Faith, Family, and Food
To promote my blog officially launching, we’re having a giveaway. On Friday we’ll pick a winner of one dozen cookies from The Cookie Jar!
Below are just a few examples of available designs. Not only will you win cookies, but you can pick your design.
All you have to do is fill out the form below. Winner will be announced on Friday night!
One thing I am passionate about is teaching my children to serve others. I pray they have a heart of service everyday. One way I try to teach them is by encouraging them to serve others in easy, inexpensive ways. Below is a list of 5 easy things you can do together as a family to share the love this holiday season.
1. Make cards for soldiers
This is something we have done every year, and I also do it with my students. It’s so easy for kids to make a homemade card to brighten someone’s day. I always mail mine to: Holiday Mail for Heroes, PO Box 5456, Capitol Heights, MD 20791-5456.
2. Make goodies for your neighbors
I love to bake, so this is probably one of my favorites. And whose kid doesn’t love to lend a helping hand in the kitchen. Even if you’re not great at baking, there are plenty of mixes that taste great. Trust me, your neighbors will just be glad you thought of them! Walmart also has some cute containers to put them in and voila! You have a great present for your neighbors.
3. Visit a nursing home
This costs absolutely nothing to do. Many residents never see a visitor and are just glad to see someone. Grab some friends and sing some carols. If you have the extra cash to spend, you can even put together some gifts. Just be sure to ask the nursing home staff before giving them out.
4. Random Acts of Kindness
I think this is one of the neatest ideas. You get to bless someone’s day anonymously. You can leave dollars on toys at the Dollar Tree. You can put snack money in your Redbox. You can even anonymously pay for someone’s meal. I love this because it teaches my children that giving isn’t about the recognition they get but about helping others.
5. Gifts for Mailman and Trash Collectors
I feel like these are some of the most thankless jobs. They do their job in the rain or shine. You can easily leave cookies or other goodies for your mailman or trash collectors. Whatever you leave, they will love it.
These are just a few ideas of how you can serve others. Let me know ways your family shows love during the holidays or anytime of the year.
If you’re anything like my husband and me, there never seems to be enough money at the end of the month. With three kids, they always need something. The oldest is always invited somewhere. The middle one can’t ever seem to keep money in her lunch account. And why are my son’s brand new pants constantly getting shorter? I’m sure if you have kids you can relate, and with two teacher’s salaries, things can get tricky. Below is a list of some fairly easy things you can do to earn extra income.
1. Get a Second Job: This isn’t always a feasible option because of the time it requires. However, if you can find the time, it can definitely be worth it. The summer after our son was born, my husband went to work at Pizza Hut as a delivery driver. He works quite a bit during the summer, but only works one or two nights during the school year. The great thing about this job is that he always comes home with cash in hand, and for the most part he actually really enjoys it. We have both taken on coaching positions that pay an extra stipend in addition to our regular salary.
2. Have a Yard Sale: This is probably my least favorite idea on the list. I hate having a yard sale, but they can actually pay off if you have things you need to get rid of. It can serve two purposes. First, you can declutter, and seriously, who doesn’t need to do that? Second, you can make some extra cash. Win-Win! Just have a better attitude about it than me! 😉
3. Sell on Resale Sites: I do this quite frequently, and I have made quite a bit of money. Normally, I find local sites on Facebook and sale gently used items there. This helps me declutter without the big mess and fuss of a yard sale. Always be sure to meet people you don’t know in a well lit public place.
4. Do Online Surveys: I have been doing these for several years but have found myself doing these much more recently. Many of the online survey sites allow you to do different tasks to earn money, such as read emails, watch videos, or even shop. Below are some of my favorites.
Swagbucks – This is probably my favorite site. It’s so easy to earn swagbucks (SB) that can be traded for gift cards or be transferred to PayPal. Payouts start as low as $5 depending on the reward you choose. Sign up today by clicking http://www.swagbucks.com/refer/edavis25.
InboxDollars – I have found it takes longer with InboxDollars to earn the amount needed to cash out, but I have received several checks from them. You can cash out at $30, and they will send you a check in the mail. Sign up today by clicking https://www.inboxdollars.com/r/1300701753?ref_src=link.
5. Cash Back Apps/Sites: This is something I actually haven’t done much of. I don’t do tons of online shopping, so I never did well with eBates, however if you do shop a lot online it is something to check out. The new app I just downloaded is called Dosh. You get $5 just for linking a debit or credit card. For a limited time, you get $10 for each referral. You can cash out for $25, so this is a pretty great deal. You can download the Dosh app on your phone and use referral code EMILYW193.
I hope some of these ideas help you and your family along the way. Let me know other ways you earn extra money for your family!
Anytime you spent the night at my grandparents’ house, you were always guaranteed to get pancakes. My grandma makes the BEST pancakes EVER! They’re thin and buttery and melt in your mouth. Now that we’re all grown and my Granddaddy has passed away, we don’t get them very often. I have found a way to remedy this. I have perfected her recipe.
First, melt a stick of butter. I always use real salted butter. Trust me, margarine will not yield the same results. Then add 1/2 cup of sugar. Mix with whisk. Add 1 tsp vanilla. Add 2 1/2 cups of whole milk and mix. You will probably need to add more milk to thin your batter after adding dry ingredients. Remember, it should be a thin batter. Add one egg and mix. Add 2 cups self rising flour and mix. Be sure it is self rising flour. Remember, your batter should be thin and lumpy.
If you have a griddle, you can make a lot more at a time. I make them just like Grandma always did, in a small pan on the stove. Whichever you use, be sure to spray your pan or griddle with nonstick cooking spray. Once they bubble up all over, flip.
You will then have the perfect pancakes for your Saturday morning or even after playing outside on a snow day like my littles have done today.
Yummy!!
Grandma’s Pancakes Recipe
Ingredients
1 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups milk
1 egg
2 cups self rising flour
Directions
Melt butter and add sugar. Mix together. Add vanilla and milk and mix. Add egg and beat until egg is beaten well. Add flour and mix well, but the batter should still be lumpy. Heat griddle or pan. Spray with nonstick cooking spray before pouring batter out. Flip pancake when batter starts to bubble up.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
It’s amazing how God speaks to us in some of the most unexpected ways. Most of my weekends are spent home alone with the kids because my husband works a second job. Somehow we always manage to find ourselves on Netflix watching “Moana”. Now, if you’ve never seen this movie, it’s about the daughter of the chief of the Polynesian island of Motunui. She longs to be on the water, but her father forbids it. She finally sets sail across the ocean to find the demigod Maui so he can restore the heart of Te Fiti.
She feels like she is called to make him do this. She spends most of the movie telling herself, “I am Moana of Motunui. You will board my boat and restore the heart to Te Fiti.” She depends so much on Maui. She relies on someone else to do the job she feels like she was called to do. How often do we do that ourselves? We want someone else to do the hard work.
But then something changes. Toward the end of the movie, her whole attitude changes and so does her quote. She says, “I am Moana of Motunui. Aboard my boat, I will sail across the sea and restore the heart of Te Fiti.” And in that moment, I heard God whisper to me. “I didn’t call you to make someone else walk through your fire. I called you. It’s not always easy, but this is your path.” I realized that through Christ I can do all things (Philippians 4:13).
Her whole demeanor changed in that one instant. What she was having to do was not easy, but it was her calling. Even if no one else was with her, she had to complete her mission. God doesn’t call us all to the same ministries or the same paths. He doesn’t require that we all walk through the same things, but He always promises to be there for us.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”
We have to put our trust in our Savior. When He calls us to something, He will walk with us. He will guide us and direct us. Trust God today. No matter what you’re going through, He is there for you. If He brought you to it, He will bring you to it. Trust His will for your life today.
Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28
As I shot out of bed at 4am this morning to finish an order of cookies, I felt convicted. This week has been a long and tiring week, and I haven’t gotten up early to spend my time with the Lord. Yet here I was, decorating cookies at 4 in the morning. It wasn’t right, and I knew it wasn’t.
My first priority everyday should be to spend my morning with Jesus. I know I am not the same if I don’t have that time. I’ve joked with my students that I didn’t get enough Jesus time that morning for them to be acting crazy! Ha! If only they knew how true that was. I am changed when I come into the presence of God. Psalms 16:2 says, “O my soul, you have said to the LORD, ‘You are my Lord, My goodness is nothing apart from You.'” I am nothing without Him.
On the other side of this, I need to spend time with Him because I long to have a relationship with Him. You can’t have a relationship with someone you don’t ever spend time with. You have to talk to them and spend time with them. Christ is just waiting for me to get still and quiet and have a conversation with Him.
It’s so easy for us to get wrapped up in our busy lives. I know my family struggles with balancing everything from work to side jobs to coaching to kid’s activities to teaching at church. However, if I don’t give it all to Him, then it’s all for naught. I have to spend my time with Jesus to know His direction for my life. I have to take the time for Him.
I encourage you today to spend a little time with Jesus. See if it doesn’t make your day!
“in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
For those of you who don’t know me, I am a school teacher. I love my job, but school days are extremely hectic. My husband is also a school teacher and a football coach. He’s at work everyday until 6:00, and then he has a twenty minute drive home. In the meantime, I’ve been having to stay after everyday, and I’ve been at school until 4:30 or 5:00.
I find myself leaving work and rushing the twenty minutes home to pick up all three of our children, run to the store, cook dinner, wash clothes, and try to keep my kids happy. Some afternoons, I dread the chaos at home. I even made the comment yesterday to a coworker, “At least you don’t have to go home and pick up kids, clean up the kitchen, cook, and do laundry.” (And yes, I had to clean my kitchen before I could even cook!)
This morning while reading my devotional, I read about someone who long for the pattering of little feet, and I was convicted. Oh, how I take the little things for granted! I look at the job of motherhood so many times as exhausting and mundane. Don’t get me wrong, I love my children dearly. I would do anything for them, but some days are so hard. I give everything I have at work, and come home and have to give more. And I complain.
How wrong I have been. Today, I have decided to be thankful. I am going to be thankful that I have three stops to make every afternoon, no matter how long it takes me. I am going to be thankful that my children have a million stories to tell me about their day. I am going to be thankful that I have a loving family that I get to cook dinner for every night. I am going to be thankful that I have a wonderful husband and three beautiful children, and I am going to do everything I can to take care of them.
At the end of the day, I am not alone. My husband, who has spent almost eleven hours at work, comes in and helps me. He helps me get dinner plates served and drinks poured. He helps with the laundry. He helps with baths and getting everyone to bed. And he never complains. I pray that I have a more thankful heart like him, and I learn to enjoy the mundane. Even when life is so crazy, God has blessed me tremendously!
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. James 1:2-3
Every time God is dealing with me about something, it seems like it’s everywhere. Lately God is dealing with me about dependence on Him. I’ve read about it, I’ve experienced circumstances that cause me to become more dependent on Him, and I’ve even been compelled to write about it. It’s like He continues to put it into my life until I get it.
I will tell you, though, I am struggling. Some days it becomes so hard for me to put all of my trust in Him, which seems crazy. Here He is, the Creator of the universe, and all I want to do is hold onto all of my problems. Who do I think I am? I’m not bigger than God.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
This verse has become my motto. Every time I become anxious or worried about anything, I begin to quote this verse, and I give it all back to God. The problem I run into is picking it all back up. Do you do that? When everything seems to be going “good” again, do you pick up all of your independence and think you can do it on your own. I know that I tend to, but that’s when we need to bask in God’s glory. We aren’t the ones who have taken care of everything. He is. Everything is in order because He put it that way.
I am trying to become more dependent on my God no matter my circumstances. I want to praise Him in the good and the bad. Job 1:21 says, “And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.'”
In all things and in all circumstances, I pray that I draw close to my Lord. I pray that I will trust Him no matter what. I will praise Him in the good and in the bad.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Have you ever prayed and you felt like you were talking to a brick wall? Have you ever looked around at your circumstances and thought, “There’s no way God is listening to me!”?
I’ve been there. I’ve spent moments there, and I’ve spent seasons there. I’ve wondered where God is in all my mess. I’ve wondered if my prayers even mattered at all.
Then I’m reminded of James 5:16b-18, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.”
Wow! Every time I read those verses, I am amazed. God listens to the fervent prayer. Fervent is defined as having or displaying a passionate intensity. Do you have a passionate intensity when you pray? I know I don’t always. Some days I feel like I’m just going through the motions.
But can you imagine what it would be like if we began to pray fervently? If we began to pray with a passionate intensity? Strongholds will be broken down. 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 says, “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
We have to begin to pray with a passionate intensity. We have to guard our hearts. We have to be prepared when we go out into this world for whatever they’re going to thrown at us. In Ephesians 6, Paul describes the armor of God and how we need to be equipped to go into battle each and everyday. Verse 18 says, “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for the saints…”.
We aren’t supposed to just have some puny little prayers. We aren’t supposed to just throw up words that don’t matter. We are supposed to pray with fervency and perseverance. We need to be passionate in our prayers. The more we spend time in prayer with our Savior, the closer we become to Him, and our wants and desires begin to line up with His.
I hope today that my prayers will be more passionate, more fervent. I pray that I become more Christ like and therefore Spirit led in all that I do. I don’t want to just offer up words to the Savior. I want to have a close, intimate relationship with my Heavenly Father. I want my prayers to be effective.
And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19
I have always been the type to fret over everything. I worry all the time. As my husband balanced the checkbook yesterday morning, my stomach tied into knots. It was lower than I expected. My mind began racing. How were we going to pull off vacation? How were our bills going to be paid? How were we going to make it?
He put his hand on my shoulder to try to calm me down, and I said a small prayer. I tried not to think about it. After all, here I was in church. My focus needed to be on Jesus right now.
As we left church that afternoon, we checked our other bank account. This is the one where child support is put. To be honest, I never have much faith when I roll up to the ATM for this one. There was nothing, of course. Eight weeks of nothing. I felt so discouraged and just didn’t understand how this could be.
Then the Holy Spirit whispered to me, “He is not your provider. I am.”
Wow. How true were those words and how convicted in that moment I felt because I haven’t been living that way.
God is my provider. No one else. No matter what we think the source is, it is ultimately God. He provides with a job. He provides when there doesn’t seem to be a way. He provides when we put our total trust in Him.
Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” He will take care of us. I have to start putting my total trust in Him and stop relying on man to meet my needs.
Would the child support be nice? Absolutely, but I fully believe that as long as I’m giving credit in the wrong place that it won’t be there. God is my ultimate provider. No matter what. Even when things seem bleak, He shows up and shows out.
I pray today that I will put my full trust in Him always. I pray that no matter what is happening in my life, that I realize He is my source and provider. I choose to give it all to Him.
Ribbons and Lace 