Thankful Thursday

Verse of the Day:

"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." Hebrews 7:25

Today is going to be a super busy day for me. I just wanted to wish everyone a very Thankful Thursday.  What are you thankful for today? I am thankful for my friends! Without them NJ would almost be unbearable and deployments would be unbearable. Have a great day everyone!

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Wordless Wednesday - A Child with Autism Bullied by his Teacher and the Father Caught it All

I wanted to share this with everyone and encourage you to do the same. I think it is absolutely despicable this teacher cannot be fired due to tenure after doing this to a child. Her first name is Jodi and she taught at Horace Mann Elementary in Cherry Hill, NJ which is right down the road from us here at McGuire AFB.  The aides have been fired and Jodi has been moved out of the classroom of course. I am hoping and praying she gets so much grief from everyone that it forces her to resign and I sure hope that she apologizes to this father and the little boy. For her to pick on and bully a poor helpless child with special needs that cannot communicate to his father what is going on is horrible. People like this need to be held accountable for what they do! What a despicable human being!
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Tasty Finds Tuesday - Egg in a Hole

I am almost embarrassed to even post this as a recipe since it is so easy, but then again some people may not have ever had one. Anyway, I have been following The Pioneer Woman for a long time. Way before she had a TV show and I love her. She has super simple recipes that are so yummy! One day on her show she done, egg in a hole and it took me back!! This isn't the first time I have had one.

What you need:
1 Slice of your favorite bread (we only use whole wheat)
1 egg (I have chickens so we use fresh and boy is there a HUGE difference in the taste)
1 Tablespoon of butter (we only use real butter in my house, no margarine)
Salt and Pepper to taste

What to do:
With a biscuit cutter or rim of a glass press a hole in the center of the bread.
Melt the butter over medium heat in a skillet
Once the butter is melted place the bread in the center of the pan and crack the egg in the center of the hole hence the name egg in a hole :). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Let it cook for at least a minute before you attempt to flip it or it will get all nasty and not look so pretty.

Once flipped cook until yolk is soft and jiggly. Yes I said jiggly. Hey, I am just quoting Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman.

Once cooked take out of the pan and enjoy!!!

As always, I hope everyone has a very tasty Tuesday!

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Almost Silent Sunday

"The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel." Psalm 68:8


A while back I came across a blog called Proverbs 31 Ministries which is a terrific blog for women. I encourage you to check it out.


I hope everyone has a very blessed Sunday

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Thankful Thursday

"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:2-3

DH's deployment is fast approaching! I am not looking forward to it, but then again, it would be bad if I were right? My 5 year old is understanding more and more about daddy having to go away for a while but she knows he is going to be back. Kids are just awesome and if you want strength during a long deployment sometimes all you have to do is just look at your kids. So often military kids are overlooked. You have people all the time saying poor military spouse, but what about our kids? Kids are strong. I am just amazed at how well they take their daddy deploying and being gone for long periods of time. Now don't get me wrong, they act out and get more clingy, a lot more clingy, but the know daddy is going to be back. They know it is their daddy's job to go away. They miss him, but they also go on with everyday life and don't let his absence get in their way.  They adapt because they have to. 

It is hard being a single parent for long periods of time and having everything fall on you when you are used to someone at your side helping you. But like my girls will adapt, so will I! I will make the best of DH's deployment and try not to let it get me down. Like my girls, I know it is his job and I know when I married him what I signed up for. My girls, on the other hand, had no choice in the matter and sometimes I think they are so much stronger than me. Maybe its because they don't understand fully, I don't know. I do know they know when daddy is gone and they know that daddy is not gonna walk through the door at 5PM, eat dinner with them, play with them, and kiss them goodnight, but again they adapt because they have to. They may not have the responsibilities us mommies do, but like us, they miss him too if not more than we do. Whenever I am feeling sorry for myself and missing my husband when he leaves, I am gonna go hug my girls and thank God for them because without them here to drive me batty, I don't know what I would do. My girls are a piece of their daddy so I have a little bit of Ted here with me even when he is gone. I will pray every night that he will return safely to us and for God to take care of him while he is there. I will pray that the time will pass quickly for us all. 

So today I thank God for my girls. They are my heart and the best thing God has ever given me besides the gift of His Son. I thank God for my husband and all he sacrifices for us going to places that aren't so safe. He does it for me and his girls. Some say that the military comes before family, but I don't agree. I think in serving his country and doing his job he is putting us first, well right after God :) He does what he does for us. So to all of you who are going through a deployment or will be going through one. Hang in there and if you have kids, whenever you are missing your husband, give them a great big hug and tell them you love them very much even though you may want to strangle them LOL! Remember they miss daddy too and they may not quite understand why daddy is gone.

I hope everyone has a very blessed and Thankful Thursday!

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Wordful Wednesday - Should Christians Judge? YES AND NO

This was a post I did last year and thought I would repost due to a recent conversation I had with someone. I am just tired of people saying that Christians shouldn't judge based on a couple of verses that are misunderstood.  My Bible tells me that as a Christian I have the right to judge, just to do the right kind of judging. Before people go spouting off things at the mouth, they need to make sure they know what they are talking about. I do not know the whole Bible cover to cover and I do not understand everything, but the things I do understand and know I will stand firm on. This is a informative post so please read on.




How many times have you heard, "The Bible says not to judge." Christians and non believers alike use this statement all the time to avoid exposure to any wrong doing in their lives. I know I have said it in the past! Now the Bible does say this BUT what does it mean? Take the statement “don’t drink and drive” for example and ask yourself what it means.  Does it mean never drink anything while driving?  Of course not, it means do not drink alcohol (bad drinking) and drive, but non-alcoholic drinks (good drinking) is ok.  You have probably heard this saying many times:  “You should not judge a book by its cover,” but what if the cover of the book reads “The Satanic Bible?”  Should we make a judgment about the Satanic Bible or should we open the book to investigate?  The answer is obvious.  We should avoid this book because of the warning sign written on the cover.  If we are unsure of a warning sign we should approach the situation with extreme caution.  For example, if we drive down an unfamiliar road and see a sign that reads “Dangerous Curve,” we do not usually turn around and go home; instead we approach the curve with caution.  If we are unable to determine whether something is safe or unsafe, it is safer to avoid the situation.  1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil." So we definitely should judge all things (movies, books, music, and behavior of people). When the Bible says not to judge it is talking about the bad type of judging.  So in order not to practice the bad kind of judging, we must understand the two types of judging.



Two Types of Judging
1. Discerning (Good Judging)

• Identifying the spirit behind an action

II Timothy 3:16-17, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for instruction, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."


II Timothy 4:2, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine." Be instant in season, out of season simply means always be ready, whether the time is opportune for preaching the gospel or not.


Titus 2:15, "These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee."


Ephesians 5:11, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."


I Corinthians 2:15-16, "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged if no man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ." Simply put a mature Christian can scrutinize, sift,  and thereby understand all things; but unbelievers and even carnal minded which means of the flesh, cannot judge him. Mature Christians should judge all matters and issues.


I John 4:1, "Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone into the world."


Paul who wrote a good portion of the New Testament, judged someone in the church. Read I Corinthians 5:1-13. Then see II Corinthians 2:5-11 to see where Paul encourages the church  to forgive that person.



2. Condemning and Criticizing (Bad Judging)

• Using people’s sin as an excuse to lower or belittle them.
• Harsh punishment without encouragement to follow.
• Cursing a person or prophesying destruction into their lives.  Note: it is ok to warn someone of possible consequences, but it is not ok to say things which may discourage the person or lead them to believe that the worst is the only outcome they will have.
• Sentencing with no mercy.
• Correcting someone when guilty of the same thing.

People who practice the bad kind of judging often are guilty of the same sin they are using to belittle another person.  Jesus addressed this scenario in Matthew 7:1-5 and Luke 6:41-42, and these are the verses which people sometimes twist in order to defend their sinful desires.  The problem is that people sometimes quote Matthew 7:1 only which reads, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." but one must also read verses 2-5 to understand the point Jesus was making.  The point Jesus was making was not to judge someone of the same sin we have in our own lives.  Another way to look at the point Jesus was making is by answering this question: How can a person help someone escape quicksand if that person is also stuck in the same quicksand?


Paul echoes the point Jesus was making in Romans 2:1-4, "Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"


Christians should judge and Christians should not judge. Both are true!

What makes judging right or wrong depends on the spirit, motive and attitude in which judging is being done.  So, the conclusion is that Christians should judge the actions of other people, but Christians should not make conclusions about the degree of punishment that a person will receive from God.  The only conclusion that a Christian can accurately make is that if a person does not accept God’s plan of salvation, that person will be separated from God throughout all eternity, because this is what the Bible tells us (see Revelation 20:11-15).

If we are going to make a negative comment to a person about their behavior, we should be just as quick to give encouragement. 

God, who is the ultimate judge, is full of grace and mercy, so we should also be full of grace and mercy.

James 2:12-13, "So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty. For he shall have judgement without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgement."

When people hear the word “judge” or “judgment” bad things usually come to mind, but often, good things come out of judgment.  A judge rewards a person who has done the right thing.   After death, everyone will face judgment.   “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment...” Hebrews 9:27.  For non-believers, the judgment mentioned will be the Great White Throne judgment spoken of in Revelation 20:11-15; where all who trust their own good works for salvation are to be judged according to their works and Jesus will say "depart from me.", because the works of men cannot redeem them from their sins.  Only God’s sacrifice redeemed us from our sin almost 2000 years ago.  People who put their trust in Jesus alone for their salvation will be judged at the Judgment Seat of Christ which is mentioned in 2 Corinthians 5:10; where they will receive what is due to them according to what they did, but they will be told to enter into everlasting life because they are covered by the blood of God’s sacrifice- Jesus.  For people who trusted God, their final judgment will be a good event, but non-believers will face a bad judgment.

Christians should be full of grace and mercy, but this is not always the case. It is a shameful and sad situation when church people treat others like they are trash because of something they did or because of an unjustified judgment. God knows about these situations and He will hold the slanderers, unmerciful, and graceless accountable.


Hope you enjoyed and as always, I hope you have a very blessed day.

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Tasty Finds Tuesday - Baked Pineapple

DH came home from Korea and told me about this Brazilian restaurant he went to. He said for dessert they brought out baked pineapple and it was so yummy. One day he brought me home a pineapple and asked me to make it so this is my take on it and boy was it good.

What you need:

1 fresh pineapple cut into chucks or rings (you really need to use fresh pineapple. Canned would NOT be good in this)

1/2 - 1 cup of packed brown sugar (dark or light)

2 tablespoons of melted butter

Few dashes of cinnamon

Dash of Nutmeg

What to do:

Preheat oven to 375 F

Spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray or grease with butter

Place pineapple chunks or rings in the bottom of pan and sprinkle with lots of brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg,

Pour melted butter over top.

Bake in oven uncovered for 20-35 minutes. Cook time will vary depending on how thick you cut your pineapple.

You will notice its done with the sugar has melted and started to caramelize and the edges of the pineapple have started to brown slightly.

Take out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes.

I eat this by itself. No ice cream BUT this would be extra yummy on a warm summer day with some vanilla ice cream!! I hope you enjoy this as much as we did and as always have a blessed and Tasty Tuesday.

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Monday Monday Monday

Verse of the Day:

"Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour. Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law." Romans 13:7&8

I have been one busy mommy lately so I am very sorry for my lack of posts, but you all know the drill, Family always comes first :). This week is supposed to be a slow one thank goodness and I NEED IT!


DH has started his predeployment appointments and training. :'( and we are getting ready to send a very dear friend off to Korea for a year. I dislike deployments, TDY's, and unaccompanied PCSes. They just stink.


I also start my key spouse training next week or as the Army calls them, FRG leaders. Thought I would throw that in there for those of you who watch Army Wives which is a great show by the way.


My youngest is all potty trained! I am so very happy and kinda sad at the same time. She is no longer a baby although she will always be my baby no matter her age. I am just grateful that I do not have to buy diapers. Still in pull ups ONLY at night, but I will take that. 


Look out for this Wordful Wednesday's post as well. I will be reposting something I posted last year and I think it needs to be posted again. Also check out my DH's post "Something You Need to Checkout for Yourselves"


I hope everyone has a very blessed Monday. Catch you tomorrow for Tasty Finds Tuesday.




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Something You Need to Check Out For Yourselves

So Kim and I embarked on a journey and we need some help from you all. As few know energy (electrical power) has deregulated in most states now. Kim and I decided to get on board with a company known as Ignite, for which we are now proud associates. This will help give Kim more flexibility for earnings for the kids and such. Despite the aura provided by such shows as Army Wives we in the military do not make as much as you might think. Plus, and I think you all will agree with this, the economy is set up for dual income earning families. Which means you will always be behind on one income. How much income? Click on this.

Enter the Ignite associate plan. Now so far Ignite is in 5 states: New Jersey, Georgia, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Texas. So if you are not in one of those states - this plan is not for you yet. They do plan on opening up in a few more states soon! So what is the plan? Well since electrical power is deregulated people have a choice in electrical energy - they can choose to switch to another provider. Most other providers offer lower rates. Ignite has very competitive rates and being an Ignite associate allows you to offer that rate to your friends and family and co-workers. This helps both you and them. They get a lower rate and you get customers. If people see the potential for this, as Kim and I did, they can become associates for you as well. This continues and the cycle continues.

I am asking all of you, in any of the aforementioned States, to become Ignite Associates. It has the great potential to provide a secondary income in a world full of needs. The hours are yours, the business is yours, if you know people who pay a power bill in those states - you have potential customers and associates already! People have stretched budgets in these times, electricity is a universal need in this nation. Buy or rent - you must have electricity!

If you would like to see our website click here. If you have questions email us. If you are pumped up and want to join up click the join now button on our website. If you want to email us and talk over the phone or any other form of media - we are comfortable there as well. This represents a great opportunity for stable residual income. I am asking for Ignite Associates. So if you want to Ignite your future - this is how to do it!

Ted Griffith

Thankful Thursday

"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God." Philippians 4:6

How many times have I read this verse and how many times have I ignored it? If we would just do as God instructs us to do in the first place things would go much smoother. 


As most of you know, I had gastric bypass surgery in October 2006 and lost a lot of weight in just a few short months. A lot of things, I found out the hard way, my stomach would not process so up it came. Sorry if TMI.  9 months after I had the surgery I got pregnant with my first baby girl! After 8 LONG years of yearning for a baby, God finally loaned us one. I lost even more after I had her and then when my first baby was just 14 months old I got pregnant with my 2nd princess. The whole time I was pregnant with her I puked! It really took a toll on my teeth! BIG TIME! I had been going to a local dentist here and was doing a little at a time. I was doing what I could afford. It wasn't working. My teeth are going faster than I could have the work done so I switched to a place about 45 minutes away. They gave me a quote of over $20000 to get my teeth fixed. Now this is not something I can put off. I was told they would take payments, but payments would still be over $600 a month. Now I don't know about you, but on a TSgt's salary, 2 little girls, and me not working outside the home, it was not something we could afford. I was once again devasted, but me and my DH decided that we were just gonna have to do it! I just prayed and read my Bible. I have given it to the Lord and the first glimmer of hope came today when the dentists office called me back and told me to pay what I could at first they would work out the rest later after my mouth was on its way to completion! I will FINALLY be able to really smile again! No more covering my mouth when I laugh or smile. What a blessing! This is going to be a 2 year process because I need all but my bottom 4 molars capped and need several gum surgeries, but will have my temporary caps on in a few short months! We are still praying that God will provide a way for us to pay it off, but again, the dentists office has been such a blessing so far. 


Please help us pray that God provides us with the ability to pay. Once my girls start school in September I will be looking for a part time job that will allow me to work only while they are in school.


Today I am thankful for God's many blessings and the people He uses to provide those blessings.  "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;" Ephesians 6:18


I hope everyone has a blessed and thankful Thursday. Thank you in advance for all the prayers.

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*HOT* Coach Factory Sale Event on Ebay

It is back!! The Coach Factory Sale on Ebay! UP TO 70% OFF!!! Please note that this sale includes a limit of 10 Coach items per customer, with an additional limit of 5 signature items only.

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Tasty Finds Tuesday - Upside Down Caramel Apple Biscuits

Did someone say apple!!?? I LOVE LOVE LOVE apples! I would choose an apple over a candy bar any day of the week. Well maybe not any day but MOST days for sure.

 I was looking through some cookbooks that I had, you know the kind that have paper? LOL! Anyway, I found this recipe! It is delicious and once again Pillsbury does not fail! I made only 1 change, okay well 2 but who is counting. The original recipe called for the use of ramekins. Now I don't know about you, but I don't have them. I always thought they were a waste of money since I don't use them ever. NOW if anyone wants to buy me some, my birthday was April 5th so I will not complain if you just wanted to get me some ;) What I did instead was use a pie plate which worked out just fine. The 2nd change I made was dabbing melted butter on top of the biscuits before baking and sprinkling them with a cinnamon sugar mixture. Now once they are baked and they are inverted you will not see that part but it makes them yummy. Okay so anyway, enough jabbering time for the recipe.

What you need:
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
6 cups sliced Granny Smith apples (about 4 medium)
1/2 chopped pecans ( I did not use these. We are not a pee-can family)
1 can Butter Tastin' refrigerated biscuits (this is one of the very few times you will ever see me use  what we like to call whomp biscuits. I make my biscuits from scratch)




What to do:
Heat oven to 350 F. In a 12 inch non stick skillet, cook butter and caramel topping over medium-high heat until melted and bubbly. Stir in brown sugar and apples. Cook over medium-high heat 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occassionally, until the apples are tender.

Meanwhile, spray 8 (10 ounce) custard cups or 8 (12 ounce) ramekins with non stick cooking spray. (this is where I used one pie plate). If using the ramekins or custard cups, sprinkle one tablespoon or pecans in each cup and 1/3 cup of apple mixture over the pecans. If using pie plate, sprinkle the pecans evenly in the bottom of the pie plate followed by the apple mixture.

Separate biscuits: gently stretch each biscuit until large enough to cover the caramel-apple mixture. Place biscuits on top of the mixture and then place the cups on a baking sheet with sides. If you are using the pie plate no baking sheet is necessary.  Now this is the point where I also brushed each biscuit with melted butter and sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.

Bake 18 to 23 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes and turn out onto serving plates. Serve warm.

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Happy Easter...A Few Days Late

Verse of the Day:
"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high:" Hebrews 1:3


I trust everyone had a very happy Easter. The one day set aside to celebrate Jesus' resurrection and the fact he paid our sin debt past, present, and future all those years ago. We should celebrate that everyday.


I did get the girls' Easter baskets, but forgot to take a pic :( We don't do the Easter Bunny, but they do get goodies they just know where they really come from. 


We had some friends over for a yummy dinner and just chilled here at the house.  I tried out a new recipe that I will be posting on Tuesday. It was extra yummy!


The Bug is on spring break till tomorrow so I have both girls home today. They keep each other entertained so its all good. 


We are getting ready for DH to deploy. He starts his pre deployment appointments this week. I really really really wish he didn't have to go for so long, but that is just the way it is and I knew what I was marrying into. I have my fabulous friends here and my family in FL, NC, and TN if I get lonely and last BUT NOT LEAST, I have Jesus Christ. Without the strength He gives I wouldn't be able to get through the day. "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:" Romans 5:3&4


Nothing else really going on. Well we are trying to potty train Bella Bear. It was going really well and then yesterday she had an accident! She peed right in the middle of my kitchen floor! She is harder than Emma Bug to potty train that is for sure. She is doing very good though so I can't complain too much about just one accident. She is no longer in diapers during the day and only in pull ups when she sleeps or we go somewhere. I still have to ask her every so and again if she has to go potty. 


Dental appointment tomorrow. I FINALLY get to start the process of fixing my teeth...hopefully. I get to find out tomorrow how much it is going to cost and how much they will be charging me every month. Thank God I found a good dentists' office that will work with me on the payments without financing it. Praying all goes well tomorrow and I can start the process ASAP. I wanna be able to really smile again and not be so self conscience. 


There was a mobile eye doctor that came to Emma Bug's school and they are telling me she needs glasses. They said she was near sighted and she had an astigmatism which I know she has the latter. Anyway, sorry but I do not trust any mobile unit so off to her eye dr we go next week to see if she really needs glass which I do not think she does. I wonder though how many parents will take the school's word for it and put their child in glasses? What if they don't need them? Oh well, we shall see next Tuesday. If my baby needs them she will get them don't get me wrong.


I am off of here for now. I hope everyone has a very blessed day. Catch you tomorrow.

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