Organization at it's finest

Many of you may remember last week right before we went on our Kansas City trip, I talked about minimizing time wasters and other things that were eating up my schedule and one the methods of time management I have invented for myself is this........It is my home-aid meal planner and it covers 2 weeks of meals!! This has turned out to be an awesome tool for me, here is what I do:

1) look through the pantry to see what I have to use for meals

2) look through the cookbook for the best recipes to utilize what I already have (some great recipe resources are allrecipes.com, foodnetwork.com)

then

3) I make a list of everything I need from the store

(this is a big one because anyone who knows me knows I HATE grocery shopping so, the less I go the happier I am -I also always find recipes that allow me to split the products I buy so that nothing goes to waste)

4) get on the internet and in the paper to find coupons for the things I need.

If there are times were I find myself with an abundance of really good coupons I will look through my cookbooks for meals that allow me to use the coupons instead of the other way around!

Then after I find all of my recipes I print them all and put them on the island in my kitchen in the recipe holder!

I tell you, this is simple -I sit down for a little over and hour and knock out breakfast, lunch and dinner for 2 weeks in one sitting!..

It is such a blessing for me since it allows me to know what I am cooking the next day, I dont have to stare into the freezer and figure it out and I usually make enough food for in case we have company but if not, I make enough food for Scott to take lunch. Doing this has also help me eliminate "easy and unhealthy" foods.

I prayed and this is one of the things I came up with. There are several other things as well that came to me for example; after looking at my schedule I was able to eliminate some things that were "GOOD IDEAS" and then as led by the Lord I've been able to add in some "GOD IDEAS" (Good ideas and God ideas may sound the same but the truth is, they are VERY different) I have even been able to leave time for rest and for family.

I'm really understanding that life truly is all about stewardship, knowing that all things belong to the Lord. Everything! Even time, money, kids, relationships - everything is the Lords, we are just the stewards! 

May all I do be an offering to the Lord!!! Even meal planning ;)

By the way, I am even tallying up the savings from coupons at the registers and Im setting it aside - I'm gonna pray about what to do with it!

Remember, It's all about stewardship!

-Have a great day,

Missa

^{1 chron. 29:11}Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.

God vs. Miracle Grow

Sometimes I wonder if we are making an impact on our youth and then, there are moments like this when I know we are rubbing off on them :)

So here is how it happened:

We (Scott and I) were on the road singing when one of the youth mentioned to another youth that we sing in the car and put it on our blog - then that teenager proceeded to ask for a sample of our "stuff". Of course we are such amazing hosts that we tickled their fancy with a re-enactment of our Song of the Day - right now, by some band I can't remember right now. Anyways.....

it inspired the youth to create one of their own, so I give you.............

So, apparently we do make an impact! hehe :)

Seriously though, the conference was amazing, every speaker, every worship service..... everything about it was amazing! My life and my walk will never be the same again! Not to mention the weather that was under 85 degrees everyday! 

Here are a few pics from the event:

I truly love our youth trips...... I love that God renews hope in their hearts and gives vision for their lives. I love that we can do just a little bit to help youth understand that life in God can be fun and that God has amazing things in store for them if they believe- receive and walk their lives out trusting God at each fork in the road. 

You see, success to me is not the evidence in the lives of the youth (yeah that helps), it is not the # of kids in class on Sunday or even on Wednesday. Success is not in the number saved per year. Success to me is getting a teenager to a place where the seed of the Word of God can be planted in their hearts. Then after that seed has been planted, through discipleship and encouragement and even at youth church, that seed gets watered, and watered and watered.

Success is in the seed.........

I know that if there is an opportunity for the seed of the Word to get planted that through time it will have the opportunity to soon take root, then maybe even produce fruit ....all the while, God is causing it to grow!

^{1 Cor 3: 6-8} I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work.

Wow, Miracle grow has nothing on God! What I mean is this, I learned a long time ago that the outcome of their lives is up to the Lord... it is neither a personal success nor a personal failure when one strays or if stays! All of the youth are the Lords! They belong to him, we are just stewards.... and when he tells us to (in obedience to Him) we are to plant a seed here - and we plant a seed there! Then we water here and we water there! All along, being aware and mindful of weeds that may try to sprout! Thats it, we are just the planters, waterers and the ever faithful...weed pullers. 

We truly are the stewards of the life giving seed of the Word. Thats it, nothing more-nothing less so, Remember what's important is that God makes the seed grow! 

Talk about a revelation..... when we realize the truth and the depth of what this scripture truly means, what relief and freedom it will bring! It will free you from the burden of failure due to someone's actions or lack there of, it will free you from "performance", it will free you from the lies of failure. In realizing God's divine order there is freedom!!!

So, I want to challenge you today to plant some seeds in someone's life today, or even take some time to water some already planted seed..... and don't forget to take some time to thank God for all of the seeds that you are blessed to see God causing to grow, not only in your life but in the lives others around you.

-Missa