Better Eating...

Ok, I have a confession to make. Since couponing (which is a truly wonderful thing), I have really neglected good, healthy meals for me and my family and I think we ALL have been suffering for it.
Well, no more - and last night was the perfect start to eating right and using my meal-planning and couponing together to make the best, most healthy meals I can make for my family.
For starters we had a really yummy Strawberry Spinach salad with poppy seed dressing (Thanks Jess Fragile for that one!)
The main course included salmon with fire-roasted tomatoes, a splash of sherry cooking wine and some onions and dill on top -- umm, super yum! Spanish yellow rice, and some green beans to compliment and voila - a perfect meal.
I know it may sound silly to some but for the first time in quite a while, I felt like I did something good for my family. It was not just a thrown-together type of meal but a wonderful, sit-down, healthy meal. This is what I love doing and I have truly missed it. When it was all said and done, a little wink and a hug from my hubby and 2 little kids with big smiles on their faces saying "this is delicious" was all the thanks I needed.
Oh and I must give a shout out to my sweet daughter Kira who very much helped with this wonderful dinner -- thank you my sweet little girl for your precious help! I love doing things with you!!

Are You a Living Sacrifice?

This man and his family gave up all they had and went to live in the slums to reach others for Jesus Christ - What are we willing to give up out of our abundance for the cause of the Gospel??? Would it be a dinner out, a Starbucks coffee in the morning, cable TV, a night out at the movies...? We never pray and ask God if we should go out to dinner, buy some new clothes, buy a newer car, but somehow when it comes to missions and the things of God, we have to pray and see if God wants us to help. We do not need to pray about the things that God has already told us we are here on earth to complete in His name. Take a step of faith and reach out to save the lost world as we are commanded to do.
What are you willing to give up for the One that has given His life for you? Would it be $10, $20, or more a month to help us get to Gospel for Asia and reach those who have never heard the name of Jesus?
Please take time to team up with us in the work God is doing to reach the lost world by clicking here or you can pledge to support us without having to send any money until we actually arrive at Gospel For Asia by contacting us or calling 800-946-2742 and letting them know you want to pledge to support us. Our staff account number is: 6334.

Struggling but why????

I have been struggling for a couple of weeks now. For those that don't know, Dave had surgery and has been recovering for the last 4 weeks or so. That was not why I struggled but I must admit, I was not the caring wife I should have been. Too many times, I was frustrated at how his pain was affecting me. I was more focused on me being tired and having to be mom and dad than on my husband who was going through a really rough time. To make it even harder, even though Dave was in severe pain, God was using it to draw him closer to Him. Not that that is a bad thing by any means but I kept wondering why.... why was I being short, why was I feeling down and miserable, why is our support not being raised as quick as I want it to, why was I struggling to trust God for ALL things, why was I not "feeling" close to Him, why does He allow things to happen that put "our" plans on hold...
Hmm, sounds pretty selfish, doesn't it? All of the thoughts I was having were about me - what I could gain, what I could feel, what could happen for me. Then it hit me...
My time with the Lord was really limited for those weeks - I was not reading my Bible as much, I was not in prayer with my Savior. I was focused on me :(
It amazes me how so many times in my life, I have lost my focus, lost my first love -- not that I am not in awe of a God who has saved me from the pit and despair of Hell, but that I have not given Him first place in my life - in ALL things.
This week has been different for me. God is working in our lives in amazing ways! And you know what, I have been renewed and refreshed from my time with God.
I want to encourage you as well as keep a remembrance for me that our time with God needs to be our absolute #1 priority - our thought as we wake up should be how thankful we are to live another day to serve the One who gave His life for us! I want to hunger and thirst for God - I want to have a yearning so intense that I am not able to function without first spending time with my Savior. I truly want God to permeate my every being and be the woman, wife, mother, missionary, and child that He wants me to be!