Microwave Alfredo Sauce

I will probably never buy Alfredo Sauce in a jar again. This is so easy and tastes delicious!

Microwave Alfredo Sauce

Nutrition SERVINGS 4

1⁄4 lb sweet butter (1/2 cup, light butter works fine!)

1 cup heavy cream or 1 cup light cream

3⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

salt

1⁄4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground

DIRECTIONS

1. Place butter in microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 30 seconds or until melted.

2. Add cream and warm on high for approximately 1 minute.

3. Add Parmesan cheese and warm until cheese melts.

4. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If serving with shrimp, you might not need much salt.).

Pour over 4 servings of warm noodles (I use angel hair) and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

The Value of a Friend

We used to do puzzles a lot when my children were home. Every Christmas vacation we would go to the store and pick out a big puzzle. We would bring it home, pull out the card table and work on it in our spare time between decorating, baking and shopping for the holidays. I remember some wonderful times around the puzzle table. We would always start with the outside edges, you know, the pieces with one flat edge. Then we would tackle the pieces that had bumps and cut outs on every side….these pieces were the challenge.

Proverbs 17:17 (NLT) 
A friend is always loyal…

A British publication once offered a prize for the best definition of a friend. The winning definition read:
"A friend is the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out."

Friendship is like a jigsaw puzzle. Each bump on a puzzle piece is one’s strength, and each hole or cut out is her weakness. We all have our share of weaknesses and strengths. Because of friendship, other puzzle pieces fill up the gap that is our weaknesses. And sometimes we, ourselves, fill the gap of the other with our own strengths. And together, we create a bigger picture, a bigger picture that can only be revealed when we share with others our strengths and weaknesses. Isko P. Lipino

Pooh's Philosophy on Friendship

“I wonder what Piglet is doing,” thought Pooh. “I wish I were there to be doing it, too.”
“We’ll be friends forever, won’t we Pooh?” asked Piglet. “Even longer,” Pooh answered.

“Some people care too much. I think it's called love.”

“You can't stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.” 

Proverbs 27:9 (The Message)
 …A sweet friendship refreshes the soul.

Close Friends Fit

If you have ever worked a puzzle you know that all the puzzle pieces do not fit each other. They are not all interchangeable. How boring would that be? There are a lot of people you will come in contact with during your lifetime. But not all of them will be close to you. We may have a lot of friends. Some tall, some short, some fluffy and some thin; some outgoing, some shy, and some bossy. Each one is different. But we are closer to those who fill the gap in our weakness.  Some people may rub you the wrong way, maybe the bumps just clash with your bumps. That is okay….you won’t be close to everyone. Sometimes we may try to be friends with a person and when we get to know them we find that their bumps get in the way and we just cannot be close. We are too much alike. Just because we cannot be close to someone does not mean she is a bad person; it just means she will fit closer to another person in this great big picture that God is putting together.

Friendship takes time and patience:

Sometimes you know a piece is a perfect fit, but you try to put it in and it doesn’t seem to go. You turn it and try again. Sometimes it takes a lot of time but you keep trying and finally it slips in effortlessly. Some people take time to cultivate a friendship with. You have to work through some difficulties, but you know that it will fit if you just give the relationship some time. Patience is rewarded when the connection is made and you both realize how valuable you are to each other, and to the bigger picture. You are so glad she didn’t give up on you. And she is glad you didn’t give up on her. How many wonderful memories and lifetime friends are missed because someone got impatient and gave up “working” on a relationship.

Sometimes it seems the pieces will never come together and there are gaps in our relationships….that is where God’s help comes in. When we cry out to God to help us in our relationships, he can reveal things in our life that we can change to make the necessary changes that will help the relationship along. We cannot change other people, but good changes in us can bring about good changes in others.

Friendship must be found:

Have you ever looked and looked for a missing piece of a puzzle? I’ve actually reduced myself to crawling on my hands and knees, under the table to see if it has fallen because I cannot find it in the obvious place, the top of the table. Suddenly when I’ve given up and start looking for another piece, back up on the table, there it is…..right in front of my face! The piece I’ve been looking for. How could I have missed it?

God reveals that missing link. Just when we think the effort is not worth it and we move to another person, something clicks and suddenly we realize that we have connected! Ahh….that feels sooo good!

Are you lonely? Do you feel you have not connected to anyone yet? Do you have difficulty making friends? To have friends you must make yourself friendly (Proverbs 18:24). It may not be easy, buy if you really want to have a friend, you have to be proactive in the search. When you are at a church function, find someone alone and make yourself go over and get acquainted. They are probably lonely too. It's okay to rehearse what you will say at first. Usually, after a few questions like, "How are you?" or "What do you think of the food table." you will find the barrier begin to break and you will find yourself in the middle of a conversation. Make yourself talk to someone even if they don’t talk to you. Send a card or a text to someone you want to say something to. Reach out and find a friend. You do the reaching and many times the person you are reaching for will be forever grateful for their "hero" who saved them from an evening of alone-ness.

Friends see God’s bigger picture:

As the puzzle gets near completion, excitement begins to boil. We huddle around the now almost finished puzzle hoping to be the one that finds the final piece. Now we can see what the picture is; even though the puzzle is still missing a few pieces but we are not happy until that last piece is in place. 

The bigger picture is the plan God has for us. We are all a part of his creation. If one piece is missing, it ruins the big picture. The friends closest to you are very valuable to your success as a Christian. We must pray for each other and lift each other up because we are valuable to each other. Sometimes we may need to lovingly tell a friend that they are involved in something that would be harmful to their walk with God. That is a true friend.

Proverbs 27:6  
Faithful are the wounds of a friend…

Here are some of the things that make up a valuable friend. Do you meet the criteria? Do you see some of your friends here?

A Valuable Friend:
 V- Values time with me
 A- Accepts me as I am
 L- Loves me
 U- Understands my moods
 A- Allows me to make mistakes
 B- Believes in me
 L- Laughs with me and is Loyal
 E- Expects nothing in return

Faithful friends:
 F- Faithful and consistent/forgiving
 R- Respects me
 I- Includes others in our friendship/not possessive
 E- Encourages me and prays for me
 N- Never puts me down
 D- Deserves my best
 S- Someone I can count on

Our best friend is Jesus, but He knows we need each other. I am reminded of the little boy who was afraid of thunder and lightning. One night, as he was sleeping, a violent storm blistered the skies. He awoke, terrified, and ran into his parents' bedroom crying. His mother tried to calm him. "Jimmy, I told you God loves you and is with you. Don't ever be afraid. You are never alone." Jimmy replied, "I know, Mommy, that God loves me and listens to my prayers. But sometimes I need someone with skin!"
  
Jesus put a value on friendship when he said, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). Jesus had close friends. He wept at the tomb of Lazarus. He dined at Mary, Martha and Lazarus's house. He calls us friends. He said in "No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you" (John 15:15). 

In the beginning when God created the universe, He said it was good after every part of His creation, until he made man. Then he observed Adam naming the animals, and tending the beautiful garden He made him. God stepped back and said, "It is not good -- that man be alone". He never intended for us to be alone. He created us to need each other. He created us for relationship and friendship.

"You can’t buy friends.

 Friends stay when you give them your heart." 

-Gayla Baughman

Words that Edify

You’re worthless, you won’t amount to anything. I wish you were pretty. How can you be so stupid? Don’t be so lazy. You’re so weak. If you had a brain in your head…

Words that hurt. Words that tear down. Do any of these words ring a bell? How do words affect us? How do they affect our children?

We cannot stop other people’s destructive words toward our children, but we can guard our own. Before we speak, we should measure our words with “how would this make me feel?” Many people that struggle with a poor self image have carried destructive words from their parents into adulthood. In Christian Social Graces, I approach the subject of self and social image in more detail helping us realize where poor self image has its root.

“The concepts that were programmed in us as children many times carry through into our adult lives. A child who was neglected, or consistently told he was worthless, has a very difficult time believing otherwise as an adult. On the other hand, a child who is secure in his parent’s love and told how special he is will be more confident and sure, believing he has value” (Pg.12). 

Why are parent’s words so powerful? Because our children love us. They trust us. In the formative years they don’t have a grasp on how fallible we really are. They think we are perfect. They want to be like us. So our words are like gospel to them. They take them to heart. They are stamped on their minds forever. Good words stay with them, but if mean and harsh words outweigh the good ones, they will remember the negative.

What words should we leave with our children and grandchildren? Think about it. If we could create a memory right now, what image would we want our grandchild to remember years down the road when we are gone? Wouldn’t we like to give them hope, courage, and self worth? They need our good words. They need words that edify rather than nullify. 

Tommy and Cindy

Tommy was nine years old. Ever since he moved next door to Cindy he was in love. He watched her from the front porch when she pushed “Bunny” around in a stroller. He always sat as close to her as possible and stared at the back of her head in Sunday School class. He wrote her name on the inside cover of his favorite “Spiderman” notebook. 

The years flew by as Tommy secretly admired the beautiful Cindy. After many failed attempts to talk to Cindy, he finally mustered up the courage to ask her to the Valentine’s banquet. He stammered and stuttered but he finally got the invitation out. Cindy looked at Tommy with soft brown eyes and said, “I’m so sorry Tommy, but Allen already asked me. Maybe another time?” Tommy was bitterly disappointed and excited at the same time. Did she say another time? 

Graduation day rolled around and Tommy again approached Cindy. Would she come to his graduation party with him? To make a long story short, she said yes and they had a great time. That began a beautiful relationship of love and devotion. Cindy and Tommy eventually got married, had four children and loved each other faithfully for many years. 

On their 50th wedding anniversary, Tommy shared the years of personal pain that preceded his first encounter with Cindy. Cindy was aghast. She always wondered why Tommy waited so long. She liked him the moment he moved in next door. Tommy confessed he loved her from that moment too. She put her wrinkled hand on his and with fading brown eyes said lovingly,   “Tommy, I’m so thankful that you let love give you courage. I wouldn’t have wanted to miss you for the world!” Tommy smiled. Yes, it was his love for Cindy that gave him the determination to make her his own and the prize was worth every failed attempt.

Cut The Onions

When we lived in California, my husband and I would often go to this little Mexican fast-food restaurant close to where we worked. Although the people running the establishment spoke broken English, we managed to order and sit down to a very tasty burrito! All the food there came with raw onions and I detest onions…so one day I ordered my own and asked them to please, “cut the onions."

When I got my burrito, to my dismay, I not only found onions, but there were more than ever on my burrito!  As I inspected my desecrated dinner I could see that these onions were not only in great supply, they were also diced up in tiny pieces which made them impossible to pick off. I don't have to tell you how aggravated I was after making my preferences very clear when ordering. 

I marched back up to the counter to voice my complaint. The sweet little lady behind the counter gave me a very confused look.  “I am veery sorry ma'am, but you said to cut the onions so that is what we did.” So I guess she added extra to make it even better. LOL!

When I explained that I meant to delete the onions, no onions, nada onions, she was very gracious and made me another very delicious burrito with no onions in sight. I thanked her very sheepishly and vowed to remember how to order my burrito with no onions next time.

Love's Quest

Love was on a Quest to find me—

            And it did.

It first found me in my Mom and Dad. I don’t remember the first time I laid eyes on my parents. I do remember the many family outings to the park; the Sunday dinners and special Friday nights at a local drive inn. Memories that spell L-O-V-E. Love’s quest had begun…

            Not long after my discovery of my parents, a little sister came along – Jolene

She was a treasure and soon became my best friend. We played together, had disagreements, kissed and made up. We shared the same room, she got my hand-me-down clothes; and I was rewarded with her love and respect as we grew older. Love began a work in me. I was learning how to love, sharing the most tender part of my heart with someone else besides myself.

            Then we were joined by Tamra. She was the cutest little thing – with a tuft of coal-black hair to match big, brown, beautiful eyes. This little sister became the baby, and we all adored her. She rewarded our “cooings,” and “booings,” with charming smiles and giggles.

            Love found me once again when my baby brother came into my life. He was like a real-to-life baby doll. And I thought he was mine! (I still do!) A bundle of life and energy evaded our all-girl sibling committee. He was quite an education for us girls. Barely old enough to take care of myself, I claimed parenting to this human doll. He was my pride and joy and of course he turned out so good because I take all the credit for raising him.

            For many years love continued to pursue me with determination. Ignorantly, I would hide and seek love, running from it and then wonder where it had gone. At times I would fling it from me and other times cling to it. Sibling rivalry would cloud the essence of love, but emergencies would make it clear again. Finally love taught me that it can survive in the toughest of times. I committed to let love be my teacher.

            Love embraced me once again when I met my one true love – Terry Baughman

I thought love’s quest was complete; How could I love someone more? This was the essence of love. Still, love kept me in its boarding school. I had more to learn, and Love had something more to teach. It was on a quest to prove that love does not divide. It multiplies.

            Then, my first-born daughter, Marenda came barreling into my heart –

She was my joy….my little sunshine every day! I loved her immensely and yet, strange as it was did not diminish my love for my husband. How could this be? How could I have more love in my heart when I thought it was full?

           

            Love just smiled…..more teaching was to come.

                        And more loving was to be done.      

                       

My son stole my heart when he was born—

                        My little Terry Robert the miniature little man that wrapped his arms around my neck and love around my heart.

Now love reaches for me again through those my children love –

            My son-in-law, Steven, is a joy to my heart.

            He is so good to my little girl. I know he will take good care of her. I love him like my own son. That was easy….love smiled; I am learning.

            Then Love bombarded my heart with two little granddaughters. I thought my heart would burst, but it didn’t, it just expanded. With each passing day I think, I can’t love any more. I’m so full I shall run over with this explosion of feeling every day. Every time I see them, hold them, or hear them say, “Gammy, I wuv you so much.” My heart is packed full.

            But is it?

            The older I become, the more I realize the value of loving. Giving myself in love is a gift. Not only to the recipient, but to myself. I am the one who gleans the reaping of love whether it is returned or not, for to love is to share myself with someone else. As I give, I receive. I receive more room to give….a refillable hole, if you may. A vast chasm filled with caring that refills with the act of loving.

           

            I realize that God is love. If I house his spirit in me, I will naturally house his love. There is now no more question. I have no reservations of loving. All the risks of loving others are outweighed by the dividends of love freely given.

In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

              The teacher of love;

                                     The essence of love;

                                                             The ultimate example of love.

Starting out Right

It always happens in January. I make resolutions and few of them I've actually kept. This year however, I'm determined to follow through. I'm going to eat more healthy and take off some of this extra weight. I keep telling myself it is for my health, but just to be grossly honest, I look awful. I don't feel so bad when I'm 15ft from the closest mirror...but when those Christmas pictures were posted on Facebook, I about died! Okay, so now is the time to make a change. I've been on a juice fast for the last couple of days. No, I did not go out and buy 16 bottles of sugar infested fruit juices. I actually juiced my own. It was fun and a whole lot more healthy. I did one this morning and it was wonderful. I had some leftover cranberries from Christmas. I juiced 2 cups of fresh cranberries with about six apples. YUM! It was great! I'm a fan! I love my "old" juicer that is like new...and I'm turning over a new leaf (maybe even some kale leaf, who knows?). I hope your New Year's resolutions go as well as mine has so far. It is a work in progress, no matter when I start. So, Happy New Year to you, my friends!

Best Christmas Cookies Ever!

Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

1 C. butter

1-8 oz. package cream cheese (softened)

1 ½  C. sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½  t. almond extract

3 ½  C. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

---------------------------------------------------------------

Mix together butter and cream cheese - let stand a few minutes.

Add egg, vanilla, almond extract and sugar, beat well.  Beat in flour and baking powder.  Divide dough into two balls.  Cover and chill 1 ½  hours.  

Roll out on floured board about ¼  inch thick. Cut cookies with desired cutter, placing them on an un-greased cookie sheet at least ¼ inch apart. Bake  8-10 min. at 350 degrees.

Icing: Mix together:

2 C. confectioner's sugar

2 T. butter

1/4 tsp. almond extract

Add milk so that it is the right consistency to spread on cookies.  (Use food coloring as you desire).

These cookies are very moist. An evangelist’s wife taught me how to make these cookies when we were starting our first church in Peoria, Arizona. I make them almost every Christmas! They are yummy!

Bountiful Blessings

Thanksgiving is a time of giving thanks to God for his bountiful blessings. Blessings… the good things God gives us….or is it?  Are blessings always little sweet pieces of candy falling from heaven? 

When we are thanking God for His blessings, do we really understand God’s definition of blessing? Blessings come in all shapes and sizes, including pain and suffering many times. It is easy to be thankful for a new car, food on the table, a great paying job, or some other “feel good” gift from God. Can we thank God for the blessing of pain or the difficult lessons we are learning while struggling through a relentless never-ending trial? 

I have two very dear friends that are devoted and dedicated pastor’s wives. Each of these ladies have struggled valiantly this last year with Cancer. I called one on a particularly “bad report” day to encourage her and let her know how much I loved her and was praying for her. To my surprise, she answered the phone with a chipper, up-beat spirit. As we chatted about this and that, I suddenly realized that she was encouraging me to have faith. She was challenging my ability to believe God for healing and miracles in our church. She was expressing to me how blessed she was to be going through something that was challenging her faith. Whether God healed her or not, He is still God and he is still the healer. When the conversation was finished, I replaced the receiver on the telephone, so full of faith and excited about the blessings of God that I rejoiced for hours! Where did this extraordinary amount of faith come from? Was not she struggling with a painful disease stealing healthy blood cells and weakening her body daily? 

So, my paradigm of  “blessing” has changed, which has ricocheted a change in my attitude toward “thankfulness” drastically. I am learning daily how to be thankful for every part of life, good or bad. I understand that God uses blessings of uncomfortable proportions to perform his purpose and plan in my life. He desires to perfect Himself in me. To do that, to know Him the way I want to know Him includes sharing in His suffering….heavy duty isn’t it? But I am thankful that I have the opportunity to share in His suffering….for through that conduit, I will find compassion, perseverance, and like my friend, a generous portion of positive faith. I would not trade what I am learning in the classroom of suffering for a thousand buckets of little sweet pieces of candy falling from heaven.

This Thanksgiving my prayer will be the same, “Thank you God for your bountiful blessings.” But this year, I understand a little better the meaning of “blessing”. This year I am thankful for His bountiful blessings like never before!

Leave Room for Cream

A true "cupper" would probably say that I could never be a coffee taster; that I cannot possibly decipher the nuance between different coffee beans on my tongue. Perhaps they are right, but in my defense, I have found joy in sipping hot coffee by adding great flavor to a good cup. I've learned to leave room for cream - lots of cream. In my case, that small colorful addition to a plain cup of coffee adds a whole new dimension to my morning sipping. I've tried black coffee on many occasions and find that it just makes me appreciate my creamer all the more. Sorry, "cuppers," this gal is going to spice up her cup every chance I get. When I go to my favorite coffee shop, I tell the barista, "leave room for cream." I have to ask for it or he automatically fills it up to the brim with the plain stuff and there's no room for my yummy sweet add-in.

What about you? Are you leaving some space in your life for spice - some room in your cup for cream? We get so busy with work, raising the kids, doing house chores, turning favors for friends, and other commitments that we forget to leave room for the finer things in life. Don't let your life be automatically filled to the brim with everything else. I hope as you look at your next cup of coffee you remember to leave some room for cream in your life. Would a coffee stop make your work day a little more enjoyable? "Stop and smell the roses" is an old saying to remind us to enjoy the journey. Don't get so busy with life that it passes you by. Enjoy life and remember to leave room for cream.

Fresh Cranberry-Pecan Jello Salad

This recipe is so yummy. I always passed up the Cranberry sauce at our Thanksgiving celebrations. Now, I can't wait for an excuse to make this yummy rendition of an old tradition.

1 package fresh cranberries

1-1/2 cups sugar

1 large package raspberry Jello

1 cup boiling water

1 can crushed pineapple (drained)

¾ cup diced celery

2 apples (grated)

½ cup pecans

Preparation time: 15 minutes. Servings: 12.

Grind or chop cranberries in blender or food processor. Work sugar into cranberries until completely dissolved. Dissolve Jello in boiling water and add to cranberries. Add pineapple, celery, apples and nuts. Chill for a few hours before serving.

*This yummy recipe was shared by Jennifer Gregory Van Ryswyk at our Thanksgiving celebration November 1999 in Stockton, California. It was her mother’s recipe. It was an instant hit and I’ve been making it every year since.

God With Us

 I love Christmas. I love everything about it; shopping for Christmas gifts and wrapping them in my "themed" paper; placing them under my tree; decorating my house with evergreen swags and twinkling lights; the smell of apple cider and cinnamon; listening to Christmas music in the mall; and singing beloved carols with my family. I love Christmas more than any other holiday because it seems all the world pauses to celebrate. Although it is primarily a "Christian" holiday, others have joined in and participated in this celebration. Howbeit, they may not even call it "Christmas" but we know the source of our celebration is in reality the manifestation of God come to us.  "God With Us," Our theme for this Christmas Season at LifeChurch has put my mind in action. Please pause with me for a moment and let me mutter my musings.

I like to think that God is very pleased to have his people devote one special day a year to celebrate the amazing entrance He made from eternity to earth. It's as if he chose the backdoor of humanity to show us He was a relative savior. He was tempted in all ways as we are, and yet found with no sin. This amazing fact reinforces the fact that God of heaven, robed himself in flesh and became one of us. The fact that He was God, gave him the advantage to triumph over sin. His purpose and plan was to come, teach us how to live, then to die, so that we could have that same power to overcome sin. What an amazing gift He gave us. It came with no small price. His blood was the ransom for our eternal salvation. Every person is privileged to be a recipient of His gift. God walked among us to show us that He would go to the ends of the earth to do what had to be done so that we could spend eternity forever with Him. God, put on a body and came to us! One day, we will put off these bodies, and go to Him!

So, there you have it; the reason Christmas is my favorite holiday. This is the reason I greet people with "Merry Christmas" unashamed to acknowledge the One who gave me the ultimate Christmas Gift - Himself. God With Us.

The Light

Lighthouse. See it? She is pointing at it. 

For 30 days prior to elections, the members of LifeChurch are praying for our country, our officials, and the upcoming elections. I've had so many opportunities to call our nation out in prayer. Yet, in my effort to truly pray without ceasing, I've found days where fear and despair overcome my well meaning intentions. One day, while sitting in the car waiting for time to pass for an appointment, I began praying for my beloved country. In the midst of my prayer the enemy wove little seeds of doubt and fear into my mind. Sadly, I focused on the fact that our country is moving farther and farther away from being a Christian nation. As I prayerfully pondered our situation I realized that in a few years darkness will cover our nation as God is pushed to the background more and more. Then He spoke, not in a loud thunderous revelation, or a flash of illuminous light, but in a still, small, familiar voice. "The darker the night, the more my light shines." His words brought new hope, new resolve and a new passionate desire to be that light. From that morning, I began to pursue the intentional act of showing the reflection of Christ to a dark, disillusioned world. To be truthful, it works! 

Rather than waiting for our usual Saturday night prayer,  I prayed for two ladies immediately on the phone when they requested prayer. I was in Wal-Mart when one called from the hospital. With my new resolve I moved aside and standing in front of the tweezers and nail files, began to pray and interceded for healing. Yes we are the light and we will shine brighter as this country becomes darker. Am I looking forward to it? Of course not. Am I afraid? Sometimes, but at least I know that there is hope...and we are the ones that will carry it to those who are looking for something better; looking for a hope; looking for a light at the end of their dark winding tunnel.

Is this little girl pointing at you? I sure hope so.

Her Glory

Long hair has long been a signet identifying the consecration of Pentecostal girls. Paul referred to a woman's long hair as her glory in a letter he wrote to the Corinthian church (1 Corinthians 11:15 Holy Bible). Although, many women today prefer the shorter, freshly cut styles, these Pentecostal girls don't take a back seat to fashion and beauty. We can debate how long is long and discuss for hours if it is a "salvation issue" or not, but the cold hard facts are the symbol she wears on her head by leaving her hair uncut is a sign to the angels that she is in submission not only to her spiritual authority but to her Heavenly Father. What better way to advertise our devotion to God. You go girl!


For more information on this subject read Paul's first letter to the Corinthian Church.

10 Good Reasons to Make Your Bed

My dad insisted that we make our bed every morning! Really, Dad, really? Even when our traveling family band was housed in a 32-ft motorhome, we were forced to make our beds (never mind that my bed was disguised as our breakfast table during the day)! Now that I'm a mom, wife, and grandmother with a very sensitive nose, I see great value in the daily chore of making my bed. So, let me share with you a few words of wisdom from the "bed"of my father's teaching garden.

10 Good Reasons to Make Your Bed

1. Since the bed is the largest thing in your room, it makes the whole room look tidier.
2. It creates a feeling of accomplishment. It only takes about 10 seconds to make the bed; an easy chore to check off your daily to-do list. 
3. You are less likely to jump back in bed if it is made.
4. You can proudly give tours through your house at any time. Every girl longs for that "model home" feel...but model homes don't display unmade beds.
5. It makes the house smell better, especially at the end of the week before sheet changing time. No one wants her house to smell like a men's locker room! You can leave the bedroom door open if your bed is made, airing out the room with fresh air every day.
6. A made bed is a great place to fold laundry.
7. It seems more fresh to turn down a neatly made bed at night than to crawl into a disheveled mass of sheets and blankets.
8. You can teach your children to make their beds, if you are a good example.
9. You can show off that beautiful bedspread or comforter you bought with the matching throw pillows...now where are they? Oh, there they are under the bed! Really? No one will see them there!
10. It is more fun to jump on a freshly made bed (Just kidding). Kids are less apt to jump on a made bed. Really, no kidding.

Prodigal

Today I just had to take a moment and thank God for bringing my Prodigal son home. There he was, sharing the Bible story of the Prodigal Son in a dramatic sermon. As he talked, I looked over at my husband. There were tears in his eyes. I knew he was remembering the hours we paced the floor, praying that our son would come back safe; believing that this journey he was on would soon bring him back home. We prayed that the wounds sin left would be treatable and leave minimal scarring. Yes, we prayed and we believed and we cried and we paced. Today, I'm reminded of the words he said that gave me hope. "It's time for me to get back in church." I will cherish those moments as we sat across from him in a small Mexican restaurant. Tears streaming down our cheeks, he began a journey back home.

Today he stood on the platform of our church with great passion touched the heart of those who had wondered away from God's house. His portrayal of The Prodigal Son was like none I've ever seen. And I cried...touched and thankful!

Bimbos cause Bumbo Recall

There is a re-call on the Bumbo baby seats. I really don't see the problem. Any sane person would not put a child in a Bumbo Seat, set the child on an uneven surface (like a table top!) and leave said child unattended! Really folks! How can a child fall out of a Bumbo Seat when a parent, guardian, or attentive baby sitter is near by? In my opinion, there is nothing wrong with the Bumbo...it's the Bimbos neglecting the children in them that are at fault.

Just Sayin'

Mittens

I remember the cold winters in Idaho as a child. Mama would get my sister and me up early for school. She helped us get dressed, fed us breakfast, packed a lunch, bundled us up and sent us off to school.

It was warm as toast in our house, but Mama knew it was cold outside so she prepared us for the journey ahead. She would put on my coat, hat and mittens, and check to make sure I had warm socks on underneath the tall boots that underlined my knees. 

She prepared us the best she could – but she didn’t go with us. She just prepared us for the journey – the rest was up to us.

I was the oldest, so I had to hold my little sister’s hand and make sure she got to school safely before going to my class. After school, she had to wait for me by the door of my classroom and we would walk home together. 

After a day of school, the walk home was cold and crisp, but there mama would be waiting in a nice warm house to help us strip the winter garb off. We were safely home now.

We do our best to prepare our children for the journey of life. We teach them Bible songs, tell them stories of a great flood, Daniel in the lion’s den and the miraculous healings Jesus performed when He walked this earth from the Word of God. We teach them how to pray and how to respect their elders. We do all we can because we know how cold it is outside, and they must be prepared. Then, when they are ready, we send them out into the world hoping we prepared them for the storm of life. 

After we send them off, all we can do is wait, because we can’t go with them. We wait, and we pray. We know that they have to make some decisions without us and take some responsibility. They know their way home, because they know we are here, waiting, and ready to welcome them into the warm, shelter of home. 

Daddy

My father is an amazing man. He gave me the gift of music. He put a guitar in my hands when I was five years old. I was too small to stand with his gigantic guitar, so I would sit on the amplifier and play. I would cry and beg him not to practice, and I'm sure that broke his heart, but thankfully, he had a dream and I was a big part of that dream. With his firstborn daughter, he was determined to start a family band. He did in fact live that dream through his children. We played many gigs and services together. The Bible Singing Bibb Family was a pivot for the generations of music that have followed. His grandchildren and great grandchildren now love and perform music. Thank you, Daddy, for passing along your passion for music....it is etched into our souls!