Going on a 3 Month Vacation?

Well, this is going to be kind of a fun, silly post.  On Saturday, Tyler and I are moving all of our belongings to St. Louis.  So I've been packing our things up here in Oklahoma City.  We didn't bring a whole lot down here:  tupperware, clothes, a few paper products, some food, and of course, my crafts.  I went shopping when I first got down here and bought the "necessities."  Some things I knew wouldn't last the whole 3 months, but some things I hoped would last that long.


Well, I thought I might help some people out by sharing what lasted for 3 whole months.  So if you take a 3 month vacation or mission trip or perhaps you might be studying abroad, take note! :]


You can use 3 travel size contact solution bottles.  For those of you who are like me and hate math, no worries.  I did the calculation for you.  That's an average of 1 bottle per month. 

For those of you who LOVE peanut butter as much as I do, you can use 3 jars of peanut butter.  (Actually, I cooked with the third jar, so technically you can use 2 jars in 3 months.)

Tyler used a whole jar each of mayo and mustard.  He took his lunch to work each day, and that also helped us save money!  (and I say "Tyler" because I think both mayo and mustard is just plain nasty.)

You can use a small bottle of soap, a jar of jelly, and 3 canisters of the "just add water" lemonade/tea/koolaid.

You can use a whole package of sugar and whole wheat flour.  These are both the smaller packages.  (I threw the package of the whole wheat flour out before I got a picture of it!)

You can use 2 bottles of liquid detergent.  I really don't like liquid detergent, but that's all they had at Aldi.  You can also use a box of dryer sheets. 

You can also use a whole box of Kleenex.

I know this is a silly post, but honestly, I think being a good steward of my money is an important concept.  I didn't and still don't want to throw excessive amounts of things away, so the challenge to find things that would last the 3 months was fun.  Hope you enjoyed my research findings! :]

Journey to Biblical Beauty Part 4

I have a little hole in my heart...I finished the last video session of my Bible Study today. What a blessing the past 7 weeks have been through this study.  I've learned so much, and God is changing my heart. 


This week my study was on the Ideal Woman.  I've always known her as the Proverbs 31 Woman, but she really is ideal.  I think as Christian women, single, married, divorced, widowed, that we should strive to be like this woman.


Laurie Cole, author of the study, says, "The Ideal Woman is no fancy cream puff or sugar-filled bonbon.  She leads a purposeful and significant life.  And although she wears many hats and juggles many responsibilities, she balances the various aspects of her life with wisdom, prudence, and integrity."


Wow.  I don't know about you, but I want to be that woman.  This woman is "virtuous," meaning: strength, influence, and character.  


Laurie goes on to state, "The Ideal Woman is a strong woman, an influential woman, and a woman whose character empowers her in every area of her life.  As a result, she is successful and respected."


Here are some things that I've learned about the Ideal Woman from Proverbs 31 (or things I've known that have been reinforced):

• She doesn't talk negatively about her husband in public.  She continually builds him up.
• Her children respect her and bless her.  She disciplines her kids as well as guides them in the direction they should go.
• Housekeeping is important...it's a definite aspect of Biblical beauty.  But more than that, she gives attention to "heartkeeping" of those who visits her home.
• She's a servant to her family.
• She isn't lazy.  She's either busy working in her home or she's busy with her business.  She's a self-starter.
• She's a good steward of her money:  she buys what is needed for her family, and she has money leftover to give to the poor and needy.  She's a gracious giver.
• She's a wise, kind example, educator, and encourager.
• She teaches the younger women (Titus 2:3-5)
• She's a woman who reverences the Lord and gives Him priority in her life.

There are so many more things that I've learned this week.  But the one thing that kept coming back to me is this:  my mother is a Proverbs 31 woman.  I know that I talk about my momma a lot, but she's one of my best friends.  I can't not talk about her.  I think that she's such a wonderful Godly example to everyone she's around.  I see all of these things in her life, and I'm so thankful that she is such a close example to me in my life.

My momma has a heart for other people.  She wants to train and teach younger women.  She's never lazy; she has a clean house; I don't ever hear her talk badly about my daddy in public; she is a gracious giver (people are more important than money...that's the philosophy my parents taught us); She's wise; She's kind; She's a fantastic encourager;  She's an educator; and most importantly, she fears the Lord and continually makes Him her priority.

She has been such a blessing to me.  I know that when I grow up I want to be like her.  She always has her eye on the Lord.  I know that my parents will be getting extra jewels in their crowns when they get to Heaven because they had to raise me. :]

One thing that caught me off guard this week was the passage in Titus 2:3-5.  I know that I wrote about a Women's Retreat that I went to last fall that was based on that passage.  You can read about that retreat here.  

This passage talks about the older women training the younger women.  It's a command that the Lord has given us.  I've always thought of myself as a "younger woman," but this week I learned differently.  In our daily conversations with others, God's goal is for our words to minister wisdom to them.  God's calling us to spiritually teach and instruct others, as mentioned in the passage in Titus.  I am supposed to be preparing now to teach the next generation to become an Ideal Woman.  Oh!  I was sooooo wrong in my thinking.  

I hope that I can be half the woman my momma is.  I want to be shining God's love for everyone around me to see.  I want others to know there is something different about me, because I put God first in my life.  I want others to know that it is still possible to become Biblically beautiful. :]

Weekly Goals

This Week is gonna be kinda crazy. On Saturday, Tyler and I are moving all our belongings out of storage and into our new apartment in Chesterfield. We are incredibly excited to get back to Missouri and I will be happy to have a "home." With that said, it's important that I have my goal list this week. But first, let's review last weeks goals:


Finish The Help (I have roughly 30 pages left) (I finished it right after I posted the goals last week and even read an entire other book!)
Finish my Bible Study with Week 6. (It's been a blessing!)
Buy stamps.
Send out the invitations for the bridal shower.
Work on making chalkboards??  (Could possibly wait til we get moved)
Continue working out. (It was a great workout week!)
Try to find a bank in STL. (Ongoing)
Start working on an "STL Budget.". (Ongoing)
Start really searching for a job. (Ongoing)
Write someone a note.
Become more Christ-like.--This has always been my goal, everyday.  But I thought I should actually write it out. (Ongoing)


This week's goals are:
1. Watch last DVD session for Bible Study.
2. Start my new Bible Study.
3. Start a new book.
4. Contact Christi at Honey Pot.
5. Make a list of everything needed to be purchased for Mackenzie's bridal shower.
6. Contact the utility company in STL.
7. Contact AT&T for Internet in STL (this is Tyler's job, but it still needs to be done this week.)
8. Start packing things to be moved.
9. Continue to work out and eat healthy.
10. Continue to job search.
11. Continue to make the budget.

It's going to be a busy week, but it's going to all be worth it! I'll post pictures when we get all moved in and situated! But it might not be for a couple of weeks because we still have 2 weeks left here in OKC...and we have to go couch shopping AND washer and dryer shopping!

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 (comes out in March!)  Karen Kingsbury
8.  The Help  Kathryn Stockett  (Loved the movie.)
9.  Crazy Love  Francis Chan  (I need to finish this book.)
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
16.  Made to Crave  Lysa TerKeurst
17.  My So-Called Life as a Proverbs 31 Wife  Sara Horn
18. Not A Fan Kyle Idleman
19. Love and Respect Dr. Emerson Eggerichs
20. The Act of Marriage Tim and Beverly LaHaye
21. Every Now and Then Karen Kingsbury

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

Today is Friday!  So that means it's time for Friday's Fabulous Food!!  Today, I want to share a recipe that's a favorite of my family.  Actually, it's my brother Ben's favorite recipe.  Sorry, I didn't take any photos of it..


Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole:
Ingredients:
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1 can of cream of celery soup
1 can of milk (use one of the above)
1 box of Uncle Ben's Wild Rice (quick cook)
1 cup of minute rice
4 large chicken breasts
1 small package of slivered almonds (optional)


Directions:
In a bowl, mix the soups, milk, and packet of seasoning (comes in the rice) together.  Spray your 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  In the baking dish (or in my case, crockpot), mix the rice together.  


If you choose to cook the chicken before hand, cut them into small chunks.  Then mix it in with the soups. You can also thaw the chicken and cut them into chunks.  *If I'm using my crockpot, I will put whole, frozen chicken breasts in and cut them later.* 


If you want to add in almonds, do this here.  My dad and Tyler hate the almonds, so I don't add them in the recipe anymore.  However, I like them...it gives the recipe a little "crunch."


Anyway you cook the chicken, mix it all in with the rice.  You'll want to scoop from the bottom to get all the rice from the bottom mixed in.  If you're using the crockpot, cook on low for about 4 hours.  


If you want to bake the casserole, there are a couple of options.

• You can bake it at 325 degrees with the baking dish covered with foil for 1 and a half hours.  

OR

• You can bake it at 375 degrees for 35 minutes uncovered.

This recipe is great anyway you make it.  After discovering I could put it in the crockpot, I have found this is my favorite way to eat it.  The chicken cooks slow and it falls to pieces.  However, when I made it in college for my brother, I would bake it at 375 for 35 minutes and it would be just as delish.  

Tips for microwaving leftovers:

• Microwave the desired amount and then add a splash of milk.  It gives it that moist feeling. :]

Happy cooking!

Get Behind Me, Satan!

One of my goals for this year was to choose healthier choices.  Some days, I don't want to make those choices.  Some days, I just want to lie around the house and watch tv.


Yesterday, was a day I wish I could have actually gotten out.  But I couldn't.  On Monday evening, one of our neighbors stepped on a step that had lost it's metal brace (several weeks before) and fell backwards down the stairs.  I watched the whole thing and immediately opened the door to see if she was okay.  Our downstairs neighbors immediately called management, and they came shortly after the phone call.  I think the woman was more scared than anything.


Long story short, yesterday they decided to replace all the stairs (except 3...don't ask me why) on our stairway.  So I was trapped.  I wish I had a firefighter's pole to slide down.  :]  It was a beautiful day, and I really wanted to go on a walk.  So when I woke up this morning, I knew that's what I was going to do.


It's supposed to rain the rest of the week, so I wanted to get out while I still could.  So this morning, I did my Bible study and got ready to walk.  It was extremely humid outside, so I knew my hair was going to be crazy.  Oh, the joys of having curly hair. :]  I've been having pain in my lower leg on the side of my calf when I work out.  It's frustrating...and hinders my aerobic activity.


Today, I got halfway around our apartment complex and was feeling really good.  I thought about heading to the fitness center and running on the elliptical, but Satan kept saying, "Your leg will hurt.  No, just walk to your apartment. No, don't turn.  You should just do your 1.3 miles and go sit on the couch."


Ever have one of those days?  Oh, I hate it!  His temptations are so enticing.  I knew that I had to have self control, so I kept walking.  Right up to the fitness center.  Then I kept hearing, "You should only do 15 minutes.  Your leg is going to hurt."  Usually, I run on the elliptical for 30 minutes, but I haven't been able to do more than 15 minutes for the past several months because I've had so much pain.  Well, I moved that number up to 30 minutes, and I ran my little heart out.  


I was nice and sweaty and felt good about myself!  Then I walked out the door and the rest of the way to my apartment...like I was on a mission.  :]  I felt good because I didn't hurt.  But what felt even better is that I defeated Satan in that moment.  


One other way that I'm defeating Satan this week is by tracking what I eat.  I hate tracking calories, but I thought I might as well do it for a bit and see what my habits are.  I'm using My Fitness Pal (if you use it, add me: bethelaine_07), and it's been helping.  It definitely helps with my frame of mind when I want to eat junk.  I don't let Satan tempt me into it...knowing I'll have to write it down. :]


One verse that keeps popping up in my head comes from 1 Corinthians 10:13:

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man."

It's true.  And honestly, it's the first part of the verse that gets me through.  "No temptation has overtake me!"  Don't let Satan's temptations get the best of you.  Defeat him!