So much color filled the areas in the Statehouse Convention Center this weekend in downtown Little Rock. Local vendors and businesses were all there to help you figure out how you are were going to style your spring: for your body, home, yard, and dinner tables.
The Arkansas Women Bloggers, of whom I am a part, was asked to run the social media outlet for the AFGS. They did a fabulous job of welcoming attenders, answering questions, hosting guests, and being a friendly face at the front of the exhibit hall.
Our yard in West Little Rock right now is still dead. Its brown, yucky brown. It needs help. As we were pulling in this afternoon from church I saw the little green shoots of flowers in our backyard garden island. I can’t wait to see our bushes and flowering plants in full bloom. Our family was able to catch a glimpse of the colors that will be filling our yard as we ventured through the exhibit hall and up on the main floor where the award-winning plants were.
My favorite part of looking at flowers and marveling at their beauty is knowing the One who created them all. He designed every plant that has ever grown. We get to bask in the colors of the goodness God has blessed us with. That’s one of the reasons I look forward to spring. On our third date I remember my (now) husband and I walking through the Sarah P. Duke Gardens in Durham, NC. I took about a gazillion pictures of the masterful tulips. He just smiled and watched. I knew he was a keeper on that day.
So, when the buds start coming up in your back yard, sit back and watch them, admiring their beauty, and bless others with their goodness. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like to get flowers.
Note: I was given tickets to the Garden Show during a #bloggersinbloom event a few weeks ago. Thank you for the tickets – and all thoughts and photos are my own.
Love having women over to live life with me, eat girly food, and be creative. This was the scene at our dining room table the weekend of Thanksgiving. I had some sweet girlfriends over to celebrate creativity and enjoy getting to know one another.
With any girls’ brunch, I think some egg dish is customary, right? Well, as I am cooking through Jenna’s blog, I came across this one. My learned lesson from this: read the instructions. I figured eggs cook fast, so it can only take about 30 minutes, right? Wrong. The quiche didn’t get done for an hour and I would have known that had I read the directions. But, during the waiting time, we stood around in the kitchen and talked. So, it was worth the wait – when we all dug in and enjoyed the savory goodness for breakfast.
Broccoli, Cheddar & Bacon Quiche
Recipe Type: Brunch
Cuisine: Eggs
Author: kd316
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6-8
Delicious easy egg quiche perfect for a weekend brunch.
Ingredients
1 Pillsbury pie crust
6 oz Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 large head broccoli, use the florets
3 eggs, I used Great Day Farm eggs
1 cup whole milk
4 slices bacon, cooked, drained, and chopped
salt
pepper
garlic
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Press your pie crust into a pie pan. Set aside.
Cook broccoli just until done – about 4 minutes.
In a pourable dish, mix your milk, cheese, eggs, bacon, and seasonings.
Place cooked, cooled and drained broccoli in the bottom of your pie.
Pour your egg liquid over the top.
Bake until set, about an hour.
Take a pretty picture.
Eat.
3.2.1275
Note: You can really use any cheese you want to in this, I suppose. I used Monterey Jack. Sharp Cheddar would also be delicious!
Freedom in Christ – to Christ, really – is a major theme in my devotional life this year. I’ve seen God bring it to my attention time and time again. Even as I was reading in 1 John this morning and thinking through some of Kimm Crandall’s book Christ in the Chaos, the theme came to the forefront. So, I wanted to talk about freedom from something – the Mommy Laws.
As a relatively new mom (I have two under 18 months), these laws are something that are new to me personally, but not something I was completely oblivious to before I became a mom. You may be asking yourself, “What are the ‘Mommy Laws’?” There may not be a written code organized by any governing authority, but there are many unwritten laws that change from community to community, family heritage to family heritage, and mommy to mommy. First let me say, the Mommy Laws I am talking about are not in the Bible. They are not infallible or inerrant. The Bible talks about the privileges of being a Mommy and how we are to point our children to Christ.
Here are a few of the ideas that can be construed as Mommy Laws – but even though you may not struggle with any of these, I’m sure you have some of your own:
Diapers will only last until your child is potty-trained. Do you cloth diaper or use disposable diapers? Does it really cost less to do one or the other, or do you do it based on convenience or how much you want to protect the environment? In some cultures and communities, what a mom decides on this one topic can allow her to be included or excluded in some play groups.
What you feed your child is not the most important thing. Breastfeeding works for some and not for others. But, whether you use the breast or the bottle or a little bit of both or when you start feeding table food and if it’s organic or grain fed or local – doesn’t matter. It is choice. Yes you do need to think about what you give your child to eat because all we eat or drink should be done to the glory of God.
Education is a choice. I know of a pastor and his family who decide each year, based on the life of their family and the personality and needs of each individual child, what schooling they will do that year. There are some Christian cultures that will not let you be a part of it unless you homeschool. There is wisdom in knowing what schooling option will be best for your family. You can still practice the art and obedience of Deuteronomy 6 no matter what schooling option you choose.
Skinny Jeans will go out of style. You don’t have to wake up every day and look like you stepped out of a magazine. You don’t have to lose all your baby weight by your child’s first birthday. You don’t have to take selfies with your hair all done and makeup perfectly applied – or feel horrible that you don’t do that. Neither of these make you a better mom.
SAHM is not a bad word. But, being a working Mom is ok now too. I know many moms who work outside the home and still make their families their top priority. I know women in the homes all day who don’t make their families their top priority. The Bible is not explicit as to what to do. The only thing it is clear on is that Mothers and wives are to make their homes and their families their top priority. Side note: the Bible is clear that one of the main priorities of the husband is to provide for his family. But, there may be seasons that the wife has to work part time or even full time for a season in extreme circumstances. God will give you family and you must be led of the Holy Spirit in these matters. Counsel from elders or other godly friends will spur you on to love and good deeds.
Ok, still some of these Mommy Laws may not make sense. Allow me to broaden it. The Mommy Laws are anything you feel you must do, pressures put on you from external societal norms or internal focus, that says, “If I do ______, then I will be a good Mom.” It is a form of legalism and idolatry. Neither of which belong in a Christian’s life.
So, how do we break our bondage to sin with strict adherence to these Mommy Laws? The good news is that the bondage has already been eternal won for us. Christ, with his perfect life, death on the cross, and miraculous resurrection, paid the penalty to free us from the captivity to sin. Now, we must stand firm in that, believe God in what He says, and live life according to our newfound freedom.
Worship. Sit down and pray about being a mommy. Meditate and praise that God gave you the ability and this time to be your child’s mother and how much of an amazing ministry and privilege that you have. Confess your weakness and how prone you are to living in bondage to these Mommy Laws. Pour out your heart to the Lord who made you and knows you. He knows what’s in your heart anyway, but it is so good to hear yourself say it (or see it written).
Make a list. What are the Mommy Laws that you adhere to? What laws are you in bondage to? What do you cling to that makes you think you a better mommy than those who don’t do as you do?
Pray over that list. I would encourage you to sit down with your husband and ask him about this list. Does he notice that you feel horrible if your list is not met at the end of each day, or does he notice a sense of failure in his bride? It would be totally freeing to rip up your list. Not throw out everything, but pray that the Lord would right your heart in relation to the items or laws on that list. The very last verse in the little letter of 1 John says “keep yourselves from idols.” This comes after many verses about what identifies us as true children of God. Obviously, we are commanded not to have idols as believers. These Mommy Laws are a form of legalism, which is idolatry. Something we do is going to make us a better person, a better mommy, make my child a better child, or earn better standing in my church, culture, or even to God himself. Idolatry is a matter of the heart.
Claim your freedom. After you have talked with God, talked with your husband, even gotten friends to hold you accountable to the laws on your list… Friend – claim your freedom. Believe God when he says that he freed you from working for your salvation. Nothing you can do or don’t do will earn you a better standing before His throne. And it shouldn’t matter in your community either. In Colossians 2 Paul starts talking about the fact that we are alive to Christ – but then follows it by commanding the Colossian believers not to let anyone disqualify them by secondary issues.
These Mommy Laws are most definitely secondary issues. These are not gospel issues.
Here are ways to live in truth:
Believe God that he sent Jesus to free you from the bondage to these.
In the midst of your chaos, choose to fight the lies of Satan with the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God – knowing that your position in Christ as a Sister, a daughter of the Most High King, is not determined by your adherence to your list of Mommy Laws.
Encourage others who are in a similar situation as you are. Don’t put outrageous expectations on her but encourage her to love the Word, seek Jesus, and do what she can to love her family and her Jesus.
Encourage Moms-to-be. I love Moms on either end of the spectrum regarding the “Mommy Laws” I talked about above. So, talk about your story, share ideas with expectant moms, especially if they ask, but don’t force your way of life on her. Encourage her creativity and freedom in Christ to love her children well.
Don’t compare. I spend a lot of time on social media. Looking at Instagram and Pinterest and other blogs will mostly encourage creativity and foster a desire to do and be and live and love. But there are some days that it fosters a discontent heart. On those days, I don’t throw out the computer or quit doing anything with social media. I pray. I write. I look into the face of my husband and little boys and see their blue eyes and dimples staring back at me…and love them and pray for God to work in my heart. Thankful on those days for verses like 1 John 3.20, “For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart!” Thankful that He knows my heart and He is the only one who can change my heart in regard to these Mommy Laws.
Sing and worship and stand in freedom. God is not the Mommy Law police, and neither are we.
Its been a busy weekend and a busy Monday out of town visiting some friends, so I’m a day late in posting the menu and in grocery shopping. I’m going to try to fit it in tonight before some friends come over when our littles go down for the night. Does your life ever seem like a run on of days – but never a break. That’s been ours recently. I love being busy but I also crave down time too! Vacation please!!!
Well, here you go:
Monday: it was leftovers – nothing exciting.
Tuesday: I’ll probably have a salad but I am defrosting some of Jenna’s Spinach Stuffed Shells for the men tonight. Perfect freezer meal – just pop leftovers in the freezer from the first time you make it and they are perfect for busy nights like this.
Wednesday: Potato Soup. I’m testing this one in order to use it for missions conference women’s lunch next weekend.
Thursday: I’m making dark chocolate cupcakes with white chocolate buttercream and sea salted caramel drizzle for a ladies meeting I’m attending. For dinner I’ll throw together a simple curried soup recipe. Maybe pick up some naan or try making it if I have time (baby appts that day).
Friday: If we are at home with nothing to do I try to make Fridays pizza day. This week we are doing a whole wheat crust with zucchini! I know, the green will remind me of spring which should be just around the corner with the beautiful weather we’ve been having this week.
Saturday: I’m breaking away from Jenna for Saturday and heading with Tracy at Shutterbean. Lemon Chicken – brown rice – vegetables. And it will serve as perfect leftovers!
Sunday: Leftovers and two separate receptions at church that day.
The most important meal of the day is breakfast right? And one of the best holidays is Valentine’s Day, right? Then why not combine the two and serve a delicious themed breakfast on Valentine’s Day. I’m glad that it falls on a Friday this year, my Mister’s day off. That way we can all linger over the breakfast table a little while longer. Here are three recipes that you can whip up in no time flat for your Valentine. Enjoy every moment of the day!
Strawberry Pancakes (I actually served these for dinner tonight). I used Rachael Ray’s Strawberry Pancakes recipe from her magazine. Things I would change: chop your strawberries more fine. Use less of them. Or puree them and lower the milk amount. They were TOO moist. But, they had great flavor!
Heart in the Hole. I made this yesterday for my little Valentine for lunch. So quick and easy. I used Great Day Farms’ organic eggs because they taste amazing and I know are healthy for my family. Just put some butter in a heated skillet, cut out a heart shape (with a cookie cutter) of the bread, and drop the egg in. Let it cook until your liking. How runny do you like your egg?
Strawberry Nutella PopTarts. I made the smores version of these last week at a friend’s house and we gobbled them up. Tomorrow morning I’m taking some fresh strawberries, mashing them with a fork, already made pie crust, a cookie cutter, egg wash, and delicious creamy nutella. Amazing pop tarts await me! Yay!
See…three easy breakfast ideas. And thanks to my friend Liz for the picture of her cute thrifted coffee mug. Perfect morning to use that!
I had my concerns with how eating grain-free for even 4 days would go, and you know what…it was doable. What it takes is planning and preparation (grocery shopping, recipes, etc), and a willing family and self-discipline.
1. I lost 6.4 lbs in those 4 days. I know that is not real weight, but it is better than nothing. I’m now the lowest I’ve been since either of my two sons were born.
2. I did not feel bloated once during those 4 days. I had unsweet tea once, the rest of the time it was water, oj or homemade juice, or whole milk. That was a different thing too for me. Lately I had been drinking more carbonated beverages – which also do some bloating to me.
3. A sweet friend who is losing baby weight with me asked me what I was going to do once I finished each of these detoxes each month. Here is how I’m going to change life from this one. These are significant changes and will be in how we mostly cook. If we are eating with other people in their home of course we will eat with them, but we can change how we cook!
CHANGES:
1. Limit carbonated beverages – diet or regular.
2. Drink more homemade juices. I typically make a simple carrot and apple juice for us in the morning which is delicious and inexpensive and quick.
3. Take away white flour in our home (except in baking). Here’s what I mean: eat more brown rice, sweet potatoes, whole grain bread, whole wheat pastas when we do eat grains, but try not to eat them much. But in baking, even though I sometimes substitute whole wheat flour, I purely like baking with regular flour if that’s what the recipe calls for. I have Baking with Whole Grains by King Arthur – but I just like normal recipes when I do bake them. I’ll just give them away and limit them. Today – coming off detox: I had 2 bites of a white blueberry bakery-style muffin and 1 pita (in chip form) at lunch because of this restaurant’s spectacular spinach dip. I felt bloated all day. Ended with 2 bites of strawberry pancakes and a diet coke. Ugh. So, that’s how I know there is a difference.
4. For sandwiches, whole grain tortillas will do the trick. Less carbs, I think. And I can eat a half of a sandwich when I want to – like a good BLT – you need good sourdough for that.
5. I think the toughest area for me in this will be: breakfast. Meals that are easy and quick are foods made with grain. But, I’ll have to be prepared with hard-boiled eggs, cheese, milk, yogurt with granola, etc.
But, the end result: I feel better with white flour and I lost weight. Those are great things!
There have been so many wonderful items I have found on the internet this week that I thought surely you all would love to know about them. I did my Valentine’s Day Link Love yesterday so you can go take a peak, but here are some regular day link love!
I have found I truly love French silk chocolate pie. I’ve not attempted to make one, but now that Michelle has put a recipe for it on her blog – I might be making it soon!
If anyone knows me at all they will tell you I love Dark Chocolate. I almost don’t mess with it or waste the calories if it isn’t. But these cupcakes…dark and white and caramel. Screaming my name!
For Valentine’s day night we are going to be doing dinner in. I’m thinking of doing a trio of desserts – not at all sweet, just simple – for my husband since he is cooking me dessert. I think I’ll be adding these to the menu! (Oh, sorry, I snuck in a VDay one on you – but these look so yummy)!
I have a box full of sweet potatoes to use up and this will be very light for the grocery budget for the rest of the month, so this chili will be getting made next week. And its healthy and good for you!
This may be my favorite one this week. I love Amanda’s photography and that she is fun and creative and introduces me to beautiful things – but really this post about her heart and her Maker really make me like her more. And her photography makes you want to love snow!
You know I’m hurting for anything avocado…and here is something I WILL BE EATING when I get done with grain free days!
J I Packer is one of my favorite authors. And though he is getting older, he still offered to speak and I’ve been watching the video on personal holiness.
My husband is a huge fan of Bach and therefore we named our second son after him. But, I’ve been learning more about Sebastian’s namesake from watching this video about the composer.
The internet is ablaze with all things love, pink, hearts, chocolate, red, wine, romance, etc. Perfect timing as this week is Valentine’s Day. How do you intend to spend Cupid’s Day coming up at the end of the week? Here are some delightful things that have caught me eye.
These Yes MaAm notecards made especially for Valentine’s Day. All of them are wonderful but I’m especially attracted to the gold foil hearts!
You can make these in any shape you want – and I’m going to be decorating them with pink icing to take to some widows in our church on Valentine’s Day. Who doesn’t love these. And yes, they may be as addictive as crack (though I wouldn’t know).
I am making these on Saturday for a brunch with some single ladies at our church. They are perfect for brunch and include delicious red raspberries perfect for the special day of love.
My friend Laura has more card creativity in her little pinky toe than I have in my whole two hands put together. Here are some of her ideas for Valentine’s Day cards for the loves in your life.
These truffles would make any fine chocolate lover swoon. Make them soon. I think I might. Just to say I’ve made them and to take pretty photos of them!
If the special one in your life loves chocolate and cake – you can’t go wrong with this one for dessert any time you want to express your love. Unless they are on a diet – then have them make an exception!
Why do all things chocolate and peanut butter scream my name? I guess there is protein in peanut butter right? Check out this delicious torte by Michelle over at Brown Eyed Baker.
So maybe you aren’t a chocolate fan (anyone out there, I know of at least one), so maybe lemon and raspberries are more your thing. Light. Springy. Delicious combination. And pie crust to add the borders of a scrumptious filling.
I hope I have inspired you with some of these Valentine’s Day treats. There is still plenty of time to plan something for your love!
The beauty and glory of the Resurrection and how it impacts every moment of every day we live. I know, its not even Valentine’s Day and I’m already talking about Easter: but as I sit and watch my littler boy squirm as he tries to take a nap, basking in the warmth of the sun in our master bedroom, I know that the only reason that he is alive and breathing and cooing and sucking on his hand is because of the Resurrection. All living things found their start in Christ (Colossians 1, John 1)
Love Elyse’s mention of 1 Corinthians 15. Paul reminds his reads of the GOSPEL. We stand in the GOSPEL. And we are growing in Christ-likeness because of the power of the GOSPEL. All of life, from beginning to end, is about the GOSPEL!
Have you ever thought what it would have been like for Mary to hear her name from the very one who loved her, changed her life – but then had died such a horrific death? Can you imagine her heart as it started to beat faster and she turned to see the Master? Oh that we might know the dearness and the nearness of the One who has called us by name out of darkness into HIS marvelous light!
There is a whole blog post coming on our “believing God” but I wonder if the disciples fully believed Jesus? Often He had told them of his resurrection, still they doubted up until the time they saw Him that Easter Sunday. Do our actions do the same? We say believe God – but we worry, we are anxious, we don’t like correction, we mourn as those who have no hope. I know we live on this side of the empty grave – but still I wonder how our actions speak of our doubt – not our faith – in God and in His Word.
I had opportunity to share this one thought with a friend this week: we worry and become anxious over practicalities. We don’t actually believe God at his word that our worry can do nothing for the event – and our worry actually tells of our disbelief – not out belief. Mary and Martha – we see this. This speaks to me often. I worry about getting some place on time. If we are later or I don’t have everything in control – this is when my non-gentle and quiet spirit appears. And in reality it is always there – and I long for the Lord to re-create this part of my heart.
Do we let Jesus reign on our every day life – not just on Resurrection Sunday? How have you seen God reign in your every day?
Bonhoeffer: one of my favorite Christian authors on the Christian life – and so much more. I was introduced to his writings in college when I read the Cost of Discipleship, one of the books that has continued to shape who I am as a believer. His birthday was last week so I thought it a great time to post this review. I found out just how much I loved his writings when I got my hands on this book published by Fortress Press. I was contacted by the Somersault Group to review this book and I’m so glad I agreed to it. This book has everything – and I mean okay, almost everything – that Bonhoeffer wrote.
I was really only familiar with his later books, like Life Together, and his Letters from Prison. Bonhoeffer recreates the Christian life and puts it in new terms, definitely allowing for Biblical accuracy, but putting new spins on it that make you look at the Christian life you are living and question whether that is it? Are you really living for all that God created you for?
The editors do a great job of organizing this book so it is not overwhelming. This would be a useful book for every normal theologian – one who just loves to read and study – because you can take pieces of this book and conquer it in any given year. What a great theme to study the affects and writings of Bonhoeffer in one year? Shouldn’t this be a goal. Maybe take these writings and the Scripture index in the back and do a self-guided study through the Bible with Bonhoeffer. If you could sit down and ask him, a pastor, theologian, and cultural powerhouse, anything about the Bible – his answers are probably in this one volume. You can find almost any topic that you think Bonhoeffer would have spoken or written on in the indexes that are in the back of the book. That is most helpful with a volume like this one. I’m grateful for their diligent work.
I encourage you to take the time to buy this book, read this book, not a cursory read but one of depth and study, and learn more about your Christian walk through the life of one of the leading theologians, not only of our day, but of all time: Bonhoeffer.
