Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

I am constantly finding blogs and magazine articles and television specials about how to reduce, reuse and recycle everything in your life...just to save money. Some people choose to make all their own cleaning products. Others have sold their vehicles and extra homes. Still others have decided to live on next to nothing and claim they're "living the old-fashioned life" when all they're doing is going to the extreme. The secret to living within your means and still saving, investing and being good stewards of God's money is to be content with the monetary and temporal blessings the Lord has given. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. Philippians 4:12 There are two extremes in the financial world - spend nothing and spend what you don't have. Paul explained in this epistle to the church at Philippi that there was (and is) a happy...

As promised, here's what 100 sunflower cupcakes look like all lined up in their sunflower field! It took the better part of the day Friday to get them all together, but it was SO worth it! And the best part is the ladybug! It's just an M&M and I used a little bit of decorator gel for the design. I was afraid it would look too simple, but I think it turned out great! They went like hotcakes (or would that be warm cupcakes?) at the Ladies Jubilee on Saturday and the last few Sunday night at fellowship. What a blessing. For more info on how to make these, check out last Thursday's post.

When I saw these buttons at the craft store the other day, I knew that I had to have them. I just finished a blog series about hope and these buttons were the most beautiful combination of colors. I could surely find something to do with them. And I wonder why my husband cringes when I shop by myself. To embellish the button itself a little, thread some fancy fibers through the holes and tie them in the front. This makes them look more finished and adds some extra color. I had some magnets left over from the denim pocket craft I did a few weeks ago. They're self-stick, so all you have to do is peel the backing off and stick 'em on.

It finally happened, and I had faith it would. That beautiful deep red rose bush that I introduced to you a couple of weeks ago broke into glorious bloom yesterday! The tiny little buds have been sitting there for days and I started to get impatient. I knew I couldn't force them open or they would be ruined. I knew that nothing I could put on them or in the soil would hurry the process along. My patient hope was put to the test waiting for these spectacular blossoms. They bring joy to my life each spring and I spend the winter months waiting for the warm weather to encourage them to open. This is exactly like our hope given through Jesus Christ. My faith and my hope are intertwined - I have faith that God will fulfill His promises and I have hope in His faithfulness. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 There is faith in the re-blooming of roses every spring, and there is hope in their beauty because we have seen them bloom i...

I don't know about your home, but I know about mine right now. With Ladies Jubilee this past weekend, I've hardly been home for the past week...and the house looks like it. There's a lot of work to be done and it's often hard to know where to start. This is how I plan to tackle things today, and I pray it will be a help to you. 1. Pray, pray, pray. It's so overwhelming to look at everything that needs to be done. Spending time in prayer before I ever get started focuses me and helps me clear away all the mental clutter. There may be things God wants me to accomplish today that weren't on my list, but by taking the time to listen can show me exactly what's important in His priorities. 2. Do a super-fast, room-by-room straightening. Trying to tackle everything in a room all at once gets discouraging, so don't even try. From the front door to the back of the house, start with just the surface "stuff" and put them back where they belong. Carry a ba...

I just had to share this with you this afternoon... Yesterday was our Ladies Jubilee and it was fabulous! Our speaker was an incredible inspiration and she was so used of God. But the best part was the two precious souls that got saved. One of them was a college girl who thought she was just gaining assurance of her salvation, but realized afterwards that she had never really been saved. This morning I sat down in my pew after the choir sang and there was a piece of paper there. It was one of the cards we had handed out yesterday for the ladies to register their attendance. I almost started crying when I saw that it was the card of that college girl. Now, that might be just sweet in the grand scheme of things, but here's what makes it so wonderful. When we fir st start planning Jubilee at the beginning of the year, I start praying for whoever is going to be sitting in my seat on that Saturday. We have no idea who will be coming that day or what kind of baggage they'll be bringi...

Have you ever had one of those days? The cat wakes you at 4:00 in the morning by banging on the closet door. She doesn't want food - she's just trying to get your attention and annoy the dog. That makes the big dog anxious and forces her to try climbing in bed with you. After several minutes of sending her back to her bed, she finally calms down. When the alarm goes off, everything with four legs comes flying to your side of the bed. It was sweet a long time ago, but now it's a persistent alarm with no snooze button. The cat insists on being in the bathroom with you while you get ready. Not too bad until she starts banging on the door to get out - she would have done that to let her in, too. Everyone gets trips outside and breakfast, then stays as much underfoot as possible while you do your workout. Not so bad if you weren't lifting weights today... Both dogs want to go outside again. The little dog wants to come back in. The big dog refuses. You make a trip with the ...

Yesterday was the Going Home Service for one of my dearest Titus older women. Francis Rice was saved when she was just 12 years old, and has been a faithful Christian and preacher's wife ever since. During her funeral our preacher said something that stopped me in my tracks. He was speaking about how she was doing very well, thank you. Then he said she treasured family, friends and her Lord much more than money in the bank. Something to seriously think about. Finance Fridays are some of my favorite topics to write about because I learn so much about saving, investing, spending wisely and being good stewards of the money God has blessed us with. But these words from the man of God made me start to analyze what's truly important in my life. * My salvation is much more important than money in the bank. * My God and our relationship is much more important than money in the bank. * My husband and our marriage are much more important than money in the bank. * My parents and extended ...

Our church's Ladies Jubilee is this Saturday - Alpine Baptist Church in Columbia South Carolina. (It's absolutely free: let me know if you want times and directions!) Instead of several different desserts this year, we're making more than 400 cupcakes! Coolest idea ever! We've been digging through all those amazing cupcakes cookbooks that are on the market right now. A couple of favorites: Hello, Cupcake! by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, and Cupcakes, Cakes and More, a mini mag from Betty Crocker. Both have some amazing design ideas. The cupcake that I chose to make 100 of for the Jubilee is this beautiful sunflower cupcake. It's from the Hello, Cupcake book. The only things the pictured cupcakes are missing are their spearmint candy leaves and little M&M ladybugs. When they're done I'll add a picture. After making the cupcakes from whatever recipe you want (mine are orange supreme from a box mix), cover the top of the cupcakes with green frosting for...

If you want a simple, striking centerpiece for your spring events, try this beautiful idea. I found all the parts for these decorations at the dollar store, so it cost about $6 to create, with several flowers left over. You'll need: 3 glass jars 2bags of colored glass stones 1 spray of brightly colored fake flowers 3 small pieces of florist's foam (optional) 1. Divide the stones evenly between the three jars. 2. Using wire clippers, separate three flowers from the spray. Vary the lengths if you like to make an interesting arrangement. 3. Tuck one flower into the stones of each jar. If they won't stand up straight, stick them into a tiny piece of florist's foam and bury it in the stones. You can coordinate the colors of the flowers and stones by season, event or theme. Set them up on the dining room table, on the tables at a shower or along the mantle of the fireplace.

The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel. Joel 3:16 For the Christian woman, hope brings strength. The blessings of salvation include knowing that our future is firmly rooted in Christ. This hope is what makes life in this world bearable and the thoughts of eternity so incredible. The eyes of the Lord watch the just and the unjust, punishing sinners and blessing the righteous. He knows exactly what our needs are at any given moment, and we have hope in Him to do what is right and just. The circumstances of the day will bring disappointment, but our hope is grounded in the Lord. When we wait on God to lead us down His path, we are placing our hope in His plan being the best. We place our complete trust in Him with the hope of both blessings here on earth and the promise of eternal life with our Lord. But sanctify the Lord God...

While checking out at a local shopping establishment recently, I was given the impression that I was interrupting the employee's already bad day. She didn't greet me, threw my items in the bag and then refused to make eye contact while I paid. I left frustrated and disappointed in the business and that girl in particular. Contrast: We went to a fast-food restaurant last week (my favorite eating-out place) and felt welcomed the moment we walked in. There was no loud greeter spouting off rehearsed lines or frowning while telling us to have a great day. The girl taking our order simply smiled, welcomed us and asked how she could help. When I asked to add something extra, she shocked me! "It's my pleasure." Huh??? No one talks like that anymore. Or treats anyone with respect like that anymore. I wanted to jump across the counter and hug her, just for making me feel like a human being! And she was completely sincere about the whole situation. She spoke to her coworkers...

Have you ever wasted time because you couldn't find the paperwork you needed, your favorite blouse in the back of the closet or all of the ingredients for tonight's meal? Of course you have! We've all done and redone things because of our lack of organizational skills. So how can we save time and energy by being organized? Here are a few thoughts to get you started. Set some goals . Do you want to attack the entire house or are there certain areas that steal your time? Would you like to get caught up on your filing so you can find what you need when you need it? Can you clear out the bedroom closet just so you can find your clothes in a hurry? By deciding exactly what you'd like to accomplish, the process doesn't seem so daunting. Think ahead. Are there guests coming soon that you'll need to organize and prepare for? Are there meetings or sessions on the horizon that need you to have projects completed? By planning ahead based on your personal schedule, you...

Cayenne has been through it over the past couple of weeks. You can tell by this picture that she wasn't feeling well - true, she often looks at me similarly, but this wasn't because I had bothered her. While we had company two weeks ago, we made the mistake of changing Cay's litter box that same weekend. Not only was she dealing with the addition of another person around the house, but she was more than a little miffed about her special spot being violated. One of the pet companies has come out with a litter box system that does away with the tiny little granule litter and replaces it with larger pellets. This is a fabulous idea for those of us who don't want to clean the mud room floor every day, but not a great idea for a three-year-old kitty who violently rejects change. So...long story short, she found a couple of other places for a litter box. Very not good when you have guests staying in the house. She was perturbed to the point of banging on closed doors, meowi...

McCormick has come up with a splendid idea for those of us whose culinary creativity is sputtering. I know that's me some days, so it's probably you, too, right? These great new Recipe Inspirations are pre -measured spices with a recipe card on the back. There's also a shopping list for all the other ingredients you'll need. Then when you get ready to prepare the meal, you pull the recipe card off, the open each little package of spices. You just mix everything together and cook according to the package directions. Plus, the recipe card has a picture of the finished meal on the back, so you can save it for the next time you want to fix this meal. Included are the measurements of spices so you can use them from your spice rack, too. And they have a ton of great recipes to choose from: Apple and Sage Pork Chops, Quesadilla Casserole, Spanish Chicken Skillet and Shrimp and Pasta Primavera , just to name a few. I fixed Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Potatoes earlier this we...

I'm always looking for new and different techniques to use on my cards and scrapbook pages. Sometimes, however, the best ideas come when you revisit old standbys. Sewing on your paper is nothing new, but it's been a long time since I added stitching to a project. Here's how easy it really is. 1. Cut card stock to desired size - this one is 6.25x4.5 inches when folded. Then cut two pieces of decorator paper to fit, making them long enough to overlap. (This is super-important.) Either cut or tear along the overlapping edge to make an interesting embellishment. Tape the two pieces together, but not to the card. 2. Using a small sewing needle, poke a series of alternating holes on either side of the overlap. You're going to "lace" the two pieces together, so stagger the holes accordingly. 3. Choose a coordinating color of thread, ribbon or cord and attach one end on the reverse side of the paper. Lace the thread through all the holes, alternating from side to side...

We have two beautiful rose bushes at our house, one near the front porch and one by the road under the mailbox. For the past few months the deep red bush has looked like this - dormant, dry and lifeless. The cold winter shriveled it up and took away all its color and growth. But I saw it in the fall. It was full of dark, deep crimson blooms. The highlight of running errands was being able to see those precious blossoms when I arrived back home. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3 The resurrection of Jesus is the very foundation of our entire faith and hope. That's what makes it a living hope - it's the proof that what He said during His life was true, all of it. I have hope that in the next few days my rose bush will break out in red blooms again because there is already a new bud waiting to open. But even more pre...

This may be the shortest, easiest post I've ever made. The funny part is that this piece of sticky tape has been on my kitchen counter for months, and I've never been able to get it off. I've tried all kinds of things to remove it, but it wasn't until I tried this little trick that I finally have a clean counter again. 1. Spray a good amount of kitchen cleaner onto the adhesive. The kind doesn't matter, you just need the moisture and the chemicals to loosen the stickiness. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. 2. Once the adhesive is loosened, use a dull razor blade to ease it up. Don't dig into the counter top or you'll leave marks. All you want to do is graze it over the surface, right underneath the sticky. It will lift off easily. Just two steps and you'll be right as rain. I've done this in three different spots on my counter and now it's all smooth and shiny again.

If your schedule has looked like mine lately, you've been super-busy! It seems as if I've been trying to stuff more and more into each day and feeling more and more exhausted by day's end. The around-the-house chores would be enough in themselves. I run two web sites, I just finished writing my first book, I cook, clean and keep up our home. There are also church projects: the dresses that we're making for Jubilee are now finished after many hours and there are several missions projects that need to be finished. Not to mention the things I would like to do - corresponding with family, scrapbooking my own pictures and really digging into the spring cleaning. I used to think it would be nice to add an extra hour or two to each day, but the Lord knows better. I would probably just fill them with more chores, projects and activities. Up until just a couple of days ago I was feeling stressed and overwhelmed like never before. I couldn't concentrate on any one project be...

This is our girls' toy basket. We don't keep them all out at once, but this is exactly how many fun stuff our pets have to play with. They have their favorites, as I'm sure you're animals do too. Here's just a sampling of what's in ours. This is Sadie's basketball. She loves anything that rolls. It used to be one of my favorite shelf-sitters (I've had it since junior high) but she has more fun with it. And then there's her squeaky toy. Sadie has severe hip dysplasia in both back hips, but she;ll hoist herself up every time just to go fetch this. Cayenne would actually rather play with a bottle cap or a paper towel tube, but she'll cuddle with her bouncy mouse on occasion. It used to be attached to a pole for teasing your cat, but she did away with that. Bailey just got this adorable bunny. She's a huge fan of fluffy animal toys, especially Mr. Squirrel, but we're trying to get her to branch out. She'll take it to the door when Dann...

Praise the Lord that spring is finally here! Yes, I love the colors and smells and sounds of spring, but more importantly, I love the farmer's markets! We have a great market just down the road from us underneath an attention-grabbing red and white tent. They just opened last week and I've already been there twice! It's so exciting to see fresh fruits and veggies like I haven't seen in months. Isn't spring fabulous! When you go to a farmer's market, it's completely different than shopping at the grocery store. There's time and opportunity to browse, to talk to the farmer and get the story behind where their food is coming from. It's great to know exactly who is getting your money and know that they'll be back tomorrow with more great buys. There are times when you'll spend much less on produce at a farmer's market because they may have had a bumper crop of something fantastic. You can negotiate some prices because you're face-to-face ...

If you're looking for a quick, personalized gift idea, or you just want something special for your own home, try this chalkboard frame. You'll need: A picture frame of desired size Chalkboard spray paint Embellishments 1. Take apart the frame, saving all the pieces. If there is a piece of cardboard in the frame, you'll be using that for your chalkboard spray. If there's not a piece of cardboard, cut a spare piece to size using the frame's parts for a pattern. 2. Using chalkboard spray paint, put two coats on the cut piece of cardboard following the can's directions. Be very careful not to drip or smear between coats. 3. While the paint is drying, embellish the frame as desired. I used two silk flowers adhered together with a metal brad and a verse of Psalms I printed out on the computer and matted with cardstock . 4. Once the cardboard has dried according to the specifications on the can, place it the frame (without the glass) and add the other parts behind it. ...

With South Carolina temperatures in the 80s and 90s over the past week, it seemed so natural to fire up the smoker this past weekend. We had half a brisket in the freezer and company to share it with, so Danny put together the most wonderful Saturday evening meal for us. I wish I could give you recipes for some of these, but I'm told there aren't any! Danny mixes some of this and a dash of that, and you can smell the mingling of spices, meat and beans creating something fabulous. The brisket sat in dry rub overnight and went into the smoker early in the morning. While that was starting, he put together a fruit cake (that's it in the upper right corner of the picture), since the only one we made last fall went to Mongolia. We were going to pack it away for a couple of months to work itself into an even better state of affairs, but we just couldn't wait. Then my favorite part - the baked beans! They're a decadent mix of pork and beans, brown sugar, cane syrup, traffi...

Society tells us that hope, wish and dream are all interchangeable words. Little girls are taught to dream about their future mate, wish for the perfect career and hope for all the good things in life. Each of those well-meaning practices take salvation and the Good News of Jesus Christ out of the picture. All of the future is left to chance and good intentions, regardless of heart condition. True hope, Christian hope, has two simple components - the good and the future. The good is eternal life with Jesus. The future is for all eternity. This earthly world has nothing that compete with those two truths. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth , why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Romans 8:24-25 The circumstances of the day can be ruthless. Events beyond our control take their toll on our minds and hearts. People disappoint us, activities deplete us and situations discourage us. Bu...

It feels like I've been cramming more and more into each day lately. I love every single project that I'm working on, but if there were 26 hours in every day it would be a little easier. Now don't tell me you can't relate! So what would happen if we looked at the way we use our time through God's eyes instead of our human reasoning. The Bible is very clear about the wisdom needed to be successful in our lives - it's God's wisdom. He has the best plans for W: With Wisdom. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are in vain. Therefore let no man glory in men. For all things are yours. (1 Corinthians 3:19-21) We can decide as individual women what our schedule will be for the day, week or month. This is the privilege of free will. However, if we want the most out of life and those things that are for our greater good, w...

Have you ever had those moments when you knew your cat or dog was trying to tell you something, but you just weren't quite sure what? Chances are you know the big things like, May I go outside NOW please? And, Are you sure you don't want to put food in my bowl NOW? But what about these, more obscure questions and statements? Have you ever seen these before? What's next Mommy? I'm all ears! The pounce is coming in 3...2...1... People food, Schmeople food. I'm cute enough to share with! Best hiding place ever! Sort of.

This one blew me away. There is a new Iphone app that allows you to pay your tithe directly from your fancy phone. MyTithe (givemytithes.com) allows churches to register on their website, then accept payment from church members through their MyTithe app. When an individual signs up they are given a merchant account that does an electronic transfer between church-goer and church. The best part was this comment on their website - No more lost givings on Sundays when members are out! I have no idea what the heart condition is of the woman who created this app. (I did read an article that gave a woman credit for its creation.) But it seems to me that she was more concerned about making money of her own than helping grow someone else's Christian walk. If I'm not planning to go to church on Sunday, I'm probably not too concerned about getting my money there, either. If I don't have consistent church attendance, I probably don't have consistent giving. An app on my Iphone ...

For the baby shower last weekend I made these beautiful chocolate spoons for a special treat. The best part was how easy and inexpensive they were to make, and they can be customized for whatever your celebration or event. Ingredients: Dipping chocolate (either microwavable or for a double-boiler) Spoons Decorations as desired 1. Prepare chocolate as directed. If you have time and patience, you can melt chocolate in a double boiler or glass bowl over a pan of boiling water. If you'd rather have the luxury of speed and convenience, use the microwavable kind. 2. Dip spoon in melted chocolate up to the small part of the handle. Make sure you cover the entire back, too. 3. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until solid. 4. Decorate as desired. I piped melted white chocolate in swirls and shook colored sprinkles over it before it dried. Experiment with what works for you and what fits your theme. 5. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or until solid.