Happy New Year and the new leader of Worship and Praise Sunday!

Happy New Year ladies! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Years celebration!

I just wanted to let you know that Jen from Following my Footsteps will be taking over Worship and Praise Sunday! Please go visit her if you don't already "know" her!  She has a wonderful blog. I'm excited that she wants to keep it going and I hope you all continue to participate as well. Its so awesome how we can use music to worship and praise our God! 

In another note, we had a wonderful Christmas visiting my family in California but it always feels good to be home! I have a few more days off before going back to work on Monday and back to school as well! Like I said in my previous post, I will continue to try and visit your blogs! You all bring me so much inspiration! 


Here's to wonderful, happy, and healthy New Year for all of you! 
May you all be blessed in 2010!

Life.

I'm writing to you all this evening to let you know of change.

As some of you may know, I'm trying to balance working a full-time job, completing my degree online, spending time with my husband, church, family, friends and blogging. I've realized that with completing my schooling on top of working full-time, my time for blogging is almost non-existent.

I've really enjoyed blogging but coming back after the summer, has been difficult for me. So, until further notice, I won't be posting any more. I know that I will continue to read your blogs and comment when I  can. However, I just can't make blogging a priority. 

I'm learning the importance of finding balance in my life and it is important to me, that I get my priorities and responsibilities in order. I will miss hearing from the friends I have made throughout the blog world. Hopefully those connections will not be lost! 

I would like someone to keep Worship and Praise Sunday going. So, if you would like to take on that job, please let me know and I will pick someone randomly to host it at their blog. It has been wonderful having that time each Sunday to reflect on the Lord through song. I've truly enjoyed learning new songs from you all, who have participated! So again, let me know if you want to participate and I will do one final post, announcing the host. 

I hope to one day return to blogging but at this point, I'm just going to let God lead me in the direction that He has for me. 

I wish you all a blessed Christmas! May it be a joyous time spent with your families and friends! 

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17

Worship and Praise Sunday - What Child is This?

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

• Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
• Share a bit about what the song means to you.
• Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
  
• Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
• Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
• Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
  
• Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "What Child is This?" performed by Mercy Me

*please pause music in my sidebar before playing video*

This song brings back a lot of memories for me as a child. My extended family would walk throughout the neighborhood singing Christmas carols, and this was one of my favorites! It was such a fun, peaceful time for me to sing with my family. Sometimes I wish I could bring back those days as an innocent child. 

I pray you are blessed today! 

We have been experiencing freezing rain the last day or so. It can be pretty scary out on the roads so we're driving very carefully!

I'm sorry I haven't been posting this week. Please be praying as I try to juggle my work, school, home, social life! God has miraculously given me strength and time for each but unfortunately the blogging has been the last on my list!

This next week, I hope to post about our Christmas decorations! 

Have a blessed week! 

Worship and Praise Sunday - I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

• Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
• Share a bit about what the song means to you.
• Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
  
• Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
• Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
• Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
  
• Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing "I heard the Bells on Christmas Day" by Casting Crowns

*please pause music in my sidebar before playing video*

In the spirit of the Christmas season, I'll be sharing Christmas songs for the next few weeks. 

I absolutely love this song by Casting Crowns. As you have probably seen/heard it's the first song on my music playlist! 

It really helps me to remember what Christmas is all about. As we all go about our days these next few weeks. I pray we have the heart of the Lord and share it with everyone we come in contact with. How amazing it is that God sent his only Son to bring peace on Earth. 

I hope you're enjoying this wonderful season! 

Beer Cheese Soup with Kielbasa Skewers

I hope you all have had a wonderful start to this Christmas season! Our house is decorated, the lights are up and tree is beautiful! I love the fresh pine smell throughout our house! I will post pictures soon!

A dear friend gave me this delicious recipe and I thought I would share it with you! 

Beer-Cheese Soup

Serves about 8

1 cup finely minced onion
1/2 cup finely minced celery
1/2 cup minced carrot
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
5 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 bottle German lager
3 cups low-sodium organic chicken broth
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Tabasco (or more if you’re super crazy like me)
1 cup whole milk
1 lb grated sharp cheddar
4 oz. cream cheese, cubed
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Kosher or sea salt & pepper to taste
Cook the onion, celery, and carrot in butter in a large pot over low heat until the veggies are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, paprika, and mustard. Increase the heat a bit and cook the flour taste out for about a minute or so. Add the beer and simmer it all until it thickens up. Add the broth, Worcestershire, and Tabasco, stirring constantly. Bring soup to a boil, reduce heat to medium, and simmer another 5 minutes.
Add the milk, Cheddar and cream cheese, stirring constantly until the soup is smooth. It’s very important that you don’t let the soup boil after adding the milk and cheese or it may curdle. Stir in your parsley, taste it and then season it all up with salt and pepper.

Kielbasa Skewers

2 packages kielbasa sausage (turkey or beef...they are both great!)

1 loaf or baguette Italian bread (I chose roasted garlic)
wooden skewers

Slice sausages into 1/2inch pieces and cook as directed on package. Slice bread it up into cubes and toast in oven at 350 degrees F until lightly browned. Then, alternate sausage and bread on skewers. Serve with soup. They are wonderful for dipping into the soup! 

Worship and Praise Sunday - Closer to Love

If you'd like to join...see here to read the first post and why I started. Also, read the guidelines below to know how to participate!

• Share a favorite worship song by either a video (i.e. youtube, etc) or by sharing the lyrics of the song.
• Share a bit about what the song means to you.
• Whether it be you or someone else, please give credit to the artist who wrote it.
  
• Publish your Worship and Praise Sunday post on your blog.
• Please offer a link back to the main page of my blog, so other readers where know where to join in.
• Grab the button in my sidebar, it will also link back to my blog!
  
• Copy the "permalink" from your Worship and Praise Sunday post and add it to Mr. Linky.

Today I'm sharing the lyrics to "Closer to Love" by Mat Kearney

She got the call today
One out of the gray
And when the smoke cleared
It took her breath away
She said she didn't believe
It could happen to me
I guess we're all one phone call
from our knees
We're gonna get there soon

If every building falls
And all the stars fade
We'll still be singing this song
The one they can't take away
I'm gonna get there soon
She's gonna be there too
Cryin' in her room
Prayin' Lord come through
We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light
Oh it's your way
Pull me out of the dark
Just to show me the way
Cryin out now
From so far away
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love

Meet me once again
Down off Lake Michigan
Where we could feel the storm blowin
Down with the wind
And don't apologize
For all the tears you've cried
You've been way too strong now for all your life

I'm gonna get there soon
You're gonna be there too
Cryin' in your room
Prayin' Lord come through
We're gonna get there soon

Oh it's your light
Oh it's your way
Pull me out of the dark
Just to show me the way
Cryin out now
From so far away
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love

Cause you are all that I've waited for
All of my life
(We're gonna get there)
You are all that I've waited for
All of my life

You pull me closer to love hu huuh
Closer to love hu huuuh
Pull me closer to love
You pull me closer to love
Closer to love oh no
Closer to love

Closer to love

Pull me closer to love

I love this song because it reminds me that whenever we go through trials or hardships, God is always there pulling us closer to Him. I was talking about this yesterday with a family member who just had a miscarriage. She said that even though it is difficult and has brought about pain, it's brought her closer to the Lord and she's thankful for that. God works in ways we cannot imagine but how awesome that He brings us closer to Him in these trials. 


Have a blessed day!

Our Thanksgiving

 I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

We spent this year with Mackenzie's family, due to my family living in two other completely different states. Its just easier to stay here. We had a good time but I definitely miss Thanksgiving with my family. I realized and told Mackenzie that since I moved to Oregon, over 5 years ago, I haven't been able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family. It's weird but its never really hit me until this year. We talked about trying to visit either my Dad or Mom next Thanksgiving.

We are however, going to spend Christmas with my Dad and the rest of my family in California which will be wonderful! I can't wait! 

Anyway, on to this year's Thanksgiving. We had a great time! 

We celebrated and feasted at Mackenzie's aunt's house. This was the place near "Happy Lane" that I posted about yesterday. Unfortunately, it was pouring down rain and we were unable to get a picture underneath the "Happy Lane" sign. 

Here's Sharon and I! And I can't believe I'm posting this picture below but it's the result of my husband just snapping the camera before we were ready. I cracked up when I saw the look on my face!

How does this happen? Sharon looks fine but I don't know what's going on with me! It gave us a great laugh!

Finally, here's a picture of the 4 brothers. I'll tell ya, it was like pulling teeth to try to get them to scoot closer together to take one, just one picture!! They look great though! 

Today, my husband is planning to hang our Christmas lights and I'm going to start decorating! We may even get a tree! 

Have a blessed day!