A Belated Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Ladies! I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday celebrating Jesus' birth with friends and family. If you are continuing to celebrate today or into the weekend I pray it is a very special time for you and one where you find true rest and peace. Isn't it wonderful that we have already learned from our study where that comes from? I pray we can share that with others who aren't so sure.

I'm sure I am not alone when I say that it has been a crazy year for our family. With the snow and ice we have had several family members cancel their trips to see us and had to re-arrange most of our Christmas plans. Usually by this time in the season we are way "Christmased out" and our children have opened way too many gifts. In fact they don't even seem to enjoy it anymore. My Christmas cards are typically arriving at the homes of our far away family and friends and my house is a disaster from dumping off the gifts of one family gathering before we head off to the next. And we have usually been blessed by several church services filled with carols and sermons reminding us about the true meaning of Christmas.

But this year the snow has changed all of that. And actually in some surprising ways. It has allowed us more breathing room between celebrations. Our children have enjoyed opening their gifts and time with family members who are usually the last on our route into the New Year. We were able to spend a few days baking and wrapping gifts as a family instead of the usual last minute, late night mad dash. And although I didn't order my Christmas cards until December 24th, I am reminded that even Christ's entrance into the world wasn't perfectly ordered and neatly arranged. He came in the chaos. He was born in a lowly stable next to cows and sheep. He slept his first night in a feeding trough for the animals. And yet it was all in God's plan. It was done that way for a reason.

So I can cope with the craziness. I can forgive the inconveniences of the snow and ice. I can adjust to the quiet I usually beg for. And I will still get those cards out...someday. It may not be all how I wanted and planned, but amidst the disappointments and unfamiliarity I trust in the purpose and plan of God. A God who knew to send his Son in a way that was not untouchable for even "the least of these." A God who knew that if the circumstances were perfect and the entrance more grand we might never feel like we could connect our lives to His. A God who knew that in times of uncertainty and craziness is where we'll find Him with gifts of peace and rest.

Thank you God... Happy Birthday Jesus!

A little encouragement

I wanted to post this and allow you to print it up (simply copy and paste onto a word or publisher type document). I thought it was very encouraging and is a great reminder to have by your kitchen sink or bathroom mirror for those times when discouraging and damaging thoughts come into our minds.

Phillipians 4:8

Think about these things…
True... That which is in accordance with reality as God sees it
Noble... That which is dignified, upright, and untarnished
Right... That which is according to what is just, good or proper
Pure... That which is spotless and untainted; without any impurity
Lovely... That which is delightful and beloved
Admirable... That which has a good reputation and is admirable
Excellent... That which is superior, above the norm, and virtuous
Praiseworthy... That which qualifies for commendation and would elicit applause

Tuesday Bible Study 12-16

Well Ladies, the hard decision has been made to cancel tomorrow's bible study due to road conditions. I know that the main roads are fairly clear, but many side streets are not which makes it hard for some of us to get to the main roads. There are also those who can't make it in due to school closures or late starts and how that affects having kids home from school.

So I am sad to say that this will be it for the year. We will resume in January with chapter 5.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and New year! I pray that the Lord will bless you richly as you gather with family and friends this Christmas season and remember that the real reason we celebrate is because of Christ's birth. He was born to earth to save us and redeem us and that is the only gift we really need!

a daughter of the King,
Jena

...But a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.

This week we talked about having the fear of the Lord in our lives. We talked about how in our culture today it is not considered a compliment to be called "God-fearing." Proverbs 31:30 says, "Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised." Do we fear the Lord the way we are commanded to? Have we become casual in our approach to worship and respect of who God really is?

We found out that there are essentially two types of fear that we are to have when it comes to the God of the universe. There is the fear that means to tremble, terror, fearful of, even- to be in dread. This fear is mostly for those who do not know God as "Father" and are living a life apart from Him and will, if they ultimately reject him, spend eternity apart from him. But as Christians we too are to have a "healthy fear" of God, knowing that he has the power to judge, condemn and punish sin. There will be a time when we will have to give account for what we have thought, said and done here on earth. Even the things done in secret. (Ecc. 12:13,14 and Hebrews 4:13)

The other category of fear has more to do with reverence and respect, worship and honor. We read in Isaiah 40:12-26 an awe inspiring account of who God is as Creator and the power and might he has displayed in his creation. We learned that fearing the Lord is the foundation for salvation because it is the beginning of wisdom (Psalm 111:10). It motivates us to do what pleases him and obey the commands he set out for us as protection. And not that we aren't covered by grace but that we desire to please the Lord in all that we do. Just as a child desires to please his/her earthly father and mother.

I hope each of you were challenged to take that personally into your own life and do just what Philippians 2:12 says..." to continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling."

Remember to memorize Jeremiah 6:16 as well as a verse of your choosing. We will be saying these to our neighbors at our next bible study. You can do it!

a daughter of the King,
Jena

Your Assignment

These next two weeks we are studying chapter 3, Fear The Lord, of Ancient Paths. Come ready to discuss what the Lord has been revealing to you. We had a great discussion time last Tuesday and missed those of you who couldn't make it.
Also I am challenging you all to memorize Jeremiah 6:16, as well as a verse of your choosing. (motions really do help!) We will be saying these verses to our neighbor when we meet back up on the 18th so be prepared! :)
And lets not forget to continue to life each other up in prayer- for the various needs relationally, health wise and regarding the economy.

a daughter of the King,
Jena

An amazing story!

I have a very special woman that I want you to meet. Her name is Gianna Jessen and she has cerebral palsy. She also survived an attempted abortion when she was delivered at 7 1/2 months gestation.

I know this is a very sensitive subject and I want to be sensitive to those of you who may have experienced this at some point in your own life. My heart feels deeply for you and I pray that this broadcast will only help bring healing and forgiveness to you that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ can give.
He desires to restore you to wholeness and loves you right where you are.

Here is the link to the broadcast that Focus on the Family aired with Gianna Jessen and her incredible story of faith and forgiveness.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/popups/media_player.aspx?ShowPath=focus on the family daily&broadcastDate=2056-01-01


If you wish to listen to another broadcast with guest Gianna Jessen, Focus on the Family has another powerful broadcast through Citizen Link that is political in nature. It has severe implications on our upcoming election for President of the United States. I ask that you prayerfully listen and consider what you hear.

http://www.citizenlink.org/dailybroadcast/A000008451.cfm



a daughter of the King,

Jena

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is a great, easy recipe that I do in my crock pot in the morning and by dinner it is done and tastes great! Candice

Chicken Tortilla Soup

5 boneless chicken breasts
1-15oz can Mexican stewed tomatoes
1-can Rotel Tomatoes (this will make it spicy, I use 1 can of diced tomatoes so the kids will eat it)
1-15oz can tomato sauce
2-15oz cans black beans, drained
1-15oz can corn, drained
2 tsp. cumin
1- cup of mango salsa (or any kind, I use pace)
1lime
2- cups of chicken broth
1tsp. chili powder
1- 4oz can diced green chilies
¼ tsp pepper
1tsp salt
1 can of enchilada red sauce
1lg. green pepper diced
1 medium sized yellow onion, diced
1cup of water
1 bunch of cilantro

Place the chicken breasts in a crock pot (I put them in frozen). Squeeze the lime on top. Sprinkle with cumin. Empty all contents of the cans on top of the chicken. Cook 6-10 hours. This makes a lot; but only gets better each day it sets. I chop about half of the bunch of cilantro and throw it in with everything else. Garnishes: avocado, sour cream, chips, shredded cheese. After a few hours, when I know the chicken is cooked I take it out and shred it, and then put it back in the crock pot. Hope you all enjoy!!!

Good Mom, Bad Mom

There is a link to a great website with devotionals down on the right hand side. It is a link to Proverbs 31 Ministries. Here is the link for today's devotional- http://proverbs31devotions.blogspot.com/.
A good friend of mine sent this to me and others via email this morning and I thought it was so good I wanted to make sure everyone was able to read it. I have enjoyed many of the Proverbs 31 devotionals and I encourage you to take 15 mins out of each day to read them and ask for God's wisdom, strength and grace in your life as you raise your little (and bigger!) ones.

Let's also be praying for tender hearts as we gear up for bible study next week. And that we will allow the Lord to speak to each of us and teach us as we study His word. Praying for all of you today!

a daughter of the King,
jena

Fall Bible Study

Wherever you are in life...

Whether you spend your days building towers lying on the floor…
Changing diapers and burping full bellies…

Running errands and waiting for the school bus to arrive…

You are called to be a mom after God’s own heart!

How do you do that?

Come to the Eastridge Mom’s Bible Study every 1st and 3rd Tuesday to find out.
Starting October 7th!
9:30 am to 11:30 am at Eastridge Church.
Childcare provided.

We will be studying from the book, "Ancient Paths for Modern Women, Walking with the Lord" by Judy Gerry

$10 each, make checks payable to Eastridge Church

For more information contact Eastridge Church

Tuesday Play group cancelled

Tomorrow's Tuesday Play group has been cancelled. It will resume again the following Tuesday, August 26 at the same location.

If you plan to meet us at Happy Valley Park for Park Days we will meeting at the play structure towards the back of the park. If there is rain in the morning the Park Day will be cancelled. If not then we will see you at 10 am!

Chicken and Black Bean Enchiladas

Chicken & Black Bean Enchiladas

2-3 cooked chicken breasts, chopped or shredded.....however you prefer (I used leftover grilled chicken....and it was yummy!)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1 can black beans, drained
1 medium can mild green chiles
10 flour tortillas (burrito size)
1 can cream of chicken soup
La Victoria Mild Red Taco Sauce (for the kid's sake!)

Mix the chicken with sour cream, 1 cup of the cheese, black beans, and green chiles. Spray bottom of a large glass baking pan. Put filling inside each tortilla (about 1/2 cup or so....) and roll. Set in bottom of pan. Spread cream of chicken soup evenly over the tops of the enchiladas. Squeeze the desired amount of taco sauce over the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of cheese over the top. Cover with foil and bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.....or until heated through. Serve with spanish rice and salad, or whatever you like for accompaniments. Enjoy!

Submitted by Jennifer Miller

Mary's Roasted Red Pepper Dip

Here is another recipe I have been asked to share and thought I would share it here for everyone to enjoy. I don't know who Mary is, but to her I say "Thanks!" This recipe was found at one of my favorite recipe share sites: http://allrecipes.com/Recipes/Main.aspx. Remember, if you'd like to share a recipe with everyone just e-mail it to me ready to post and I will include it here for everyone to see! Enjoy!

Mary's Roasted Red Pepper Dip

PREP TIME : 10 Min
COOK TIME : 20 Min

INGREDIENTS
1 (7 ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
3/4 pound shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
In a small baking dish, mix the roasted red peppers, Monterey Jack cheese, cream cheese, mayonnaise, onion, garlic and Dijon-style mustard.
Bake in the preheated oven 20 minutes, or until bubbly and lightly browned. Serve warm.

Conception and Contraception

There is a great series right now on Family Life Today. They are discussing the spiritual issues surrounding conception and contraception. It is a great resource that I hope you all will take time to either listen to or read the transcripts. In fact I hope you can do this with your husbands. The broadcasts are only about 20 minutes long. It is a subject that as Christians we should prayerfully consider and know exactly how the Lord wants us to live.

http://www.familylife.com/site/c.dnJHKLNnFoG/b.3876235/k.8398/Advanced_Search.htm

a daughter of the king,

Jena

Recipe Share

It'd be great to share recipes that we come across that are fairly easy and inexpensive. I am always looking for easy! And I know some of you are quite the connoisseurs in this area! :) I'll start off the recipe share by giving out one of our favorite family recipes.

Shoyu Chicken
4 servings (more I think!)

In a crockpot place 8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Combine: 1 Cup (each) soy sauce, water and sugar
1 Tbsp fresh ground ginger (optional- I buy this in a small jar and it lasts a long time!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pour over chicken, cook 3 hrs on high

The last 1 hour of cook time add:
1 red pepper, sliced

Shred chicken in crockpot to soak up liquid

Serve with rice

the role of a woman

I was listening to the Family Life radio program the other day. They were talking with author and speaker Nancy Leigh DeMoss. She has written many books including one titled, "Lies Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free. "

The topic of discussion was the role of women in society by God's design. And as they began to talk Dennis Rainey, host of Family Life Today, quoted Elizabeth Elliot whom they had interviewed in a previous program. They referenced Romans 12:1-2 which says ..."we should not be conformed to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of the mind." And quoted Elliot as saying, "You can almost count on it that if the world is teaching it, it's contradictory to what the bible says. It's not God's ways."

Wow! What a statement. That really resonated with me and has been circling around in my head ever since. I knew I wanted to share that statement with all of you. How much of the world's ways have I already bought into and not even seen that it has taken me away from God's word?

Again regarding a woman's role by God's design DeMoss reminds us that "things function poorly or not at all when they function contrary to their design. " So their example was that the microphone they were using works well for the purpose it was designed, but that if they were to use it as a book or bat that it would not function well or at all for that purpose.

Satan is constantly trying to deceive us (women) that God is putting limitations on us, limitations on our happiness. DeMoss asks "Would you be freer and happier and more blessed if you operated outside of God's parameters? That is an "essential deception" that many of us woman have listened to and believed.

I want to encourage you to seek God and seek his word and ask him if you have bought into any of these lies. If you are fulfilling the role that God has called you to as a woman. I know that I have and continue to re-examine and re-train myself in the areas where I have gotten off track.

At the end Rainey makes this comment to both men and women, but I have personalized it for us as women. "If [we] do not know who God made [us] to be then [we're] never going to have an impact in relationships, with one another, and in [our] world, that God intended [us] to have."

I pray that we will strive to live as God intends us to. I pray that our lives reflect the blessings we receive when we live in the ways that he has commanded.

a daughter of the King,
Jena

So we decided that we should try using a blog to keep everyone informed on what's going on in our Mom's Group. That way you can check for updates concerning location of playgroups, Park Days, upcoming events and any cancellations there might be.

This will also be the place to sign up for meals when someone has a new baby, share recipes and even prayer requests. I hope that this blog becomes just one other way that we, as moms, can connect and encourage one another!



Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58



A daughter of the King,

Jena