Life Women

Extreme Couponing

2011-05-01T13:01:00.000-07:00

Have you seen TLC's new series called Extreme Couponing? I heard about it and was finally able to watch several episodes yesterday. I do think they are going to need a follow on show on how to use all those items purchased. For those who may not be aware of the concept, people collect massive amounts of coupons and after many hours of careful planning head to their grocery store and get tons of products for huge savings! In some cases they save 98% of their bill. We're talking about getting 46 containers of mustard and when you see their stockpiles, it is absolutely unbelievable!

So I got to thinking, what if I tried to concepts to at least save money on our usual grocery bill? It would help to have several of a product, but not 46! As my mind kept thinking and my family was discussing, what if we applied some of the principles for the purpose of feeding our community or filling the shelves of our local food pantries? I know I can't use 46 mustards, but I suspect they'd be gone in a week at our food pantries.

It also has me thinking about Lisa Downing's retreat session. She is a couponer and has wanted to start a coupon ministry at our church. I know I don't need the diaper coupons in my Sunday paper, but I suspect there are some of you who would love to have them.

So ladies, what do you think? What would you like? Would you want to have a coupon ministry where you could bring coupons you won't use to get some you will use? Could we help each other when we spot a great deal at a local market and a corresponding coupon? I doubt any of us has the 20-30+ hours that the Extreme Coupon participants do to plan, but what if we helped each other? And more importantly how could we impact our community without taking much money from our already tight budgets?

I'd love to know your thoughts and any tips you have that would be helpful to others in our church. Do you know of a great coupon website? Let us know!

I hope this spurs tons of dialogue - we could post our savings to encourage more of us on the bandwagon!

Happy Couponing!

It's About Time

2011-01-08T22:43:00.000-08:00

"It's About Time" is our retreat theme for this year and I am constantly saying to myself "it's about time you..." The blank has been filled in many, many times and yet I haven't done many of the things that it's about time I do. Can anyone identify? Like take this blog for instance. It's about time I updated it. I suspect many stop looking at it because it is so outdated.

It's about time I go to be as it's going on 2 am and we have church in the morning, but I have a headache and have to send my oldest back to college tomorrow morning. Maybe if I stay up tomorrow won't come...but it already has. I'm actually dreading him leaving more this time than back in August when I was a college mom newbie.

It's about time my life settles back into a predictable routine, but that didn't really happen this week. My dad was hospitalized (he's home and doing well), my husband was away, I woke up to a very swollen, unexplainable swollen face. I'm sure if I could talk to you (though I do hope you are asleep) you would have your own list of things that were unpredictable this past week.

It's about time I get all the details lined up for our annual women's retreat the first weekend in March. I will be getting information out at the beginning of the week and please hold me to it! :)

What are your "it's about time" issues? I'd really be interested in knowing as I want our retreat to be as applicable as it can be. Many of you want to learn better time management skills. Take a minute and read through Ecclesiastes 3:1-8.

Post a comment answering this: "It's about time I..."

Moving In

2010-09-23T05:25:00.000-07:00

Many things come to mind as I think about the phrase "moving in." Of course there is moving in to a new home and in this area we have military families moving in often. We recently moved our oldest son into his first college dorm...so many things to fit into such a small space. For our middle and high schoolers, they are moving into their school lockers and settling into their new schedules. In the fall we have our own rituals that help us move into the new season.

Another place we need to move into is our Bibles. This past spring I purchased a new study Bible and while I opened it for Bible study, it just didn't feel right. It was hard to feel at home when I opened its new crisp pages. I realized what was missing...I wasn't leaving reminders of where God had taken me along the pages. I decided to go through my old Bible and made many of the same markings in my new Bible so I could see what God has taught me throughout the years. It was an amazing journey as I reflected on many of the studies I have done. Now, my Bible feels like home. I realize that sometimes it is good to read from a clean, unmarked page, but sometimes we need to have home-like remembrances.

How do you mark your Bible or keep a record of what God is teaching you?

Failure

2010-08-06T14:08:00.001-07:00

Do you ever get so frustrated with yourself that you decide to do nothing? Do you ever fail so often that you just give up? I'm that way with many things, this blog being one of them. I get so bogged down by my failure that I do absolutely nothing, except berate myself. I feel that as a blogger, I should have something to offer, if indeed there are any who actually follow me. And, recently I don't feel like I have anything to offer...part of the failure thing. I've been so dreadfully inconsistent, those who may have followed have probably given up on me, sorry!

God has repeatedly brought Romans 12:2 to my mind. "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

I am learning that in many ways I copy the behavior of the world (I see a lot of this in the expectations I have for myself as a wife, mom and ministry leader) and am praying that God will change the way I think. I am being stretched and challenged in many ways that I will share as God leads me to. I'd ask for grace as I may not be posting routinely and encourage you to subscribe to my posts so you'll get an email notification when I post.

Perhaps today you need to give yourself a dose of grace and ask God to change your way of thinking. If you do, let me know and I can pray for you!

Mama Bear Moment

2010-06-15T03:54:00.000-07:00

This morning it is will a very heavy heart that I send Caleb, my soon to be high school sophomore to school. We received word last night that one of his classmates (and her mom) was murdered by her father. It's been all over the news and is especially shocking when you can put a face to such a horrific news story. Joy was part of Caleb's group for an English project that the kids have been working on for a couple weeks. They all met here at my home and I had the opportunity to meet the friendly cute, polite young Joy. Actually all the kids in the group were great and very appreciative. The group met on Sunday and Joy didn't show up. They repeatedly called, texted and tried to contact her via facebook, but they never received a response. Now they are left wondering...was she in trouble then, was she already dead, etc.

The Mama Bear in me wants to protect my children from such terrible things. It is difficult when someone takes their own life or dies unexpectedly in an accident, but murder?! I cannot begin to know what drove Joy's dad to such an act. It is incomprehensible to me! And while I cannot prevent my children's lives from being exposed to these things, I do have the power of the Almighty to call on, which I have done. Would you join me in prayer for the freshman class at South County? Pray for comfort as the kids try to make sense of something so senseless. And pray for opportunities for believers to share God.

My week will hold many more mama bear moments...I'm thankful God will be by my side!

Self Control

2010-06-08T05:32:00.001-07:00

You might see the title and just moan - I know there are many times I've done the same thing. There are many things in my life that would not be a problem if only I had more self control. And how does one build up their self control...I'm not sure I want to be tested. My past track record reveals a rather large deficiency of self control. I've been struggling with my weight since about the 8th grade. I've tried many diets and have gained and lost the same weight far too many times to count. Then there is the area of self control over my emotions, especially around that not so "special" time of the month.

As I was praying before I fell asleep last night God interjected a thought...what I need is the Spirit's self control, not Sherry's self control. Sounds so simple and yet for me so profound. You see I'm one of those who likes to be in control and rely on my own strength far too often. I might lose a few pounds with my own self control or willpower, but I believe I won't ever make lasting changes without God's help. (And I still have far to go in regards to having faith that God will help me conquer this weight issue once and for all - though I suspect it will be a life long dependence on God with this one!)

So, last night I prayed for Spirit filled self control. And isn't is just God and His perfect timing that we have been learning about the Spirit on Sundays at LCC?! I hope Pastor Steve has some insight on this on Sunday.

How about you? Do you need to pray for the Spirit's self control? Will you join me? Please let me know how I can pray for you!

As is typical for me, I need to apologize for my unfaithfulness in blogging...just realized though that faithfulness is also a fruit of the Spirit...something else to add to my prayer list! Please bear with me, the next two weeks will be busy for me as our family prepares for the graduation of my firstborn, Josh. I'm not sure where the last 18 years went, but do know that God has been good though it all!

Oh, and just in time for Father's Day I'll be doing a series of posts from Lillian's awesome devotional from our Mother's Day activity. You'll receive some fashions tips as well as how God wants us to clothe ourselves.

My Life as a Supermodel...

2010-04-27T09:14:00.000-07:00

I am looking forward to our annual Mother's Day Activity this Saturday, May 1st. The theme has been fun to work with...My Life as a Supermodel. It has also been very challenging because my life and my appearance are so far from what I think of as a supermodel. And while we are not in any way advocating adopting the appearance of a real life supermodel, we are attempting to realize that as moms we are models to our children. I don't know of anyone who could the expense of high fashion, but I do know the Father who paid the ultimate price so that I could be clothed in righteousness. One God can adequately equip me to be the model mom for my kids.

Would you be surprised to know that the Bible says how to clothe ourselves? Lil will be sharing some insights from Colossians on this topic. We'll also have some fun with current fashion trends.

Does anyone know the new "hot" color for this spring? What are your favorite trends? Leave a comment and share your thoughts. I'll announce next week what the "hot" new color!

Weeds and other garden work

2010-04-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

I mentioned a few posts ago that I was looking forward to seeing the result of all the bulbs I planted last fall. And, I have to report that I was sorely disappointed! I obviously have some type of pesky varmint who came along and ate most of my bulbs. I'll have to look into it if I want to plant more bulbs in the fall - I definitely don't want to do all that back breaking work for nothing!

Speaking of work, as I look at my perennial garden in the backyard, I am reminded of the maintenance required to keep it looking good. There are the usual weeds that need to be pulled and then there is the bee balm that is trying to take over so I need to pull that (let me know if you want some...I can bring it to church on Sunday.) I can't help but think of spiritual parallels when I think of my garden. First, it requires work. It is easy to see what needs to be done in the garden but not so easy to get my fanny out there and do the work. It is going to take time and I don't always have huge blocks of time and, as you can see it is easier for me to blog about!

In my spiritual life there are weeds that need to be pulled and things that are trying to take over. I often don't see these things, but I believe I don't see them because I don't look or as I say to my children don't "look with my eyes open." I get discouraged often when I invest time in something (like my bulbs) and don't see the results. Then, there are seasons when I am just so busy that only the urgent things get done and in the case of my garden it waits for my attention.

So, what am I trying to say? I'm not really sure except that I know when we take time to weed and cultivate our lives, there will be a beautiful harvest. I encourage you to ask God where to start and to start small. Let me know of your gardening projects (both physical and spriritual) so I can encourage you!

Life Inspiring Faith Enriching

2010-03-23T10:02:00.001-07:00

One thing you may not know about women's ministries is that we have the tag line of "Life Inspiring Faith Enriching." As we plan and execute each activity, Bible study and event, I try to keep this thought in mind. Are we inspiring the women of LCC in their unique roles in life? Are we enriching our faith or just adding to our to-do list? Of course what inspires or enriches me is totally different from what inspires or enriches you.

These are great words, but I wondered what they really meant. Inspire means "to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence." We have the most exalting influence indwelling us - the Holy Spirit. Inspiration is at our disposal at any given time.

Enrich means "to supply with abundance of anything desirable or to add greater value or significance to." (Definitions are from www.dictionary.com) Oh, how I desire that with all we do, we add greater value or significance to our faith.

So, this brings me to my question of the week. What inspires or enriches your life? What could we do as a women's ministry to inspire or enrich? I look forward to your comments.

Spring Excitement

2010-03-19T15:45:00.001-07:00

I love this time of year...getting outside and seeing new growth in my garden. My favorite flower is the tulip and I planted a bunch this past fall and can't wait to see how they look. I am praying that my spring excitement will also translate into my spiritual life. I desire to see growth there as well. The women's retreat was a wonderful opportunity to shed some spiritual weight and prepare us for that new growth we see in our physical world.

So, I'd love to know what your favorite flower is and what you are currently studying in your spiritual life. I look forward to your responses.

Taking some time off...

2009-11-18T09:04:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity to go to a Catalyst church leaders conference this past Monday. There was a lot of great information that quite frankly, I need time to fully process. There was one thing that really stood out to me...that I should be the best wife and mom that I can be as those are the roles that only I can do. With this in mind, I will not be updating the blog for a few weeks. My husband is having shoulder surgery in a few hours and I need to be a full time nurse and as Thanksgiving arrives, I want to be fully focused on my relationship with God and my family. I trust that you too want to be the best you can be for your family in the roles that are uniquely yours. I also pray that you count your many blessings as we celebrate Thanksgiving. Look for a post the first week in December. We are planning a great Christmas activity for December 5th!

Catching up

2009-11-01T17:44:00.000-08:00

This morning it was so great to sit in the newly refinished auditorium at church. I was a bit sleepy as I sank into the comfortable chairs, but something Pastor Steve said really caught my attention. You see, I do want to be a genuine Christian and want to be growing in my faith. But being real and genuine, I have to tell you that this past week I faced a few trials and instead of growing through them, I checked out. I didn't spend time in the Word or in prayer like I know I should do. I wasted time that could have been more productively used and I took naps instead of calling on friends to give me hand. I'm thankful for our pastor who is willing to preach the truth of the Word even when it is convicting.

That brings me to the topic I would have blogged about last week. October is Pastor Appreciation Month or ministry appreciation month. I like to use this forum to thank Pastor Steve, Josh our worship leader, Donald our youth pastor, Sherri our Children's ministry director and all the others who serve faithfully in our church. Even though it's November, it is never a bad time to thank those who minister to you and your family and I encourage you to do so!

I also want to remind ladies of our upcoming activities:
FP4H Bible study Saturday, Nov 7th from 9-11 am at the church office
Celebrate Life Open House this Saturday, Nov 7th from 2-4 pm at the church office
Under Grace and Over Coffee with Jessica Ellison Sunday, Nov 8th from 7-8:30pm at Wegmans.

You can get more detailed information on the church website!

Feedback is always welcomed and wanted...

2009-10-20T09:21:00.000-07:00

I often wonder if we are meeting the needs of the ladies at LCC. While I know we can never meet every need, I also know that we can't attempt to meet those needs if we don't know what they are. At LCC we have a great group of ladies who serve on the women's ministry leadership team. We spend a great deal of time thinking about activities and Bible studies and then in planning. This fall we have had quite a few opportunities for women to connect - we have three Bible studies and several activities throughout each month. Recently however, we have also had a decline in attendance at our activities and I always wonder why when this happens. I also realize that no one can attend every activity - life happens in most unexpected ways!

What I would love to know is what activities appeal to you, what are the best days and times to meet and any thoughts you'd like to add.

What I'd also like for everyone to know is how thankful I am for all those ladies who are serving in women's ministries. We have two new Bible study leaders this fall, Michelle Boice and Jessica Ellison. They are both doing an outstanding job! Lisa Downing will be starting another First Place for Health group the end of this month. Jessica recently planned and led our prayer walk which Lisa Downing hosted for us. Unfortunately the weather didn't cooperate, but God blessed just the same! I appreciate each one who serves the LCC women as well as each of you who attend.

So, thanks and please share with us!

Daddy

2009-10-05T06:25:00.000-07:00

This morning I got up with my boys, then decided another hour of sleep would be welcomed in my very busy life. I woke up to Maryn singing. She is in that phase of making up her own songs. She was singing about her Daddy. Her song starts off with "Only a boy named Daddy..." (to the tune of Only a Boy named David) that's as far as the song goes, but she repeats it many times. She was also just singing the word "Daddy" over and over. When she came out of her room she was all smiles and helped her daddy get all the things for his pockets. Rich is a great father and I love watching him interact with each of our children!

As I laid there trying to fully wake up (still working on that about 90 minutes later) I thought of God as my Father and how He must love when we sing praises to Him. Our songs can be as simple as Maryn's or borrowed from our worship time at church.Today or at least this week, let's sing a song of praise to Our Father.

This Week's Laundry Blunder...

2009-09-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

Lest anyone think I have it all together I share yet another blunder and the following adventure that followed. Keep in mind that I'm a bit overwhelmed with the 2 weeks of construction that was going on at the house (two bathroom remodels, painting outside and other outside work). The dust from the construction was mounting by the day and starting to drive me crazy not to mention the sneezing that went along with it. So Friday I set out to start cleaning our bedrooms.

My oldest son wanted to start his laundry before he left for school (just so you don't think I'm a tyrant, he is a senior in high school and going to college next year). I told him I needed the washer during the day that he'd have to wait. But in the midst of all the cleaning I decided to throw his clothes in the washer so they'd be ready to dry when he got home from school. I patted myself on the back thinking what a nice, thoughtful mom I was. It turns out that it wasn't such a helpful thing to do...I washed an entire pack of gum which had made its way onto most every article of clothing in the load. My poor son, he was so upset but realized I was just trying to help.

So, last week book washing, this week I'm on to stickier situations! This story had an easier ending when my mom came and jumped right in to help get the gum off the clothes. I truly don't know what I'd have done without her. She and my dad even took the more difficult clothes home and worked on them, laundered them and returned them about 14 hours later. I'm not sure how they slept.

I will not tell you that the moral to this story is not to help your children, but I do suppose we need to learn our children's routines before we step in and "help."

Tip of the Week...

2009-09-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

If you need to wash a book, I'd recommend a damp paper towel. Why you ask? Well last week in my hurry to get a load of laundry in the washer I accidentally left a book in with the clothes and it went through the washer. You can only imagine my surprise when I lifted the lid to transfer the clothes to the dryer and saw all this white stuff on my clothes. I first thought I left a tissue in one of my pockets, that's certainly been known to happen, but this seemed a bit...well not just a big more...like perhaps an entire jumbo package of toilet paper!

I could not imagine what had caused so much mess until I discovered the plastic wrapper of the book...in case you didn't know, the card stock cover is covered with a plastic film that has the picture and information on it. My washer had totally obliterated the entire book into the tiniest little shreds you can imagine and it COVERED everything...especially the darkest clothing.

When I say covered, I mean after the first pass through the dryer, it was still covered. Oh, and just to give you some context, Caleb's marching band show shirt was one of the worst hit items and he needed the shirt in about an hour. He was so angry and frustrated! I ended up vacuuming the shirt to get as much off as I could and then used one of those lint removers, lots of elbow grease, patience and about 90 minutes or so to get it good enough to deliver (late) to the game. When I discovered the mess I literally stood over my washer and dryer and prayed for God's help, well begged for his deliverance from this terrible situation!

I couldn't bear to deal with anymore of the mess until the next day. I had my contractor (who was here all that week) to look at my washer to see how I should best proceed. I took the offended laundry outside to shake as much off as I could. My contractor offered to string up a clothes line, but I decided that I didn't need to share my undergarments with the neighbors! After repeated washing and drying most everything is back to normal. I had friends tell me last week that some day this will be funny...I know it will, but it was a trying experience.

Over the weekend, I resumed my normal laundry...my younger son left some money in his pants pockets. Interestingly, the money remained in tact. My contractors though could not pass up the opportunity to tease me about not only book laundering, but money laundering! :)

So, the lesson learned that I'd like to share with you all is...don't put your books into the laundry! Oh, and for those wondering the book was Missing by Beverly Lewis and yes, it's really missing now!

Kids...

2009-09-14T10:02:00.001-07:00

Two weeks ago we had our kick off for our new kids programs at LCC! I was away so I got my first taste of it yesterday and I must say I was impressed! I was impressed by one of our young moms who had her two little ones in tow, an infant who was having her first nursery experience and her two year old...who showed up early to be ready for our elementary students. I was impressed by our little staffer boys who have to come early with their parents, yet they did so well in their classes. I was impressed by the preschool staff who look on my little girl for the first time. When I peeked in on the class they were having a blast with our teen helpers building towers!

And speaking of teens, I think LCC has the best teens in the country...I wonder if there are any other churches who have such a great group of kids who serve their church and their Lord, like ours do! I am so thankful for them as they help care for my little one and because I get to serve right beside them and because God has blessed me with two teens as well!

I know there has been lots of talk about where you are serving. I hope you don't turn a deaf ear to it, because it really does take everyone one of us doing out part to make our church function properly. I also have to tell you of the untold blessings that come from serving. Yesterday I was blessed seeing a husband and wife serving side by side in the nursery...who can say they know a dad who loves to sing Veggie Tale songs?! I saw joy and contentment on the mom who got to hold that precious little infant and rock her to sleep. I saw laughter when our littlest ones smiled. Personally, I got to see little toddler faces light up when I sang their name! And I absolutely love to see when little ones make the connection that our story is from the Bible, God's Word. Yesterday we learned about creation and after every day God said it was very good.

I'd have to echo, very good indeed!

Sometimes you just have to laugh...

2009-09-08T12:06:00.000-07:00

What do one (hopefully) potty trained toddler, a niece's wedding in Colorado, a stuffed suitcase - that did meet the 50 pound requirement, barely, on the way out, and a high maintenance mom have in common? That would be me! To keep with the commercial we all know and love, the priceless part was being able to be at the wedding and seeing Becca's bridesmaids gather around her in prayer right before she walked down the aisle!

I did get a lot of flack about all that I packed and I'm sure someone out there has to know what I went through and can identify. You may not want to admit it but...there is just so much one has to take! My boys would disagree, but you never know when you might be cold or when your toddler becomes un-potty trained, which has happened several times. Another necessity is a variety of food and play activities for said toddler, well and the high maintenance mom as well. Can I just say hair product and make up?

I can also report that the hopefully potty trained toddler did excellent with NO accidents so I didn't use all the articles I took "just in case." I did use almost everything else that I packed. I even suncreened the inside of my suitcase on our west bound trip...what? you say. I guess the lid came off and my full bottle of sunscreen was almost empty when I got there. Either I protected the inside of the suitcase or the TSA checker helped himself.

Anyway, the way I figure...it was only 10 pounds a day - that can't be that bad! Right?!

Who is God to you?

2009-09-01T05:16:00.000-07:00

This morning I ended my quiet time thinking about who God is, His character and how He manifests different aspects of His being in my every day life. For the most part, I think I miss these various manifestations, but they are there none the less. I took a few minutes to jot down a few. Jesus is our Bridegroom...our niece is getting married this weekend. God is our Healer...He has healed my neck from whiplash. God is Creator...isn't it absolutely beautiful outside this morning!? The air so crisp and refreshing. There is so much to learn about God and we will barely scratch the surface this side of Heaven, but we can sure keep trying.

Who is God to you?

A New Recipe

2009-08-26T16:14:00.000-07:00

I am typically one to see a magazine at the check out counter of the store, purchase it and then let it sit in one of my baskets until I get frustrated by the clutter and then I usually throw them away. Or, I may look through them, but rarely if ever try and new recipe. Well, aside from trying to limit these unnecessary purchases, I'm trying to use the magazines that I do have. I came across this recipe a few weeks ago, tried it out on my family this week and for the Feehs family it it a keeper. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Brown 1 pound of ground beef, add salt and pepper to taste. Put in bottom of two quart casserole dish. Mix in a jar of spaghetti sauce (I didn't write the amount down). Top with broccoli (the recipe called for a 10 oz package of chopped frozen broccoli, but I had fresh and that worked well.) Then top with 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese and finally roll out a refrigerated pizza dough crust on top and seal the edges. Bake in 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until dough is golden brown, let stand for 10 minutes before serving. Mine bubbled over in my oven so I'd recommend putting a baking sheet or something under your casserole dish. Enjoy!

Time in the Sun

2009-08-21T05:31:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had the opportunity to spend the weekend at my parent's house at Lake Anna. They have a beautiful home right on the water. While everyone spent time on the boat, I decided I'd lay out in the sun to get a bit more color. In my former days, I spent hours working on my tan, but I found I grew restless just lying there. I got to thinking of the Son in the spiritual sense and sitting before God...I realize that I often grow restless when I am resting at God's feet, lying exposed to what He wants to teach me. Then I started to wonder why it is so hard. I came up with a few answers for myself...sin, not wanting sin or hidden motives to be exposed to the light, too busy, lots on my mind, fatigue (I've been known to fall asleep while praying). I thought of these things as sunblock, just as we use sunblock to protect ourselves from the sun's harm rays. The difference with God is that we don't need to be protected from Him. He never causes us harm.

Jeremiah 29:11, "for I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

Are you waiting?

2009-08-13T05:55:00.001-07:00

We often find ourselves in times of waiting. Waiting for military orders to come, waiting for a child to be born, waiting for the kids to go back to school, waiting for your toddler to be potty trained, waiting to fall asleep, the list is endless. I remember a little over two years ago when I was waiting for Maryn's adoption referral. We waited for almost 2 years and it was so frustrating!

The question we need to ask ourselves is what are we supposed to do while we wait. We are told in scripture to "wait upon the Lord." I don't know about you, but I'm not the most patient person and I don't like waiting...even in a line at Walmart. I recently heard a song on the radio that you may be familiar with, but it was new to me. It is called "While I'm Waiting" by John Waller. It is from the movie Fireproof. It answers the question of what we should do while we're waiting.

Here's a link to the song. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFwZ7Ekg080

Together, let's obey, serve and worship God in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in today.

Not too difficult...

2009-05-01T06:03:00.000-07:00

I've been involved with the First Place for Health program since we started it at LCC last fall. I did well in the first session, terrible in the second and this week we started the third. Truth be told, I regained most of the weight I lost in the first session which is very frustrating. I'm now trying to get myself back on track. I'd really like to see the numbers decreasing on the scale, but it hasn't budged much, again frustrating.

Part of FP4H is memorizing scripture. This week's verse has really resonated with me. It is Deut. 30:11: "Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach." I tend to lump things together like wanting to lose all the weight in one week, getting the entire house cleaned, etc. What I've learned this week is that God has specific things planned for me for today and that is what He wants me to do today. Today's tasks are not too difficult or beyond my reach...like exercising today, eating healthy today, cleaning the living room today. Tomorrow there will be a new set of tasks and eventually in God's time, the whole thing will be done.

I know we each have our larger tasks that seem too difficult and beyond our reach, but what about today? I encourage you to ask our Heavenly Father for wisdom and guidance.

Enjoy

2009-04-24T06:13:00.000-07:00

On my weekly to-do list is to update this blog. Sometimes I never get to check off that box, other times I have an idea and have no trouble posting it. Today I have a few minutes and not much on my mind, well that's not exactly true there is always something on our minds, but not necessarily something insightful. I'm still trying to decide what to do today, knowing that it will be busy once Maryn and Garrett wake up (adorable Garret Wells spends his weekdays with us). It is so beautiful outside that I know we'll be out there swinging, taking a walk and probably blowing bubbles, all while trying to solicit smiles from Garrett! I guess the thing that God is impressing on my heart this morning is to just enjoy! Enjoy whatever it is you are doing today, whether it is work, school, being home with kids...find some speck of joy in what you have accomplished. Of course, I'd recommend getting outside a few minutes to enjoy the beauty of God's creation! Let me know what you enjoyed today!

FINE

2009-04-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

I read an interesting quote this morning in my devotional time. The author (Catherine Martin) spoke of our common response of "fine" when asked how we are doing. She then gave two acronyms for the word fine. The first is Freaked out, Insecure, Neurotic and Emotional. The second is achieved only with prayer: Faithful, Inspired, Nourished and Empowered. (Faithful to God, Inspired by Him, Nourished by the Word and Empowered by the Holy Spirit.)

I know that most often when I say I'm fine, it would be more accurate to describe myself with the freaked out, etc. version. Oh, how I wish that at least some of the time, the second acronym would be true. How about you?

Sticks and ...

2009-03-26T17:29:00.000-07:00

not tying you sneakers in PE will break your bones. For those of you who don't know, Caleb broke his foot in PE last week. We thought it was a sprain and he insisted on staying (and walking on his foot) in school for the remainder of the day. He has always wanted to "need" crutches and was very happy when we borrowed some. Rich and I tend to play it safe and take our kids to the doctors "just to make sure." The nurse practitioner who saw him ordered the xray "just to make sure" though she was all but certain it was a sprain. We were all surprised when the radiologist told us his foot was broken. Caleb is now sporting a fancy boot and is able to walk without crutches.

It's been fun to hear him tell of the story, how he was making a great shot in the PE basketball game...he jumped 10 feet off the ground...come to think of it, I don't know if the shot went in or not, but regardless, he didn't return safely to earth...definitely needs to work on his landings.

While I fell bad about the break and the discomfort of his injury, I just have to wonder if he would have broken the foot if his shoes were tied. For those of you without kids or young kids, it's "un-cool" to tie your shoes properly (and think of all the time we as moms spend teaching out kids how to tie their shoes before kindergarten!). I gave up the fight many years ago, do I go there again? Hmmm...a thought for another day.

All that to say, there are just things that happen in our lives that we cannot plan. It throws us off with lots of things. The encouragement for me is those of you who have been praying for Caleb and my family and the fact that God is always there for me. He's there for you too!

New Blog

2009-03-12T09:40:00.000-07:00

There is an excitement in the air to be more consistent in studying God's Word, the Bible at LCC!To help in that process I've started another blog that is title "LCC Women Study the Word." Look for the link under "helpful links" and hop on over. You can join a Bible study group to enhance your learning or follow along at home. Either way you will be blessed as you spend time in the Word.

It's A Bling Thing!

2009-03-10T08:05:00.001-07:00

I think I can say for all those who attended "It's a Bling Thing!" was definitely a "God Thing!" God was certainly present this weekend in a BIG way! The words "thank you" seem so inadequate to express my appreciation...first to God - He was with us each step of the way...to the retreat committee who did such an outstanding job...and to each lady who attended! I pray that God would continue to lay things on your heart to make life changes and to share with others the lessons learned. I pray that this will be a spring board for women's ministries and all God is doing in the life of LCC.

Please use the comment section of this blog to share with others the things God taught you this weekend...it will be an encouragement to everyone!

2009-02-15T17:19:00.000-08:00

Did you get your bling, I mean rings cleaned today? If you did, you know there was a buzz about the church after service this morning all to make sure you know about our upcoming retreat!

Feel like you’ve lost a little of your God-given luster? Need a “time-out” to get your sparkle back? Join friends or make new ones at the LCC Women’s Retreat March 6 and 7th. One night away in a comfy hotel to play, chat, relax, and fill your God-tank might help you feel shiny and new again! Register by February 22nd to receive the discounted price!

Not sure about the retreat and would be more comfortable if you knew a few more women from LCC? Join us for our PMS Night (Popcorn, Movie and Sundae) this coming Saturday at 7 pm at Dannielle Hough's home, in Lorton.

More information and RSVP via the church website www.lifecc.us.

In and Out Rule

2009-01-20T16:31:00.000-08:00

I'm a collector of stuff. I like to try out various crafts so I have my collection of scrapbooking and jewelry making supplies. I love to read so I have lots of books (BTW I love to loan out my books so keep that in mind.) And then there is my clothes, well, let's just say that I love clothes and do like to look my best and I do keep up with advice on What Not to Wear. BUT, I also have a finite amount of space to store all my stuff and I am one of 5 people and 1 puppy in my home so what does one do with all my stuff?

Kathy Peel has a good rule...Every time a new item comes into the house, show an old item the door.

I frequently remind myself that there are many people who could really use (or need) some of the things that I store for a once or twice a year use. I also need to keep working on my heart and be content with what God has blessed me with.

Simplify Your LIfe

2009-01-20T16:18:00.000-08:00

Several times a year I feel the need to simplify my life, my house, how I schedule things, etc. Marcia Ramsland has a book entitled "Simplify Your Life." There are many great books that give great time saving and organizing advice. Over the next several weeks I'll share with you some of the things that stood out to me as I read through this book.

"The people who are most successful in managing their time make appointments with themselves to complete tasks." Barbara Hemphill, Taming the Paper Tiger

This reminded me that I do have to work at maintaining organization - that it is a process or a journey, one that can be refined and improved, but never perfected this side of heaven. And, when we get to heaven, I don't think we'll care! So over the next few weeks I'm going to work at fine tuning my schedule, hopefully rid myself of some junk and simplify when I can. I know I'd rather spend time with my family creating memories than managing my stuff.

If you have any suggestions, add to the blog. Let me know if you're on the same journey, we can encourage each other!

Hosea 6:3

2009-01-20T16:13:00.000-08:00

Today as I was preparing for Bible study I came across a verse tucked in the minor prophets or those short books towards the end of your Old Testament that are easy to miss if flipping the pages quickly. Hosea 6:3: "Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to know him. He will respond to us as sure as the arrival of dawn or the coming of rains in early spring." This is my prayer for us, the ladies of LCC!

A New President

2009-01-20T16:06:00.000-08:00

Today we watched the inauguration of our new President. We were watching history in the making. Those who flocked to the national mall looked so excited to be there, if perhaps a bit cold, it didn't show in their enthusiasm. President Obama may not be the man you voted for and you may be skeptical as he takes office. The thing that seems imperative to me is the vital significance of our prayers for our new president, his cabinet and for our nation! Let's be a prayerful people!

I'm fine

2009-01-15T06:57:00.000-08:00

How often do we say those words when someone asks how we are doing? Well, Maryn has started saying it, but when she does it's usually a dead give away that there is something amiss. Her favorite use of the "it's fine" comment is when you ask if her diaper is dirty. She very politely says, "Mommy, it's fine!" It makes us laugh when she says it, but it got me to thinking about how often we say we're fine when we're really not. Sometimes its hard to be honest and we think the "time is not right" to share our burdens which can be true. But, how are we responding to God? Are we telling Him we're fine when we're really not? Are we bringing him our burdens? I know I don't like I should. How about you?

New information...

2009-01-11T13:23:00.000-08:00

It's taken me a while to get all the dates ironed out, but now it's time to get the word out. If you were at church this morning, hopefully you received an envelope containing information for all our upcoming activities. You'll also be receiving an email in the next day or so with the same information. I hope you'll be able to be at many of the upcoming activities. Invite your friends!

Six Secrets to a Powerful Quiet Time Bible study - daytime 9:30-11:30 Wednesdays, starting this week, 1/14. Evening group 7-8:30 Mondays, starting next Monday, 1/19.

Beat Winter Blues with Bunco - Friday, January 30th from 7:30-9:30 pm.

PMS Night - Popcorn, Movie and Sundaes Saturday, February 21st

It's A Bling Thing! Annual retreat March 6th and 7th. Comfort Inn in Stafford. Cost $75

Sign up on the church website!

Heavy Heart

2009-01-09T07:50:00.000-08:00

Today my heart is heavy as I take two of my friends before the Lord. I ask that you would join me if God lays Kathy or Carol on your hearts as well. My friend Kathy had a double mastectomy on Friday for breast cancer. She home and healing well, but her journey with cancer and the reconstruction from her surgery will be with her for a long time to come.

My friend Carol is expecting her 6th child, but faces an extremely uncertain future. Because of the health of Carol and the anomalies of the baby, Carol is scheduled to have a C-section on Wednesday at 33 weeks. The doctors don't know how much time Carol and Jeff will have with their baby...none, hours, etc.

Both these ladies are strong in their faith and both attest to the power and presence of God as they have gone through their difficulties and uncertain future. Both have talked about how God has brought others into their lives to help comfort and encourage. As I was having my quiet time this morning I was reading in Exodus 33 and 34. The following verses really stood out to me. "Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations."

Are you going through any struggles or difficulties today? I'm still on the soggy journey of potty training and my house is rather messy. What I sense God impressing on my heart this morning is that just as He is faithful to Kathy and Carol in their very difficult circumstances, He is faithful to me with my seemingly minor things. And just as I've been praying for Kathy and Carol, I need to praying about potty training and a messy house.

Let's allow our great God to lavish His unfailing love on us today. Spend a few moments in prayer. And let's praise God for his faithfulness in our lives!

Sleepless in Lorton

2009-01-07T22:21:00.001-08:00

No fancy love story here, just plain can't sleep. What do you do when you can't sleep? I often try to pray and hope that somewhere in my prayers my mind will drift off. Tonight I remember some things that I was very, very late in completing and knew I wouldn't fall asleep until I got up and did them. That's all done now, including a few emails that I needed to send and I'm still not sleepy. I hesitate to go back upstairs and read...I make wake up Rich and he just worked a 16 hour day and faces another tomorrow and the next day...any suggestions?

Our of Excuses

2009-01-06T15:38:00.000-08:00

I'm all out of excuses for not keeping up with this blog. I'm tempted to make a resolution to be better, but know there will be times I break that resolution and then I'll feel guilty. So, what I'll do is apologize (yet again) and start a new. I'm sorry and appreciate all of you who faithfully check this blog only to be disappointed.

On to the new...you'll soon be hearing about lots of exciting things coming up in women's ministries. You'll be hearing about things that sparkle and shine. Here's some of my inspiration...

Gifts from today

2008-12-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

On Saturday and again today, Julie challenged us to notice the small gifts we receive, to acknowledge God in our lives. I may not get them written down on my note cards, but wanted to post some of the gifts I received today.

The gift of fellowship with the women of LCC

The gift of hospitality given to me by Melissa opening her beautiful home

The gift of little kisses when Maryn was supposed to be napping

The gift of snuggles and love from Maryn...I ended up napping with her after the dog scared her by coming into her room

The gift of rest...no I didn't get the things done that I would have liked to, but they'll still be there tomorrow

The gift of Caleb's placement on his basketball team, a great coach and kids he knows

The gift of Josh being old enough (and competent) to watch Maryn so I could take Caleb to practice and get some errands done

The gift of clean kitchen counter tops...it may not last, but it is an accomplishment none the less!

The gift of a quiet evening

How about you? I just wonder what our lives would be like if we consistently counted our blessings!

Organized Christmas

2008-12-09T08:27:00.000-08:00

For all my organizing and planning this holiday season, I've really dropped the ball (again) with the LCC women's blog, again I apologize! I thought I was on good path and things would be easy and stress free. Well as usual, I was not correct...I do believe that I will see many blessings from my early planning, but there are things in life that you can't plan for. Take illness for example...who plans to get sick? I surely don't and it's even harder when it's your child who is sick - don't worry it's just a cold. And then there is the potty re-training. I surely didn't plan on that!

All this emphasizes what Julie challenged us to do on Saturday...to look for the daily little blessings throughout this busy time of year. I hope to have some notes from Julie to post on the blog for those who missed it. So, let's look for those small little blessings like an extra smile and hug even if it is from a snotty nosed kid!

Recipes

2008-11-18T12:59:00.000-08:00

Thanks to all the ladies who came out on Friday evening! It was a fun evening and we missed you, if you weren't there. Here are the two recipes I promised.

Chicken Cesar Pizza

· Cut chicken into bite size pieces
· Marinade in Ken’s Light Cesar Dressing for at least 20 minutes
· Saute chicken in pan until cooked through
· Roll out (or use pre-purchased) pizza dough
· Layer the pizza:
o Small amount of dressing
o One clove of garlic
o Cooked chicken
o Mozzarella cheese
o Parmesan cheese

· Cook in 400 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until done
· Serve with Cesar salad

Applesauce Cake

2 cups flour (I used half regular and half whole wheat flour)
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. Salk
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup unsalted margarine, melted (I used salted butter, it's what was in the house.)
1 can applesauce 16 ounces

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients together in mixing bowl. Dust raisins with a little flour, stir in to distribute evenly. Blend in melted butter and applesauce, beat for 3 minutes with electric mixer (I mixed by hand, too lazy to get the mixer out). Pour batter into 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake 45 minutes or until done.

I made a glaze from confectioners sugar and water for a thin layer of frosting.

Enjoy!

Many thanks

2008-11-05T15:28:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to Lauren for opening her home and leading our discussion about planning for Christmas. Thank you to those who were able to attend and for those who couldn't, you can find some of the ideas on the www.organizedchristmas.com website. It is linked from this website. Our next activity is Friday, November 14th, from 7:30-9pm. I hope you can join us!

Daytime Women's Fellowship

2008-11-03T14:11:00.001-08:00

This Wednesday we are having a daytime women's fellowship (November 5 from 9:30-11:30). Lauren Mullins has graciously offered to host us and lead our discussion time. Our focus will be on preparation for the holidays. I hope those of you who at home during the day will be able to make it. I know I'm looking forward to doing all I can this year to make the holidays less stressful.

I know there are many ladies in our church who work outside the home or school their children and won't be able to make it. If this topic is of great interest to you, please let me know. Depending on interest and a willing host/leader, we may be able to have a duplicate session.

Our change series is reaching its conclusion. I know there are many things I'd like to change and that will be the purpose of our women's gathering on Friday, November 14th from 7:30-9pm or so at my home.

Details for all our upcoming events are posted on the church calendar. If you are not receiving women's ministry emails, please let me know so you can be added to the ministry distribution list.

Change for the Holidays

2008-10-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

I saw this book advertised in the latest Family Christian Bookstores ad and had to go take a look. I'm a pretty organized person, but find myself unraveling around the holidays. I took a field trip to the store, flipped through the pages and decided it looked good, so I made the purchase...yes, it was on sale and I used a coupon. (BTW, it's on sale for $14.99)

I planned on sharing some of the ideas at our upcoming women's ministry events (and will still do this), but as I read through the first few pages this afternoon, I felt couldn't wait and needed to share it with you now. For those of you like minded planners you may want to take a look. One of the key planning times is the day after Halloween, aka this Saturday.

In my mind, simplifying my holidays falls naturally into the change series Pastor Steve is leading us through. Wouldn't it be nice to feel less stressed this holiday season? Imagine what it would be like to actually enjoy and look forward to Christmas. What impact would we have on our little corner of the world if we were able to continue our daily devotions, healthy meal planning, exercise, etc. through the holidays?

No, I'm not intoxicated on fairy dust or on a sugar high from eating the Halloween candy before Halloween...I'm just excited about the possibilities and benefits from a little planning now and the potential impact in December! Take a look and share your thoughts...we all benefit from shared experiences.

Upcoming Events

2008-10-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

I hope you are enjoying our change series as much as I am. There seems to be something each week (or multiple somethings) that I can and should change in my life. Personally as part of the First Place 4 Health group, I’m working on balance of the mind, soul, spirit and strength.

So much to do, so little time…do you feel like that? While there are lots of things we will discover we need to change, there are a few constants that I don’t think will change, at least anytime soon. Our lives will continue to be full and the traffic won’t be going away soon!

Even though our lives are busy and we do have to face traffic, we still need to be meeting together. We do this every Sunday and by participating in our Lifegroups. We also do this when we gather just the women of our church. We certainly need each other and need to nurture those relationships as Steve pointed out this past Sunday.

Here is a list of our upcoming Women’s ministry activities. Pray over your schedule and plan ahead to attend whenever possible.

Are you a stay at home, work from home or work evenings…in other words are you home during the day? If so, we’re going to gather together on Wednesday, November 5 and Wednesday, December 10th from 9:30-11:30 to encourage each other, have a time of fellowship and prayer. Childcare will be provided for a small fee.

How do we manage all the changes we’re trying to make? That will be the focus of our Change evening on Friday, November 14 at my home from 7:30-9 or so. We’ll have a healthy recipe demonstration and taste testing in case you don’t have a chance to eat dinner, make a craft and hear a devotional from Kristie Buttram.

Our Christmas Activity will be on Saturday, December 6th from 2-4 pm (times are tentative and may change a bit) at the home of Sherri Markle. Expect to hear some strategies to “change” your Christmas celebrating.

Our annual Women’s retreat is being planned for the beginning of March, more details to follow, but did you realize how precious you are to God?

I will send out reminder emails for each of our separate events as they get closer. Pray over your schedule and plan ahead to attend whenever possible. I look forward to seeing each one of you soon!

Blog Fog

2008-10-19T19:19:00.000-07:00

It would seem that I'm in a blog fog...having trouble finding the time to write entries and not much to say. I'm in the land of potty training, feels like twins, though I'm running in different directions...Maryn to the bathroom and Winston outside! We'll see what the weeks brings. Enjoy the fall weather!

Success!

2008-10-05T15:58:00.001-07:00

What a great success the pancake breakfast was today! We have such a fabulous church family and I hope you were as blessed as I was because of their hard work! Thank you so much to each person who got up extra early to make (seemingly) hundreds of pancakes and sausage patties! I also have to give high praise to our teens who served us! What a great job they did, trying to see who could "out serve" the other. In case you didn't know, I'm not sure how you couldn't have noticed, but perhaps in a caffeine deprivation you didn't, anyway...it was guys versus the girls. Each team has claimed victory, though the plate count is still not in. Our teens were eager to help in anyway needed and I can't begin to express my gratitude to them!

There are so many others who also helped with setting the tables, pouring juice, getting things to and from my car and I don't want to leave anyone out, so thank you to each one for all you did today to help make our first pancake breakfast such a tremendous success!

Change Starting this Weekend

2008-10-01T17:12:00.000-07:00

I think the only constant in life is change. And change is coming at LCC in the way of our 6 week Change Series. I'm looking forward to all we are going to learn, though I suspect some of the necessary changes I need to make won't be easy. Take diet, nutrition and exercise for example...is that easy for anyone.? Actually, I know the answer is "yes" for some, "sometimes" for others and "seldom or never" for others. I fall in the last group at the moment, but change starts this weekend. It's the first week for our new First Place Bible study group, led by Lisa Downing. There are a group of us ready to embark on this journey to balance.

And then another expected change is the change of seasons...cooler weather, fall foliage, pumpkins, mums, etc. Whatever change you are facing, I pray that God would guide your path and be your constant companion.

It works for toddlers...

2008-09-26T12:49:00.000-07:00

This morning Maryn wasn't getting her way and in true Maryn fashion she dropped to the ground, screaming and rolling around demanding her way...I don't even remember what she wanted anymore. She was ranting, raving and rolling all over the family room carpet...yes that sweet thing you see on Sunday mornings does have a temper and she is 2, so it goes with the territory! So what did I do? I laid down on the carpet and did the same thing she was doing to show her how crazy she looked. (Now I realize that some parenting experts would tell me that you need an audience for a tantrum and I usually go that route, but I couldn't resist this morning.)

Thankfully my mock tantrum didn't backfire on me. It did diffuse the situation and we had fun wrestling and laughing, oh, I got drooled on as well. It's a few hours later and I was thinking it would be nice if the same strategy would work for my teenager's little outbursts, somehow I think not! But alas, God deals with each of us individually. Sometimes He uses humor to bring us around and sometimes the dreaded 2 x 4.

Frustration, not inspiration...

2008-09-24T16:05:00.000-07:00

I should have known that when I ripped my jeans "stretching" them when I put them on this morning that it was an indicator of things to come. Actually my morning went very well..vet appointment and running errands. Maryn and I shared Arby's for lunch. She had a blast looking at all the books at Borders. I think it was her first time there...so many books, so little time.

The problems resurfaced later in the afternoon as I went to the freezer to get some salmon for dinner. I actually had a plan and a healthy on at that! Imagine my surprise when there was no salmon. Dinner needed to be on the table quick so I found some sausage and decided I'd brush up on pancake flipping skills for the upcoming pancake breakfast.

Maryn pulled her chair up to the counter to help. She started washing dishes but decided stirring pancake batter would be much more fun, so she stirred away while I cooked the sausage. She was doing a great job, only sticking her fingers in the batter on occasion until I realized she grabbed the pot scrubber to assist her stirring. Only God knows the last time I ran it through the dishwasher to sanitize it! I did opt for the photo op...I'll have to post a picture when I download, excuse me, when Rich downloads the pictures. It was a manageable photo op until Maryn decided to show me the stirrer, and drip pancake batter all over the chair, counter, floor, herself, etc.!

Up until this point I was really doing fine. I stopped, cleaned up Maryn, ran to school to pick up Josh and returned home to re-make the pancake batter, without help this time. I got everything going, the boys were helping me and we discovered we had very little syrup...URGHHHH! I reached peak frustration levels as I started sneezing uncontrollably, while messing up many of the pancakes.

Oh, I forgot to mention that during this wild time, Winston (the puppy) was shredding paper all over so now I need to vacuum, well I needed to anyway, but now I really NEED to. So, if you need any documents shredded, I have the shred-o-matic puppy. I decided to call it a day and put on my pj's, yes at 7 pm. Definitely not an inspirational day, can anyone relate?

By the way, I do need volunteers to help make pancakes and sausage at home the morning of the pancake breakfast at church on October 5. Let me know if you can help!

Might not be...

2008-09-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

This might not be the most inspirational week for blogging...

I'm still catching up from the weekend
Not very motivated to get caught up from the weekend
I don't think Dora or Diego will provide inspiration, for me at least...Maryn loves them!
It's an admin week for me with women's ministries and getting ready for the pancake breakfast
My to-do list is overwhelming and did I mention that my motivation is lacking?!
My best dinner inspiration is what we are having tonight...chicken and french fries...it's Josh and Maryn's birthdays...it may not be healthy, but will be happy

While I'm not planning on a very inspirational week I am counting on...

lots of laughter as I play with Maryn
the fun of watching Maryn and Josh open their birthday presents, though most of Josh's haven't arrived yet
my house surviving even if it doesn't get cleaned this week
God's faithfulness and provision
eventually getting some things done, well maybe
the reassurance that many of you reading have weeks like this and perhaps feel the same way I do

All that to say I'm not sure how much I'll be blogging this week, though I promise to blog as God lays something on my heart. Who knows, maybe with some extra sleep and lots of extra prayer, I'll hit my stride, until then....

The Fight

2008-09-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

I opened my Bible study book this morning (A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place by Beth Moore) to the following verse: Exodus 14:14, "The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still." It's still sinking in for me, definitely something I need to "chew" on.

I'm a doer...be still? That is rarely my response. I wonder how my life would be different if I were still and allowed God to fight for me...

Chicken Pox or Chiggers...

2008-09-17T15:17:00.001-07:00

Just when I think life is under some sort of control, something arises that makes me remember Who is really in control. Throughout the day on Monday, Caleb developed a suspicious looking rash, so we headed to the pediatrician first thing Tuesday morning to discover this "rash" was chicken pox!! Of all things, he had chicken pox when he was two, but that was still the diagnosis. Apparently some people get chicken pox twice in their lives.

Incidentally, two of his friends had similar sounding rashes as they were all traipsing through the woods on Sunday.

Today we went to the dermatologist for Caleb's alopecia. The resident we saw confirmed the chicken pox diagnosis, but the specialist came in and told us it was bug bites and went on to explain why. Bug bites are certainly welcomed news, though certainly irritating.

While I certainly cannot plan chicken pox or even a massive chigger attack, I do need to remember to be flexible and follow God's lead.

Pie Maker, I'm NOT!

2008-09-13T06:49:00.001-07:00

For those of you who are time crunched, I'll start by sharing a recipe for Peach (or Strawberry) Pie. You'll need the following ingredients: 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup boiling water, a 3 oz package of peach or strawberry jello, 2 cups of sliced fresh fruit, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, lemon juice (to sprinkle over peaches so they don't brown) and a 9 inch pie shell, baked and cooled according to the package instructions.

Directions: Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add boiling water. Cook over medium heat. Add gelatin and mix well. Cool until lukewarm. Slice fruit. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Add to gelatin mixture and pour into pie shell. Refrigerate for several hours or until set. Garnish with cool whip if desired.

Now, the reason why I'm not a pie maker. I guess I should have realized that since my mom didn't like pie and therefore didn't make them, that there may be a genetic issue here...I'll have to ask her sometime. I had a great neighbor who tried to teach me all things domestic...I didn't do so well in the pie making department then either. There was an Easter dinner, parents, in-laws, sister etc. for dinner...big dinner, had to do everything myself (I'm also NOT Martha Stewart, but that didn't keep my from trying). I carefully planned the use of my oven, but as I pulled out the peach pie, I clipped the edge of the oven sending the entire peach pie to the bottom of the oven and no, the meat wasn't yet finished. Just imagine lots of smoke, the smoke detector wailing and a very frustrated homemaker!

Anyway, I've sworn off baked pies unless they come in a box, if you know what I mean. I was given this recipe and with so few ingredients and the bonus of using fresh fruit I figure what could be so difficult. Well if there is a way to mess it up, I've tried it. I had added the wrong ingredients at the wrong time. I've had the jello not gel...just ask Pastor Steve and Sherri about their "dessert" (term used loosely in this situation) when I took a meal when Nic was born. Today I decided to boil the water in the saucepan, then add the sugar and cornstarch, but ended up with clumps of goo...Caleb had a name for it. I suppose it'd be cool to play with if that was the end game. So after throwing that mess out (thankfully sugar and cornstarch aren't that expensive) I started again. It's now cooling in the refrig so I'll have to let you know if it turned out. I decided there is a reason I don't homeschool...imagine what would happen with science experiments in my kitchen!! My hats go off to all our homeschooling moms out there. Me, I'm a science project gone bad!

I did have one time the pie came out beautifully...I was talking to Melissa on the phone, so my advice, call Melissa so say hello when you try this recipe. This pie did turn out, Rich even asked me what I did to prevent it from flopping. Maybe it was sharing the recipe with you! Oh, and feel free to share your experiences with this recipe if you'd like!

What would you change?

2008-09-13T06:49:00.000-07:00

Earlier this week I sent out a women's ministry email asking what you'd change about yourself. I've received some great responses, but would love to hear from more of you. If you could change something about yourself, what would it be?

It has been surprising to me that some of you have been struggling with the same things I've been working through. My intention in asking this question was to get ideas for our next women's ministry activity in October. I know that the things we'd like to change are tough to take on and that there are no quick fixes. I also know the One who has the power to change us. I'm praying for God's wisdom and waiting for His direction for this evening of Managing Change.

If you have any ideas, let me know. Shoot me an email letting me know what you'd like to change about yourself. womensministry@lifecc.us

Remembering 911

2008-09-11T05:43:00.000-07:00

I have no great words of wisdom to offer as we remember September 11, 2001. Like many of you, I remember exactly what I was doing that day. I was meeting my 2 year old preschool students. I remember one of my former parents coming in to tell me about the first of the twin towers being hit. I was so focused on my job that I didn't process what could be happening until the little ones left...by then the events of the morning had played out. I came home and just sat in front of the TV watching the news.

I remember the stories of the families left behind. I also heard stories of parents who "should have been" on one of the planes. I was so thankful when I heard from Rich...he was in a meeting in a government office that morning, but I didn't know where. He was fine and far away from harm. I was also so thankful as I waited for my boys to get off the bus that afternoon. I was thankful for the time off from our usual routine as many of our activities and school were cancelled. While I had things to be thankful for, there were others who were in so much pain.

So, seven year later, I still think of those families who lost loved ones. I think of how the children have survived without a mom or dad. I also think about how our nation turned to God for answers and hope that we do that again today as we remember.

Recipe

2008-09-11T05:34:00.000-07:00

Tuesday evening I had the opportunity to attend a Pampered Chef party at a friend's home. We had a great time and the consultant, also a LCC member did an excellent job. Pampered Chef as a company does a great job providing recipes that use their products. I was telling a friend one of my favorite Pampered Chef recipes...it's one I've had for at least 8 years.

Chicken Cesar Pizza

You'll need: pizza crust (boboli, homemade or you can even purchase pizza dough at Bertucci's)
Ken's light Cesar Dressing
Chicken, cut into bite size pieces
Parmesan Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Garlic

I don't have exact measurements for the above ingredients...I just fill the pizza crust.

First marinate your chicken in the Cesar dressing...I do this right in the pan that I'll use to cook the chicken...for about 20 minutes. Cook the chicken in the dressing. Meanwhile put a small amount of the Cesar dressing on the pizza crust (be careful, this dressing is very strong), use your garlic press to put a clove of garlic on the crust followed by the cooked chicken, mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake in 400 degree oven for about 12-15 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and golden. Serve with Cesar salad. Enjoy!

God's Call

2008-09-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

I just started reading a book that has been on my shelves for a while...it seems like this is my pattern, buy a book, find a place for it on my shelf and then eventually pick it up and read it, well read most of it. Anyway, this book is called "Leading Women to the Heart of God: Creating a Dynamic Women's Ministry", edited by Lysa Terkeurst. Many leading ladies in women's ministries contributed to this. I am always looking for new ideas or ways to keep the "life" in our women's ministry at LCC.

I think as women we all feel overwhelmed at times and question our ability to perform a certain role. I know I do. In the introduction of the book a phrase by Lysa Terkeurst stood out to me. "We need to stop wondering if we really have what it takes to be a leader and realize God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called."

The fall is often the season when as churches we resume classes, lifegroups and revisit the staffing needs to make these happen. So instead of sprinting into the bathroom when you see one of the church leaders coming your way, perhaps it would be better to remember that God qualifies the called, and we are all called to do something in the church.

I hope to have some other fresh ideas for women's ministries as I read through this book, but in the meantime, if you have any ideas, I'd love to hear from you!

Sharing Blogs

2008-09-08T05:31:00.000-07:00

There are several blogs I try to keep up with...the LCC blogs topping the list. It's a great way to keep up with someone and get information out there that we can access as we have time. I have several connections from our LCC women blog to some of my favorites. One of those is the Living Proof blog, which is Beth Moore's blog where she and her daughters post thoughts.

Beth's daughter, Amanda had a quote that really made me think this morning. It said,"If I stop receiving from God, I start demanding from others." There is much more to this post and I encourage you to read Amanda's post in its entirety.

I need to spend some more time working through this, but right now I have to deal with a tantruming almost two year old! Oh, the realities of life!

Rainy Mornings

2008-09-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

It was such a raining morning, one of those days when we love to stay under the covers, sleep a bit longer or read a book. While the temptation may have been great this morning, about 12 of you braved the rain and came for our Back to School coffee. You encouraged me with your friendship and inspired me with your desire to seek God in prayer for our children and those who teach them. Scripture tells us where two or three are gathered, He is in their midst and I surely sensed God's presence this morning!

If you are a teacher attending LCC or one of our core class teachers, you were prayed over. We appreciate all you do to teach us and our children. If you are one of our LCC kids, you were also prayed over - that God would continue to mature you in your walk with Him and be with you in your academic pursuits as well.

If you weren't here, I'm sorry. You unfortunately missed a special morning, but we'll be gathering again soon. Make sure to watch your email and this blog for details! Sherri made a comment to me a few days ago that something is happening at LCC. While I can't adequately explain it, I certainly feel it. God is doing a mighty work in our church! I can't wait to see what He has in store for us this fall! Please join me in prayer during this exciting time!

Four Years Ago

2008-08-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

Four years ago, our family left a large church looking for a place where we would fit in. We knew Pastor Steve from baseball. He had invited us several times and decided it was the time to check out this little church named LCC. We visited at the end of the summer and rest as is often said, is history. I can still remember the awkwardness of being knew, but also the sense that this church really cared about those who entered there doors. As the coordinator of Women's ministries, I strive to make others feel as welcomed as I felt. While I know I'm not perfect with this goal, it is still a worthy goal to have.

I also remember how hard it was for me to go to that very first women's ministry activity...I can still picture where we were, who I sat with and what we did (for those who would remember, it was the pottery painting activity and I sat with JoAnn Cerda.) And while it was difficult for me to step out of my comfort zone, it was probably one of the best things I could have done to get to know people.

Perhaps you are new to LCC or have never been to one of our women's ministry activities, if so, I encourage you to come to our Back to School Coffee. You don't have to be a mom or be in school to come. It's for ALL the LCC ladies! It's just a short 90 minutes and I can guarantee that you'll get to know someone new and that you'll also be thankful you came!

Back to School Coffee

2008-08-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

It's back to school time...I wonder what thoughts that brings to your mind. Some of us are reluctant to see summer end, while others are ready to send our kids back to school. Some of us are preparing classrooms for their students, both in our area schools and some in the school rooms of home. And some of us don't have children and don't have to get all caught up in the school supply aisles at our local stores. No matter your situation, fall seems to bring us back to the routine of life at home and also our church.

With all this in mind, I'd like to invite you to a Back to School Coffee at my home on Saturday, September 6th from 9-10:30 am. Coffee, bagels and fruit will be provided. Please let me know if you need childcare. The only thing I ask you to bring is a short prayer request for the school year for your children or for yourself. We'll have a time of fellowship followed by a time of prayer. We'll be praying for each other, the ladies in our church who teach and for those who teach Sunday school at LCC.

It'll be a great time to relax, get reconnected or even get to meet the wonderful ladies of LCC. Please make sure to RSVP through the church website!

GOTCHA DAY

2008-08-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a great day! I had lots of fun holding and laughing with Maryn. She and I looked at the pictures when we got her. Our dinner of chicken and french fries went well and the ice cream cake was a huge hit. Last night Rich and I attended a LCC church leaders meeting and discovered that yesterday was also GOTCHA DAY for the Downing family! Rita, Lazarus and Angelo officially became Downings...in our hearts they have been all along, but now it's also officially on paper. Congratulations Downing family! I wonder what GOTCHA DAY 2009 will hold for LCC!

A Great Book Club!

2008-08-19T09:35:00.001-07:00

Last night we had a great book club! Thanks to Deanna for hosting us and for baking those amazing brownies and to Nicole for leading our discussion! We have a great group of ladies at LCC; our activities are a great time to get to know others and have some fun! I know for me it was the perfect ending to my day and a great way to start my week. Thanks to all who came and for the friendship you bring to my life! To those who weren't able to make it, you were missed!

GOTCHA DAY

2008-08-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is Maryn's Gotcha Day...the day she was placed into our arms (pictured above)! It's been a joy to remember the anticipation from a year ago...when we were flying to China, touring Hong Kong, flying to Jiangxi and when we first laid eyes and arms on our precious daughter! It was one of the best days of my life as this has been one fabulous year for our family. We love our little girl so much and she has brought so much joy and laughter to our lives! Tomorrow we'll be celebrating with Maryn's favorite dinner...chicken and french fries. (She even tries to order it when at the bank teller! )

Anyway...get me started talking about Maryn and it's hard to stop. We also have our own Gotcha Day...the day we came to Christ. What joy we brought to God, our Father as we understood His plan of salvation and became one of His children. As I've stepped through the adoption process personally, I have gained a better appreciation of what it means to God and His incredible love for us. If you need more information about how to have your own Gotcha Day, please let me know! Let's give thanks for our own personal Gotcha Day and praise our Heavenly Father for His love!

I need to run...Maryn has been doing stickers while I've been on the computer and I'm not sure where they have landed! Picture below is from a few weeks ago, one year later.

School Supplies

2008-08-18T08:48:00.001-07:00

This is the time of year when we dutifully purchase our school supplies for the upcoming school year. The supply aisles at Walmart and Target are filled with parents carrying lists and children selecting their favorite notebooks and pencil cases. I enjoy looking for bargains, especially when you find colored pencils and markers for $0.88 and crayons for $0.22. It's also a great time to start making purchases for our Operation Christmas child project that will be coming in October and November. Every year we make a church goal to send a specific number of boxes through Samaritan's Purse's Operation Christmas Child. Please pray about participating this year and let me know the bargains you find! In these budget stretching times it's helpful to save wherever we can!

A Promise to Remember

2008-08-11T11:37:00.001-07:00

Our next women's ministry activity is book club next Monday, August 18th. Please note the change in date from Tuesday to Monday. It will still be at Deanna's house from 7-9 pm. The book is "A Promise to Remember" by Kathryn Cushman. It's a quick read with something for everyone and many of the life situations that surround us every day. I hope you'll be able to be there!

Change is coming...you'll be hearing a lot about it in the upcoming weeks. I love the change of pace in our summer weather this year. This is what I remember summer to be like when I was growing up. Are you ready for some change?

The Battle

2008-08-08T12:33:00.000-07:00

This summer I'm doing a Bible study on prayer with my closest friend. Prayer is one of my weakest areas in my walk with God. I keep thinking that I'll be a better pray-er when I get organized...which somehow never happens. So, when my friend said she wanted to work on her prayer life, I quickly agreed to join the journey. We chose a well known Christian author who wrote both a book and study guide...perfect for our needs! But...I struggled so much with this study. I didn't want to do the work and when I did read, I felt like saying "I already know this, tell me something I don't know!" Yikes, what an attitude and I had some guilt over that as well!

The one thing about doing a study with a friend is that there is accountability to do the work, so I fulfilled my duty and whined a bit in the process. Then I decided that I should pray (DUH!) about my struggles. I felt that Satan was really trying to pull one over on me, which would lead to a path of frustration. I also decided to try doing the workbook before I read the chapter in the book and believe it or not, between the change in process and prayer, I'm now enjoying this study, seeing the power of prayer and even getting tips for how to organize my prayer life.

Why was this a battle? I believe Satan would rather have me be frustrated and ineffective while God wants me to have His strength and guidance for each day. I suspect we all have different battles going on in our lives at any given time. So, the purpose of me sharing this is to encourage you to hang in there with whatever you need to hang in with...a Bible study, Christian book, relationship or just managing daily life and PRAY! I'd love to pray for you as well, just let me know how I can pray for you!

Prayer Requests

2008-08-04T17:39:00.000-07:00

This week our youth are away in Maine on a mission's trip. Accompanying them are Donald and Kristie Buttram and Russ and Deanna Wells. It is wonderful to have such great leaders to be with our kids and guide their spiritual growth. I'm thankful for each of them and the great teens we have at our church

Please continue to remember the Markle family with the birth of Nicholas. I got to see him this afternoon and he is a beautiful baby! Mom and baby are adjusting well, but those of us who have had children can remember those first few weeks and all the adjustments.

Continue to pray about women's ministries at the church. Our next activity is a book club on Tuesday, August 19th at the home of Deanna Wells. We'll be discussing the book "A Promise to Remember" by Kathryn Cushman. If you have any ideas or would like to be part of the women's ministry team, please let me know!

Inconsistency

2008-07-23T11:32:00.000-07:00

It is quite evident from this blog that I have inconsistency issues and to be quite honest it's not just the blog I struggle with. In fact, I'm struggling with consistency in most every aspect of my life right now. There are some valid excuses, some not so valid, but excuses none the less. I can promise to do better (which I've done over and over on this blog) but I need God's help. Help arrived the other day as I read a verse from Psalm 143:10. This verse has become my prayer... "Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God; may Your good Spirit lead me on level ground."

Mudjacking

2008-06-30T09:59:00.000-07:00

I've recently learned about a new profession...mudjacking. Our patio has settled over the years..5 inches in some places and was causing water problems in our basement with the heavy rains. It seems that the dirt around our foundation has shifted and settled which made the patio fall and in turn made the water run against the foundation and into the basement. The "mudjacker" drilled holes into the bricks then pumped a concrete mixture into the holes to fill all the empty spaces. Amazingly, the patio is back where it belongs and I'm waiting for the next rain to see if our water issues are solved - which they should be.

It got me thinking...we can have a strong foundation in our spiritual lives, but sometimes the dirt around us can settle and water or other influences can creep in and cause problems. Sometimes our lives need a bit of mudjacking - intentionally filling those spaces though with God's Word instead of mud. I know I've needed some mudjacking in my life, how about you?

Time

2008-06-07T16:45:00.001-07:00

Guilt. We all struggle with it from time to time. I suffer from bloggers guilt - or perhaps not-blogging guilt. Blogging is one of those things I do think about, want to write something meaningful, and find little time to execute. This is such a busy time of year (though I think there is busy-ness to every time of year) with sports ending and beginning (for my family little league ending, travel baseball and swim beginning) and the end of the school year. Caleb keeps me posted on the # of days remaining...has the school year really blown by...already!? I'm not sure where the time goes, but see the evidence that time flies...it seems like only a short time ago that Josh, my 16 year old was Maryn's age (20 months) and have we really had her only 10 short months? That time has flown as well. Last year I was wishing that time would fly a bit more, as we were still waiting to be matched to Maryn. What a difference a year makes!

Well ladies, summer is upon us. We have quite a women's ministry activities planned - check out the women's ministry page on the church website www.lifecc.us for details. I'd love to see each LCC lady involved in some way. As I reflect on how quickly time passes I want to take the time to treasure the everyday moments, to thank God for all His blessings, will you join me? Let's remember to share God's blessing when we meet at our book club in August.

Prayer Request

2008-05-22T15:26:00.000-07:00

I suspect that by now you have heard the news of the death of Steven and MaryBeth Chapman's youngest daughter, Maria Sue (and third adopted from China). Here is a link to a memorial blog and more information http://chapmanchannel.typepad.com/inmemoryofmaria/ I cannot begin to imagine how a family deals with a tragedy such as this. This is one of those "whys" we ask God - perfect timing for our current sermon series. I'm at a loss for words and am brought to tears as I think of the blessing Maryn has brought to my life. I know I'll be hugging on her more and thanking God for her!

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-12T10:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a wonderful day for me, one that I've looked forward to for 3 years. It was my first mother's day with Maryn. It was also the day we dedicated her. We were surrounded by our parents and wonderful church family. Rich surprised me with a video of Maryn saying "Happy Mommy Day!" It seems he had to work pretty hard to get the words out, then took some time editing, but one of the best mother's day gifts!

While it was wonderful for me, I talked to a friend who is a military mom whose husband was recently deployed to Iraq. Talking to her gave me perspective on just how blessed I am and how blessed we are as a country, for the men and women who serve in the military and the families they leave behind. Thank you ladies for your sacrifice! I pray that God will bless you and your families, especially those whose husbands are currently deployed!

Mary Heart Martha World Chapter 6

2008-05-07T18:00:00.000-07:00

Chapter 6: Kitchen Service
Dwight L. Moody said, “Of one hundred men, one will read the Bible; the ninety-nine will read the Christian.” p. 83
There is truth and conviction in that statement. We discussed the people whose lives made us first notice Christ. This is why Kitchen Service is so important…our service can point others to Christ or push them away.
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." John 13:34-35

We read the example of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13:1-17. This act would have been shocking to the disciples. They would have considered beneath them to even was Jesus’ feet so to have Jesus bend down and wash theirs was unthinkable. This was also the only time in Scripture that Jesus told the disciples to follow his example. He meant for us to serve one another.
We also looked at three passages: Mark 1:29-34 Jesus healing Peter’s mother-in-law and those who came to the door, Mark 6:30-34 Jesus stopped and ministered to the crowd, and Mark 7:31-35 Jesus took a deaf man aside and healed him. In these passages we see Jesus serving others as he went on his way, as he went out of his way, and in all kinds of ways. Then we discussed how we could practically serve others and show Christ’s love in different areas of our lives.

We discussed using our spiritual gifts and talents for the Lord. One thing the book pointed out that although discovering your spiritual gift is helpful in many ways, it has also become an excuse for many of us not to do things in the church. There are things that need to be done and the way to find our balance is to spend time in the Living Room with Christ first, then we will know when we need to respond.

One of the ladies at church recently shared with me that a pastor told her each person in the church should serve in two areas: one in which they are passionate and one in which something just needs to be done. I thought this was a simple way to make sure we are humbling ourselves in service as a member of the church body.

Finally we looked at Acts 3:1-10 as an example of how to serve. When we serve, we must do it in a way that points people to Jesus or “we risk becoming surrogate messiahs” (page 96). We must always be looking for what God is doing around us and join Him there.

If you are interested in learning more about servant evangelism, I highly recommend reading “Conspiracy of Kindness: A Refreshing New Approach to Sharing the Love of Jesus” by Steve Sjogren.

Our discussion closed with 1 Corinthians 10:31-33…

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.

A Beautiful Woman in Christ

2008-05-06T17:50:00.000-07:00

We had a great Mom's Time Cafe at the Markle's home this past Saturday. There was time to get to know other moms, time to laugh at some Anita Renfroe DVD clips and be encouraged by a devotional shared by Pastor Steve's mom, Leslie. The devotional was so inspiring that I knew it had to be put on the blog for all to see and think about. (Leslie used the outline below from www.creativeladiesministry.com by Julia Bettencourt, but shared other scripture and examples from her own life.)

As we go through our daily "beauty routine" think of the parallels spiritually.
1. Cleanser - In order to make ourselves beautiful, we have to first cleanse ourselves of all unwanted impurities. Our cleansing agent works through our confession and God's forgiveness. I John 1:9
2. Moisturizer - Having compassion can be a good moisturizer. When we start seeing others and their need instead of our own it can really soften us up! Jude 21, 22
3. Wrinkle Cream - If we want to smooth out those wrinkles how about applying a meek and quiet spirit? I Peter 3:4
4. Foundation - We need to start with a good foundation and what is better than the Word of God? If we have the Word of God in our hearts the rest of our spiritual make-up can be easily applies. Psa 119:11
5. Eye Makeup - To keep our eyes shinning the brightest we need to guard them from seeing things that are not fitting of a beautiful woman in Christ. I Cor 6:19
6. Lipstick - To make the face complete don't forget your lips. Apply lipstick in the shade of "pleasantness" daily for best results. Prov 16:24
7. Blush - The blush we apply should be God's love radiating through us. Rom 5:5
8. Hand Lotion - We don't want our hands to become dry and brittle so we need to apply some generosity and good deeds. Prov 31:31
9. Food Therapy - Sometimes when we overlook our feet they can get callused and rough so we need to get them going in the right direction. Take your feet only to the places that Christ would approve. I Thes 5:22

I hope these words cause you to think the next time you're getting ready!

The Cost of Honesty

2008-04-30T15:52:00.001-07:00

I had an interesting experience yesterday. I was at Children's Place making a return and looking at their shoes that were on sale. I found a box that scanned at $2.99, but the shoes inside the box were not what the scanner said they should be. When I was checking out I asked about the price of the shoes. It turns out the box was re-used and the bar code not changed. The shoes in the box weren't on sale so I decided not to buy them.

I made my return and purchased a few other things. This morning when I was emptying the bag I realize the salesman put my returned items back in the bag. While some might see this as a windfall...their mistake, etc...I see this as an opportunity to be honest, even though it will cost me the time and gas to go back. I can't say I'm thrilled about having to go back to the store, but have to wonder how God may use this in the big picture of life.

What's New in Women's ministries?

2008-04-27T17:02:00.000-07:00

Our jewelry night was a huge success! Thanks to all who came and especially to Tori for helping us assemble our necklaces and bracelets.

Our next activity is our Mom Time Cafe this coming Saturday, May 3 from 1-3 pm at the home of Sherri Markle. This is the one time of year that we set aside time to encourage our moms. This year Pastor Steve's mom, Leslie Markle will be sharing a devotional with us. To register, visit the church website www.lifecc.us.

We are still working through the book "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." Last week we worked through chapter 5, Living Room intimacy. The question posed is how do we develop an intimate relationship with God? The answer...PRAYER + THE WORD + TIME = INTIMACY WITH GOD. While we will always be working on each of these areas, we usually find one easier than another and it varies from person to person.

Some of our upcoming events include and movie night in June and book club in July and August. In June we will be starting a First Place Bible study. Watch your email for more details. I hope to see many of our LCC women at these activities!

Jewelry Night Update

2008-04-14T08:44:00.001-07:00

We have now opened up jewelry night to all ladies in the 6th grade and up! It should make the evening lots of fun and be a great opportunity to get to know some of our teens as well. I really need everyone to RSVP that they are coming and which jewelry set they'd like to make. Below are pictures of the choices.

The first choice is a black set accented with gray an silver beads.

The second choice is turquoise.

You have a choice of color with this cat eye and pearl set: light blue, mint green or dark purple.

Tori Markle has been instrumental in helping me plan this evening, yes Pastor Steve and Sherri's Tori who is in the 6th grade. She has been gifted with an amazing eye for design and while we have not discussed this, I suspect she'd be willing to make something for you if you are unable to attend on Friday.

Mary Heart, Martha World Week 3

2008-04-12T07:22:00.000-07:00

When I started reading this chapter, I thought it would be an easy and quick read because I really didn't think I had a problem with worrying...well I discovered things to the contrary. I don't necessarily worry about huge issues, I tend to worry more about things in the past or things that don't really carry much significance, yikes! At the beginning of the chapter Mrs. Weaver talks about worry beads and trying to solve the rubix cube. Since I believed it was impossible for me, I never even tried to solve it...much like dealing with worry issues.

We talked about the manifestations of worry: biting nails, pacing floor, wringing hands, not sleeping, tense or sore stiff muscles and upset stomach to name a few. We also talked about synonyms of worry (might as well get it all out on the table to look at) such as anxiety, fretting, fear and frustration.

We discussed Martha's possible reactions when Jesus told her she was worried about many things. I think sometimes God doesn't fill in all the blanks because we all react differently which makes it easier for us to put ourselves in Martha's sandals.

We spent the bulk of our time in the following scriptures looking at the command given, the results and then what we saying to God if we choose not to follow the directives given. These are the scriptures we looked at: I Peter 5:7, Proverbs 3:5,6, Psalm 37:8,9, Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:6-7.

We started discussing how to deal with our worry though that will also be the topic of chapter 4. I was amazed of the illustration given of the fog and how little water is required to produce such a large area of dense fog. It gives "making a mountain out of a molehill" new meaning.

Towards the end we revisited Philippians 4:6-8 and looked at it's specific directions while we walked through a hypothetical situation to counsel someone (me in this situation) struggling with an anxious situation. The specific directives are: 1. Be anxious about nothing. 2. Pray about everything. 3. Be thankful for all things. 4. Think about things that are noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

We closed looking at a solved Rubik cube. My son is a whiz at putting one back to perfect order and as I've learned from him, there are specific instructions or equations for solving it. He can actually "fix" one in about 2 minutes. It got me thinking...while not easy to learn, God has also given us His "fix" or equation to deal with the worry monsters in our lives...follow the directives in the previous paragraph from Philippians. Now that we have some instructions I guess the challenge is learning them and then putting them into practice. I'd love to hear how God is working in your life through this study...why don't you post a comment on the blog?!

Jewelry Night

2008-04-12T07:06:00.001-07:00

Our next women's ministry activity will be a jewelry making night at my home this coming Friday, April 18th. Tori Markle, Pastor Steve and Sherri's daughter has been working closely with me to plan this evening. We both started making jewelry a couple years ago. She has an incredible eye and sense of design and I'm looking forward to her being here with us! It's also a wonderful opportunity for her to share some of her creations with the ladies at church as she is working on a personal jewelry business and raising money for the summer youth missions trip.

We are trying to limit the selections so we have enough supplies, but provide a range in both color/style selection and price. One of the selections is this light blue/pearl set. You can make this set in the light blue, mint green or a dark purple. We will also have an aqua set and black and silver set to choose from.

You may not be a "jewelry person," but consider coming anyway. The fellowship is always great and you could consider making something for a spring birthday or mother's day.

Just not getting it all done

2008-04-10T16:13:00.000-07:00

I'm sure I'm not the first woman to feel like I just can't get everything done, all while maintaining my sanity! Unfortunately blogging has had to be lower on my to-do list and I'm sorry to those of you who log on looking for some encouragement or just to find out what's happening at with the LCC women. I don't know if anyone can identify, but this time of year I have the NEED to go through the house and reorganize things...all with the help of my very active little Maryn. Today she found a roll of dental floss and had the best time unraveling it, then getting tangled and untangled in it. I do promise to keep trying. I'm working on this past week's Bible study post as well as a post for our upcoming jewelry making night which is next Friday, April 18th at my house from 7-9 pm. I'll be sending out an email and have information available on Sunday as well. Thanks for bearing with me!

Mary Heart, Martha World, Week 2

2008-04-02T09:18:00.000-07:00

Kristie led our group for week two, this is her summary:

Have you ever asked “Lord, don’t you care?” Martha did and that was the focus of our study this week.

After looking again at Luke 10:38-42, it was interesting to note on page 18 “Martha’s pursuits were far from trivial…In fact, the ‘preparations’ Martha pursued were described by Luke as diakonia –the New Testament word for ministry.” Here was a woman who was ministering to Jesus and his followers…she opened her home and was preparing them a meal, but somewhere along the way she got off track. How can we make sure that we don’t make the same mistake?

We looked at two other examples in the Bible: Elijah in 1 Kings 19:1-18 and Jonah in Jonah 3:10-4:11. In both cases, these men were working for the Lord and great things were happening. But both men find themselves isolated and discouraged. Elijah let fear lead him to despair. Jonah let his anger and sense of injustice lead him to want to give up on life. In both cases (and also with Martha) God did not come and accuse them, but instead He used it as a teaching moment to show them they were on the wrong track. One of the things that Jonah fussed at God about was actually what we need God to be:

“I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” Jonah 4:2

The book focused on how Martha got to the point that she asked “Lord, don’t you care?” The book suggests Satan uses “Three Deadly Ds of Destruction”.

DISTRACTION “Get people’s eyes off God and on their circumstances” page 17.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:2-3

DISCOURAGEMENT “Breaks down our perspective and our defenses” page 19.
See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:12-13

DOUBT “If he can’t make us doubt God’s existence, Satan will do his best to make us doubt God’s love” page 22. We looked at God’s love for us in Psalm 103 and Jesus’ encounter with Thomas in John 20:24-31.

We closed with three lessons we learn from Martha’s encounter with Jesus:

1. We can bring our needs to Jesus anytime and anywhere. Philippians 4:6

2. Jesus really cares about what concerns us. Psalm 17:6 and 1 Peter 5:7

3. Jesus loves us enough to confront us when our attitude is wrong. Hebrews 12:6 and Revelation 3:19

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World

2008-03-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

We started our new study last night, "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World." The discussion was great. I am hoping this will be the first of weekly updates on our study for those who couldn't be there and for those who may be following along with us, but not able to attend. We discussed preconceived ideas about Mary and Martha, primarily that Mary was right and Martha was wrong. Then we looked at Luke 10:38-42 to discover what scripture said. We talked about whether we could change or if "once a Martha, always a Martha" was true. We all agreed that it is possible to change, though with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We looked at the following scriptures to back this up: I Samuel 10:6, Psalm 51:10-12, Ezekiel 36:26-27, Romans 12:2, 2 Corinthians 3:18, 2 Corinthians 5:17 and Philippians 1:6.

Several ladies shared their experiences of being transformed. The question raised by the author is how can we tell if someone's transformation is permanent versus temporary. We read Galations 5:16-25 for some answers (walking by the spirit, getting rid of sin and putting on the fruit of the Spirit, to name a few.)

We spent a few minutes walking through the familar passage in Matthew 11:28-30 where Jesus invites all who are weary to come to Him and take His yoke.

There was a quote we looked at from page 9 on our books, "while the world applauds achievement, God desires companionship." We discussed some of the things the world applauds and even expects and also what companionship with God means.

When I first read chapter one and as I prepared to lead this session, the ladder illustration, on page 2, kept coming to my mind. We listed the various "rungs" on our spiritual ladder (devotional time, prayer, giving, serving, encouraging, teaching, etc.). We then listed reasons for not moving up the next rung (fear, distraction, discouragement, loss of focus, etc.). We returned to our ladder illustration at the end of the study. I believe the first rung is salvation, a relationship with Christ which is the start of our spiritual journey. I also believe that the various rungs are different and perhaps in a different order for each of us - that God works with us individually. We may go up a step and then go back down. I also believe that in this illustration, we have a safety belt, the Holy Spirit.

The challenge for us is to consider what that next "rung" is for ourselves and I encouraged the ladies to write it in the front of their books. As we work through this study and pursue a more intimate walk with God we'll see how he helps us move up our ladder.

Harmony

2008-03-14T05:43:00.000-07:00

Well, harmony has come to stay in our home, though not the harmony you may think. Those of you who have followed my blog, know that we've had some MAJOR issues with washing machines. It all started with a little, no really a lot of mold and FOUR machines later, I think we may have found the right one. I do reserve the right to change my mind and Best Buy gives me 30 days.

This matching washer and dryer are called the Harmony series made by GE. The washer communicates to the dryer to tell it what type of clothes have been washed and how to dry them. I still have to read the owners manuals for both machines, but it sounds interesting and is supposed to help save electricity.

I just have to draw some spiritual parallels here (perhaps this is why I've had to endure 5 months, numerous phone calls, 2 repair visits and 4 machines.) If you'll indulge me here...God is like my washer...He washes me clean by offering forgiveness. He desires to communicate with me...wants to tell me the best options, tell me the most efficient way to get things done. The Bible in this scenario is like my owners manual...it contains information on all the benefits and functions of the machines.

In the spin cycle of life, I have to stop and answer a few questions: Am I listening to God communicating with me? Have I taken the time to read through the owners manual to fully understand the benefits God has to offer me? I guess I'll have time to ponder these questions every time I'm in my laundry room. How about you?

Blooms Abound

2008-03-12T04:06:00.001-07:00

It's been several days since we've returned from our annual women's retreat. What a beautiful time it was...seeing women worship, develop friendships, and hear the Lord speak all in a beautiful, flowerful setting! The ladies that led our sessions, activities and discussions around the tables did a fabulous job! What an honor it is to serve beside such wonderful women who seek to serve God! I know we will see the impact of the retreat for months and years to come - we have to because God promised that time spent in His word would never return void.

One of the things I read over and over in the retreat evaluations is that God was drawing the ladies into a closer relationship with Him. I can't think of a greater lession and I encourage everyone to seek God with all their heart.

I wish every lady at LCC would have been able to attend, but God can work on your heart if you were there or not and I pray that He is doing just that. Our next ladies Bible study will begin on Monday, March 24. We'll be looking at the life of Mary and Martha in the book "Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" by Joanna Weaver. The focus of the book is developing an intimate relationship with God. If you are not currently part of this group, we'd love for you to join us.

I love the signs of spring popping up around me. I have a few crocuses and daffodils that have bloomed in the past week and see many more coming up through the ground. The birds are actively building their nests - Maryn loves to hear the birds chirping when we go outside. The days are getting warmer and longer. I pray that as we see these beautiful signs of spring that we also see the blossoms God has for our spiritual lives as well.

"Put your hope in the LORD, for with he LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption." Psalm 130:7

Treasure

2008-03-04T04:17:00.000-08:00

Back in December, I was working through a book to enhance my devotional time by Catherine Martin. One of the things she suggested was to ask God to give me a theme or focus verse for the year. I just love God's timing. I thought of a couple of words, but the one that came to the forefront was "treasure," very specifically the treasure of God's Word. You see, I was struggling with my devotional times, they became stale, predictable and I often did it so I could check it off my list or sometimes not at all. So, I prayed about it and God was quick to answer with a resounding Yes! You know, the more we are in the Word, the more we come to know God, the more we grow in our faith and the list of benefits from being in the Word go on.

On my to-do list (sometime this year) is to do a word study on the word "treasure" to see how often it is used in the Bible. Well I haven't started this task yet, but God decided to show me one passage this morning...Isaiah 33:6: "He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure." I just love this verse and though I should have read it sometime in the past, it isn't a verse that was familiar to me.

At this time in my life (and really all the times of my life) I need a sure foundation, I don't have time for shifting sand, am certain I'd pull a muscle if I fell and am just a bit too busy to have to sure up my footing...can you relate? I also love shopping so going to God's "rich store" is appealing. No, I realize I can't buy new clothes or shoes there. I'm thankful that on a previous trip to God's "store" I found salvation. Today I need a fresh purchase of wisdom and knowledge. I guess I really need to shop here every day for I need wisdom and knowledge every day (wow, how knew God's Word had imagery of shopping and no cash or credit cards are needed!) The key to this treasure is the fear of God...which takes me back to needing to be in the Word, the more I know Him the more I respect and fear Him.

So today my greatest treasure won't be the best sale find of the day, but his rich passage of scripture. I hope you my fellow shopping friends visit God's store soon! You'll find the best prices and they always have your size!

The Small Things

2008-03-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

As many of you who read this blog know, our annual women's retreat is this coming weekend. The two weeks leading up to the retreat seem to be the busiest. Those who know me well, know I love working out and planning all the little details, sometimes obsessively down to the height of the flowers in the vases. This year is unique for me as I have Maryn in the mix. There have been times when she doesn't want me to work on retreat things. Like the times she has sat on the blanket fabric so I couldn't line it up, or the times she tried to grab the scissors while I was cutting as she said "no" to me! She has walked around the house with flowers, gathered trash (that was meant to distract her) but this blog post is not supposed to be about Maryn, oops!

Today is a busy day for me and I wasn't sure how I would do everything, but in God's amazing provision, Maryn has slept until 10:30 which allowed me to get lots of things done and as I spent time in the Word and in prayer, God showed me how I can can accomplish my to-do list. This is just another example of God showing me His love for me and that He does really care about the little details in my life. So, since God cares about the little details, maybe it isn't so bad that I care about them too! I hope all who read this will have a blessed day and see God working in their lives. Gotta run, Maryn is calling and she's hungry!

Errands Without Baby

2008-02-27T17:56:00.000-08:00

Things have been busy around our house lately...drum line, basketball, after school band practices, band concerts and the there's lots of errands for the retreat. Don't feel sorry for me because I do enjoy shopping and looking for bargains. So Josh is home sick today with bronchitis. He had a few things he added to my list, but he was also willing to watch Maryn while she napped so I could run my errands without baby in tow. I am still surprised by how much I got done, just me zipping in and out of the car and stores, no tantrums or trails of goldfish! It reminded me to be thankful for every small blessing especially the unexpected ones!

Movie Night Rescheduled

2008-02-22T13:28:00.001-08:00

Due to the icy conditions, our movie night is cancelled for tonight, Friday night and rescheduled for tomorrow night from 5-8. Please note the location is changed from Kodi's home to mine. Please RSVP to let us know you are coming, even if you previously RSVP'd womensministry@lifecc.us. Thanks!

The Weather Outside is Frightful

2008-02-20T19:45:00.000-08:00

The weather in the DC area is so crazy. A very small amount of snow halts everything. Those who are from areas with "real snow" just laugh. Well, the weather may affect our movie night Friday. I may not be able to check "Little Women" off my list. Stay tuned and check your email if we need to cancel. Maybe my boys will watch it with me...NOT!

The Bloomery

2008-02-18T12:05:00.000-08:00

Living in the DC area presents lots of challenges. The pace of life is endless and we as women carry many responsibilites. Many of us are wives, moms, employees, teachers, committee members and serve within our churches (just to name a few of the things we do.) Whatever your station in life, you wear many hats and are sure to be busy. Because of this busy-ness it's hard for us to get away...because of this busy-ness we need to get away! Therein lies the challenge. It's a challenge each woman faces. It's also a challenge as a women's ministry leader to find the right time and plan a meaningful time for women of the church to get away, recharge, and grow in their faith and friendships with other women.

Each year we set aside the second weekend in March for our annual LCC women's retreat. This year the dates are Friday, March 7th and Saturday, March 8th. The theme is called "The Bloomery: Where Women Grow in Faith and Friendship." We'll be surrounded by the beauty of flowers and be challenged by the practical-ness of the story of Mary and Martha. Isn't that a great topic for the area where we live? Martha syndrome runs rampant in this area...always something to do or somewhere to go or traffic to wait in. I know God has so much in store for us this weekend and I would absolutely LOVE if every woman of LCC could be there. I know it's a busy time of year...my husband will have to get our boys to one basektball game and three band competitions toting our one year old daughter to it all. I know it's hard to get away, but I can guarantee it will be worth it. Will you trust God to handle the details so you too can be there?

There is more information available at http://www.lifecc.us/. Please let me know if you have any questions. I really hope you can be there.

A Night at the Movies

2008-02-18T11:51:00.000-08:00

Can you believe I've never seen the movie "Little Women?" I know this is a favorite for many ladies. You might even be further aghast to learn that I've never read the book either. I was NOT a reader as a young girl. I read only what was required to read for school. The only books I remember reading as a young girl were biographies of Florence Nightingale, Clara Barton and Abigail Adams...perhaps that's why I wanted to be a nurse.

Anyway...this Friday evening I can check "Little Women" off my "must see" movie list. (Note to self, add "Little Women" to my "must read" list.) Whether you'll be home all day with the kids or coming home from work, change into your comfy jammies, kiss the husband, kids, dog and/or cat goodbye and come to Kodi's house. Don't worry if you don't have time to eat dinner, we'll have pizza and a salad there, please bring a snack or favorie candy to share. RSVP through the church website http://www.lifecc.us/ so we can plan accordingly.

Whether you've seen the movie a hundred times or if this is your first, like me, you're sure to enjoy the time of fun and fellowship with the ladies of LCC! I hope to see you there!

Where Does the Time Go?

2008-02-11T11:44:00.000-08:00

When I was younger, a lot younger, it seemed that time practically stood still. Now that I'm a bit older, I'm not sure where the time goes. Our whole family was sick with that nasty cold/flu bug that's circulating for about a week. It took another week for me to get caught up and here I am trying to get back on track with the blog. I'll apologize now for any typos because Maryn is walking by randomly pushing buttons as she passes. I do miss that two nap a day schedule!

Anyway, I'm sure time goes by faster than you think it will as well and before you know it, you'll have missed the deadline to sign up for our retreat. Early registration ends this Wednesday...you'll want to sign up early so your name will be entered to win the beautiful basket that has been out on the table each week. All you need to do is go to the church website www.lifecc.us to register. I can guarantee you won't want to miss all the fun, fellowship and time to grow in your relationship with God!

Songbird

2008-01-23T10:36:00.000-08:00

It's so great to see women getting plugged into the "life" of LCC. As women we need that time of friendship and fellowship. Our January activity is a book club at Deanna's home. We're meeting this coming Tuesday, the 29th from 7-8:30. If you are interested there is still time to get the book and read it (Songbird by Lisa Samson), but we always encourage ladies to come even if they haven't read the book. Log onto the church's website for details www.lifecc.us.

Peek-a-boo

2008-01-21T13:14:00.000-08:00

Most of you know and have shared in the joy of our little Maryn. It is so fun to watch her grow and learn. She is starting to say simple words. Last week she started saying "boo" and "bye-bye." She now peeks around the corner and says "BOO!" (She needs to work on her hiding techniques.) She'll also grab her little tote bag and walk away saying "bye-bye" while blowing kisses and everyone in the room has to say "bye-bye" back to her...of course she only ventures from the family room to the foyer and she comes right back, but she is secure enough for this little journey.

Thinking about this made me think of how we can "hide" in the shelter of God "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust," Psalm 91:1,2.

Future LCC Women

2008-01-17T15:19:00.000-08:00

This weekend our youth will be going away for their retreat. They will be looking at the question "What is God's purpose for my life?" We all ask this question and what a better time to seek God's answer than during the teen years. Imagine the impact of this potentially life changing retreat. I know God richly blessed my life with faithful youth leaders and I'm thankful for our LCC youth leaders who will be attending...our LCC women Kelly and Deanna and of course the men, Donald and Jamie. Let's pray for the heart of all the teens in attendance, but especially our future LCC women.

Good Morning!

2008-01-16T05:38:00.000-08:00

In the morning I often watch the Today show. This morning they had a segment on about childhood obesity and parenting style. I was surprised to hear that both authoritarian AND permissive parents' kids had a higher risk of childhood obesity. The style that works best is having authority, but with love and support. I had to chuckle as I thought about it...sounds a lot like God. He is a just God, disciplines us when necessary, but full of grace, mercy and love. What a great God we have!

Yikes!

2008-01-11T08:35:00.000-08:00

It's been a week since I've posted anything on the blog and it has been an amazing week! On Sunday our womens' ministry leadership team gathered to get ourselves organized for the next several months. We have some great activities to attend from our weekly Bible study, to our book club in January, our movie night in February and our annual retreat in March. Check out the LCC website www.lifecc.us for details! It's going to be great!

I have to tell you one of the greatest joys of overseeing the women's ministry at LCC is seeing God orchestrate the big picture and I'm not sure who else gets to see that. I could go on for a long time telling you of all the things God did this week, some before we even prayed about. I can't wait to see what happens in the next several months.

The week wasn't without it's frustrations -like more washer and dryer issues or hotel sales managers all being sick or away on Monday and Tuesday. If I spend a few minutes thinking, I'm sure I could come up with more to lament over or complain about, but then I'd be missing all the many blessings God has laid before me. I hope you too can count the many blessings God has given you!

Waffle Recipe

2008-01-04T11:23:00.000-08:00

I've been thinking about some more lighthearted topics for the blog and thought I'd share a recipe that my family enjoys.

Waffle Recipe

1 3/4 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup cooking oil

Mix flour and baking powder, then add the rest of the ingredients. Pour batter into waffle iron.

This is one of those recipes you can tweak to make it healthier without your family knowing. I use whole wheat flour (when I first started I used half regular flour and half whole wheat), canola oil (also healthier than vegetable oil) and I also add some wheat germ (you can find it in the cereal section of the grocery store.) When I make waffles, I double the recipe and make a bunch, wrap them individually and freeze them. When we want a waffle for breakfast we just heat it in the toaster.