Hearts in Service

Each year I try and set some goals for the coming year. I don't always meet them all, but I do like to have something for which to aim. I'm happy to say that I did very well in 2019 and stayed on task.  I've been sitting here and reflecting this morning about what I'd like to see happen in 2020. It's hard to get a clear picture because everything is going to be new - new home, new church family, new city, new ministry. But I want to at least get something down and I can go back and tweak it if need be. Personal Goals ☙ Work on my weight. Move more, eat less. It's simple and I'm not going to complicate it by trying fancy diets or anything. I know what I need to do. Make healthier eating choices, eat less food and make sure I'm exercising. I've gained quite a bit of weight over the past few years and some of that is because of injuries but much of it is just bad habits have been developed. ☙ Get the new house in shape. It's going t...

This blog has always been a mixture of my faith, family, ministry and life in general. Lately it's been heavy on the moving and personal as we are in the middle of chaos. And today will be no different! It's been a great way for me to chronicle our lives and something that I hope our children will look back fondly on.  We had a wonderful and quiet Christmas at home with our favorite foods and traditions. We opened gifts, had a nice dinner and played a board game. I buy a board game each Christmas and some year's games are better than others.  I found one this year called, Stupid Deaths, and it seemed like it would be humorous. Half the family finds it hilarious and the other half finds it, well.....stupid! 🤣 It really takes no skill except guessing if the incredibly stupid way someone dies is true or false. About 1/2 way through it Emily said, "Could we play something else that requires some intelligence!" You can guess which camp she falls in.  Dan ...

Christmas Eve was a mix of food, fun, fellowship and worship. This year was much more relaxed and was an enjoyable day. I spent most of it making some of our favorite foods. Each year I come up with a gift to give the people in our congregation. This year was jars of jam. Then we had a very simple, but sweet, Christmas Eve service. We came home and opened stocking gifts and played a game with lots of laughter. I'm sitting here in the dark and quiet house and I'm so thankful for my family, my friends and my life. Merry Christmas to all!

I have much to do over the next two days which mostly involves grocery shopping and being in the kitchen and cooking. However, I wanted to write a Multitude Monday post today because there is so much to be thankful for this week.  Luke 2:11-14 ~ Today in the city of David a Savior was born for you, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be the sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped tightly in cloth and lying in a manger.” Suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to people he favors! There are many times when I see God's hand of blessing on me and I do feel His favor resting on me. It's a humbling experience to see Him working in our lives in ways unimagined and so undeserved. I'm a frail and sinful woman and yet, God continues to shower me with His blessings. Unmerited grace; what a gift! This week I'm thankful for the blessings #3,736 ~ 3,747. ...

  I'm coming to the end of my food challenge and it's getting to be more of a stretch as I'm down to the bare minimum. I did buy meat this past week, and tomorrow I'm going shopping for Christmas eve and Christmas day. I will continue to fill in with items from the freezer and pantry. It's definitely looking bare which was the goal! My Christmas eve and Christmas day menu is centered around some of the items I still have. I'm crossing them off here as I use them.  Here is the plan for this coming week: Breakfasts - cereal, eggs, whatever Lunch - Sandwiches, leftovers Monday Dinner - Will pick up something at the store when we shop tomorrow. Tuesday - Christmas Eve Finger foods - Shrimp with cocktail sauce, cocktail meatballs, bruschetta with capers and black olives on toasted homemade baguettes, stuffed grape leaves, cheese & crackers, veggie platter with homemade hummus, Christmas cookies, eggnog Wednesday - Christmas Day Christmas b...

I have things to pack, papers to shred, organizing that needs to happen but to be honest, I've kind of ignored all that this week. Christmas is less than a week away and I'd rather focus on that, plus I did have other things that needed my attention too. Stephen moves to his new apartment tomorrow and until he moves out there really isn't anywhere to put packed boxes anyway. At least that's my justification for the moment. ;-) Instead I've been writing Christmas cards, putting together cookie tins, getting packages ready to mail, and sewing.  I had a couple of quilt projects that I needed to finish up for a friend and got those finished this week. I made a ribbon quilt and a t-shirt quilt from her daughter's swim awards and t-shirts. They turned out really cute. And I also had an alterior motive for finishing up. The table I sew on is a small kitchen table and that is going to Stephen tomorrow. So I really HAD to sew, didn't I?...

After years of captivity, beatings, imprisonment, death, and starvation, they were out from under the yoke of Pharaoh. The Israelites had seen terrible plagues fall upon the Egyptians while they remained unscathed. They had followed Moses through the pushed back walls of water of the Red Sea. God miraculously saved them. Then He fed them. He rained manna from heaven, the life-giving bread which He produced just for them. He gave them water to drink. They saw water gush from the rock that previously had been dry. By now the Israelites should have trusted God and known he would take care of them. But they still hadn’t learned this lesson. Complaints, grumblings, rumblings, and murmurings were things the Israelites did very well. They began to complain once again. This time it was about meat. They were tired of manna, and they started to reminisce about “the good old days” in Egypt when they had all kinds of meat and vegetables. Their memories were faulty as they sta...

A few weeks ago I started a "don't want to pack it and move it" food challenge to use up items in my pantry and two freezers. It really will make the move easier if I don't have to try and transport boxes of canned goods and freezer items the 5 hour trip. My plan for last week kind of fell apart in the busyness of the week. But this week is quieter and we aren't going out of town so I should be able to stick with the menu. Here is the plan. Everyone is on their own for breakfast and I'm making homemade granola to have on hand. Lunch is either leftovers or sandwiches. I am going to have to go grocery shopping later in the week for a few essentials we don't have. I'm crossing things off my pantry and freezer list HERE as I use them. Monday Dinner - Fettuccini with bacon, onions, garlic, diced tomatoes and parmesan cheese, Tossed salad. Tuesday (Dan & I will be out with our church board for dinner; making this for the kids) Dinner - C...

A s I was sitting and reflecting back over this past week, I cannot believe how much I crammed in. It doesn't seem possible that it's only been 7 days and I had to look at the calendar to make sure I wasn't getting my dates mixed up. It was an exhausting week, but a good one.  I have so much to be thankful for and thought it was about time that I did a Multitude Monday post. I've been doing these periodically for quite a few years and it's been good to look back from time to time to see how the Lord has blessed us. This week I'm thankful for the blessings #3,721 ~ 3,735. 3,721. Stephen has found a place to live and it's only about 3 miles from his job. He moves in this coming Saturday. 3,722. I'm thankful that we were able to get a truck filled up with some of the nonessentials from here and take the load to our new house. 3,723. I'm thankful for guys on the other end who helped unload. 3,724. I'm thankful for safety on the very sn...

I Have Found Joy in Simple Things by Grace Noll Crowell I have found joy in simple things A plain clean room, a nut-brown loaf of bread, A cup of milk, a kettle as it sings, The shelter of a roof over my head, And in a leaf-laced square along the floor, Where yellow sunlight glimmers through a door. I have found such joy in things that fill my quiet days: a curtain's blowing grace A potted plant upon my sill, A rose fresh-cut and placed within a vase, A table cleared, a lamp beside a chair, And books I have long loved beside me there. As I'm packing up the bits and pieces of my life for a move, I realize that we don't have much in the way of fancy. No expensive furniture and most of what we own is hand-me-down or thrift shop finds. But there are a few precious things I have that while simple, bring me joy. There is the china that my grandmother bought me at a thrift shop. The goblets a friend gifted ...

Cranberry-orange and ginger bars made from leftover cranberry-orange ginger relish Week 1 of my food challenge has finished and I did a good job of using items from my pantry and freezer.  I did order pizza one night instead of cooking because we had an appointment so one of the meals we missed will be on this week. We did go grocery shopping on Saturday to pick up milk, creamer, and some fresh fruit and veggies, but there was much I didn't purchase because I have a lot in my pantry that needs to go. Here is the menu for Week #2: Breakfast - Other than Dan and I no one else really eats breakfast here so I made granola last week and that's what we will have most days. Also will make a batch of tabbouleh and to be honest, I love to eat this for breakfast as well. Lunch - Nathan is home a couple of days and will probably eat whatever leftovers we have.  Wednesday & Thursday we will be gone and the boys are on their own. Making a double batch of blueberry ja...