{Thanks} Living, September Edition

I have so much to be thankful for this month.

I am so thankful that my best friend had a birthday at the beginning of September.

Her birthday package made it to her front doorstep on her actual birthday! :]

I am so thankful for her friendship, even when she lives halfway across the country.

I am thankful for my husband.

He's my best friend.

I'm thankful that we have a lot of fun together...

at Cardinals games!

I am also thankful that my husband knew just what I needed to cheer me up

after a dentist appointment.

I am thankful for the ability to memorize God's Word. 

I am thankful for the conviction to actually do it.

And I'm thankful for blog/IG friends to help keep me accountable.

I am thankful for more Cardinals baseball games.

I'm also thankful for beautiful weather and skies.

I am thankful for the cooler weather,

for not having to keep the AC running

for open windows {they've been open for 2 1/2 weeks now}.

I am thankful for small towns looking after the farmers!

I am thankful for gorgeous sunsets.

I am thankful that my Momma came up this past weekend to watch my husband play in the worship band at church.  

I am thankful that my husband was the one to invite her {and my dad...he just couldn't make it this time}.

I am thankful that my Daddy allowed her to come up and craft all weekend with me.

I am thankful for the many things my Momma has taught me this weekend.

Like crocheting this scarf.

...and making this ribbon trees for Christmas!

I am thankful that God has blessed me with the people that I need in my life right this instant.  He's given us a great small group to serve Him with. He's given me refreshing weekends so that I may be able to rest and serve Him in the new week.  He's blessed me abundantly.   I am so thankful.
What are you thankful for?

Crockpot Pumpkin Bread

Happy Friday, friends!
This week has flown by for me.
Has it for you??
I must admit...this week has been the best week since starting my job in June.
We hired a new HR guy and he's livened up our office a bit.
I am excited about having him in the office and working with him.

Today, I'm feeling festive.
I LOVE fall.
It's my absolute favorite season.
I love the changing of the leaves.
I love the fall colors.
I love the cooler weather.
I love harvest time.
I just love it all.

I also love fall foods...pumpkin!

So I thought I'd share a recipe with you that goes along with the season.

So here's a crockpot {what?!?} pumpkin bread recipe for ya.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cup flour, sifted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions:

• Blend the oil and both of the sugars in a big bowl. 

• Stir in the beaten eggs and canned pumpkin.

• Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

• Pour the batter into a greased or oiled bread pan.

• Pour 2 cups of water into your crockpot.  Place the pan in the crockpot.
  {This is where it gets funny...}

My pan didn't quite fit...it wouldn't hang from the edges either.

So, I poured it into a different bread pan that was long enough to hang on the edges. 

• Cover the crockpot with 8-10 paper towels {this helps trap the condensation that will occur during the baking process and will keep the bread from becoming soggy}.
• Place the lid on top of the crockpot and bake on high for 2 1/2 - 3 hours {I have a stay or go crockpot, so I snapped the latches on to help keep everything in the crock}.

Here's how it turned out!! Hope it's yummy! :]

I have lots of new recipes to try in the coming future!
I go through phases where I find tons of new recipes and experiment. :]

Happy cooking, friends!
Enjoy your weekend!

Comfort

On the way home from grocery shopping tonight,

I was listening to the radio.

Joy! FM is a great station to listen to!

Anyway, I was just going about my business

when the deejay was talking about his

small group/accountability group/whatever you want to call it.

He was talking about a subject that had been brought up.

The idol of comfort.

I had never thought of that before {and neither had he}.

Is comfort your idol?

Is comfort standing in your way of being obedient to God?
Is comfort your excuse for not going on mission trips?

Is comfort your excuse for not talking to others about Christ?

Is comfort your excuse for not going out of your way to help someone?

If so, then comfort is your idol.

At times, comfort has been my excuse.

Mainly for talking to others about Christ.

I don't want to offend them.

I don't want them to think that I hate them 

or am judging them.

Don't let comfort be your idol.

God blesses you SO much when you get out of your comfort zone

and do something for Him.
He knows how uncomfortable you are; He will never leave you.

He will sustain you.

Thou Shalt Cut the Apron Strings

On to chapter 2 of the book, "The 10 Commandments of Marriage," by Ed Young.  This week's chapter was...

...interesting.

I don't really know how to put it otherwise.  Mostly, because being a "newlywed" I can relate to a lot of what he had to say.  We are still learning to be our own "family unit" and what that means.  Our parents are still trying to get used to it as well.

This week's chapter was 

Thou Shalt Cut the Apron Strings.

A lot of the chapter was geared toward parents and what it meant to cut the apron strings.  Part of it was geared to us.  But I think there are some important things here that anyone can learn from.

Genesis 2:24 (KJV)

"Therefore shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave unto his wife:  and they shall become one flesh."

Did you know that God said this command 5 different times in the Bible?  It must be pretty important for Him to have said it that many times!  According to Dictionary.com, the word "cleave" means to adhere closely; stick; cling; to remain faithful.  So the man is supposed to cling to his wife when they are married.  Fair enough.

Ed says,

"He [God] simply wants us to know that our parents are no longer preeminent figures in our lives; our mates now hold that position."

Growing up, my dad was the only man that I had to please.  I had to obey him, and ultimately I wanted to make him proud of me.  Well, now that I'm married, he no longer holds that place in my life. {Enter sentimental emotions here.}  Tyler is now the most important man in my life.  He's the one I have to please and the one that I want to make proud.  Yes, I still have to "Honor my mother and father," but I also have to honor my husband now.  Vice versa.  I'm the most important woman in his life now.

There are a couple of "apron strings," if you will, that have to be cut.  First, the counseling string must be cut.  I know that growing up my parents were the first people I went to for advice.  I had a fight with a friend? I went to my parents to ask for advice.  My best friend's parents were going through a divorce?  I went to my parents to ask what I should do and say.  I was trying to figure out where to go to college?  I went to my parents.  In college, I was trying to make the decision whether or not to go to grad school.  I went to my parents to ask their opinions.

My parents are full of Godly advice.  I've always asked their advice, because I know what they say will be full of the Lord.  But now it's different.  No, my parents' advice hasn't changed, rather I have to go to Tyler for advice.  I need to ask him first before my parents.

I am blessed to have parents who've stayed out of our "business," or rather let us learn on our own.  They don't give advice unless we ask for it.  When I asked my dad what I should do about quitting grad school, he told me that I had to be the one to make the decision. Uh, what?  I was thinking, "I don't want to grow up, I just want you to tell me what to do!"  That was my first taste of reality. Tyler and I decided jointly that I would take a sabbatical {yes, I'm still on sabbatical}, and it ended up that God was preparing us for other things.

I am thankful that my parents haven't given us unwanted advice.  Being that I am red, I don't like to be told what to do...especially when I don't want advice and didn't ask for it.  That would be a limitation of my color.  Growing up, if you gave me advice when I didn't want it, it went in through one ear and out the other.  But I'm also thankful that my parents have given us {Tyler and I} the freedom to be our own family and freedom to be able to make decisions that are best for us.

Another apron string that has to be cut is the economic string.  When Tyler and I got married, we got all the bills. Dang, I hate that.  Time to really grow up and be an adult.  And honestly, it was harder for me than him.  He had been paying a lot more than I had been.  It's been good for us, though.  We're trying to be responsible adults.  It's time to pay bills on time {it's not hard when I have an accounting degree and a weird sense of organization and wanting to be on time}.  It's time to pay school debt off {almost there!}, and it's time to stick to a budget.  No more income from Mom and Dad.  Oh, and it's time to save for more "grown-up" things...like cars and houses. :]

I do have to say that my parents blessed me by paying whatever my scholarship didn't cover while I was in college.  That allowed me to save my money for when I did get married, which has definitely helped us out this first year of marriage.   Now, I'm paying them for my health insurance.  So to learn what it means to be financially stable is both good for the kid and the parents.

From a newlywed's perspective, it's a little difficult to get used to a "new set of rules."  I was so used to talking to my parents first about things.  My parents usually told us when they were coming to visit {they had obligations in Springfield}.  They also tried to steer me in the right direction.

Now, I talk to my husband first about things.  My parents ask when a good time would be to visit, and my parents have backed off helping me make decisions because now I have a husband who's to help me.  Wow.

Ed also talks about leaving past people, past problems,  and past places in the past.  No talk about old girlfriends (or boyfriends...but I didn't have any).  No talk about problems from the past...God forgives.  No need for you to bring it up.  Or even problems that have been solved.  Not talk about past places that your husband/wife didn't experience with you.

Now I'm not saying you can't ever say anything about these things.  Just don't dwell on them and talk about them all the time.  

For example, there was an incident or "opportunity" that Tyler and I came across right before we got married.  It had the potential of postponing our wedding (no we didn't hate each other or have problems and it wasn't life threatening, nothing like that.  We still would have gotten married).  But a decision had to be made.  Both of us had our feelings on the line; both of us were hurt.  We wanted opposite things. After much prayer and counsel, the decision was made and our wedding carried on.  We had to come to a consensus.  It was a consensus because we made a decision based on what was the best for both of us, whether we agreed with it or not.  Some may say sacrifice was made, but we don't.  

We also agreed to never talk about it again.  Sometimes that's hard.  I thought it might be hard for me.  The only time it was hard was when others brought it up.  *So note to self...when agreeing not to talk about it any more...tell the others that were involved.*  To this day, we don't talk about it much.  When we do, we still agree that we made the best decision for ourselves.

If we were to dwell on this and talk about it a lot, I don't think either one of us would have been healed from it.  There was a lot of guilt on my part and by not talking about it, it has allowed my heart to heal from it.  We both learned from it...mostly that it's important to talk to the number one person in your life. :]

Same goes with old girlfriends/boyfriends and past places.  When you talk about them so much, it leaves your significant other out of the loop and sometimes feeling insignificant.  I think it's okay to talk about them occasionally, but not all the time.  I really had to think about this one because I talk about my high school friends all the time.  I loved high school...especially my senior year.  But if I were to talk about that all the time, Tyler would feel alienated.  

It may take some time...as you adjust, as families adjust...but we are to be one with each other.  That's what God's picture of marriage is.

Here are this week's questions:

If you are married:

1. On whom did you depend most before you married?
2. How has marriage affected that prior relationship?
3. Describe the greatest bond between you and your spouse.
4. What specific things do you need to "leave" in order to intensify the bond between you and your spouse?

If you are contemplating or preparing for marriage:

1. On whom do you most depend right now?
2. How will that relationship change once you are married?
3. Describe several areas of your lives where you and your beloved have grown together during courtship.
4. What things do you need to leave behind as you prepare for marriage?

If you missed Part One, you can catch up here:

Part 1: Thou Shalt Not Be a Selfish Pig

Blessed

I had just about the best weekend. ever.
It was really good!!

It was such a beautiful Friday evening.
We ended up just hanging out together,
watching Shark Tank, and eating ice cream. :]
Oh, and I made brownies for our outing on Saturday night...
I LOVE that I found a Bible verse on my egg carton...
I'm loving Aldi a little more each day.

On Saturday morning, we went to go see Tyler's grandparents.
They really aren't too far from us {about an hour and 45 minutes}.
It was a beautiful drive.
Being in the city, we don't get to see the changing of the crops.
The beans are changing into that pretty gold color and the milo is a dusty red.

I do love this sign that we saw. :]

Saturday afternoon, our Life Group was getting together for a little party.
A guy from our group was kind enough to invite us out to his family's house.

We even got to go in a cave.
It was sweet!

We even saw a couple of bats!  
They are really interesting creatures...

We finished off our night with a hayride {to the cave and back} and roasting some marshmallows for s'mores over the fire.
It was an absolute gorgeous day and night for our party.
We really couldn't have asked for a better day.

I love spending time with these new friends and getting to know them better.
God really knew the desires of my heart.
He gave us these people with the same interests as us.
He may tell us to "wait" when answering our prayers.
That's really hard...and y'all know that I struggled with it for a long time.
But He has THE best plan.
He had a better plan than I ever could have hoped or imagined.
He did immeasurably more than I could have hoped or imagined. (Eph. 3:20-21)

I just can't tell you or explain how full my heart feels.
I am so excited to see what God has in store for us here.
I can tell it's gonna be great!

Today has been very relaxing.
Church was wonderful.
Lunch was wonderful.
As we were trying to figure out what to eat {we need to go to the store}, Tyler got excited as he figured out he could make his chili.  So he did.
It was good...and perfect for this chilly day.

Oh yeah, we woke up to very chilly weather.
It was amazing.

This afternoon, I made us a breakfast casserole for the week.
I like to use Sundays as days to "gear up" for the week ahead.
I try to get all the lunch stuff ready, so all we have to do is "grab and pack."
I decided to make a yummy casserole for breakfast so I don't have to wonder what I'm going to eat.

I used this recipe, but this time I put sausage, mushrooms, and green pepper in it.
It is yummy. :]

How was your weekend?  Did you do anything special? 
Tell me about it!!

Happy Monday!

Brown Sugar Chicken

Today's recipe is one that I was a little hesitant to try.  I saw the ingredients and was thinking, "This is gonna be weird."  But it wasn't.  It was delicious.

Ingredients:

• 12 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup lemon-lime pop
• 2/3 cup vinegar
• 3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

Directions:

• Put the chicken in the crockpot.

• Cover it with brown sugar, pepper, chopped garlic, and soy sauce.  Add the vinegar and pour in the pop {yes! It's pop...doesn't matter to me if people make fun of me here}.

• Cover and cook on low for 6-9 hours or on high for 4-5.  The chicken is done when it is cooked through and has reached a a desired consistency.

• Serve over a bowl of rice!

Happy Cooking!!

Have a blessed weekend, friends!  

We have great plans...can't wait to share them on Monday!

**I've made a button for Friday's Fabulous Foods!!  Want to join in? Grab the button from the sidebar!

Overcomers

When was the last time you actually sat down to memorize scripture?  Ok, let's be honest.  When was the last time you sat down to memorize anything?

I remember when I was a kid going to youth group in elementary school and middle school, we had "Overcomers."  I never knew why it was called that.  Now I do.  When we're in situations, we should be able to overcome the trial with God's promises that are hidden in our heart.

6th grade was the last year for Overcomers.  Sad as it sounds, that might be the last time I sat down to actually memorize scripture.

Now let me tell you a little bit about this program.  I think we had it once a month.  We were on some sort of rotation.  We had College Care night {we made cookies, wrote letters, and sent college kids packages in the mail}, Missions Night {we made goodies, went shopping for toys, and wrote letters to missionaries}, TLC {went to visit folks in the nursing homes or shut-ins}, and Overcomers {memorizing scripture and Sword drills}.  

For Overcomers, we had these folders.  They had a list of verses {worth a certain amount of points} that we could memorize.  They varied from easy ones like John 3:16 to the 5 Steps of Salvation {5 verses to memorize and repeat at once}.  We'd study the verses, try to memorize them, and then repeat them to our sponsor.  When we had it word for word, they'd initial the verse and put our points on a tally sheet.

At the end of the semester, we counted our points up and got to spend them in the "Overcomers Store."  We would also have an Overcomers program during Sunday night church.  We would memorize a challenging verse and repeat it in front of the whole congregation.

This might not have been my absolute favorite night of the rotation, but I can say it has helped me in my walk with Christ.  There are those verses that you can repeat to yourself to help you feel better.  When I think back, I remember that I memorized that growing up in youth group.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Fast forward to present day.  I was introduced to Leslie through another blog.  Well, as I was catching up on my blog reading this past week, I came across this post that she wrote.  Well, I was convicted through her post about memorizing Scripture.  I had been thinking about memorizing for awhile, but her post just sparked something in me to act out on those feelings.

I decided to comment on her post to ask what her "memorizing notebook" was.  I was intrigued.  I just had to know.  I'm always looking for new ideas on how to learn.  Well, in turn, she emailed me back to let me know she posted on that subject.  So I read this post to see what it was all about.

I just love that she found another woman's blog to help keep her accountable {see her post here}!  Isn't that what the Family of God is for?  To help each other?  Well, I'm going to join in with her.  I'm going to start meeting with others twice a month to report back on what I've been memorizing.  

Psalm 119:11

I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

I pray that I will be able to hide God's word in my heart and that when I meditate on His word, that it will please Him.

I want to send that challenge out to you.  Would you take the challenge with me of memorizing Scripture?  It sounds scary, I know.  But start small, and work your way up.  The benefits of it will bless you.  I promise.   If you have no idea where to start, let me know and I'll give you a few verses. :]

I'm learning one verse {or section of verses} every two weeks.  I think that's a fair timeframe.  So if you're up for the challenge, will you comment to let me know?  I think accountability is so important in our walk with Christ.  I would love for you to hold me accountable.

My verses are in the picture above.  That is what I'm learning and will recite on October 1st. It is never too late to start.  

Thou Shalt Not Be a Selfish Pig

I've started reading this book.  I thought I'd start a blog series on it.  The book is called, "The 10 Commandments of Marriage," by Ed Young.  He also wrote, "The 10 Commandments of Dating," which Tyler and I read together while we were, well, dating. :]  That book was great and if you're in the "dating scene," I high recommend that you read it.

Anyway, back to this new series.  I want to share my thoughts, struggles, and goals as I read through this book.  I mean, that's what I started this blog for...to share those things as I learn to be the best wife I can be.  I also need to accountability to finish the book {and to be able to mark it off my book list.}. There are 10 chapters, duh!  So I'm going to write about it one chapter at a time, one time a week.  Besides, the chapters are fairly lengthy and have lots of good stuff in them.

You may ask, "Why are you reading this book?"  Well, my marriage isn't perfect.  Is yours?  God gave me an abled body, mind, and spirit.  He gave me the ability and heart to change.  I don't ever want to be one of those people who say, "That's just the way I am."  WRONG!  That's just an excuse because they don't want to change.  You don't have to be a certain way because you've been that way your whole life...you CAN change. {end soap box}

I always want to be bettering myself as a Christian.  I always want to be looking more and more like Christ and less and less like me.  So all that to say, I'm reading this book to help me gain understanding about how God created marriage to be and to better myself as Tyler's help mate.

This first chapter's commandment was:

Thou Shalt Not Be a Selfish Pig

Humans are selfish by nature.  Our flesh has the need to be selfish, but we don't have to act that way.  Sometimes it's really hard to grasp the concept of putting others first.  I think there has to be a healthy balance, because if you're never putting yourself first, then you get burnt out on life real quick.  I've seen it happen.

Anyway, the author defines what he calls "pigitis," as the disease of selfishness.  He says most anyone can self-diagnose pigitis.  I think that's true...we've all seen people who are so self-absorbed, proud of what they accomplish, and who put themselves first all the time.  But as humans, we are so quick to diagnose others.  What about ourselves?

I'll admit it, my flesh screams out "selfish!"  I go through days where I don't think it's fair that my husband can sit on the couch and watch tv, while I'm doing the laundry, cleaning the bathroom, and picking up after him.  That's my selfish nature.  I continually have to adjust my attitude and remember it's for him that I'm doing all this stuff.

Ed {yes, we're on a first name basis} talks about how when couples are dating, they have the attitude of how well the other can meet their needs.  If they can't meet the needs, then that person is outta there, and the next person comes along.  But when the couple is married, they have to seek to give to the other person.  They have to be patient with them, and they have to be vulnerable with each other.

He breaks it down further and more in depth, covering the subjects of immaturity, insensitivity, and stubbornness.

Tyler and I are doomed. :]  We both are really stubborn {and red}.  Many have asked us, "Well, how do you make your marriage work?"  Honestly, I think it's because our core values match up.  I truly believe that.  Of course, we can be stubborn towards each other, but it doesn't happen on a regular basis {and if you want a more honest answer, ask him.  I'm sure he has something different to say. ;)}.  We make it work.

It was important for me to find a guy that had the same values as me.  I didn't even want to date anyone who had different values.  I knew it wouldn't work.  So why even try?  I wanted to be on the same page with our priorities as well.  Tyler and I built a relationship from the ground up.  We started by being friends.  We learned who each other were before either one of us started even thinking about dating.  I knew what he stood for.  I knew he loved Jesus, and that Jesus was a priority.  I think that knowing what each other stands for helps, especially before marriage is thrown into the mix.

We know each other's expectations and priorities because we talk about them frequently.  *Communication is key.*  For example, church and small group are both priorities to us.  We have talked about how important it is to be involved in our church.  We expect each other to get up at a certain time on Sundays {every Sunday} so we can leave at a certain time to be on time for church.

Being on the same schedule also helps us.  When I was looking for a job, I was only looking at Monday-Friday, 8-5 jobs.  I felt (and still feel) that it's important to be able to spend time with my husband.  I'm not saying that if you have opposite schedules that spending time together isn't possible.  It just may be a little more difficult.  I feel that if we were on different schedules, it would be easier to allow selfishness to creep into our relationship.

For example, one of us would be making supper every, single night.  Since both of us work outside the home, I know whoever was making supper would be resenting it sooner or later.  "Why can't so-and-so make supper for once?  Why do I have to make it all the time?"  Enter selfishness.

Another example that really could have happened, because I was offered a job on the 10-7 shift...One person could be on the 8-5 shift and the other on the 10-7 shift.  This could make one jealous and selfish when thinking, "Why can't I be the one to sleep in?  I deserve it.  I get up early every morning."  Enter selfishness.

Side note...Wait a minute...the only thing anyone (including myself) deserves is death (Romans 6:23).  I am so thankful for His Grace!

Anyway, I know those are kind of silly examples, but it's real life.  Things like that happen.  And these are things that I know could happen, have happened, or could have happened in our relationship...especially with me.  Because I'm selfish.  It is possible to cure this "pigitis" disease.  And I'm still working on it.

One last thought...Ed says in the chapter,

"Outside of a relationship with Jesus Christ, marriage is the most sacred and most fabulous relationship God offers.  When a man and woman learn how to put aside their own selfishness and give one another top priority, then their marriage can fill up with passion, satisfaction, and power."

At the end of each chapter, he gives some questions to reflect on and think about.  I think they are worth sharing, so I thought I'd write them out at the end of each post.

1. In what specific areas of your relationship with your spouse (or loved one) do you find yourself behaving or thinking selfishly?
2. What specific symptoms of "pigitis" can you identify in yourself?
3. What kinds of expectations do you have for your marriage and spouse?  How can you begin communicating those expectations to him or her?
4. Take the "love test of 1 Corinthians 13."  Ask yourself if you're patient, kind, boastful, etc, to your spouse.  In what area(s) do you need to improve?

Stay tuned for next week's post:  Thou Shalt Cut the Apron Strings.

>>>>>>>>>><<<<<<<<<<

Oh, and here's an update on my reading list for the year:
1.  The Hunger Games  Suzanne Collins
2.  Catching Fire  Suzanne Collins
3.  Mockingjay  Suzanne Collins
4.  Between Sundays  Karen Kingsbury
5.  Unlocked  Karen Kingsbury
6.  Like Dandelion Dust  Karen Kingsbury
7.  Loving  Karen Kingsbury
8.  The Help  Kathryn Stockett  
9.  Crazy Love  Francis Chan  
10.  Radical  David Platt
11.  The 10 Commandments of Marriage  Ed Young
12.  The Husband Project  Kathi Lipp
13.  The Me I Want to Be  John Ortberg
14.  Creating an Intimate Marriage  Jim Burns
15.  One Thousand Gifts  Ann Voskamp {I've decided to delete this book off the list.}
16.  Made to Crave  Lysa TerKeurst
17.  My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife  Sara Horn
18. Not A Fan Kyle Idleman  {Reading with our small group starting in October!}
19. Love and Respect Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
20. The Act of Marriage Tim and Beverly LaHaye
21. Every Now and Then Karen Kingsbury
**I better get to reading...I've got a long way to go.  I can't believe December is just a few short months away...CRAZY!**