Author: Mama

Vacation Bible School was “Out of This World”

Posted on July 25, 2017 by Mama

Oh my goodness, we had another great Vacation Bible School at church last week. I’m never sure who has more fun — me or the kids!! At any rate, we had sixty-one smiling faces come through our doors in five days and that was almost double the number we had last year. We also had over thirty teachers, helpers, and go-to girls and guys help us each day and that isn’t counting the folks behind the scenes praying, canvasing neighborhoods, decorating (and redecorating when items fell to the floor) and attending to all the little things that need to be done to pull off our annual VBS. I like to joke that we only had a few tears. . . and some of the kids cried too.

Our theme this year was Galactic Starveyors from Lifeway, and it’s always so nice to have a Lifeway store in my own backyard. Yay! We gathered at the Galactic Starveyor clubhouse each morning and had an awesome time “Searching the Visible” and “Discovering the Invisible.” We also took an offering to purchase bicycles for children who don’t have a reliable and/or safe way to get to school. Each bike costs $100 through Compassion International, and our VBS kids generously gave enough money to buy three bicycles! We also had a friendly competition between the boys and girls to see who could raise the most money, and this year the victors were the boys. Way to go guys!

It’s always so sad to see the VBS decorations go away and I can hardly believe we were all decked out just two days ago, but I want to share a few photos with you just in case you’re looking for inspiration for your own VBS or just like to see what other churches are creating. Here’s to all you VBS coordinators, I pray that your own VBS was amazing and that you enjoy a little peace after the chaos!

Miss Ruby and I pulled together the stage with props from Oriental Trading, Lifeway and Lowe’s.

We purchased a large rocket from Oriental Trading for fun photo opps. Here is just one example of my glowing personality all week!

We still do the three pledges during opening ceremonies. The kids love to have a turn at carrying the flags and the Bible.

This was my favorite mode of transportation each morning. With lights down low and the 2010 Space Odyssey music playing, I came riding in on my lighted scooter and pretended to wreck at the stage. My how those kids love a good crash!

My Own VBS Mexican Chicken Casserole

Posted on July 16, 2017July 17, 2017 by Mama

This past week was VBS prep week and, as many of you know, it’s a seriously hectic time of year for me and one in which I certainly will never win the nurturing wife and mother of the year award. As Vacation Bible School coordinator for our little Baptist church I wear many hats, including lead decorator and organizer, so I usually spend way too many hours at the church while the laundry, family meals and perhaps just plain good hygiene go out the window (just so you know, although I’ve heard a gal can turn her underwear inside out in a pinch, I’ve never actually given it a go).

During prep week I’m usually exhausted, I hardly see my family and a clean house and home-cooked meals are completely out of the question, but maybe I’m starting to get the hang of this gig because I actually invented dinner for my family Thursday night and it was actually quite tasty. So yummy in fact that I decided to share this super quick recipe with you — I think I’ll call it VBS Mexican Chicken Casserole (you can call it whatever you want, I suppose *grin*). I wouldn’t consider this a healthy dish by any stretch, but I’ve certainly served my boys much worse.

The idea started with frozen chicken breasts and half a bag of tortilla chips I had on hand, which somehow translated to a casserole in my mind. As I started searching for Mexican chicken recipes, I found loads of tasty looking meals, but I was missing a key ingredient or it sounded way too complicated. Our provisions were low and I certainly didn’t have the motivation to make a run to the grocery store. Did I mention it was VBS prep week? So as the chicken was boiling on the stove, I decided to throw together a few ingredients from our cupboard to make my own concoction, and if you find yourself in similar circumstances I gotta say you might want to give this quick and easy recipe a go.

VBS Mexican Chicken Casserole

2017-07-16 19:34:16

Serves 8

A super easy Mexican meal for mid-week dinner in a hurry.

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Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

35 min

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

25 min

Total Time

35 min

Ingredients

1/2 bag of tortilla chips
3 chicken breasts (cooked)
1 can petite diced tomatoes
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 pkg taco seasoning
3 cups shredded cheese

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix tomatoes, soup and seasoning together in a mixing bowl.
Oil or spray a 9x12 cooking dish to prevent sticking.
Coarsely crush tortilla chips and lightly cover bottom of the baking dish.
Shred cooked chicken and add to the baking dish on top of the chips.
Next add the soup mixture, smoothing it out evenly on top of the chicken layer.
Sprinkle two cups of shredded cheese on top of the soup layer.
Next add the rest of the crushed tortilla chips and sprinkle with the remaining shredded cheese.
Bake uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes until it bubbles and cheese is completely melted.

Notes

Serve with a bit of salsa on top for added flavor.

By Small Talk Mama

https://www.smalltalkmama.com/

Be Still, and Know

Posted on July 9, 2017 by Mama

My goodness, what a busy spring and summer we have had here at The Three-Acre Wood! So busy, in fact, that I’ve done very little in the way of writing and I’m really starting to miss that component of my life. Over the last few years as a small-time blogger, I have discovered that I really enjoy journaling about my life and adventures and have found that creating, in the crafty sense as well as in prose, to be therapeutic. I am so grateful to my family, friends and readers who continue to venture along this path with me and just feel the need to say thanks every now and then, especially when I’ve been a bit absent. So to you I say, “Thank you!”

Just this summer, we have been raising chickens and building coops, battling Strep, vacationing in Oklahoma, cruising for seven days in Alaska, planning and prepping for Vacation Bible School, taking swim lessons and all the while working through a hopeful child adoption. It has been amazing but seriously stressful and time consuming, especially on top of all my regular commitments.

With all the activity that has surrounded us lately, a couple of weeks ago I finally reached a point in the middle of the night where my brain and my heart felt so burdened and busy that I couldn’t sleep. Now those closest to me know that I LOVE my sleep and realize it rarely eludes me. . . unless I’m seriously stressed, which doesn’t happen often. After trying several methods to coax myself to sleep I finally grabbed my Bible and headed directly to my Great Comforter. After reading a few chapters on my “Read the Bible in a Year” list I recalled Psalm 46:10. . .

He says, “Be still, and know I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Ah yes, the “be still” verse. . . not one of my favorites until I am at my wits end. But on this way early morning with blurry eyes and a heavy heart, God spoke to me through this verse and His message was twofold. First, I felt that I was commanded to slow down and release some of the burdens of my life (no matter how much I might enjoy them). That message was clear and I vowed to ease up on some of my volunteer duties so that I could take better care of my family and myself. This touched on the “be still” part of the verse but the “know I am God” portion was where I really had to examine my life.

I had become so busy, so pressed for time in my daily life, that I had let my daily quiet time and Bible study slowly slip away. I no longer found myself nourished by The Word, worshipping with God or producing much fruit. I was missing out on the very thing that energizes my soul. . . and that is a very sad place to be. I had put aside the One who loves me, who guides me and who cradles me when I’m way in over my head. My life was out of whack! But as I sat still on an early June morning, I realized who was truly in control of my life and the world around me — it was, and is, my God! I exalt you!

By the way, the photo at the top is from our very recent Alaskan cruise. With views like this, it’s sure is easy to know and exalt Our Creator. *in awe*

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