Hearts in Service

I'm not big into resolutions because I find that they last about as long as it takes me to type them. However, each year I sit down and work on some goals for the upcoming year. I definitely like the adage, "If you aim at nothing you'll hit it every time!" So, I do feel like it helps me to have something to aim for. I try to base the goals around the priorities that I feel the Lord has given me. That would include my relationship with Him, my husband and family, personal and ministry goals. I looked back on my goals from this past year and although I did accomplish a few of them, I need to do better. I think one way that will happen is to re-evaluate each month how I am doing. Here are my goals for the coming year. Some of them are repeats because I didn't meet them and want to try again. I also didn't post all of them, because some of them are personal and are between me and the Lord. Spiritual Goals ♥ Have consistent quiet time with the Lord

Our first major storm of the year was a big one and ended up being a blizzard. The nice thing about it was that I had no where to go and nothing was happening. It was nice just to hunker in and watch the snow and wind. We ended up with almost 2 feet of powdery snow. Then came the task of shoveling out. Emily went out after it cleared up and had a great time playing in the snow. After that, she warmed herself by the fire. Then we had steaming bowls of lentil soup and homemade oatmeal bread. It was a good day!

Being thankful. This is something that should come easily, but really is so difficult. I know that I struggle at times to feel thankful about the things in my life. The problems seem overwhelming and it feels as if there is nothing good going on in my life. Yet, Hebrews 13:15 tells us, "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that openly profess his name." Praise is a sacrifice. It is hard! Yet, if we are believers we are required to do this. There is so much negativity in this world and so many people who complain about everything. They suck the life out of everyone around them. I don't want to be one of those people. I want to enjoy my life and thank God for everything in it. I had decided months ago that I would take one day a week to use this blog to list my blessings. Then I read Ann Voskamp's blog and realized that others were doing the same thing. It's nice to know that others out there a

Every year I try to get a picture of the kids by the tree in their Christmas Eve finery. This is the one time of the year that they look forward to dressing up. Emily Stephen Nathan Getting all three of them to stand still and not crack jokes the entire time proved to be difficult. They clean up good, don't they? :-) Emily and her friend, Sarah, singing Away in the Manger at our Christmas Eve service. Hope you all are having a wonderful Christmas day!

After three days of dealing with the stomach bug, I was planning on laying on the couch last night and watching a movie. To be honest, in all my Christmas preparations I had forgotten about getting something for the kid's teachers. This is one of the downsides of working a full-time job. All the little touches I used to do seem to be getting pushed to the background. However, Emily came home yesterday afternoon and reminded me that she wanted to bring something for the teachers. So, rather than the traditional cookies, we opted for candy because it is far easier to pull together. She did most of the work herself. I didn't even have packaging in the house so we improvised and used brown lunch bags, which she decorated with Christmas stamps and stickers. Then we went to work, making chocolate truffles rolled in cocoa powder or coconut. She also made chocolate dipped pretzel rods rolled in either chopped pecans or sprinkles. They are not the prettiest, but they taste good! I

I always find it interesting that when I feel God speaking to me about something that I need to do or learn, He usually gives me plenty of opportunity to put it into practice. I wrote my Multitude Monday post on Sunday night, getting it ready to post Monday morning. If you read it, you know I had decided that I needed to slow down, stop and reflect on Advent without all the busyness. Well, Emily woke up in the wee hours of the morning on Monday, throwing up. I, in turn, started mid-morning yesterday. There is something called the Norwalk virus going around the school. Symptoms are nauseousness, vomiting, diarrhea, and severe stomach cramps and wouldn't you know it, I have every single one. It usually runs it's course in 2-3 days and though, I had high hopes that I would feel better today, I'm still pretty sick. Well, one thing I can say is that I haven't had the desire to bake cookies, make ornaments, presents, or anything since it hit. God's sense of humor a

Baking ... Shopping ... Making Cards ... Writing Advent devotionals ... Giving out Christmas Baskets ... Baking cookies. All the things that I enjoy yet when I overdo them leads me to feel Stress... Anxiety... Exhaustion... Frustration... and Even Anger. Why is it that I put so much pressure on myself to perform? This is the time of the year when I should be reflecting on the birth of Christ and all He has done for me. Instead, I am feeling the need to outdo myself from previous years. To stretch myself to the breaking point. I don't focus on Christ. He gets lost in the busyness. He is pushed to the side in the craziness of going, going, going and doing, doing, doing. This weekend I had enough. I decided that I had to stop this internal desire to create a magical holiday. To keep up with others. I decided to be still. To reflect. To just enjoy the gifts He has given me in my family. So this week, I am not baking another cookie. I'm not making another ornament. I&#

I tested a new recipe and it's a keeper. I love anise and I think they go very well with a hot cup of tea! Bizcochitos (biz-co-chee-toes) 1 cup white granulated sugar 1 & 1/4 cup butter 1 large or extra large egg 1 & 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 1/8 cup brandy 3 teaspoons whole anise seed 3 cups all purpose flour - King Arthur is my favorite 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt For topping: 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 cup white granulated sugar 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees 2. Cream together in a large mixing bowl: 1 cup white sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and brandy. Cream until mixture is light and fluffy. 3. Mix in the anise seeds. 4. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. 5. Add the flour mixture to the creamed sugar/butter mixture. 6. Dust a work surface or wooden board with flour. Divide the dough into three pieces. Roll the first piece to 1/4" thick. 7. Cut the dough into desired shapes, using a cookie cutter. 8. Place the cookies on

Last night 3D Girls met for the last time until February 2nd and we ended it with loads of fun. The girls went caroling, came back for hot cocoa and cookies, made gingerbread houses, played dance freeze, and ended the night spontaneously asking for prayer for different things. It was a great night! Here are some pictures of the fun. Of course, I forgot to bring the camera during the actual caroling! And some more.

I love every single thing about this time of the year. The sights, the smells, the sounds are meaningful to me. To be honest, Dan is not big into traditions and most of our family traditions have been implemented by me. That's okay though because I just view it as part of my role as a wife and mother. Here are ten traditions we have established in our home.... 1. Ornaments. Every year we purchase an ornament for each child with their name and date on it. We will keep them until they set up homes of their own and then they will receive all their ornaments from the time they were born until the present. 2. Jesse Tree. We started this about 6 years ago and do it every year. We do a daily devotional and then hang an ornament on our Jesse Tree. It's a wonderful way to trace the genealogy of Jesus and celebrate advent. 3. Tree trimming day. The day after Thanksgiving we pull out all the Christmas decorations and decorate the tree together as a family. I make Christmas co

I've had a tough week, made tougher because I feel overwhelmed with working full-time and still dealing with the same responsibilities as a pastor's wife that I've always had. Logically, I know I'm feeling this way right now because there is so much going on in the church at this time of the year. I know this feeling will pass once the busyness of the holiday season passes, but it still is exhausting at times. My nerves feel taut, like a rubber band that has been pulled to the breaking point. It's at times like this that I really struggle with my attitude. I've been working hard had keeping my eyes fixed on the Lord and praying my way through each day. Focusing on my many blessings certainly helps at times like these. This week, I'm thankful for... Blessings #66-80: ♫ Twelve beautiful voices lifted in song at our 3D Girl's Christmas program. ♫ Smiles from my teenage sons. ♫ A school child-study team who really understand the special needs of Nathan

I have a confession. I love gingerbread houses. I love looking at the masterpieces everyone makes and dreaming of making my own creation. I've always been especially impressed with those who start from scratch and make theirs from the ground up, by making and baking the gingerbread. However, I have one problem. I am HORRIBLE at decorating anything edible. Give me some paper or a sewing machine or a crochet hook and I do a good job. However, that creative streak did not carry over into the cake/cookie decorating area. Anything that has to do with frosting and I feel like an octopus with 15 tentacles! Yet, year after year, I purchase the kits in the hope that somehow over the year I have magically turned into Martha Stewart! Yesterday was a day where I was going to be home so I pulled out the dreaded kit. Dan was working, Nathan was at the firehouse so I set Stephen & Emily to work. We had the same problem as in previous years. Once the roof was in place, it immediately