Monkey Bread

This Monkey Bread turned out to be a hit in my home. I hope it's a hit in your home as well.

1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 tsp. yeast
1/4 tsp. sugar
3 1/2 cup flour
1 egg
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3 Tbls. sugar
2 Tbls. melted butter
1 cup warm milk
brown sugar
cinnamon
butter

*In a small bowl dissolve yeast in the 1/4 cup of warm water. Add 1/4 tsp. of sugar and set aside.

*In a big mixing bowl mix together the flour, salt, vanilla, egg, sugar, 2Tbls. of melted butter and milk. Once this is mixed, add the yeast mixture. Knead by hand or mixer with a hook for 4 minutes or until smooth. The dough will be sticky.

*Cover the bowl with plastic and let the dough sit for 30 minutes.

*After 30 minutes, roll out the dough and cut into strips. Then cut into small balls.

*Melt about a half of stick of butter (you may need more or less). Put about a cup of brown sugar and tsp. of cinnamon in another bowl. Mix with hands. Dip each piece of ball in the melted butter. Then into the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture. Once completely coated, gently drop the balls into the bundt pan. Make sure you spread the balls out. Don't worry if it looks like there are holes among the balls. As your bread bakes, it will all come together.

*Once all the balls are in the bundt pan, cover with plastic and let it sit for 1 hour. 

*Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Now pull apart with your fingers. If you find yourself pulling a piece of bread every time you walk by like I did, take a break, grab a plate and pull as many pieces as you like.

Sticks and Stones

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, 

but words will never hurt me."

Whomever originated this phrase never read Proverbs 18:21, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." If they had, maybe they would have thought twice before saying it. Words hurt! 

I remember my 3rd grade bully named Earl. Earl wasn't popular. He was just your average boy running around the school yard with a foreign object in his nose that always moved back and forth with each breath he took. Earl wasn't tall and didn't appear to be strong. I shouldn't have been afraid of him, but yet, I was. Why? Because of the things he would say to me.

Finally one day there was a showdown between Earl and myself. This day I noticed Earl coming toward me with more than the usual two boys that always accompanied him. He had a crowd. I had a choice to make and I needed to make it quick. 

What's the worse thing that could happen? After all, he had already spoken such harsh words that a right hook to my jaw wouldn't hurt as bad. I knew that eventually whatever physical pain Earl will inflict on me would heal, but the words he had spoken to me wouldn't heal as quickly. 

Earl gave me the best options that day. Instead of saying hurtful things in front of a larger crowd of people, he just came up to me and pushed me. I remember the sense of relief not hearing the sting of his words.

I quickly jumped to my feet and started swinging. I felt so free as I swung my arms like a wild child. I'm not sure who won that fight, but I do know that Earl's hurtful words ceased after that.

Hurtful words are like bees. They sting and leave their poison to spread to the core of the person. Sometimes, there's an allergic reaction to the bee sting and can result in the demise of it's victim. Same with hurtful words according to Proverbs 18:21.

As a wife, a mother and a Christian, I'm accountable for the words that flow from my mouth. The words I speak go out into eternity. I can seek forgiveness and forgiveness will be granted, but I can't take back my words. We all say things that we wish we can take back. When our tongue cause hurt to others, we need to humble ourselves before God and our victims.

James 3:8 says, "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." If the Word of God tells us that we can't tame our tongue, it behooves us to think before we speak.

Let us not allow the bully have power over us with the hurtful words they speak. Don't be provoked by others to respond. We don't have to, the Lord will.

"Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; 

for it is written,

"Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord...

Do not be overcome by evil, 

but overcome evil with good." 

Romans 12:19 & 21

Jill - Maternity Apron Give Away Winner

Back in November I had a maternity apron give away. You can go here to read about it. I just received an email from the beautiful mother Jill. She's wearing the apron. She gave me permission to share with my blogger readers.

Here's the wonderful email that I received!

Hello Sandra!

I was having a rather rough day a while ago (after not being able to sleep for the past week due to 'practice contractions'...so much fun!) and when I went to my mail box I found a beautiful apron inside!!!  Thank you so much!  It's lovely and I really appreciate it as I'm doing a massive baking spree on the weekend in order to get ready for baby (currently 34 weeks and the midwives think I'll go early!) and my current apron doesn't fit at all anymore. It's soooooo comfortable too!  I have to say, I love the length as well.  I'm very tall (6'0") and right now I can't stand anything near the tops of my legs and this skims beautifully. 

Thank you so much for your generosity, it's very much appreciated.  I plan on getting some action shots for you this weekend but please accept this one in the mean time of me at my Mum's house.

Hope all is well with your grandbaby-to-come!

Jill


*Let us remember to pray for Jill during this time as she prepares for her new blessing!

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, 

the fruit of the womb is a reward."

-Psalm 127:3

I'm Not Half Married

Many times I've conversed with other people about marriage. It's a subject that I'm passionate about and talk about it often. Throughout these conversations, I've often hear others describe their marriage as a 50/50 partnership. Which means each person give 50% to the marriage relationship.

I didn't know you could be half married. 

I always thought when you got married, you gave 100% of yourself. 

I wonder what would my marriage look like if I only gave 50% of myself.

By choice, I'm the primary cook in our home. I pour so much of myself into preparing delicious meals. My family waits with anticipation to taste the latest recipe that I've conjured up. But what would happen if I decided to give just 50% of myself into meal preparation? We wouldn't have the meal time around the table that we have come to enjoy as a family.

By choice, I freely give of myself to please my husband. My goal is to bring him satisfaction. In order to reach that goal, I can't stop half way and hope that a touchdown is scored.

By choice, we've decided that I would be home with the children and my husband would go out and work. Mothering is a full time job. When my babies were younger, I couldn't just nurse them half the time they needed to be nursed. Now that they are older, and need me so much more, I can't just be here for them 50% of the time that they need me.  Where or who would they turn to? The world, their peers, a boyfriend or a girlfriend? Not if I can help it!

My husband and I have a great marriage. We decided from the very beginning that we would each give 100% of ourselves to this marriage union. Giving 100% has proven to be successful for us. After 5 children, we still act like newlyweds. Not a day goes by without an "I love you." Flirting with each other is the norm in our home. It wouldn't be that way for us if we decided to have a 50/50 relationship.

 

I'm giving 100% of myself. Are you?

Genesis 2:24, "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh."

* I must confess something here. There is one area where it seems that I'm only giving 50%. That's my laundry. My goal today is to give 75% of myself to the laundry! I will accomplish that if I get all the clothes washed today.

Looking Back, Looking Ahead

As parents, you often times wonder if you've made the right decisions in training your children. Especially when you train them against of the grain of society. I really hope that you are encouraged by this post was written by my daughter Ruth Miller. I saw it on her Facebook page. It really touched my heart and I wanted to share.

I can't believe how quickly time has gone by. I remember as a kid, days would go by so slowly. You could be outside playing for what seemed liked forever, only to find out two hours went by. And now, I'm an adult. My days filled up with cleaning and cooking, maintaining our budget, reading books on pregnancy, and preparing for labor and delivery with exercise videos. And the craziest thing of all is I'm about to be a mommy! Wow. It never stops giving me the "wow" factor when I think about it.

Last year seemed to fly by, with graduation and the wedding and finding out we were having a baby. It was such a great year! 2010 was probably the greatest year of my life so far, and yet, 2011 is sure to top it within the next two months when Mikey arrives.
It wasn't until I became pregnant that I really truly began to understand the power the love of a parent has.

Whenever I got sick or threw up due to morning sickness, the first thought in my head was my baby. Is my baby ok? Is he getting the nutrients he needs? Its mind-boggling how without effort, your thoughts, emotions, and energy are all focused on this little being whom you haven't seen yet. And how much relief you get when you find out they are ok.

It's amazing how excited I get when my little boy moves in my stomach when he hears his daddy talking to him in the morning. And how much emphathy I have when he has the hiccups literally all day long. I laugh when I look down at my stomach as he rolls from one side to another, making my stomach very lopsided. It touches my heart when he starts to calm down when I talk to him nice and quiet.

The love I have for my baby boy is unlike anything I've ever experienced. And I finally understand why my parents did some of the things they did growing up. It was because they loved us that they didn't let us sleep over at just anyone's house (looking back, that was one of the wisest things they ever did. You never know what goes on in people's homes). It was because they loved us that they didn't let us pick out every toy we wanted at the store (we'd end up spoiled and ungrateful if they did). It was because they loved us that they disciplined us (if not, we would be some of the most unrulely kids!). It was because they loved us that they decided to move our family from Vegas (though I hated the idea at first, spending so much time with my parents in Idaho was totally worth relocating). And it was because they loved me that they let me spread my wings and fly when the time came.

I really hope to be the kind of parent to my kids that my parents were to us. One who puts my children first, despite what society says. One who teaches my kids to respect those who are older than them. One who invests my personal time into teaching life lessons to my children. One who teaches them to respect their father by respecting him myself. One who never misses a game, or a recital, or a play. One who encourages them to never give up, even when things get hard. One who forgives and doesn't hold faults against you. One who never lets a day go by without saying "I love you"...

I'm so excited to be a mom, and I welcome this new chapter of my life with open arms! I count down the days until Ryan and I will be holding Michael in our arms, looking down in amazement at this little guy God chose to bless us with..
Nothing is going to top that day :)

The White Shower Curtain Liner: Did it really have to go down like that?

In my quest to try and conserve on energy, I came up with a brilliant plan that we've been implementing. Since no one lives in the bathroom, we've been keeping the door closed because that room doesn't need to be heated. If you're familiar with keeping a room that's wet in closed quarters, we know what happens. Mold!

My plan has been a success in keeping the energy bill low. I wish I could say that for the mold. I didn't make it clear to the children that the fan needs to run while taking a shower and leave the door open for a bit afterward. At least until you can see the mirror.

These are not my curtains.

I have these pretty lace shower curtains that I've had since my husband and I were married. I take pride in caring for them. I love the ecru color because it's soft on the eyes and gives the decor a more homey feel.

The other day, my son mentioned that the liner needs to be replaced. He said he would pick up one while he was out. He took his little sister with him because he had a few stops to make. I'm thankful that he enjoys having his younger siblings tag along with him.

I was so excited. Not because he was picking up a new liner, but because he was driving by a place that sells my favorite drink. He makes it a habit to pick up his momma a special drink every time he passes this place on his way home. I walked him to the door and squealed about how much I would enjoy this drink. He asked if I had a coupon. I didn't and checked online. No new coupons that day. He kissed him momma goodbye as always.....

Three hours later they returned home. When I heard his key turn the doorknob, he entered. Alas, no drink in his hand, but a shower curtain liner.

My face must have shown disappointment. I'm still working on having a poker face and not letting my feelings show. Smiling for me is the norm. When I'm not, something may be wrong. I must confess though, it's very hard for me to hide my emotions. They are written on my face.

He asked what was wrong. Giving him the response that we women give, I replied, "Nothing!" Knowing all the while I was upset. Upset because he didn't give me wanted I wanted.....

He apologized and informed me that he was getting ready to replace the liner. I asked him what color did he get. When he said it was a white liner. I felt my nostrils flare. Trying to keep my cool. The key word is trying. I asked him when has he ever saw me put up a white liner in the bathroom. He stood there. Stunned because he didn't understand why I lashed out the way that I did. How was he suppose to know that my shower curtains are ecru and a white liner was borderline blasphemy in my eyes?!

Later that night he was saying goodnight. I responded in a kind, but somewhat cold way. Then it happened. The moment when I was convicted by my actions toward the son who needs the hugs and the "I love you" the most.

Had I withheld the things that he needed the most all because things didn't go my way and I didn't get what I wanted? Had my son spent his whole evening wondering why I was upset when he was really trying to help me? Did I withhold love and affection from my husband and children because I didn't get my "special drink" and the liner was white?

Did it really have to go down like that?

No it didn't, but it did.

How do I pick myself up after behaving the way I did?

No, I wasn't screaming at the top of my lungs making my husband and the children scurry for cover. No, it was worse because it was subtle. The hugs weren't as tight and long as usual. The "I love you" didn't have the normal spunk. The daily talks with my sons on their latest business venture didn't occur because I was "busy." Busy with what? Sulking in my flesh that didn't get gratification that day.

That's when the Scriptures that I've quoted so many times came back to my remembrance:

"Your Word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You." -Psalm 119:11

I had sinned in my heart. My heart wasn't pure at that moment. I allowed my wants to over ride the needs of my family. I had to run to the mercy seat of my Father. It's funny, when we sin, we want the mercy of God. When others sin, especially if we feel they sinned against us, we want judgment.

Just like the Psalmist David, I too, had to say, "Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit." -Psalm 51:9-12

Seeking forgiveness and forgiveness was granted, I hugged and hugged my family.

As wives and mothers, how many times do we hold back our love, time and affection from our family because of how we feel? Or because they didn't perform or do what we asked or wanted? I wonder if we as women realize how much power and influence we have in our homes.

I want to encourage you to grab hold of this Scripture and apply it to your life and home:
"Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so." -Proverbs 3:27.

Oh, he didn't get my the drink because he simply forgot and got side tracked. Ha!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Someone gave me this recipe about 18 years ago. It was written on a small piece of pink paper. Over the years the recipe got oil and other liquids spilled on it. I copied it onto an index card for safe keeping. I still have the pink piece of paper with the original recipe on it for keepsake. I make this cake every year at Christmas time.

Recipe:

3 cups of cake flour

3 cups of sugar

6 eggs

2 sticks of butter

1 stick of margarine

1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese

1 envelope of dream whip

1 Tbsp of vanilla flavor

Grease and flour bundt pan. The butter, margarine and cream cheese should be at room temperature. Cream butter, margarine and cream cheese. Add sugar and eggs. Continue to mix. Add cake flour and dream whip. Beat well. Add vanilla flavor and continue beating. Pour batter in pan. You may have to smooth the cake out with a rubber spatula.

Bake @ 325 degrees for one and a half (1 1/2) hours.

After the cake is done, I melt a half a stick of butter and pour it over the top of the cake. Especially in the cracked parts. Enjoy!