Beginning Lent a little late.

I know I am a little late figuring out what this clan is doing for Lent. With a sinus infection last week not a whole lot got done. It was all about surviving till bed time. I am feeling much better this week though. So in thinking about Lent I had some thoughts.

Our children's program at church just began using the Orange curriculum this month. This curriculum comes with devotions and things you can do at home. So we are going to strive to do those on a daily basis. There are 4 days of devotions. So I was thinking on Friday we then could discuss Lent and read about the time leading up to Good Friday.

My friend Lilly sent me some ideas last year for Lent and Holy Week activities. You can find those ideas here.

Lilly also posted a Lenten Picture a Day project that we are going to try to do. You can find it here.

I think The Ruggles family are going to be a little low key this year. But we still wanted to take this time to draw closer to Jesus together.

Snow and Ice

Snow and Ice

Ice falling on the trees,
coating, creating beauty.
Ice falling on the trees,
building, weighing them down.
Ice falling on the trees,
heavy, breaking the weak.

Life falling on my heart,
coating, creating beauty.
Life falling on my heart,
heavy, hurting, breaking.
Life falling on my heart,
building my story.

Snow falling on the trees,
coating, creating beauty.
Snow falling on the trees,
covering the darkness.
Snow falling on the trees,
painting a them anew.

Jesus falling on my heart,
coating it making it beautiful.
Jesus Falling on my heart,
covering all the darkness.
Jesus falling on my heart ,
making it new.

I'll hold on to what is true.

I love this song.  Sometimes in life we get overwhelmed and it seems that we cannot hear God.  Sometimes we have to tell ourselves "You know what is true and what is right keep it up."  We just have to believe that we have life in Him because of His son.  We have to remind ourselves!  We all go through things that if we let them they would drag us down and out of the game.  It's in those times that we have to lift our hands, voice, and heart in Faith.  Because we know that Love came down and rescued us and set us free from.  We are His and will always be His whether we are in the valley or on the mountain.  I am forever His.

Love Came Down
Brian Johnson
If my heart is overwhelmed and I cannot hear Your voice
I’ll hold on to what is true though I cannot see
If the storms of life they come and the road ahead gets steep
I will lift these hands in faith
I will believe

I remind myself of all that You’ve done
And the life I have because Your Son

Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours I am forever Yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out remind my soul
That I am Yours I am forever Yours

When my heart is filled with hope
and every promise comes my way
When I feel Your hands of grace rest upon me

Staying desperate for You God
Staying humbled at Your feet
I will lift these hands and praise
I will believe

I remind myself of all that You’ve done
And the life I have because Your Son

Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours I am forever Yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out remind my soul
That I am Yours I am forever Yours

I am Yours
I am Yours
All my days
I am Yours

I am Yours, I'm Yours forever
I am Yours, I'm Yours forever
I am Yours, I'm Yours forever Lord

Love came down and rescued me
Love came down and set me free
I am Yours I am forever Yours
Mountain high or valley low
I sing out remind my soul
That I am Yours I am forever Yours

Excitement and it involves a book.

I received an advance copy of the book Bread and Wine by Shauna Niequist.
I am so excited to read dive into this book. I am even changing dinner plans so that I can start reading it. It's leftovers tonight. I need to get off here and make some hamburger buns and then I can start reading. I will be blogging about the book as I read it. I hope that you will follow me along.

Here are several posts from other Shauna Niequist books that I have read.
From Cold Tangerines:
July 29, 08
Sept. 8, 08
From Bittersweet:
March 11,11

Snow

When it snows
I wish the world would just stop.

Stop and let the fluffy flakes rest from their fall.
Undisturbed and covering it all.

When it snows
I wish the world would see it as I do.

See it covering over us all.
Pure and white washing away all.

When it snows
I like to stop, remembering.

Remember the Grace for all.
Mercy and love a covering for all.

The best Valentine's day so far...

This morning at Church a WAR International party was being held in the basement. If you don't know what WAR International is check it out by clicking on the name. It is truly an amazing organization. Their website tells what they do best so this is what their front page says:
"We currently work in over 31 countries creating havens of safety and healing for at-risk women and children. Our purpose and passion is to give voice to the silenced cries of the oppressed, wrap arms of love around them, and whisper messages of purpose and dignity into their brokenness. Through culturally sensitive, value-added intervention projects and programs, WAR, Int’l offers these women and children an opportunity to live life with dignity. Although specifically known for our fight against human trafficking and rehabilitating work with trafficking victims, WAR, Int’l addresses 14 different risk issues facing women and children today."
So the basement was full of jewelry. I had already gone down before church began and looked around and found some things that I really liked. I love WAR and the majority of my jewelry comes from them. I don't wear a lot of jewelry but when I do it's typically from them.
So anyways on to my best Valentine's Day. After church I went up front to ask someone a question. I look up and here comes Silas sobbing uncontrollably. My heart was broken for him. I didn't know why he was crying but he was beside himself. It took a few minutes for me to get him calmed down so that I could understand him. Turns out that he had gone in after church and picked out some things he wanted to get me. He's 6 so he wasn't thinking about money only thinking about getting his mommy something. When he realized he had to pay he was devastated because he didn't have any money. Not I'll go ask dad or mom, he didn't have any money.
Several weeks before this he emptied his piggy bank to buy a Lego set so he knew he had no money.
So after getting the story and calming him down he and I went down hand in hand and I was able to get what he had picked out for me. They are one of the most treasured things I have. He picked out three little .85 cent key chains, one for each of the kids. He wasn't thinking about himself or even just me. He was thinking of everyone. He wanted everyone to be included in his gift. The key chains were little people and he picked out one to be him, one was Ellie and one was Lilly.
I love his compassionate, loving heart.
Later in the day I was whispering in his ear and told him that I loved him and I loved his gift. He said to me "do you know why I wanted to get them for you?" I said "no." He responds with this "because you are the greatest." I know I am not the greatest and that is okay. I just want my kids to know they are loved. I hope him thinking I'm the greatest means that I have shown him love and he knows he is loved.

Don't we all just want to be loved? It's not about the gift at all. It's all about LOVE!

The Ruggles Family Favorites

Chicken Pot Pie Soup
8 Can Taco Soup
Potato Goodness (Potato Soup)
Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
The Lady's Chicken Noodle Soup
Flour Tortillas
Taco Bake
Enfrijoladas
Gooey Chocolate Skillet Cake Ice Cream Sundae
Cheesy Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
Paleo Crockpot Mexican Shredded Chicken
Italian Layer Bake
Hot Chicken Salad
Best Ever Beef Dip Sandwiches
Ruth's Diners Mile High Biscuits
Hamburger Buns
Whole Wheat Bread
White Sandwich Bread
rolls
30 minute rolls
English Muffins

Pesto Ravioli Casserole (This is only My Fav)
I don't make this the way the recipe says though.
I use cheese filled ravioli, 1/2 lb. ground sausage and 1/2 ground burger. I brown the sausage and burger and then mix the sap. sauce in it. I also only use Kroger traditional sp. sauce (it's my fav). I also use Italian blend cheese instead of the Fontina mainly because Fontina is expensive. Oh and I make my own Pesto.

I know there are a few more recipes that are our favs but I can't find the links right at the moment and I also have a 3 yr. old wanting my attention. So off to play and I will post and another blog with some more recipes.