A Daily Meal

The local Christian radio station started a new campaign for 2012.  Last year they took a different verse each week and encouraged listeners to memorize it.  This year, they are encouraging listeners to spend daily time in the Word.  Something most Christians know they should do, but maybe don't always find the time or motivation to be consistent. 

After a great message from my friend and pastor, Ryan Ashley, about looking to the Bible not as a tool to use in study, but as a means for learning about who God is and truly getting to know Him through what He has written, I began to realize I needed to grow in that this year. And then I heard the radio's promotion of daily time in the Word and realized God times those events in my life to get my attention.

Yesterday I heard a conversation on the radio about how we should view our time in the Word as our daily meal.  We would never think of eating lunch on Sunday and then fasting the rest of the week.  We wouldn't make it through the week!  We'd be hungry, cranky, tired, etc.  We have to feed our bodies on reglular basis in order to maintain our health. 

But that is what so many Christians do.  They eat the meal of a Sunday service and then fast the rest of the week.  And then wonder why we don't grow or find freedom or overcome obstacles in our life.  We are not giving our spiritual lives what they need to maintian health or beat sickness.  We get caught in the rut of starting off strong on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.  But by the middle of the week we are tired, cranky, depressed, and falling back into old habits once again.

So that is my challenge.  In a few weeks I start co-leading an online Bible Study through my church.  I look forward to this because I will be held accountable to daily read the assigned verses and log-in to post questions about the verses we read.  Daily in the word - and I'm the leader - so I better not drop the ball!  I pray that by the end of the study, it will be a habit for me that will carry me through long after.

Art Museum

Before leaving Kansas City we took a trip to the Nelson-Atkins Art Museum.  Admission is free to this beautiful multi-story, two-building museum.  We enjoyed several hours of viewing art from all different cultures and time periods.  There were interactive options for families in many of the galleries.  But one of our favorite parts of the museum is the awesome sculpture garden outside.

Abe rolling down a hill in the sculpture garden

One of four giant shuttle-cocks at the museum

Abe, Titus, and "The Thinker"

Creating their own art in the sculpture garden.

Titus and I 

This was our favorite piece in the garden

Just hanging out

Just lovely day for the end of December

Busy Little Elf

Last night I wrapped our Christmas presents.
Now, I have to pack them up and take them with us.
Oh, well.  They were nice to look at for a night!

Treats for Teachers

This year my husbands teachers all brought in a sweet home made treat of some sort to give to the rest of the staff.  I mean everyone did this.  We had home made yeast rolls (AMAZING), jam, banana bread, and on and on.  So, of course, my husband said, what can you make for me to take in?  To which I said, "Really?"  I am so not the bandwagon type, and this felt an awful lot like a band wagon everyone was jumping on.  Everything in me wanted to resist.  Then I realized, this is one of the things we love about this school.  Everyone is like family and sharing their love at Christmas with one another.  So I decided, I'd keep it simple and not try to compete with the yummy home baked goods that were filling my kitchen.  Instead, I did my two favorite Christmas treats: Candy Coated Pretzels (not pictured) and Peppermint Kiss Pretzel Wreaths (shown below). 

All the ingredients you need.  Simple.  

Ready to go in the oven.  250 degrees until soft.

Peppermint Pretzel Wreaths cooling.

This is about as crafty as I get.  Treat bags. Ribbon.  Done. 

Snow Day!

The stock tank was frozen solid!

Madi's snow fort; using the sled as a shield.

Abe's snow fort.  He said that sign would make the snowballs slow down .

Check out the massive snow ball Madi is throwing!

Love snow ball fight and snow forts.

Sugar & Spice Hand Scrub

This fall my friend Becca & I tried our hands at a hand made gift.  A sweet and simple sugar scrub.  It turned out lovely and I am hooked at trying different recipes.  But here is what we did this time.

Sugar & Spice Hand Scrub

Our Ingredients

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup White Sugar

3/4 - 1 cup Olive Oil

2tsp of each spice 

(Cinnamon / Cloves / Ginger / Nutmeg)

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. 

The amount of oil will vary depending on your preference of consistency with you hand scrub.  

 .

Our Finished Product

Our Favorite Place to Be

Estes Park has always been, and will always be, a very special place to me and my family.  Every Labor Day weekend, since I was two years old, we have enjoyed this fantastic weekend retreat.  And in 2009, Titus & I were married there.  So every year when we return, we have new memories to make and a new reason to celebrate.