3:16; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Cor. 10:11)

Ephesians 3:16 (King James Version)
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

1 Peter 2:21 (King James Version)
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:

1 Corinthians 10:11 (King James Version)
Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

To see these all visit Diary of a SAHM.

Word Filled Wednesday

To see other Word Filled Wednesday posts visit the 160 Acre Woods.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

My computer was acting very strange this morning so I wasn't able to put the verse on the picture. But you get the just of it. Make sure that nothing comes between you and the Lord's light!!

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 16

Day 16

Pray that your husband will choose healthy, God-honoring activities. Pray that he will not live in bondage to any questionable habits or hobbies, but that he will experience freedom in holiness as he yields to the Spirit’s control. (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:31; 2 Tim. 2:4)

1 Corinthians 6:12 (New International Version)

"Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything.

1 Corinthians 10:31 (New International Version)
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

2 Timothy 2:4 (New International Version)
No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer.

To read more about praying for our Husband's go on over to Sandra's blog, Diary of a SAHM.

Gratituesday

To join us in Gratituesday go on over to Heavenly Homemakers.

We really should be thanking God each and everyday. But particularly this week I am thankful for the people God places in our lives. I wrote about it yesterday regarding my Husband and his work mates. But I was thinking last night about how many people place in our paths on a daily basis. Not only people we know but those we do not know. While out shopping yesterday we encountered many people, sales people, just people around us. God may place these people to uplift ourselves, or better yet uplift another person.

There was one woman at the bookstore yesterday who began asking us questions about homeschooling...next to God and my family it is my favorite thing to talk about. I wonder how she knew we homeschooled? Oh yeah....the books we bought were curriculum books! She wanted to know our experience with it. Well we began talking and probably would of still been there talking now if the line hadn't formed behind us. Ever felt that impatient stare on the back of your neck??? LOL!

At the furniture store the sales man said our children were so well behaved. I turned around and looked at the children standing next to me...yep they are our children...LOL! I thought you should of seen them an hour ago in the car.

At supper, in the mall food court, our children were saying please and thank you, and sitting nicely in their chairs. There were children running all over and screaming bumping into people eating their supper, while the parents/adults just sat there. There were a couple of women sitting at the table next to us and commented to each other how well behaved the children were. It really does my heart well when people notice this. Let me tell you it is SO different once we get in the car!

Have a wonderful Gratituesday!

Busy few days....

This is the first time I've been able to sit down at the computer since for a period of time since Friday. I pray that everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. Our day started out with us surprising my Husband with lunch at work. The kids love doing that!! Then the children went to their Dad's house for the weekend and my Husband and I had the whole weekend to ourselves!

For a gift for my Husband for Valentine's Day I purchased the Fireproof movie and the Love Dare book to go along with it. I must say I loved the movie!! Although we have a really strong marriage the movie gave us many things to think about and correct. We are going through the Love Dare to also strengthen our marriage. We made dinner here of steak on the grill. We spent the whole night talking about the movie and the Love Dare, along with many hours of prayer. It was the best Valentine's Day ever!!

Today at work 2 men approached my Husband asking him questions on different occasions. First it just started out as simple conversations, but eventually led to the "root" of what they wanted to know. One man is saved and the other is not. My Husband told the man who was saved about the movie we saw and they began talking about marriage toward the end of the conversation. We have bought the "Love Dare" book for this man and his wife to use. The other man who is not saved shared with my Husband about the troubles he has been having in his marriage. (If anyone has seen the movie Fireproof it was a lot like when Caleb was first talking to his father.) My Husband talked with him for quite a while, I'm not sure of the outcome. He has been trying to plant a seed in this young man for quite some time. I'm praying that since he talked with my Husband today it is a step in the right direction.

Today also I was on the computer but not for blogging. The Federal Government is requiring all our ambulance members to take a FEMA course. I thought ok I have a few spare moments I'll get it done now. That was at 8:30 this morning....I didn't finish the 2nd course until 2:30! I still have one more to go. Then by some technical difficulties with the computer my test was never submitted and I have to retake the WHOLE 2nd course. GRRRR!! It takes 3 hours for each module! I was ready to call it quits. But if everyone in our ambulance squad does not complete all three modules we will not be eligible for federal funding that we need to update our base. Since I am not a quitter I will be dragging myself out of bed around 6 am to finish this up.

Then the GREAT news of the day was we went to Value City Furniture to look at living room sets....WE FOUND ONE!! Yeah....I'm so excited to get the new furniture next week.

The couch and love seat.

My Husband's throne!

The chair looks really dark in this picture, it is more like the color of the couch and love seat in the top picture.

Also, my Wonderful, Darling, Handsome did I say Wonderful Husband...LOL..also said we can get a new stove!! WOOOHOOO!! The stove we have works good but it is pretty old. So this is what we are getting.


So that was our last few days in a nutshell. How did everyone else spend their weekends?

The first 2 days of the Love Dare went really well. I will blog more about the upcoming days in the future.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 15

Day 15

Pray that your husband will choose his friends wisely. Pray that God will bring him men who will encourage his accountability before God, and will not lead him into sin. (Prov. 13:20; Prov. 27:17)

Proverbs 13:20 (New International Version)
He who walks with the wise grows wise,but a companion of fools suffers harm.


Proverbs 27:17 (New International Version)
As iron sharpens iron,so one man sharpens another.

To read more about this go on over to Sandra's blog at Diary of a SAHM.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 14

Day 14

Pray that your husband will speak words that build you and your family, and reflect a heart of love. Pray that he will not use filthy language. (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29)

Proverbs 18-21 (New International Version)
The tongue has the power of life and death,and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Ephesians 4:29 (New International Version)
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

31 Days of Prayer for my Husband Day 13

Day 13

Pray that your husband use practical skills to build your family and make wise decisions for your welfare. Pray that he will serve unselfishly. (Gal. 5:13; Phil. 2:3-4)

Galatians 5:13 (New International Version)
You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature rather, serve one another in love.

Philippians 2:3-4 (New International Version)
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.

For those who are starting late, or who may want to keep track of the prayers we've done so far, Sandra at Diary of a SAHM is going to start adding them to the end of each post and at the end of the 31 days, she will give you the link to where you can download the WHOLE 31 days of prayer. This has been such a blessing to me during this. My Husband works so hard for us, this is one thing I can do to show him how much he is loved.

31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 12

Day 12

Pray that your husband will yield his sexual drive to the Lord and practice self control. Pray that your sexual intimacy together will be fresh, positive, and a reflection of selfless love. (Prov. 5:15, 18; 1 Cor. 7:3; Song of Solomon 7:10)

Proverbs 5:15, 18 (NKJV)
Drink water from your own cistern,

And running water from your own well.

Let your fountain be blessed,

And rejoice with the wife of your youth.

1 Corinthians 7:3 (NKJV)
Let the husband render to his wife the affection due her,

and likewise also the wife to her husband.

Song of Solomon 7:10 (NKJV)
The wine goes down smoothly for my beloved,

Moving gently the lips of sleepers.

I am my beloved’s,

And his desire is toward me.

Visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM for all of the prayers and verses we have done so far. These verses are so fitting for Valentine's Day. Not only does my Husband feel better knowing that I am praying for him each morning, we feel so much closer because of it.

Slow Cooking Thursday

We have been trying to go meatless at least once during the week to help cut down on our grocery bill. With the cheese added in you really do not miss the meat. To see other Slow Cooking Thursday recipes visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.

Vegetable Cheese Soup

1 can cream corn
3-4 red potatoes, quartered
1/2 cup shredded carrots
1/2 chopped onion or 1/4 cup dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cans vegetable broth
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Combine all ingredients except cheese in greased 3 1/2 - 5 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on high heat 4-5 hours or on low 6-8 hours. Just before serving, stir in cheese until melted. Makes 4-6 servings.

To make it complete serve with a salad, green peas, onions (if your family likes raw ones) and crumbled bacon. A fresh loaf of bread or corn bread would round this out nicely.

31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 11

Day 11

Pray that your husband will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant’s heart before the Lord. Pray that he will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Prov. 15:33; Eph. 6:6)

Proverbs 15:33 (New International Version)
The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Ephesians 6:6 (New International Version)
Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

My Husband is out there everyday providing for his family, I feel it is my "duty" to pray for him each and every day. Go on over to Diary of a SAHM to join us on this journey of praying for our Husbands. She has posted all the previous prayers of the past 11 days.

31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 10

Day 10

Pray that your husband will cultivate strong integrity, and not compromise his convictions. Pray that his testimony will be genuine, that he will be honest in his business dealings, and will never do anything that he needs to hide from others. (Prov. 20:7; 1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)

Proverbs 20:7 (NKJV)

The righteous man walks in his integrity; His children are blessed after him.

1 Timothy 1:5 (NKJV)
Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

1 Timothy 3:7 (NKJV)
Moreover he must have a good testimony among those who are outside, lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.

Ephesians 6:10-12 (NKJV)
The Armor of God

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Stop by and visit our hostess Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.

My Husband has joined the blogging age! Stop by and visit him at The Guys Side blog.

Gratituesday

I am so grateful for God's safety for my family members each and everyday. I pray for each of them every morning. Then praise him every night when everyone is safe. In my previous post you can read at the bottom about how God protected my Husband yesterday at work. This is the third time he has kept him from great injury at work. A few months ago he took a big fall down a flight of metal stairs. The only injury he received was a lot of bruises and a cut on his arm. It could of been a lot worse since the stairs were about 10 or more feet in the air. God has his protection around him, for that I am grateful.

Not only am I grateful today, but each and everyday that my family and I are here on this earth together. I am grateful that I will once again see those family members who have accepted Christ as their Savior.

It has been a long time since I've joined in on Gratituesday. To see other posts please stop by the Heavenly Homemakers blog to see the list. Better yet, join in. We all have many things to be grateful for!!

31 Days of prayer for my Husband Day 9

Day 9

Pray that your husband handle finances wisely, will have discernment concerning budgeting and investments, and will be a good steward of his money in regard to giving to the Lord’s work. Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family. (Prov. 23:4-5; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:5)

Proverbs 23:4-5
Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Romans 12:13 (New International Version)
Share with God's people who are in need. Practice hospitality.

Hebrews 13:5 (New International Version)
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said,"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Stop by and visit Sandra at Diary of a SAHM.

*Side note: These prayers are a great way to start your day off. Yesterday at work the Lord protected him from a great injury. My Husband builds electrical bushings used in power stations they weigh about 150 to 200 pounds, they are made of porcelain. My Husband left his area to check on a part they needed. Just after he left this bushing fell out of its holder, if he were in his area at the time it would of hit him in the head. When he told me about this I was very emotional. I knew it was God who protected him.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today...

Outside my window... very mild temperatures. It will be in the mid 50's tomorrow. It may be close to 60 on Wednesday!!

I am thinking... about yesterday's messages at church.

From the learning rooms... getting ready for end of the year testing. We are starting our study of France today.

I am thankful for... for the mild temperatures. Although with the melting snow we now have a lot of mud!!

From the kitchen... a mess that needs to be cleaned up from the weekend. We will be making valentine's day cupcakes tomorrow.

I am wearing... sweats and a sweatshirt, slippers, hair down.

I am reading... through the Bible with my Husband.

I am hoping... for a great week of school.

I am creating... hearts for our valentine's garland. I should have it done today.

I am hearing... the children outside watching the tree people cut down the trees and chop them up.

Around the house... A LOT OF LAUNDRY!! We got our new dryer this weekend. I love it. Much better than the one we had.

One of my favorite things... the smell of spring in the air. Although we still have a lot of winter left around here.

A few plans for the rest of the week... Wednesday to the doctor for me. I might be able to shed this brace!! Wednesday night is our mid week service and kids club.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

To see other daybooks stop by the Simple Woman's Day Book blog.