Diary of a Stay At Home Mom: My Morning Thought...

I just put Maggie down for her morning nap.  And as I held her for just a minute before sitting in her bed, I was praying for her future and for her salvation.  Suddenly it occurred to me that I sort of presume on the Lord's grace.  I think that many times when I pray for her salvation, when I pray that she will hate her sin, see her need for the Savior, submit to the Lord, love His church, and live her life as a worshipper of Christ...I just assume that that will definitely happen.  On one hand, I feel like that is due to great faith and confidence in the Lord's kindness, compassion, and love!  On the other hand I feel like it's because I have become complacent at the thought of the greatness of salvation.  Yet again I feel so humbled by the blessed life of mommying!

What do you think?  Do you ever feel like that?  Praise the Lord that He is sovereign and that the gracious Holy Spirit intercedes on my behalf.  Salvation truly is a miraculous and amazing gift!  God is so gracious to save sinners, like me.  And I trust and pray for the future salvation of my baby Maggie.

Hope you have a great day!  God is so good!

Chickpea Chicken Soup for my Chica

Lately I've been trying to bring a lot of variety into Maggie's diet.  I'm always trying new combos of fruit and it's exciting every time we can add new foods into her menu - like CHEESE!  It's a favorite of mine, and thus far proved to be a favorite of hers.  She will eat almost anything if I melt some cheese on the top!  To be honest, though, I usually just make stuff up for her, like whatever sounds good or what might go ok together or what can I add to make it more nutritious (like some sneaky spinach!)...  Last week I blended sweet potatoes, avocado, and a small apple and she totally loved that random conglomeration!  But, this week I thought I'd try an actual baby food recipe.  I ended up tweaking it a bit to fit what I could find at my TJs/what I thought would be good, and Maggie loved the result!  So, if you have a little one, you should try it!  It's yummy (to a baby), nutritious, and easy to make!

Ingredients:

1 can of organic garbanzo beans, drained (15oz)
1/2 clove of garlic, minced (*I used a whole clove, but I think it was a little too much)
2 small or 1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 small onion (or less) chopped
2 tbsp of olive oil
3.5 cups of water
1/2 cup of boiled organic chicken, shredded

Directions:

Saute the garlic and onion in the olive oil for a few minutes.
Add in the beans (drained) and the potatoes.  Then add in the water.
(You can add the chicken now or just add it straight into the blender with the soup [gross. i know.])
Simmer for 15-20 minutes/until the potatoes are soft enough to blend.
Blend it up.  Yum?

Let it cool and it's ready to go**.  I served it to Maggie with a slice of wheat bread.  And, from what I can tell she definitely enjoyed it!  So, try it if you want!

[**cottage cheese or whipping cream/milk is optional.  I added a smidge of cottage cheese to bring some creaminess, and also to make it less watery (you also might need to add some other thickening agents such as oatmeal cereal, depending on the consistency).  ALSO, if you are going to freeze it, do so sans "cream" and add the cottage cheese or what not as you serve it.]    

A Week Without Daddy

A week without Daddy is a sad week, indeed.

Mommy and Maggie sleep with less ease.

A week without Daddy means no strong, tickling hands

And big bear hugs are in high demand.

A week without Daddy is not our favorite week,

But tomorrow he gets back and we will go out to eat!

...OK, obviously a work of art!  But I couldn't justify any more time spent on thinking up rhymes.  Needless to say, though, I have been missing my man something fierce!  There is something about the knowledge of Daddy coming home at the end of the day that really helps to get you through a bought of crying or whining or teething or ??? you name it; but the knowledge of Daddy's absence for an entire week has the opposite effect.  But, tomorrow, he returns!  Yay!  

From the sounds of it, camp was amazing - lots of great ministry, one of one conversations, and fabulous preaching.  There were fun games and a lot of dirty kids.  Robert was one of the "hype" men this year, and he had a lot of fun doing that.  And, I'm SO thankful (despite how much he was missed) that he was able to be there, attending to all of that, and know that I was at home taking care of our baby and apartment...    

I've been thinking that with ministry this sort of thing might be asked of us a lot.  Trying to think about the future and what we might do: take the kids, leave the kids with someone else, don't go?  These decisions do not need to be made today, obviously, but it is something to think about.    My number one responsibility is my husband and children (future tense, obviously since i have only 1 as of right now!) and doing ministry with them as a family is a DREAM!  When they're littler and money is "littler" it can be tough.  But, it's so awesome to know that the Lord provides!  And, He will not call us to anything that is too difficult for us!  So, with all of that in mind, and with me wanting to get to bed...I leave this for another time.  

Goodnight Cyberspace and my few reading friends :)