Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church of Gainesville, Texas: New Fence

Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church of Gainesville, Texas: New Fence: What a blessing! Our fence is complete, minus the gates! A couple of super nice young men VOLUNTEERED to stretch the fence for us!!! God ...

Fridge

Today is fridge day - I did a two for one again today, I de-cluttered all the food and I cleaned the shelves; man o man, it's a miracle we haven't all been sick from what I found in our fridge ..
 
The shelves in our fridge before - this was after I took all the food out and put the food we kept back in, I took picture of how it looked when I first opened the door, but accidently deleted them before sending them to my laptop.

Food Pantry, Inventory, Cups/Mixing Bowls/Baking Dishes

This post is a combination of three days of organization - I ended up having to go out of town Friday and Sunday, thus not getting anything done, not only with organization, anywhere else either.
So, if you want to see how organizing my food pantry, inventoring the food and organizing my last cabinet, grab a cup of coffee and get comphy, it's a long post, but, I'll admit, I had fun doing these three combined as one, my husband helped me, and we had a good time; lots of food donated to our food pantry at church too!

Chicken Parmesan Stuffed Peppers

I don't normally post recipes or recipe reviews on this blog, but, because I got behind over the weekend, and am working on catching up on three days of organization and blog learning not to mention all the other things that were put aside over the weekend, I thought I'd throw this one out there.
So, this past weekend has been run, run, run!
I ended up having to go out of town TWICE!

Spices

Today we are organizing our spices. My husband made my spice pantry for me. When we bought our house there was a doorway from the kitchen into the front room; at one time it was probably the dining room being as it doesn't have a closet in it; however, we made it into our 5 year olds bedroom. I really didn't like the idea that she would have access to the kitchen like that (she had just turned 3 when we moved in) because the kitchen is closed off from the rest of the house, I found it to be a safety factor.
I used to use an old computer hutch for my spices and baking things, so at first I put it in the doorway to keep her or anyone else from going through it; soon after though we bought some sheetrock and put it up on her side of the room, creating a cute little nook on the kitchen side, so my husband built shelves for me and we painted it my favorite colors, pink and white and tada!!! There ya have it, my spice pantry! I love it!!!!

There is a lot going on in this picture. I have an extension cord running across the spice pantry because the cabinet to the right of it is where I use my crock pot and there isn't a plug over there; laziness on my part is why it isn't put away when I am not using my crock pot. I also have some hemp rope hanging above the spice shelf for my 'chip' clips my daughter and I made one night. We covered several clothes pins with pretty craft paper; unfortunately, most of them have disappeared and all that is left hanging up there is a stack of coffee filters I 'painted' for a Valentines project last year.

Canned Food

This week we are organizing our food... today is canned food.


My canned goods before; not too bad, and honestly, as you'll see in the next photo, I didn't do a whole lot to 'organize' them; a few months ago we started painting the inside of our kitchen cabinets, and we started with the cabinets that store the food; at that time I organized my food by type and grouped items together we use most, and for the most part, I've kept it pretty well together.

After - there were a couple of misplaced itmes that I put back where they belong, and I double checked that items we have multiple of were all grouped together and that was pretty much it.
As you can see, veggies and canned beans are on the bottom shelf - it would probably make more sense if I grouped dry and canned beans together - also on the bottom shelf is any canned meat we have - like, stew, canned fish, tuna, so forth, and then soups. There is a vase sitting there that needs to go out to the craft room, but it is just too cold and wet to trek out there today just to put a vase up.
Next shelf {it is by NO means the top shelf} it holds the dry beans and rice, pasta and taco shells and all tomato base cans and enchilada sauce; there is a can of carnation milk there that goes on the shelf above this one, but I can't reach that shelf and have to wait for my husband to put that can back up

Jenn

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Bakeware

This week we are going to start organizing our food storage ... boy have I got my work cut out for me! Today's task was easy, organizing my bakeware; the other night when I organized my pots and pans I organized my bakeware too!


This is where I store my cake decorating stuff. I love to bake cakes, and I can make them taste pretty good, I just can't make them look very pretty!

My bundt cake pan and muffin tins, cooling racks, and above them, lids!

Our Perfect Example

John 1:19-29, “And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No. Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias. And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
Jesus had everything He needed in heaven, yet He chose to leave His Father’s Kingdom and His glory, to come to earth, born poor to a carpenter, to be THE sacrifice for us, in total obedience to the Father.
Jesus was obedient to the Father, giving Him His all.
Christ was obedient unto death. God wants us to be obedient. So, what happens when we don’t obey God? Among other things, we experience anger, disappointment, and guilt.
Jesus brought us a very simple plan of salvation. Repent and receive.
The most important decision you’ll ever make in your life is whether to follow Christ. The Bible says if we don’t choose to follow Christ we are already condemned.
When we keep our eyes on Christ life is so much easier to bear.
God has a specific purpose for each of our lives, and living in His purpose and will for your life may not always be easy but it will defiantly be the most rewarding and God will supply all we need; strength, courage, faith .. everything, physical, spiritual, all you need.
You were bought with a price, a heavy price paid for by Christ. He took the punishment we deserved, on the cross, in total obedience to the Father.
Knowing what Christ did for us, how can we not be obedient to Him and the Father? How dare us and our prideful selves to think for one moment we can get through this life without Him.
Jesus died for me and you, trust and obey.
Jenn

Pots, Pans and Lids

The last day of week 2, pots, pans and lids. Honestly, I was dreading this one but it went a lot smoother then I dreamed; I found a couple of things I forgot about and I found a few things to donate!


This is the cabinet where my big pots and the ones I can't hang up, hang out, and boy is it a mess! The electric skillet is on top of my mixer .....In the two years we've lived here I have had to re-arrange this cabinet several times, the only thing I can figure is that the pots and pans dance or have a party or something, because I know my family always puts things back where they go ;)

All nice and neat; everything in it's place, and everything in sight! I love how both blenders are together up on that little shelf; within easy reach but out of the way too.

Sunday Services 1/15/17

Great day in the Lord's house today!
We had guest speaker, Todd Gray, who brought an incredible message,
"Losing Your First Love", Revelation 2:1-7
Todd Gray

Top of Dresser Challenge

Saw this challenge about 11 pm, so I ran into the bedroom and cleared the top of our dresser off real quick; I know sometime during the year we will work on the master bedroom, I am more then certain I will go into more detail on our dresser at that time :)


Here is our dresser before; there is a lot going on here; I have my jewelry box and vintage {it was my moms when she was a young girl} vanity tray, as well as a pink glass bowl, my wedding bouquet, a footed glass bowl, makeup I never wear, an Avon rocking chair with a kitty on top, used to belong to my grandma, and a couple of other odds and ends, including my deodorant, and the t.v. remote.

I put the remote and my deodorant up, and some papers my husband had out. The footed bowl goes on a shelf in the living room but is temporally taking up residence on our dresser while our small grandchildren are living with us.

Jenn

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Junk Cabinet and Plastic Bowls

This week we were to organize the silverware drawer, which I did last week; and we were supposed to declutter and organize the junk drawer, foil, kitchen wrap and baggies storage and plastic bowl storage. I don't have a junk drawer, well, I didn't until 2 days ago when I made one, which was, to say the least, stupid; because a junk drawer does NOT fit who I am or the design of my very old kithen.


So this is the drawer with that stores the foil, parchment paper and wax paper AFTER I made it a multi-purpose drawer and added some junk to it. I don't like it; the stuff is in the way, and well, I just don't like it.

Here it is after I took the junk I added to it back out .... this is the way I like it, clean and clutter free!

For whatever reason we collect twist ties off of bread and whatever else may have one, I used to throw them into the foil drawer, but today I put them in this baby food jar and placed it in the foil drawer; at least they are all together now instead of scattered all over the drawer.

Junk Drawer

Ok, so today we were to organize our junk drawer. Honestly, before today, I didn't have a junk drawer, I kept a few things in different drawers with towels and popholders, but I put it all together today making a junk drawer.


The drawer before - just a drawer for my foil and knife sharpner

So, I made a junk drawer; put the electrical cords in here, and a few other odds and ins, but kept my foil in this drawer because I don't currently have any place else to put it

Jenn

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My Home Book

Ok, so this is week 1, day 6, and this week we are de-cluttering the kitchen. Today we are to make a home book; I already had one, so I went through mine and I read the article with ideas for pages for the home book, and I added a couple of pages to mine. I added a page about everyone who lives in our home and an address book. I have a lot going on in my home book, I have medical cards, a project list, school information and teacher names for my students; medical information on my husband including a list of his current meds; I also have tax information and a few photographs and receipts in my book.


The cover of our home book

My calendars

My Chore list

Are You Ready?

Titus 2:11-14, “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 Saviour 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.”
God has made Himself known to everyone who has ever lived and He will make Himself known to everyone who ever will live. He imputes it in us to know that there is something, someone, higher, greater, than us.

God is that tug on your heart to do something, or to keep you from doing something.

Painting Fellowship Hall

Gethsemane Missionary Baptist Church of Gainesville, Texas: Painting Fellowship Hall: Painting Fellowship Hall Fellowship Hall got a facelift this week! We had some wonderful volunteers for the labor and Sherwin-William...

Kitchen Towels, Potholders and Linens

Ok, so this is week 1, day 5, and this week we are de-cluttering the kitchen, below are my before and after pictures of my kitchen drawers with towels, potholders and what I call 'fine' linens


As you can see the towel and washcloth drawer was sorta messy, looking kind of like everything had been folded and just sort of tossed in there, probably looking that way because that is exactly how they got in there - not to mention everything being moved around as a towel or washcloth is grabbed on the go.

My drawer if potholders.
Most of the potholders in this drawer were made by my mother-in-law, and honestly, are rarely used, but not because she made them, but because I made some out of scrap material I had left over after covering the shades in my kitchen and making decorative towels for the kitchen. It's also our 'junk drawer' with mainly just three extension cords and some round magnets.

I call these my 'fine' kitchen linens; there are some lacy napkins my mother-in-law made and a few other delicate girly things in there I am saving back for when I can use my dining room as a dining room.
Now, for the after pictures ...

Scripture Writing

How is your Scripture writing coming? Today is day 7! I love the promises and declarations I've written thus far, I love God's Word and I love to write it.
I hope and pray as you write a few verses every day you dig deeper into God's Word, studying, even diagramming Scripture when and where you feel led; feasting on the Bread of Life and drinking from the Well that never runs dry. God's Word is alive; let Him speak to you as you read, write and study His Word.


Jenn

Utensil and Utility Drawers

Ok, so this is week 1, day 4, and this week we are de-cluttering the kitchen, below are my before and after pictures of my kitchen utensil and utility drawers


The silver-ware drawer, and not an ounce of silver in it, lol! Ok, so, there are I think parts of three different sets of steak knives, a broken set of tongs we've had for over 20 years that my husband is almost attached to as he is to me, parts of two different sets of measuring spoons and mix and match flatware, oh, and serving spoons.

The knife drawer.
I think of all the knives in here only one is sharp enough to cut through melted butter..I see two can openers, a potato peeler, a nut cracker and a bottle opener. Oh, and a small rubber spatula.

The utility drawer, as I call it, because there are a lot of gadgets in here we use on a regular basis, and because I don't know what else to call it. Ok, so, there are two pizza cutters, two melon scoops, and ice cream scoop with some kind of tool from the garage as the handle, a potato masher, two more potato peelers, a little brush, more pastry spatulas, long forks, cheese and veggie graters, and parts to a mini chopper

The spatula drawer. In this drawer there are two rolling pins, one of which would probably be the cause of divorce if I threw it out {my husband attaches to the strangest things!}, metal and plastic spatulas, a wire strainer, whisk and tongs, and slotted spoons.

Now, for the after pictures ...

It's Snowing!

I know those of you who live in the northern part of the country are probably tired of seeing this stuff, but for those of us who live in North Texas it is a rare event at best! As of this post it is currently snowing! I love the snow, I think it is so very beautiful, and my cellphone pictures don't do it justice!

 

 

Stay warm everyone!





      Jenn

Kitchen Table

Ok, so this is week 1, day 3, this week we are de-cluttering the kitchen, below are my before and after pictures of my kitchen table; this one is very easy for me as I can't stand for the table to be cluttered, and we use our table for everything from groceries, menu planning, reading, writing, painting, crafting, you name it!


So, on the table, you will find my laptop, my Bible, some homemade rolls my husband made, his coffee cup, his note pad and calendar - he had been preparing for the messages he brings to nursing homes this week and the message he is bringing Sunday morning at church, his calendar, his phone, and our Sunday school quarterly.

Like every morning, and every time we use the table, which is a lot, when we were done, everything was put away! The vase and flowers were a gift to me made by and given to me by a youth that used to go to our church.

Jenn

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Kitchen Counters

Ok, so this is week 1, day 2, and this week we are de-cluttering the kitchen, below are my before and after pictures of my kitchen counters, and dryer -


Ok, so there is a lot going on in this picture - a pink blender that I never use because it isn't big enough to mix hot butter, some folded towels, behind the towels is a canister of flour, a mixing bowl with a chicken covered basket sitting on top of it, they are hard to see, but, a little wooden mail box and pallet coaster, blessing jar, the bread box with my home book on top of it, on the other side of the box a mini medicine cabinet, a jar of pens and pencils and a plate holding three mason jars with silverware in them next to the microwave; turn to the right and there is the catch all, I mean dryer.

Here is a closer shot of the mixing bowl with the chicken covered basket sitting on it, blessing jar, wooden mail box and pallet coaster, flour canister, jar of pens and pencils, and mini medicine cabinet area

Cute pink mixer, I bought this using my savings catcher; so basically I got it for free; and honestly, I bought this one because it is pink, and that is all it is good for, to look at .. this one falls under 'you get what you pay for', the stack of towels, a receipt and a bag with one apple in it.

Look at all the medicine bottles ...the handy-dandy pen and pencil jar, and my painted mason jars with flatware in them that I never use, it's my 'good' flatware; I don't ever use my 'good' dishes either

The dryer, o, the dryer ... it is a catch all for everything.. it has the cat food on it and a bowl of water for the cats {my dog gets a bit selfish from time to time and wont let the kitties drink from the big bowl on the floor}, then there is the mop bucket sitting on top of two picture frames - we are tearing sheetrock off the walls in one room {future dining room} the mop bucket hold the sconces and candles that were hanging up, while sitting on some pictures that were hanging up on the walls we're tearing out; oh, and I can't forget the dryer sheets and mason jar full of Rosemary I picked from my back yard

Now, for the after pictures ...

Kitchen Organization

Ok, so this is week 1, day 1, and this week we are working on de-cluttering our kitchen, below are my before and after pictures of my kitchen sink and the counters around it -


In the photo above you can see there are 2 paint brushes, cups, a bowl of cookie cutters, and yes, the petrified spine of a large animal {we found it walking through the Red River when it was dry} among other items on and around the yellow shelf above my sink.

In the middle photo, my drain rack is empty yes, but, what is that I see to the left of it???? Why, it's a bowl of dog food! As well as a clean bread pan, and O, look, a menu board with nothing written on it, but a sheet of paper with LAST WEEKS menu written on it laying in front of the menu board!

In all fairness in this photo my husband was getting ready to make biscuits; normally the flour, oil, salt, mixing bowl, measuring cup and recipe card do not sit out on the counter; however .. there is that blue cup again, and, the dishwashing soap, and over on the yellow shelf, next to the petrified spine, I see the skull of a snake {also found in the river bed} and a river rock and something that goes with my cake decorating kit!!!!!!

Now, for the after pictures ...

January Scripture Writing 2017

Is it Monday, yet?: January Scripture Writing 2017

Letting Go

I had already predetermined in my mind that 2017 was going to be all about prayer – not surface prayers, deep, cry-out-to-the-Father prayers, my life will now be about prayer and communication to and from my Lord.
I live four blocks from church and somehow managed to arrive late Sunday morning. Well, late for me; among other things I run the sound room and slides every Sunday morning, so when I got to church I had to get my computer hooked up to the projector and get the slides up; by the time I got done with that, Sunday school had already started and I didn’t want to disturb their class, so, I sat out in the sanctuary with the intent of completing my daily reading.
I ended up having some amazing alone time with God. Real time; with no one running around yelling ‘Mimi’ or ‘Mom’; just me and the Lord, and it was o so nice.