Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

The more grilling I do, the more grilling I want to do! For those of you who are grilling experts, is this normal? Most recently, when I wasn't grilling up sweet and smoky apples , I was experimenting with the grilling basket I found in our kitchen. I sure didn't remember it was there, so it was a fun discovery. The best meat I could think of to start with was steak tips. I thawed a package and then marinated them in BBQ sauce for a couple of hours. I would love to use dry rub on the next package of steak tips instead of sauce, just to see what the difference in tenderness is. After heating the grill to 400 degrees, all I had to do was tuck my meat into the basket and close it up like a sandwich. The tips were just large enough to stay inside the wires and the perfect size for juicy, bite-sized pieces. In just 4 minutes per side on the hot grill, they were done so quickly that we were able to snack on them while I grilled up the rest of the meal.  Have you used a grill basket b...

Choosing the best focal point for your pictures can either be the easiest part of photography or the most difficult. That one eye-catching subject that you capture through your lens sets the tone and mood of your photo like nothing else can.  At our convention and visitors bureau, the way I compose a picture tells visitors what I think is most important. For the photo above, I wanted to tell them that one of our largest parks has a covered shelter area for picnics, as well as a beautiful, tree-lined view. Some day we'll get rain here in southern Iowa, and I'll go retake this photo with green grass. The difference between this water tower photo and the next one is subtle - here I wanted more of the beautiful blue sky. I moved to a spot where the two trails behind it crossed just to the left of the tower. Immediately moving just a few steps to the left, I had the same tower, the same jet trails, and more trees to frame the bottom of the picture. This way, if I use the photo for a...

There is nothing cuter than a tiny, cranky baby bird! We have nests all around the property right now, and this one outside our living room window is one of my two favorites. The other is the one over our garage security light, which she returns to every year. Going around the house, this nest is tucked away in the corner, protecting it from the wind and the rain. It's also fascinating because it's built on its side. All the better for me because I can look into it from the window any time I want! There are at least four babies in there, though we can only see the two in front. Well, we can see some other wings and an occasional foot, but other than that it's whoever sits in the entrance. They're just recently hatched, so these babies are incredibly hungry and very loud. I love how their little yellow frowns turn into big, open Os as they scream for their mama. I mean, just look at those grumpy babies! Don't you want to give them absolutely anything they want? They ...

And so continues the grilling season at our house. Playing around with seasoning and marinades and all kinds of goodness and yumminess is what the summer is made of! So far we've done steaks, steak tips, chicken, brats, and sausage - more on some of those another day.  This was the first time I'd tried using these grill rings for apples. I've done foil packet caramel apples, pineapple, and even some melon, so this looked like something fun and different. These Best of Barbecue grill rings come in two parts - a ring and a stand to spear the apple with. They are very well made and stood up to the high heat needed to soften the apples. The only prep required was cutting off a slice of the top of each apple, then removing the core. With a sharp knife, this is quick and easy. Then the center of the apple goes straight onto the metal stand, which goes under and into the ring.  Then comes the fun part! Fillings! I used cinnamon, walnuts and mini chocolate chips. The whole ring goe...

It's hard to believe that June began this week, but that means it's June wedding season! So between wedding cards and anniversary cards, it will be a busy crafting season.  For my anniversary card here, I started with a textured background paper. Then I cut a piece of patterned paper in half and ran it across the top and bottom of the card. This is a great opportunity to use up some of those smaller scraps of leftover paper. The focal point is a beautiful flower die cut on a torn piece of card stock. It's accented with four gold, glittery acrylic dots to add sparkle and shine! After stamping the sentiment at the top, I added a coordinating Scripture inside, matted on coordinating decorator paper. Ready to make this card sketch your own? Gather a few supplies and let's get started! Cut a piece of textured card stock to fit the front of your card. Choose a coordinating scrap of decorator paper and cut it to run borders across the top and bottom of the card. Mat your focal...

There's no way around it. It's beyond time to clear the clutter, clean out your stuff and get a sale set up. The idea of having some extra cash sounds great, and the thought of reclaiming your house makes you smile. But actually making decisions and decluttering send you into a mild panic. If you recognize yourself in this description, I'm right there with you. We're in that process right now, and it can truly be overwhelming at times. Can I just curl up in the corner and wait until the house cleans itself? Because that would be great. Yeah, but not practical. Or useful. Honestly. Instead, here are some simple ways to make decision-making a little easier as you sort. * Figure out when the last time you used it was, and if it's been more than a year or two ... let it go! * If the poor condition of an item would stop you from buying it, no one else will buy it either. * Don't keep it just because you spent a lot of money on it, especially if you're not using i...

A few weeks ago, Molly snuck out the front door behind me and started an adventure. She's almost 10 years old, so I didn't think she'd go very far, but I was definitely wrong. Without a leash, she became an energetic puppy again! We have 33 acres of timber for her to traipse through, so Parker and I followed her to the far end of the big pond. Neither of us is getting any younger, either, but we did catch up with her in a matter of minutes. I was incredibly proud of us. I think Molly was proud of us, too, even though that meant getting her leash put on. She was headed for the muddy water of the big pond, and I wasn't in the mood to get a Great Dane in the bathtub for a time of deep cleaning.  While we had time, I decided to satisfy their craving for outdoor exploring. Danny cuts trails through the whole property, so we took advantage of them. There were tons of smells - and literal rabbit trails - all over, and it was the first time we'd really been out on the prope...

What's so special about baked chicken? Oh, just the fact that you can make it amazing with any spice blend. And it's versatile enough to add to any recipe. Just bake some ahead of time and then try these eight delicious uses.  * Use the shredded meat on tortillas. Add lettuce, ranch dressing, diced tomatoes and any other leftovers you might have. * Add the leftover meat to stir fry veggies and some soy sauce or sweet and sour sauce. * Make a fantastic chicken salad sandwich! * Layer with pizza sauce and cheese on english muffins. Broil until just browned. * Shred, then use on top of lettuce salad with all the fixings. * Substitute for ground beef in any pasta recipe. * Pile onto those great sandwich thins for a filling lunch. * Stuff a bunch into a pita bread along with all those great trimmings in the fridge. Ingredients: 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts 4 Tbsp minced garlic 3 Tbsp Italian seasoning 1 Tbsp garlic powder 1 Tbsp oregano 1 Tbsp butter for each chicken breast ...