Monday, January 19, 2009

Lunch with the Girls


This is a gorgeous and delicious salad.  It's a little spendy thanks to the fresh berries, but you and your girls are so worth it!  Perfect to serve with a creamy bowl of broccoli cheddar soup, and some crusty french bread.  Bon apetit!

Jessica's Mixed Greens with Raspberry Vinaigrette
About 10 cups mixed lettuces: red leaf, green leaf, Bibb, Romaine
1 1/3 c toasted slivered almonds*
1 pint strawberries, washed, drained, hulled and sliced
1 pint fresh raspberries, washed and drained
1 pint fresh blackberries, washed and drained
2  8 ounce cans mandarin oranges, drained
2/3 c sweetened, flaked coconut

1/2 bottle Lite Done Right Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing

Rinse, dry and tear greens.  Toast almonds*, and prepare fruit.  Just before serving, toss fruit, toasted almonds, and coconut with the greens in a large salad bowl. Gently mix with the dressing and serve immediately.  This colorful salad never fails to draw rave reviews!

*To toast slivered almonds: Preheat oven to 350 F. Spread almonds out evenly on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 5 minutes.  Stir.  Bake 5 additional minutes.  Stir.  Bake an additional 2 minutes or until light brown, and no longer chewy.  (Tip: Make twice as many as the recipe calls for.  When the almonds are cooled, you can store the extra almonds in a tightly covered container for your next recipe!)


Saturday, January 17, 2009

Chick Food!


Here's the first of many "Chick Food" recipes.  I'll continue to write devotions, but also thought it would be great to share some time saving recipes with my incredibly busy readers.  Enjoy!

Luscious Lemonade Cake

1 box lemon cake mix
1 sm. pkg. lemon instant pudding
2/3 c vegetable oil
1 1/3 c water
4 eggs

Glaze:
2 c powdered sugar
6 oz (1/2 can) frozen lemonade

Mix all cake ingredients together with electric mixer for 4 minutes at medium setting.  Pour into a prepared 9" X 13" pan, and bake for 30-40 minutes.  Cake is done when it springs back when lightly touched in the center.  While cake is baking, mix powdered sugar and frozen lemonade with a wire whisk until smooth.  When cake is done, gently poke small holes all over the cake with a fork. Pour the glaze evenly over the top of the cake.  Yum!

This is my mom's recipe.  It's very easy, and gets raves every time I make it!  

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Sweeping Change


How foolish can you be? After starting your Christian lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort? Galations 3:3 NLT

It’s that time of the year when I resolve to make sweeping changes in my life. I promise myself I’ll lose thirty pounds, pray twice as much, walk twice as much, talk half as much, and never be cross with my children again. Predictably, the sweeping changes last for about two days, and I’m right back where I started. Only I feel worse after yet another failed attempt at increased self-control.

Maybe you’ve been there, too. We’re finally going to quit (insert bad habit here), and definitely going to start (insert desirable habit here). Our resolve is firm, our intentions noble. So why do we fail? How do we miss it? Is it possible we’re trying to change our lives in our own strength, leaving God out of the process? I think that’s exactly where we go wrong.

I received Christ at age 28, after a life of…well….worldly living. It would be an understatement to say that God radically changed my life. We see in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that we become “new creatures” in Him, and that’s what happened to me. But the transformation didn’t happen because I had such great will power to make those sweeping changes in my life. Change happened because I surrendered my life to God and begged Him to change me. The closer I walked with Him, the more bad habits and old temptations began to “fall off” my life, like dead leaves from a healthy branch. So, what makes me think that what God started in me by His Spirit, I can now finish in my own strength?

Are you discouraged by your lack of resolve? Do all your efforts to “follow the rules” more closely end in disappointment? Do you long to live a life that is more like Christ, but find you’re unable to make it happen? God never intended for us to live this new life on me-power. Maybe it’s time you once again cry out to God and beg Him to change you. I know it’s time for me.

What would 2009 look like if we started by asking God to change us? He might begin by showing us little changes to make. Sweeping change begins with small change. In the same way that small adjustments to a budget make a large impact over time, small adjustments in our days make far-reaching transformation in our year. A little time spent reading the Bible, repeated 365 times becomes a daily devotional life. Ten minutes with God every morning becomes a prayer life. A thirty minute daily walk becomes increased health and fitness. Dinner every night with the family becomes connection with our teens. Are you ready? Let's remember that He is the only One who brings real and lasting change to our lives.

Prayer for Today: Lord, forgive me for my weak attempts to finish in my own strength what You began by Your Spirit. I invite you to examine my heart, and change the things in me that do not bring You glory. I bring my willingness, and wait for Your power. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Beauty Regimen


Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel—rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.     1 Peter 3:3-4

It’s New Year’s Day, and even with the promise of a brand new year ahead, I’m a little bit sad.  This is the day we take down the Christmas tree, and all the other festive decorations that adorned our house during December.  I guess it makes me sad because without all the glittering lights, evergreen boughs and bright poinsettias, my house looks a little bit bare.

Why do we prefer the adorned, the dressed up, the embellished?  We want our homes, our yards, even ourselves to look better.  We want rosy cheeks, shiny lips and sparkling earlobes.  Why?  Because we’re most concerned with our outward appearance.  Some people-even whole denominations-have tried to make this verse say that women shouldn’t wear cosmetics, jewelry, or attractive clothing.  I think they’re missing God’s point entirely!

God is not saying we should never wear jewelry or pretty clothes.  But He is saying that we should give more attention to the kind of beauty that matters to Him. 1 Samuel 16:7 says “….The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. “ (NLT)  He is much more interested in our true beauty, the fruit of His Spirit in us.

How much time do you spend on your real beauty regimen?  Do you keep your manicure appointment, and forget your daily time with Him?   Do you spend hours each week cleaning your house, and forget to serve at His house?  God isn’t asking you to let your hair go gray, or to give up chasing dust bunnies.  But He is asking you and me to make the pursuit of inward beauty an important part of our days.

How would 2009 be different in our homes, our jobs, and our relationships if we spent more time cultivating real beauty?   Would our homes be more nurturing and peaceful?  Would our prayer time be a joy instead of a chore?  Would people see the beauty of Christ in us?  I daresay all of these things are possible as we make real beauty a priority this year.

Prayer for Today: Father, help me to take time each day for my appointment with You.  Help me to grow in true beauty in 2009 as I read Your word, pray, and serve others.  May those around me be drawn to You by the beauty of Christ in me.  In His Name I pray, Amen.