Enticing Eve - Intentionally Focused {Week 4}

Wow! How many times have I read the book of Genesis? Maybe a hundred! (at least the first few chapters anyways). Even so, this morning in my Good Morning Girls study, my heart was taught even more from Genesis chapter 3.

This week in GMG we are focusing on being intentional in our marriage. And what a week to focus on this, as Valentine's Day is this Friday!

Today we read through chapter three and focused in on verse six. I want to share this scripture with you and what I took away from it today. I hope that it encourages your heart - whether you are already married, single, and hoping to be married one day in the future.

We all remember that God made Adam and Eve and set them in a beautiful garden. He told them not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, or they would die. Even so, when temptation came along, Eve buckled. Why? What was it that caught her eye and so moved her heart to disobey God and to persuade her husband to disobey God too?

"So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her and he ate."

Genesis 3:6

In this verse, Eve's heart was pulled away from pleasing God by her desire for three things:

1. Provision - she saw that the tree was good for food, even though the entire garden was FULL of food that she and Adam could enjoy together.
2. Pretties - The tree and its fruit was pleasant to the eyes.
3. Power - the tree could make her wise, thus giving her an edge, an upper-hand.

Oh my heart! How we as women are drawn to these three things daily! The pleasures of life, those things that could lead our hearts from God, always look or sound appealing or we wouldn't even want them!

Because Eve caved to her flesh and listened to a lie, she chose to disobey her Creator and lead her husband down the same path. She LEAD her husband! Right there is part of the problem!

We, as wives, are to be helpers to our husbands (Gen. 2:18). We are to help lighten the load that they carry and encourage their hearts. We are to cheer them on when the world comes against them and we are to be their safe place, where they can be themselves and be accepted.

Eve was enticed by provision, pretties and power, all things that we as women want and are drawn to. Yet instead of receiving these things God's intended way (because none of those things are evil or wrong), she went about getting them HER WAY and in the end that lead to separation from God. Death was the outcome of Eve's disobedience to God. Death not only came to her, but to her husband as well, as she encouraged her husband in disobedience.

I have much more to learn from Adam and Eve, as from so many other people's life stories in the Bible. But today I choose to be more aware of what I'm enticed by in this life, how I respond to it, and how I try to sway my husband's decisions about these things as well. Temptation WILL come, but it's how I respond to that temptation that's important.

Today I choose to support my husband, pray for him and be his cheerleader. I choose to follow his lead as he follows God. May we as wives, and women in waiting, draw nearer to God and be aware of the devil's schemes.

God bless you abundantly,

Amazing Homemade Alfredo Sauce

I remember in my single years eating many meals at my dear friend's home. She and her husband welcomed me over often for movies, meals and just time to hang out together, and didn't mind that I enjoyed babysitting their 3 children (of course not!).

She would whip up an amazing alfredo sauce to top some fettuccini and her hubby's yummy grilled chicken. Paired with crusty garlic bread and a large green salad, nothing compares! There were usually leftovers for lunch the next day and it was the perfect meal to make for parties and guests.

When I became a wife, I wanted to make homemade fettuccine alfredo that tasted as good as K's. I called her and asked for the recipe and here it is!

It's a keeper! It sure isn't a low-calorie food at all, but once in a while it's nice to have a hearty, delicious meal.

This recipe makes quite a big batch of sauce (great for taking to your neighbors who have 7 children). We usually use half of the sauce at one meal and I freeze the other half for a quick meal in the future, or I just halve the recipe to begin with. It's great to enjoy it again, without having to make it again. Cooking sauce from scratch takes a little time and effort. But what good food doesn't?


Amazing Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
2 tbl chopped garlic
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup parmesan/romano cheese (fresh or powdered)
2 cups chicken broth
32 oz 1/2 and 1/2
2 tsp Italian seasoning
salt to taste

Directions:
Melt butter in large pan on med/high heat.
Add minced garlic and sauté until it begins to brown slightly.

Turn heat down to medium.
Whisk in flour. Add parmesan, stir until blended.

Quickly add all broth at once, whisking as you pour.
Let simmer for a minute or two and add the cream and seasoning.

Whisk away any lumps and let thicken.
Add more flour to thicken, or more broth to thin out sauce to desired consistency.

Salt to taste and enjoy!

We really enjoy this sauce with grilled chicken, fettuccine noodles and broccoli, just like my dear friends used to serve it to me.

I hope that you enjoy this with family and friends. Once you make your own alfredo sauce, you will never want to buy jarred cream sauce form the store again!


Blessings,

I'm linked up with some lovely bloggers at:

Mama Leone's Chicken Soup - A Fall Favorite!

Here is a tasty little recipe for you, one of our family favorites!

It tastes great paired with some crunchy garlic bread. So, gather the ingredients, turn on the stove and get started on a delicious, healthy meal for you and your family. It's sure to warm their hearts and their toes.

 

Mama Leone's Chicken Soup

 

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

2 Tbl. oil

3 Tbl. butter

1 onion, diced

3 stalks celery, diced

1 Tbl minced garlic

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. paprika

1/2 cup + 2 Tbl. flour

8 cups chicken broth

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes with juice

3/4 cup whipping cream or half 'n half

2 cups fresh spinach, sliced

Directions:

Season chicken with salt and pepper.

Bake in oven (set at 375) for 15-20 min, or fry on the stove.

Dice chicken and set aside.

 

Heat oil and butter over medium heat in a large pot.

Sauté onion and celery until soft.

Add garlic, tarragon, oregano, paprika, 2tsp salt and pepper.

Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring.

 

Add flour until combined.

Slowly whisk in broth and bring to a boil.

Whisk until there are no lumps.

 

Add diced tomatoes and cream.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

 

Add chicken and simmer for 10 more minutes.

 

Stir is spinach before serving.

Enjoy!

40 Weeks + 2 Days... He is HERE!

I'd like to introduce to you, dear friends, my NEW SON!

 

Andrew L. Baldwin, born on August 27, 2013 at 8:46pm.
9 lbs., 2oz. and 21 1/2 inches long!

 

God answered our prayers for a quick, complication-free homebirth. God is so good! True, active labor and delivery lasted 2 1/2 hours! And this was my biggest baby so far.

My first consistent contractions began around 4:30pm. By the time my midwife arrived, checked my vitals and my cervix, I was dilated to 4 cm - around 6:30pm. Then the fun began.

I will let the pictures do the talking....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Everyone who needed to be there arrived in plenty of time: my midwife, two interns, my friend who took the photographs and my mother-in-law who picked up our other two kids.

God orchestrated the entire event, He is so faithful and trustworthy!

My midwife, Amy, said that Andrew's head size was larger than average (14 3/4") AND his left hand was up against his head when he was born. Even so, I experience no tearing! What a blessing!

I'm enjoying the day in bed with my baby boy - he is a pro-nurser and is opening his eyes to look around often. Such a sweetie!

Blessings to you from this thankful momma,

 
 

40 Weeks + 1 Day

Why is it that after your "due date" time seems to slow down to a steady crawl?

Last night I had steady contractions for an hour or so and then they let up. Well, okay baby boy, you can stay in a little bit longer but not much. We are ready to see you!

This time around there is no crib, no changing table, no baby monitor, no baby burrito wrap thing... this time is different. I'm different. I know how I mother and what suites me and my family. I feel confident and encouraged.

The pie chart below is 50% true. My mother is staying with us right now while my father is in Oregon on business, so she will definitely know when labor begins... and ends  :o)

via

 



Thoughts of my water breaking while at the mall yesterday and the park today crossed my mind. Although it has never broken before the end of labor before. Crazy prego fears.

So many thoughts are going through my head, yet I'm determined to stay positive, focused, as relaxed as possible and full of faith. Fear has NO place here and must GO!!!!

I look forward to posting on the birth of my son very soon!

Blessings,






Here are a few pics of some family fun we have had over the past few days. These memories are some of my favorites - right before our family expands :o)



A Cracker Barrel Breakfast with Grammy. What a treat!

Here Mo and Daddy play a game... that neither of them know the name of or rules for.

Checkers with my boy. All he wanted to do was to stack them.

 

Our family of four... for only a little while longer!

 

My girl on the go at the park! She is learning to master the art of riding her bike!