Light And Peace? or Peace And Light?

When I first started this post my mind was bogged down with wanting to see some light at the end of this tunnel! I wanted to shout, "Lighten my load, Lord!", but I didn't dare! 

I 've been feeling

 this incredible need for rest lately.....and I guess I've been thinking I needed physical rest....which I probably do! But....I forgot that perhaps I need spiritual rest....which is altogether different!

Sometimes we feel like the sun is simply setting on us...

and we let our emotions get in the way ...

or, atleast I do!

And then there is light.....

Just like when snow falls....

I love the way snow makes everything seem "lighter! and brighter!"

I don't need to fret over life's every day problems....

For in reality, they are simply God's way of letting me grow and trust...

Just like Frank Barker did when he trusted God to fill the "green chairs" at Briarwood's first location!

Now that, my friends....will make you re-think the things you think are important!

It may make  you appreciate ALL that God has given you!!! Just like it does me!!! (lucky, Jim!!!)

It may make you feel "Peace like a River!"

And understand the Awesomeness of the God that we are blessed to serve!

I know it makes my heart feel settled when I realize how very much God loves me!

And that no matter if our skies are sunny 

Or if they are gray at times...

Or even if we  think that we can phenagel God's plans...or change the colors a bit as I tried in this picture!!

We have to realize it will never be His best for us unless we "rest" in Him!

In my "old"age I have come to understand that no matter if skies are cloudy, gray, or full of sunshine....

Unless He ordains our plans.....

They are most definitely not worth per suing!

I'm so thankful that God provides us with spiritual, physical and mental rest when we need it! I'ts the only way we can truly understand His love for us and experience His peace...He gives us light..and we in turn receive His peace! What could be better?

This was my devotion 2 days ago and it really hit home as I'm struggling with trusting God for the needs of my family...the needs of our businesses, etc...I am needing Peace...and I'm needing physical rest from being sick with just a plain old cold...however...Resting in Him is what I've needed for a long, long time....I'm convinced that once I'm able to rest....I will experience His peace...and I'm looking very forward to it!! 

Have a wonderful Sunday!!!!

Much love,

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Secret Recipes! and Tomato Tortellini Soup!

The older I get the more I tend to make recipes that I can't share! Not that I don't WANT to share them...I just can't! It's like today at lunch sweet Holly asked me about the salad! It was nothing but me cleaning out the fridge! But I've always liked to do that -I've always felt the need to make every last little bit count when it comes to food! I don't understand it....no one taught me that...it's just in my make up I guess! All of that to say...I made a vegetable soup that literally cleaned out our freezer...and it looks ok...I'm not that excited about it I must admit!
 However...I also made a Tomato Tortellini soup that should be massed produced and I'm not ashamed to admit it!!! It literally was so easy! AND....it used up my creamed spinach as well as the other half of the tub of the Cream cheese with chive and onion that I bought to use for the Roasted Red Pepper and Chicken Lasagna ...So here goes...hope you can make heads or tails of it...i can assure you it's one of the best things I've ever tasted and I keep hearing Jim say...." This is delicious!"
I googled recipes for this...looked at cookbooks galore... and of course went to Pinterest! This is my conglomeration of everything I came up with!! I will be making this for years to come!!!

Keep in mind this is how I made it....if you want to adjust the steps please feel free to do so!!!
First of all, I had some left over ...
Creamed Spinach
1 box frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained very well!!!
1/2 of an 8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese
1/2 small onion, diced
1/4 stick light butter
salt and pepper to taste
Saute onion in butter, add spinach...cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste....cut up cream cheese and place in spinach. Turn off heat and cover until cream cheese is melted. Stir well.

So...there's your spinach mixture that you're going to add to this soup!

Tomato Tortellini Soup

1 32 oz box chicken broth
2 cans diced tomatoes (undrained)
1/2 tub Cream Cheese...(1/3 less fat chive and onion flavored)
The creamed spinach mixture...amount is purely up to you! I love spinach...but you decide how much!
1 can  Campbells Tomato Soup
1/2-3/4 C white wine
more chicken broth or vegetable broth if needed
1 bag frozen cheese tortellini

Heat broth....add tomato soup and cream cheese...whisk until blended...add cans of tomatoes. Heat....add however much of the creamed spinach mixture....
Simmer for 30 minutes....When ready to serve...Add frozen cheese tortellini to broth mixture..simmer until desired tenderness.
Ladle into bowls....top with shaved Parmesan cheese and serve with Baked French Bread. ( another recipe to follow for this!)

This was perfect for this rainy night...as we cleaned house....waited to hear from Holly and Brad that they made it safely home...and needed something somewhat "light" for dinner! Let me know your thoughts on how to simplify this recipe! Hope you all have a wonderful week!

(Rosie and Zoie are missing Murphy! )

When Life Gives You Lemons....Eat Peanut Butter Cheesecake!

 When Life Gives You Lemons...I say...Eat Peanut Butter Cheesecake!
                                                         

Miller requested the Cheesecake Factory's Peanut Butter Cheesecake for his "get together" last night with his life long friends...the friends he has had since..well...some since birth! Some since K-4 and other's that came to Briarwood in Elementary School, etc...

It's this group that makes up Miller's core group of friends...Unfortunately, Roy couldn't come because it was also his sister's birthday dinner night! Oh well...you will see him later!

Sometimes, when kids get to be the age these guys are...life is starting to get busy, hard, stressful...( as much as it can be for 17-18 year olds) and that calls for a party! This party was nothing but a good old sit around the dinner table, play ping pong and laugh kind of party! And if I do say so myself...the food was delicious! It was really good for Miller to get to be with his best friends again...to laugh, and just BE!!
But the star of the show was the Peanut Butter Cheesecake! Here is the recipe...and a few old pics to boot! Can't believe this group is graduating in May!

                                      Look at their hair!!!

                                And My All Time Personal Favorite!!!!

I bet Roy wishes he had just skipped his sister's dinner! Just kidding...these memories just go way back!!!
Instead of paying the big bucks for the "real thing" from The Cheesecake Factory...I decided to make it...
4 hours later...Jim was wishing we'd just bought the one from there after all!!! Until he tasted this....

            Ok....THE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE RECIPE!

For The Crust

• 4 1/2 cups crushed Oreo cookies
• 1 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup butter , melted

For The Filling

• 2 lbs cream cheese , softened
• 5 eggs , at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter (not natural-style)
• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 Reese's Peanut Butter cups , broken into small pieces

For The Topping

• 3 ounces sour cream
• 1/2 cup sugar

Directions:

1. 1
   Please Note****Plan ahead--cheesecake needs to chill for at least 4 hours.
2. 2
   To Make The Crust:.
3. 3
   Combine crushed Oreo cookies and peanuts that have been ground in a food processor with the melted butter.
4. 4
   Pat the crust mixture onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch springform pan.
5. 5
   To Make The Filling:.
6. 6
   Beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until smooth.
7. 7
   Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
8. 8
   Add sugar, peanut butter and cream; mix until smooth.
9. 9
   Stir in vanilla, then fold in peanut butter cup pieces with a rubber spatula.
10. 10
    Pour filling into prepared crust.
11. 11
    Place springform pan into a larger baking pan.
12. 12
    Pour hot water into the larger pan so that the water comes 1 inch up the sides of the springform pan.
13. 13
    Bake at 275°F 1-1/2 hours, or until firm and lightly browned.
14. 14
    For The Topping:.
15. 15
    Combine the sour cream and sugar and spread on the cheesecake.
16. 16
    Return the cake to the oven for 5 minutes.
17. 17
    Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack for one hour.
18. 18
    You may run a knife along the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan somewhat.
19. 19
    Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

This was definitely one of the best desserts I've ever tasted! And all of the guys said so as well!!! Try it for yourself!!   OR ELSE!!! 

        HAPPY EARLY BIRTHDAY, MILLER!!!!! I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ALL THE RICE IN CHINA!!!

Old Friends, Lasting Relationships And Then Those That Truly Shape Us....

I guess with this title it pretty much sum's it all up! Lately, I've been getting quite sentimental as my youngest child is turning 18 next week....and headed off to Auburn in the Fall...

                                          "Where did the time go?"   
  

                                               
                                                      When Did I Blink??

As I try to not get sad...or teary, or dread that empty nest feeling, I've been able to reflect on those  people in his life that have had the most impact....and then sometimes I shudder to think of the negative impact I may have had! Gosh...parenting is really hard!

                                     ( there is nothing like family and close friends! )

                        His basketball friends have had such a big influence on his life!

 We are so thankful for ALL of our dear friends!

And Lacrosse has always been fun!!

 

I think of his family...his grandparents, so godly and wise....his aunts, uncles, cousins and especially his brother and sister! When I think of the things we've been through as a family, the hard times and the
good times...I'm quite humbled...God has been very good!!! We have been blessed beyond measure! Miller was able to grow up with the best brother and sister in the world! He was able to WATCH them grow up! And..

watch them be examples to him....and learn through their relationships with the spouses they are married to! What a treat for me and Jim! I can't imagine him learning any better "life lessons" than watching Mitch date Britney and have a special marriage and the most wonderful child! Layton has taught Miller a lot herself! In fact...when she was born...he was taught what it means to trust God in EVERYTHING!!! I will never forget the tears he shed as he watched Mitch and Britney go through the birth of a child with a bi-lateral cleft lip and palette. It certainly is not something anyone would want for their children...but I wouldn't take that growing experience away from him or those talks away for anything when Miller finally let his guard down and cried and cried because of the heaviness in his heart for his brother and his sister in law! And just look at them now! God is good! Layton is such a beautiful testament to His workmanship! Her beauty, inside and out is almost more than I can stand!!

And then, he watched Holly live her high school life...most of it great...some of it really hard! He watched Coach Walker "set up" Holly and Brad....He LOVED Coach Walker!! To say that we all cried and were heartbroken when he went Home is putting it lightly! I am forever grateful for the example that Holly and Brad have given Miller on how to live as a teenager, a young person dating, etc.... Examples of how to make the right choice even when you may be pulled to make a wrong one! Real life, living, breathing, true examples of what growing up as a Christian young man should be like!

 

I so want that to be a continuous thread in Miller's life...It's getting harder and harder because he isn't home much! And we are getting lazy sometimes...I admit it! We are tired! We started when we were 19 and 20!! Seriously...We've never NOT had children at home!!! I think that's why it's hitting home so hard right now that he's really turning 18 next week! He's really leaving for college!  All I know is that he in turn... is now teaching US!!!

 He comes home and doesn't complain about his day...about how he wishes things could have gone differently in several areas of his life...with several key people in his life at the moment. He doesn't complain!!! He encourages his friends! He tells me it's ok!!!! He rarely talks about how bad his back hurts...or which Coach yelled at him...or for that matter, which Coach encouraged him! I'm just praying now that he will be encouraged by Someone! If I've made mistakes raising him...if his brother and sister and grandparents and friends can't give him any more encouragement than they already have....then I pray that Someone can! That Someone will have to be the Lord, Jesus Christ! There isn't any teacher, any coach, any sibling, any friend that can encourage Miller or any of us more than He can...and that, my friend...is VERY encouraging to me!!! As his mother...I need to know that Miller is seeking His encouragement and NOT anyone else's!!!









As John 3:16 says...." For God So Loved The World That He Gave His Only Begotten Son, That Whosoever Believeth In Him Might Have Eternal Life"......

there is nothing more I can want for Miller or hope for Miller or pray for Miller....there is nothing else any friend, any teacher, any coach, any sibling or any parent can provide for Miller that compares to what Christ can give him.....even when it's hard to see it in the midst of life.......