Roses & Chocolate Mint

Hello Everyone!  Have you had a busy week?  Boy, where does the time go!  I've finished my last batch of salsa for the season and while it's a bittersweet moment, I'm really glad to put the canning tools to rest.  I've got a batch of muscadines to make into jelly and then I'll be officially done.  Whew!


When I woke up this morning, I had 3 questions on my mind.  I believe it's the topic of our devotional today.

"What is your greatest fear?  What is your greatest need?  What is your biggest dream?"

Now, those are some big questions aren't they!  What I'd like to ask you to do with these questions is to contemplate them for yourself -- don't go outside yourself and fear for your family, need for others or dream for your children.  Ask yourself these questions as if God is asking them to you and only you.

How would you answer the first question?  I'll give you my answer -- my greatest fear at the moment is being homeless.  I could get deep and philosophical and say that I fear living a life that doesn't please God, but having Jesus as my Savior means that my life is lived under grace and I know outside of my relationship with God there is no way to please Him - so I'm doing my best to live to glorify Him in all I say and do.  I'm not perfect, will never be, but I'm trying to be excellent, a good steward and lean on Him as much as I can.  But in the last few years, God has taken me to a level of challenge with Him that has truly rattled my cage at times.  I never thought I had "trust" issues with God until I prayed and asked Him to make me trust Him more.  Oh goodness, has He done that!  I feel as though every earthly rug has been pulled out from under me and there are no security blankets left for me to cling to apart from Him and Him alone.  That's where He wants me to be.  And yet, my greatest fear is being homeless.  Why?  I think it's more than being a property owner.  I think it's more than being out on the streets.  It's really a matter of answering the question - what am I going to do with all this "stuff" in my dwelling that I have at the moment.  I must tell you though, I don't fear being homeless as much as I used to.  A year ago, there would have been no way I could have written this down for others to read.  I couldn't begin to murmur the words.  I couldn't begin to really even process it, because I feared it so.  In rattling my cage in this, God has sifted out the lack of trust I had and has filled my heart with His promises.  He's literally shown Himself to be true so much lately, that it's almost a scavenger hunt in His Word to find the next promise that He'll show me is true.  But you see, it took being very honest with myself at my own greatest fear and letting God work with me through it, to get to this place now.  No, I'm not able to say without reservation that I don't fear that anymore - I'd be lying if I did.  But I also know that God promises to provide for my needs according to His riches in glory and He also says that "all things" work together for good for those who love Him and are called unto His purposes.  (Philippians 4:19, Romans 8:28)  I've seen these reminders in so many places lately - 1 just today and it was simply the book and verse and it didn't register until just now that even then, God was encouraging me to believe His promises are ALL true - not just some of them -- ALL OF THEM!

Ok, so that leads to Question #2 -- What is your greatest need?  If we take Philippians 4:19 and look at it -- the verse says that "My God will provide all my "NEEDS" according to His riches in glory."  What is a need?  How does it differ from a "want"?  Well, a need is vital, necessary, useful, fruitful....a want is selfish, not altogether necessary, useful, but to whom? and may or may not be fruitful.  How so?  Well, consider "sleep" for a moment.  I read just the other day that a person can only go 11 days without sleep.  What happens on day 12 to that person -- death.  Sleep is a need.  It's vital for living, necessary for functioning, useful to heal the body and rest the mind, fruitful in that it makes us more productive and efficient.  A want may be superficial or it may be something totally useful and necessary.  But the thing we have to look most closely in defining whether something is a want or a true need is the heart.  I would LOVE to be more fit and leaner.  But at this point in my life that's more of a want than a need.  Why? Because there are other more pressing things that hold my attention and commitment at the moment.  This may not be so for others.  But I know that every time I've tried to start a weight management program, I've failed either by injury, infection or stress - and after many failures, I've begun to realize that it's more than just the enemy trying to keep me fat.  This is a bigger thing to God than that and He wants me to lean on Him for that process in His time and no one else. 

The Lord promises to provide what we need according to His riches in glory.  If He's the giver, from His riches, then it stands to reason, He's going to determine the need and give according to His plan - not ours.  He's testing me in this daily too.  I've noticed that my shopping addiction and shoe closet isn't what it used to be.  Neither is my decorating need nor my need to be seen and heard.  They weren't real needs -- they were wants to fill the lack of trust I had in God.  What I DID need, was satisfaction with what I have, trust in knowing He would provide clothes, shoes and housing items as I needed them, not just to buy without thinking.  He's also changed my perspective on prayer too.  He's given me the opportunity to pray for His provision over car repairs, bills to be paid, employment for my husband, provision for my Mom, and increase in ministry opportunities for myself to share hope with others.  He saw that my greatest need was to trust Him.  I thought my greatest need was to dig out of a financial hole.  His ways are not our ways.  But He is absolutely trustworthy with our greatest needs - because He will provide them - but the condition is it's according to His riches and not our demands.

Now onto question #3 - What is your biggest dream?  This question is a little different than the others.  But still, I would ask you to be dead-level honest with yourself here.  Don't just answer "correctly" or what you think I'd like to hear.   Remember, God created dreams.  He breathed life into our bodies and inspired us to think outside the box when it comes to His plan for us.  Do you let yourself dream?  Do you ever imagine yourself really living that dream here on earth?  One of my biggest dreams was to own beachfront property, not have to rent it and to live down there 3 to 6 months out of the year.  I love the beach and when I'm there, it's as if I've caught a glimpse of Heaven here on earth.  Another of my greatest dreams was to be a successful singer - on a big stage, making records and singing to the masses.  Both are such selfish dreams.  But their "my" dreams and I'm not going to discount them because I believe that there's something deeply important in what we desire most.  If I were to break down these dreams of mine to the root, what I'd find there is something deeply spiritual.  I'm not patting myself on the back here.  My dream of owning beachfront property at the root is to be in a place I love, so that I can see the beauty of God's creation that I love and so I could be closer to Him and away from the distractions of my regular life...it's not to advertise on some property channel to show off to the world.  The beach is my refuge, my retreat, my place of healing...deeply spiritual to me.  The second dream could appear to be self serving - and I guess on some level it is - but as I've grown closer to the Lord, I've begun to see that at the root of this dream is a deep desire to use the talent that God has given to me to reach as many people as I can and give glory to Him in doing so.  Sure, I love the stage, the spotlights and the music - but there is not a cell in my body who wants the pressure that superstars like Michael Jackson, Elvis, Karen Carpenter, Celine Dion and the like deal (or dealt) with.  I don't think I could deal with it unless God put me there - and if that happened, I KNOW it wouldn't be because of anything I could do on my own. 

Oh, dear sister or brother, please don't think in reading this that I'm writing out of a need to share my "stuff" with you.  I'm certainly not looking for a pat on the back.  What I hope to do in sharing this with you is to be "real and open" as an encouragement for you to do the same.  If we were to let each question serve as one side to a triangle, we'd find a big hollow spot in the middle.  It's how we fill that hollow spot that makes all the difference.  If we put ourselves in the middle, our questions will only be answered selfishly.  If we put someone else in the middle, our questions will never be answered in a manner that satisfies our souls.  But if we are able to put God in the center of all our fears, needs and dreams, then our lives will be full and satisfied....not right away and never completely here on earth - but for all eternity.

Don't be afraid to search your heart, dear friend.  Don't be afraid to ask the hard questions and answer them honestly.  Don't be afraid to dream.  It could be that in addressing these three questions with yourself and with God that you uncover and discover the real you that God has been waiting to reveal...

Oh how He loves you and me.  Oh how He loves you and me.  He gave His life, what more could He give?  Oh how He loves you -- Oh how He loves me -- Oh how He loves you and me....

Be blessed...Amy

Sunflowers & Sweet Tea

Well, we're off and running to a new week!  I hope you enjoyed the weekend!  This weather has been just gorgeous, hasn't it!

For those of you who are new to the blog, it comes in 2 parts - the first is a devotional (Roses & Chocolate Mint) and the 2nd is more tips and tricks with a little encouragement tagged in as well.  Welcome!! I hope you'll subscribe and keep coming back!  Please leave comments as you feel led to do so.


I spent most of this past weekend making salsa.  It's become a little bit famous around here and it's fun to make, although my dear kitchen takes a beating with all that chopping, cooking and canning.  It's worth it though -- that's why one of the main ingredients is LOTS of LOVE!  I've shared the basic recipe with a few folks, but what they don't know is, I'll never give the true recipe away.  I've adapted mine just a little bit to make it more personal and something that unless you have an extremely sensitive palate, cannot be reproduced.  The basic recipe isn't mine.  It came from a lifelong friend who developed it over time herself and I feel quite certain she adds a few touches of her own too!  Isn't that how recipes go though?  In the words of Paula Deen, "A recipe is just a suggestion."


I've got a few other recipes that are my "go to" recipes when I need a sure thing to make that no doubt will be crowd pleasers.  Like the salsa though, I never share my complete adaptations.  Sorry, some things I just like to keep a secret.  :)


Today, I want to share a few decorating tips with you for Fall.  I never spend much on Fall decorations but I like them. I think the reason why is that God's creation provides such beauty and bounty that buying it just doesn't really seem all that necessary.  I do have a few items in my seasonal stash though that I've purchased or made that I truly love.  One thing I enjoy doing is buying fall decor on clearance just as the stores are putting out their Christmas decor.  They have to get rid of it in a hurry so it seems they mark it down more so take advantage of that and purchase some nice artificial swags, leaves, flowers and maybe even a few serving pieces or tableware but don't stockpile - just get a few things and mix it with some of the beautiful things God made.


One item I use from this time of year through Thanksgiving is a burlap table cloth in brown.  I made it to fit my breakfast table (wouldn't use it on a dining room table without a sheet under it.  But my breakfast table has a glass top, so no fear of scratches.  By using brown, I'm able to change out runners, squares, dinnerware and chargers to make my tables very festive and either formal or informal.  I'm also able to use my everyday pattern and make everyday meals just a little more festive.  Adding fresh twigs and fall leaves to a simple vase filled with mums, sunflowers and fall fruits and vegetables (fresh or fake) makes for a gorgeous daily use table.  If you have a round table, just measure the total length of floor to top, top across and top to floor and multiply by 2. Then divide this number by 36 - this will give you the yardage you need for a standard 54" wide fabric. Example:  Floor to top=36, top across = 35, top to floor = 36 --- 36+35+36=107 x 2 = 214 /36.  If you have a square or rectangle table, simply measure the height x 2, length and width and add together then divide by 36 to get your yardage....I usually add an extra 6 to 12 inches for seams, hem, etc., just to be sure I have enough.  Ravel the edges at the bottom for a cute rustic look and don't wash it!  Shake it out good or put in the dryer only -- no guarantees as to what it will look like if you wash it!  Could be a hot mess!


To make your front porch festive longer, use pottery or heavier styrofoam pumpkins mixed with fresh mums and pots of evergreen herbs like rosemary and thyme (thyme will die back in the winter but will return if not allowed to freeze).  When Halloween comes you can switch out your pottery pumpkins for a jack-o-lantern or two and then replace them after Halloween with a more Thanksgiving oriented object or two.  We have a darling turkey that a dear friend made from logs and pine cones that we put out.  The mums are long lasting, but you might need to deadhead them some -- just be sure to keep everything watered.  Typically, fall can be a very dry season.

I've found that keeping my porch/stoop decor fairly simple is much more inviting than getting extremely elaborate mainly because it stays cleaner and what is there is eye-catching and welcoming to a visiting friend or family member.  I also don't really enjoy the scary decor for Halloween.  While I'm not a prude, I just don't want people to be scared when they visit my home.  I would prefer that they feel welcome and loved.  It's just personal preference.  The Lord showed me in His Word many years ago and again recently that Christians just really don't need to align ourselves with anything that represents sorcery, witchcraft, soothsaying (fortune-telling, horoscopes, etc.) or anything having to deal with the occult (Leviticus 19:31, 1 Samuel 15:23, Revelation 21:8, and more) and so I think a jack-o-lantern that smiles and maybe an owl and a scarecrow can celebrate the season without inviting the evil that goes along with it onto our property.  I have all the natural spider webs I can use this time of year so buying fake ones is never necessary! :)  I think if you're going to decorate for Halloween, just be reserved with it - stay away from the blood and gore if you are a Christian - and focus on the beauty of Fall and enjoying the children who "trick or treat" at your home. 

I hope you will give yourself some time to enjoy this most beautiful of seasons.  I've added a verse that stood out to me this evening when I was referencing the witchcraft.  It is just not something that Christian families should play around with -- use wisdom brothers and sisters and judge right from wrong according to God's Holy Word...Have a blessed week!  Amy

Isaiah 47:8-10(NLT)

 ⁸ “Listen to this, you pleasure-loving kingdom,
      living at ease and feeling secure.
   You say, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other.
      I will never be a widow or lose my children.’
 ⁹ Well, both these things will come upon you in a moment:
      widowhood and the loss of your children.
   Yes, these calamities will come upon you,
      despite all your witchcraft and magic.
 ¹⁰ “You felt secure in your wickedness.
      ‘No one sees me,’ you said.
   But your ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ have led you astray,
      and you said, ‘I am the only one, and there is no other.’

Roses & Chocolate Mint

Hello Everyone!  May the Lord bless your day today with grace, peace, hope, wisdom, mercy and joy!  I love this time of year!  There's football in the air, fall is just around the corner and the air seems to be cleaner, the skies seem to be bluer and the weather although still warm, seems to be leveling out for a little bit.  I know we've had some storms and some lightning but all in all -- I love this time of year!

This past Sunday, I woke up very early sensing that I needed to get into the workbook of my current Bible study.  It was one of those mornings where the sun was beaming in and the cat was bathing and the house was loud but nobody (except the cat) was really up and stirring around -- I knew that the Lord wanted to meet me there and He had something He wanted to tell me.  Does this ever happen to you?  I had had a restless night.  Didn't sleep well and the house was hot and I probably had had too much caffeine.  I had worry on the brain about our finances and just couldn't get any peace (this happens from time to time when I think about my circumstances too much and take my focus off of trusting God for provision).  Anyway,  as I began to read through the pages of the workbook and look at the Scripture that was in there, a sense of peace washed all over me.  I felt calm and reassured that God, Creator of this Universe and LORD, Covenant Keeper and Master of all knows exactly where we are, what we are facing and that there is nothing more we can do to change it.  He knows our hearts and He knows the plans He has for us.  All of this came as a reminder as I read His Word.  The focus of our study is the Psalms of the Ascent - 120-134.  They are beautifully poetic, and emotionally written and focusing on them one Psalm at a time, one verse at a time gives such hope and assurance of God's care for His children.

Another thing He showed me was that I needed to slow down.  Not just in the scope of the schedule and timeline of our Bible study but also I need to slow down - period.  The last 3 weeks have been a whirlwind of busy-ness and tonight I found myself exhausted from it.  I thrive on having a lot to do and I love deadlines because it gives me boundaries.  But when I'm so busy that I'm not comprehending what God is trying to tell me, then I'm too busy!

Friends, life passes by so quickly!  I'm sure you'll agree that it seems like just yesterday that you were graduating from high school -- or that your children were little.  It seems like it takes more trips to the salon to get those roots covered more often.  It seems like birthdays come more quickly than once every 365 days, doesn't it!  We compound this speed by rushing around with too much to do or worrying about situations we cannot fix.  We add stress to our lives by becoming over-extended on our commitments and we get frustrated because we just can't get everything done that needs to be done.

I want to challenge you (and me) to slow down.  I want to encourage you (and me) to carve out a little bit of time to enjoy this time of year...enjoy the sunsets, the leaves turning, the birds that land in your back yard on their way to a sunny climate for the winter.  Enjoy some quality time in God's Word and here's the key -- DON'T FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT!!!!!

We are made to worship.  Our lives are not complete unless we worship our Creator.  There are so many ways to worship Him...prayer, singing, dancing, enjoying the beauty of His creation, using your spiritual gifts to bless others, working with others to meet the needs of those less fortunate, going to church, being a part of a small group in Bible study and spiritual growth, giving of your earnings through tithes and offerings...stepping outside your comfort zone to be obedient to a ministry God has asked you to do...

A wise pastor said one time, "If you are too busy to worship, then you're too busy!"  and "If the devil can't make you bad, he'll make you busy!"   Take heed to those words and slow down some.

Being a good steward of our time is just as important as being a good steward of our finances, gifts and talents.  I'm sure some of you are sitting there reading this thinking, "that's easier said than done." and you know what, you are right!  It is easier said than done -- but if one of the fruits of the spirit is self-control - then part of the discipline of self-control involves balancing our time so that we can rest and worship and live abundantly -- not on the fast track to old age and bad health.



When we can learn to ask God to show us what He'd like for us to do and the discipline of waiting on Him to answer - we'll be so much more satisfied in what we do.  I had to learn this lesson the hard way.  (I know you find that shocking! haha)  I was so run down from being "Mrs. Fix-it" that my body wouldn't heal from surgery.  God had been showing me for about a year that I was on a collision course with exhaustion and I needed to slow down - but I didn't listen.  Well, being the hard-headed child that I am, I spent almost a year flat of my back, in the hospital 3 times and nearly dying twice because I wasn't patient enough to let my body heal and because my immune system was shot from being so tired and so stressed out.

I shared with a dear sister today, that I'm learning to listen better when God speaks and when He cautions me now, I'm much more inclined to obey.  I'll spend the rest of my life cautioning others about this so they can avoid the "hard way" that I chose.  If you are in a position right now where you are overextended, exhausted, depressed because you can't get it all done, and find your mood-swings out of control -- it might be a strong message from our dear Father for you to slow down and not just some hormonal issue.

God tells us that He doesn't hide from us.  He says, "If you will seek Me, you can find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13   He also says in John 7:7 "Ask and it shall be given to you, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened unto you."  This doesn't make the Lord a fortune-giver.  These verses show us that God is here - He wants to be involved in our lives and He wants to share our days and our time and He will speak if we'll listen.  When we give ourselves the freedom and time to seek Him - He will answer us with things we cannot even begin to imagine!

I'm in the process of working with a missions organization to prepare for a mission trip next year.  It's something I've never even begun to wish for or thought would ever be possible.  Honestly, I never even thought God would call me out of the country to do any type of missions - but it appears that He is.  About 10 years ago, I was driving home from Atlanta after my very first session with my new voice coach.  I'd been so down-trodden and God had led me to a place of retreat that truly changed my life and restored my joy.  It was at this place that He introduced me to the gentleman who would become my voice coach -- a gift I never imagined would happen.  So after this session, I was driving home, stopped in traffic and in the corner of my eye, I saw what I call a "snapshot" vision.  It was a glimpse of something that I know was from God.  I saw myself and I saw what I know now to be my calling and a piece of my future.  Last night, as I was praying and thanking the Lord for this missions opportunity, He brought me back to that vision.  He showed me that 10 years ago, He gave me a glimpse of it but I wasn't ready then -- and He told me I wasn't. 

So here I am 10 years later, and I'm looking at an opportunity and find it hard to even breathe that God would allow it.  I marvel at how once again, His promises are so true that His plans are more than we could even hope for or imagine.  I stand amazed in His presence and am awe stricken by His goodness.

My current circumstances to an outsider would make them scoff at the idea of this future.  But I see that if God has shown me a glimpse of my future - then HE completely has my present taken care of because if it's not - then there is not a future...Jeremiah 29:11 is absolutely true and so are the rest of His promises.  He stands on His Word and it is alive and it is real and it is absolutely the only truth there is.

I promise when He is ready for me to share the entirety of this opportunity I will - because you might want to be a part of it.  I know you'll want to pray over it with me.  But for now, let this encouragement seep into your soul -- give yourself permission to say no to the good so you can have God's best.  Be willing to turn down an opportunity that you're not called to do so that someone else will have an opportunity to see God's faithfulness in their timid step of faith.

I love you dear brothers and sisters.  Thank you for letting me write my heart to you.  Be blessed - not stressed!  Weekend recipes are on their way!!!!   See ya!  Amy

Sunflowers & Sweet Tea

I'm baaaaaaack!!  Happy Saturday!  As promised I'm bringing you some great tips and recipes for this gorgeous weekend!

Yesterday I spent most all day cleaning my kitchen and downstairs.  My my my how spider webs do collect let alone the day to day "stuff" that my cats bring in on their feet.  I know James and I couldn't be at fault for this!  hehe

I may have told y'all about this tip before but I'm telling you, I think I've found my favorite household cleaner!  Scrubbing Bubbles!  I used it to clean my stainless steel stove -I WISH I had taken before and after pictures -- it looks brand new!  Y'all know I've been canning for most of last month so you can imagine how much grime and stains had gotten into the crevices...ALL GONE!  Now - I didn't cook on it at all yesterday to be sure that all of it had dried and I wiped it down good too so there wasn't any residue - but I've never used a product that cleaned my stove as well as this did.  I also cleaned my sink (also stainless) and the granite counter tops too.  I used it to clean the doors and around the light switches and in any other area that just had more dirt than just the daily stuff.  I'm amazed.  Once I finished that, I took it into the bathroom and cleaned the sinks, toilet seats, and around in there.  It took no time to get it done and everything was left sparkly and clean.  I even sprayed some in the toilet and used the brush in there, too.  I took it outside and cleaned some of the ceramic pieces on my front porch and on the back porch too.  Nice Nice!!

So...this week I kind of got back to my routine of cooking.  I made some simple dishes that took really no time to prep/cook.  They are healthy, don't cost a lot and I hope you'll enjoy them.  I've also added a couple of tailgate snacks for football Saturdays that I hope you'll enjoy!

Chicken Pasta Bake

1/2 box Penne Pasta, cook al dente according to package directions.  Be sure to salt your water!
1 cup of Tyson frozen chicken breast pieces (any flavor is fine - I just used the roasted) - this is the green package -- they come grilled, southwest, teriyaki, roasted, NOT breaded)

2 T. Olive Oil
1 can Artichoke Hearts, quartered (in juice, not oil)
1 small tomato, seeded and chopped medium
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 small bell pepper (or half large)
1/2 T. Greek or Italian seasoning.
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup Chicken broth
Parmesan Cheese (shredded), Shredded cheddar (optional)
Salt, Pepper to taste

Heat Oven to 350F.  Begin cooking pasta.  Heat a large skillet (I used cast iron) with oil until oil ripples.  Toss in shallots and cook to clear and soft, not brown.  Add bell pepper, tomato and garlic and saute' until pepper is bright green.  Add artichoke hearts and chicken.  Add seasoning and salt and pepper and stir well.  Cook until chicken is thawed and begins to brown.  Add Chicken broth to deglaze pan.  Simmer for just a couple of minutes.  Remove pasta from water but don't discard water.   Spray a casserole dish lightly with cooking spray.  Add pasta.  If broth has cooked out of chicken mixture add just a ladle full of pasta water.  Pour this mixture over Pasta.  Scatter frozen peas on top of this mixture.  Scatter Parmesan cheese across the top and a little shredded cheddar cheese too if you wish -- I don't measure - just use what you like.  Place in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes until heated through.  Serve with a tossed salad and some garlic bread or rolls.  Delish!  This is also great as leftovers -- just add a little more cheese and reheat at 300 until heated through.   James said it was "almost too pretty to eat!" and then had two helpings!

Easy Quick Bread

1 ball of pizza dough (ready made or homemade)
Italian Seasoning, Salt, Pepper
1 1/2 T. Olive Oil
1 sliced shallot (thinly sliced)
1 finely minced garlic clove

Heat oven to 425F. Lightly brush a baking stone or pizza pan with olive oil or cooking spray.  Press out pizza dough just shy of the edges.  It's ok if it tears, or is uneven - but just kind of use the tips of your fingers to press indentions into the dough.  Brush generously with olive oil - all over it!  Make sure it's not greasy but well coated - this will make a wonderful crust!  Sprinkle Italian seasoning over dough just to have a light dusting (you'll probably use close to a teaspoon and a half).  Lightly salt and pepper -- very lightly.  Sprinkle shallot over -- make sure that it's not big pieces - but lightly sprinkled all over dough.  And then sprinkle garlic clove over in the same manner. 

Place in HOT oven and watch carefully.  In about 7 to 10 minutes you'll have hot delicious "garlic" strips to serve with your pasta, salad or as a snack with some marinara sauce.  This is sooooo good you'll never want that prepackaged stuff ever again!  HINT:  I sprinkle a little freshly grated Parmesan on top of the bread right when it comes out of the oven -- Oh goodness...delicious!!

This next recipe is an adaptation of one I picked up at Publix.  I tasted the Publix recipe and compared it with my own and both are wonderful!  Here's the link to the original:  http://www.publix.com/aprons/meals/AllRecipes/SimpleMeal.do?mealId=6290&mealGroupId=1000

and here's my adaptation:

Perfect Panko Chicken w/Hummus and Zesty Honey Carrots

juice of 2 limes
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 package of thinly sliced chicken breast cutlets (about 1 lb)
Salt, Pepper to taste
1 1/2 cup ready made roasted garlic hummus (I used Publix brand)
3/4 cup panko seasoned bread crumbs
1 pouch of fresh fettuccine
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups chicken broth + 1 cup water

Place bread crumbs in a shallow dish and add salt, pepper.  Mix well.  In another shallow dish add 3/4 cup of hummus.  Place chicken breast 1 at a time in hummus and coat both sides thinly.  Then move over to bread crumbs and coat each piece well on both sides.  Let sit while you heat oil in pan. 

Cook Chicken in medium hot skillet in small amounts (1 or 2 breasts at at time). These cook quickly so cook about 2 to 3 minutes on each side, to golden brown. Remove from pan and place on a dish or plate. Cover lightly with foil to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat broth and water to cook fettuccine.  I added about a tablespoon of salt to this liquid - bring this to boil.Cook pasta according to package directions and when done, remove from liquid and put in a large bowl.- don't discard - this is a great soup base!  Put a pat of butter on the pasta and toss lightly.

Sauce:
In a small mixing bowl, place remaining hummus, 1/2 of chopped cilantro and the lime juice.  Stir well and set aside.

Put pasta on a platter and then top with chicken. Pour sauce down the middle of all the chicken and then sprinkle remaining cilantro on top to make a pretty presentation.

Zesty Honey Carrots

1 package of crinkle cut carrot chips (fresh) 16 oz.
2 tablespoons honey, 2 tablespoons agave nectar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 T. butter

Place carrot chips in a microwave safe dish.  Cover and microwave on high for 3 to 4 minutes.  Let stand for a couple of minutes.  Remove cover carefully and add remaining ingredients.  Stir well and serve hot.   SO good!!

Serve this meal with sliced warm Cuban bread.  It's great the next day too!! :)

Ok, so you have this wonderful chicken broth leftover - what do you do??

Chicken and Dumplings - quick style!!

1 1/2 cups Tyson frozen Roasted chicken strips (see 1st recipe)
Pasta Broth from Recipe #2
1 package Flour Tortillas
1 to 1 1/2 t. dry poultry seasoning

Bring broth to a rolling boil.  Add poultry seasoning.  Add Chicken - if you want to cut this in chunks, just let it thaw a little bit.  Using a pizza cutter, slice tortillas in half and then cut into strips about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide.  When broth is boiling rapidly toss in chicken and then add tortillas a little at a time making sure they don't stick together.  Let this all cook for about 5 to 7 minutes -- watch tortillas, they'll puff a little bit and then go limp -- they are ready when they turn an opaque white and look soft.  You can pull one out and taste it.  Just before serving, add a little freshly ground pepper.  Taste to see if salt is necessary but it shouldn't be.

Serve with a fruit salad and some hot cornbread!  A great, fast weeknight meal that takes just minutes to make!

Ok - Tailgate snacks...

This is an adaptation of a recipe we got from our friend Sara Boggs.  It's a great tailgate snack and takes absolutely no skill to make at all. 

Snack Attack

1 bag of Chex snack mix - Traditional
1/2 can Honey roasted peanuts
Here's the adaptation:
2 handfuls jalapeno flavored almonds

Pour all into a zippered storage bag and shake to mix.  Serve in a large bowl -- Done! 

Corn and Black Bean Dip or Salad

1 cup frozen white corn (you can use canned, just drain it good)
1 can black beans, washed and drained
2 T. olive oil
1 fresh jalapeno
1 small bell pepper
1 can Rotel tomatos and chilis
1 lime
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1 red onion
1 large garlic clove
Salt, Pepper to taste

Rough chop fresh veggies (peppers, garlic and onion) to small size pieces.  Toss in bowl.  Squeeze lime juice over this mixture and add can of Rotel and cilantro and add salt and pepper. 

Heat a medium skillet with oil.  When ripples, toss in corn and black beans.  Let cook until corn is lightly browned and mix is heated through.  Pour fresh ingredients over corn and black beans and toss together lightly.  Pour this mixture back in bowl and serve.  Great warm as a side dish or with scoopable chips or at room temperature.  Won't need refrigeration until serving is completed.  This is so fresh and good!  Great with hamburgers off the grill!

Ok - so there you go!  Some great recipes to get you going again.  I hope you enjoy them!  We certainly have been...

See ya next week!  Blessings!!!  and oh yeah...Roll Tide!!  Amy

Roses & Chocolate Mint

Hi Everybody!  I hope you are having a good week!  The weather here has been just gorgeous!!

We had a wonderful concert memorial/tribute for the 10th anniversary of the attacks of 9/11.  It was worshipful and honored our military through music and narration.  It was a deeply moving evening.

I wonder if you ever feel frazzled.  Do you ever feel as though there are just not enough hours in the day?  What does it mean to have a balanced life?  Is it even possible?  Do you know anyone who seems to have a balanced life?  Do you wonder how they seem to make it all work? 

For the past couple of years, I've enjoyed leading women in Bible studies that have focused on idolatry, unhealthy relationships, unrealistic expectations, and wilderness living.  Yes, I said, I have enjoyed it.  Here's why.  I, myself, am one of those frazzled females.  I've journeyed through a wilderness that seems as long and wide as the Sahara dessert.  I've discovered that I've made good things idols, I've discovered the unhealthy relationships in my life and I've placed unrealistic expectations on myself due to an addiction to perfectionism.  So, while leading these other women, I've had companions along the way.  It hasn't been an easy journey but oh the nuggets of truth and wisdom we've all gathered as souvenirs!

So how do we find this so called "balanced life"?  I must tell you, I'm still learning but something I've found along this journey is that when my prayer life, Bible study and overall relationship with the Lord is off balance - the rest of my life is berserk!  In Matthew 6:33 Jesus tells us to "Seek first the Kingdom of God and all His righteousness and all these things will be added to you."  If we look back a couple of verses we can find out what "things" Jesus is talking about...clothes, food, provision--things we worry about.  But if you read the whole chapter you can see that Jesus is teaching us about prayer, priorities and living a balanced life.  Keeping "self" in check and focusing on God first.  We'd all do well to read that chapter daily in these most frustrating times wouldn't we? 

What causes us to get out of balance?  Lose our focus?  I would venture to say that a large part of the problem stems from idolatry.

Our lessons on idolatry have shown us just how quickly we can make "good things and good relationships" into idols.  How so?  Well, anything that distracts or holds our attention away from God, is defined as an idol or "functional god" according to author, Kelly Minter.  When we focus more on those things and try to control, manipulate or even love them to the point that we don't trust God with them, we've made them into an idol.  It's even possible to make our worship into an idol.  How so? 

Let me give you a very personal example.  I love to sing.  God has called me to sing for Him.  I spend a great deal of my time doing so and it's something that brings me great satisfaction and I pray it brings glory to God.  Singing is a good thing.  About a year ago, though, I realized that my relationship with the Lord was suffering because I had made the gift He gave me a much bigger deal than Him.  I fretted over it, I protected it, I perfected it, I studied it, I loved it, I enjoyed it, I was over sensitive to it, and when God showed me that I worshipped it, I was devastated!  I was so embarrassed that I had made a good gift into an idol, that I had to back away from it for a while.  It was during that time that God gave me a much better perspective.  He showed me how this talent had become a functional god, because it was my hiding place.  I didn't have to let God into the deeper places of my life if I could just sing a song about it.  I didn't have to acknowledge that I might lack trust in God in the painful areas of my life if I could just stand before men and sing at how "they" should trust God with "their" problems.  I began to defend music and champion its cause and give it much more credit than it deserved - even if I wasn't at the center of it.  I began to feel hurt and empathy toward others who shared my "functional god- musical talent" if they weren't respected and used as they should be.  And it didn't take trauma in my life for this to happen even though there was some major stress going on!

Now that I've walked through that battle storm, I have been blessed with a new perspective.  I still love to sing - I always will.  But by letting God into the depths of my pain and into the areas where I didn't trust Him and by letting go of this idol for a while and literally giving it to God as a sacrifice, honestly willing to give it up completely if that's what He asked, I've gained so much more.  I've experienced God at a much deeper intimate level.  I've seen how He has restored and built my confidence in Him so that when I sing, I don't worry about the notes and delivery being perfect. Instead, I'm able to focus on the truth of the message of the song regardless of whether I'm flying solo, singing backup, or in a choir.  In essence, I've learned to worship THRU the music instead of "IN" the music.  It's refreshing actually to be at this place now...

Another friend struggled with a long-term friendship that had become such a distraction and idol or functional god in her own life.  It was a painful process to see her struggle with letting go of the control of her part in this friendship and yet, she's come out on the other side with a much better perspective of the relationship and she's been able to give this friend over completely to God as well as their friendship.  I'm sure she would agree that it's much more refreshing to be in this place now even though her circumstances haven't really changed.

Another reason we can't seem to hold onto balance in our lives stems from unhealthy relationships with fools...

In Jan Silvious' book, "Fool-proofing Your Life", we learned how unhealthy and unrealistic relationships can drag us down and rob us of an intimate relationship with God.  This study had nothing to do with trying to do away with the foolish people in our lives or even change them.  The focus, instead, centered on asking God to grant us wisdom to discern the foolish in our lives and asking Him to make us wise in how we relate to them.  Centered on the book of Proverbs, it was a wonderful lesson on reality.  It taught us to let go of the fear of facing the truth that someone we might love could be the biblical definition of a fool.  That was so painful at times.  None of us wants to admit we have aligned ourselves with a fool much less see our own foolish behavior in ourselves.  But it's truly amazing that when we apply the truth of God's Word with regard to these people, we begin to experience freedom from having to "fix" them and focus more on allowing God to teach us to be more like Him -- and thus we become less "frazzled" in our dealings with them.  We also learned that the true definition of forgiveness is much simpler than we make it -- it's simply giving up our right to punish.  In forgiveness, we are able to relinquish control and give the one who hurts or offends us over to God to deal with.  We don't have to make it right or "act as if all is well, we simply give up our right to punish and thus stop living imprisoned by unforgiveness, bitterness and anger.  Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One understanding."  Friend, can you smell that freedom!?!

Sometimes a wilderness journey is necessary for us to turn loose of those things that distract and drag us down in our walk with Jesus...and God allows it so that He can have our full attention...

Wilderness doesn't mean dessert - it's not always dry and desolate.  Sometimes there are storms, green pastures, gentle streams, wild animals, loneliness and peaceful rest.  It's not always hot, dry and desolate.  In the wilderness we learn total dependence on God for provision, protection and shelter.  In the wilderness we gain wisdom in navigating our journey according to how God moves and not on our own.  In the wilderness, we learn that we can be stronger than our minds and feelings tell us and in our wilderness, we learn about trusting God on a deeper level than is humanly possible. 

Sanctification is the process of becoming more like Christ.  It's letting go of our fleshly nature and self-centered neediness.  Part of that sanctification process will involve wilderness time.  If Jesus had to go into the wilderness, we'd be foolish to believe that we can escape it - Jesus is our role model!!  Wilderness travle comes in many forms.  It begins and ends at different intervals and it won't be like someone else's wilderness journey.  There will be highs, lows, lessons learned, lessons repeated, successes and failures.  There will be tears, laughter, frustration, anger, grief, joy and temptation. There will be long stays, and short stays and some that seem like they'll never end. It's not fun, for the most part.  But it's the process of taking off the cloak of self and putting on the full armor of Christ.  It's taking on the yoke of Christ and giving Him our burdens.  It's trusting God to keep His promises and believing that His promises are true and that He keeps His covenants...and this is a learning process. As Jesus told the rich young ruler who asked what he needed to do to "earn salvation", Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor and then take up his cross daily and follow me (Jesus).  This, my friend, is the challenge to all of us - it's not just to that one man.  The suggestion here is to release our hold on the things of this world and be generous with our possessions -- taking up our cross means - pick up the life you've been given and follow Jesus daily with it.  If we hold onto this life too tightly, we'll miss the blessings and glimpses of Christ in this life but more than that, we'll miss out on making our lives bring glory to God. 

No, this journey of living here as aliens isn't easy...Scripture doesn't guarantee that.  But it also doesn't tell us to walk around in sack cloth and ashes every day either.  Don't isolate yourself when things get tough - instead, link arms with fellow pilgrims and share each others burdens -- encourage, love and care for one another and teach each other too as God has instructed you along your journey.  You never know how your life can minister to another person ... your struggles, victories, defeats, and dreams may just be that spark that energizes a weary traveler.

I'm so grateful to have had the opportunity to serve as a "Joshua-girl" in leading these dear and precious Christian sisters on this journey.  They have taught me so much - we have endured together and grown deeper as women of God both individually and as a group. 

I thank the Lord for EVERY remembrance of each of you...and I look forward to our next step -- our Psalms of Ascent into the temple together - Our journey out of the wilderness and into the Promised Land....to the next chapter and phase of our journey and I pray we'll meet up with some more pilgrims along the way.

Be blessed dear sisters and brothers!! I'm gonna post some Sunflowers and Sweet tea tips and recipes this weekend!  I'm cooking again!  :)

Roses & Chocolate Mint

Hello my patient readers!  I've been a road warrior these last couple of weeks!  I took a quick trip down to Tallahassee last week to speak and sing to a very special group of ladies at the Killearn Country Club - and am so excited to announce to you all that out of that special group we have a new sister in Christ!!!! Praise the Lord -- I can just hear Heaven applauding at her decision to invite Jesus to become her Lord and Savior!

This week I've been to Hoover at Riverchase Country Club where I shared my testimony and music with another precious group of women.  There I met a flash from the past, my husband's past, that is...the sweet woman who shared her jewelry business with the group along with her sister were members of the church where my father-in-law was pastor during his time at Howard (now Samford) University.  They remembered James being about 3 years old in a darling picture where he and his sister, Jacque were in a wedding and he was the ring-bearer.  Small world isn't it!!

I love how the Lord brings His children together to show us He is near and that our "family" of believers is literally anywhere we go and He is everywhere we are.  I also love how He times these connections so perfectly according to His will.  It's like a little kiss on the cheek or a touch of His hand to remind us that He wants to be so real in our lives if we'll let Him.

Last Sunday, I was blessed with an opportunity to do something I've always wanted to do...sing backup with a live band!  This particular day it was with our Minister of Music and our praise band in the absence of Kim, our beloved pastor's wife and worship leader for the Contemporary service at church (she's sharing Jesus with people in Peru!).  Dale, our Min. of Music, called Friday morning to share with me that he was going over the music for Sunday and just strongly felt like he needed a female voice and asked if I could jump in there and sing back up with him.  I was truly honored and thrilled to be able to have a chance to do so.  The service was great and I felt the presence of the Lord with us there and enjoyed worshipping in this manner...it was another kiss of the cheek from God...I had voiced a prayer long ago asking to sing backup some time, and He let me -- in His house, singing songs to Him!  I just didn't think it could get any better...well it did...

Wednesday after choir practice, and a mighty hectic day, I stopped Dale and told him just how much I enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to sing back up with him and the guys last Sunday.  We walked to the parking lot continuing our conversation and he shared with me that he was getting ready to go on a mission trip to play his saxophone...!  I was so excited to hear about his opportunity and asked him to share more about it with me....he did and gave me the web site.

I went home and went to the web site and looked around...blown away!  Many years ago, God spoke to me about doing something exactly like they are doing!! It's everything He had shown me!  I'm not going to share all the details here because I want to write more later - and yes, I'll give you the web site too but goodness -- can I tell you how blown away I was!! All this came from a conversation after choir practice....it gets better....

I contacted the person who is coordinating these trips and expected that I might hear from him in a week or so....no -- the next morning a reply from HIM was in my inbox and we began a conversation.  Let me tell you, this is an amazing organization and opportunity that I had literally thought I had only dreamed about...it gets better...

I gave this gentleman a link to listen to clips of my album, and told him about the amazing musicians who played on the album and that I was going to send this information to them ... and I am.  He wrote me back to tell me that he thought my voice and style of singing would fit well with the groups he carries/sends to these areas.  He asked me some questions and offered me some areas to check out and told me to begin praying over which mission trip I'd like to participate in...we also talked about another group that he's put together that didn't have vocalists to travel with them...but in our conversation, now he's considering it...God planted a seed in him too...

Y'all!! I'm blown away.  If you were to take a look at my present situation -- to consider this opportunity would be a major LONG SHOT and yet in the exciting events that have transpired this week God showed me a glimpse of things to come -- His plans give me a hope and a future...to prosper and not harm me...Jeremiah 29:11. 


Have my circumstances changed...no!  But what has changed is my perspective.  There is a new resolve -- oh yes, the enemy has been lurking around and has surely been in the details of this week with more annoyances than I'd care to mention -- but the presence of God has been strong as my Father because that's what I need right now...please don't read this as anything disrespectful toward the Lord because it's not meant that way...my dad died about over 3 years ago, and so I'm missing that father figure presence in my life right now - I've really needed a Dad -- boy, do I have a DAD!!!  He's the greatest!  He's held me, wiped my tears, given me sound advice, listened, comforted my fears, quieted my temper and breathed truth into me...He's loved me and told me so.  He's promised to protect me and has told me over and over and over...and his presence has been so close I can almost feel Him and hear His beautiful heartbeat.

How is this so?  I believe it's your prayers.  I believe it's my prayers.  I believe it's His timing and will.  I believe it's because He knows what I need...

Clearly I'm aware of mountains, valleys, wildernesses, desserts, and green pastures in the life of a Christian.  Do I know where I am right now -- I believe I'm beside the still waters in the wilderness...I believe He is giving me rest in a dry and weary land...because I'm not out of the wilderness quite yet.  But just like Moses said before the journey began toward the Promised Land..."Lord if you won't go with us, I don't want to go."  I don't want to go any further without Him either.  He told Joshua, "(You,) be strong and of good courage, for I the LORD am with you."  What good would it be to walk into the Promised Land without the One who led you into the wilderness?  What fun would it be to share the blessings of the good times if you didn't have knowledge of His presence during the bad times?  How could you begin to compare what it means to lay your burden down if you never had a burden to carry?  I'm beginning to understand this better and at a deeper level than I ever have.

I pray that this week you'll feel a closer presence of the Lord in your journey - wherever you are.  Whether you are on a mountain top and experiencing the joys of living life to the fullest or whether you are deep in a valley of despair and sadness...I pray you'll hear God's voice and lean into your Father, God.  Let Him love you, hold you, hear you and whisper in your ear -- and kiss your cheek just to show you how much He truly cares about the details of your life....circumstances may not change quickly but we don't have to be defined by them...remember that.

I love you dear sisters and brothers!  Remember this Sunday marks 10 years since one of the darkest days in history occurred - 9/11 the Day I'll NEVER forget...take a moment to reflect and remember that tragic day...but never forget that God was there and He is here now...and He's in control and has a plan -- a big one!  If you're near Pell City, we'll be sharing a memorial in song that evening at First Baptist Church at 7pm...I'd love for you to worship with us....

Be blessed in the Name of the LORD!  See ya next week.  We'll get back to our regular schedule one day...I hope!  Blessings!  Amy