we fly out tomorrow and I can’t wait to show you pictures! Check back in soon!
a post to come..
28 Sunday Mar 2010
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in28 Sunday Mar 2010
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inwe fly out tomorrow and I can’t wait to show you pictures! Check back in soon!
27 Saturday Mar 2010
Posted Nutrition
inWhile visiting a dear friend in Milan, she graciously offered to teach me how to make a few original Italian dishes. I have enjoyed every minute of it and hope to bring home some of her practical tips. One of the easiest Italian secret she taught me was how to make your own pasta sauce. It is so easy, and taste so much better. Simply smash a garlic clove (take off the outer peeling) and saute in olive oil. Take the garlic clove out. Then dice a lot of tomatoes (depending on how much sauce you want will depend on how many to dice, though you should probably err on adding more than less) and add to olive oil. Let simmer for an hour and a half until condensed and the consistency of pasta sauce. Add a little salt and pepper and wha la! Bon Appetit!
25 Thursday Mar 2010
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inCheck this out and if you decide to enter- let Emily know that I sent you!
http://www.theadventuresofmissmommy.com/things-i-love-thursday-give-away/
More to come later!
22 Monday Mar 2010
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inI caught this on video earlier this week and thought I would share it with you…
We are so blessed by this little kiddo!
Thanks for reading/watching!
21 Sunday Mar 2010
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inI have been attending a Bible Study every other week with a precious set of women here in Aberdeen. We are reading the book entitled, A Praying Life: Connecting with God in a Distracting World by Paul E. Miller.
This past week I was reading through chapter sixteen which includes a brief discussion on the Lord’s Prayer. He comments on our daily bread by saying, [p. 141 (&142)] “I suspect that your refrigerator or your checking account have ‘tomorrow’s bread’ already there.” How true this is indeed! A few practical questions came to mind as a source of accountability for me:
What specific securities do you take for granted when you consider “tomorrow’s bread”? What practical solution can you implement this week to praise God for these securities He has already provided for you and avoid taking them for granted? Have you ever experienced the loss of a security and have a testimonial of how God provided for you?
This evening, Shaun and I experienced (in an extremely small way) a lack of one of these such securities. Since we are staying in a hotel, I was washing Augustine’s bottles and the hand pump in the bathroom sink. Without thinking I disassembled the parts to the pump and put them all in the sink before plugging the drain. One of the smallest pieces to the pump slipped down the drain. Oh no. What will I do now? Thoughts raced through my head… We are away from home, I have no spare parts. If I can’t pump then Augustine won’t have milk on the plane tomorrow or the other three plane trips later this week or when he needs it during the day. There isn’t a place to get the part here this late at night or before we leave on the plane tomorrow. I quickly called for Shaun to come in and examine the scenario. “Shaun PRAY NOW!” I exclaimed. I knew there was virtually no way to get this part, but at this point, God was the only one who could do something about it. We have been reflecting in this study about praying to God in every circumstance- big, little, happy, sad, seemingly boring- pray anyways! Needless to say, God answered our prayers through enabling Shaun to take apart the drain pieces (very carefully though tedious) and retrieve the missing piece. I share the story not to affirm that God always answers your prayers the way we want them to be answered. He easily could have said no and we would have reason to praise Him. Yet, I think it is good to reflect and remember that God is the one who is over all things and He can be called upon.
How is your prayer life? How do you relate?
Thanks for reading!
21 Sunday Mar 2010
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inI am thankful for such a time as this. The Lord has graciously blessed us with the opportunity to live in Scotland for a few years. With that comes culture shock as well as exciting adventures. The next few days, Shaun has prepared (As a birthday present) a trip for us to take a train to Edinburgh to see its famous castle and then fly to Rome for a few days, and later onto Milan to see one of our dear friends, Amber Bowen. I hope to post some pictures of the new sights and experiences as we have access to internet. Until then, i thought I’d post a few of the things that are different here so you ‘mericans can see what we’ve been upto…
-Today on the train a guy pulled out a hot, sealed, teapot of tea with his cup. These people are serious about tea. I personally am enjoying every minute of this change. Many families even have tea time- why didn’t we think of this?! I love the concept of sitting down, relaxing, and enjoying a cup of comfort. In America I think we can get trapped into being too busy at times. It is nice to enjoy family and friends here in a laid back culture.
-They are not to big on the dishwashers and dryers (called tumble dryers here). Though these appliances can be found, it is not uncommon at all to have a flat without them (like ours). I have finally settled into a routine of doing a load of laundry every morning so I can have it hung out throughout the day, and dry over the radiators by night. It truly is a system- but I find that I have developed a big sense of accomplishment after the clothes are cleaned finished.
-No cars! Again, they have cars here, but walking is huge! You walk everywhere and it is not at all uncommon for us to walk a couple of miles a day. I am glad that my temple of the Holy Spirit is finally being honored through exercise- I didn’t exercise as much as I would have liked back home, and now I get to nearly every day as I travel to church, play groups, and most regularly- the grocery store.
-Digestives and shortbreads! These biscuits (cookies for you all) are amazing and it is easy to find a whole aisle just full of these wonderful “sweeties” to accompany your tea time. I will sorely miss enjoying these biscuits whenever the Lord moves us to another location.
That is just a few things for now to keep you all updated on my life changes.
Thanks for reading!
20 Saturday Mar 2010
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inI love wisdom. As I am a younger mother, I try to be a sponge and soak up the Biblical truths I see modeled by older women.
Titus 2:3-5 [Amplified version] states,
3Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. 4Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
The instructor’s wife of my marriage and family class is one of these women with whom I love seeking counsel. I thought I would let you all benefit from these practical truths. One of the questions I recently asked her is as follows:
I have never been exposed to such a clean, calm, loving atmosphere of children other than yours [She has four]. I realize how crazy things can be sometimes. What is your secret? I want my kids to be like yours! I absolutely love being a mom, and hopefully the Lord will bless Shaun and I with more kiddos some day. How do I instill Godly principles in Augustine now, so that when other children come along it isn’t overwhelming, but enjoyable?
Her response:
Mostly, I find myself relying more and more on prayer because I know that the Holy Spirit has to draw them unto himself. I do know that they know more about God and their Bible at their age than I ever thought about knowing then.
19 Friday Mar 2010
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inI am finding that so many areas of my beliefs and doctrine are coming into question with differing views from strong supporters. I’m currently reading through Divorce and Remarrige (edited by Wayne House). Who knew that doctrine could conflict so strongly over a reading of the same passages. How can the same passages promote some parents to hate books like To Train up a Child (the recent inunendo with Michael Pearl) and others to find his writings to align well with Scripture. How do the same passage allow some to act and live in completely opposing ways from others who read and respond to these truths. How can people strongly pray believing that God supports their decision, while the opposing party prays the same thing?
The Bible is not subjective. We cannot read into Scripture with our own biases and preconceived ideas. We need to be humble in our exegesis of Scripture. We need to exegete Scripture with the whole of the Bible in view. We musn’t give up because it is rigourous and difficult. We need to strive to work through these gray issues.
just some of the thoughts at the moment to put out into cyberspace. …
18 Thursday Mar 2010
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inI love that the Lord created family. It is such a wonderful experience to glorify the Lord and be sanctified. This is one of my fondest moments of being involved in my immediate family (though there are many) captured on video. Hope you enjoy sharing these moments with us.
18 Thursday Mar 2010
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inI love contests and giveaways, so visit here for your entry to win a Celestial Season’s Wellness Kit Giveaway!
I especially enjoy tea since moving to Scotland, so here’s a chance to win a ton AND keep away those nasty germs. Best of luck to you!