Scrap Wood Turned Decor

Joshua 24:15- As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

This bible verse sign was super easy to make. I had some wood left over from THIS shelf I put on an old wooden window. I painted it white and then used my Silhouette to print off the verse using brown vinyl.

With all the supplies already at home, this project cost $0.00 to make! :)

Something's Cooking Sunday - #4

Welcome to another week of Something's Cooking Sunday! I plan my meals two weeks at a time. To see past menu plans look HERE. Now for the next to weeks..

May 27th-June 2nd

Sunday: Dinner with my parents

Monday: Grilled Italian Chicken; Peas; Corn; Bread

Tuesday: Chili Mac (This site has several other homemade Hamburger Helper meals as well)

Wednesday: Lemon Breaded Tilapia; Cresent Rolls; Green Beans

Thursday: Taco Pasta

Friday: Rehearsal Dinner (Congrats Kaleb & Alison!)

Saturday: Wedding (Congrats Kaleb & Alison!)


June 3rd-June 9th

Sunday: Hamburgers and Fries

Monday: Home Team (To find out more about Home teams and our church look HERE)

Tuesday: Diet Salsa Chicken; Rice

Wednesday: Speedy Ravioli Bake; Bread

Thursday: Cornbread Pancakes; Bacon

Friday: Pepperoni Pizza Wraps

Saturday: Grilled Chicken BLT Sandwich; Chips

Freezing Peaches

**Caution: Do not attempt without your mom! :)

My mom and dad brought me back some delicious peaches from their vacation! I decided to have my mom teach me how to freeze them..and good thing..I wasn't very good at pealing or slicing them my first time. She got almost 4 done in the time I got 1 done. lol

1. Wash the peaches in HOT water. This will help them peal a lot easier.

 2. Peal the peaches with a paring knife.

3. Cut the peach lengthwise and then into thin slices.

4. Once the peaches are sliced, sprinkle with a little Fruit Fresh.

5. Sprinkle with some sugar. (However sweet you want them to be.)

 6. Place in a freezer bag or container and label with name and date.

7. Eat over some vanilla ice cream! :)

* To thaw place on counter or in refrigerator.

To see how to freeze strawberries look HERE.

31 Days of Prayer for Your Husband

Proverbs 31:12- She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.

While on Pinterest, I found this awesome post on 31 Days of Pray for your Husband. 

Often I pray for our marriage, but I don't always think to pray specifically for Derrick and for his role as a Godly man and husband both in his life and our marriage. As wives is not only our responsibility, but our privilege to pray for our husbands. So ladies, let's get started!

Day 1 Pray that your husband will grow spiritually and consider his accountability before the Lord. Pray that he will guard his heart by developing spiritual disciplines—Bible reading and study, prayer, meditation, scripture memorization, etc. (2 Peter 3:18; Prov. 4:23)

Day 2 Pray that your husband’s relationship with God and His Word will bear fruit in his life. Pray that he will be a man of wisdom and understanding, fearing the Lord. (Prov. 3:7, 9:10; Ps. 112:1)

Day 3 Pray that your husband will be humble and quick to agree with God about his sin. Pray that his heart will be tender toward the voice of the Lord. (Ps. 51:2-4; Micah 6:8)

Day 4 Pray that your husband will grow in leadership skills in your relationship—protecting and providing for you. Pray that he will lead you wisely and love you sacrificially, so that God will be glorified in your marriage. (Eph. 5:25-29; Col. 3:19)

Day 5 Pray that your husband will be faithful to his wedding vows. Pray that he will have a desire to cultivate your relationship as a sign of his loyalty and commitment to you, and as a picture of Christ’s love for the Church. (Prov. 20:6; Gen. 2:24)

Day 6 Pray that your husband will love righteousness and hate wickedness, especially the evils of the culture. Pray that he will recognize and avoid wickedness in his own life, and if necessary, take a clear, strong stand against evil. (Prov. 27:12; John 17:15; 1 Cor. 10:12-13)

Day 7 Pray that your husband will safeguard his heart against inappropriate relationships with the opposite sex. Pray that his heart will be pure and undivided in his commitment to you. (Prov. 6:23-24, 26; Rom. 13:14)

Day 8 Pray that your husband will work hard to provide for your family, to the best of his ability. Pray that the character qualities necessary for a successful career and ministry will be a growing part of his character—persistence, decisiveness, strength, an analytical mind, organizational skills, positive relationships with people, determination, etc. (Rom. 12:11; 1 Cor. 15:58)

Day 9 Pray that your husband handle finances wisely, will have discernment concerning budgeting and investments, and will be a good steward of his money in regard to giving to the Lord’s work. Pray that money will not become a source of discord in your family. (Prov. 23:4-5; Rom. 12:13; Heb. 13:5)

Day 10 Pray that your husband will cultivate strong integrity, and not compromise his convictions. Pray that his testimony will be genuine, that he will be honest in his business dealings, and will never do anything that he needs to hide from others. (Prov. 20:7; 1 Tim. 1:5, 3:7; Eph. 6:10-12)

Day 11 Pray that your husband will have a humble, teachable spirit and a servant’s heart before the Lord. Pray that he will listen to God and desire to do His will. (Prov. 15:33; Eph. 6:6)

Day 12 Pray that your husband will yield his sexual drive to the Lord and practice self control. Pray that your sexual intimacy together will be fresh, positive, and a reflection of selfless love. (Prov. 5:15, 18; 1 Cor. 7:3; Song of Solomon 7:10)

Day 13 Pray that your husband use practical skills to build your family and make wise decisions for your welfare. Pray that he will serve unselfishly. (Gal. 5:13; Phil. 2:3-4)

Day 14 Pray that your husband will speak words that build you and your family, and reflect a heart of love. Pray that he will not use filthy language. (Prov. 18:21; Eph. 4:29)

Day 15 Pray that your husband will choose his friends wisely. Pray that God will bring him men who will encourage his accountability before God, and will not lead him into sin. (Prov. 13:20; Prov. 27:17)

Day 16 Pray that your husband will choose healthy, God-honoring activities. Pray that he will not live in bondage to any questionable habits or hobbies, but that he will experience freedom in holiness as he yields to the Spirit’s control. (1 Cor. 6:12, 10:31; 2 Tim. 2:4)

Day 17 Pray that your husband will enjoy his manliness as he patterns his life after Christ and strong men in the faith. Pray for his physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual strength. (Eph. 3:16; 1 Peter 2:21; 1 Cor. 10:11)

Day 18 Pray that your husband will have an eternal perspective—living in light of eternity. Pray that he will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in his life. (Matt. 6:33; Deut. 6:5; Eph. 5:16; Ps. 90:12)

Day 19 Pray that your husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger, but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses. (Rom. 14:19; Ps. 34:14)

Day 20 Pray that your husband will yield his mind and thoughts to the Lord. Pray that he will not entertain immoral or impure thoughts, and that he will resist the temptation to indulge in pornography. (Prov. 27:12; 2 Cor. 10:5)

Day 21 Pray that your husband will learn how to relax in the Lord and, in his greatest times of stress, find joy and peace in his relationship with God. Pray that he will submit his schedule to the Lord. (Neh. 8:10; Prov. 17:22; Ps. 16:11)

Day 22 Pray that your husband will practice forgiveness in your relationship and with others. Pray that he will recognize any roots of bitterness, and yield any resentment and unforgiving attitudes to the Lord. (Eph. 4:32; Heb. 12:15)

Day 23 Pray that your husband will be a good father—disciplining his children wisely and loving them unconditionally. If he is not a father, pray that he will find a young man to mentor in the things of the Lord. (Eph. 6:4; Col. 3:21; 2 Tim. 2:1-2)

Day 24 Pray that your husband will have a balanced life—that he will balance work and play. Pray that he will fear God, but also gain favor with people he knows at work and church. (Luke 2:52; Prov. 13:15)

Day 25 Pray that your husband will be courageous in his stand against evil and injustice, and that he will stand for the truth. Pray that he will protect you and your family from Satan’s attacks. (Ps. 31:24; Eph. 6:13; Ps. 27:14)

Day 26 Pray that your husband will discover and live his God-given purpose. Pray that he will offer all his dreams to the Lord, and pursue only those goals that will bring God glory and count for eternity. (Jer. 29:11; 1 Cor. 10:31)

Day 27 Pray that your husband will understand the importance of taking care of his body—the temple of the Holy Spirit—for the glory of God. Pray that he will practice self-control by making wise food choices, and get sufficient exercise to stay healthy. (Rom. 12:1-2; 1 Cor. 6:19-20, 9:27)

Day 28 Pray that your husband will be a man of prayer. Pray that he will seek and pursue God in purposeful quiet times. (1 Thess. 5:17; Luke 22:46; James 5:16)

Day 29 Pray that your husband will surrender his time and talents to the Lord. Pray that his spiritual gifts will be manifest in his career, at church, and in your home. (Eph. 5:15-16; 1 Cor. 12:4, 7)

Day 30 Pray that your husband will serve God and others with pure motives. Pray that he will obey the Lord from his heart, and glorify Him in everything. (1 Cor. 10:13; John 7:17-18; Col. 3:23-24)

Day 31 Pray that your husband will recognize the lies of the Enemy in his life. Pray that his attitudes and actions will be guided by the truth as he brings his thoughts into captivity to the Word of God. (John 8:44; 2 Cor. 10:4-5)


Download PDF Version Here. 

Article from Revive Our Hearts 

A Feature!

I was featured on A Diamond in the Stuff for her weekly link party for having the most viewed post during last week's party!!


Check the post out HERE to see some of my thrifty finds!

Be sure to link up your DIYs to her party tomorrow!

1 Thessalonians 16-18: Rejoice always, pray continually,give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Freezing Strawberries

While my parents went on vacation, they left me 1 quart of strawberries they were afraid would go bad while they were gone. Knowing I couldn't eat that many strawberries, I decided to look up a recipe on how to freeze them.

This site has several different ways of freezing strawberries! I decided to go with the sugar pack method. Here is a more detailed recipe I came up with:

1. Wash 1 quart of strawberries under cold water.

2. Remove the stem and any bruised areas.

3.  Slice them in half lengthwise.

4. Place in a bowl and add 1/2 cup of sugar.

5. Mix together gently. 

6. Let sit 15 minutes. The sugar will dissolve and soak up the strawberry juice making a syrup. 

7. Make sure no sugar crystals are left and place in a freezer bag or container.

8. Seal tightly and label with product name and date.

9. Place in freezer.

10. Serve over pancakes, ice cream, etc. 

**To thaw, simply place in refrigerator or on counter.

PDF Version of Recipe: Frozen Strawberry Sugar Pack

Friday Night Date Night

Proverbs 31:18-Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her.

Every Friday night, Derrick and I try to have a date night just the two of us. I think it's so important to set time aside at least once a week where we aren't thinking about other things or doing anything around the house but just having some fun quality time together.

Last night we laid a blanket by our fire pit we got for Christmas and roasted hot dogs and s'mores! It was awesome just being able to sit and talk, eat some yummy food and look up at the stars.

What kind of fun date nights do you like to have?

A Change for Summer..

Summer means...a new look for the old wooden window in the living room!

Here it is for spring..

And now for summer! 

The sand and sea shells are from our honeymoon in the Bahamas!

So is this beautiful picture of the ocean. 

We can't wait until we get to go back there next Summer. Until then, this will have to do! :)

Thrifty Finds

I had been looking for an old wooden crate for awhile. I saw several at a flea market we went to in Belleville awhile back, but they were all over $30! While browsing through the thrift store in Carbondale I found this one under a table..for $2!! Yes, please! :)

I also found this cute little thing for 25 cents at a resale shop. I thought it would make the perfect candy dish!

Psalm 37:4- Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Something's Cooking Sunday- # 3

Welcome to another week of Something's Cooking Sunday! To check out the past menus look HERE and HERE.  Now for the next two weeks...

May 13th- May 19th

Sunday: Leftovers

Monday: Grilled Italian Chicken

Tuesday: Parmesan Crusted Tilapia, Green Beans, Rolls

Wednesday: Quesadillas

Thursday: Steamed chicken, rice and green beans

Friday: Grilled hot dogs & S'mores

Saturday: Taco Pasta

May 20th- May 26th

Sunday: Lemon Breaded Tilapia , Rice

Monday: Chili Mac (This site also has several other homemade Hamburger Helper meals)

Tuesday: Cornmeal pancakes, Bacon

Wednesday: Hamburgers and Homemade French Fries

Thursday: Pasta, Provolone cheesy bread

Friday: Grilled Citrus Tilapia Packets , Brown rice, Green beans

Saturday: Out to eat

A Mother Worth Knowing

 Happy Mother's Day to all of the wonderful mothers and grandmothers out there, especially mine! :)

Derrick's grandma, Derrick's mom, Me, My mom, Derrick's Grandma

*Remembering my grandmas as well :)

While thinking about Mother's Day, I couldn't help but think about one mother in particular, Mary, the mother of Jesus. 

Have you ever wondered why God chose her to be the mother of the Messiah? It's something I had thought about before. How did God choose her and why?

After being told by the angel that she would give birth to the Messiah, this is what Mary prayed:

Luke 1: 46-48 says: 

 “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. For He has regarded the lowly state of His maidservant; For behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed.

This prayer tells us a lot about why God chose her. Mary was very faithful to God and she worshiped Him. It also shows her humbleness. She felt blessed that even though she was a lowly maidservant, God still noticed her and ultimately chose her to be the mother of his Son. Finally, she understands that God has given her a great privilege and she will be called blessed for it. 

John 19:25-27:
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, “Woman, behold your son!”  Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!” And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

Can you imagine standing at the foot of the cross watching your child die not only for everyone else's sins, but for yours too? Mary was not only a faithful woman, but a strong woman. She followed God and offered her child to God. What an amazing mother! 

I hope when I am a mother someday and hope for every mother out there that we can all be like Mary: strong, humble, faithful, followers of God, and most importantly, teach our children to be followers of God too!