Well, I didn't get much crafting done this month. I did finish the baby's blanket and while I'm still not totally happy with it, it's done and functional. In the past week or so I've started getting things ready for this baby so a lot of my time has been taken up with washing clothes and bedding and making to-do lists.
This past weekend we set up the bunk beds in the girl's room and moved the crib to the boys room. I wasn't sure how long it would take for Keira to adjust to a "big girl" bed but she has done so well. Today was the first day that she didn't cry at all for nap or bed time and seems to really "get it" that this is her new spot. She loves to play on her bed during the day too.
I've also been having fun with the freezer/pantry challenge. It's been fun to see what I can come up with from the ingredients I have on hand. Tonight I did a pasta casserole with chicken and broccoli it was along the lines of an alfredo but using shredded yogurt cheese (which has no lactose so I can eat it) and replacing the milk with chicken broth. It was a huge hit so definitely a recipe that will go into my binder.
Now that my freezer is mostly cleaned out I'm going to start making some of the freezer meals. I'm not sure how many will fit but I figure I'll just make them until the freezer is full. I found this great site which has freezer meals for once-a-month cooking so I'm using her ideas.
I'm also still working my way thru "The Power of a Woman's Words" and am continuing to enjoy this study while also being challenged. So that's the summary for this month.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
The Promise of Power
Once again I'm getting this up later in the week than I had hoped. One reason is that I really wanted to take some time to think over what to share. This chapter was such an encouragement to me.
The first half of the book has been dedicated to what the Biblical guidelines for our speech are and how much our speech affects those around us. The second half of the book is focused on how we can implement the necessary changes into our speech. The first chapter in this section is entitled "The Promise of Power" and focuses on the fact that despite how hopeless change (in any area of our lives) may seem God has given us His Spirit who does have the power to change us if we yield to Him.
The first half of the book has been dedicated to what the Biblical guidelines for our speech are and how much our speech affects those around us. The second half of the book is focused on how we can implement the necessary changes into our speech. The first chapter in this section is entitled "The Promise of Power" and focuses on the fact that despite how hopeless change (in any area of our lives) may seem God has given us His Spirit who does have the power to change us if we yield to Him.
"While no human being can tame the tongue...God can. It may
be impossible ...for you and for me, but it is not impossible
for God. 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' (Genesis 18:14)"
"It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we
are able to control this little muscle that rests between
our teeth."
be impossible ...for you and for me, but it is not impossible
for God. 'Is anything too hard for the Lord?' (Genesis 18:14)"
"It is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we
are able to control this little muscle that rests between
our teeth."
Philippians 4:8-9 lays out eight guidelines for our speech. We should ask ourselves the following questions about our words before we speak.
- Are they true?
- Are they noble?
- Are they right?
- Are they pure?
- Are they lovely?
- Are they admirable?
- Are they excellent?
- Are they praiseworthy?
*I would encourage you to look up the definitions of each of these words and really meditate on their meanings.
Does this come easy? No, "it takes practice! Practice! Practice! Practice!"
Mrs Jaynes also points out that in Galatians 5:23 we are instructed to have a gentle spirit. This gentleness is to extend to our speech. Many times gentleness (or meekness) is seen as a weakness; however "When Jesus said he was meek and lowly in heart, He was saying that he was submitted to God - mightily powerful but under God's control." "Meekness isn't weakness; it's power under control. It's taming and training our tongues to be under the submission and control of the Holy Spirit."
So we know what to do, but how? In John 15:5 Jesus tells us "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." We are to be constantly abiding in Jesus, this does not come naturally and I believe that's why it is a command, not a suggestion but something that Jesus knows is hard but necessary for us.
In Ephesians 1:19-20 Paul writes "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." As believers, who have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, we have access to that same power that raised Jesus from the dead!! We need only to submit ourselves to the Spirit!
Martha:
I have to say one of the most encouraging things in this chapter was the focus on Martha. Martha tends to get all the negative attention, in Luke 10:38-42 we first meet Martha and she is scolded by Jesus for being too concerned with the things of this world and not spiritual things. Martha was trying to do the socially correct things while missing the opportunity to sit under the teaching of Jesus.
Now look at John 11: 1-27; in verse 5 it is said that Jesus loved Martha...despite her wrong priorities he loved her (just as despite our wrong speech Jesus loves us). In verse 20 we see that it was Martha that went out to meet Jesus. Her brother Lazarus had died but she was trusting that "even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." (vs. 22) again in verse 27 Martha states "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world".
What a great picture of the change that can take place when we heed God's instructions for any area of our lives. Martha certainly listened to what Jesus had instructed back in Luke 10:42 when he said "one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
The change in Martha's life did not come from her being good enough, or working hard enough. The power to change came when she yielded herself to the teaching of Jesus and submitted her heart to Him.
Each one of us struggles with different things in our lives but the answer to overcoming whatever we face and the power to make whatever changes necessary come from the same place...God.
Our flesh is weak but 2 Corinthians 4:7 & 10:4 remind us that:
- Are they true?
- Are they noble?
- Are they right?
- Are they pure?
- Are they lovely?
- Are they admirable?
- Are they excellent?
- Are they praiseworthy?
*I would encourage you to look up the definitions of each of these words and really meditate on their meanings.
Does this come easy? No, "it takes practice! Practice! Practice! Practice!"
Mrs Jaynes also points out that in Galatians 5:23 we are instructed to have a gentle spirit. This gentleness is to extend to our speech. Many times gentleness (or meekness) is seen as a weakness; however "When Jesus said he was meek and lowly in heart, He was saying that he was submitted to God - mightily powerful but under God's control." "Meekness isn't weakness; it's power under control. It's taming and training our tongues to be under the submission and control of the Holy Spirit."
So we know what to do, but how? In John 15:5 Jesus tells us "I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing." We are to be constantly abiding in Jesus, this does not come naturally and I believe that's why it is a command, not a suggestion but something that Jesus knows is hard but necessary for us.
In Ephesians 1:19-20 Paul writes "And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places." As believers, who have the Holy Spirit indwelling us, we have access to that same power that raised Jesus from the dead!! We need only to submit ourselves to the Spirit!
Martha:
I have to say one of the most encouraging things in this chapter was the focus on Martha. Martha tends to get all the negative attention, in Luke 10:38-42 we first meet Martha and she is scolded by Jesus for being too concerned with the things of this world and not spiritual things. Martha was trying to do the socially correct things while missing the opportunity to sit under the teaching of Jesus.
Now look at John 11: 1-27; in verse 5 it is said that Jesus loved Martha...despite her wrong priorities he loved her (just as despite our wrong speech Jesus loves us). In verse 20 we see that it was Martha that went out to meet Jesus. Her brother Lazarus had died but she was trusting that "even now whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee." (vs. 22) again in verse 27 Martha states "Yea, Lord: I believe that thou are the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world".
What a great picture of the change that can take place when we heed God's instructions for any area of our lives. Martha certainly listened to what Jesus had instructed back in Luke 10:42 when he said "one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."
The change in Martha's life did not come from her being good enough, or working hard enough. The power to change came when she yielded herself to the teaching of Jesus and submitted her heart to Him.
Each one of us struggles with different things in our lives but the answer to overcoming whatever we face and the power to make whatever changes necessary come from the same place...God.
Our flesh is weak but 2 Corinthians 4:7 & 10:4 remind us that:
"..we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the
excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us"
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;"
excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us"
"For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty
through God to the pulling down of strong holds;"
Sunday, March 21, 2010
This, that and a tasty treat :)
I've had a few things rattling around that I wanted to write about. First, I have to say that I'm very excited to share about last week's chapter in "The Power of a Woman's Words", I'm hoping to get a separate post up either tonight or tomorrow.
For now, I wanted to give a quick update on how we're doing. I know I haven't posted much about this pregnancy, mostly because (thankfully) there hasn't been much to post. In the words of my midwife I'm having a "nice, boring" pregnancy. I've been fortunate to have another very easy pregnancy. I have had some heartburn and fatigue but I realize these things are SO minor.
The older kids are really excited about the baby. Ethan told me yesterday that he "can't wait" for the baby to be born. He is so excited to finally be getting a brother. It's been a real blessing to me to see their excitement and how much they want to be involved.
Ethan is doing well in K5, he's had some adjustments to being in a classroom but is doing very well with his studies and seems to be making friends well. Hailey is keeping active helping me at home and trying to keep up with Ethan and all that he's doing. She is starting to sound out words some and doing some simple math also. Her birthday is just over a month away and she's very excited about turning 5 and that she will be starting school in the fall.
Keira is learning more and more every day and is very active. She has loved being outside with the "big kids" during the last couple of days of warmer weather. She is starting to talk some, not too clearly yet but she has consistent sounds/words for things. She can now say between 10-20 words and is also learning her body parts.
Life here has been going well. God has truly blessed us this winter. We did have one stomach bug go thru our house but it was mild compared to others we have heard about.
Lastly, I wanted to share a recipe that I came up with yesterday. I had mentioned in a previous post that I was taking up the "shop my pantry/freezer" challenge. Well, one of the things that we ran out of is chocolate chips. I love chocolate when I'm not pregnant and even more when I am, I was really wanting some cookies. I thought about making brownies but it just wasn't what I was wanting. So I decided to look for a chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe. I didn't find any that were what I wanted so I altered a multi-grain cookie recipe and made it chocolate. At first I wasn't sure how they would come out and they were very soft when they came out of the oven but after cooling they firmed up a bit and made a wonderful chewy cookie.
Chocolate Multi-grain cookies:
1 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour (I used 6-grain flour)
1 1/2 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats
1/2 Cup wheat germ
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil (I used a light olive oil)
2oz chocolate, chopped finely
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix together wet ingredients. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate and walnuts. Drop by tablespoon onto greased baking sheet, flatten slightly. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. Cool on pans for 1 minute then carefully transfer to cooling racks to cool. Yields: approximately 3 dozen
I made these a bit bigger and the 15 minutes was plenty so if you make them smaller just watch them as they probably will cook faster. Also, if you use the walnuts they do make it more difficult for the cookies to hold together. I ended up just shaping some dough into rounds in my hand which worked well.
For now, I wanted to give a quick update on how we're doing. I know I haven't posted much about this pregnancy, mostly because (thankfully) there hasn't been much to post. In the words of my midwife I'm having a "nice, boring" pregnancy. I've been fortunate to have another very easy pregnancy. I have had some heartburn and fatigue but I realize these things are SO minor.
The older kids are really excited about the baby. Ethan told me yesterday that he "can't wait" for the baby to be born. He is so excited to finally be getting a brother. It's been a real blessing to me to see their excitement and how much they want to be involved.
Ethan is doing well in K5, he's had some adjustments to being in a classroom but is doing very well with his studies and seems to be making friends well. Hailey is keeping active helping me at home and trying to keep up with Ethan and all that he's doing. She is starting to sound out words some and doing some simple math also. Her birthday is just over a month away and she's very excited about turning 5 and that she will be starting school in the fall.
Keira is learning more and more every day and is very active. She has loved being outside with the "big kids" during the last couple of days of warmer weather. She is starting to talk some, not too clearly yet but she has consistent sounds/words for things. She can now say between 10-20 words and is also learning her body parts.
Life here has been going well. God has truly blessed us this winter. We did have one stomach bug go thru our house but it was mild compared to others we have heard about.
Lastly, I wanted to share a recipe that I came up with yesterday. I had mentioned in a previous post that I was taking up the "shop my pantry/freezer" challenge. Well, one of the things that we ran out of is chocolate chips. I love chocolate when I'm not pregnant and even more when I am, I was really wanting some cookies. I thought about making brownies but it just wasn't what I was wanting. So I decided to look for a chocolate oatmeal cookie recipe. I didn't find any that were what I wanted so I altered a multi-grain cookie recipe and made it chocolate. At first I wasn't sure how they would come out and they were very soft when they came out of the oven but after cooling they firmed up a bit and made a wonderful chewy cookie.
Chocolate Multi-grain cookies:
1 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup whole wheat flour (I used 6-grain flour)
1 1/2 cup Old Fashioned rolled oats
1/2 Cup wheat germ
1/2 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil (I used a light olive oil)
2oz chocolate, chopped finely
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large bowl, mix together all dry ingredients. In separate bowl mix together wet ingredients. Stir into dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate and walnuts. Drop by tablespoon onto greased baking sheet, flatten slightly. Bake for 15 minutes or until done. Cool on pans for 1 minute then carefully transfer to cooling racks to cool. Yields: approximately 3 dozen
I made these a bit bigger and the 15 minutes was plenty so if you make them smaller just watch them as they probably will cook faster. Also, if you use the walnuts they do make it more difficult for the cookies to hold together. I ended up just shaping some dough into rounds in my hand which worked well.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Our words to God
Last week's chapter focused on our words to God; our prayer life. Once again I was encouraged and challenged. Prayer is one of those things that I think gets minimized in the world. It's easy to say "I'll pray for you" but do we really realize what that means.
About a year or so ago I went thru the book "Becoming a woman of Prayer" by Cynthia Heald. It was also very challenging and also encouraging to see the privilege that God has given us to enter into His presence thru prayer. Before getting into last week's lesson I want to share just a few quotes from this other study. To be quite honest there are so many great insights from many Bible scholars (and of course Scripture) that are shared I had a hard time limiting what to share.
About a year or so ago I went thru the book "Becoming a woman of Prayer" by Cynthia Heald. It was also very challenging and also encouraging to see the privilege that God has given us to enter into His presence thru prayer. Before getting into last week's lesson I want to share just a few quotes from this other study. To be quite honest there are so many great insights from many Bible scholars (and of course Scripture) that are shared I had a hard time limiting what to share.
"The eternal, sovereign, majestic God of the universe
wants to be intimate with us! He wants us to call,
to cry, to sing to Him. He longs to love, to refresh, to
encourage us. He wants to answer our call and to
tell us great and unsearchable thoughts. God
wants us to know that He is always ready to commune;
He is always ready to listen. He wants to be so much a
part of our lives that we would naturally come to
Him at all times. He tells us that we have freedom
to call to Him wherever we are, about anything on our
hearts. He delights in being involved with His children,
and prayer is His gift and His invitation to intimacy" ~ Cynthia Heald
"We look upon prayer as a means of getting things
for ourselves; the Bible's idea of prayer is
that we may get to know God Himself." ~ Oswald Chambers
"To sum it up, if you want that splendid power in prayer,
you must remain in loving, living, lasting, conscious,
practical, abiding union with the Lord Jesus Christ....
So be filled with God's Word. Study what Jesus has said,
what the Holy Ghost has left on record in this divinely
inspired book, and in proportion as you feed on, retain,
and obey the Word in your life, you will be a master
in the art of prayer." ~ Charles Spurgeon
wants to be intimate with us! He wants us to call,
to cry, to sing to Him. He longs to love, to refresh, to
encourage us. He wants to answer our call and to
tell us great and unsearchable thoughts. God
wants us to know that He is always ready to commune;
He is always ready to listen. He wants to be so much a
part of our lives that we would naturally come to
Him at all times. He tells us that we have freedom
to call to Him wherever we are, about anything on our
hearts. He delights in being involved with His children,
and prayer is His gift and His invitation to intimacy" ~ Cynthia Heald
"We look upon prayer as a means of getting things
for ourselves; the Bible's idea of prayer is
that we may get to know God Himself." ~ Oswald Chambers
"To sum it up, if you want that splendid power in prayer,
you must remain in loving, living, lasting, conscious,
practical, abiding union with the Lord Jesus Christ....
So be filled with God's Word. Study what Jesus has said,
what the Holy Ghost has left on record in this divinely
inspired book, and in proportion as you feed on, retain,
and obey the Word in your life, you will be a master
in the art of prayer." ~ Charles Spurgeon
Getting back to last week's study; Mrs. Jaynes focused on the power that we have access to thru prayer.
"One of the great mysteries of the Christian life is that God
has given us great power through prayer. ...this power comes
from God. He simply invites us to open the floodgates of Heaven
with our words. ...we are never more powerful than when we use
our words in prayer"
has given us great power through prayer. ...this power comes
from God. He simply invites us to open the floodgates of Heaven
with our words. ...we are never more powerful than when we use
our words in prayer"
Much of this chapter focused on intercessory prayer (praying for others). One passage that the author points to is Ezekiel 22:23-31. God is looking for someone to "stand in the gap" (to intercede) on Israel's behalf, yet He finds no one. We must, as believers, be willing to "stand in the gap" for our brother's and sisters. To pray for them even when we don't know the specifics, to pray that they would have strength, wisdom and to not be discouraged in spiritual battles.
At the end of the chapter Mrs. Jaynes challenges the reader to pray scripture for someone. I have found this practice to be so encouraging. Even when I have no idea what to pray I can always pray scripture. The specific passage she gives as an example is Colossians 1:9-12. Her sample prayer is below:
At the end of the chapter Mrs. Jaynes challenges the reader to pray scripture for someone. I have found this practice to be so encouraging. Even when I have no idea what to pray I can always pray scripture. The specific passage she gives as an example is Colossians 1:9-12. Her sample prayer is below:
"Dear Lord, I pray for (___) today and ask that You fill him
with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom
and understanding. I pray this in order that (_____) may
live a life worthy of the Lord and may please You in every
way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power
according to Your glorious might so that (____) may have
great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks
to God, who has qualified (____) to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. In
Jesus' name, amen."
with the knowledge of Your will through all spiritual wisdom
and understanding. I pray this in order that (_____) may
live a life worthy of the Lord and may please You in every
way; bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the
knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power
according to Your glorious might so that (____) may have
great endurance and patience and joyfully giving thanks
to God, who has qualified (____) to share in the
inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. In
Jesus' name, amen."
If you have never prayed scripture before I would encourage you to prayerfully seek out passages. This practice has been such a blessing and is always encouraging for me to know that when I am praying scripture and resting on God's promises my prayers are never out of His will. A great place to see this exemplified is in the Psalms. David, when he prays, often "reminds" God of His promises and prays scripture back to God.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
"shopping" my pantry and freezer
A while back Carrie over at Life on a Back Road had mentioned a challenge to eat from the pantry. This means that grocery trips are minimized and random ingredients in your pantry are used up. I've decided to take on this challenge for the next couple of weeks.
Before the baby comes I like to freeze several meals so that I don't have to think about cooking for at least a few weeks after we are home. We don't have an extra freezer so I need to clear out the freezer in the fridge to make room for these dinners. I was also looking in my cabinets the other day and realized that I had several random items in there so I'm looking forward to experimenting with what I have on hand. I will still probably make a small trip out for fresh fruits and vegetables but I'm really hoping to clear out a lot also.
As for making the freezer meals. I usually just do things I've made before that I know freeze well. Some of these include homemade mac & cheese, stuffed shells (or other baked pasta dishes) and shepherd's pie. This time I'm doing things a bit differently. There are many great websites for Once A Month Cooking recipes. I did a quick google search and found this website. I found several recipes (many of which are much easier than what I have been doing) that sound really great.
So what are some of your favorite "from the pantry" recipes?
Before the baby comes I like to freeze several meals so that I don't have to think about cooking for at least a few weeks after we are home. We don't have an extra freezer so I need to clear out the freezer in the fridge to make room for these dinners. I was also looking in my cabinets the other day and realized that I had several random items in there so I'm looking forward to experimenting with what I have on hand. I will still probably make a small trip out for fresh fruits and vegetables but I'm really hoping to clear out a lot also.
As for making the freezer meals. I usually just do things I've made before that I know freeze well. Some of these include homemade mac & cheese, stuffed shells (or other baked pasta dishes) and shepherd's pie. This time I'm doing things a bit differently. There are many great websites for Once A Month Cooking recipes. I did a quick google search and found this website. I found several recipes (many of which are much easier than what I have been doing) that sound really great.
So what are some of your favorite "from the pantry" recipes?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Our words to the world
What are our words saying to those we see each day...to those that we are not aware are even watching or listening to us? I was reminded today (by my 6 year old) how that every word I say is heard whether I realize it or not. It is humbling (but also a good reminder for me) to have to explain that I say things I shouldn't and that I need to work on making sure my words are kind, just as I always tell my kids to make sure.
While I am certainly praying and striving to have every word be glorifying to God I certainly have a long way to go :) Here are a few quotes that I wanted to share:
While I am certainly praying and striving to have every word be glorifying to God I certainly have a long way to go :) Here are a few quotes that I wanted to share:
"It takes more than washing our mouths out with soap to
be a woman of clean lips. It takes the power of the
Holy Spirit and the touch of God. Our part is to
cooperate with Him, submit our words to Him, fill
our lives with Him, and live our lives through Him."
"There are many people in the world who will form an opinion
about God according to what we say about Him and how we
live our lives. We are the first Bible that many people will
ever read. What will they think?"
"The Bible tells us that we are simply visitors here on earth
(1 Chronicles 29:15), and our words,...are also entries in the
Guest Book of Life. What entries am I writing with my
attitudes, actions, and words for all the world to see?"
"True joy will not be found on the grocery store shelf,
the car sales lot, or the department store window.
It cannot be bought with the swipe of a credit card or
cold hard cash. People want to feel they are a part of
something bigger than themselves and that there is
more to this life than accumulated wealth and
accomplishments. We have the power...in our words...
to tell the world about the way, the truth and the life.
We have the power...in our words...to help
change the world one person at a time."
be a woman of clean lips. It takes the power of the
Holy Spirit and the touch of God. Our part is to
cooperate with Him, submit our words to Him, fill
our lives with Him, and live our lives through Him."
"There are many people in the world who will form an opinion
about God according to what we say about Him and how we
live our lives. We are the first Bible that many people will
ever read. What will they think?"
"The Bible tells us that we are simply visitors here on earth
(1 Chronicles 29:15), and our words,...are also entries in the
Guest Book of Life. What entries am I writing with my
attitudes, actions, and words for all the world to see?"
"True joy will not be found on the grocery store shelf,
the car sales lot, or the department store window.
It cannot be bought with the swipe of a credit card or
cold hard cash. People want to feel they are a part of
something bigger than themselves and that there is
more to this life than accumulated wealth and
accomplishments. We have the power...in our words...
to tell the world about the way, the truth and the life.
We have the power...in our words...to help
change the world one person at a time."
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
A tasty recipe
In one of my blog posts last week about some favorite websites I had mentioned Tasty Kitchen. I've tried a few recipes (and have several in my virtual recipe box) from there and have been pleased with the results. Today I tried a recipe for Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bread. This was a huge hit here. I've decided that this recipe will now be my go-to recipe for Banana muffins. The big thing that caught my eye was the use of whole wheat flour and oats. While some whole wheat recipes can be dry or crumbly this one is not. These are delicious and moist.
I did alter the recipe a bit so I thought I'd share the changes I made:
1) I doubled the recipe but didn't have quite enough whole wheat flour so I used almost 3 cups of whole wheat and the rest was white.
2) I never have buttermilk on hand so I thought I'd use just regular milk, it worked fine.
3) I added 1/2 cup of wheat germ.
4) I made most of this into muffins and did 1/2 without chocolate chips and 1/2 with chocolate chips. Both versions are moist and delicious.
These were so good I just wanted to share. Enjoy!
I did alter the recipe a bit so I thought I'd share the changes I made:
1) I doubled the recipe but didn't have quite enough whole wheat flour so I used almost 3 cups of whole wheat and the rest was white.
2) I never have buttermilk on hand so I thought I'd use just regular milk, it worked fine.
3) I added 1/2 cup of wheat germ.
4) I made most of this into muffins and did 1/2 without chocolate chips and 1/2 with chocolate chips. Both versions are moist and delicious.
These were so good I just wanted to share. Enjoy!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Power of a Woman's Words to Fellow Believers
This was the chapter I studied last week. Once again this chapter was a good reminder of how much our words affect those around us and also how desperately people long to be encouraged. In the opening pages of this chapter Mrs. Jaynes shows how that even Paul needed and longed for encouragement from other believers. Later in the chapter she shares a plan for growing "God's Garden" (a healthy church)
God's Garden
Plant three rows of squash:
- Squash gossip
- Squash criticism
- Squash indifference.
Plant seven rows of peas:
- Prayer
- Promptness
- Perseverance
- Politeness
- Preparedness
- Purity
- Patience
Plant seven heads of lettuce:
- Let us be unslefish and loyal.
- Let us be faithful to duty.
- Let us search the Scriptures.
- Let us not be weary in well-doing.
- Let us be truthful.
- Let us love one another.
- Robert J. Moran
Plant three rows of squash:
- Squash gossip
- Squash criticism
- Squash indifference.
Plant seven rows of peas:
- Prayer
- Promptness
- Perseverance
- Politeness
- Preparedness
- Purity
- Patience
Plant seven heads of lettuce:
- Let us be unslefish and loyal.
- Let us be faithful to duty.
- Let us search the Scriptures.
- Let us not be weary in well-doing.
- Let us be truthful.
- Let us love one another.
- Robert J. Moran
"How wonderful it would be if we used our words to try to "out nice" each other among our brothers and sisters in the church."
Some craftiness and a few links.
I've had a few blog posts in my head but honestly have just been lazy about sitting down and writing them out. Thanks to a bit of accountability from a friend I'm finally taking the time to get these done.
First I wanted to share a craft project I've been working on. To be honest I'm not thrilled with how it's coming out but since it's not a gift (it's for our new baby on the way) I decided to just finish it. The project is a round ripple baby afghan. As you can see in the picture below the middle has "bubbled" a bit. I'm thinking this is because the white yarn is a bit heavier than the varigated. The other thing I'm not happy with is the amount of "curling" on the ripples. The pattern says to alternate between increasing two rows and then doing two rows of not increasing. I found this was causing a lot more curling so I have just started increasing every row and it seems to be working much better. I have about 5 more rounds to go plus one row of edging. Like I said, if this was a gift I would be more picky but it's for our baby and since it will mostly be wrapped around him or tucked around him in the car seat I'm not going to bother pulling it all out.
The second thing I wanted to share were some links to some websites that I really like. I first discovered The Pioneer Woman a couple of years ago. It's a fun blog to follow plus she has sections for cooking, home and garden, photography and even homeschooling, for those that homeschool. An offshoot of the same website is called Tasty Kitchen and is a recipe site where all recipes are user submitted. I love the variety of recipes and also the reviews. Lastly, another cooking site/blog that I've found and really enjoy is FatFree Vegan don't be put off by the vegan part. There are some great recipes on this site. I tend to avoid having a lot of extra soy in our diet so I don't make the recipes calling for tofu and if the recipe calls for soymilk I substitute almond milk (you could also use regular milk but I have to avoid dairy). Just a note: this site is currently under some construction but they do give the link to the old site with all of the recipes.
I hope to have some time later today to do this weeks "The Power of a Woman's Words" post and also share a bit about what's going on in general here at our house.
First I wanted to share a craft project I've been working on. To be honest I'm not thrilled with how it's coming out but since it's not a gift (it's for our new baby on the way) I decided to just finish it. The project is a round ripple baby afghan. As you can see in the picture below the middle has "bubbled" a bit. I'm thinking this is because the white yarn is a bit heavier than the varigated. The other thing I'm not happy with is the amount of "curling" on the ripples. The pattern says to alternate between increasing two rows and then doing two rows of not increasing. I found this was causing a lot more curling so I have just started increasing every row and it seems to be working much better. I have about 5 more rounds to go plus one row of edging. Like I said, if this was a gift I would be more picky but it's for our baby and since it will mostly be wrapped around him or tucked around him in the car seat I'm not going to bother pulling it all out.
The second thing I wanted to share were some links to some websites that I really like. I first discovered The Pioneer Woman a couple of years ago. It's a fun blog to follow plus she has sections for cooking, home and garden, photography and even homeschooling, for those that homeschool. An offshoot of the same website is called Tasty Kitchen and is a recipe site where all recipes are user submitted. I love the variety of recipes and also the reviews. Lastly, another cooking site/blog that I've found and really enjoy is FatFree Vegan don't be put off by the vegan part. There are some great recipes on this site. I tend to avoid having a lot of extra soy in our diet so I don't make the recipes calling for tofu and if the recipe calls for soymilk I substitute almond milk (you could also use regular milk but I have to avoid dairy). Just a note: this site is currently under some construction but they do give the link to the old site with all of the recipes.
I hope to have some time later today to do this weeks "The Power of a Woman's Words" post and also share a bit about what's going on in general here at our house.
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