Woot! Woot! Time to Get Ready for a New Month!

It's two days before a new month; time to fill out a monthly goal sheet...something I love to do!  The key is to pray and then go for it; picking just ONE GOAL per category.  Let's be real, if we do more than one, then we don't even have a chance of accomplishing them all.  I don't think I've ever accomplished everything, but I'd like to at least have a chance!  So, JUST ONE THING.  What is God putting on your heart for each category this month?  

Here's mine.  (With names blurred out for privacy sake.) 😁

And, some blank ones for you. 😉

Generic Monthly Goals Sheet

Blank Monthly Goals Sheet

Winter Menu Planning 2015

Ugh!  For goodness sakes, it feels like I was just sitting here struggling through this yesterday.  Actually, it doesn't, but I do remember it well.  Why do I struggle so?  Probably because my husband loves a good meal right when he walks in the door.  Poor guy, he drives two hours a day, and he's HANGRY when he gets home.  (Hungry-angry if you've never heard that one before.  :)  Satan loves it when I don't have dinner ready because it causes strife in our household.  All the more reason to get this done!
We're going back to basics this new year.  Seriously cutting out the processed food in hopes of lowering hubby's blood pressure a bit.  We've already done a lot of that, but now that he's fully on board it's full steam ahead which means I should be back in the kitchen a lot more. 
I have set the timer for 20 minutes to get this planning done, so let's go!




Week 1
Sunday: Chicken bake strips - bread crumb and seasoned - double meat for leftovers
              Make veggie tray for week, rice- plain or seasoned by me!
              Steamed veggies, salad, homemade rolls? - Get back to 5 minute bread dough!
Monday: Green Spaghetti, salad, rolls, smoothies
Tuesday: Tacos without the shell, guacamole!, refrides, Spanish rice from scratch
Wednesday: Leftovers?/ Date Night
Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry using leftover chicken, rice, froz. stir fry veggies
Friday: Shredded Beef, potatoes, onions, etc.  homemade rolls  Lots of leftovers for the weekend!!
             FYI- Make sure you don't cook the plastic they put on the bottom of the roast!  :$






Week 2
Sunday: Chicken bake strips- bread crumb and seasoned - double meat for leftovers
              Make veggie tray for week, rice- plain or seasoned by me!
              Steamed veggies, salad, homemade rolls? - Get back to 5 minute bread dough!
Monday: Chicken Pot Pie with leftover chicken and lots of yummy veggies.
               Homemade Chicken Broth
               Homemade rolls--just use this dough
Tuesday: Ground Beef Asian Stir Fry- onion, peppers, broccoli and whatever else you want.  Throw
                in some teriyaki, soy sauce, worcestershire, garlic, ginger...
                rice
Wednesday: Leftovers/ date night?
Thursday: SW Chicken Salad/Sandwich?
Friday: Shredded Beef, potatoes, onions, etc.  homemade rolls  Lots of leftovers for the weekend!!
             FYI- Make sure you don't cook the plastic they put on the bottom of the roast!  :$


OK!  The timer is beeping...actually I reset it for 10 more minutes.  I usually plan for 4 weeks, but I figure this is a good start.  We'll see how it goes.  Hubby usually has some ideas too anyway.


Dear Lord,
PLEASE give me the wisdom to cook things my husband likes that will make our bodies strong and ready for Your service.  May dinner be nourishing, delicious and ready on time!!  In Jesus' Name I pray--Amen

Obedience Brings Blessing

Last night, my daughter's fan was blowing papers she had pinned to her wall, and creating a ruckus preventing her from falling asleep.  I took the papers down, and was just reading one as I ate my breakfast.  It fed my spirit, so I thought I'd share it with you.
My daughter and I have been attempting to read through the bible this year.  This was started by my father who gives his grandkids a daily walk bible for Christmas when they are in sixth grade.  For the next year, he sends daily emails that go along with what we are reading.  It has been fun communicating with him daily, and a blessing to be reading the bible with my growing daughter.  There has been one central theme my dad has been pointing out: Obedience (to God) brings blessing, disobedience doesn't.  This is evident as you read through everything the Jews went through in the Old Testament.
God's Nature (obedience brings blessing)
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faith, self-control, virtue, purity, wisdom, justice, honesty, fairness, sincerity, knowledge, understanding, grace, mercy, excellence, forgiveness, compassion, devotion, truth
Satan's Nature (disobedience doesn't)
Rejection, hatred, violence, jealousy, envy, condemnation, shame, pride, guilt, lying, lust, greed, covetousness, revenge, retaliation, slander, critical spirit, fear, unforgiveness, unmerciful, self-pity, gossip, self-centered
The paper I just read brought it to a different level.  Obedience isn't just the then commandments and other "big" things, it's all the little things as well.  This really hits home with my marriage.  When I am obedient to God, I am not selfish or prideful.  This brings blessing to my marriage.  The moment I let anything from Satan's nature into my life, my blessings end.  The joy and peace are gone.  So, the question is, who am I serving, the Lord or Satan?  Will my life be filled with blessings or curses?  Will my life radiate light or darkness?
Dear Father, I desire to only serve You.  May my life shine forth Jesus' light so that all will know that I belong to You.  May I be different from the world, set apart for You.  Please work in me the little things so I will be a servant to You and none other.  May my thoughts and deeds be pleasing to you alone.  Thank You for Your love and blessings.  In Jesus name I pray-- Amen

I Will Not Knock On Wood!

 I think I've written about this before, but it has come up in my life again lately.  The other day I overheard a conversation and someone wanted to knock on wood.  I am saddened that Christians feel the need to do this.  After thinking about it, I could picture my self interrupting saying, "No!  You do not need to knock on wood!  We believe in the Almighty God!  He is good and all powerful!  He will take care of you, not this piece of fake wood you are knocking on!"
The bible makes it clear in the Old Testament that we are not to believe in these superstitions of the world.  Yet, the other day when my daughter said, "I think I am the only kid in my school that hasn't had the stomach flu since first grade," (she's  in seventh grade now) I marveled at her innocence and boldness.  She was not afraid to say something good about her life.  She was not afraid that the opposite would come true.  I did not burst her bubble, but I did pray.  I do not want her to loose her child-like faith like I have.  I admit, I am afraid to say something positive about my life.  I am afraid to admit things are going well for fear that things will take a turn for the worse.  Maybe Satan has done this to me in the past.  He has made me, and others feel like if they actually knock on wood everything will remain good.  What fools we are.
I don't want to be a fool or a fraidy cat any longer.  I want to have faith in the all powerful God of the universe.  The God who loved me so much He sent his Son to die for me so I can have a direct relationship with Him for eternity.  The God who lives in me.  I am going to listen to the song, "Greater" by Mercy Me, and remember that the God in me is greater than he who is in the world.  I will be thankful for all the things God has done for us, and not be afraid to say them out loud.  I will not give Satan an edge by bowing down to a piece of wood!
Dear Lord, I pray for the confidence in You to not be afraid.  I stand against this lie Satan has fed me. I pray for a child-like faith and not fear.  You are the greatest, and You live in me.  Praise Jesus!  Amen

Menu Planning - Ugh!

I hate menu planning!  Sometimes I wonder if Satan knows how great life is when I menu plan, and that is why I have this mental block.  I was really good with planning our meals when we went gluten-free.  Now, this week, we have fallen apart.  So the struggle begins.  I have done this in the past, so I don't know why it's such a hassle.  I need to start with prayer:
Dear Lord, Please release the block on my brain regarding menu planning.  I pray that I will be able to sort through what my family likes and doesn't like, and what type of meals we need to go with our schedule.  I pray that this time spent will be profitable to my family.  Above all, may Your will be done.  In Jesus name I pray--Amen
Whew!  OK
STEP ONE: What type of meals does my family like to eat?
Pasta, Mexican, Stir-Fry, BBQ, Sandwich, Basic, Leftovers  Alright, that was pretty easy. 


STEP TWO: Basic Weekly Template (We don't eat fish or pork.)
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Chicken
Tuesday: Ground Beef
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Chicken
Friday: Beef


STEP THREE: Plug in recipes using each meal type one time per week.
WEEK ONE:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Green Spaghetti broccoli, fruit
Tuesday: Taco lettuce wraps (or tacos), refrieds, Spanish rice?
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Chicken Stir Fry using leftover grilled or crock pot chicken.  Rice, broccoli, fruit
Friday: Shredded Beef with lots of leftovers for weekend lunches.  Onion, carrots, other veg and fruit


WEEK TWO:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Greek Pizza, salad, veg, fruit
Tuesday:  Ground Beef Stir Fry, rice, broccoli
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: SW Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps, refrieds, chips, veg
Friday: Shredded Beef Sandwiches with leftovers for weekend.


WEEK THREE:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Chicken Quesadillas, refrieds, spa rice?, guac
Tuesday: Lasagna in a bowl., or just plain old lasagna
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Turkey Breast (for a change!) From Cost-Co., veg, fruit
Friday: Chalupa (roast, no surprise here!), beans, chips, veg, fruit


ALRIGHT, JUST ONE WEEK LEFT TO GO!


WEEK FOUR:
Sunday: BBQ with double meat for leftovers.
Monday: Chicken Caesar Salad, veg, fruit
Tuesday: Indian Ground Beef
Wednesday: Leftovers/Date Night
Thursday: Summer Chicken "Burgers", veg, fruit
Friday: Shredded Beef Burritos, refrieds, veg, fruit


Holy smokes!  Seriously, I don't know why doing this hurts so badly.  It is such a load off to have this done.  Even if we don't stick with it, at least there's a plan. 
How's your plan?  Are you good at this, or do you struggle like me?  If you don't meal plan, I urge you to try it.  Don't follow mine, create your own - unique to your family.  Go for it!  Just don't forget to look at it when life gets moving.  :)


Dear Lord, Thank You for the resources to plan these meals.  I pray that I will remember to follow it.  May it bring good, healthy food and peace to our family.  In Jesus name I pray--Amen


 

Gluten-Free Update

Gluten-Free update:  We gave up!  :)  I had to laugh the first week when Little Man came home from a friends house and asked, "Do those peanut butter crackers have gluten in them?"  Uh, yes, Little Man.  Crackers are wheat, and wheat has gluten!  I am smiling right at this moment...  What was I expecting?  He is so polite, he rarely says no because he doesn't want to make people feel bad.  And, what kid doesn't love peanut butter crackers?  Obviously, a more detailed lesson on what gluten is would have helped.  Oh yeah, there was also the time we went out for frozen yogurt and he added two chocolate covered pretzels to his delicious treat.  What was I supposed to do?  Make him throw them away?!  He had already had the crackers anyway! :)
Then there's Hubby...well it's hard to deny him a beer every now and then.  Especially after a long and stressful week at work.  That's the only gluten he had, though.
Dear Daughter hung in there the longest.  She rejoiced when we gave up!  We did go past the two weeks and the gluten was out of our systems when she proclaimed that she still felt the same!  She has been enjoying her frosted mini-wheat cereal and we all celebrated with whole-grain mac and cheese, which is a special treat in our house.  :)
I am feeling like I have brain fog.  I hate it when I my mind isn't working as it should!  I will re-assess after this week.  Could be hormones.  Intestinally, I am pretty good.  Yeah.
We did find some yummy healthy snacks, I was an awesome meal-planner and started making our homemade treats again.  So, all in all, I think it was worth it.
Dear Lord,  Thank You for using this to bring about good in our lives.  I pray that we will continue to follow Your lead in our lives.  In Jesus Name I pray--Amen

Essential Oils vs. Head Cold. Part III

Day 5
Just a quick update...
Little Man is still coughing.  He woke up last night at 4 or so saying he couldn't stop coughing.  We rubbed the frankincense, rosemary and eucalyptus blend on his chest (after applying a layer of coconut oil), behind his ears, wrists and feet.  Then I tucked him into bed.  He coughed a few more times, but that was it.  I love that I didn't have to give him medicine!  You know that struggle...you want him to stop coughing, but know he'll be exhausted when he has to get up and go to school?  I am loving these oils!
Dear Lord, I am so thankful that these oils are working.  Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!  I pray they will continue to work, and that Little Man will be totally better soon.  In Jesus Name I pray– Amen


Part I    Part II