Menu Plan Monday - October 28, 2007

Sunday- BLT's
Monday- Stovetop Lasagne (F)
Tuesday- Soft Tacos
Wednesday- Chicken Alfredo
Thursday- Swiss Steak (make double batch)
Friday- Homemade Pizza
Saturday- Leftover Buffet

F = It's premade and in the freezer.

See what's on other menus at Organizing Junkie, the host of MPM.

♪ Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Songs ♪

GOD WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU

Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

God will take care of you,
Through every day, over all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

All you may need He will provide,
God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.

Refrain

Words: Ci­vil­la D. Mar­tin
Music: Wal­ter Stillman Mar­tin (MI­DI file)

It's a Boy!!

My sister, Jaymarie, had her baby this morning at 11:47 a.m. central time. Theodore Elijah joins sisters Zoë and Eva. He will go by Elijah or Eli since his daddy and grandpa are both named Theodore (Ted) also.

That's all I know... AArrgh! I need more details! I'll update this post later as I get more details and pictures. Wisconsin seems awfully far away from Idaho right now. :-(

*****************
Updated to add:

Whew! I have more details. Here's the e-mail from daddy, Ted:

Hi All,

Just a real quick news flash... Jaymarie and I are the proud parents of Theodore Elijah (last name removed). I caught him at 11:47 this morning (just over an hour after I got home from work). He is 21 inches, 8lb 9oz and is wonderfully healthy and cute. More info will follow (including photos) but that's all for now. Zoë and Eva are very happy and excited.

Ted

Here are the pictures I have so far:

Favorite (F)oto Friday

I don't know why I continue to get such a kick out of Adam's (or anybody's) sleeping positions, but here I am sharing another one!

Conversations with Adam

Rebecca: Who do you want to marry when you grow up?
Adam: (thinking) Eh...Mom.
Rebecca: Why do you want to marry mom?
Adam: 'Cuz she's my favorite girl person.
Rebecca: But mom's already married to dad. Now what are you going to do?
Adam: Well....I guess I'll just have to marry you.

Remembering & Hoping

Yesterday I planted purple tulips and yellow daffodils. Except for a few weeds missing, the flower bed looks no different today than it did yesterday. It's full of bare-looking bark chips and fallen leaves but I know that it now holds the hope of beautiful spring flowers. The bulbs I planted will die but they do not die in vain for they will bring about beauty and I will once again see God's hand at work in His world.

Yesterday was my due date. Except for a few more lines on my face, I don't look much different than I did last year. I wear the same clothes that I wore last year and my hair looks pretty much the same but I hold in my heart a renewed hope of an eternity with my Savior. For I have died and my life is hidden with Christ in God and when Christ, who IS my life, is revealed, then I will be revealed with Him in glory. (Col. 3:3-4). When I die to myself, I do not die in vain for it will bring about Christ's perfection in me and I will once again see God's hand at work in me.


Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But desire fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.
John 12:24-26

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6

Menu Plan Monday - October 21, 2007

Sunday- Tuna Patties & Fried Potatoes
Monday- Porcupine Meatballs & Mashed Potatoes (F)
Tuesday- Chicken Salad & Breadsticks
Wednesday- Chicken Enchiladas (F)
Thursday- Beef Stroganoff & Noodles (make double batch)
Friday- Grilled Hamburgers
Saturday- Leftover Buffet

F = It's premade and in the freezer.

See what's on other menus at Organizing Junkie, the host of MPM.

♪ Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Songs ♪

UNDER HIS WINGS

Under His wings I am safely abiding,
Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,
Still I can trust Him; I know He will keep me,
He has redeemed me, and I am His child.

Refrain

Under His wings, under His wings,
Who from His love can sever?
Under His wings my soul shall abide,
Safely abide forever.

Under His wings, what a refuge in sorrow!
How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!
Often when earth has no balm for my healing,
There I find comfort, and there I am blessed.

Refrain

Under His wings, oh, what precious enjoyment!
There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;
Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me,
Resting in Jesus, I’m safe evermore.

Refrain

Words: Will­iam O. Cush­ing, 1896.
Music: Ira D. Sank­ey
Listen to a MIDI version of the music



"Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings.” Psalm 17:8

Seven-Year-Old Sings National Anthem

This is amazing! Hat tip to Rocks In My Dryer for the link to this video.



Yes, it bugs me, too, that no one is placing their hand over their heart whilst he sings. But other than that, wow!

(I'm staring at the word too in the sentence above and can't figure out if the commas are correct or not. Now too is looking very strange to me. Ahhhhhh! Help!)

Menu Plan Monday - October 14, 2007

Sunday- Soft Tacos
Monday- Crock-pot Chili (F)
Tuesday- Meatloaf (F) & Baked Potatoes
Wednesday- Grilled Pork Steaks, Zucchini, Applesauce
Thursday- Fried Chicken & Mashed Potatoes
Friday- Homemade Pizza
Saturday- Chicken & Rice Soup (F) & French Rolls

F = It's premade and in the freezer.

See what's on other menus at Organizing Junkie, the host of MPM.

MIRLing in Idaho

I've MIRLed! I think it was KimC at Life In A Shoe that coined that term*. She defined it very well anyway even if she didn't make it up! I've finally Met In Real Life Roberta from Debtor2Mercy. We've been talking for a while about getting together, since we totally live close enough to do that, and today we finally did it. We met at a restaurant for lunch after church and had a great time. Her husband and oldest child were gone hunting and so were Jim and our three older kids. I just had Abby and she had her three younger ones. Her youngest is one day older than Abby so it was fun to compare notes. It's impossible to have the amount of conversation over lunch that we've had brewing in us, I think, so we left the restaurant to continue our conversation at my house. BUT, when we got there we discovered my family had returned. So she only stayed long enough to meet everybody and take a tour of my backyard and then she left. We'll have to get together again soon. It was great fellowship and great fun. Thanks Roberta (& kids)!!

Anybody you wish you could MIRL?
__________________________________
*Okay, I researched the word (MIRL) and it was Shannon from Rocks in my Dryer that requested a verb for 'Meeting In Real Life'. Valerie from Many Mundane Moments that came up with MIRL and KimC that expanded the definition on Rocks in my Dryer! Aren't you glad you kept reading this post so you could get this fascinating etymology?! :-)

Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Songs

WHERE THE ROSES NEVER FADE

I am going to a city,
Where the streets with gold are laid;
Where the tree of life is blooming,
And the roses never fade.

CHORUS

Here they bloom but for a season,
Soon their beauty is decayed;
I am going to a city,
Where the roses never fade.

In this world we have our troubles,
Satan snares we must evade;
We'll be free from all temptations,
Where the roses never fade.

CHORUS

Loved ones gone to be with Jesus,
In their robes of white arrayed;
Now are waiting for my coming,
Where the roses never fade.

CHORUS

Lyrics: Janie West Metzgar, 1929
Music: Robert Metzgar


Listen to the Cathedrals sing it.

Favorite (Foto) Friday

What I harvested from my neglected garden:
Click on picture to enlarge. I apologize that it's so dark!
A garden forgotten by me since we started back to school but remembered by the Lord, the Giver of all good things.

The grapes you see are only a token amount of what is in my back yard. I have a lot of grape jelly to make! The parsley I will dry and put away to use this fall and winter. The tomatoes and onions are about to become spaghetti sauce. The pumpkins are headed for the front step to decorate for fall. The green pepper will end up on my pizza. The carrot will be eaten as soon as I finish this post. The potatoes will make a nice dinner for Abby and I. (Everyone else is up in the mountains deer hunting.)

So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. 1 Cor. 3:7

October Winds

It's October and I'm lovin' it. I love it that winter is just around the corner. I love it that we are back to schooling. I love it that the weather is cooler and it's time for flannel sheets. I ♥ my bed any ol' time but I really love it in the fall and winter seasons. I unearthed my sheets and my down comforter and so they would smell all fresh and lovely, I washed the sheets and hung them on the line. I hung the comforter on the line to air out too. I sure appreciate that I have a covered patio because that allowed me to put my clothesline there and I line dry laundry rain or shine. I didn't used to avail myself of my clothesline in the fall but I am doing it this year. In fact whenever the wind is a blowin' I feel like I'm squandering an opportunity if I don't have some laundry out there. Anywho, my cozy flannel sheets are on my bed, my down comforter is tucked into my denim duvet cover, October winds are blowing, and winter's on it's way. Life is good.

WFMW - Fingers in Doors

Elise's cool tip today reminded me of something I do that might be helpful to others too. I take a partly folded hand towel and drape it over the top of any door that I don't want my tiny ones to be able to close. This can accomplish several things.

1.) They can't close the door and then sit down in front of it thereby preventing me from getting in when they're crying because they're trapped.

2.) Since they can't close the door all the way it's harder to get their fingers pinched in the knob side of the door. Now if I could just figure out how to protect their fingers from the hinge side. (THAT was a fun ER visit!)

3.) It's also handy on those warm, breezy nights when you have the windows open and the wind is sucking the door open and then pushing it back and it's a little loud and startling and it's even freaking out your 11-year-old daughter! With the towel over the door, the latch doesn't hit against the strike plate (is that one word or two?) and sleep isn't rudely interrupted. Not by that anyway.

It's worked for me for many years.

See what working for the rest of the crowd over at Rocks In My Dryer.

Casting Crowns Concert

I went to the Casting Crowns concert in Boise tonight with my daughter, Rebecca. Oh.My.Goodness. I don't know if I'll ever be able to put into words how great it was. All I can say right now is we serve a big, big God and I am so blessed to be called His child. I've never been to a concert where the seven members of the group sit at the front of the stage and spend 20 minutes taking turns praying for the audience. Each member focused on a particular thing. I can't remember all seven but one prayed for young men and the decisions that they are making that will affect who they become and the kind of fathers and leaders they will become. One prayed for encouragement for those in ministry. One prayed for marriages and for wives to learn what it means to really submit to their husbands and that husbands would just love their wives the way Christ loves the church. One prayed for the members of the audience who don't yet have a relationship with Jesus. One prayed for the fatherless, and one prayed for mothers, for mothers in the trenches of raising childen, for the heartache of losing a child, and for the ones desiring to become mothers. It was a good thing we got napkins at the concession stand earlier because I was a teary mess. The mention of the heartache of losing a child especially touched me because I'm very much aware of the fact that my former due date was two weeks from yesterday. (It's strange to think that I'd be delivering a baby very soon if I hadn't miscarried. It's been so many months ago now it seems crazy to think that I was supposed to be having a baby this month. Perhaps that's a different post.... back to the concert.)

Ack. I feel like I have Niagra Falls trying to fit through a 1" pipe! Apparently I can say more than I first intimated! :-) There's so much to talk about.

Rebecca liked the opening group, Leeland, better than Casting Crowns but she did like CC. She commented that the main singer looked like he was too young to be touring the United States. (When Leeland began playing/singing I thought "Oh my goodness. I'm old. What have I done and why am I here?" I'm too old for this. I enjoyed CC much better and Leeland really was okay. Their music is a bit wild but carried a good message nonetheless.) She didn't like the video plugs for WorldVision. Seeing the plight of children in third-world countries is really upsetting to her and causes her several sleepless nights. (I didn't realize we would be seeing that. I still would have taken her had I known.) When CC sang their last song and the lights were extinguished and we were standing and applauding, I leaned over to Rebecca and said, "They are clapping to bring them out again. They will come out and sing one more song." "How, do YOU know?" she asked. I said, "This isn't my first concert!" It was funny! I got to go to a concert again for the first time. She thought it was just silly and they should have stayed out there and sung the song without leaving first. At one point they let the drummer rip. Rebecca liked it but thought it dragged on too long. Really, it was impressive. He was quite skilled and in a strange way it was neat to see/hear. I reminded her of how she feels when she gets to run, really fast. Run as hard as she possibly can without having to stop until she wants to. It's a good feeling to do someting you love and that you are good at and to do it to the utmost. I said I think it feels like that to him. She nodded. She understood that feeling. The really cool thing was he did that and he gave it to to Lord. I saw that happen. It was beautiful... and it was really, really loud drums. Go figure.

Are you still reading all of this? Sorry that I'm so chatty... it was a great mountain-top experience and I want to remember what I'm thinking and feeling right now.

The thing I loved most was the meatiness of the lyrics. Casting Crowns doesn't spend much time on feel-good songs. Here are some examples of ones that particularly challenged me:

And the voice of truth says "Do not be afraid!"
And the voice of truth says "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the voice of truth - Voice of Truth
*****

Just love her like Jesus, carry her to Him
His yoke is easy, His burden is light
You don't need the answers to all of life's questions
Just know that He loves her and stay by her side
Love her like Jesus
Love her like Jesus - Love Them Like Jesus
*****

Jesus, I'm trying so hard to stop trying so hard
Just let You be who You are
Lord, who You are in me - The Altar and the Door
*****

It's all because of Jesus I'm alive
It's all because the blood of Jesus Christ
That covers me and raised this dead man's life
It's all because of Jesus I'm alive - All Because of Jesus
*****

What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let Satan have one more

What if the church for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took and stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates

What if His people prayed
And those who bare His name
Would humbly seek His face
And turn from their own way... What If His People Prayed

Want a taste of our evening? The following videos will do that for you.

The Altar and The Door Tour Preview (2 1/2 minutes)


The Altar and the Door Sneak Preview - with Mark Hall (almost 6 minutes but SOOO good! If you only watch one of these videos, watch this one.)


I'll stop now. It's 2 am. I think I'm finally winding down... Typing sure is getting difficult. :-) Tickets to this concert were a great gift from my husband. I am blessed, I am encouraged, I am challenged, I am convicted, I am refreshed, I am humbled, I am grateful.

I am tired. G'night.

Menu Plan Monday - October 7, 2007

Sunday- Chicken Pot Pies
Monday- Spaghetti, Salad & French Bread
Tuesday- Grilled Hamburgers & Corn-on-the-Cob
Wednesday- Chicken & Rice Bake, Salad
Thursday- Deer Steaks, Mashed Potatoes
Friday- Leftovers
Saturday- Pancakes

Check out the other menus for the week at Organizing Junkie.

By the way, I really liked the copycat recipe for Olive Garden's Alfredo Sauce that I mentioned and used last week. I doubled the amount of cream cheese and added about an extra 1/4 cup of parmesan cheese. It turned out very well and we enjoyed it a lot. I'm so happy to find a great alfredo sauce recipe. YUMMY!

Adam-isms

Tonight while I was gone at a church function, Jim was home with the kids. He heard Abby screaming and hollering in the living room. When he went in there to see what was happening he saw Adam lying on his back on the couch with Abby lying on her back on top of him. Adam had his arms and legs wrapped around her, restraining her. Jim asked what in the world was going on and Adam replied, "Abby was doing bad stuff and I am taking her sin away."

Apparently Abby didn't want her sin taken away. Sometimes it's hard to let go of our sin, isn't it?!

There is a way which seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Prov. 16:25

(Near as Jim could reconstruct, Abby's sin was standing up on the arm of the couch and turning the light off and on. Thanks, Adam, for keeping her from hurtling to the ground!)

Psalms & Hymns & Spiritual Songs

THERE IS A FOUNTAIN

There is a fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.
Lose all their guilty stains, lose all their guilty stains;
And sinners plunged beneath that flood lose all their guilty stains.

The dying thief rejoiced to see that fountain in his day;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.
Washed all my sins away, washed all my sins away;
And there have I, though vile as he, washed all my sins away.

Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood shall never lose its power
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.
Be saved, to sin no more, be saved, to sin no more;
Till all the ransomed church of God be saved, to sin no more.

E’er since, by faith, I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply,
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.
And shall be till I die, and shall be till I die;
Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be till I die.

Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy power to save,
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.
Lies silent in the grave, lies silent in the grave;
When this poor lisping, stammering tongue lies silent in the grave.

Lord, I believe Thou hast prepared, unworthy though I be,
For me a blood bought free reward, a golden harp for me!
’Tis strung and tuned for endless years, and formed by power divine,
To sound in God the Father’s ears no other name but Thine.

Words: Will­iam Cow­per, in Con­yer’s Col­lect­ion of Psalms and Hymns, 1772.
Music: Cleans­ing Fount­ain, 19th Cen­tu­ry Amer­i­can camp meet­ing tune

Source: CyberHymnal.org
"This is one of the first hymns Cow­per wrote af­ter his first at­tack of tem­po­ra­ry mad­ness." You can read more of the history at CyberHymnal by clicking on the link above.

Favorite (F)oto Friday: My Girls

Three Things Thursday

1. Just so you know, I threw it out!

2. Remember, it's October 4th! (wink, wink!)

3. My husband bought me tickets to a Casting Crowns concert. The tickets were tucked into a chocolate bar. Rather they were tucked into the wrapper. Isn't he great!?!

Works for YOU Wednesday

This week is supposed to be backward week for the Works For Me crowd at Rocks In My Dryer. Shannon said that:

Instead of giving a tip, you'll ask for one, on a very specific subject. You'll be inviting all the WFMW readers to weigh in with their clever solutions to your most stubborn problems.

So here's my situation:

Where To Sleep?

I have a three-bedroom house. One room is for my husband and me; one room for my boys, ages 3.75 and 9; and the last room is for my girls, ages 21 months and 11 years. We've had the baby nap in our room during the day because I'm not using it then and my 11 yog can have her room available to her at that time. The problem is nights. The baby will still wake up at night and fuss. Sometimes scream and cry. If I let her cry it out she's usually asleep again within 10 or so minutes. My 11 yog can't sleep through that and doesn't want to be sharing a room with the baby. She also wants more light to sleep by than the baby can handle. Once my babies are about 4/5 months I don't share my room with them anymore because I hear every little intake of breath (that doesn't bother my older daughter) and I'm just ready to have my bedroom back. For a long time my two older kids, Rebecca and Micah shared the top bunk in the boys' room and Adam (3) slept on the bottom bunk but Micah finally got tired of Rebecca being in there and wanted his space back. The two older kids spent the summer sleeping on the hide-a-bed in the living room but that is over now too. So now Rebecca is back in her own room trying to share the space with Abby. I wish I had space for my babies to have a room of their own, but I just don't.

Am I being selfish for not wanting to have the baby in MY room anymore? Am I asking too much of my older daughter to expect her to share a room with her 21-month-old sister? Is there a solution that I haven't come up with yet? HELP!

See what the other questions this week are at Rocks In My Dryer!

Menu Plan Monday - Sept. 30, 20007

Sunday- Soft Tacos, Chips & Salsa

Monday- Baked Ham, Au Gratin Potatoes, Salad

Tuesday- Chicken Stir Fry, Pork Fried Rice

Wednesday- Broccoli Chicken Alfredo, French Bread (I'm trying this Olive Garden copycat recipe this week.)

Thursday- Roast Venison, Mashed Potatoes

Friday- Homemade Pizza

Saturday-Parents Go Out!

Check out the other menus for the week at Organizing Junkie.