My Blogsite is Under Construction!
Thank you for your patience as I re-do my blog!
God is doing some amazing things in my life, and I desire for this blog to place where His light shines brightly, and my life to be a vessel for Him to flow out of!

See you soon!

The Voice of Truth

I am doing a Bible Study this Summer by Jennifer Rothschild called, Me, Myself and Lies. It is teaching how we too often believe the lies from Satan, who is like a roaring lion seeking out those he can easily devour, over the Truth that Christ speaks. We listen, believe and clothe ourselves with those lies; hanging them in our "thought closets" to wear over and over.....
So with Jennifer's direction and God's loving guidance, I am doing a "Thought Closet" Makover!

This last week in our study books, we were told to combat the following lies, with God's Truth. God's Truth comes from His Word...there is not mistaking it, or wondering if it is true. Because He said it, I can believe it...I can stake my life on it....and I can clothe myself in His Truth!

"God doesn't listen to you!"

Psalms 145:18-19....
"The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them."

"You have no value or purpose!"

Isaiah 43:1-2....
"Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."

"Your problem is unfixable!"

Jeremiah 32: 17....
"Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you."

"You are abandoned!"

Romans 8:31....
"What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

"You are a loser!"

Romans 8:37....
"In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

"You've blown it, God can't accept you!"

Romans 8:38-39....
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

"Nobody cares about you!"

2 Corinthians 1:3-4....
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."

"You have no willpower!"

2 Timothy 1:7....
"For God did not give us a spirit of weakness, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

Chicken Zucchini Casserole

• 1 pkg. Stove Top Cornbread Dressing
• 1/2 c. Butter--melted
• 4 cups of Zucchini--chopped, peeled, grated (however you want it)
• 2 cups of Carrots--peeeled and sliced
• 1/2 c. Onions--chopped
• 1 Garlic clove--minced
• 2 cups of Rice---cooked (I like to use intant brown or wild rice)
• 1 can of Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 sm. container of plain Yogurt or Sour Cream
• 2 cups of chicken--cooked
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 c. Cheddar cheese--grated

Mix Cornbread Dressing Crumbs with the melted butter. Spread 3/4 of the crumbs in the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish and set the remaining crumbs aside. In medium saucepan cook Zucchini and carrots in a small amount of water, until fork tender. Drain and set aside. Saute the onions and garlic until translucent and add to the cooked veggies. Mix the chicken soup, yogurt, chicken, rice and salt and pepper into the bowl of veggies and mix all together. Pour over the crumbs into the casserole dish. Top with the remaining dressing crumbs and cheddar cheese.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve bubbly hot!

I like to serve this with Garlic Bread and maybe a Fresh Tossed Salad. When I am in a hurry to get this made up, and I think ahead enough, I like to use chicken that I have cooked and then frozen. Or even easier would be to buy a deli cooked chicken and take it off the bone.

Celebrating Our Freedoms!

We spent the Fourth of July weekend, hanging out with some of our family in Donnelly, Idaho. We had such a great weekend together!

We stayed up late, slept in, ate good food, played games, played on Cascade Lake, got eaten alive by mosquitos, doctored our sunburns and then climbed a mountain (in the vehicles) and watched the McCall Fireworks from a very high perch!!

I am so thankful for the blessing of family and for the freedoms we have! God is good!

Kid's Breakfast Table...eating bacon, scrambled eggs and blueberry waffles

The dads and the kids out on a boat ride

Three Happy Taylor Girls! (Brooklyn, Emme and Nikki)

Best Buddies (Brittney and Ash)

" It's COLD!" (Alex and Addison)

Cousins...Brook, Emme, Nikki and Bridgette

It was a perfect day at the Lake!!

Our view from "No Business Lookout"

Our Family...with McCall in the background

Duane, Marc and Terry

Bubby and Britt...hanging out waiting for the fireworks to start

Can you see the fireworks? It was more spectacular than this picture appears!

Happy Birthday America

We are proud to be American's!!
We are grateful and endebted to those who have given up their lives so that we might be free! We are proud and thankful for those who are currently serving in our military and protecting our freedoms today!

Our family is packing up and leaving for the mountains. We are gathering with family at the cabin. We intend to laugh a lot, watch ball games, catch bugs, play in the creek, go fishing, swim in the lake, roast hotdogs and smores, stay up late playing games....simply enjoying the freedoms we have and the love of family!

God Bless America & Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Potato Salad

There is nothing that goes with an American Summer Picnic quite like Potato Salad. I grew up thinking that potato salad was yucky...but it was because of the crunchy onions and sweet pickles...both of which make me shiver in horror!I never really thought that I could make Potato Salad without those two ingredients...that is until I tasted this. It originally came from one of my sister in laws, but I have tweaked a couple of things to suit our liking.

Potato Salad

3 Pounds of Red Potatoes-scrub clean and cut into quarters. I like to leave the peels on mine.

Boil the potatoes until fork tender. Drain, cool and mash just until slightly mashed, leaving some chunks.

1 1/2 cups of Mayo

1 Tbsp. Mustard (optional)

1/4 tsp. of onion powder

Dill pickle juice to moisten

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix the above ingredients together and pour over cooled potatoes.

1 cup of chopped, cooked bacon

2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

1/2 cup chopped dill pickles

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Add these ingredients to the the potato and dressing mix and stir all together. If it seems dry, just add a little more pickle juice. (it doesn't take much)

Sprinkle paprika on top (be careful when taking it to a party/picnic. Some people are allergic to paprika)

Stick a big spoon in it, and serve beside a Hamburger or Fried Chicken (or whatever else is you choose) Enjoy!

Truth the Rubber Ducky

This is Truth, the Rubber Ducky. I got him today from one of my sisters. He is sitting in my kitchen window sill to remind me that...

"Truth is like a Rubber Ducky. You can push him under, but he will always pop back up to the top!"

The next time someone spreads a lie about you or someone you love, and you want so badly to act out in defense...remember to think of Truth, the Rubber Ducky!

Responding with Purpose

I was visiting THE LETTERED COTTAGE BLOG this morning, and Layla had posted this yesterday. It is now afternoon, and I have been back to read it four times. It spoke a library's worth of volumes to me today!

Respond with purpose
What upsets you is not what happens.
What upsets you is your response to what happens.Just as easily as you respond in a negative way,
you can easily and naturally respond in a
positive, empowering, uplifting way.The biggest problems are often caused by
what you choose to do about the smallest problems.
Most of those big, painful problems are so unnecessary.Keep reminding yourself that you are in control of you.
You are in control and you can decide
exactly how you wish to feel at any point.Imagine the power of remaining calm and focused
and resourceful when some totally unexpected,
disappointing development interrupts your day.
Truly, you can make the disappointments not disappointing at all.Respond on purpose, with purpose.
Feel the power and the joy as every moment gives you a way to move forward.
Ralph Marston

Something to ponder....

This is a question that I have been pondering for a few days....

"Where is your mountain, and are you climbing it?"

Personally, I have identified an entire mountain range!! But then realize that there is one standing like Mt. Rainer...high above the rest!

The answer to my question upon further reflection is: "Yes, I am climbing it!"
It has been a booger of a climb too! I have wanted to give up over and over...I have been ready to turn around and throw my pack down more than once. But then I read that He who causes eagles to soar, will renew me with His Strength, and cause me to soar to the top of my mountain (Isaiah 40:31).

The most amazing part of this story, is that I am not alone! My Strength-Renewer travels with me, and encourages me along the way!
And while I am saying, "I think I can, I think I can...." He is saying, "I know you will, I know you will..."

Psalms 3:5...I lie down and sleep (in peace); I wake again (ready to climb my mountain), because the Lord sustains me."

(words in parentheses are mine)

Vacation

Our vacation is coming to an end...but we are ready to go home. We have had such a great week!!

I will post more pictures and share more about it in a few days...for now, we are going to relax in our hotel room and get ready to drive home tomorrow.