How should we live?

December 29, 2020

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ;  who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.    -Titus 2:11-14 (KJV)

God has a way for us to live.

I invite you to read the above scripture text carefully and pay attention to the instructions embedded within it. According to this text, daily living for the Christian means to:

• Deny ungodliness and worldly lusts

• Live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world

• Look for the blessed hope and return of our Savior, Jesus Christ

• Be zealous of good works

The first three commands seem clear-cut, even though these things aren't always easy to practice. Rooting out ungodliness in our lives can be a painful task. 

But the last part, “be zealous of good works", is easier to practice in some ways. It feels positive and productive to do good works. And I have a desire to do good works.  The tricky part for me is that I haven’t always been sure what good works I was supposed to be doing. It has taken awhile for me to discern my vocation.

Work, to me, had always meant having a career in the world and making the most of my talents in that way.

So I went to college and trained as a teacher. Then I got married, bought a house, and had a baby.  I realized that with the addition of a home and family,  my focus was changing.  

The things that really seemed important now were the things I had not trained and prepared for….marriage, family, children, running a household.  I also found myself struggling to balance a career with these now more important things.  

Something was out of whack and this is my journey of how I got it back into whack.  

It’s the story of how I became serious about following God’s will for my life, living it out daily, and how I found my vocation as a wife and mother. This series will share the rule of life I created to keep my life focused on God’s plan for me.

I invite you to read, seek the Lord and be inspired to think about the plan He has laid out for you.

Blessings,

Amy Laurie

But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh , and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations...and I will give him the morning star.  Revelation 2:25-28

Part One: What will we do, sisters?

 Christmas Day, 2020

Do you ever think about what are you here for? What is the purpose of your life?

Do you have a vision for what your life will be all about?

As a Christian woman you may be wondering what God wants you to do to serve Him.  

I know I have been in that place. I have found myself doing all the things my culture was telling me to do but still feeling scattered and exhausted, and wondering what was the point of all the activity of my life. 

That’s when I started asking God to help me. And reading His word more closely. And taking it more seriously.

The Bible actually has some things to say about what women should do with their lives and that is what this blog is about.

In the letter to Titus, the Apostle Paul lays out priorities for women as being marriage, children, being keepers of the home and cultivating godly feminine character (Titus 2:3-5). 

Some call this Biblical Womanhood, but I think I will call it New Testament womanhood because it is a teaching that is so closely connected to the Good News of Christianity.

In this blog you will learn the roles and responsibilities of Christian women and how to grow in these areas.

We will do the spiritual work of building a mindset that conforms to the will of God. Changing a mindset involves reading scripture, prayer, learning to listen to God, repentance and planning for a new way of life. I’ll also be recommending and taking recommendations from my readers on books, blogs, vlogs and YouTube channels that will be helpful on this journey we are taking together.

We will also have practical aspects of a woman’s family ministry such as planning, setting up personal and household systems, organizing, cooking and meal planning, pregnancy and childcare, homeschooling, relationship dynamics, staying healthy, and finally, the domestic arts such as sewing, gardening, preserving, knitting and crochet.

I hope you will join me on our exciting adventure into domesticity for the love of Christ.

-Amy Laurie

Menu Plan: September 13-19

Menu Plan: September 13-19

When it comes to menu planning, let's embrace and  K.I.S.S. ( Keep It Simple Sweetie!).

We'll begin with the basics:  I'll share with you a simple, reliable meal plan  that I know my family loves, isn't too complicated to prepare and uses easy to obtain ingredients.

I'd be delighted if you used this menu for your own household, but I encourage you to find out the meals your family loves and make your own customized menu plans full of family favorites and tried-and-true meals.

Keep them somewhere handy....they will be invaluable to you during busy seasons or when you are not up to planning anything creative.  

Eventually we will add in some new things but bear with me as we are just going for consistency right now.  The goal is to stay away from eating unhealthy convenience and fast foods in desperation because we "cannot think of anything to cook".  We will always have something to cook because we already have 6 or seven weeks planned out ahead of time.  

Remember when menu planning to check your pantry first, fridge and freezer to see what you have on hand before you add to the stockpile. Let’s use what we already have and save money!

My basic menu planning strategy

Sunday braise:  It could be an easy chuck roast, beef stew or stroganoff, or coq au vin, pork country ribs and beans.  In the summer, I'm more likely to use a slow cooker to keep the kitchen cool.  If it's really hot, we might just pick up deli sandwiches or fried chicken.  Occasionally I'll make a chicken casserole.

Monday: One day of the week is usually leftovers, a hash made with any meat and  veggies which need using up.  Or I might make a quiche or a frittata.

Tuesday/Thursday*: Think simple...usually a meat, a starch and a couple of veggies or a stir-fry

Wednesday: Soups/Homemade breads and/or desserts/ Salads /Sandwiches

Friday: Fish

Saturday:   Comfort dishes ... pasta, pizza, beef stew, minestrone, tortilla soup, enchiladas, burgers, Red beans and rice, pizza

*This is my errand and visiting day so cooking has to be minimal.  I will often pick up a deli chicken with a bagged salad and Italian bread while at the grocery store.

Sooo....What's for dinner this week at my Mountain House?

Sunday:  Easy Chuck Roast / mashed potatoes / green beans / corn bread/ biscuits

Monday: Skillet hash/ relish tray

Tuesday: Grilled pork chops, green beans, lemon rice

Wednesday: Fried chicken tenders and salad / ice cream

Thursday:  Grilled brats and peppers/ relish tray

Friday: Fish tacos /slaw

Saturday: Spaghetti/ salad

Easy peasy!  A week's worth of dinners in the bag!

Country kisses and hugs to you!

And keep a gentle spirit....

~Amy Laurie