This is the one day set aside for you to make the most of your love. But where do you start?
Think of the things your spouse loves. How can you highlight these things in an unexpected way?
Examples:
If your spouse loves flowers, buy them or cut a fresh bouquet from your garden.
If your spouse loves food, cook or bake them something unexpected, or treat them to a fine dining experience.
If your spouse loves the outdoors, plan a time to enjoy it. i.e. fire pit, hike, picnic or outdoor movie night.
If your spouse loves or needs to relax, give them an awesome massage or set up an appointment for one. Followed by a hot, steam shower or soaking bath.
If your spouse loves being active, sign up for a 5k together.
The point is to do what will make your spouse say, “Wow!” Even if it’s out of your comfort zone. Your willingness to make a memory with them will go a long way in creating intimacy.
It would be easy to bypass this holiday as a hokey, commercially laden holiday. But why not use it to deepen your connection. Chocolates, flowers and dinner are so blasé.
Don’t follow the norm but create your own memory.
What do you want your spouse to remember about Valentine’s Day 2025. It’s up to you to make it happen.
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Welcome to our new followers. What a privilege it is to come alongside you in your marriage journey. May this Valentine’s Day be more than a Hallmark idea but one where you deepen your affection for the one who knows you best.
This is a dish my husband introduced to me when we were first married. I had never heard of eggplant much less learned to love it. If you find yourself in the same place, you are about to find a new favorite.
We love going to farmer’s markets to see what looks fresh and good. A few weeks ago, eggplant looked gorgeous with the deep purple shiny skin. We couldn’t resist!
Tom peeled and sliced it for me and I did the rest.
Cut the eggplant in about one inch slices. Dip it in a mixture of flour and cornstarch. Then dredge in eggs and then dip in Italian bread crumbs.
Heat a skillet with olive oil. When shimmering, fry the eggplant on each side for 2-3 minutes or until nicely browned.
Drain on paper towels and salt to taste. Or you can dip is Italian sauce.
This is a great appetizer to serve on Super Bowl Sunday too.
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Welcome to our new followers. We are so glad you are choosing to invest in your marriage, and we don’t take it lightly that you’re here. We’d love to hear from you!
This is a word that defines Tom’s leadership and love in our marriage.
We have been members of our church from day one—40 years ago this April. We have lived in the same home for 33 years this fall. Tom worked at the same job for over 30 years. And best of all we will celebrate 46 years married on the 24th of this month.
Constant.
At the base of all these pinnacles is Tom’s faith. My husband has led our family well. He has been constant in building our lives on the foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Have we messed up? More times than we care to remember. But God has helped us repent when needed and change for His glory.
Constant.
Tom has been faithful to me as a husband. Even in moments of discouragement and failure, these times have given us a testimony that brings authenticity to our story. We get it! failure happens because we’re human, but God rescues us from us.
Constant.
His prayers have prepared the ground for generations to come. The Bible says our prayers are circling the throne of God as incense before Him. I have witnessed Tom’s heartfelt prayers for our grandchildren we know by name and those great-grand babies who are yet to be born.
Constant.
God is the faithful One who chose each of us before we were born. He has been constant in every paragraph above. His love has been constant and we are grateful!
How has God been constant in your marriage?
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Welcome to our new followers. What a privilege to help in your marriage success. We may plant and water, but it is God who provides the growth.
Tom and I had the privilege this Sunday to attend a grand opening celebration. It was for a church in Miami that our church planted 28 years ago.
They just acquired a permanent facility for their church to settle in Miami Gardens. No more renting. The entire day was filled with touchstones only God could produce.
David, now the senior pastor, was 3 when his parents joined our church in Orlando. Today he is 36 and married to the daughter of that church plant’s pastor.
Why do I share all of this? It is primarily to show that God always brings us full circle to see His faithfulness, if we are watching for it.
David’s message today was anointed by the Holy Spirit. He spoke of the importance of humility to produce unity in the church. He used the example of his yard.
When they bought their first home the front lawn was lush and green; the kind of grass you want to walk on barefoot. But now a couple of years later, the yard is covered with weeds and dirt. He said the reason is he failed to water the grass.
The application is that in order for the grass to grow it needed water. It is the same for the church or any relationship. We need the water of humility for unity to flourish.
Are you and your spouse struggling to communicate peacefully? Do words lead to misunderstandings which lead to conflict? Oh, we have been there. And it’s usually over the stupidest of things. The enemy sits back and smiles as he watches his plan at work to divide us. Pride doesn’t want to back down, especially if you feel misunderstood.
How do we stop this trend?
Humility. Jesus demonstrated humility for us by taking the lowest place. He who placed the stars and their expanse in the sky, chose to limit His power to rescue us from the bondage to sin. He went even further by dying on a cursed cross. He knew we could never conquer the power of sin, so He did what we couldn’t do. What a glorious gift salvation is for those of us who believe.
Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself. It’s thinking of yourself less, as John Piper has said.
Consider this past weekend—How was the temperature in your marriage? Heated? Do you know why? If not, examine the events leading up to the increased tension. Was there something you wanted that you didn’t get? Or was your spouse selfishly demanding their own way? We all give in to these temptations. We are still prone to sin, but not bound to it. We have a way of escape. It is simply to humble ourselves, and take the lowest place so Christ is exalted and unity is restored.
Unity is marriage is cultivated by a humble heart.
May God grant us the desire to seek humility above all things for the good of our marriage and for God’s glory.
We have a tradition in our family. Rather than celebrate birthdays with cake, I bake birthday pie.
This week we had our daughter and grandchildren here and it happened to fall on our grandson’s 15th birthday. He was asked what pie he wanted. Cherry, was his pick.
I have a recipe I’ve developed using three kinds of cherries: Red Tart, Dark Red and Bada Bing with stems.
I’ve made it many times but often the pie is too runny. This time I tried cooking the juice, sugar and cornstarch in a pan until the sugar was melted and the juice started to thicken.
I then added it with the cherries into the prepared pie crust and topped it with softened butter. Last the lattice crust was put on top. I baked in a preheated, 400 degree oven for 45 minutes. Covering the pie with foil loosely the last 15 minutes will prevent browning.
I must say it was a huge hit. These photos say it all!
Happy Birthday, Bradley.
Triple Cherry Pie by Debi Walter
Ingredients:
1 1/4 c. sugar 3 T. corn starch 1/4 t. salt 1/2 t. cinnamon 1 T. butter, softened 1 14 1/2 ounce can Oregon red tart cherries, drained 1 14 1/2 ounce can Oregon dark sweet cherries, drained 1 jar Bada Bing Cherries, 1 cup juice reserved 1/4 t. vanilla extract 2 t. lemon juice 1 double-crust pastry deep dish 9”
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Drain cherries, reserving 1 cup juice from the Bada Bing Cherries only.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk well.
Add cherry juice to the sugar mixture and cook over medium heat until clear and starting to thicken.
Pour heated juice over cherries. Stir well. Add butter and vanilla extract to cherry mixture. Stir and let stand for 15 minutes.
Pour cherry mixture into pie crust and finish top with lattice work pie crust.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. You can cover loosely with foil the last 10 minutes if the crust is getting too dark.
Warm to room temperature, then place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set. Enjoy.
Have a great weekend!
Thank you to all who have signed up to follow our blog. We are grateful you’re here. We pray your marriage is encouraged by our journey.
Sometimes you happen upon a recipe that is so easy and delicious. We had this at our daughter’s during the holidays and as I watched her throw it together, I didn’t think it would be incredible. I am surprised to say it was amazingly incredible!
She told me this recipe had gone viral on social media sites, and now I understand why.
We thought it would be good to offer some practical tips and quotes after our post on Monday. Let us know in the comments if you have more tips to add. We all need help to be good communicators in marriage.
Being honest with your spouse doesn’t give you permission to say whatever you feel like saying under the guise, “I’m just being honest!” Once words are spoken you can never take them back. Think before you speak.
The best way to understand your spouse is to ask them good questions and listen to what they say in response. Oftentimes we assume we know what they’ll say, so we don’t listen as we should.
Listen with the filter of grace. If they are confessing sin to you, remember how much Christ has forgiven you. If they are sharing concerns about something you’ve done, remember no one knows you better than your spouse. Listen and pray for God’s help in hearing it with grace, not condemnation. Many times our spouse sees areas in our life we are blind to. If we ignore their observations we won’t grow.
If a topic is off-limits, then get help. Just because you choose not to talk about it doesn’t mean it will go away. In fact, it will do more damage as it sits there and festers.
Choose the right time to talk about important subjects. If your spouse is tired, it’s most likely they won’t have the energy to give the topic the attention it deserves.
When you think the time is right to talk about something important to you, ask your spouse if they have a minute to talk about something weighing on your mind. This opens the door for a friend to come alongside and listen, rather than demanding your need without thinking of what might be weighing on their mind.
Be considerate. Always.
Omit absolutes like “you always…” or “you never…”
Don’t accuse your spouse based on your observations. Tell them “It seems to me you might have….” Give them room to explain the situation with grace. We are not our spouse’s judge. We are their companion and best friend.
Conversation builds the friendship between husband and wife in a way nothing else can. Don’t share things with your other friends that you haven’t spoken to your spouse about first. This is protecting your marriage friendship.
Love your spouse even when they don’t deserve it. This is modeling Christ’s love for them and may break down the walls the enemy wants to build between you two. Love speaks softly, not judgmentally.
“Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” – Henry Winkler (well said!) (You know what they say about what it means to “assume”–it makes an a** of u and me. Don’t do it.)
“Don’t use words too big for the subject. Don’t say “infinitely” when you mean “very”; otherwise you’ll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite.” ― C.S. Lewis (Great advice from my favorite author.)
“The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” ― George Bernard Shaw (If you’ve only thought about talking to your spouse be sure you actually do it.)
You’re next…what communication tips can you share that helps you keep your conversation healthy and open?
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Welcome to our new followers. We don’t take it lightly that you clicked the “follow us” button. And we pray your marriage will be encouraged.
“But the Lord replied to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered and anxious about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part [that which is to her advantage], which will not be taken away from her.”” (Emphasis mine) Luke 10:41-42 AMP
It is the start of a new year, the time for making resolutions and setting goals.
Hopefully your marriage is included in the evaluation. We must decide what is of most importance—listening to what is on God’s heart for us, like Mary did. She stopped everything and listened intently.
Tom and I have joined a marriage community group where we are going through Paul Tripp’s lessons on, What Did You Expect?. Although this book is out-of-print, Mr. Tripp has revised it with a more focused and updated title, Marriage. We highly recommend it!
Our CG leader asked us to share what our current need is and every couple shared a need to grow in the same area—communication.
It is interesting that communication was the top of the list for so many.
There can be as many reasons as there were couples in the room. But I believe it’s in large part the effect of smart phones on our listening skills. We scroll constantly from one post to the next, or one news feed to another.
It has been revealed through many studies that our attention spans are shrinking with the addition of screen use in our daily routines.
Maybe a modern day application to the Martha and Mary story would be that Mary chose to put her phone down in order to listen fully to Jesus, while Martha half-listened checking her friend’s IG feed.
Tom and I have talked about having a phone free day, but have never tried it. It seems impossible given it is our only means of being contacted by friends and family.
If we want to grow in our communication as husband and wife, it begins with listening well when our spouse is speaking. Based on the number of couples in our group struggling in this area, I imagine many of you can relate.
May we all pursue connection with each other through genuine communication from the heart. Our marriage depends on it, and it may be the one thing necessary for it to thrive.
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Welcome to our new followers. We don’t take your willingness to sign up for our emails lightly. We pray your marriage will grow and prosper this year as a result.
Please share what one area your marriage is in need of growth. Let’s encourage each other.
I am not gluten sensitive, but our daughter has celiac disease. This has caused me to try GF recipes from time to time in order to still cook for her when she visits.
She mentioned to me that she made an amazing Chicken Parmesan dish that was as delicious as it was crispy. I couldn’t believe it because usually GF frying turns out mushy; not this recipe! And I’m so excited.
On top of this I found a fresh, vibrant marinara sauce to serve with it. I chose to sauté the tomato paste in a medium fry pan before adding it to the food processor. This gave the paste a much richer flavor.
The good news is Tom loved it, which means we have a new favorite. 🥰
Note: I used chicken tenderloins instead of chicken breasts. This was to avoid pounding out the breasts in order to make them thin and tender enough. But tenderloins are more expensive, so it’s good to have options. You could also make this with regular breadcrumbs if gluten isn’t an issue for your family.
I’ll let the photos whet your appetite. Enjoy…
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Our hearts and prayers are with those in North Carolina and California who have lost homes, possessions and even family and friends due to floods and fires. It is heartbreaking to see the damage.
As we enjoy cooking and eating, it is sobering to remember there are many who long for such normalcy.
We are grateful you have taken the time to visit our vineyard today. Have a blessed weekend!
I remember as a child hearing of Ponce de Leon’s pursuit of The Fountain Of Youth. It was said to be somewhere in Florida, and it was told he spent his life trying to find it. But he never did for there is no such fountain. His story is most likely not true, yet it is intriguing all the same.
We love the idea of eternal youth. Our society spends millions of dollars convincing us that we can reverse the aging process if we’ll just buy their product.
Truth be told, we will all grow old. We will all have wrinkles. And we will all die–someday. But this truth doesn’t have to be morbid.
The adage is true, “You’re only as old as you feel.”
To be honest I’ve felt quite old lately, and many can relate. If youth is dependent on our feelings, then there are many young people who don’t feel their youth either.
Where am I going with this?
What if marriage was given a Fountain of Youth that kept our love vibrant and healthy?
What if we could only grow more in love as the years pass instead of facing a decaying relationship?
What if our relationship could experience ever-increasing intimacy?
It can, but there is no fountain to bathe in or no amazing product to purchase that can guarantee such success. However, there are keys that if used, will unlock a fountain of renewal day after day, year after year. And each of us possess these keys for Christ has tucked them away in our hearts the moment we became His.
Key #1:
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4 ESV) Emphasis added.
Imagine how marriages, yours and ours, would be continually renewed if we were to each treat our spouse as being more important than ourselves. This is unselfishness on display, and it is what makes a marriage grow stronger through the years. There is no secret magic fountain, that would be too easy. Marriage is hard work. Marriage is continually preferring your spouse over your own interests. Marriage has no short-cuts to godliness.
Key #2:
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12-13 ESV) Emphasis added
We are each responsible for our own heart. We can’t change our spouse, but we can pray for them as if their heart was our own. God is the one who is at work in us using each and every hardship for His refining purposes. When facing difficulty our first thought should be, God what are you wanting to do in my heart? Having this attitude will help us make the most of every opportunity to grow and change. And as we do this, regardless of whether or not our spouse is on board, we will see change in our marriage.
It is a great temptation to compare our responsiveness to God with our spouse’s. May I encourage you from experience to not go there? This thought-process is used by the enemy of our soul to side-track our obedience. If he can’t keep us from doing right, he’ll work on getting us to compare ourselves with our spouse and puff us up with pride. Both disobedience and pride are sins which grieve the Father. We mustn’t allow it.
Key #3:
Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. (Philippians 2:14-16 ESV) Emphasis added.
Did you catch that? “All things“? Really? But what about the times when he doesn’t do what he said he would do? What about the times she disregards my advice? What about when his/her attitude is affecting my plans, my day, my attitude? What about…? You fill in the blank. Marriage never goes according to the idea we had when we stood face-to-face on the altar vowing our love and commitment to each other.
Marriage provides a continual well-spring, all right, but it’s not of eternal youth–it’s a well-spring of constant change, and the one who needs to change is me.
At least this is where my focus needs to be. If I would be as diligent in seeing my own lack as I tend to be in seeing my spouse’s lack, I guarantee my marriage would grow and mature.
How about you? Are you willing to take these three keys to unlock your own well-spring to renewal and change?
If you do, I’m quite certain a year from now your marriage won’t look the same as it does today. In fact, you may have other’s wondering if you’ve found a secret to marital happiness. When they ask you can smile and say, “I sure have, would you like to know where to find it?”
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This post was originally shared in 2013, buts its truths are worth repeating; Thus the Vintage label. Like a vintage wine—it gets better with age.
It’s amazing how different this post hits me at 65 than it did at 54. I’m closer to being old and our marriage has gone through much, but it is still good.
We would love to hear from you to see if our blog is still having an impact on your marriage. We’ve been told that blogging is a dying medium, being replace by podcasts. But I’m a writer. I pray that we can still be used to write posts worth reading, even as the outlets change.
This week is the start of our church’s commitment to pray earnestly for 21 days. Tom and I decided we would add a regular prayer time to our morning Bible reading.
Praying together hasn’t been as often as we would like. We pray separately, but holding hands and agreeing in the name of Jesus each day is something in which we want to grow.
The Bible says that when two or more are gathered in His name, He (Jesus) is there with us.
Think of waking up and praying as a couple with the awareness that Jesus is holding our hands as we pray for “His will to be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”
How has your spiritual journey been as a couple? Do you feel connected in your prayer life? Or is there a distance that makes prayer difficult?
This is a ploy of the enemy who wants nothing more than to disarm our prayers. Don’t let him do it.
May 2025 be the year where couples unite in prayer with Jesus in praying for His will to be accomplished. He is the One who receives the glory, but we are changed in the process.
We’ll close with the prayer Jesus modeled for us…
“This, then, is how you should pray: “ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’” Matthew 6:9-13 NIV
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Thank you for being a part of our vineyard. We are praying for you and your marriage that this year will be one of growth together in intimacy with God and each other.
Shrimp and GritsPatty melt Mimosas with a frozen orange rosetteCharcuterieChristmas dinner of SauerbratenMexican Street TacosTraditional New Year’s Day mealHappy New YearMy Triple Cherry PieSausage Breakfast BiscuitHoneysuckle Biscuits
We are on the road home—full of good food and great memories. Happy New Year! We are grateful for you all.
It’s a good habit to pause at the beginning of a new year and reflect on the year before to help you make changes in the year ahead.
We encourage you to plan some undistracted time–no screens, no kids, no chores, no TV–and answer these all important questions. We pray it encourages you.
As you look back on 2024 ask yourself and your spouse the following:
1. What are the major highlights of the year?
2. What are your biggest victories? Your biggest disappointments?
3. What would you do differently if you had the chance?
4. How has your marriage grown?
5. What was your favorite date? Favorite dining experience? Favorite movie?
6. How have you grown in your relationship with the Lord?
7. What do you wish you could have done, but didn’t?
8. What are the three most encouraging words someone else said to you?
9. What are the three most encouraging words I said to you?
10. What did I do this year that makes you smile every time you think of it?
Now, looking forward to 2025, ask yourself and your spouse the following:
1. What do you want to continue doing this year that you were doing last year?
2. What do you want to stop doing this year?
3. What one word, if any, do you plan to focus on for growth? How can I help you?
4. What devotional are you planning to do? (We highly recommend choosing from the hundreds available on the YouVersion app)
5. What is one area you would like to see me improve in this year?
6. Is there something I have been putting off around the house that you would love to see completed?
7. What 3 couples can we pursue this year in an effort to encourage them or glean wisdom from them?
8. What would be the best way to make this happen?
9. How important are date nights to you? How can we make these a regular part of our year?
10. What trips would you like to plan for just us or for the family?
May God help you connect the dots of His faithfulness to you and your marriage in 2024. And wherever there is great disappointment, may He fill your heart with faith to believe, change and grow in 2025.
Tom’s Dad is German and Sauerbraten is his absolute favorite dish. I’ve never cared for German food and assumed I would not like this. Since it’s usually very expensive I was hesitant to order it.
A first for Jason making this, he was worried it would not turn out well. The process took 3 days, but the results were outstanding.
Our wine of choice was Daou, a Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles. It paired well as the full bodied roast matched the bold flavors of Daou.
It’s coming togetherStirring the gravy
It does our hearts well seeing our son enjoy cooking for those he loves. I am grateful we were seated at his table this Christmas.
“Cooking is an expression of love from the heart to the table.”
We hope you’ll try this recipe in the new year. You won’t regret the effort.
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What a year it has been. If you’d like to be sure and not miss a single post in the new year, please subscribe via email.
We are grateful for allowing us to be a part of your story.
About now most of us have our shopping list completed or close to it. You may be like me, hoping Amazon comes through by the 24th.
But there is also an invisible package many of us have under our tree. Oh, we didn’t buy it, but we certainly wrapped it over and over hoping it would be perfect.
What is this invisible gift?
You’ll notice I didn’t call it a “gift”; Gifts are meant to bless the one who receives it. This package falls short of blessing us. It does much to promise us the best of everything, but never delivers as expected.
This box is packed full with expectations of our own making. We hang our highest hopes on what we think will make this a perfect holiday. From the beautifully wrapped gifts, to our kitchen overflowing with homemade delicacies. Every detail planned according to what I want.
It’s important to unwrap this package and diffuse it before the explosion of disappointment fills our homes.
I have found that time alone each morning with the Lord has done more to keep my focus on what matters than anything else. Remembering the words of the classic carols we sing every year will draw our focus upward and outward. This is the best defense against unrealistic expectations.
Our gift to you is this song set our church did this past Sunday. Take time to listen to the words and let the truths fill your heart and mind.
“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7 ESV
The name of this recipe isn’t appetizing. However, this is what the soup entails, so I kept it for clarity purposes.
I imagine most of you threw away what was left of your Thanksgiving turkey. I encourage you to file this recipe away to use next year, or try our suggestion at the end of this post.
Turkey carcass is only good for 5 days if kept refrigerated. Thankfully Tom and I managed to remember we wanted to try this recipe on day five.
This soup is an all day process which serves two purposes.
The first is you get the most out of your turkey. We bought an organic turkey this year which made it more cost effective and extra flavorful. Plus we got at least two different meals out of one bird.
The second purpose is as the stock is simmering on the stove, you get to enjoy the aroma filling the air!
I found this recipe on the Gonna Want Seconds food blog, and yes, this recipe lived up to the blog’s name. In fact I just had seconds for lunch today. Yum!
Tom and I tag-teamed making this soup.
I made the stock and set it on the stove to simmer 4-5 hours as suggested. I had an appointment the two hours before dinner, so Tom made the soup using the strained stock when it was ready.
It was delicious and fun that we both had a part in making dinner.
We served it with toasted sour dough bread some friends had given us and what a treat!
If you don’t want to wait for next year’s turkey, I believe you could make this using a whole chicken as well.
That’s it for now. We hope you made many memories over Thanksgiving week that you will cherish in the years to come.
Today I went to my daughter’s home, less than a mile away, to help her get her two kiddos down for a nap. I love that I can be there for her in these small, but important ways.
I had only an hour and a half before I had to go back to finish dinner prep and get to an appointment.
As I rushed home and did all the things…Tom opened the refrigerator and handed me my afternoon iced, cold brew coffee.
It was a moment that made me feel cared for in the smallest, but most important ways.
He knows me. He knows I love my iced coffee around 2:30 each day. He anticipated my rush and supplied what he knew I might forget.
What if we were intentional everyday to love our spouse in these smallest, yet important ways?
I believe it would soften the soil of our love causing intimacy to grow.
I felt it today. Have you?
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Thank you for stopping by our vineyard. We hope you’ll return often and glean what’s needed to build up your marriage. No one should go it alone—this relationship is too important to wing it.
There was a moment this past week when I paused and soaked in the moment. I was enjoying something that for many years my aching heart had longed to experience.
All our kids and grandkids came home for Thanksgiving, my favorite holidayof the year.
There was only one problem…Our home is too small to sleep everyone.
Dear friends who live nearby provided the perfect solution—they allowed us to sleep in their guest room.
In the three full days they were here we went to the beach, took walks around the block, held baby Liliana, played with Elias and went thrift shopping.
The guys took in an Orlando Magic game one night, while we girls stayed home and played our favorite family game—Jack Box TV.
We shared delicious meals prepared with love—meat loaf, chicken pot pie and of course a Thanksgiving Dinner for 20.
We had two warm days which allowed the kids to go swimming jumping from the pool to the hot tub.
Their laughter filled our home and the echoes linger still.
These gatherings may be few and far between, but our hearts are connected 365 days a year—that’s a gift I don’t take for granted.
Our family of 5
As Advent begins, Tom and I are doing a daily devotional together by Paul David Tripp titled, Everyday Gospel, a Christmas Devotional.
We are praying this season will be intentional, growing in our love and appreciation for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
How will you make this Advent season one of connection and intimacy in your marriage?
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Welcome to our new followers. We are happy to have you join our vineyard. Be sure to follow us on FB and Instagram.
May your Advent begin with renewed hope for your marriage and family.
I can’t remember when I discovered the difference between Quaker Oats and Irish Oats, but I’ve never looked back.
If you’re like me and don’t care for the texture of regular oatmeal, you’re going to love Irish Oats, also known as Steel Cut Oats.
They take longer to cook, but it is worth the wait. I usually make enough to have leftovers to reheat for another morning.
Ingredients:
Steel Cut Oats
Apples—cored, peeled and diced
Unsweetened coconut
Chopped pecans
Cinnamon
Brown sugar
Butter
Maple syrup (optional)
Directions:
Make oats according to package directions. Once water is boiling and oats are added and stirred, add apples, coconut and pecans and cook until all water is absorbed about 20 minutes.
Sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar according to taste.
Divide into bowls and top with a slice of butter and drizzle with maple syrup
That’s it! I find on cold mornings it helps to pour hot water into the bowls to heat them up. Pour water out and dry before serving up the hot Irish Oatmeal.
This is guaranteed to warm your soul.
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Thanks for stopping by our vineyard today. Next week is Thanksgiving in America. We will take the week off since all our kids and grandkids will be here for the week. This hasn’t happened in over 3 years. We are grateful to have this time.
May your Thanksgiving be filled with gratefulness for all God has done in your marriage.
When was the last time you took a look at your home with intimacy in mind?
I’m not talking sexual intimacy, that’s for another time. The intimacy I’m thinking of is a place to connect heart to heart.
If you have children at home this space is even more important to create.
Toys and school projects have a way of infiltrating every fiber of your home. This is why it is imperative for a healthy marriage to create your own space where you can connect.
A couple of nights ago Tom and I were overwhelmed by the good God is doing in our family. We went to one of our favorite spots set up for 2 and worshiped God. The songs chosen were ones that have carried us through some dark valleys. Being on this side of the trouble, worshiping God provided a release of gratefulness.
Difficult times will come.
Jesus promised that we would have trouble in this life. But He doesn’t stop there; He reminds us that He has overcome the world.
Our encouragement to you is to rethink your space. Find a couple of chairs, a small table, lamp or candle and add pillows and a blanket to have this intimate corner to retreat to as needed.
You can read the Bible or a good book together, worship God through music or just download about the day. Even if you only spend 15 minutes in this space a day, we guarantee it will provide fresh air for you both to breathe purpose and intimacy into your lives.
No marriage will thrive without this kind of intentionality.
Why not surprise your spouse and create your own special space today?
Your marriage will thank you.
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We are grateful to all who find our Vineyard a place for help and hope in their marriage. Thank you for investing in the one relationship that reflects to the world the love God has for His church.
The Romantic Vineyard 