Eager Preparation

I was about to purchase a new book the other day and thought I better look through our bookshelves to see which books I have not read yet.  Oh my, Amanda...I think I have this problem where I hear about a great book and get all excited because of the glorious wisdom I will gain and buy it....then the wisdom is never obtained because well...it sits there because I am probably reading five other books. Slow it down.

As I was looking through my bookshelf, I saw a few books that I read in preparation for marriage and the first few months of our marriage.  Since many of my friends have had the exciting moment of engagement recently (HOOORAYY!), I thought I would share a few of these books that were a huge challenge and a blessing to me, and were used as a tool to mold me.  These books are for any woman in any stage of  life.

 This is a book for any woman in any stage of life.  This is not a book that directly speaks to marriage.  To some the title may be a turn off because of the word "Discipline".  Don't let that word have a negative tone, especially in the light of what it speaks and its role in your life.  This book discusses the discipline of the Gospel, submission, prayer, worship, your mind, contentment, singleness, marriage, and more.  All these areas, when taken in view of God's intention, will prepare you and build you and encourage you in your role as a wife....(new sister-in-law, daughter-in-law, etc).

The focus of this book is the virtues of a wife and mother that are written in Titus 2.  Carolyn Mahaney does a beautiful job describing how we should be promoting the Gospel in all these areas.  The areas that are written in Titus 2 that she discusses are 1) The Delight of Loving my Husband, 2) The Blessings of Loving my Children, 3) The Safety of Self-Control, 4) The Pleasure of Purity, 5) The Honor of Working at Home, 6) The Rewards of Kindness, 7) The Beauty of Submission.  Note: The "Working at Home" part focuses solely on the calling (and should be blessing) of managing our home, not that everyone should be a stay at home mom.

The same author, along with her husband, of Feminine Appeal also wrote "Love that Lasts: When Marriage meets Grace".  The title was the first thing that grabbed my attention "...when marriage meets Grace".  Amen and amen.  Marriage was created as the earthly picture of our relationship with Christ, which is completely about grace.  Is there even a need for a "therefore" here? :)  The relationship between a husband and wife is intentionally and thoughtfully written in this book.  It covers most areas including role of the husband (leading with love), the role of the wife (walking in wisdom), the content of our communication, conflict, romance, and of course the important topic of sex!

I would've written more about each book and how it impacted me and what were my favorite parts.  However, that would be giving the book away before you read it and I am trying to keep this succinct.

As you prepare for marriage (whether engaged or not) and during marriage, we should always take opportunities to learn and grow in this area.  We always have so much to learn! However, these are the books that helped me leap to those next stepping stones of learning to be a wife.

Another great resource: I have mentioned it before, but you should also check out my sister-in-law's blog .  Besides the fact that she has a masters in Marriage and Family Counseling, she has a passion for marriage and it is evident by her dedication to the resources and wisdom she provides on her blog.

A Story Worthy to be Told

This afternoon, I watched this video about The Story of Ian and Larissa.  I knew immediately I wanted to share this incredible, soul stirring story.  What I love most is the focus and value of it.  It reminds us of the true meaning and value of marriage.  It is the picture of Christ and the Church (us as believers).  In Ephesians 5:21-33, marriage is described as it was intended and within that passage it says, "This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church" (v. 32).  That means the marriage relationship is supposed to reflect, or represent, our relationship with Christ.

The following quote is what is stated in the beginning of the video.  I wanted to write it out because of its profound heaviness and it's worthy to be read and heard.  Their story is a picture of what the foundation of marriage should be and its holy purpose, not what the world has successfully convinced so many couples.  This is an incredible reminder for anybody....even if you have a Christ-following marriage.

"Marriage is not mainly about prospering economically, it is mainly about displaying the convenant keeping of love of Christ and his church.....
....Knowing Christ is more important than making a living.  Treasuring Christ is more important than bearing children....
...Either way it is short, it may have many bright days and may be covered with clouds. But if we set our face to make of marriage mainly what God designed it to be no sorrows and no calamities can stand in our way.  Every one of them will not be an obstacle to success but a way to succeed....
...The beauty of the covenant keeping love between Christ and His Church shines brightest when nothing but Christ can sustain."

This video was featured on John Piper's website.  That website is a phenomenal resource for a variety of topics and studies.  The link also offers a free PDF download of the book "This Momentary Marriage" they talk about in the video.  

99 Experiences

I have always felt that it was important to travel and see places as much as possible in my life time! It may not be far away, expensive places, but just to explore and see God's creativity, the "normal" for other people, and the fun new experiences that I would not know otherwise.

However, I started this blog with the mindsent of reminding myself to delight in the now and not just when I am going somewhere awesome and or doing something interesting!  I've been forcing myself to look at the delight in different things of the day that would otherwise seem so...."daily".  I was reminded again when I found this list below at Leslyn's blog.  This list allows me to realize all the small or big things I've experienced and also some things that would be great to do in the life He has given me.  The things that I have done I will make that word or phrase bold.

1. Started your own blog

2. Slept under the stars

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii

5. Watched a meteor shower

6. Given more than you can afford to charity

7. Been to Disneyland

8. Climbed a mountain (...and I've also climbed a volcano, not pictured)

9. Held a praying mantis

10. Sang a solo (...embarrassing karaoke count? ;) )

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightening storm

14. Taught yourself an art from scratch (...teaching myself the piano)

15. Adopted a child (...no, not into our physical family but through Food for the Hungry. If God ever leads us to actually adopt we would be so honored). Shared about him in this post.

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill (I call them "mental health days")

24. Built a snow fort

25. Held a lamb (...my grandma's cousin has a farm and I got to feed the little lamb with a bottle when I was a little girl).

26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset (...always so peaceful and refreshing).

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community (...near my Grandma's house. Loved buying homemade butter and bread from them and their delicious country restaurant).

36. Taught yourself a new language (...not in full, but I taught myself  good amount of Russian). 

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing 

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt

43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant (...bought an extra meal for a homeless person who was sitting outside).

44. Visited Africa

45. Walked on a beach by moonlight

46. Been transported in an ambulance

47. Had your portrait painted (...awkward caricature in Central Park, anyone?)

48. Gone deep sea fishing

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (...Xel Ha in Mexico on our Honeymoon.  Amazing!)

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud (...OBU's Tiger Track's, people!)

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie 

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies

62. Gone whale watching

63. Got flowers for no reason (...Thank you, Farmer's Market).

64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma

65. Gone sky diving

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt (...used to sew Log Cabin Quilts when I was younger)

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been a passenger on a motorcycle

79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person

80. Published a book

81. Visited the Vatican

82. Bought a brand new car

83. Walked in Jerusalem

84. Had your picture in the newspaper

85. Kissed a stranger at midnight on New Year’s Eve <-- OK, won't ever happen.

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (...partially assisted with a deer, we didn't do all the work)

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Sat on a jury

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Got a tattoo

94. Had a baby

95. Seen the Alamo in person

96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake

97. Been involved in a law suit 

98. Owned a cell phone

99. Been stung by a bee

Ok, so as Leslyn mentioned, there are some that will never happen, such as #85 unless I pretend I don't know my husband...and some of them aren't happy things that are listed #97...however, most of them sparked a hilarious or adventurous memory and reminded me of many "DELIGHTFUL" things I've been able to experience.  It also suggested some things that I would really like to do in my lifetime. 

Here's to taking advantage of this LIFE that we have been given by the Giver of Life.  May we experience its richness and value.  

Two Tidbits of Joy

I started this craft project quite a while ago.  During that time, nursing school had taken over my life.  Now, it has no stronghold on me because I have graduated.  With that said, I have been enjoying normal-people things since that time.  

I originally found this craft through pinterest from this blog! Her instructions are very clear and detailed, so I won't bore you or try to match her cute tutorial and let you check the blog out.  

The process...

I love the end result.  Feminine and lovely. 

This boy is near and dear to mine and Lee's heart.

To the left is the picture we received of Michael (age 10) when we first started sponsoring him in Fall of 2010.  Just yesterday we received this new picture (to the right) of him and he is now almost 12 years old.  I wrote him a letter today.  I want him to know that even though we have never met and that we are very far away, we care for him very much!  His picture is hanging in our kitchen.  I see it everyday.  I need to be even more diligent about praying for his precious soul.  I tell him in my letters that Jesus loves him more than he could ever imagine and that I hope he knows Jesus one day.  We received a good report of his health and his excellent performance in school!  I made sure to tell him that we are proud of him. I was so happy to find out that they had a great harvest of cotton this year.  

How my heart would be overjoyed if we ever received the chance of meeting this sweet boy.  

Isn't it amazing to remember and think of the love that God has for each individual person....even the billions that are halfway around the world that we never see....even the sweet, farm boy that lives in Uganda? Oh,  How He LOVES us!

High Five for Friday!

I've never done a "link up" but I love the link up that From My Grey Desk does called "High Five for Friday".  I like it because it gives you a chance at the end of the week to look back and see what were the little things that made you happy or one might say deserves a high five! It causes you to see the little things that you were thankful for or happy about even if the week as a whole wasn't the greatest.  However, I am thankful to say mine was great!

1. Xbox Kinect.  Especially, fruit ninja.  We played this game at our friends' house and knew we needed to go get a kinect.  Since then we find it humorous and quite an exercise to play Fruit Ninja (and other games). AKA: Chop at the pretend fruit in the air, gain points, feel like a ninja warrior, and be sore.

2.  For a good 3 or 4 days this week it was 75 to 80 degrees, therefore I got to LAY OUT.  I love having time for all seasons, but I am a warm weather/summer kind of girl! All I need is a little pool :)

3.  I am always thankful for a morning every once in a while that does not require me to rush around having a place to go.  Only time to spend in the Word as long as I can! I am doing a Matthew (Beatitude Sermon) study.  Even though I have read that sermon multiple times, it has given me a solid, spiritual punch in the gut many times (that is a good thing).  So challenging, so good!

4.  Our friend Chris wearing a mustache and his wife, my dear friend, Laura.  This picture alone deserves a high five.  No words.  

5.  My top HIGH FIVE of the week: I accepted a job offer for a nursing position! I am more than excited and so thankful for it.  It's in the Progressive Coronary Care Unit (PCCU).  I'm eager to be starting my career as a nurse! A big bonus too is one of my friends who I graduated nursing school with is working on the same unit and the same shift as me.  Praise the Lord for His faithful and abundant provision.  

This even helps us be aware of the 'little things' or 'small victories' of the week that remind us to be thankful.  

Crockpot BBQ with Corn Cakes

I wanted to post this recipe, because when I mentioned on Twitter that I had made it a few people wanted the recipe.  

I first pinned this recipe on Pinterest, but it is originally from this blog (Ezra Pound Cake).  Oh my.  This is delicious.  I absolutely love the sauce - it is that perfect BBQ taste.  This blogger made the combination just perfect.  It is very simple and easy, including the corn cakes.  The taste of BBQ meat and corn cakes in the same bite just might be the perfect combination!  

I halved the recipe, since it's just my husband and I and it worked great.  She also calls for slaw and tomatoes, which I am sure would be tasty, we just did not have it.  

[Recipe Adapted from Ezra Pound Cake]

Crockpot BBQ

 1/2 medium onion, sliced

 Pork Shoulder (2-3 lb, preferably boneless)

 [*Note: I had to use a Pork Shoulder Steak with bone because my store did not have pork shoulder. It worked just fine.  I just removed the bone later on in the cooking process]

 1/2 cup Beef Broth, water, or favorite BBQ sauce [I had Beef Stock on hand)

Sauce:

 1/2 cup ketchup

 1/3 cup water

 2 Tbs white vinegar

 2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce

 1 Tbs Brown Sugar

 1/2 Tbs Dale's Seasoning or Liquid Smoke [I used the latter.  So yummy!]

 2 tsp Garlic Powder

 1 tsp Salt

 1 tsp Tabasco

 1/4 tsp Pepper

Place onion in slow cooker.  Set the meat on top of the onions. In a microwave-safe bowl, mix all sauce ingredients together and heat in microwave for 45 seconds, then pour over pork shoulder. In a seperate bowl, mix beef broth and remaining 2 Tbs white vinegar.  Pour around the pork shoulder, NOT ON the meat.  Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. At 6 hours you can baste the meat with the sauce.  Shred the meat inside the crockpot and remove bones.  Serve on top of corn cakes. 

Corn Griddle Cakes 

(Makes 15, 2 inch cakes)

1 cup Self-Rising Cornmeal (not cornbread mix)

1/2 cup All-purpose flour

3/4 cup milk

3 Tbs butter, melted

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 Tbs sugar (optional)

1/8 tsp Cayenne

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat (I used my pancake counter griddle).  Pour 2 tbs of batter for each cake. Cook a few minutes on each side (just like pancakes).  Serve with meat mixture over it.  

Enjoy, because it is awesome!  

Proverbs 8 and Mom's Banana Bread

I try my best to read one chapter of Proverbs a day corresponding with the day of the month.  Most months it works perfectly because there are 31 chapters in Proverbs and 31 days in most months.  I have come to realize I will never grow out of learning and heeding wisdom [insert: sarcasm. I did not just come to realize that].

[Rabbit Trail: bad part about writing and/or blogs is that sarcasm is hard to notice and I tend to be sarcastic time to time. Sorry, I am not sorry]

Sometimes, I read the one chapter of Proverbs in addition to what I am studying and/or reading for my quiet time.  Other times, that chapter is solely my quiet time.  Let's get real, Proverbs is all about wisdom and instruction and I tend to mess up.....[like everyday]......so it's good for me just sit, pray, and meditate on it, because it tends to slap me in the face, encourage me, and/or challenge me.

I read Proverbs 8 today.  There was section that I wanted to share:

The first person in this passage is 'wisdom'.  After I read this, I noticed that these [words I underlined] are identifiable characteristics of wisdom.  When we are looking for wisdom or asking for wisdom, these are characteristics that we can look for in a decision, an action, a conversation, our words, and the list could go on.

Wisdom......speaks noble things, it will reveal right things, only truth will be uttered, wickedness is an abomination to it, righteousness comes from it's mouth, and there is nothing crooked or perverted that comes from it.  Therefore, Proverbs 8 shows us what wisdom IS and what it IS NOT.  Identify those characteristics.  How sweet is the Lord to give us His Word to guide us?

Side Note: I am sure that I have read this passage many times, and yet the Lord teaches me something new about it.  I love that He continues to teach us new things with the same passage.