Friday Forum: The Tuesday Edition

At the end of this week,

I get to wrap up the church project.

The prophet's chamber rooms have been repainted

along with the hall and kitchen.

New carpet and tile will be finished by Thursday.

I will spend some time Friday reassembling the rooms with some new bedding,

new curtains, and a few new decorations.

I have tried to add some things that make the stay more pleasant

including a luggage rack in each room (so you don't have to search through your bag on the floor).

So here is the question:

What makes a guest room comfortable and welcoming to you?

What have you experienced that made a trip special?

For me, scents are a big thing.
We once stayed in a B&B that had Lavender/Chamomile Plug-ins.
It was such a pleasant smell and has become a go-to scent in my own home.

Dream big ...

It may not be used immediately, but it may keep the wheels of my mind turning.

Lemon Chicken and Asparagus

After 3 weeks of trying to balance 7-8 hour days at church

and my home responsibilities,

it is good to be back to my full-time job in the home.

It is nice to be able to relax at night rather than doing laundry and cleaning.

In honor of being back home, I tried a new meal found here with great success.

It was a tribute to Spring and the beautiful weather that we have been having.

5 Ingredient Lemon Chicken and Asparagus

INGREDIENTS

• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon salt, pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
• 1-2 cups chopped asparagus
• 2 lemons, sliced
• 2 tablespoons honey + 2 tablespoons butter

INSTRUCTIONs

Chicken: Place the flour and salt and pepper in a shallow dish and gently toss each chicken breast in the dish to coat. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat; add the chicken and saute for 3-5 minutes on each side, until golden brown, sprinkling each side with the lemon pepper directly in the pan. When the chicken is golden brown and cooked through, transfer to a plate.

Asparagus and Lemons: 

Add the chopped asparagus to the pan. Saute for a few minutes until bright green and tender crisp. Remove from the pan and set aside. Lay the lemon slices flat on the bottom of the pan and cook for a few minutes on each side without stirring so that they caramelize and pick up the browned bits left in the pan from the chicken and butter. Remove the lemons from the pan and set aside.

Assembly: 

Layer all the ingredients back into the skillet -asparagus, chicken, and lemon slices on top.

For the honey butter sauce, melt additional butter and honey in the hot pan after caramelizing the lemons and poured it over the chicken. This mixture definitely picked up some of the residual lemon flavor from the pan, so if that isn't your thing, be sure to melt the butter and honey in a separate pan.

Using my Passions

I love all things home.

I love peaceful places.

I love entertaining.

I love meeting needs and solving problems.

In my absence from the blogosphere,  I have been using those passions.

Last year, at this time,

a flood in the church led to a major remodel:

fresh paint, new carpet, reconfigurations of rooms, a removal of JUNK, refinished pews ...

Not long ago, we renovated the bathrooms in our fellowship hall.

For the past two weeks - and into this coming week,

I am working to renovate our Prophet's Chamber rooms and kitchen.

So new paint, new carpet/tile, fresh bedding and window treatments,

and an assessment of what would make our guests stay more pleasant.

So I practice home making and decorating, creating a peaceful place,
practicing hospitality to those who pass through,
and meeting the needs of those who need a place to rest.

Our first guests will be here April 14 or 15 and then another family the second weekend in May.

I am tired from the long days,
but the work is pleasant and enjoyable.
Looking forward to seeing the finished product SOON!

Right, Just, AND Merciful

We know that God is right and just.

Everything He does is right and just.

His decisions are the best.

Yet,

often my flesh want to argue.

It wants its own way.

It wants a different path.

This week I am thankful that God is right and just.

I am also thankful that in His mercy and grace

sometimes He draws back the curtain and gives a glimpse
of what could be the results of my selfish desires.

I need to accept His right and just actions regardless,

but I am thankful when He helps my sinful flesh.

Spending Fast

It is Spring Cleaning time again.

I am finding that each year gets easier and easier,

BECAUSE

I get rid of more and more things.

Our belongings become things we love,

and MOST everything has a permanent, definite location.

We have continued to sell on ebay and Craigslist,

and the transformation in the Living Room/All-purpose room continues.

I have moved things around and am experimenting with placement.
It is more open and easier to do our workouts in there.

I have also declared a spending fast.

Only essentials for the month of March.

It sure has made my shopping trips fast - 

no browsing, just follow the shopping list.

I am about to tackle another church project,

so I will be busy enough that I won't be tempted to needless spending.

This time around, I have a hallway, 2 Prophet's Chamber rooms, and a kitchen.

I get to paint,

and then the rooms are getting new flooring.

I always enjoy a transformation!

Simple Dates

I suppose that it would seem like a couple with no children would have dates ALL the time.

With work and church responsibilities,

the date nights are sometimes rare.

With food allergies and life in a small town,

we have found that date nights are typically a quiet night together - 

washing a car, doing yard work, dreaming up a new project (even if it is far in the future).

We have found a way to spend even more time together.

Since cooking real food meals takes a lot more time than a freezer tray or a box,

hubby and I have made meal time preparation more of a date (at least on the weekends).

Hubby likes to search a site called fitmencook.com 

and then he likes to live it.

I enjoy the help in the kitchen and the time together, of course.

Does your spouse like to cook?

Does he enjoy helping in the kitchen?

Signs of the Times

Well, I got the memo this past month that I am 40 years old.

OK, I have been there for awhile,

but the past few weeks,

I have noticed a little change in my vision.

I made an eye appointment for next week

and anticipate that I have some bifocals in my future.

We'll see!

At least I hope I will see :)

Goals

I am so thankful for goals.

I am thankful for the process of reaching the goals.

I am thankful that many things worth reaching take work.

Right now hubby and I are working on a new fitness planned

and a revised eating plan.

Our fitness plans were good, but separate from one another.

We are doing this one together!

The eating plan we are using got us on the right track and fixed a few health problems,

but it needed some tweaking.

The plan is changing, but not the goal!

Yes, it involves more work.

Yes, I am sore,

Yes, there is a learning curve,

Yes, it involves research and effort.

But, slowly but surely we are reaching the goal.

Without goals, life would be boring wouldn't it?

Making the Points Pretty

I am no artist.

I am not craftsy.

I really don't even have much of an eye for those things.

But I do like pretty things.

I like to practice and improve.

I like to be practical.

Recently, I read a blog post that mentioned that the writer was trying to work on her hand lettering.

She would choose a phrase, a word, a saying each day and write it in "pretty" hand lettering.

Another day, I heard a person mention  picking something out of his Bible reading - 

one thought to think on all day ... one particular point to remember.

 

Both of these ideas grabbed me.

Why couldn't I choose a verse or thought each day and hand letter it?

Of course I could.

I have pretty, empty journals everywhere.

Why not fill them with decorative verses that inspire and encourage me?

It has been a blessing to me.

I can dwell on the thought while writing it.

I can quickly find it again.

I can reread it through the week.

I have taken to duplicating the verses in greeting cards and notes that I send.

While I am no Picasso,
I enjoy the effort and imagine that with time,
I will show some improvement.
And during the efforts, my mind is on profitable things.

Almost ...

Spring is just about here ...

I have been in the garden and turned it over twice.

After nearly 7 years, the soil is actually starting to look like soil.

My veggie seeds should be here this week, maybe even tomorrow.

Peas and spinach will go in as soon as they arrive (if it is not raining).

I call the garden my natural "anti-depressant."

Even without the plants, just the digging and playing in the dirt is such a "pick-me-up."

The past two days have been BEAUTIFUL!

Windows wide open,

Breeze blowing,

Clean air,

Daffodils showing their colors for a short while.

Along with that comes the need to mow,

I have my first mow slated for Friday afternoon, if I remember to get the gas for the mower.

I love the extra exercise and the definite reason to be outside.