Overwhelmed By Love

I just had the honor and joy of praying with my husband before he set off for work. Before the sun rose in the sky today, the Son rose in our hearts and took His place on the throne of our lives.
 
My heart is overwhelmed by the love of my great God and of my dear husband.

 
 

God's gift to me - a family.

 

 
What did I do to deserve any of this? God 's love and forgiveness... my husband's loyalty, care and kindness? Nothing at all.
 
 

 

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:8

 

 
Today I am thankful for the cross and all the promises that are true in Christ!

God's little blessings enjoying the leaves.

 

As we enter this season of thanksgiving and celebrating our King Jesus' first coming, may our hearts be captured with love!

 
In His Great Grace,
 


 
 

Thank you Hannah of Crackjack-Art Photography for the family photo session. We love you and your amazing talent. We had lots of fun!

 

Colossians Study {Week 6} and Harvest Party Time!

Today is a busy day around our house as we prepare for our annual F4K Kids Club Harvest Party tonight!

 
In Texas it goes from summer days to COLD, end-of-fall-almost-into-winter days... and that happened last night. Praying for an enjoyable time tonight and for the weather to reach the 60's  :o)

 
Here are a few pics from last year's fun!

We enjoyed carnival games, a puppet show on Dark vs Light,

prizes and a hayride.

 

Dear friends blessed us by helping with food and games!

 

Face paint was a HIT!

 

A hayride topped off the night!

 

We are down to only 2 weeks left of our GMG Online Bible Study!

This week's challenge is a BIG one, for sure! And with Gods' GREAT help, we can walk victorious!


Here are the verses we studied:


 ^{7 "}in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them.

⁸ But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. ⁹ Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, ¹⁰ and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him, ¹¹ where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all and in all.
 
¹² Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long suffering; ¹³ bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. ¹⁴ But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection."

Colossians 3:7-14


As believers, filled with God's Spirit, we are to:

• Walk in NEW LIFE!

• Renew our knowledge in Christ

• View others as created in His image and LOVED by the King - no matter their lifestyle

• Love one another

• Bear with one another

• Forgive one another - just as Christ forgave us (again and again)

• Walk in the Spirit - dead to ourselves and alive in Christ!

I am challenged by God's Word to watch my tongue - not speaking in anger or frustration. This is a tough one, especially when teaching my children, who push the limits often.


These verses also encouraged me in speak and walk in love:

"He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city."

Proverbs 16:32

 

 

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue,

and those who love it will eat its fruit."

Proverbs 18:21

 

 

"The righteous mom walks in her integrity;

her children are blessed after her."

Proverbs 20:7 (italics are my application)

May God bless you with hope for the future and peace in your heart and home.



In His GREAT Grace,

I'm linked up with:

 



 

 

A Little Tape = Lots of FUN! {Thoughtful Momma Monday}

Thoughtful Momma Monday

Here's a way to have a little fun with your kids in your living room (or any carpeted area) this week! It's also a great tool to teach young ones to "stay-in-the-lines", or how to problem solve.

I used painter tape, but masking tape would work great!

We walked on the lines with our feet, and in between the lines - trying to get from the entrance to the exit. We also used cars and drove them through the maze!

Enter here!

 

Moriah pretended it was the corn maze that she heard about at the pumpkin patch (but never got to go in). 



The possibilities of designs with tape are endless. What a great way to learn to spell one's name or to learn numbers!

A little tape + some creative thinking = LOTS OF FUN!

Have fun with your little ones and have a blessed week,

Chicken Bacon Pasta

Here is a super tasty, FALLish recipe (I came across on Plain Chicken) that my family enjoyed last week! The last recipe I posted also called for bacon and chicken... hmmm, maybe I need to branch out a  little  ;o)
 
 
I accidentally doubled the amount of pasta it called for, but not the sauce. So the next day I just whipped up a batch of homemade alfredo sauce and mixed it in the remaining pasta and chicken. Oh my it was so good!

 
I will post my favorite alfredo recipe soon. A dear friend finally wrote out how she makes it and it beats EVERY other alfredo sauce recipe!
 
 
 

Make gourmet-tasting pasta at home!

 
 

Chicken Bacon Pasta
Found here

1/2 pound bacon, cooked and roughly chopped
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or less if you don't want the heat) 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 pound penne pasta
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 whole eggs
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
2 grilled chicken breast, sliced (I seasoned it with garlic powder, salt and pepper)

Directions:
Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until done (according to package instructions).

Place cream and cream cheese in a small saucepan. Heat over low until cream cheese is melted, and whisk until smooth. Remove from heat. Add the parmesan cheese, eggs, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and pepper and whisk until blended.

Drain pasta (reserving 1/2 cup of hot water) and return to pot. Immediately add the white sauce and toss to coat. The hot pasta will cook the eggs. Stir in the bacon, and add some reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce. Top with grilled chicken.

Go ahead.... try this recipe out! You will really enjoy it!

Have a blessed weekend!



In His GREAT Grace,

I'm linked up with:

 

Women Living Well

Colossians Study {Week 5} And a Few Fall Photos!

God's Word is such a source of encouragement and correction. I am very thankful for it and for my Good Morning Girls group who keep me accountable to dig deeper every day!

Hide and Seek at the pumpkin patch!

 



Our verses this week were Colossians 2:16 - 3:6...

^{16 "}So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, ¹⁷ which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ. ¹⁸ Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind, ¹⁹ and not holding fast to the Head, from whom all the body, nourished and knit together by joints and ligaments, grows with the increase that is from God.

²⁰ Therefore, if you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations— ²¹ “Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” ²² which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? ²³ These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.

3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. ² Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. ³ For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. ⁴ When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory.

⁵ Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. ⁶ Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,"



This week I have been challenged to:

• Look to Christ - the substance of the Old and New Testament customs and prophecies. (vs. 17)

• Walk as a dead man - dead to self, alive in Christ!

• Receive TRUE wisdom from above, not having the appearance of wisdom only. (vs. 23)

• Stay connected to the Head (Jesus Christ) to see growth and fruit in my life. (vs. 19)

• Seek things that are above - things found in Christ. (vs. 3:1)

• Hide away in Christ - He is my fortress, my safe place. (vs. 3:4)

Praise God for His loving kindness and mercies that are new EVERY day!

We are enjoying the last weeks of warm weather and looking forward to snow! Yes, my 3-year-old asks about snow almost every day! Last year we got nothing besides a deep freeze. Hoping we have piles of snow this winter - just for her.

Playing in mounds of snow - two years ago.

But for now...

Fall is here!

 

A happy hearth

 

 

 

Framed branches

 

 

 

Painted pumpkins and fall candles... a few favorites.

 

 

Loved seeing many animals at Yesterland Farm.

 

Pretty fall colors found in nature!

Have a blessed, beautiful weekend!



In His GREAT Grace,