Psalm 103

Psalm 103


Of David.


1 Praise the LORD, O my soul;

all my inmost being, praise his holy name.


2 Praise the LORD, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits-


3 who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,


4 who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,


5 who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.


6 The LORD works righteousness

and justice for all the oppressed.


7 He made known his ways to Moses,

his deeds to the people of Israel:


8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,

slow to anger, abounding in love.


9 He will not always accuse,

nor will he harbor his anger forever;


10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve

or repay us according to our iniquities.


11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

so great is his love for those who fear him;


12 as far as the east is from the west,

so far has he removed our transgressions from us.


13 As a father has compassion on his children,

so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;


14 for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.


15 As for man, his days are like grass,

he flourishes like a flower of the field;


16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.


17 But from everlasting to everlasting

the LORD's love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children's children-


18 with those who keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.


19 The LORD has established his throne in heaven,

and his kingdom rules over all.


20 Praise the LORD, you his angels,

you mighty ones who do his bidding,

who obey his word.


21 Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts,

you his servants who do his will.


22 Praise the LORD, all his works

everywhere in his dominion.

Praise the LORD, O my soul.

February 22-28 Menu Plan

Monday: Baked Chicken Leg Quarters, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans

Tuesday: Breakfast Casserole and Biscuits w/ Sausage Country Gravy

Wednesday: Beef Stroganoff

Thursday: Chicken Broccoli Lo Mein

Friday: Out to dinner

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Chicken w/ Homemade Egg Noodles


Submitted to:
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Valentine Treats

…God is love…1 John 4:16

Valentine's for my sister, brother-in-law, nephews and my dad.

Each baggie contains:
2 Easy OREO Truffles wrapped in plastic wrap
Iced & Sprinkled Heart Shaped Rolled Sugar Cookies

Rose Valentine Dessert Tablescape

As a flower in the garden
Bending toward the sun,
Unfolds it's tiny petals
One, by one, by one...
So faith expands it's beauty

Until at last it grows
Into life's lasting flower...
The heart's fair perfect rose.

~Rebecca Helmann~






















Dessert Served:
Easy OREO Truffles
Rolled Sugar Cookies
Fruity Flavored Heart Marshmallows


Submitted to:
Tablescape Thursday
Frugal Friday
just for the Joy of it
Finer Things Friday

February 15-21 Menu Plan

Monday: Chicken Breast, Scalloped Potatoes, and Corn

Tuesday: Maple Pork Loin Chops, Rice, and Peas

Wednesday: Ziti w/ Green Peppers and Sausage, Garlic Bread, and Garden Salad

Thursday: Turkey Tacos, and Herbed Popovers

Friday: Beef Stroganoff

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Sassy Spaghetti


Submitted to:
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Herbed Popovers

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon canola oil

In a large bowl, combine the flour, thyme, basil, sage and celery salt. Combine the eggs, milk and oil; whisk into dry ingredients just until blended. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Divide batter among six greased popover pan cups or eight greased and floured 6-oz. custard cups. Place custard cups on a baking sheet.

Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350° (do not open oven door). Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until deep golden brown (do not underbake). Serve immediately.

Beef Stroganoff

1lb lean ground beef
12 oz jar beef gravy
7 oz. can mushrooms, drained

1/2 cup sour cream
4-6 cups hot cooked noodles

salt & pepper, to taste

In a medium skillet, cook ground beef over medium heat until browned and thoroughly cooked. Carefully drain liquids and return to stovetop. Stir in Gravy and mushrooms, and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream, until thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper, to taste, and serve immediately over hot noodles.

Alternative:
Omit beef gravy for 1 (15. oz can of cream of mushroom soup. Do not drain mushroom. 

Sassy Spaghetti

1 (16 ounce) package spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained
1 (11 ounce) can sweet corn, drained
1 tablespoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste
2 dashes hot sauce
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente, and drain.

2. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, beans, and corn. Season with cumin, salt, and pepper, and sprinkle with hot sauce. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Toss with cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese to serve.

Lemon Raspberry Float

12-ounce can pink lemonade

1 cup raspberry sherbet

12-ounce can of lemon/lime soda

In a pitcher, mix the lemonade concentrate with the recommended amount of water. In a separate pitcher, combine the sherbet with 1 cup of the lemonade mixture. Add the soda, stir, and serve. Makes 3 cups.

Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods

I made chocolate covered pretzel rods for Valentines. I used pretzel rods and chocolate candy coating leftover from Christmas. I put candy sprinkles on the chocolate covered pretzels. When the chocolate hardened I wrapped the prezels in plastic wrap.

Friendship Blossoms

I made Friendship Blossoms out of construction paper and leftover scrapbook paper. I plan to put them on our dinner table for Valentines.

Valentine Gift: Candy Making

My daughter Nastasja and I made candy for Valentine's. We used our candy making supplies that we have collected over the years.

The chocolate was leftover from Christmas and sprinkles leftover from last Valentines.

I created the tags from pink and red cardstock and a heart paper punch.

The ladybug printed bags and sucker sticks was leftover from a couple years ago when I bought several packages for $0.50 at an after Valentines sale. I used red yarn to tie the bags closed instead of the twist ties that come with the bags because I think it looks nicer.

I used the ladybug printed bags and scrapbook paper to make tags. I printed scripture on the computer and glued it on the scrapbook paper. I used red yarn to tie the bags closed.

Love bears all things… 1 Corinthians 13:7

I made the hearts with pink and red cardstock and vallum and white yarn. I used scalloped scissors to cut the vallum and then I held the cardstock and vallum heart together and punch holes along the border so that I could lace the yarn.

…God is love…1 John 4:16

I used leftover white lunch bags from a couple Christmas ago. I put the homemade candy and pink shredded printer paper into each bag. I tied the Vallum Hearts onto each of the bags.

Love Note Tote

I made Love Note Totes and cards for my family. I plan on hanging them on each of their bedroom doors.

Love Note Totes
I used small paper plates but it would be just as easy to cut out two circles out of paper. I used leftover scrapbook paper to make the hearts and glued them on to the front of the tote. I used a red marker to draw a border along the egde. Iused pink printer paper and ran it through a paper shredder. I rolled it into a ball and then fluffed it up to create the filler.


Valentine Card
I used pink printer paper to make the scalloped circle the border along the bottom. I used pink felt to make the circle. I used a paper punch to make the small heart and pink glitter glued to it.

February 2010 Reading List

I finished my January 2010 Reading List on February 4th Wow that was a lot of books. I borrowed all the January books from the library except for the Tucker Mills Trilogy by Lori Wick which I bought from Half Price Books a couple months ago.

For February I am reading A Victorian Christmas Series because I put it on hold at my libary in December and it just came in last week. The Mitford Year Series I bought at Half Price Books on Clearance for $2 a piece except for the last three books which I bought at a small book store for $5 a piece. I hope to finish at least half of my list by the end of the month.

I must say that reading this much has keep me off the internet and I watch very little TV so that is a plus but if I don't finish I will just carry this months list over to the next.


A Victorian Christmas Series by Catherine Palmer
Angel in the Attic
Lone Star
Under His Wings
Behold the Lamb

The Mitford Years Series Author Jan Karon
At Home In Mitford #1
A Light In The Window #2
These High, Green Hills #3
Out Of Canaan #4
A New Song #5
A Common Life #6
In This Mountain #7
Shepherds Abiding #8
Light From Heaven #9

Submitted to:
Life As Mom I’m Booking It in 2010!

Valentine Decorations

I made some Valentine decorations out of papercrafting supplies that I had on hand and some old valentines. I just looked around for what I already had that I thought would look good together.


Weaved Paper Hearts Banner

Scripture Valentine Banner

Love Banner

Mickey Mouse Mobile

Valentine Tree

I finished my embroidery project "Sentiments in Suede" from the Mary Engelbreit book "Wrap It Up Gifts to Make Wrap and Give'. I made 6 out of felt and now have them hanging on my Valentine Tree.

Easy OREO Truffles

1 pkg. (1 lb., 2 oz.) Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1 lb. Chocolate candy coating or 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.

Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.

Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

How to Easily Dip Truffles
Place truffle ball in melted chocolate to coat; roll if necessary. Lift truffle from chocolate using 2 forks (this will allow excess chocolate to run off) before placing on wax paper.

Makes: 3-1/2 doz.

Rolled Sugar Cookies

For a large batch:
1½ cups (3 cubes) margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
7 cups flour
2 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

For a smaller batch:
3/4 cup (1½ cubes) margarine or butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3½ cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup milk
½ tsp. vanilla

Cream margarine and sugar. Add eggs. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk and vanilla. Mix in the last half of the flour by hand. Roll out dough to desired thickness. Cut in desired cookie-cutter shapes. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes.

Snowy Day Tablescape

I pulled together a lot of things that I already had for this fun snow themed tablescape. It cost me $6.50 for the food and nothing for decorations. I had planned to make snowflake cutout cookies but didn’t.

What’s on my table?

Snowball Cake- It cost me $3.50 to make the cake, and I already owned to cake stand. I got all the ingredients at Aldi.

Snowflake Suckers- $1.00 for 6 at the Dollar Tree at Christmas, and ribbon from my wrapping supplies

Snowman paper plates- leftovers from Christmas cookie plate’s project

Snowman Cotton Candy- $0.49 each after Christmas Sale I bought 4.

Hot Cocoa- The cups are my everyday coffee mugs, I already had the cocoa and leftover French Vanilla Snowman Marshmallows from Christmas.

Snowball Candles- a gift years ago that I never got around to using. I used small plates that I had because I wanted something to set the candles and snowflakes on. I thought the mostly white with gold trim plates went well with my colors they also have blue and pink flowers on them.

Paper Snowflakes- I used paper that I had and folded it for making the big white snowflakes and the small blue ones under the candles.

Tablecloth- I got the tablecloth which is blue, white, and gold with a snowflake motif on the corners as a gift 3 years ago.

Submitted to:

Tablescape Thursday

Frugal Friday

just for the Joy of it

Finer Things Friday

February 1-7 Menu Plan

Monday: Tuna Noodle Casserole

Tuesday: Creamy Layered Enchilada Bake

Wednesday: Pork Loin Roast, Mashed Potatoes, and Peas

Thursday: BBQ Pork Loin Hoagies

Friday: Baked Chicken Leg Quarters, and Green Beans

Saturday: Leftovers

Sunday: Out of town

Submitted to:
Visit I'm an Organizing Junkie to see more menu ideas.

Creamy Layered Enchilada Bake

1 pound lean ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
2 cups Salsa
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained, rinsed or 2 cups prepared
1/4 cup italian dressing
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
6 (8 inch) flour tortillas
1 cup sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package mexican shredded cheese

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Brown meat with onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add salsa, beans, dressing and seasoning mix; mix well.

2. Arrange 3 tortillas in single layer on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish; cover with layers of 1/2 each of the meat mixture, sour cream and cheese. Repeat all layers. Cover with foil.

3. Bake, covered, 30 minutes. Remove foil. Bake an additional 10 minutes or until casserole is heated through and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes before cutting to serve.