Living as a Victorious Christian Woman

Shrimp has always been one of my favorite foods. I don't know why, though, because we didn't have it very much when I was growing up. Maybe it's one of those acquired tastes that just gets better as you age. If that's true, I can't wait to see how much I love shrimp when I'm 90! I even have a gumbo glass art with shrimp being dumped in. Danny says it's steam coming up from the bowl, but I'm sticking with shrimp. The answer is always shrimp. Just like the movie says, there is so much you can do with shrimp. (I'll save you the list.) But one of the quickest, easiest, and most versatile ways to prepare it is in the skillet. In a matter of minutes, you have hot, juicy shrimp that you can flavor any way you'd like - the possibilities are endless. I start by heating two tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet, which is the only way to go. We've spent decades seasoning our skillets so they're ready for anything we have planned.  When the...

It's time for a confession. I stole parts from a bulletin board I had made downstairs at the church to make a new bulletin board upstairs.  There. I feel so much better.  Of course, it wasn't technically stealing because it was mine to begin with. And if you take something that's already yours, even just to reuse it elsewhere, I'm not sure that counts either. As I was taking the die cuts down downstairs (say that five times fast), this bright, vivid green appeared from behind them. That's the shade of green the whole paper used to be! Can you believe the difference in this picture? Sure, it's been up for at least three years, but it's in an interior hallway without direct sunlight. Who woulda thunk it? That green paper had been protected by the die cuts without those of us walking past it having a clue. And it was just enough light on it to fade the paper gradually over a matter of years. But not underneath the shapes. If I wanted to, I could put each piece ...

Are you feeling weak and weary today? Has it been a long, hard journey recently? Does it seem like the more you try to do and be, the less you have left in your tank? Then here's your message for this sabbath - you don't have to be strong. If you try to do all the things in your own strength, you will always be worn out. If you think you have to do everything in your own power, you'll always be drained at the end of the day. It's not about our own strength and power. It never has been. And the minute we realize that is the minute the pressure goes away and we can breathe again. God is my strength and power: And he maketh my way perfect. 2 Samuel 22:33 God's strength is perfect. His power is perfect. And that perfect makes the way He's leading us in perfect, too. Let's spend this week trading in our own power (which is as imperfect as it can be) for the completely perfect power of the God of the universe. 

Organization is one of my anxiety-busters. The clutter around me turns into clutter in my mind, which makes me anxious and overwhelmed. So a few weeks ago when we talked about downsizing collections , I started looking at some fun ways to organize, store, and display the things I chose to keep. If you did the same downsizing, try some of these ideas for what to do with them. Cabinets: For kitchen collections like baking pans or cookbooks, anything you don't need on the counter every day, look for cabinet space. I adore the pullout drawers in my kitchen because they make reaching everything quick and easy. If you don't have cabinet drawers, arrange pieces in two rows, keeping the things you use or show off more often in the front. Glass display cases: For anything intricate, breakable, or precious, consider displaying them in glass. Then they'll be protected, kept clean, and can still be seen. Shadow boxes: Shallow boxes with small shelves are a vintage way of keeping collec...

One of our local restaurants was named Best Street Tacos in Iowa. And they deserve that title! They're one of the most popular restaurants, and they focus on fresh, made-to-order menu items. So good. We get all of our meat at home from Butcher Box, so it's organic, grass-fed, and grass-finished. It makes eating out hard, though, because it's hard to beat what we're making at home. Yesterday I pulled pork carnitas - a jalapeno-citrus braised pulled pork - and made my own street tacos. They were absolutely fabulous, and incredibly addictive. So what are the best toppings for street tacos? Mix and match any of the ingredients below to create your own carnitas masterpiece. * Black beans * Diced tomatoes * Refried beans * Lettuce * Onions * Peppers  * Mushrooms * Avocado * Corn * Olives * Guacamole * Salsa * Queso * Sour cream * Cheese * Hot sauce * Cilantro * Lime juice * Green onions * Jalapenos * Fajita veggies * Pico de Gallo * Mexican rice What's your winning combin...

Sometimes verses of Scripture grab ahold of your heart and don't let go. That happened to me several months in a row as I was reading the books of Psalms and Proverbs.  If you don't already, add reading the Proverb that corresponds to the day of the month - 31 Proverbs, 31 days - to your Bible reading schedule. Similarly, if you read five Psalms every day, you'll read the entire book each month. On the first of the month, Psalm 5:11-12 stood out like they were under a spotlight. Repeatedly. Every month like clockwork. But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.  For thou, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour wilt thou compass him as   with  a shield. Psalm 5:11-12 It was the word shield - favor like a shield, wrapping around with protection and love. Shields are a defensive weapon, so knowing that you're surrounded and protected means you c...

Nothing says summer like making s'mores over an open fire. It's probably been a seasonal tradition since the beginning of time. Well...it should be. Now that we've officially hit bonfire season, here are just a few ideas to make your s'mores-making memorable, too. For your next bonfire, fill a baking sheet or wooden tray with lots of different s'mores ingredients. Start with several flavors of marshmallows and graham crackers, then branch out into peanut butter cups, chocolate chip cookies, and drizzles. For s'mores party favors, fill snack bags with mini marshmallows, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, and small chocolate candies. Is rain ruining your big bonfire plans? S'mores can easily be moved indoors .  If it's too hot to go outside but you still want s'mores, never fear. Try these s'mores crescents or spread marshmallow fluff between graham crackers, then dip them in melted chocolate. You can even let your love of s'mores spill over into y...

No doubt you've seen a puppy play hard and then fall asleep right where they are. Our dogs range in age from 7 to 15, but they still doze off on the spot. Like under the papasan chair. Apparently wicker is comfier than it looks. We put these bar stools on the couch while we're gone, mostly to make sure we have a couch when we get back. Diesel obviously didn't care where it was because he was just that tired. Molly doesn't usually sleep uncomfortably - when you're the big dog, you've earned the right to be comfortable. This nap was well deserved after an afternoon of rearranging all the blankets in the house.  And when she finally keeled over, Diesel was right there to join her. Until he found some blankets of his own to cuddle with. And just so she's not left out, Callie just goes with the flow. She'll cuddle with whoever's close by, then slowly drift off to sleep. Then she's recharged and ready to hit the ground running again. Play, sleep, repea...