Easter Week

Preparing for Easter is a little bit like preparing for Christmas...without the shopping and the crowds and all the family being together...okay - maybe it's not like preparing for Christmas at all!  But we had family coming!  This is special because our family is now divided by a 3 hour drive and as everyone is active in
their own church, we are not together on many Sundays.

On Monday, Jay and I were at First Christian Church bright and early - he preached and I sang...yes, at 7 a.m.!  A good start to Easter week!

On Tuesday, Melinda and I went junk shopping - we call them antiques - and I found a very neat old crystal platter with it's own carrying handle - and I created this Easter arrangement for my dining table...

See the glass handle in front of the cross?  Cross, grass, candy, empty egg (symbolizing the empty tomb),

and the little bird - new life!

Late in the afternoon on Friday, this arrived...

From my sweet brother, Kevin and his wife, Sandi.

The card had Happy Easter and all of Acts 1:11

handwritten on it...I cried.

Friday night, Andrew and Elaina arrived.  It was Andrew's birthday and I had made

his favorite...

Lemon Bars

Oh, I forgot, earlier...the doorbell rang and our new neighbor brought this...

We had taken food over to welcome them...and she wanted to reciprocate...wasn't that sweet?

On Saturday, we were lazy ...

while Jay made a flying trip to Cave City to perform a wedding...and back....

Then we took Andrew and Elaina up to see Cary, Sara, Jackson and Millie in their new home.  Sara made birthday cake for Andrew...

Yes, he is blowing out votive candles...Sara is resourceful like that...

Then we made a flying trip to Sikeston, MO to Lambert's, home of the "throwed roll"...

Sara

A & E

Sweet Jackson Luke












Millie Elizabeth









Sunday morning was a flurry of baking...

Pecan Crusted Pork Tenderloin

Banana Pudding Pie
(courtesy of Lick the Bowl Good)

Green Bean Bundles






I won't bother to post the potato salad with the almost raw potatoes that everyone politely ate.  :)

And saving the best for last in this long, long post....

We worshipped our Lord and Savior on this special day we set aside
to celebrate His resurrection from the grave - EASTER.

He lives!  Hallelujah!

Every Sunday we celebrate the resurrection...but on Easter...it takes
front and center stage. 

What a Savior! 

An empty tomb! 

Angels!

Power over death, hell and the grave!

Because He lives...I will never die...end of the story.
John 11:26.

Andrew

Tried to post this earlier but google did not cooperate.

                        

                          Andrew and Elaina

Today is my baby boy's birthday (shhh, don't tell him I called him that).  Andrew Jay made his entrance to this world 29 years ago.  It's so hard to believe my youngest child is 29. 

What can I say about Andrew?

• Brilliant...understands concepts I can't even begin to see
• Talented...self-taught guitarist, music writer, singer
• Creative...designs houses, designs & builds furniture, designs & installs audio-visual systems,     creates awesome ppt programs
• Tender-hearted...tries to hide this one
• Courageous...the meaning of his name - takes a stand for his convictions

This is just a few of the things that make Andrew who he is.

Happy Birthday!
I am SO thankful God sent you to us and I love you dearly!

Object Lesson

I love object lessons.  We tend to think only children benefit from them, but I believe adults do as well.  Today, I created an object lesson - accidentally - not on purpose.  Here it is...

What do you see?

Two chicken pot pies?

Correct.

But one has a secret....

there is no chicken in it! 

What?  A chicken pot pie with no chicken?

In my haste, I put the pie together...without the chicken.

You can't tell what's in a pie by looking.

It can look wonderful, delicious...like it's full of chicken...

Lesson?

We can look good on the outside...we can look like we love Jesus...

like we are living for Him.  

But...

God looks in our hearts.

What is inside?

Are we full of chicken...or empty?

Blessings!

Baking Today

Trying to get ahead.  I usually wait until Sunday afternoon to make something for our Bible study ladies to enjoy - but always end up rushing around.  So...I baked today!

Can't remember where I got recipe - maybe from Vintage Victuals.

Toffee Nut Mini-Muffins

No step by step this time...after all, I am NOT the
Pioneer Woman.  They are yummy - lots of butter,
coffee, chocolate covered toffee bits - what's not to
like?

Otherwise, I have prayer walked with my church this
morning, cleaned out the refrigerator and re-organized
one cabinet.  All in all, a profitable day and it isn't over
yet!

Blessings!

What's Goin' On?

What's goin' on?  Today I'm ready to share what's goin' on -  in me.  I've been facilitating the Bible study, "Conversation Peace" taught by Mary Kassian.  I went through this study about 10 or more years ago.  I've been thrilled, blessed and convicted all over again with God's Word.  Needless to say, I need this study about every 6 months, we are such forgetful creatures.

It's amazing that God loves us...that He puts up with us while we are on this journey called LIFE.  He is so patient and gracious - forgiving and kind.  He keeps working on me day by day.  The wondrous thing is that if I will only cooperate with Him - He WILL accomplish His will in me.

So, what's the problem?  It is this...

My heart.  That's the problem.  That's the source of ....

Yep, you got it...the mouth...and not only that, but

Jesus said everything comes out of my heart...my

words...my actions...everything.

Jeremiah says that the heart is deceitful - it lies - and

who can know it?  I know the answer!  Only God.

So, what's goin' on?  A lot of heart cleaning...and a

whole lot of heart "filling" - "Thy Word have I hidden

in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee." (Ps. 119)

Jesus said out of the good treasure of my heart - I can not

only speak right, but do right.  So, it's my job to fill my

heart with treasure...to renew it daily...fill myself with His

thoughts.

Thank You, Lord, for not only showing me my sin, but...
for not leaving me there...

for cleansing and forgiveness...

for providing Your Word to fill my heart...

to guide my steps...

to light my path.

"Let the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to You,
O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer."  - Psalm 19:14

I'm Game

Elaina does Getting to Know You Sunday...

I'm game...even tho' it is Monday...and I have no graphics...

1.  Are you more of a talker or a listener? 
Both.  Depends on the group I'm in - I can be quite the talker, even a clown...but in some circles, I definitely become the listener.  I am trying to work on my listening skills.

2.  Bra.  Underwire or wireless?
Underwire, 'nuf said.

3.  I wish I was...?
In Little Rock...I know I shouldn't wish my life away...but need to see my kiddos.

4.  The Academy Awards were on last night...did I watch?
Nope - I go over and look...usually get disgusted, do not sit and watch.

5.  Do you put your deodorant on before or after you dress?
Before...otherwise I would never remember!

6.  Would you rather wash dishes or clean toilets?
Seriously????  Dishes, any day of the week and 2x on Sunday!

7.  How much did I weigh at birth?
7 lbs. 14 oz.

8.  If you could buy one thing for the Spring/Summer season, what would it be?
Something pink - I love pink.

Marshmallows!

Each week for our ladies Bible study - I make something for them to enjoy.  I love trying new things!  This week, I made homemade marshmallows and then s'mores.  Recipe courtesy of Lick the Bowl Good - a food blog I absolutely love.

I am mimicking Pioneer Woman...here we go!

Ingredients: Sugar, vanilla, gelatin, salt, water, powdered
sugar and cornstarch.

I took a close-up of the big bottle in the back.  I want no misunderstandings,
since the bottle looks like many other things...

Yes, it's mexican vanilla - my parents used to bring back when they
went to the valley in Texas.

This is water, sugar, and corn syrup...bubbling away until it reaches 240 degrees!

Combine with water and gelatin and then it's
mixing...mixing...mixing...mixing...12-15 minutes!
Whew! Thank the Lord for Kitchenaid!  I began
to worry it would overheat and quit, but it didn't.

Then you spread this fluffy, sticky mixture into a sprayed pan

coated with powdered sugar and cornstarch and leave them

sitting out on the the counter...

 

And 10 hours later...voila!

 

marshmallows!!!! 

 

Final step...dipping in chocolate and graham cracker crumbs... 

As Rachel says...Yum-o!

And here is a bonus...for free...

one of my new favorites

Peanut Butter 'n Jelly Pie...before Cool Whip...and after!

I'm off to Ladies Bible Study!  If I fill my mouth with

good things...it leaves me less time to put my foot in it.

Blessings!