Mississippi Mud Roast

First, let me apologize for my absence however; I have been severely under the weather.  But, thankfully I am doing much better.
Let me introduce you to one of my favorite recipes:  Mississippi Mud Roast

Put chuck roast in crock pot, sprinkle with Hidden Valley ranch dressing, ass McCormick Au Jus Mix, a stick of butter and 5 pepperoncini peppers. DO NOT ADD WATER. Cook on low for 7-8 hours.   We serve ours with mashed potatoes and the left overs make a great sandwich. Enjoy!

Let's Revive: Sunday Dinner

One of my favorite childhood family traditions growing up was Sunday Dinner.  I loved having all of my family gathered around the table and sharing a home cooked meal. What meant the most to me were the stories shared, the laughs, and the memories created. Since I enjoy meal planning and love to cook we are restoring a valued family tradition of Sunday family dinners.  We always ask two questions: "What was the best part of your day?" and "What was the hardest part of your day?" We avoid the word worst because it infers defeat and our main goal here is to get our children talking.  


Some of you call it Sunday supper, some dinner, but whichever you call it, it was considered the main meal of the day on Sunday, most often served earlier than the usual weeknight dinner, usually between 1 and 3 in the afternoon. 

Even in the south though, it appears that Sunday dinner has taken the back seat to the busyness of life, but I am praying for a revival.  Even in the age of modern technology, we all need to unplug and reconnect with other human beings, face to face.... not on Facebook, email or texting but real live conversation.  We recently went out to dinner and I was astonished at the number of people whose phones were right under their nose, so that they could read and respond to every text or Facebook post.
Seriously why are these parents not engaging in conversations with their children? More importantly, what are they teaching their children?  If you can't be away from technology long enough to sit down and enjoy each other's company and your meal, then, well you might just be addicted. So my challenge to each of you is to put all technology away for an hour or so, and enjoy each other's company.  Let's revive not only Sunday dinners but our families as well.

What are some of your favorite memories of your family Sunday dinners? Do you have a favorite Sunday dinner meal?

Servant of Peace

As we made our decision to homeschool I discovered very quickly that our home left something to be desired in the areas of being peaceful and comfortable. So, I begin to pray. My first inclination was to pray that the Lord would change my children into children who loved each other and change my husband into a "more godly" man who will listen to my way of doing things more readily. I also thought about praying for a house since we had made the decision to homeschool now and be at home all day....

{Since that time I learned that God has supplied all my needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. What I have is what I need at this time. Philippians 4:19 It's all in how you look at your "needs" and your "wants" }

I was impressed to pray instead for God to change me.  So I prayed that He would change me into the wife my husband needed, that He would change me into the mother who could model good and kind behavior for her children and discipline them in love. I prayed most earnestly for a peaceful, holy, happy home.  And something began to happen right away. It's not the peace of the soul that I am speaking of here, but the peace of order, quiet, congeniality and kindness.  These traits in the members of a family can encourage the peace of our souls which only Christ can bring. 
Here are a few ways to create the servant of peace in your home:  

I personally cannot pursue a wise management of my home apart from my relationship with the Lord.  I need to cry out to Him daily for the ability to faithfully complete the task He has called me to do.  Even if I can just take a few moments to pray, pick a verse to meditate on throughout the day, I am strengthened to complete my homemaking responsibilities with a joyful countenance. May the Joy of the Lord be your strength. Nehemiah 8:9-12  Starting each day with prayer, asking the Lord to give you a peaceful spirit and servant’s heart will go a long way in promoting peace in your home.
Keeping a clean home is one of the ways that I am creating a peaceful atmosphere in my home.  Decreasing my stress level in this manner allows me to have a better attitude, which in turns allows others in my home to be more content as well.  I am currently participating in the 31 Day Purge at A Bowl Full of Lemon's Blog  which is greatly assisting me in no longer organizing clutter but instead actually purging it.  I am sure you are wondering how I plan to maintain the cleaning part of a peaceful home. I am currently a Flybaby with Flylady.net because it has greatly assisted me in developing a consistent routine to maintain my home on a daily basis.

Next, seriously consider clearing your calendar. Most of us are way too busy and having a overly-hectic schedule does nothing but adds stress to everyone in the family.   We have to learn to prioritize our time, balance our priorities and cut out things that are non essential to making our home peaceful. Whether it’s meal planning or choosing what to wear the next day, planning ahead and preparing for the future will assist you in avoiding feeling frazzled and keep you from making last minute decisions. Not only will this benefit you, but your entire household.

Finally establish house rules and keep them out in the open so that your entire family can refer to them to assist in promoting peace.   As our homes become a place of tranquility and rest, they will naturally become a haven to those who are weary and overwhelmed.  May we strive to allow the Peace Giver to rule, rest and abide in our homes each and every day.

Are you being a servant of peace in your home?  How can you promote peace in you home? 

A Servant's Heart

Homemaking consists of more than having a clean home.   It is my desire to create a home that is a haven for my family and friends.  Dictionary.com defines a haven as a “place of shelter or safety” and a refuge. In my life's journey of becoming a successful homemaker, I have realized that there must be a change of heart before there can be a adjustment in our actions. 

This will be the beginning of a series and despite the fact that many often wrestle with cultivating a servant's heart when it comes to their home and family.  I believe the Lord is teaching me how to go beyond the call of duty as a wife and mother. Which means that I am doing those little things for my family that I know will be a blessing to them because I love them and they are worthy of my love and attention.  Wouldn't you go beyond your way for the Lord Himself? Why not for your own family?

I am currently studying the book of Proverbs focusing on Proverbs 31 as my prayer is that God would allow my husband and children to arise up, and call me blessed. I struggle as a wife, mother and homemaker not to eat the bread of idleness; however, I believe that God will bless me to look well to the ways of my household.

As homemakers, it is our privilege to be the thermostat, so to speak, for our homes. The condition of our hearts and souls determines—or at the very least, influences—the temperature of our home. If we are overwhelmed or have a negative attitude toward our role, then we will struggle in this area.

We must realize that we can worship the Lord through our housework, and recognize our high calling as homemakers, while acknowledging the fact that having a servant’s heart is a command in Scripture.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”  -Philippians 2:5-8

As Christian homemakers and godly women the ultimate example of humility from the life (and death) of our Savior should be reflected in our hearts. 

Yes, it is easy to say that we desire to have a servant's heart but putting it into practice proves to be challenging.  Unfortunately, pride and selfish tend to make having a humble heart difficult.  Society says that being a servant in any capacity is "beneath" us - caring for our loved one is not important! Society has their own servants - they pay others to do this work for them. But little do they know they are missing out on the greatest gift of all: truly loving others through our actions! 

Here are the three simple things that will assist you in cultivating a servant's heart: 

• Search Your Heart ~ On a daily basis do a quick heart check.  Make a mental note of your attitude toward your responsibilities and determine if they are pure and pleasing to God.  Keep in mind that having the wrong motives or spirit despite doing the right thing is still sinful.
• Seek the Word Search Your Heart~ Meditating on the Word of God by reading the Scriptures and memorizing Bible verses will help you re-direct your thoughts and keep your attitude in check. Eventually this will become a habit and will help you avoid having a disgruntled heart toward housekeeping and your family.
• Say a Prayer ~ Ask God to give you a heart for your home. Plead for a humble heart and the willingness to put the needs of others (specifically your family) ahead of your own. Draw on the strength that only comes from a relationship with the All-Sufficient One. He is the only one that can change your heart and give you the desire to serve.
  
  
  My prayer is that today we spend some time with you Lord and get rejuvenated so that we are fueled up to serve our families with a sweet spirit and a giving heart. May we be motivated to humble ourselves before the Lord, asking Him to give us a willing spirit to serve. We will truly be able to make our home a haven when our hearts are overflowing with humility. 

  So, how do YOU cultivate a heart for your home?