Don’t Miss Liz Curtis Higgs*, LIVE!!! NEXT Monday January 28th, at Book Club! (Beating Busyness Part 3 coming next week...)
*Here’s an event you do NOT want to miss if you’re anywhere near Louisville, Kentucky next MONDAY, January 28th, from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. !!! Liz Curtis Higgs will come and speak to us at Book Club! She’s coming to Middletown United Methodist Church on 11902 Old Shelbyville Road. You may RSVP at (502) 245-8839. Everyone is welcome.
Liz will be discussing and signing her newest novella, A Wreath of Snow. You may also ask her questions. If you’ve never been blessed to meet her or hear her speak, NOW’s the time to grab this opportunity! She gives God the glory while making you laugh and cry at the same time.
You’ll experience one of my all-time favorite Scriptures: Hebrews 10:25 says, “Let us not give up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the day approaching.”
You may bring a treat to eat if time allows. Come join us for food, fellowship, and a time of learning from Liz Curtis Higgs. (Please see blog post about Branches Book Club for more information.)
Yes, well, uh, I know I owe you part 3 of Beating Busyness this week, but guess what? I’d be the hugest hypocrite on the planet if I even attempted to write about this, this week…
John and I’ve been blessed to have two of our three boys home this weekend so the washer and dryer’s been a whirlin’, the iron’s been hot (and THAT’s a miracle in and of itself as I’ll do ANYTHING to NOT iron!!!), even the stove’s been hot! Scary! Cooking and ironing by this domestically challenged girl? Really?
Bonus: While we’re on this “detour”, or perhaps we should call it a “pause” as in a “margin stop”, allow me to offer you a fun-and-easy-kid-friendly dessert when we finish. **
Ahhhh, but you KNOW if you have older children, when they do return to the nest, you want to do all you can on these rare occasions to spoil them. Thence this is the first moment I’ve had to sit down to the computer. (Today’s Martin Luther King day and it’s 5:00 p.m.!!!)
That being said, during a few minutes of margin, I’ve been studying up on our part 3 of 4 of Beating Busyness and it just so happens it’s about our calendars controlling us. Just so happens my calendar’s controlling me this week. (I confessed to you in part 1 I’m preaching to the choir…)
There’s a stack of books, all excellent resources, currently staring at me. I’m staring back at them. Note Gracie “helping” me below… Next week, I’ll be sharing some of these along with some crazy stories.
What I DO want to offer us all this week, are a few Points- to- Ponder regarding controlling our calendars. Then we’ll be ready next week when we tackle them.
Recommendations for us to help us control our calendars: Try choosing just one this week to ready you for next week!
Where can you make more “white space” (margin) in your calendar?
Learn to say “no” …(We’re going to get some advice from Mary and her hilarious-but-also-helpful book…)
Mark in specific time for yourself—whether it’s a nap, time to read a book, manicure, pedicure, whatever.
Take a coffee break and/or take a bubble bath.
Do the math: Do you really have TIME for everything in your calendar?
Stop and pray: Pray for balance, and Pray to ban overload.
I’ll be praying for ALL of you, myself included this week!
**Fun-and-Easy-Kid-Friendly Dessert:
This past Sunday night, we threw together a last-minute dinner for a crew of nine. Keep in mind our boys are now 26, almost 23, and 20. When they saw this dessert chillin’ in the frig, I nearly had to lock the refrigerator door! I hadn’t made this in forever . We whipped it up in no time flat.
Gordy calls it “Matches Made in Heaven”, but I’d probably dub it “Layered Pudding and Cookies Dessert”, while Husband John calls it “Awesome”!
Here’s what you need:
2 small boxes of instant vanilla pudding
Bag of marshmallows
Nestle’s semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 packages of Pepperidge Farm Double Chocolate Nantucket Dark Chocolate Cookies (or the chocolate chip cookie of your choice)
Large container of Cool Whip
You’ll want to layer this in a trifle dish.
So this happens really fast: Mix up the pudding and milk according to directions. Whisk for a few minutes ‘til farily thickened. Break up pieces of chocolate chip cookies for the bottom layer. Then pour in pudding to cover. Then sprinkle marshmallows over pudding. Then add a layer of Cool Whip. Then add a generous layer of chocolate chips (chocolate lover that I am). Repeat all layers one more time, ending with the Cool Whip and chocolate chips.
Chill in the frig for at least an hour before serving. Serve with a ladle and bowls. This vanishes fast! There were nine of us for dinner last night and we didn’t leave too much! (You can make this to your liking, adding other layers—we later said bananas would have been yummy. Get creative!)
‘Til next time!
(This week’s blog post is dedicated to The Energizer Bunny. Seriously. I’m crashing. Just need a little re-charge. Tired, but a good-tired. Lovin’ the Mom thing. Thanks for grace and your patience. See y’all next week!)
Don’t forget Jesus’ invitation from Matthew 11:28 “Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
R-E-S-T…..ahhhh…and THAT’s what we’ll talk about next week!