A little of this, a little of that

I always enjoy it when I get to spend some time with this guy

This is my cousin, Heath. We are the closest in age of the fab four (which consists of me, Heath, my brother Brad, and Heath's sister Stacey). And we are probably the most alike, lol. Anywho, I went and stayed with him this weekend. We didn't get to spend too much time together, since he was really busy working. But what little time we did, we had a good time.

While Heath was off slaving the day away, I decided to make him a casserole to put in the freezer, so he would have them if he ever needed a meal with a quickness.

So I decided to make him a sausage and wild rice casserole. Namely because it's super easy and namely because I only have a few recipes that I know by heart without having to check my recipe book. Let's talk shop about this recipe. It's super quick and easy and good.

Ingredients:

• One tube Jimmy Dean sausage
• 2 boxes Uncle Ben's Wild Rice (I get the quick cooking box)
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup
• Chicken Broth (not sure how much, probably a cup or so)
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup celery, diced (I usually don't put the celery in)
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley (again, I never have parsley, so this usually doesn't make an appearance either)
• Shredded cheddar cheese (I use about a cup)
• Salt and pepper to taste

First, I get the rice cooking according to the directions on the box. Then I brown the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and celery. Once the meat is browned and the rice is cooked, it's just as simple of mixing the stuff together. Mix the rice, sausage, can of cream of chicken soup, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper.I then add the chicken broth until the mixture is kinda wet, but not soupy. I just eye ball it until it looks right. Then throw it into a casserole dish and bake it for 30-45 minutes at 350 (again, I just eye ball the time until it is brown and looks done). So there you have it. Super quick and painless!

I will post tomorrow more in detail about this:

Hope everyone had a good weekend!

He's Here!!

Mr. Caden Paul made his arrival on October 5th at 12:44 pm. He was 7 pounds 4 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. He is perfect and precious and just a little baby burrito of goodness.

I am so happy for Tony, Catrina, and Kenley on their newest member of the family. I wish you guys all the love and happiness you can stand!

Here I am with the little man. Isn't he adorable? I could eat him up with a spoon!!

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. ~ Psalm 127:3

Wisdom Wednesday

Today I am gonna let someone else do the work for me for my 2nd installment of Wisdom Wednesday. I am fresh out of wisdom this morning and I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing my thoughts! Haha! I grabbed my daily devotional book that I read every morning before work. It focuses on one verse and has a little story that brings it all home. It's a good way to start my day and its quick and easy to do, especially on rushed mornings. So, I am going through and grabbing the first few devotionals from Proverbs that I come across.

"Good people will be guided by honesty; dishonesty will destroy those who are not trustworthy." ~Proverbs 11:3

"Charles Swindoll correctly observed, 'Nothing speaks louder or more powerfully than a life of integrity.' Godly men and women agree. Integrity is built slowly over a lifetime. It is a precious thing---difficult to build but easy to tear down. As believers in Christ, we must seek to live each day with discipline, honesty, and faith. When we do, at least two things happen: integrity becomes a habit, and God blesses us because of our obedience to Him.

Living a life of integrity isn't always the easiest way, but it is always the right way. And God clearly intends that it should be our way too." ---CRISWELL FREEMAN from Purpose for Everyday Living

"The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good." ~ Proverbs 15:3

"The thought that someone is watching seldom occurs to us as we go through life. So often, we say what we want and do exactly what we selfishly choose to do. We need to realize that nothing ever escapes the notice of God and nothing ever surprises Him. When we commit our ways to the Lord, everything changes, and pleasing God becomes our priority in life. Because God cares, He wants to bless us with His love and mercy." --JACK COUNTRYMAN from Time with God for Fathers

"Respecting the LORD and not being proud will bring you wealth, honor, and life." ~Proverbs 22:4

"Do you have a healthy, fearful respect for God's power? If so, you are both wise and obedient. God praises humility and punishes pride. That's why God's greatest servants will always be those humble men and women who care less for their own glory and more for God's glory. In God's kingdom, the only way to achieve greatness is to shun it. And the only way to be wise is to understand these facts: God is great; He is all-knowing; and He is all-powerful. We must respect Him, and we must humbly obey His commandments, or we must accept the consequences of our misplaced pride." --CRISWELL FREEMAN from Purpose for Everday Living

Okay, I think three is a good number to stop on. Hope these little nuggets of wisdom spoke to your heart, because they spoke to mine. Ultimately, that's the purpose of Wisdom Wednesday, because we all need some help and guidance!

**On a personal note, I am super excited this morning. My friend Catrina is at the hospital right now having Caden!! I am anxious to get over to the hospital and see her. So say some prayers for her and Caden and for an easy delivery. Hopefully I will have some pictures to post tomorrow! :-)

B is for Barrett and Birthday!

Today marks my nephew's 4th birthday!!! I can't believe he is that old. Seems like yesterday I was down in Panama City at his birth. Makes me want to put a brick on his head for him to stop growing. My mom sent me over a couple of pictures of what he was up to today on his birfday.

He got a new remote controlled boat to play with. He was pretty excited to head down to the creek and play with it from what I hear. Except for the big baby that he calls his father was having more fun with his toy and wouldn't let him play...

Guess there is a four-year-old deep within all of us! Happy Birthday, Barrett!! Sissy loves you!

Random Monday Musings

Well, another Monday morning is here. I have to admit, I'm not really feeling being at work today. But that's pretty typical for every Monday morning. I have a few random things to post about today. Nothing spectacular. So get ready for major randomness...

First off- I have been stalking this car at Publix. It is always there when I go. I really want to know where they got this sticker. Granted, it was ruined by the big ugly "G" on it, but still, I would like to see this sticker in a nice orange and blue ;-) Maybe one day I will run into the owner in the parking lot and ask where they got it. And I know I probably looked half crazy taking this picture, but I didn't really care. That's how I roll...speaking of which, my Gators did get rolled by Alabama this weekend. It sucked, but I was expecting it. I can't complain getting beat by a good program and I guess I have to give Bama props on that one, as much as I hate to.

And speaking of football, I find myself in quite a pickle. I am trying to decide what to do about an upcoming game.

Stacey and I have been planning on going to the AU vs UF game in Auburn for sometime. We have our rooms and tailgate situation all worked out. Unfortunately it is the same weekend as this:

The Historical Society's annual fundraising dinner is that same weekend. They were so generous to offer me and a guest to attend complimentary in consideration for all of my work at the Museum. As you can see, the dinner is at a very beautiful, historic home that was built in 1902. So I am really bummed that it is the same weekend as the big game. The board at the Historical Society have been so very generous and supportive towards me throughout my whole divorce ordeal. It was truly a blessing to have worked with such wonderful, caring people who took care of me at the lowest point in my life. I am still sad that I no longer work there and would love to get to see everyone and catch up with them. So... decisions, decisions. Guess I need to get to deciding what to do, since they need my RSVP!

I had a good laugh yesterday over this:

Potatoes are a major weakness of mine and I had a major craving yesterday for some french fries. When I pulled up to order, I noticed a few new desserts featuring a favorite of Stacey's---Bananas!! Ok, I admit it. Stacey HATES bananas. So I spent $2 on a prank hoping I could get her to take a big bite out of the pie thinking it was pineapple or something. However, my prank didn't go off as planned because before I even opened the bag to give Stacey her special "treat" she asked me "why do I smell bananas?" No fooling that girl or her nose. I did try to force feed her, but that proved a futile attempt. I did try it myself though. Yeah, not a big fan of a nasty banana pie. It would be good, I guess, if bananas were really your thing. I just couldn't get past the mushy banana filling in the middle. Gross.

Moving on along in my randomness...

I really need to work on my game face. I wear my emotions on my face and it gives me away every time. I don't know what it is about Sundays, but they really get to me. I guess its because Sunday was the one day that Joseph and I spent all day together. We would get up, cook breakfast together, go to church, grab lunch, and then hang out all day. I feel alone and divorced the other 6 days out of the week, but Sundays always bring it home. Our Sunday school class is a class devoted to newlyweds and working on the marriage relationship and sitting in a room full of couples next to an empty seat where your husband should be sitting isn't the best feeling in the world. Guess I should change classes, but I love my class, so I'm kinda stuck. And yesterday, just really had me bummed out by the time I got to church. It's a lonely feeling sitting on a pew all by yourself. (and I probably just bummed everyone out with all this, but welcome to divorce. Sorry!) A sweet lady that I had never met before approached me before service. I think she just wanted to sell me some Mary Kay crap at first, but we got to talking. She said when she passed by me that she could tell something was on my mind. So, she felt led to come talk to me. She gave me a few hugs and some encouragement. Later during the service she brings me this:

It truly warmed my heart with her outpouring of love to a complete stranger. It reminded me that is what a church family is all about. To lift each other up, encourage them, and just love them. So, I had a very nice rest of the service with a smile on my face. (it might also been due to the fact that she was amazed that I was 30! haha)

Okay, I told you this was a random post. Cotton stickers, banana pies, weekend plan dilemmas, and church family. Yeah, that's about as random as you can get.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Courageous

I just wanted to post up really quickly about the 4th movie installment from Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany. You may know them from the movies Fireproof and Facing the Giants. Both previous movies were great, btw. I have never watched their first movie, Flywheel, but I'm sure its just as good as the other two movies I have seen of theirs. Facing the Giants  was about a football coach who wasn't winning on the field or at home. It was a really inspirational movie! Fireproof was a great success and had to do with a struggling marriage and divorce and how God can ultimately be the glue to restore and redeem a marriage. This go around, Courageous is focusing on families, namely being a good father and parent. I am excited to see. Here is the synopsis of what its about:

Honor Begins at Home

Four men, one calling: To serve and protect. As law enforcement officers, Adam Mitchell, Nathan Hayes, David Thomson, and Shane Fuller are confident and focused. Yet at the end of the day, they face a challenge that none of them are truly prepared to tackle: fatherhood.
While they consistently give their best on the job, good enough seems to be all they can muster as dads. But they're quickly discovering that their standard is missing the mark.
When tragedy hits home, these men are left wrestling with their hopes, their fears, their faith, and their fathering. Can a new found urgency help these dads draw closer to God ... and to their children?
Filled with action-packed police drama, COURAGEOUS is the fourth film from Sherwood Pictures, the movie making ministry of Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany, Georgia. Riveted moviegoers will once again find themselves laughing, crying, and cheering as they are challenged and inspired by everyday heroes who long to be the kinds of dads that make a lifelong impact on their children.
Protecting the streets is second nature to these men. Raising their children in a God-honoring way? That's courageous.
In Theaters Now

Courageous: The Movie



Anyways, just wanted to throw that out there because the movie comes out today. It looks like the movie has a full release, so it should be playing all across the country.

Wisdom Wednesday

I thought it might be nice to do a post every Wednesday titled, what else? Wisdom Wednesday!! If you are like me, you struggle with daily decisions, well daily. What better way to gain insight than to seek the one who can grant that wisdom. So I will be posting up scriptures from Proverbs on Wednesdays. I have learned to not depend on my own understanding because leaning on myself, I can be led astray very quickly. If I had spent a little more time on my knees and not being arrogant enough to think I could handle my own life myself, then I wouldn't be in the situation I am in now. You feel me? So, let's get started. No better place to start than chapter one.

Purpose and Theme (Proverbs 1:1-7)

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

2 for gaining wisdom and instruction;
for understanding words of insight;
3 for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
doing what is right and just and fair;
4 for giving prudence to those who are simple,
knowledge and discretion to the young—
5 let the wise listen and add to their learning,
and let the discerning get guidance—
6 for understanding proverbs and parables,
the sayings and riddles of the wise.
7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge,
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

The first 7 verses lay the foundation about what the book of Proverbs is all about. To help gain wisdom and insight, receiving instruction about prudent behavior, and doing what is right, just, and fair. I love, love, love verse 7. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge but fools despise wisdom and instruction." Sometimes I don't think that we have a healthy fear of God. I think we get a false sense of security in the grace extended to us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. God does discipline His children. There will always be consequences for our actions, especially if we claim to be a child of God. God, like any father, wants His children to be a reflection of Him and when they act up, it is His duty as a father to put them back in line. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be a fool, especially when it comes to matters of God.

I have been struggling with some stuff and that's why I have been in the book of Proverbs. I don't want to make any missteps in my life or any decisions that I make, so I have been prayerfully seeking God's word and letting that wisdom speak to me. Because sometimes we don't know the right way to go especially when every way seems like the wrong way no matter what direction you take, but God knows and He will help lead and guide you.

Wisdom’s Rebuke (Proverbs 1:20-33)

20 Out in the open wisdom calls aloud,
she raises her voice in the public square;
21 on top of the wall she cries out,
at the city gate she makes her speech:
22 “How long will you who are simple love your simple ways?
How long will mockers delight in mockery
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Repent at my rebuke!
Then I will pour out my thoughts to you,
I will make known to you my teachings.
24 But since you refuse to listen when I call
and no one pays attention when I stretch out my hand,
25 since you disregard all my advice
and do not accept my rebuke,
26 I in turn will laugh when disaster strikes you;
I will mock when calamity overtakes you—
27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,
when disaster sweeps over you like a whirlwind,
when distress and trouble overwhelm you.
28 “Then they will call to me but I will not answer;
they will look for me but will not find me,
29 since they hated knowledge
and did not choose to fear the LORD.
30 Since they would not accept my advice
and spurned my rebuke,
31 they will eat the fruit of their ways
and be filled with the fruit of their schemes.
32 For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
33 but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Can I just say "ouch" to those verses? I think those verses speak for themselves. I don't think I want to be the one who disregards God's wisdom. Do you?


Let me make something perfectly clear. I don't claim to be some righteous person. I am a sinner who can sin with the best of them. I need Christ's grace each and everyday. I don't have all the answers and I don't live righteously every moment of every day. I mess up. I make bad choices. I make mistakes. I'm not perfect. I am an imperfect person living in a fallen world, who needs God's guidance each and every day. I struggle with living in the flesh every single day. That's basically what this post is about. It's about me not having all the answers. I don't always know what is the right decision to make. Sometimes I am so very clueless over what to do that it is overwhelming. That's why I have been in the book of Proverbs, reading, studying, and praying over the scriptures. Its something that I should have been doing my whole life, but then again, I didn't really have that healthy fear of the Lord. It wasn't until calamity came into my life that I made the realization that I am nothing apart from Christ. When left to our own devices, we make horrible decisions. So I am just trying to change that now. No better time to start than the present. Who's with me?