I Miss Mayberry

About this time last year the four of us set out on a long awaited adventure!  You see we are lovers of The Andy Griffith Show and had been dreaming about a trip to Mayberry....or....Mount Airy, NC.  Mount Airy is the town Andy grew up in and what the town of Mayberry is modeled after.  It DID NOT DISAPPOINT.  It is a cute small town that seems to be caught in the past.  I will admit much of the shopping is tourist related but still fun.  We did manage to find an antique shop, of course.  It was a beautiful day and we walked all through the downtown area and then took a squad car tour that showed us a broader view of town and the house where Andy was born.  It was well worth the money.  Enjoy the pictures.

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Today, I am sharing one of my family's favorite recipes.

Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas

Here is what you will need:

For  the Enchiladas

3 cups chopped Cooked Chicken, I use my Salsa Chicken

2 cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1/4 cup chopped Pickled Jalapenos
1 pack Frozen Spinach, thawed and drained
8 flour tortillas

For the Sauce
8oz Sour Cream
8oz Green Salsa

Stir together the first five ingredients.  Spoon mixture into the tortillas.
Roll them up and place them into a greased 9x13 dish. Bake at 350* for 35 to 40 minutes.  Take out of the oven and mix sauce, pour over the top, and enjoy.


Charity

Easy Dinner Prep Ideas ~ episode 1

I don't know about you but I love to cook....except for at 4:30 each night.  By that time of day I am tired and my brain is mush.  Because of this I try everything in my power to do things before this time of day.  Normally I will do some prep for dinner each morning, it helps keep me from the afternoon panic of having NOTHING thawed to eat!  But one of my best tips ~by far~ is to cook lots of meat recipes ahead of time and freeze them.  I am going to share a few ideas here.

Our all time favorite and easiest ever is what we call 

Salsa Chicken

Are you ready for the easiest recipe ever?

Here is what you will need:

Crock pot

8-10 Chicken Breast

2 jars (16 oz) of your favorite Salsa

Rinse and dry your chicken, place in crock pot, pour over 1 jar of salsa, cook on low 8 hours.  Remove chicken breast, shred using two forks, place in a mixing bowl, pour over second jar of salsa, mix, separate into freezer bags freeze. I told you it was easy!!!!  We use this in pasta, Cheesy Chicken Enchiladas, and over rice.  It is as yummy as it is easy!

Recipe number two is just as easy.

BBQ Chicken

Here is what you will need:

Crock pot

8-10 Chicken Breast

2 jars (16 oz) of your BBQ Sauce

Rinse and dry your chicken, place in crock pot, pour over 1 jar of BBQ sauce, cook on low 8 hours.  Remove chicken breast, shred using two forks, place in a mixing bowl, pour over second jar of BBQ sauce, mix, separate into freezer bags freeze.  We use this for BBQ sandwiches and in Brunswick stew.

I do this same idea with 

Taco Meat

I just brown my Ground beef, drain, season, separate, and freeze.

Do you make any thing ahead of time to help make dinner time easier?

Charity

The Year Of Travel ~ episode 1

This past year has been one of many adventures and in hopes to remember I am going to try to write some post about them.  There will be lots of pictures and a few words along the way.  Hope you enjoy!

Last October I had the GREAT pleasure of boarding a plane with one of my sweet friends, Megan, and flying to Texas to go stay with another one of my friends, April, and attend a conference.

Well, if you know me - you know - I HATE to fly….something about my controlling nature!  But I shimmied up my BIG GIRL PANTIES and got on the plane.  From Atlanta to Dallas should have been an easy flight. 

 NO SUCH LUCK. 

We were about an hour in when the plane had never leveled out, imagine the rocky feeling of turbulence with no an air problem.  The captain came over the intercom to tell us we would be making an emergency landing in Mississippi.  I sent a quick text to my friend watching my girls and to my husband.  Then I went to holding my breath and praying.  I did not panic.  I would have told you that I would panic in that situation if you had ever asked me about it before. 

THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER! 

 Once we landed we got to hangout in the international side of the Mississippi airport.  If you have never been to this part of the Mississippi airport let me tell you it is not very big…tiny to be exact with only a newsstand and one set of bathrooms.  We were not allowed to leave this area and we were not told for sure what the plan was for us.  There was talk of us getting back on the same airplane….they were CRAZY if they thought that was happening and then they also said they might send us back to Atlanta and have us start over on another plane….If I made it back to Atlanta I was going home!

With all the confusion of what the plan was and the confined space, people started to get annoyed which worried me even more.  Who was going to let their CRAZY out first???

Soon after, this arrived.This past year has been one of many adventures and in hopes to remember I am going to try to write some post about them.  There will be lots of pictures and a few words along the way.  Hope you enjoy!

Last October I had the GREAT pleasure of boarding a plane with one of my sweet friends, Megan, and flying to Texas to go stay with another one of my friends, April, and attend a conference.

Well, if you know me - you know - I HATE to fly….something about my controlling nature!  But I shimmied up my BIG GIRL PANTIES and got on the plane.  From Atlanta to Dallas should have been an easy flight. 

 NO SUCH LUCK. 

We were about an hour in when the plane had never leveled out, imagine the rocky feeling of turbulence with no an air problem.  The captain came over the intercom to tell us we would be making an emergency landing in Mississippi.  I sent a quick text to my friend watching my girls and to my husband.  Then I went to holding my breath and praying.  I did not panic.  I would have told you that I would panic in that situation if you had ever asked me about it before. 

THERE IS POWER IN PRAYER! 

 Once we landed we got to hangout in the international side of the Mississippi airport.  If you have never been to this part of the Mississippi airport let me tell you it is not very big…tiny to be exact with only a newsstand and one set of bathrooms.  We were not allowed to leave this area and we were not told for sure what the plan was for us.  There was talk of us getting back on the same airplane….they were CRAZY if they thought that was happening and then they also said they might send us back to Atlanta and have us start over on another plane….If I made it back to Atlanta I was going home!

With all the confusion of what the plan was and the confined space, people started to get annoyed which worried me even more.  Who was going to let their CRAZY out first???

Soon after, this arrived.

Stacks of pizzas and armed men solve everything, right?

This clearly was not their first rodeo…stranded group of people.

Thankfully, once our bellies were full and vouchers for free meals to be used at another airport (the other airport would not accept them but that is another story) were passed out it seemed they had a plan for us.  We would board a new plane and finish our trip.  We were still about an hour away from the new plane being ready but it is amazing what a plan will do to lift peoples spirits.

I had notice when we boarded the first plane a large scratch in the paint beside the door.  I was now thankful for that knowledge and that I would be able to tell if there were trying to pass the same plane off on us, ha!!! They were not so I boarded, still with hesitation but I did get on.  The rest of the flight went off without a hitch!  We arrived just in time for my friend April to pick us up and us all go straight to the conference.

Overall the conference was just okay.  I love meeting and chatting with Michelle Duggar.  She is as genuine, kind, and heartfelt as you would want her to be.  Her session during the conference was very good and she share some practical and encouraging advice on being a godly wife and mother.

We shared late nights talking and much needed fellowship and then it was time to pack up and head back home.

I knew I would be back to Texas,

Charity

Redeemed Ware

 

Today, I am excited to show you all what I have been working on lately.  Truth be told this has been over 14 years in the making but what can I say….I am s-l-o-w!  It all started when I was in the hospital during my first pregnancy and my mother brought me a something from the hospital gift shop.  It was a key chain made out of vintage silverware.  I fell in love with it immediately!  A little later I wanted to give a key chain like it as a gift and could not find one anywhere.  I sweet talked my dad and husband into learning how to make them for me.  I would buy the silverware and they would cut and shaped them.  The key chains have been one of my favorite gifts to give for years.  Then I started collecting silver pieces because I loved them and soon have a very large collection and wondered what I could do with it all.  One day while out shopping I saw some hand stamped jewelry and thought man I could do that to my silver pieces.   I rushed out and bought metal stamps and then life happened and I did nothing.  There might have been some fear mixed in with that life too, what if no one liked what I did! Then as only God can do, He placed someone in my path to ask for that exact thing!  A friend wanted hand stamped silverware to give as a gift and she asked me if I would do it.  I said yes and

Redeemed WARE

was born!

It has been my favorite product lines to develop. FOR YEARS, I shopped for that useless, unlovable thing and dreaming of how it can be changed and become a thing of great beauty and value. It reminds me every time of my salvation.
Without redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ I would be unlovable and useless but because of it

I am a daughter of the King

My desire is that each time you pick up a piece of Redeemed Ware you will know that you too have great value!

Here are a few pieces from the shop.

Of course my eBook is still available in the shop

 

 

There are still Bible Memory Verse Pillows

 

 

Marriage Pillows

and Between You and Me Notebooks

Thank you all for your support through the years!  You are truly a blessing to me!

 

Charity

Washing Feet

Terror, Panic, and Shock those where just a few of the emotions me and I'm sure my friends where feeling right at that moment. It felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.

Me and three of my friends where sitting around the table doing a Bible study

when out teacher announced that we where going to wash each others feet.

I shall give you a moment to think about that.

I hope y'all (I might have a southern accent ;)) have read John 13:1-17,

if not grab your Bible because that's what this post is on, It's

the story of when Jesus washed His disciples' feet. It all takes place

right before the Passover feast.

Jesus and His disciples where eating when Jesus got up and started to call the disciple's

over and was washing their feet.

Can you believe that?!?!

I had a hard time letting my friend wash my feet, so could you ever in your wildest dreams imagine,

Jesus, the King of Kings, Heavenly Father, Elohim, All Powerful, Sovereign God, washing your feet?

The man who was born through a virgin mother and came to

die on the cross for you!

When you are washing someone's feet you are humbling yourself a great deal.

As well as being extremely obedient, because I promise you that none of us wake up in the morning saying "Wow I really want to wash peoples feet today."

And who can say if a stranger walked up to you and said "I'm going to wash your feet."

would be completely comfortable.

Well that's kinds how Simon Peter, one of Jesus' disciples felt.

John 13:6-10

New International Version (NIV)

⁶ He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

⁸ “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

⁹ “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

¹⁰ Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.”

You see it wasn't really that their literal feet where dirty (though I'm sure they where)
it was a symbol. Jesus wouldn't wash all of Simon Peter because he had already done that

through Simon Peters baptism. 

If you have already been saved and you tell a lie you don't get saved again,no.

You just ask for forgiveness, when He forgives you He has just washed your feet.

You might be thinking what is me washing somebodies feet going to accomplish?

It shows humility, obedience, and a bunch of love.

While we were washing each others feet we prayed for each other. I didn't cry while I was washing her feet, but I continued that prayer in my room that night in my room and I can promise you I cried.

We used sugar scrub on each others feet and now any time I use sugar scrub I will always

remember when me and my friends washed feet.

Sister in Christ,

Audrey

Beauty

 

***  Good Morning!  You are in for another treat, here is another great post from my girl!  BTW, did I mention she is only 14.  I am so proud she calls me Momma!***

Is there a difference between pretty and beautiful?

Yes!

Say you meet two girls:

Girl one, is a beauty pageant queen (disclaimer* i do not feel that this one girl represents all pageant people*) never smiles unless someone is taking her picture. Is rude, curses, and is disrespectful and to any one who tries to talk to her.

Girl two, she’s the girl who sits in the back of your trig. class, doesn't have any real friends who want to sit with her during lunch, but whenever somebody talks to her she is all smiles and excited to listen and talk to them about God and their life.

Now, which one do you think is pretty?

Now, which one do you think is beautiful?

Hopefully you think girl two is beautiful. No she’s not the pageant queen or has the best of clothes but she is kind and you feel happy when ever you talk to her.

"Like a gold ring in a pigs snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion."

                                          Proverbs 11:22

Why such a disturbing example? The person who wrote that verse probably used an overstatement to emphasize how wrong it is to put beauty with indiscretion."

"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean."  Matthew 23:27

Okay again another gross example, but you get the point.

And my favorite.

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in Gods sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God to make themselves beautiful..."

1Peter 3:3-5a

Peter doesn't mean your an ugly sinner when you braid your hair or wear gold jewelry he's just saying that shouldn't be where we count ourselves as beautiful, and don't hate your selves when your hair isn't  curled or your face not covered with makeup.

When you were little and your mom just had another baby, she sat there holding the baby saying that it is the most beautiful baby in the world and just so cute, but honestly the kid looks like a rotten potato. Just plain and simple.

That's the way God looks at you He thinks your beautiful, beautiful enough that He sent His Son to die on the cross for you!

So it doesn't mater what others think of you or what you think of yourself, you are

beautiful.

True beauty is on the inside, its how you treat others, how you hold the door open for the person behind you, and how you treat yourself.

You are

                  Smart

Loved

Blessed

Saved

Privileged                

  Free

                Forgiven

and

BEAUTIFUL

sister in Christ,

                    Audrey

Elohim

*****Today y’all have the special treat of reading a post written by my sweet daughter Audrey!  She is my jewel and I am so proud that she has decided to take a leap of faith and start writing for this blog.  Please show her some love!!!!*****

 

  Good morning my lovelies!

On this beautiful  morning I'm going to ask you to take time out of your normal routine and praise our God and creator,

Elohim.

"The LORD is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise Him..."

Exodus 15:2

The Bible gives us instruction and examples on praising our Elohim (see Isaiah 55:13 Isaiah 24:14-16 and Psalms 54:6-7 and many more.)

I challenge you to make a list of things that you praise Elohim, your creator for.

If you're like me and you work best with music, I would suggest Matt Redman's album 10,000 Reasons, it is and amazing album full of songs that praise our God, Elohim.

And if your stuck or just need a little bit of an inspiration to get the ball rolling, I would turn your Bibles open to Psalms  20 it holds just a few of Gods wonderful promises for us.

Here are some of mine:   

                                        I praise my Elohim for.......                                        

1. The color PINK!

Honestly think about your favorite color, food, or animal no my life wouldn't end if the color pink never existed, but it just adds a little bit of extra happiness to my life.

2. Creating every single star in the sky, and even knowing them all by name.

3. The beautiful family I was blessed with and any future family members that have not yet entered my life.

4. That He is not shocked  when we disobey Him.

When God made a covenant with Abram (Genesis 15) that he may have a son from his own body, and his descendants will be as many as the stars in the sky. But Abrams wife Sarai went and gave Abram her maidservant as a wife (Genesis 16), and the maidservant bore Abram a son. God of course was hurt that Abram disobeyed Him, but He knew that it was going to happen. And even after Abram disobeyed God, God  kept His word ( Genesis 18 and 21) and Sarah bore Abraham (name change in Genesis 17:5 and 17:15) a son, Isaac, and indeed Abraham's descendants became as many as the stars into sky.

5. His amazing love for sinners.

" for God so loved the world that he gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

6. I praise God for all the trials, struggles and pains that He allows to come into my life, for I know that He has a plan for my life and all the hard times I go through are for a purpose.

Whenever you are discouraged or upset with God, Take put your list and praise your God, Elohim.

           Sister in Christ,

     Audrey