Once A Week Cooking Logistics

Cover of Binder

Week 1 Shelf: Empty/Week 2 Shelf: Full

Another way I aim toward being a good steward of what God has given is cooking and freezing meals for feeding my family of five.  Back in September, I decided to begin preparing freezer meals.  I shop on Thursday and cook on Friday as the kids do their school work at the island in the kitchen.  I have three weeks worth of recipes which means on the fourth week I get a Friday off.  It also means that we never have the same meal more than once a month.  Plus, no meal has ever been frozen longer than a couple of weeks at most.  That way your hard work doesn't end up freezer burned.  I make eight meals a week.  That is a dinner each night and a lunch Sunday after church.  However, since some nights we eat at church or at someone else's house, we rarely eat all eight meals.  Having meals leftover in the freezer is how I am able to take the fourth week off.

Timing:
I date everything and keep different weeks on different shelves in my freezer.  I keep a list of meals on the outside of the freezer door and mark them off as they are removed.  This is helpful in saving energy and the freezer's effort by my not standing with the door open looking for which meal to cook that night.  Some meals don't need to thaw at all or will thaw in a few hours.  Some meal need to be thawed overnight.  Therefore, I try to make the decision about the next dinner the night before, just in case.

Leftover Mac and Cheese

Perks:
I prepare more food than we need to feed our family of five for that meal.  Instead of putting leftovers in one large container, I put them in small individual serving containers.  This way we can just pick what we want for lunch the next day.  I always have food in the freezer for those occasions in which I need to share a meal with a friend or family who have lost a loved one.  I also have plenty of food ready for those impromptu invitations for lunch after church or dinner with a friend (as the Lord leads).  The meals are all fairly healthy.  I have made adjustments recently to my recipes as I have needed to remove all sugar and white flour from our meals.   We have a member of the family who needed this, so we all made the switch.  Everyone in the family has their favorites, and their not so favorites, but it all seems to work out.

Shopping:
I have a binder in which I keep three folders, one for each week.  That week's recipes are in each folder along with a shopping list.  I keep those printed out.  On shopping day, I get a list and mark off the items I have at home.  I have arranged the shopping list according to like items (pantry, canned, fridge, freezer, etc.), so this does not take too long.  This arrangement also helps save time at the grocery store as most stores are arranged in much the same way.  Some meals may need a side dish.  I have included these items in my shopping list for those weeks.  They usually consist of canned or frozen vegetables.  I also purchase some standard breakfast items for the kids and toiletries, as needed.  That is all I have to shop for since lunch is already included in the leftovers from dinner.

Cooking:
On cooking day I get out that week's recipe folder.  I usually separate recipes into poultry and red meat recipes.  I cook all the chicken and begin to assemble those meals.  I then cook all the red meat and assemble those meals.  All meals get put either in a gallon sized zip top bag or an aluminum pan with a lid (I purchase these at my "big box warehouse club").   A few meals, about one a week, do not require cooking the meat first.  These are slow-cooker meals and the meat gets cooked on the day of the meal.  So, I just make sure to remove this meat before cooking the rest.  Also, I set aside any milk products (sour cream, cream cheese, evaporated milk, etc.) and add them the day of the meal.  I have learned from experience that these do not freeze and reheat well, but I use them a lot in our favorite recipes.  Therefore, I have just adjusted my recipes accordingly.

Time-Saver:
I was skeptical at first that I could save time, but this method really is a time saver.  I used to spend about an hour to make dinner.  I thought it would take an hour to make a meal regardless of whether that time was each night or in one day.  But this turned out to be not true.  As I cook, I am reusing utensils, pans, bowls, etc. I am not waiting more than once for pans to heat up.  I am not pulling out the knives and cutting boards more than once.  I even reuse boiling water to cook pasta.  All combined I spend an average of 30 minutes to make a meal.

Our Brass Piggy Bank

Money:
We have saved a fair amount of money since I began cooking this way.  The meals are mid-range in price.  Not the cheapest, not the most expensive though, either.  I spend only a little less than I used to at the grocery store.  The biggest savings come because we rarely have that issue of being hungry and weighing the decision of going home to eat or eating out.  In fact, in the last five months of doing this, we have paid for a meal eating out only about 8 times.  That is less than twice a month!  That is a vast improvement on our twice a week habit of eating out prior to starting this.  And since our kids are as big as adults, it costs us an easy $60 to eat at a sit-down restaurant with tip or $30 at a fast food place.  That is a huge savings for us!

Here is a link to all the documents I use in my book.  Print or share as you desire.  I know this method of cooking is not for everyone.  I am blessed to be a stay at home mom, which make this a whole lot more convenient.  This is just one more way that God has empowered me to be a good steward of the time, money, resources, health, and skills He has given me.  I give Him all the glory for that!

Sanctity of Human Life Sunday Presentation

I am continually humbled by the fact that God uses me for His purposes. This is especially true that He allows me to work with the First Choice Ministry. This was the presentation I gave when asked to speak at my church on Sanctity of Human Life Sunday. This is what I spoke to a slide show of pictures showing our facility and some of the services we offer. Half of the speech was about First Choice Pregnancy Center and the other was a message I was lead to give. Here it is:

Today is Sanctity of Human Life Sunday.  This is the day we take to remember how precious life is to God and reflect on all those who never had a chance to take their first breath.  I come to speak to you today as liaison for First Choice Pregnancy Center.  We are a ministry providing services to inform and empower women in the Texarkana area to chose life for their babies.  

***First Choice was established in 1974 soon after the Roe VS Wade decision made abortion legal in the US.  We are a non denominational Christian-based charitable organization providing resources to Women and Men in the area.  God-willing, we will be expanding soon to provide to more.  I will tell you more about a little later.

***This is a photo of our main location in downtown Texarkana.

***We also have a conveniently located center inside Central Mall.
***Between these locations in 2012 we were able to serve 895 clients, administer 752 pregnancy tests, of which 523 were positive, perform 354 ultrasounds and gave 10 adoption referrals.  We can never know for certain how many of our clients decided to have an abortion.  But based on the number of those clients who returned for services after a positive test, we do know the majority of them chose life for their babies.
***We offer free pregnancy tests and counseling.  These are the services that are most used by our clients.
***The limited ultrasounds are a key tool in giving women a chance to see their baby.  This a privilege only God had prior to the invention of the sonogram machine.  This a way for us to show women that it is more than just a group of cells growing inside them.  We have been told by past abortion minded clients that they changed their mind after we did the ultrasound.  Praise God for that.  
***Adoption referral, while a small part of what we do, is always part of the options we share with our clients.  Even though most do not go this route, we still share information on about adoptions because we feel that the more knowledge our clients have of all their options, they will be able to make an informed decision.  
***If a client does chose to parent their baby, or is already a parent, we offer many classes including childbirth, prenatal, child care, and parenting.  With the earn while you learn program, clients earn money that can only spent in our Mommy Store.
***The Mommy Store is a storehouse of donated baby items.  When a client attends a class and earns mommy or daddy dollars, they can spend it here on everything from clothes, diapers and wipes...to bottles and formula… or even maternity clothes.  
***We also offer an Abortion Recovery Program.  Now...it is our prayer that women involved in a crisis pregnancy are able to see the Compassion of Christ’s people before the horror of abortion becomes a reality for them.  But if they make this decision, we, as partakers of grace and forgiven children of God ourselves, love them like Jesus and impart the truth that full emotional healing after an abortion can only come through a relationship with their Heavenly Father.  
***A resource for the father’s in our community, we offer the Daddy boot Camp for new fathers.  This too can earn money for him to spend in the Mommy Store on items his baby needs.
***For our married, or soon to be married clients we offer the Married for Life program. It is a weekend conference to share skills and advice on how to have a successful marriage. Two parents, a mother and father, mirroring God’s love for His people is what He intended for marriage.  So if our clients are married, we want to encourage them with this program.
***Finally, we offer the Abstinence Education program where we go out and speak to schools and youth groups in the area.  In this program we teach that abstinence is the only 100% effective way to not get pregnant or contract an STD.
***That was what we are doing now, where are we headed?  We have been generously given funding for a maternity home and are just waiting for God to send us the perfect location to build it.  This is a real need in our area.  We are also working to offer a satellite location in Hope, AR.  We would like to eventually offer full prenatal care to our clients, especially those who cannot afford it.  And our old building is in need of some repairs and renovating.  

SO...Let me ask you a question. What is the best part of an apple tree? The apple right.  Few ooo and ahh over the bark or leaves.  They want the fruit.  God believes this is the best part of us too.  He says in Psalms 127:3 that children are a heritage (or gift) from the Lord, the FRUIT of the womb, a REWARD.  Babies are the fruit that hold the seed of a future generation.  This gift is sacred, a REWARD, not meant to be taken lightly or sacrificed on the altars of our own selfish desires.  In Psalms 106, the psalmist is writing about how the Israelites were rebelling and committing all kinds of atrocities and sins against God.  At the bottom of this list, in verse 37-38 he writes, They sacrificed their sons and their daughters to the demons; they poured out innocent blood, the blood of their sons and daughters whom they sacrificed to the idols of Canaan, and the land was polluted with blood….Abortion is no different in God’s eyes.  Our idols are just different today.  We don't sacrifice to Baal, but we do sacrifice at the altar of... “this just isn't the best time for ME… or...I have a future that does not include a child...or...I’m going to college and MY future will be ruined...or... I already of children, I can't afford one more.”  The common thread in these reasons, WHICH BY THE WAY are all reasons we have heard at First Choice, is SELF. We sacrifice our sons and daughters today on the altar of the idol of self.  And our land is polluted as a result.  

But we have a hope.  Our hope is in the Lord our God and His word.  These babies, all babies are meant to be a gift from Him.  Fruit for us to enjoy.  The best part of who we are.  The seed of a new generation. God’s Word tells us that the only wage for the sins of child sacrifice, for abortion, for any sin, is death. But HE is a merciful God, forgiving our sins.  Sins that cost Him the life of His son Jesus.  He knows a little something about losing a child.  Our hope of life and seeing the end of abortion lies, by faith,  in Christ alone and His payment for our sins.

So how can you get involved with First Choice.  Let me preface by saying...Only a few positions at first choice are paid positions.  The doors could never open without volunteers.  Available Volunteer positions include client advocates, nurses, church liaisons, teachers sonographers and office workers, just to name a few.  

Besides volunteering, you can be involved by fundraising and participating in the upcoming walk for life….hold a baby shower for or donate to the Mommy Store...give financial support through the Safe a Life Fund, Boomerang Baby Bottles, Monthly Pledges, or one time donation.  Last, but certainly not least, PRAY.  We covet your prayers.  Having prayer warriors to intercede to the Lord on our behalf means more than you can imagine.  

One prayer request I would like to give at this time would be for a client I counselled with on Thursday. I will call her Abby.  She came in for a pregnancy test.  Before we gave her the result she told me at the beginning of our session that having an abortion was her intention if she were pregnant.  She said she was a Christian and had a relationship with God.  But she also had a scholarship to go to college in the fall that she had worked very hard to achieve and a baby would not work into her life right now.  The father was her boyfriend of only a month and he was not wanting to be a father either.  We discussed her options.  I gave her all the details about parenting, adoptions, and of how abortions are performed.  I encouraged her to get an ultrasound.  To which she responded she did not want to out of fear that she would become attached to her baby.  When I went to get the test results, I prayed in the office with another volunteer before returning to her.  The test was positive.  She still felt like abortion was her only way out.  But, she did make an appt. for an ultrasound in a couple of weeks.  I will be at that appointment.  And I am calling her tomorrow to check on her.  Pray for Abby that her heart be changed.  Pray for me that only God’s words come from my mouth that Abby needs to hear.  Prayer is a powerful way for you to be involved in the First Choice Ministry.  

If you have any questions, find me, call me, whichever is convenient for you.  As your church liaison, I am here to answer questions.  Those I cannot answer, I will put you in touch with someone who can.  Thank you for your time this morning.  

Success Story

I have been with First Choice Pregnancy Center for about a year now.  I was asked recently (for the first time) to share a success story from a recent counselling session.  These success stories are sent to the agency that helps fund our center.  This is what I wrote:

I counselled with a client on a Thursday evening not too long ago. I will call her Abby.  She came in for a pregnancy test.  She told me at the beginning of our session that having an abortion was her intention if she were pregnant.  She said she was a Christian and had a relationship with God.  However, she also had a soccer scholarship to go to college in the fall.  She had worked very hard to achieve her educational and sports goals, and that scholarship represented a reward for all her hard work.  With school coming up in the fall, a baby would not work into her life right now.  Additionally, the father was her boyfriend of only a month and he was not wanting to be a father at all.  We discussed her options, as we do with all clients.  I gave her all the details about parenting, adoptions, and of how abortions are performed.  She asked a lot of questions.  She seemed so hungry for information.  She also seemed concerned about the pain and suffering involved with abortion.  Once I had answered all her questions, she waited for the nurse to do her test.  I prayed in the office with another volunteer before returning to her.  I got the pregnancy test results from the nurse.  The test was positive.   She had taken tests at home and so she said that she already kind of knew what the result would be.  We talked more about how she was feeling now that she had the results in hand.  She still felt like abortion was her only way out.  I encouraged her to get an ultrasound.  To which she responded she did not want to.  She tearfully explained her reluctance stemmed from a fear that if she did have an ultrasound, she would become attached to her baby and not be able to have the abortion she believed was necessary.  After further discussion, she did make an appointment for an ultrasound.  I determined at that moment that I would be at that appointment.  Abby and her situation weighed so heavy on my heart.  It was a tearful drive home that evening.

I texted Abby on the following Monday evening to arrange a time to speak on the phone.  She soon texted me back with some surprisingly wonderful news.  Abby wrote, “I've decided to keep it.”  It was like a thousand pounds was lifted off my heart upon reading this news.  She asked for some advice on what would come next for her, she said that a lot had happened she wanted to tell me about, and asked if we could talk again in a couple of days.  Once we were able to connect on the phone, I could hear the relief in her voice.  She had peace about her decision to keep her baby.  She had a plan to postpone college for the first year to raise her baby.  She had broken off the relationship with her boyfriend, and her mom offered to help her accomplish her new goal to be a parent.  The confidence in her voice was a relief to hear.  Her questions now were about getting insurance, finding a doctor, and beginning prenatal care instead of about the pain and suffering associated with abortion.  She told me about how she had been taking her prenatal vitamins and had heeded my warning to do so with food.  It was a much more enjoyable conversation this time.  

I was completely convinced that Abby was going to have an abortion after she left that first visit.  In my opinion, her choice to make a plan to parent her baby was nothing short of miraculous.  

In His grip

I sign my emails with this closing, "In His grip".  Why??? I do so because it is true.  I take to heart His Word that says, "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him,  it is he that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing."  I have found truth and peace in this verse.  

In fact, the more I grow closer to Him, the more I realize I must decrease so He can increase.  In all areas of my life I can give testimony to the ways He has provided in such a way that I could never take credit for it. Physically, spiritually, financially, in service, and in ministry, He is the one who empowers them all.  I know that all gifts come from Him and that I can take credit for none of it.  It is in God's character to provide.  He has done so since day one.  Throughout the Bible, we can see how He has provided for his people, the animals, the planet, and universe.  It all points back to Him.  

I truly live in His grip. Especially when I can not stand, I fall into His arms. There, He holds me during every event and through every emotion, telling me always that He loves me.  Awesome!  The God who created the universe holds me and loves me!  He is the only One worthy of my praise, worship, and attention.  I am ashamed when I hold other idols in His place.  Yet, He has mercy and forgives.  Praise Him for that!!!

Yes...in His grip and His alone will I stay!!!

Ultrasound Joys

http://firstchoiceprc.com/

One of the beautiful gifts God has given me is the means to volunteer at 1st Choice Pregnancy Resource Center.  I am very grateful that I get to serve there. It is a worthwhile ministry working with women in the Texarkana area.  I began as a  teacher.  Then I trained to be a client advocate.  I am now also a church liaison. I am preparing and training to perhaps soon begin leading a quarterly client marriage conference with my husband. But when a call came that there was a need for ultrasound witnesses, I jumped at the chance.  I guess I wanted to do this because my ultrasound experiences where very memorable and emotional. God made a way, and I soon began volunteering in this capacity.

The job was simple.  Turn out the light.  Be a human in the room.  And turn on the light when it was over.  I signed on with a fantastic nurse (who became a friend for whom I am honored to volunteer with).  Once on board, let's just say God threw me in head first. The first ultrasound I witnessed revealed a miscarriage.  The second revealed to a woman, who was also a grandmother, that her pregnancy test was correct. Not only was she pregnant, but she was just a couple of months from delivering. My ultrasound experiences have been going along in that same dramatic fashion since day one.

While a miscarriage is far from a joyful event and other ultrasounds have been difficult and painful for other reasons, there is still a great joy in being an ultrasound witness.  It is an opportunity to share God's plan for life and hope for a future to each woman we encounter. One of the joys I get to experience is seeing a baby that is between 9 and 14 weeks in utero. They are a small active humans with lots of room so they bounce around like a kid in a jump-house.  I enjoy seeing babies that are 6-9 weeks in utero because the "yolk sac" is attached by a tiny string of an umbilical cord to the baby and it looks like he or she is holding a balloon.  It is super amazing to see babies at 19-22 weeks in utero because (when God allows) we can see the sex of the baby.  However, we are not allowed to tell the client what we see in this limited ultrasound setting.

Sometimes the situations are difficult, and sometimes they are wonderful, but they are always a blessing. I love getting to see only what God got to see until the sonogram machine was invented. It is a joy beyond measure!

The center recently has decided to combine two roles in the ministry and provide ultrasound counselling.  God willing, I will be able to perform in that capacity at the center, as well.

Contact the center if you are interested in volunteering or supporting their ministry in any way.  You will be tremendously blessed, be a blessing to women in crisis pregnancy situations, and get to be involved in a truly worthwhile ministry in the Texarkana area.

Cinnamon Rolls

To be a good steward of the money God provides our family, we make many (actually most) of the treats we enjoy from scratch.  Cinnamon rolls are one of those occasional treats.

 Here's the recipe:

1/4 C warm water

1 t sugar

2 pkg or 2 T Yeast

Warm water, add sugar, stir in bowl.  Add yeast.  Stir well.  Let sit about 10-15 minutes until sponge is formed.

1 1/2 C warm buttermilk

1 stick butter, melted

1/3 C sugar

1/2 t salt

1/2 t baking soda

4 1/2 C AP flour (576g)

Add to large bowl or stand mixer.  Mix on low setting until combined.  Slowly add flour in 1/2 C increments, mixing until combined after each addition.  Let sit a few minutes and stir in yeast sponge until combined.

Turn dough out onto floured surface.  Knead until smooth and elastic (about 20-25 fold/press/turns). Use rolling pin to roll out dough about 12x18 inch rectangle.

FILLING:

1 stick melted butter

1/2 C sugar, brown (110g)

1/2 C sugar, white (100g)

1/4 C cinnamon

Melt butter in bowl.  Mix together sugars and cinnamon.  Pour butter onto dough rectangle, spread out with fingers, quickly add sugar mixture and spread with fingers (you want them to slightly mix together so loose sugar doesn't fall out after you cut rolls) out to the THREE edges of the dough.  Leave about a 1 inch space on a short edge so you can seal the dough after you roll it out. Roll the rectangle so the roll will be the longest possible.  Seal the edge.  Use a pastry cutter or knife to cut 1 inch wide cinnamon rolls.  Place in a greased glass 9x13 pan.  May need an additional pan if you cut too many.  Leave room between each roll to rise.  Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place for 25 mins.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake for 25 mins.  Immediately glaze, ice, or eat them!

ICING:

10 oz. powdered sugar (288g)

1/2 bar cream cheese (4oz)

1/2 stick butter

Cream together ingredients and spread gently on warm rolls so it will melt and run inside the rolls.

GLAZE:

1 stick butter

1/4 C brown sugar (55g)

1/4 C white sugar (50g)

1 T vanilla extract

1 T milk

Cook on stove top until bubbly for about 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and drizzle over warm rolls.

First things first

I pray that if you do not have a relationship with God, you will pray and be saved TODAY! Admit to God that you are a sinner then confess and turn away from your sin. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that He died for your sin, taking the punishment for you so you can spend eternity with God. Confess your faith to others that He is your Savior, Lord and Friend. Accept His forgiveness, grace, and mercy, and allow Him to truly be the Lord of your life! 

God desires that He receives the glory in all things we do. Our actions, when they point to the Father, are pleasing to our Creator. We are not called to serve ourselves, but we are called to serve others and extend God-given grace to others as a witness of Him. His Word has much to say about being good stewards of all that He has provided. As I live out my faith, it is my desire to share the ways He provides for me to do so. I wish to fulfill the call that we lift each other up in support of our faith. He empowers me to live with a biblical perspective. His Word says if I love Him I will keep His commands. I must have a relationship with Him to do this.