Tuesdays Treasure

The treasure I am sharing with you is this picture!

My husband took this of Courtney with Dave's dad (Grampa T.) and our niece, Elizabeth (Liz or Beth depending on her mood, and Courtney's cousin). They are sitting at Fenway Park on Saturday, watching the Red Sox get beat. Oh well......it's because my husband was there. Every time he attends a major league baseball game, the team he is rooting for loses. But they had a ball. (no pun intended)

Why is this a "treasure"?
Because it is very special to do things with grandparents.

My father in law LOVES spending time with his grandchildren. He was surprised that they had tickets. He thought it was just Dave, his other son Pete (Beth's dad) and him. His birthday is next week so this was a perfect treat for him.
I feel that spending time with extended family is a real treasure.....I just wish my side of the family spent more time with each other. (some of us do). My daughters are blessed to be growing up really connecting with, and being friends with their cousins. I had lots of cousins but barely knew them. I love that Courtney and Claire know all of their cousins and that we carve out time to spend with them. They have a cousin in CA whom we see less of, of course, but at least once a year they get to visit with Hanna when she is here on the East Coast. They have 3 cousins on my side of the family and 6 cousins on my hubby's side.
Spending time with family and doing fun things with them is truly a treasure!

What do you consider to be a treasure?
Feel free to share it either on your own blog, or leave me a comment about what it is you are treasuring today!

Seek, Pray, Obey

I am short on computer time today so will try to make this brief.

My task for the day: my Moms in Touch meeting with another mom from my church and one from a Baptist church. We all have daughters in the same elementary school so we get together 2 times a month to pray, share concerns and encourage each other. It is a wonderful small group and easy for me to help with as I only work until 11 a.m. on Tuesdays! Our meetings are from 1:15-2:15 so it is just perfect and a direct answer from the Lord. It is an important task: praying for our children and the teachers, staff, principal and administration that make up the public school. I consider it a privelage to be in a great school district and an honor to lift it up in prayer before God.

My treasure I am sharing is from my a.m. devotions. I read through the next entry from my new book (see my sidebar: Fresh Grounded Faith is one great devotional!). However, today's entry was short so I got back into Isaiah which I have been reading since beginning of January. I am almost done with the book.

Was in Isaiah 52-53 this a.m. and these verses leapt out at me:

"Surely He has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
But, He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him
and by His stripes we are healed."
Isaiah 53:4&5

Jesus is the answer to any problem or situation that seems insurmountable.
It doesn't matter if you need a physical healing...Jesus heals.
It doesn't matter if you have a broken relationship or a friendship that has slipped away....Jesus can heal it. He can restore it.
It doesn't matter if your heart is physically sick or you have a broken heart from a break-up, a wayward child, a tragic circumstance, a death of a loved one....Jesus is the Healer of our broken hearts, bodies and spirits.

Seek Him. Pray for the answer you are searching for.
Obey Him.
You will get an answer.
By His stripes we are healed! He was wounded so that we could become whole!
He restores our souls!

Are you seeking Him today??

Do you have a special task that awaits you today....what is it??

Source of Light

I've been reading in Acts most mornings, or the Psalms. However, this a.m. I was in the Gospel of John while eating breakfast. My plan was to try to finish up the topic of "grace" which is a section of study in my Women of Faith Devotional Bible. So, I read John 12: 37-50.

The parts that stood out to me today were verses 42-47. Here is the part that gave me an idea for today's "treasure". Verses 46 & 47 as stated in the New King James version. Jesus is speaking here: "I have come as a Light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him, for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world."

I have always been "big" on telling my daughters to "shine the Light of Jesus" wherever they are. Some times it is easier than at other times, isn't it?
We live in a "dark" (in a spiritual sense) world, don't we?
We need the Light of Jesus to shine through all the filth, sin and utter hopelessness that is so prevalent around us. And only Jesus can penetrate that darkness. We can too, by the power of the Holy Spirit living in us!

I have tried to teach my girls like this: when we are in the midst of a dark forest like where we hike and camp in the Adirondacks, it can be very dark at night. Especially on a cloudy evening when the moon is not full. If the stars and moonlight are hiding behind the clouds, the forest is black. It can be scary!
But....as soon as we turn on that wonderful power source (our flashlights or better yet, our Coleman lantern) the darkness flees and we have light! But....there is still darkness on the fringes. We need to bring the light with us if we need to walk to the bathroom or even away from the camper to the car.

It is like that with the world and people who are not Believers. We have the Power to shine in the darkness! Our light that we spread might be in the way of compassion, peace, humor, a listening ear, an act of hospitality or grace. We need to extend these to those people around us who need them. Sometimes we even need to do this for other Believers if they are going through a hard time or are surrounded by the tactics of Satan. We need to be dependent on the Main Source: JESUS! When we shine the Light of Jesus into this darkened world, Satan flees....the darkness is gone.....yes...it will be on the edges of our walk...but....if we keep that Source in us by clinging to Him, we can continue to spread His Light.

I was reminded of the little song most of us probably learned as little children:

"Jesus wants me for a sunbeam
to shine for Him each day.
In every way try to please Him
at home, at work, at play.
A sunbeam, a sunbeam
Jesus wants me for a sunbeam
A sunbeam, a sunbeam,
I'll be a sunbeam for Him!"

By allowing Jesus to be our Source of power, we can shine for Him every day in any circumstance, whether it be good or bad, and people will be drawn to that light. And in doing so, we then have the opportunity to extend grace!

What about you?
Are there any Scriptures that you are meditating on today or this week?
Feel free to share.....

Tuesday's Treasure: Hope

I woke up early today.
Although I love being on vacation, I can't "sleep in" for more than a couple of days in one week. I like the quiet of the house while my daughters "sleep in".
I like getting some light housework done early.
I like reading the Word early, or taking my "prayer/meditation time" outside and walking.

I woke up my normal "teaching day" time and headed downstairs in my new xmas gift, a long, fleecey robe, with the hope of making my husband a surprise breakfast of hot, steaming coffee, sausage and eggs, toast. We enjoyed our meal together and he left for work.

I picked up my Bible to read a bit and headed to Amos. I chuckled at the notes at the beginning of the book. The version of the Bible I tend to read from is the Women of Faith Devotional Bible, New King James version. They give a short summary of what each book is about. This note said that the Israelites were materialistic, immoral, and apathetic towards God's Word. Not much has changed over the centuries, has it?!
I began to read the last chapter (9: 11-15). This is the bright spot, the prophecy of what was to come, in the entire book. It speaks about hope.

We have lots of hope for things don't we?
As teens, we hope to get into a good college of our choice and get scholarships so our loan bills are not so exorbitant!
As young college singles we hope to get married to a great spouse and get a great career going.
As young, married adults we hope to raise children and get that dream house.
As parents, we hope our babies are born healthy, do well in school, and learn our value system/follow our beliefs.
As parents of teens, we hope they get into the college of their choice, make wise decisions, fall in love. And so life continues.
If we are Christians, we hope our children accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and follow Him/place their trust in Him.

As CHRISTIANS, where does our hope lie?
In Christ alone.
We can still hope for all those things. But without Christ, we often lack that sense of purpose. Without Christ, we can still have a "good life". But....when trials come, how will we respond? Will we think our lives are over? Will we despair? Do we have what it takes to persevere?

The book of Amos is chock-full of the gloom of consequences of God's judgement over that land and people. They were sinful and unrepentant.
The end of the book, however, fills us with hope.
When God destroys, He rebuilds.
When God takes something away, He replaces it with abundance and security.
There is a hope and a future in God! "Behold, the days are coming" says the Lord. (verse 13a).
When we place our trust in Jesus, we have the assurance of hope.

Scriptures of hope that I like:
I Peter 5: 6-7 "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."

Hebrews 6:19a "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast..."

Psalm 146:5 "Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God."

John 16: 33 (Jesus is speaking) "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Where does your hope lie as we head into 2009?

Tuesday's Treat

The treat for today is this recipe I found in a recent Taste of Home magazine. I am trying it for our Saturday "dinner" which we now have to eat at like 2 pm because my oldest has a small group every week from 5-6 and then the Senior High youth group service is from 6:30-9 pm. Because she is at the church youth center for 4 hours, I like her to have "dinner" in the middle of the afternoon with us, and then she can bring a light snack to church. For Sat.evening, I'll start serving either Friday nite leftovers or if we don't go out to eat, I'll make a light supper. This recipe looked just right to serve alongside a spinach salad or tomato-basil soup.

Reuben Crescent Bake
2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
1/2 lb sliced swiss or sharp cheddar cheese
1 lb sliced deli corned beef
1 can sauerkraut, rinsed and well drained
(I will skip this step as no one in the family likes this)
2/3 c. Thousand Island dressing
1 egg, beaten
3 tsp caraway seeds

Unroll one tube of crescent dough into one long rectangle; seal seams and perforations.
Press onto bottom of greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 375 for 8-10 min. or until golden brown.
Layer with half the cheese and all the corned beef.
Combine sauerkraut and dressing; spread over the beef. (I will be just adding the dressing).
Top with remaining cheese.
On lightly floured cutting board, press or roll 2nd tube of crescent dough into a 13 x 9 inch rectangle, sealing seams and perforations.
Place over the cheese.
Brush with egg, sprinkle with caraway seeds.
Bake for about 15 min. or until heated through and crust is golden brown.
Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
Makes about 8 servings.


Note: corned beef is high in fat.....keep that in mind when you are doing your meal planning. I plan on not serving beef this week so one night of corned beef shouldn't be too bad.
Does anyone know if there is a turkey alternative???
Please let me know....it seems like I saw something about turkey "corned beef" once.

Tuesday's Treasure

Today's treasure I'd like to share with you is a book I recently borrowed from the library.

Title: Quaker Summer

Author: Lisa Samson

Genre: Christian fiction

Quote on the front of book: "Quaker Summer speaks to the heart of women. It just might set you free in ways you've never imagined." Mary Graham, President, Women of Faith

Award: 2007 Novel of the Year for Women of Faith

From the back of the book: "Heather Curridge is coming unhinged. And people are starting to notice. What's wrong with a woman who has everything---a mansion on a lake, a loving son, a heart-surgeon husband, and soapstone countertops----yet still feels miserable inside? Yet when Heather spends the summer with two ancient Quaker sisters and a crusty nun in a downtown homeless shelter, she suddenly finds herself at a crossroads."

"sometimes you have to go a little bit crazy
to find the life you were meant to live."

So.... This book has me reading until way too late at nite!
The character is a Christian, yet she is not content even though she is surrounded by "stuff". But. She loves her stuff. She loves God. What is wrong??

Can you relate to this at all?

I can. I am finding that although I am content with my life and with where the Lord has me, there are times when I think to my self "can I do more? Should we be doing more? Should we become career missionaries? Should we live a simpler lifestyle? How effective are we really being in shining the Light of Jesus in our suburban world, our affluent school system, our family get-togethers?"

This book has me searching my own heart. To make sure I am fulfilling the purpose He has for me.
I highly recommend it. I usually don't like Christian fiction. It (in my opinion) is usually sappy and " too easy to read". But...this author is fantastic! I discovered her this summer when my daughter read a book by her and loved it! She tackles the questions that eat at modern day women, whether they are working out side the home, are stay-at-homes, or are married or single. Yes, it is an easy read. But the content is high quality. There are even questions in the back for group discussion if you have a small group reading club. Borrow this book! Check your local library or your church library.

I am going off now to read.......(am writing this post on Monday nite and I plan on reading at least until 11.......would read to the end but I have to get up and go off to work!).


What book(s) are you enjoying this week??

Tuesday's Treat

I'm sharing a treat with you today. I've purchased many fresh, local apples! So....before they all turn bad, I'm making some muffins for breakfast tomorrow or after school snacks. It's a combination of a couple of different recipes that I just kind of made up one day. My kids love these and that's what matters to me!
Please note: you will need 3 bowls for this recipe. (2 small, 1 large)

Oatmeal-Apple-Chip Muffins

1 1/4 c. quick oatmeal
1 1/4 c. skim milk
1 1/4 c. flour
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 c. canola oil OR applesauce
1/3 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped, peeled apples (I use JonMacs or Empires)
1/4 c. chocolate or cinnamon chips

In small bowl, mix together the oats and milk. Allow to stand for 30 minutes.
In different bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt.
In yet another bowl, mix the egg, oil, sugar and chips. Stir this mixture into the oat mixture.
Stir well and then add to the dry ingredients. Stir just until moist. Do not overmix.
Lightly spray (I use canola oil spray) muffin pans and pour in batter.
Bake in oven set at 400 for 15-20 min. or until toothpick comes out clean.

ENJOY!!

Tuesday's Treasure

I'm still on a blogging break...somewhat.

Am directing you to the following blogs. The first is our senior pastor's (Rex) blog....he just wrote an excellent post that will probably bring tears to your eyes or at the very least, make you think! Go here.

And read the latest from Press On. Deb is Pastor Rex's wife. Her posts are always so thought-provoking packed full with wisdom and Scripture.

They are a blessing to my husband and I.

We've been part of the body at our church now for 3 full years as of 2 weeks ago. and we always learn something new just about every Sunday...he is one fantastic preacher!!

They are a humble couple, serving the Lord and the church community.

So today's treasure is: read the words of wise servants. They will refresh your soul.......

Tuesday's Treasure

The treasure I want to share with you today is Scripture!

This is one of God's most precious treasures to us: His Word!

This a.m. before work, I was in Proverbs 11. Verse 25 stood out to me:

"The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself."

Here is what the Lord put on my heart concerning this verse:

Being generous with our time, talents or treasure (money) will make us "rich" because as we pour out into others' lives, we in turn will benefit from that pouring out.
Here is an example:
My yellow flowers that I am growing in 3 different pots on my deck are in constant need of water from May until September. I think they are a type of begonia. I really am not sure. They look like the flowers pictured above.
I need to remember to water them daily unless it has been raining.
They totally droop down and look ugly until I pour that refreshing water from the pitcher in the soil. And kind of like magic, they just straighten up and look lively again.

So it is with us spiritually/emotionally.

By serving others, our service tends to make our "stuff", our issues, our hardships, easier to bear. Even if we don't feel like it, serve others! You will find that the Lord replaces some of that "stuff" with His Grace and Love....it pours back over us. This happens while we extend grace and love to other people. We are lifted up and will have the energy and joy of the Lord we need. Just like my yellow flowers get more energy and life when I pour that water into their soil!

It happened this weekend at church. I was scheduled to work the Welcome Desk in the youth center during the 9 a.m. service.
This means I had to be there by 8: 30. And I didn't get to bed until after midnite the night before due to the company we had for the deck party earlier in the evening. I was tired. I was a little grumpy. I needed LOTS of coffee. And my teen decided she would go to the early service as she was serving in the 11 a.m. one. Which made for a little more work for me, prodding her along as well.
When I got there, however, that tiredness and grumpiness just seemed to fall away as I began serving the teens and helping out. And it carried over to the next hour when I had to sit at the Youth Ministry table we had set up in the lobby of the church for adults who wanted to get involved with the teens come fall. I had offered to sit there, thinking it would be an easy task.
And it was for the most part. But again, inside, I was kind of like "oh man....now I have to sit here for half an hour before the 11 a.m. service and I really just want to be drinking a mocha latte." (yeah, I get kind of selfish). The Lord gave me a great opportunity though to help a newcomer who said he had only been attending Grace Fellowship for a couple of weeks.
He came up to the table with questions about the membership classes. At first I felt a slight inner irritation. Can't this guy see that it clearly says YOUTH CENTER info on these forms and signs? But......
The Lord's Spirit quickly reminded me that when Dave and I were the newcomers, we felt totally overwhelmed by the lobby and the bigness of everything. This man just wanted to know some simple info. I smiled and welcomed him because that is what people did for us. It is what really impressed us about Grace Fellowship...that personal touch, with a professional attitude. The love of God showing up in the service of people reaching out to newcomers.
The man was so thankful that I took the time to explain the various classes to him. I could have just sent him on his merry way over to the Information Counter. But....I chose to explain things because in doing so, I was rewarded with that inner joy that comes from serving. I don't want to sound like this is a bragging thing....I just want to point out that the Lord changed my attitude in reminding me of how I was served 3 years ago with such kind people making us feel welcome....people who didn't know us but who took the time to reach out to us. We are to be like Christ! He takes the time!

Try it!

Reach out to others in whatever ministry the Lord would have for you.
It might be with a neighbor or child's friend. Perhaps a co-worker. A fellow congregant. A family member. A teen.

By reaching out to help others, you will feel God's love and grace flowing back to you!

Tuesday's Treasure

The treasure I am sharing with you today are a few pictures of our Memorial Day weekend "mini-vacation" we took to NJ/NYC.

It only took about 2 hours to get from our home in the suburbs of Albany to Newark, NJ.
However, the traffic was a nightmare. And we left early, around 3 pm.
I do not like driving in NJ.....nor do I really like staying there. But, we wanted a hotel suite and it was more affordable there than in Manhattan!
Here are Dave and Courtney, waiting for our pizza dinner to arrive, hanging out in the living room area of our suite. I highly recommend the Springhill Suites of Marriot. Great hotel, great service, awesome amenities.

We got to the Liberty State Park (NJ) early Sat. a.m. It is only about 15 min from our hotel.
This is Courtney and Claire looking at the large sandcastle display in the Ferry terminal. We had already purchased our ferry tickets online so had plenty of time to look around before getting in the security check line to board the ferry to Ellis Island.

Here, Courtney and Claire are looking at a large globe in the Ellis Island Museum. It shows the various passage routes that immigrants took to get to our country. If you have never been here this makes a great field trip for your children. I do not recommend it for children younger than 8.

And of course once we were done on Ellis Island, we took the ferry over to Liberty Island National Park. We have been recording every National Park and National Forest we tour or hike in so the girls were very excited to finally be in visiting one in the NYC area.
The Statue of Liberty is truly a place that each American should visit at least once in their life-time. Do it with your children before they leave for college. It doesn't cost a dime to tour. You do need to acquire a Monument Pass which you can get on-line if you purchase a Statue Cruise ticket (ferry). They only give out a certain number of passes per day so get them online to be safe! And expect to wait in line to actually get inside the statue....we waited about 45 min to get through security and that was after waiting about 20 min. outside. Again, not a place for the very young. I did see toddlers there but....their parents had trouble keeping them occupied. I highly recommend this for children ages 7 and older.

So....do you have a special treasure to share today? What about a task?
My task for the day is to prepare an early dinner (Dave has a softball game tonite), get Claire to her ballet rehearsal, then jet home, help Claire change, and get the girls over to the high school for Courtney's Spring (orchestra) Concert. This all has to be done between 4: 45 and 7 pm ! (without the help of my mate!)

Enjoy your day!

Tuesday's Treasure

The treasure I want to share with you today is one of my favorite Scriptures.
It is from Psalm 42: 1-2a "As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God...."

Ever since I was a little girl I have loved deer. I like to try to catch a glimpse of them while driving through the mountains, I liked bringing my children to the Catskill Game Farm when they were little so they could feed the baby deer, I like pictures of deer drinking from lakes and I love how quiet they are. They are always so peaceful and graceful looking even when bounding back into the woods when your car whizes by.

Once in college, when I was a freshman, and was walking in the early evening across the soccer field, I was in deep despair over a situation that had been going on in my life. I was at a Christian college in the suburbs of Rochester, NY....not a place where we usually saw deer. I had been crying out to the Lord for Him to intervene in this situation and to bring me peace. I was praying and walking at the same time. I looked up across the field and there was a doe grazing. One of my favorite animals and something I hadn't seen in a very long time, nor ever saw again on that campus. To me, that was a sign that the Lord heard my cries and that He would indeed bring me peace. This type of thing, a deer just showing up at the side of the road or in a field, has happened to me 3 times in my life. Each time it was when I was in the midst of some kind of inner struggle or pleading with God about a certain situation. Each time it has been the same situation. I am not free to discuss it here (the internet thing, you know?!) but I can assure you that each time I needed some type of assurance that God does indeed want to fill me up with Him, with His Spirit, He has sent a deer.

And....it happened again this past weekend. My husband was driving us home from NYC; it was early Sunday evening. We were on the interstate traveling through the Catskills. I had been silently praying and thinking of this certain situation and needing to feel that peace from God. Now, I am not one who believes I need a "sign" to find that true peace. I know beyond a shadow of a doubt, that God's peace and truths aren't based on my earthly feelings or lack thereof. However, I am the kind of person who does need reassurance from time to time that He really is there and longs to quench my thirst for Him. All of a sudden, I looked off to the side of the road where there was a meadow and.....a doe with her fawn.
God did it again and it was a treasure for me to store in my heart while I work on this spiritual/emotional struggle. And....He is working! He is showing me through His Word that He loves me no matter what! His mercies are new every morning and His grace covers me. I can keep bringing Him these same feelings and He takes them and carries them. I know that if I continue to keep my eyes and heart on Him and His promises that He will give me the peace that passes all understanding like the promise from Philippians 4. He knows what I am struggling with and He wants me to have the victory over it.....and that is a treasure from Him!

AND...thank you to all of you who left me such thoughtful comments about keeping me in prayer...it means alot to me...and remember...if we never meet here on earth, we will in heaven!!

Tuesday's Task

My task for today is first this: the bucket and mop.

I have to clean both bathroom floors....totally cleaned the bathrooms yesterday but never got to the floors....sometimes I am overwhelmed with work, errands, the girls, schoolwork, email, cooking dinner, housework, the husband, the weekend plans, shopping...the list goes on. And I only work outside the home part-time!! I haven't worked full time since 1995! And I still get overwhelmed! (some days are better than others).
And yesterday was one of those days that, although I had a great devotional time at breakfast and felt like I started my day off "right", the rest of the day was difficult. I think part of it is that I am facing some truths in my life that I haven't wanted to face, and it leaves me emotionally drained. And when I am emotionally or spiritually spent, the housework slides. Does that happen to you? I mean, I know God is in control, and I really don't worry about stuff.....I am not a worrier by nature....I feel like it is a waste of time...and yet....I have nagging doubts some times about who I am in Christ, if I am doing a good job as a mom, as a teacher, as a wife......well....when that happens I get in an "ick" phase and I don't wanna do a thing...except maybe hike to a mountain summit and ponder the Scriptures, what God is teaching me, etc. But.....for today.....

I need to tackle the task of mopping ...don't wanna but it must get done.
Because then....

I get to tackle the task of getting Claire off to ballet.

She has a long class tonite. (from 6-8)
They are getting ready for the annual dance show that the Academy of Dance does each June. This year she is dancing to "Waltz of the Flowers" and will be a part of a group of 3 classes. She is in the intermediate level and is a leader for her group.....she loves it but it takes up a chunk of time...but....it seems to be one of her talents from the Lord so.....I just bring a magazine or book and read while she is in class. I usually end up watchingthe class, and tonite all 3 classes will be rehearsing together. We only have 2 more weeks until dress rehearsal so....tonite is an important nite for ballet practice! Which reminds me....I need to clean her shoes, re-tie them, and press the tutu....the costume this year is gorgeous...I will post pics closer to the day of the show.

So...that's my day....tackling dirty floors, driving my youngest to ballet and trying to fit in dinner, homework, laundry in between....

What about you? What are you tackling today??

Tuesday's Treasure

Here is my "treasure" for today: my 9 year old dancer, Claire! She is dressed in the HizKidzPraise! ministry tee-shirt and pants for opening nite of the show "Nic at Night" a musical about Nicodemus and what it means to be "born-again". The ministry/cast performed at all 3 weekend services. We know many people were touched and we know of at least one woman who accepted Jesus as Savior because of the show! Glory to God!

One of the musical dance numbers was "Born Again". There were 6 butterfly dancers. They started out as caterpillars. 1 for each side of the sanctuary/stage. Claire is the head of this one!The caterpillars "danced" before lying down for the chrysallis stage part. After they got done, they emerged as: Beautiful Butterflies! (new creatures = new creation in Christ!)

Claire loves ballet and this ministry allows her to use her secular training for the Lord's glory!
The girls danced and sang while the cast and chorus sang in the background. This was one of the "hits" of the presentation. There are more pics but these were the ones I really wanted to share.

Tuesday's Task

Today I am going to tackle my kitchen cupboards. Inside and out.
With this product you see at the left: Murphy's Oil Soap Spray. We have oak cabinets in our kitchen but it is standard builders cupboards. Meaning not expensive wood. As in cheap! They are the original cupboards from when we built the house in 1994. Because I use this spray, they have stayed nice. I would love "real" wood cupboards but....can't afford them right now, and since they look like "real oak", not simulated, it keeps my life less busy in the kitchen! I am sure taking care of "real wood" is more difficult!

SO: first I take out all the dishes, spray down the insides, spray down the outside, and then put dishes away. Sometime I rearrange certain cupboards. This drives my hubby nuts. Just when he has the system down, I go and rearrange. Hey..I like to keep him on his toes!
Once the dish cupboards are done, I move on to the spice cupboard. Same routine as with the dishes. Spices are on one shelf, oils/sprays/vinegars, etc on the middle shelf and the very tip top shelf that only daddy and mom can reach, are the boxes of matches and my porcelain butter dish. Once that is done, I move on to the "storage container and pots and pans cupboards" This is my least favorite part of the job. I have many storage containers due to school lunches, snacks, hiking, camping, etc. etc. This past year, I moved all the camping ones into a bin labeled camping and it is stored in basement so hopefully this task won't be as daunting to me. Plus: now that I no longer have preschoolers, I have given our recycling man the small sippy cups, containers with primary color lids, etc. I only have "leftover" containers now. Makes life simpler! I have a deep cupboard that is really no earthly good because of how it is designed. I keep our huge coffee urn in there, along with a glass bakery-style dessert plate and cover and some trays we use in summer for the deck. Stuff I don't normally use each day.
The last cupboards to get done are the ones over the stove and fridge. Over the stove is easy to clean because the only things in there are the bottles of vodka, brandy, and rum plus some xmas items. The one above the fridge hold extra mugs for the camper, xmas cookie cutters, and some xmas tins.
What is your task today? Are you tackling anything this week? Do you have ideas for me regarding where in the world to store my daughter's ice cream ball????