okay, maybe just a few words

Does this baby (Joel)....

...look like this baby (Aaron!)?

After the trip...

Our Youth Group:

"Who'd of thunk that serving God meant processing live chickens? Or feeding pigs and cows? Or pullin' weeds? Great to be home too - fun to be back to family. And appreciate my roach free environment. If it weren't for the roaches, I might be able to live in Mississippi."

"God has done so many wonderful things this week in Mississippi"

"mississippi is called God's Country for a reason...*sniff* Let's go back."

"home and missing mississippi! i decided i came here to pack the rest of my stuff to move there!! haha"

"home from one of the greatest weeks of her life! missing Mississippi like never before, but glad to be back home."

"I've never missed Mississippi before now. "


AND, go check this out if you are brave:
http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DFNJxIJCT74U&h=451b4d185bc9e5a51f3839eff2440fe7

Quote

"Seek a way to help someone else when you are troubled, and it will better you every time."
...from a new book I'm reading...
-Tahn, a novel by L.A. Kelly

Spin on Lasagna Recipe

I. Cook

1 package of lasagna noodles

according to directions.












Then lay flat to dry on cooling racks

II. Mix

2 eggs
3 cups ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons parsley flakes
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper








Beating eggs first, then add other ingredients














III. Cut cooked noodles in half












spread with a decent amount of the ricotta mixture












then sprinkle shredded mozzarella













roll up to be secure, not too tight, you wouldn't want all the cheese to come out, but tight enough that it holds it shape fairly well.

***If you would like to prepare for storage, stop here and refer
to the end of this recipe***

place in your baking dish, 9 x 13 or 8 x 8
(you can also use a smaller dish, depends on how much you are making)

seam side down











assemble in baking dish tightly





























Cover with your favorite marinara sauce

(I like to make my own, but anything will work!)

Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees
for approximately 30 minutes.









If you have any leftovers of your shredded mozzarella or Parmesan you can throw that on top for the last few minutes and let it get melty and yummy.











Take out of the oven after it is bubbly and cheeses are melted.

And now you have your lasagna! No cutting required-just scoop out 2 - 3 rollups per adult sized portion.

ENJOY!

***Or, store for your freezer***

place on a cookie sheet, evenly spaced, and place in your freezer.


























Once frozen you can toss them into a freezer bag and store them in your freezer until you are ready to eat.












The great thing about this is, you can pull out the perfect portion sizes for how many you are feeding.

Great for a quick dinner for one or two!

Just add sauce, and back a little longer, keep an eye on it after 30 minutes, and bake until bubbling and inside cheese is melty (you may have to check).


I hope you like this meal, we made it for our Youth Valentine's Dinner.

**Thanks to Lisa of Barchester for the actual recipe. And the rollup "design" was a cooking show idea my dad saw that was tweaked by my parents and myself. props.

what is "all"?

"...you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind."
Matthew 22:37

The Valley Song

The Valley Song

by Jars of Clay

~

You have led me to the sadness

I have carried this pain

On a back bruised, nearly broken

I'm crying out to you

~

Chorus

I will sing of Your mercy

That leads me through valleys of sorrow

To rivers of joy

When death like a Gypsy

Comes to steal what I love

I will still look to the heavens

I will still seek your face

But I fear you aren't listening

Because there are no words

Just the stillness and the hunger

For a faith that assures

~

Chorus x2

~

Alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia

~

While we wait for rescue

With our eyes tightly shut

Face to the ground using our hands

To cover the fatal cut

And though the pain is an ocean

Tossing us around, around, around

You have calmed greater waters

Higher mountains have come down

~

Chorus

Yeah

Alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia alleluia, alleluia

Alleluia, alleluia alleluia, alleluia

~

Chorus (4 Xs)

Oh, Lord sing of Your mercy,

Mercy

Your mercy

Family Update

As you are reading this, we are in Mississippi!
We are here for a missions trip and joining us is Harold's youth group of Riverwood Bible Church. Please be in prayer for us!

We'll get pictures up when we return.

Ten Greatest Hits

1) Luke's voice singing songs with the lyrics of "lead me on precious Lord" or "I don't wanna go one more day without your all-consuming passion inside of me". so special

2) The Missions Trip to MS!

3) A friend thinking of us upon going out of town and dropping off bunches of perishables on her way out.

4) Clothes at my doorstep, this time for me...

5) Uncle Spray's great visit!

6) Aaron being able to go to a Cubs game with Uncle Spray

7) Being able to get out of the house full of men briefly during the visit-thanks guys

8) People who read my blog-good to know that someone does.

9) Fitting in my pre-baby jeans again-yyyeessss!

10) Cherry cream pie...oh, wait, no-I meant, the Fourth of July. Independence Day. A great holiday, the reason we have Cherry cream pie....

Aaron and Matt at Wrigley

Quote

"Being in the right place at the right time doesn't mean a thing unless you take the right actions."
-see article below

Local Hero

I am finally getting this up-sorry! This is one of my family's oldest family friends, Rob. On his way to work (a few months ago), this happened:
Click to view larger or download.

I know you will never go online to read this Cowboy-but I'm proud of you. Love ya!

Artwork

Luke's recent projects...beginning learning to trace

And my recent projects...these are made from foam paper

Thank you

"This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God."
-2 Corinthians 9:12

Independance Day

Thankful for our Freedoms and for those we love fighting for the freedoms of others...



"The true soldier fights not because he hates what is in front of him, but because he loves what is behind him."

— G.K. Chesterton

True Love

...as always, you can listen to this on my playlist at the bottom of this blog...

True Love

by Phil Wickham

~

Come close listen to the story

About a love more faithful than the morning

The Father gave His only Son just to save us

~

The earth was shaking in the dark

All creation felt the Fathers Broken Heart

Tears were filling Heaven's Eyes

The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died

When blood and water hit the ground

Walls we couldn't move came crashing down

We were free and made alive

The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

~

Search your heart you know you can't deny it

Come on, lose your life just so you can find it

The Father gave His only Son just to save us

~

The Earth was shaking in the dark

All creation felt The Fathers broken heart

Tears were filling Heaven's Eyes

The day that True Love died, the day that True Love died

When blood and water hit the ground

Walls we couldn't move came crashing down

We were free and made alive

The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

~

Now, Jesus is alive

~

Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive

Jesus is alive

Oh, He is alive

He rose again

~

When blood and water hit the ground

Walls we couldn't move came crashing down

We were free and made alive

The day that True Love died, The day that True Love died

~

Come close listen to the story

Family Video Fun

Trying to make Joel laugh

Dipping Joel

Aaron's famous "Pod"

So very thankful!

This has been one amazing week! (And it isn't even over yet!)

1) Sunday. Repentance and Responses. A change of heart and amazing letter written to our teens by one of our teens was such an act of growth and received in love-awesome.

2) Monday. Aaron's kids getting to lead FOUR children to Christ at Kids Club on the first day!

3) Tuesday. Encouragement in the form of this note written by one of our teens:

A Phone Call From God
Here’s the ‘ringtone’ He decided to have last night
at 11:30:

“Why are you looking for love? Why are you still searching as if I’m not
enough?”

It’s off of the song “By Your Side” by Tenth Avenue North. A fantastic song,
and even better lyrics.

But it suddenly felt like God was trying to get through to me. It was that
moment where you go, “What am I doing?!” And then, I wanted to write. So I
pulled out the notebook I use for moments like this and just wrote out a
conversation; one between me and God. I don’t know if this is what it was like
for Moses, David, John, Peter, or Paul, but it was like you could feel the words
coming. The thoughts weren’t something I was thinking through and molding into
my own words–they just came. Maybe I’m crazy. Maybe not.

-God, You’re tearing me apart, You’re breaking my heart!! WHY?!

-So I can show you how whole I can make you. You just have to hand Me the
controls and I will create a dream you could never have imagined. But first you
have to stop trying. I love you. I love you more than any other boy in your life
does. But love is
never fully enjoyed ‘one-way’. I want you to put ME as
your first love.

-But God, its’ not like we’re going to date or hold hands or get
married…?

-No, but I am the model for all men. And if you want the guy that’s best for
you, he’s going to have traits that match mine.

-But I won’t know what that looks like unless I know what you’re like,
right?

-Exactly. , I want the very, very, absolute best for you. But
you have to let me prepare him and bring him to you.

-But waiting is so hard.

-Then don’t think of it as waiting. Just because I’m preparing someone for
you doesn’t mean you have to sit and twiddle your thumbs until I’m finished, I’m
preparing you for him as well.

-It’s a painful process.

-Yes, but it shapes your heart into a young woman perfect for the young man I
have for you at this very moment.But until that time comes, lean on ME. Not the
boy you’re crushing on this week, not someone who will be gone tomorrow. I’m
never going anywhere and I will NEVER fail you. I keep no secrets and I never
lie to you. I also never change my mind because there will NEVER be anyone I
love more than you.

-I love you, God.

-I love you too, dear one. So much more than you know. Remember to come to me
and talk with Me. I want to hear about everything.

-Thanks, God. I’ll remember.

-Oh, and one more thing.

-Yes?

-There’s no call-waiting with Me either.

-Haha, thanks, God. Good night!

-Good night, child.

4) Wednesday. The prompting of the Holy Spirit at Youth Group (a.k.a. Summer Wednesdays) led Aaron to taking time and purposefully sharing the gospel. I knew he had not planned to and began praying, so many kids there with their eyes glued to him. Listening, you could tell they were listening. After we were home we got a call from a Youth kid that her friend, who has been a regular visitor for over a year, accepted Christ in response to what he heard!

5) Thursday and Friday-two more days of Kids Club for Aaron and his group to share Christ and His love!

6) The Seeds planted at Kids Club and Summer Wednesdays-please join us in praying!

7) The way we can see our children's part in our ministry and how they can open doors that were only just cracked.

8) For the kids in our youth group who have been working together and have been so excited and drawing close together this week. I love to see them strengthen their bonds.

9) God's preparation and timing-The Missions Trip that begins next week!!

10) Seeing God's hands at work. And knowing there is so much more than we can even think going on under the surface!

REMEMBER, YOU CAN CHECK ON WHAT AARON IS SAYING AND HIS MINISTRY WITH THE YOUTH GROUP AT HIS BLOG-JUST CLICK ON THE TAB AT THE BOP OF THE PAGE!

Wordless Wednesday