January Reflection for a Peace Filled Haven

January is the start of a new year. It is time to stop and reflect on what worked for you last year and what you would like to accomplish this year. In this blog, you will find a sample routine that I use to help organize my haven. I shared this in an earlier blog but I thought January was a great time to reassess. Use this sample to come up with your own daily, weekly, and monthly routine to help set a calm and positive tone in your haven.

     Daily Schedule 

                     Will set a positive tone for the day.

 Morning Routine

Do a quick mindfulness session spending time in prayer to start the day with a clear mind and provide guidance from our Heavenly Father.

  - Breakfast/lunch packed for hubby

-Plan my day by making a To-Do list

-Shower (if not done the night before) -Wash face, comb hair, and put makeup on.  While putting on makeup I spray the shower and the toilet down to soak.

- After I'm done with my makeup and hair, wipe the counter, mirror, shower, and swish the toilet.

 -Make my bed.

 -House walk-through- pick up any clutter, do a quick 5-minute decluttering session in one small area, do dishes, and wipe counters, sink, and stove.

  -Breakfast and Bible time for me* see below

   -Exercise

   -Relax (Do Not skip this very important!!!)

 Bible time

1. Read a “red letter” verse

2. Read a verse from Psalms or Proverbs

3. A daily bible study deep dive into a study of your choice. (Bible, devotional, sermon, podcast you choose. You can do 10 minutes a day to break down a larger reading, video, or podcast. Meditate on what spoke to you.)

Weekly Chores (if a workday do the weekly chores after work or move to another day. Life can be unpredictable, and it's important to adapt as needed. Be flexible! )

  Monday Laundry, Inventory of the refrigerator and the pantry Make a weekly menu and grocery list

 Tuesday Market /errands  

 Wednesday Dust  

 Thursday Floors mopping and vacuuming

  Friday Bake and cook

 Saturday FUN DAY Catch up on anything that didn’t get done. Do crafts, sewing, anything you choose.

 Sunday Rest (DO NOT SKIP REST!!!!)

Evening Routine  

-Make dinner

-Pack lunches from leftovers as I put the food away

-Do the dishes, wipe the counters, and table.

-Vacuum the floor in the eating area/kitchen if needed.

 -Relax (Do Not skip this!!!)*see below

Ending the day with relaxation is crucial. You might want to include a short reflection or read a short devotional to wind down and reflect on the day's achievements.

Monthly Routine

One or more hours a week as needed to deep clean an area. Do this as time allows. Be flexible, you can skip a week if needed or complete a big monthly task such as painting a room. The Choice is Yours.

 January living room /family room

 February Bathrooms

 March Bedrooms  

 April Kitchen  

 May porches /garage  

 June living room/ family room

 July Bathrooms  

August Bedrooms

 September Kitchen  

 October Catch up on anything you may have missed, or porches and garage if needed.

 November and December Holiday planning, decorations, and enjoyment

Well Done Good and Faithful Servant

Sometimes, I wonder what heaven will be like. When I get there, what will my job be? What will my place that He's prepared for me look like?

Then I realized that is not my concern. My concern is right now. God has placed me here. Daily, I need to focus on fulfilling my assignment. Daily, my job is to glorify Him. Bringing His glory at my home, at my job, or meeting the stranger on the street. Let my hands and my feet complete each assignment well. May I show God's light as I do the dishes, as I clean the floors, as I give each person I meet a smile.

My prize, my great joy, will be to hear "well done good and faithful servant. "

Teas That Keep Our Haven’s Healthy

“Heal me Lord and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved.” Jeremiah 17:14

With the entrance of fall so is the entrance of cold and flu season. I love the brisk cold mornings and the warm breezes in the afternoon during the fall. Fall ushers in apple cider, donuts, pumpkin lattes, and warm soups.  Everything that makes us feel cozy. But fall also can usher in coughing, sneezing and runny noses. As the keeper of the haven; our job is to ensure everyone is healthy in our haven.

I have found keeping healthy teas in my heaven helps everyone stay healthy. Below you will find some healthy teas recipes to keep you and your family healthy.

1.       My healthy tea (keep this in your refrigerator to sip on anytime during the day).

5 herbal tea bags of your choice added to 3 cups of boiling water. Steep for 5 minutes.

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

2 teaspoons turmeric with a sprinkle of black pepper

Juice of one lemon

Honey to taste

Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2.       Spice tea

1 cup of boiling water

2 Oolong tea bags

1 Rooibos Red tea bag

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Honey to taste

Steep for 5 minutes

3.       Hibiscus Spice tea

1 Cup boiling water

2 Hibiscus tea bags

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Steep 5 minutes

Add honey to taste

4.       Bedtime tea

1 cup boiling water

2 Chamomile tea bags

½ teaspoon ginger

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Juice of ½ a lemon

Honey to taste

You may notice many of the ingredients are the same. This is because of their medicinal properties. I strongly believe God has cures for ailments we may encounter. There are times we need traditional medicine, but using herbs God has provided can help us stay healthy and avoid many illnesses.

Oolong tea- Is an antioxidant which may help decrease inflammation. Oolong may stop cancer growth, lower blood sugar, as well as protect the heart.  

Cinnamon- Ceylon cinnamon is known as the “true” cinnamon, so make sure you are using Ceyon cinnamon. It has the following benefits: It is loaded with powerful antioxidants, including polyphenols which can lower inflammation. Cinnamon may reduce triglyceride, cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure and lower blood sugar levels. It may be beneficial against various kinds of infection, including bacterial, fungal and viral.

Apple Cider Vinegar- May aid in weight loss, reduce cholesterol, and lower blood sugar levels. It may also fight bacteria.

Ginger- Ginger has been used to aid digestion, decrease nausea, and may help with weight loss.  Ginger helps fight bacterial, viral and fungal infections, helping fight the flu and common cold. It may lower blood sugar levels. Ginger may have anticancer properties because of the various antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds in it. It may help prevent degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, Osteoarthritis and multiple sclerosis.

Turmeric- It is an anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. It may decrease risk of heart disease,  help treat cancer and Alzheimer’s. People have received relief from arthritis pain using this herb. Turmeric may also help with depression and anxiety.

Lemon-Lemons may support heart health, weight control, and digestive health. The  Citric acid found in lemons may help prevent kidney stones.  Because lemons are high in vitamin C they help the body absorb iron which will help prevent anemia. Some studies have shown that taking vitamin C before cold symptoms start may shorten the duration of symptoms.

Rooibos Red tea - This tea is caffeine-free and rich in antioxidants. Because of the high antioxidants, some potential health benefits may include protection against cancer, heart disease, and stroke.

Hibiscus tea – Hibiscus tea may help lower cholesterol and help with weight loss.  The antioxidants in Hibiscus may help to keep the liver healthy. It has been shown to fight bacteria.

Chamomile tea-Chamomile tea may help with blood sugar, improve your immune system, help with insomnia, and help with anxiety.

There will always be colds and flu but eating a well-balanced diet, exercising, getting enough sleep along with incorporating good teas can help you fight off these unwanted illnesses.

I pray you and your haven have an enjoyable fall and stay healthy.

Keepers of Your Haven

When I was first married the hardest thing for me to learn was how to manage my home. As women, we are called to be managers of our home. This means keeping it clean, laundry done, breakfast, lunch, and dinner provided for my family. We wear many hats as the manager of a home.  We are housekeepers, chefs, clothes cleaners, teachers, gardeners, seamstresses, nurses, counselors and so much more.

When I go on vacation seeing people cleaning the hotel lobby, arriving at a room with fresh linen, clean towels, and everything so inviting. Going to the restaurant I smell the delicious food being prepared receiving a meal that looks and tastes so yummy that I post a picture and review it immediately on social media.  I’m reminded this is my job in my home. I am to create a haven for my family.  Our home should be as inviting as that hotel. The meals I prepare should smell, look, and taste so yummy my family wants to post them on social media.

For me, I didn’t have a clue how to make this happen. When I was first married there was no internet or YouTube. Luckily, young women today have these tools. The Internet is a great place to start to learn. You can learn how to be a good housekeeper, gardener, chef, seamstress, and more using the Internet as your teacher.

Years later, after the internet, I heard about Flylady and began to use this system. it wasn't perfect, but it helped me a lot.  Recently, I heard about Clean Mama. I liked this system also. I was able to combine the parts I liked from both to make a system that worked for me. The zones of Flylady were overwhelming for me. Using the monthly focus, from Clean Mama, on a different area of my home to deep clean and unclutter was much less overwhelming for me than the zones.

I love getting up and getting ready with hair and makeup each day.  Also, going through each room of my home picking up and resetting it each day as recommended by Flylady. For me doing this in the morning not the evening worked best.  I also liked wiping down all the counters in my home daily as suggested by Clean Mama to attain an inviting environment in my home.

If you struggle with maintaining your home the way you want. Go to Flylady and Clean Mama study each routine and decide what routine will work for you. You may completely like one system and go with it. You may combine the two to make your routine. Either way, find a routine that works for you making your home run smoothly and creating a haven for you and your family.

This is the schedule that has worked for me.

Daily Schedule 

Daily reset

Weekly chores

work-hospital (I work outside the home)

work-blog/vlog

Evening routine

 Monthly Refresh- One or more hours a week as needed. (The more you do this the less you will have to tackle monthly)

Daily Reset

-Shower (if not done the night before)

-Wash face, comb hair, and put makeup on.

- While putting on makeup I spray the shower and the toilet down to soak. Then wipe the counter, mirror, shower, and swish the toilet after I'm done with my makeup and hair.

-Make my bed

- Breakfast/lunch packed for hubby

-House walk through- pick up any clutter, and dishes quickly putting everything back where it should be. Loading the dishwasher or washing the dishes if needed then wiping off the counters and the sink.

-Breakfast and Bible time for me

-Exercise

-Relax

Weekly Chores, writing blog/vlog, or workday outside the home (if a workday do the weekly chores after work or move to another day. Be flexible! Rome wasn’t built in a day.)

Evening Routine

-Make dinner

-Pack lunches from leftovers as I put the food away

-Do the dishes, wipe the counter, and table. Vacuum the floor in the eating area/kitchen if needed.

-Relax

Weekly Chores

Monday

Laundry

Inventory of the refrigerator and the pantry

Make a weekly menu and grocery list

 Tuesday

Market /errands

 Wednesday

Dust

 Thursday

Floors mopping and vacuuming

 Friday

Bake and cook

Saturday

Catch up on anything that didn’t get done.

Do crafts, sewing, anything you choose.

 Sunday

Rest

 Monthly refresh (Do this as time allows. Be flexible, you can skip a week if needed, or complete a big monthly task such as painting a room.)

 January

living room /family room

 February

Bathrooms

 March

Bedrooms

 April

Kitchen

 May

porches /garage

 June

living room/ family room

 July

Bathrooms

 August

Bedrooms

 September

Kitchen

 October

Catch up on anything you may have missed, or porches and garage if needed.

 November and December

Enjoy Your Holidays!

I hope you all will spend time looking at different cleaning routines. Once you get into your fit you will find cleaning is easier because things won’t pile up where you can't see light at the end of the tunnel. Be blessed everyone and I pray blessings over each of your havens.

SNACK: CHIPS VS FRESH

Do you find yourself reaching for chips? You know you should eat fresh but you’ve got so much to do, there is no time to fix a healthy snack.

This happens to me all the time. I want to eat healthy but I’m pressed for time. So, I eat some chips, a candy bar, or the trying-to-be somewhat healthy fruit bar. Hum, the fruit bar is loaded with sugar. When trying to decrease inflammation, freshness is always the best.

Life happens. But when life is slow, prepare your healthy fast foods. Put time aside each week to make your quick foods. Make slices of carrots, cucumbers, and bell peppers. Putting sliced veggies into mason jars helps them to stay fresh longer.  Keep fresh fruits ready to go. Wash them as soon as you bring them home from the market. This way they are prepared to grab when a quick snack is needed.  With a little planning staying away from processed foods becomes easy.

EASY SNACKS TO PREPARE:

1.       Sliced carrots, bell peppers, or cucumber with hummus dip.

2.       Cheese cubes with fruit

3.       Apples with peanut butter ( my favorite)

4.       Olives and nuts

5.       Nuts with dried fruit

6.       Hard boiled eggs

Now that you have some whole food snack ideas make it fun. Tackle your snack cravings with a tackle snack box.

1.       Get a new small tackle box

2.       Now place different whole food items in the compartments

It’s that easy! Kids will love going to the tackle snack box to pick their favorite snack.

Check out our YouTube channel for the video Chips vs Fresh for a fruit salad recipe. https://youtu.be/WkXD4ONwH2I?si=SP9mrjA4B1cqPNQ8

Please comment below on good snack ideas to stay anti-inflammatory.  Iron sharpens Iron so helpful comments are always welcome. Be blessed, my friends.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY-DOES YOUR BODY HAVE INFLAMMATION?

Our weekly encouragement discussed feeding our spirit the word of God to stand strong against the enemy. Just as our spirit needs the word of God our body also needs good nutrition. It's easy to consume junk food, but our bodies crave whole foods for energy. After being diagnosed with several ailments are found they all had one root cause…. inflammation. Inflammation is a major root cause of diseases today, so let's combat it with an anti-inflammatory diet!

 Some diseases, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences,  caused by inflammation include:

• Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis

• Cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure and heart disease

• Gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis

• Lung diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma

• Mental illnesses, such as depression

• Metabolic diseases, such as Type 2 diabetes

• Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease

• Some cancers

The Cleveland Clinic list includes the following:

·        Autoimmune diseases: Such as lupus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, and ankylosing spondylitis (AS)

·        Heart inflammation: Such as pericarditis, endocarditis, and myocarditis

·        Other inflammatory diseases: Such as giant cell arteritis (GCA) and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) 

As I researched this I also saw osteopenia and osteoporosis is also caused by inflammation.

With the root cause of so many diseases being inflammation, I have decided to attempt to change my diet to anti-inflammatory.  Or at least add more anti-inflammatory foods rather than inflammatory ones.

John Hopkin reports also that inflammation can result from exposure to environmental toxins, a lingering virus, aging, or chronic stress.

So, what are inflammatory foods? Mainly all processed foods and sugar. 

·        Red meat, such as steak and hamburgers

·        Processed meat, such as bologna, bacon, sausage and lunchmeat

·        Commercial baked goods such as snack cakes, pies, cookies and brownies

·        Bread and pasta made with white flour

·        Deep-fried items such as French fries, fried chicken and donuts

·        Foods high in added sugar, such as candy, jelly and syrup

·        Sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, bottled or canned tea drinks, and sports drinks

·        Trans fats, found in margarine, microwave popcorn, refrigerated biscuits and dough, and nondairy coffee creamers.

·        Cooking methods can make a difference as with deep frying or grilling causes more inflammation

So how should I cook to reduce inflammation?

 Bake, steam, or fast stir-fry.

So what sweeteners are anti-inflammatory?  From my research, I found the following:

·        Monk Fruit

·        Honey

·        Maple syrup pure

·        Stevia

I have used a monk fruit erythritol sweetener for years but in doing this research I found erythritol and xylitol both are associated with increased blood clot formation. This increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke. Before writing this I would have suggested it but not now. I will not be buying this again.

A list of anti-inflammatory foods will be at the end of this post along with some menu ideas. Print these out and take the list to the market with you to bring home the best choices.

I hope you will join me this month as I start a journey of decreasing inflammatory food in my diet.  This will not be easy for me. I like sugar but I am learning to use monk fruit as a substitute, and I do like it. I also use honey and natural maple syrup sparingly. Increasing God's word in my spirit to make my vessel strong will help me with this endeavor. Thanks for joining this life-boosting discussion! As always comment below any gems you have that will help us all grow in our journey as women helping women. Stay strong in the Word and fuel your body with goodness!

Anti-inflammatory food list Foods like fruits, vegetables, and spices contain anti-inflammatory compounds and may help reduce inflammation. The most anti-inflammatory foods may include:

Quick List

berries

fatty fish

broccoli

avocados

green tea

herbal teas

peppers

mushrooms

grapes

turmeric

extra virgin olive oil

dark chocolate and cocoa

tomatoes

cherries

Bread

Sourdough is a good choice for anti-inflammatory as well as rye bread.

Food list

Use the following lists to make your grocery list

Vegetables

artichoke

arugula

asparagus

beets

Bok choy

 Broccoli

 Brussels sprouts

cabbage

carrots

cauliflower

celery

cucumber

fennel

garlic

green beans

green leaf lettuce

kale

onions

mushrooms

leeks

radishes

rhubarb

shallot

spinach

turnips

yellow squash

 zucchini

FRUITS

Apricot

Avocado

 Banana

 blueberries

blackberries

cantaloupe

cherries

clementines

dates

figs

grapes

guava

honeydew melon

 lemons

mango

 nectarine

orange

papaya

pear

peach

pineapple

 plums

pomegranates

raspberries

 strawberries

watermelon

PROTEIN

Beans

bluefin tuna

chicken

clams

crabs

edamame

eggs

flounder

grouper

halibut

kefir

lentils

lobster

nuts

 rainbow trout

salmon

shrimp

soy milk

soy nuts

snapper

striped bass

Tofu

 tuna

GRAINS

Barley

Basmati rice

black rice

 brown rice

buckwheat

einkorn flour

mullet

oats

rice crackers

sorghum

sourdough bread

spelt flour

quinoa

 wild rice

STARCH VEGETABLES

acorn squash

butternut squash

Jerusalem artichoke

 parsnip

pumpkin

purple potatoes

red potatoes

spaghetti squash

sweet potatoes

yams

HERBS

ashwagandha

basil

black pepper

cardamom

cayenne pepper

cilantro

cinnamon cloves

cumin

 fennel

fenugreek

ginger

garlic

mint

oregano

parsley

 Rosemary

sage

 Thyme

 turmeric

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY SWEETS

·       70% or greater dark chocolate (sparingly)

·       Whole Fruits

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY BEVERAGES

·       Water

·       Tea – Green, White, Oolong and Herbal Teas (or, try this recipe for a delicious, anti-inflammatory Golden Milk Latte aka Turmeric Tea!)

·       Red Wine (sparingly)

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY BREAD

• Sourdough

• Rye

The Mediterranean diet is very close to an anti-inflammatory diet. You can look up Mediterranean diets for menu ideas also.

 Menus Ideas

Breakfast

1.    Oatmeal with cranberries, cinnamon and walnuts

                      Sourdough toast

                      Herbal tea or coffee

2.    Greek Yogurt (try my easy homemade yogurt see the YouTube video below)

                      https://youtube.com/shorts/KllW7kVhREQ?si=Va8lcAbgcjKVYBz8

                      with fruit and nuts

                      Herbal tea or coffee

3.    Omelet with mushrooms, onions, bell pepper, tomatoes and cheese

                      Sourdough toast

                        Fruit

                       Turmeric tea

4.    Oatmeal with cinnamon, blueberries, flaxseed or nuts

Turmeric tea

5.    Scramble eggs with sauteed onion, bell pepper, and mushrooms

Sourdough toast

Herbal tea or coffee

 LUNCH

1.    Salad with salad greens, tomatoes, onions, bell peppers and cottage cheese with olive oil vinaigrette

Fruit and nuts

2.    Tuna or Chicken salad on a bed of lettuce

Tofu squares with Hoisin sauce

Fresh fruit

3.     spinach salad with strawberries

Yogurt with fresh fruit drizzled

 with honey

4.    Hummus with vegetable slices

Cheese and apple slices

5.    Bone broth soup

Sourdough bread and butter

Yogurt with nuts and fruit

DINNER

1.    Roast chicken

Green beans

Scalloped apples with cinnamon

2.    Parmesan fish

Baked sweet potato

Salad

3.    Cornish hen

Sauté zucchini

Buttered red potatoes, cabbage and carrots

4.    Caesar salad with grilled chicken

Vegetable bone broth soup

5.    Broiled salmon with balsamic glaze

Sauté spinach with parmesan cheese

DESSERT CHOICES

1.    Fresh fruit

2.    Homemade ice cream made with monk fruit or honey

3.    Peanut butter and apples

4.    Yogurt and fruit

5.    Dates stuffed with cream cheese

                    SNACK CHOICES

1.    Nuts

2.    Greek yogurt

3.    Hummus

4.    Sliced bell peppers, and carrots with hummus or guacamole

5.    Cottage cheese with fruit

I hope this has given you a start. I will post the recipes on the recipe page.  I hope this will bless you. Until next month be blessed and be a blessing to someone.

Making Memories with Grandchildren

Some of my fondest memories were going to my grandparents’ home. I love listening to my grandma's stories of her childhood. She would tell me stories of how she could shoot better than any of her brothers. When they went hunting and her brothers were not able to get an animal her father would call on her to get the job done. My grandmother was very proud she could shoot better than any of the boys. This is why I loved watching shows like” Little House on the Prairie” it reminded me of her stories. Whenever I visited her, it was guaranteed that breakfast would not be bacon and eggs or cereal but instead White Castle hamburgers with a danish from the local bakery. These memories have had a definite impact on me. To this day one of my favorite comfort foods when I am feeling very down is White Castles hamburgers and a danish.

Making memories with grandkids is so important. These times will help develop children to become who they were created to be. These memories last a lifetime. Each memory becomes a priceless treasure that children hold on to forever.

Here are 7 fun activities to do with grandkids:

1.       Go to a park. Walking, and playing in the playground is a great way to create some fun memories. You are never too old to swing.

2.       The local zoo usually has discounts for seniors.

3.       Restaurants such as Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Dairy Queen, IHOP, and KFC just to name a few. All you need to do is show your ID.

4.       Go shopping but you might need to set parameters before you go. Stores like Belk, Goodwill, Kohl's, Michaels, Ross, and many more offer discounts for seniors.

5.       Cooking day at grandma’s house is fun. Today, most schools no longer offer home economics. Kids often don't get to learn how to cook. Here grandmas can fill in that gap.  What better place for kids to learn how to cook than with grandparents?

6.       Also, if you have sewing, knitting, woodworking, gardening skills, and more it is fun to share your knowledge with the next generation.

7.       Arts and crafts are so much fun. There are many websites with easy craft ideas to do with kids. Pinterest is a great start.  Dollar General has wonderful craft kits to do with kids.

Go to: www.thesenniorlist.com this site has a thorough list of senior discounts.

But what if I don’t live close to my grandkids, how can I make memories?

1.       Facetime is the best invention for long-distance grandparents!

2.       Facetime cooking or sewing with grandma day.

3.       Facetime reading with grandma.

4.       Texting uplifting messages

5.       Best of all…visiting. When your family lives in another state this gives you great vacations! Look to see what fun events are in their area and plan a day to explore with grandma. Many times when we live in an area we neglect to enjoy fun activities around us. When grandparents visit we can enlighten our families about the fun places in their backyard. Also, when they come to visit us check out all the fun places in your area you have neglected to check out.

I hope this gave you some ideas to create memories at your nest with your loved ones. May God bless your nest with love.

Comment below on ideas for creating memories with your grandchildren. Also, comment if there is a topic you would like us to explore.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY

Is there anyone like me who struggles to know what sides to have for dinner? This can be a truly daunting task to come up with 7 days a week 365 days a year! For these next few weeks, I am on the hunt for easy crowd-pleasing side dishes. I got out my cookbook and looked up 4 salad recipes I have to go with an entrée. And if you do not have a recipe binder this is a must to keep all your favorite recipes in. 

I have had these recipes for a long time so I’m not sure where they originally came from.

Salad #1

Apple pecan salad

Lettuce blend of iceberg, spinach and arugula  chopped

2 Chopped apples of your choice

 ½  Cup Dried cranberries or how many you like. I tend to like a lot.

½ Cup Honey roasted pecans

Feta or blue cheese either will work

Can add grilled, fried, or blackened chicken to make this an easy entrée

Salad #2

5 Cup Salad (my kids loved this when they were little)

1 Cup mini marshmallows

1 Cup drained pineapple

1 Cup coconut

1 Cup sour cream

1 Cup mandarin oranges

Mix together and refrigerate 6 or more hours

Salad #3

Cucumber tomato salad

1 large tomato slice thin and each sliced in half

1 yellow onion sliced in thin strips

1 large cucumber sliced thin

Salt and pepper to taste

Drizzled with either olive oil and vinegar or a vinaigrette dressing

Salad #4

Broccoli Raisin Salad (This recipe came from my Lazarus cookbook)

1 Cup Mayonnaise

½ Cup sugar

1 tbsp. vinegar

2 bunches of fresh broccoli cut into floret

½ pound bacon fried and chopped

1 small onion diced small

7 ½ 0z box raisins

Dressing:

Mayonnaise, sugar and vinegar mixed.

Salad:

Combine the remaining ingredients then pour on the dressing.

Chill before serving.

May God bless each of you this Mother’s Day and this week on your journey to a peaceful haven.

 “Iron sharpens Iron so and one man sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

If anyone has a good side dish recipe, please share it below.  

THE EMPTY NEST

I am constantly looking for blogs and YouTube videos to share that would be helpful for the empty nest. I feel like this is the forgotten season of a woman’s life. I hope this site will uplift and bless you as you journey through this exciting season. I try including all women in all seasons on this page.

We start with the baby staying up all night. We wonder if the baby getting enough to eat, is baby hurting, and why is the baby crying. We think if I can just get through this stage, I will have motherhood accomplished. Then it’s the trying twos. Wow this takes such patients, but I will persevere. School age begins.  We think I made it through infancy, and the toddler stage things will now settle. Wrong! There are activities, schoolwork, kids learning to get along with others in their world; the list goes on and on. We persevere, after all, this is my child, I can and will do this. Before you know it high school starts. Things will settle now. Wrong! That young lady or man now has their own opinions. Often you may wonder why in the stages of infancy and toddlerhood you taught them to talk. You wonder why in the early school years you spent so much time teaching them to think for themselves. Now if they would just listen to you, since of course, you know best. Then there is teaching to drive.  You ask yourself why there's not a break on the passenger side. But they learned to drive, and they remember what you taught them. They start to put into practice what you taught them. And now they are living on their own and your nest is empty.

  We have persevered and made it. We have the honor badge of being an empty nester. My goal is to share ideas for not only the season of motherhood but also grandmotherhood. As women we should strive for new adventures in every season. Though encouragement of each other, laughter, and sharing ideas we will strengthen and sharpen one another. No matter what season we are in we will continue to make a difference in our communities.

“Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding” Job 12:12

I encourage each of you to share concerns, ideas and triumphs on this page. “As Iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 287:17

Be blessed my friends.

PEACE FILLED HAVEN

Peace in our day. How can we obtain this and keep this throughout the day?

If you’re a single woman, a married woman, a woman working outside the home, or a woman who works inside the home we all have trials that come daily to steal our peace. Keeping a haven of peace can be a daily task.  Keeping our peace does not have to be an impossible task. We need to constantly remind ourselves to keep focused on the good God puts in our lives.

True peace and true joy only come from God. When we begin each day focused on God and end each day focused on Him then true peace is easier to achieve. True peace comes from the inside. Philippians 4:7 tells us, “And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” We may not understand what is happening in our lives but when we come and ask God to guide us, to help us then we can have peace knowing the One we serve is still in control. He works for the good of those who love Him. And He is holding us in the palm of His hand.

When you feel your peace is being threatened, then focus on the good. Start actively counting all the ways God has blessed you in the past. Remind yourself He is for me, He is faithful and has me in the palm of His hand. I am His daughter. Every good parent here on Earth tries to do good for their children. How much more will God almighty do for you, His daughter? Read Matthew 7:9-11 be encouraged by what Jesus says in that scripture.

Uplift yourself!

1.       I am a daughter of the Most High.

2.       His love for me is everlasting.

3.       He has blessed me in the past by ……remind yourself of His blessings.

Start each day with Him and end each day with Him.

Morning Prayer to start with Him.

Good morning God, thank you for this wonderful day. Be my guide and my protector. Keep my peace as you hold your daughter in the palm of your loving hands.

Amen

Evening Prayer to end each day with Him.

Goodnight God, thank you for your guidance today. Thank you for keeping me in peace. Thank you for being a wonderful and caring father. I love you, Lord.

Amen

Please comment below on how you have found to keep your peace during the day. As always comment on any subject you would like Keepers of Our Haven to find more information on.

Until next month be blessed.

WOMEN TO WOMEN

This blog is for women to share whatever is on their hearts. It doesn't matter if you're 18 or if you're over 88 this is all about us as women. This blog is based on Proverbs 31. And let me say this from the very beginning proverbs 31 is our template. Proverbs 31 is the perfect template. We, however, are by no means perfect. But we should always strive to be the best that we can be. Many women feel that they are failing if they cannot be this perfect Proverbs 31 woman. Let me put your mind at ease none of us are. God does not expect us to be perfect. He loves us even with our imperfections. But he does expect us to try to be our best. After all, we represent Him here on Earth and His Kingdom.

I will upload a blog here on this support group page WTW once a month. It will be based on the comments that were posted the month before. Whatever is in your heart I will do my best to find answers on other blogs, and videos to help us all become the best that we can be. There is so much information out there on every subject. It's overwhelming to search everything but that's where this website comes in. We will research to find answers to the best of our ability.

I look forward to our journey together becoming women not of perfection but of excellence.

May God bless each of you this month as each of you glorify Him in your daily lives.

Comment below if there is a concern or subject you would like to know more about.

Also, check out other support groups on this website to learn about things that concern women.