Monday's Motivation: MAKE-A-DIFFERENCE!

Make-A-Difference MONDAY!

This is a simple saying that I have used for years now. I believe I got the idea from K-Love radio station. Make-A-Difference Monday is an awesome way to get my Monday mornings started each week. I am constantly looking for ways to "make-a-difference" in others lives. I want to share God's love and forgiveness, send several smiles, love on the weak and needy, and be joyful always! Kicking off my Monday with the persistant thought of "making a difference" helps me to stay focused on Christ's love and commandments to serve and give to others.

Currently, one of my favorite Make-A-Difference Monday missions is bringing breakfast to daycare. I cannot share my appreciation enough for the lovely ladies that care for my son daily as I have to work. On Sunday's when I do my weekly cooking/meal planning, I usually just double one of my recipes and make a batch for daycare. The ladies appreciate my little happy and breakfast snack. I love starting their Monday/week off on the right foot as well!

I encourage you to pray on this mission and seek God in the small places today!
Where can you "Make-A-Difference" today? Who's life can you touch? The opportunities are ENDLESS if you open your eyes and ears!

"In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give that to receive'".
                                                                                                 Acts 20:35

have a happy Monday!
reagan

Tuesday's Tutorial: Random Acts Of Kindness

We've moved into a new month: February- the month of LOVE and Random Acts of Kindness (RAK)!

One thing I absolutely LOVE is surprising others, giving "happies", making others smile, boosting others confidence in themselves, and sending "warm fuzzies"! This week is "Random Acts of Kindness Week"- right up my alley. I found this great free printable created by Kirstin that I printed and cut out. I have been sneaking these cards around work with different homemade baked goodies and V-day treats, gift cards, coffee money, etc. The key is a handwritten card with the goody expressing your thankfulness for the person and all that they do for our patients, families, and coworkers. The fun part about it is leaving the card anonymously! Just imagine receiving a goody and card to boost your morning and not knowing who it's from....I LOVE THIS! Sneaky, sneaky, sneaky =) I encourage you all to try this out! Make others smile and pray for them after you place their goody. Remember, we are called to serve. I find it very humbling to not expect praise in return for what I've done. This reminds me of all that Christ gave for me when he was nailed to the cross in exchange for my sins so that I may be free. AMEN. 

THANK YOU JESUS!

Bonus: Here is the McElroy Dinner Meal Menu for February! ENJOY!

Monday's Motivation

Justified

"a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."    Galatians 2:16

"Justified Christians are perfectly forgiven and perfectly righteous. When God looks at the justified believer, parent or child, he sees us not only as forgiven (which is GREAT news) but also as obedient and righteous (which ought to amaze and astound us)."
     -excerpt from Give Them Grace by Fitzpatrick and Thompson

"For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law." Romans 3:28

THANK YOU JESUS!

Friday's Faves

Friday's Faves

-Homemade Baby Food Journey has begun-

I followed Shawna's Efficient Homemade Baby Food instructions to a tee

-Camp's First Pair of Shoes-

-These darling badge reels handmade by my coworker Pam as a fundraiser for her niece who is currently battling leukemia-

(Let me know if you want one! She can make most anything you desire!)

-Yummy treats that I made this week-

 -This sweet boy has a new found love for his furry brother, Murph-

-Camp getting his WOD in- 

{Other Mentions From The Week}

-Camp has slept through the night three nights in a row (minus one paci episode)!!!

-Camp watched his first Superbowl with Nana & Papa gave some football tips

-Valentines Day is right around the corner! I am still on the hunt for the perfect V-Day meal to prepare. Comment your ideas Please!

-I have joined the Quest Bar bandwagon. Now I see what all the fuss is about!

-Lots of love and laughter in my life. BLESSED!

Have a WONDERFUL WEEKEND!

reagan

Tutorial Tuesday: Grocery List

Grocery List

I hope you have all been following and enjoying my Meal Planning Tutorials the past two weeks! Have you tried out my tasks yet? Taken any of my tips? I'd love to hear! Click on my 'Tutorial Tuesday Label' to look back at past posts.

This week I reveal my Grocery List!

At the end of each month, I plan the upcoming month's dinner meals on a calendar. After choosing my meals, I open my 'Grocery List Template'. I have listed each day of the week, additional groceries, weekly preparation,  and breakfast and lunch meals for both Michael and I. I then do what I call 'pantry inventory'. I will pull up each recipe for my meals and dig through my pantry to see what I already have or ingredients I can use as substitutes. This has GREATLY helped clean out my pantry and make use of what I've already bought (as well as save a little money for my grocery bills so we do not exceed our weekly budget). After inventory, I begin my Grocery List to complete the ingredients needed to prepare dinner each night.

I'll add our Additional groceries that are regular weekly purchases, as well as any extraneous needed pantry items.

Weekly Preparation consists of Sunday afternoon prep for the week. I'll count out just how many chicken breasts I will need for each meal to cook. I'll prep my salads for lunch. I add anything that needs to be thawed from freezer on here also.

For Michael and my Breakfast and Lunch meals, I'll plan what we will have to eat that week. We are pretty simple eaters and not picky at all. You'll see a trend on my lists that we typically each the same things often. We both go to work very early and don't have time to eat before leaving the house. I drink a protein shake on the way to work, and then will eat my 'breakfast item' that I've prepared an hour or two after I get to work.

Camp will start stage 1 veggies this weekend! I am attempting the Homemade Baby Food route. Last weekend, I prepared Sweet Potatoes and froze them to get ready! Soon I will add him to our weekly grocery list for what I need to buy, cook, prepare, and pack for his lunches! I love being a family of three =).

I print out my list at the beginning of each month and use it each week for shopping. I like Iphone lists for all other reminders (I am serious about list making!), but for groceries, I like a hard copy so I can cross off each item.

Hope this helps to continue the Meal Planning adventure for you and your family!

smiling is free =),

reagan

Monday's Motivation: Holy Spirit and Mike Sills

Th Holy Spirit is eternal and holy-

Eternal:
"I will ask the Father, and he will GIVE YOU another Counselor to BE WITH YOU FOREVER- the Spirit of truth." John 14:16-17

"How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the ETERNAL SPIRIT offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" Hebrews 9:14

Holy:
"Hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom he has GIVEN US." Romans 5:5

Consider this fact: "Because the Spirit is holy and dwells in us, our bodies are holy sanctuaries from God's vantage point. Too often we disdain our bodies as the source of sin and our fallenness; yet they are precisely where God the Spirit chooses to dwell!" (excerpt from Forgotten God by Frances Chan)

This stood out to me while reading this morning. In studying the Holy Spirit, there is truly SO much that goes into this and plays a part. Thankfully in Chan's book, Forgotten God, he has broken it down into manageable promises and points that help organize my thoughts. This point that the Holy Spirit is Holy seems obvious right? I mean, it's his name. But honestly, there is way more to him than just a name and a spirit. He is God, and we have been given Him as a gift to dwell WITH us. We can have a relationship with him. Relationships are here and now, daily camaraderie, living and being. And we GET THIS! WOW! THANK YOU JESUS!

YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

The fact above from Chan's book reminded me of the I AM CROSSFIT CHALLENGE that I am participating in currently at our gym, CrossFit 27:17. Our bodies are sanctuaries for the Holy Spirit. We often see ourselves full of sin (don't miss the point here- WE ARE!), but the Spirit lives in us as God, to help remove our sinful selves and heart of stone (Ezekiel 36:26-27). He DWELLS IN US, and the wild part is that he CHOOSES TO! Again, THANK YOU JESUS!

Remember, during this challenge (and everyday after!), the Holy Spirit is WITH you. God LOVES YOU. Take care of your body (aka your temple and sanctuary) day in and day out!

For added Motivation on this first Monday of the Month, I give you MIKE SILLS!

This man of God is an athlete at our gym, who was recently diagnosed with cancer. He is currently undergoing weekly chemotherapy, both inpatient and outpatient. In this picture above, you can see his continuous chemo pump on his hip during his WOD. Mike hasn't missed a beat, and he refuses to let this battle beat up the Spirit in him. He continues to work out at the gym, and has never stopped motivating others. Being a healthcare professional and witnessing the affects of cancer to the body daily, Mike ceases to amaze me! Praise God for MIKE SILLS and the witness this man has been to Michael, myself, and more importantly, CrossFit 27:17 and all of our gym members.

have a happy Monday & thank God for  his gift,

reagan

Friday's Faves

Friday's Faves:

Last week of January

 CrossFit 27:17 5 year Anniversary Party

Robert's Christening 

January 26. 2014

Michael's 28th Birthday

Camp's First SNOW DAY

January 28. 2014

My snazzy new keyboard cover :)

{Other Mentions from the Week:}

-Amazon Prime = my newest online obsession

-WOD MOMs remain in first place after Week 2 of the I AM CROSSFIT Challenge!

-Camp is making it through the night without nursing! We still wake up, but a paci puts us back to sleep.

-Martin Moody, an awesome gym athlete, leaves today for a 6 month stint of deployment. Praying for him as he serves our country. 

-I finished reading my January Book of the Month Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp. It was a great parenting read with super tips on raising and leading your child toward Christ.