Chocolate- Chocolate Pancakes

It has been a while since I posted a recipe so I thought this one would be good since Valentines Day is coming. If you want to be really creative you'll cut heart shapes out of the cooked pancakes with a cookie cutter and serve them with jam or red berries and whipping cream! Yum! I made them for my family last night and they actually did NOT devour them like I thought they would. Now I have to think of something I can make with my leftover pancakes and raspberry sauce! Anyhow...

Here are the ingredients:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
5 tablespoons melted(and cooled)butter

For raspberry sauce:
1 pint raspberries
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup raspberry liqueur (I didn't have this, so I put in a little jam, but another substitute would be raspberry syrup.)

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla in another bowl; mix in the melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry, and mix just until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Heat a lightly oiled griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. For each pancake, pour 1/4 cup batter on griddle and cook until bubbles pop in the center of the pancake, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip, and cook an additional minute on the opposite side.

What are your favorite Valentines Day recipes? Is there anything special you like to make for your family? We'd love for you to share them with us!

I hope you all have a great Valentines Day!

How did you ring in the new year?

While many of us were counting down to 2010, making our new years resolutions and wondering what the new year would hold, there was someone who wasn't pondering the future. He knows exactly what lies in store for you and for me...for our nation and for the world. Jeremiah 29:11 is a well known verse, but many will find comfort in the words God spoke when he said, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (emphasis mine)

I have read this verse many times before, but what I saw differently that impacted me was "declares the Lord." I looked up the word "declare" online at Merriam-Webster.com and the first three definitions are listed as such: #1 : to make known formally, officially, or explicitly, #2 obsolete : to make clear and #3 : to make evident. I think God was, is trying to reassure us. He doesn't want us to worry (that is sin!) and he doesn't want us to even try and plan it all out. He KNOWS what the new year holds for each and everyone of us. And though he does not promise that the future will be full of ups and absent of downs he reminds us that his plans are "plans to prosper you and not to harm you." That means he will take all that lies ahead in your life and mine and bring it around to his purpose, to bring him glory and further refine you to be the woman he created you to be.

I am praying that 2010 will be full of blessings for my family and that the Lord will have mercy and grace upon us and his hand of protection from tragedy and pain in our lives. I prayed very special prayers just like that over my children on the night we watched the clock get closer to midnight, ushering in the new year. But I am fully aware that "...My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9) So I am choosing to trust in the process he takes me through, the process in which he takes my family through, to refine us into being the people who glorify Him in all that we say and do.

I pray that this is what you aspire for this new year. That amidst the resolutions and concerns you have for the future of your job or the future of our nation or whatever it is about the unknown that concerns you, you will remember that God has declared and given us assurance that He is in control and will be thinking of you as life's events unfold. Remember his plans are "...plans to give you hope and a future." I think we can all trust in that!

Happy New Year!

The countdown has begun!

Christmas is coming and faster than you think! Doesn't it always seem to happen that way? We think we have still have enough time to decorate the house, put up lights, bake those cookies, send out Christmas cards, shop for and wrap the gifts.... Now you know what's going on in my head these days!

I had a great conversation with a friend the other day about all those "stressers" I was feeling and the disappointment I felt in feeling stressed! I don't want to lose the feelings of wonder and magic that accompany preparing for Christmas. She gave me the most simple answer in just four words. "You need to pray."

I admit that with all of the pitter patter of little feet going on in my house these days I am not finding much time to be on my knees. Oh I talk to God all day long ("Please, Lord, please help me not to strangle my child for the mess she has just made!"), but it's not the kind of peaceful, attentive prayer that every mom should have at least once a day. The kind where we listen for our Savior's voice.

Preparing for Christmas is a great time to remember that we should be doing just that. Finding time to be still and listen. You can do it by waking up just 5 minutes earlier than usual, in the shower, while the kids are busy with an activity or even nap/quiet time. Just find a time during the day to "fall on your knees" and seek his voice. He came to earth thousands of years ago to meet us where we were. I think he will do the same for us today.

Being Thankful

As Thanksgiving approaches I know, as mothers, we want to cultivate an attitude of thankfulness and contentment in our families. So how do you do that? Where do you begin? I have come across several good resources and I would like to share them with you.

It makes sense to me to start at the beginning. So I like to talk with my children about the pilgrims voyage over to America and what we call "the first Thanksgiving." I have a great cd/book combo that they can listen to while we are in the car or coloring relevant pictures that I print for them. (google pilgrim/indian/mayflower coloring pages) This audio is historically accurate, biblical, and entertaining. The book follows the audio word for word so you can either follow along or read it separately. You can purchase both at FamilyLife.com. http://www.shopfamilylife.com/family-fun.html

I have also found other books that are just as accurate and helpful through Christianbook.com.
http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=359640&sp=62874&event=1023BKSTR39460362874

Some of my favorites are Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving, by Eric Metaxas; Give Thanks to the Lord, by Karma Wilson; and Thanksgiving, A Harvest Celebration, by Julie Stiegemeyer.

I like other ideas I have seen that encourage you and your children to think about the things they are thankful for and put them in a blessing box or special notebook. You could start writing those things down every day and then read them all at Thanksgiving. Or you could write them down before your meal on Thanksgiving Day and go around the table, reading them out loud. Even the littlest ones can participate by drawing what they are thankful for.

Focusing on others is a great way to be thankful and share what God has blessed you with. We have friends that have gone to homeless shelters to serve food (this can be done anytime of the year) or simply invited someone over who may not have family to celebrate the day with.

I found this article on Focus on the Family's website.

http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/articles/give_thanks.aspx

In it are ideas that are age specific, from reading a story to coloring on a tablecloth, and collecting can food. All while teaching your children about being thankful.

I would love to know what other ideas you have or traditions you already participate in. Feel free to post them in the comment section below. Let's help cultivate the next generation of hearts that are thankful for the provisions, spiritually and physically, that the Lord has given to us.

How does God want us to train our children?

This is sooo timely. There has been another great series airing on the radio and via podcast from Family Life. It is on the topic of parenting from birth through the "early years" and it addresses everything that has to do with training and discipline from a biblical perspective. Even the topic of spanking, which is part of our next bible study lesson. (Which is why I am so excited about the timing on this!) In fact it is a series that they have made into a video for small group studies. I think it would be awesome to do with other couples. Here is the link to the broadcasts. There are five in the series.

http://www.familylife.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=3789887&ct=7498251

As always, I encourage you to sit down with your spouse and tackle these, one or two at a time in the evenings when kids are tucked in for the night. What a great way to discuss the issues of parenting that can be so hard to find time for or know how to initiate. This will be worth your time, I promise!

I pray that we will continuously seek the Lord and his Word for guidance as we train our children to serve and love him also.

Now...go listen!! (smile)

I have an announcement....

I am excited to say that we are officially set for our Fall Bible Study! Start date is October 6th and will continue every 1st and 3rd Tuesday. And I am pleased to announce that our very own Danna is going to be leading us through book 3 in our series, Ancient Paths for Modern Women. Thank you Danna for stepping out in faith on this one!

I know everyone is anxious to get going on this and I will let you know as soon as the books are in so you can have them in hand. The exact cost is unknown until we get them all because we had to order from several different sources, but I expect it to be around the same amount as last time ($10). Let me know if cost is a problem for you, but you would still like to attend.

We are still in need of childcare helpers so if you think of anyone that can help us out please feel free to let me know. The commitment is only 2hrs once or twice a month.

Playgroup is also officially meeting the 2nd, 4th and 5th Tuesdays at 9:30 at the church in the Pre-K/Kindergarten room if you’d like to join us. We will still need to bring snacks and maybe creamer if we want to use the church’s coffee. This is just a temporary meeting place until we can meet again at someone’s home, but it gives us a way to meet and encourage one another while our little ones play. You are welcome to come even if your children are in school. It is always good to connect with other moms!

Don’t forget, as we approach the cold and flu season, to keep your children out of childcare/playgroup if they have had a fever, diarrhea or vomiting in the last 24hrs (as is our church’s policy).

Hope to see you there!

Need a laugh?

I know I do! I am usually the more "serious" one in the family. Seeing as I have 5 children, I mean 4 children and a husband who still knows how to access his inner child, I feel like I need to be the one who brings order to chaos and quiet to an otherwise noisy household. But I am thankful that my husband is the jokester and more playful one. He does know how to make me laugh and when I do I often realize that I have not done so in a very long time.

So the other day he came home and told me about a very funny interview Family Life had done with Christian comedian Tim Hawkins. You may have heard of him. He is one funny guy, father to four and a homeschooling dad. (I can see my husband rising to the challenge now!) So- all you transcript readers- listen up! YOU CANNOT READ THIS ONE! You have to listen to it. Put the kids to bed, grab your husband and a cup of coffee (or bowl of ice cream or if you're trying to lose those 10 summer food pounds- your sewing project) and get ready to laugh!

http://www.familylife.com/site/apps/nlnet/content3.aspx?c=dnJHKLNnFoG&b=3789887&ct=7271513

http://timhawkins.net/