Posts by Bethany Wilkes
New Year, New Organization: 12 ways to bring order to the New Year
Welcome to 2014. You have aspirations you are dreaming of, goals written down, and all this time… Wait, something about that doesn’t sound right. I think the first two are on track, but time?? Who’s got time? It seems we are always looking for more time. If we just had one more hour, one free morning, or one less obligation… Usually all it takes is being a little more productive with the time we do have. Change your perspective. Have a plan. And go for it. This year, start small. Make little goals that you can actually accomplish. Do one at a time. Check them off your list. Start in one room of your house, one corner of your mind, one day on your busy schedule, and get organized. I have written down twelve ideas for the New Year to help get you organized. Still overwhelmed? Not sure where to start? Pick one area per month. Then by next year you will have 12 areas of life more in check and a little more organized. But have a plan of action. Map out your weeks or months so you can tackle one thing at a time.…
Read MoreSkinny Vegetable Minestrone Soup
Skinny Vegetable Minestrone Soup (adapted from http://www.gimmesomeoven.com/minestrone-soup/)
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients…
A Time of Reflection
I am not trying to wish away Christmas at all, I absolutely love Christmas. But Christmas is the perfect time to start reflecting on the past year. Shortly after Christmas people start thinking about the new year. New Years is a time to look forward, make goals and hopes for the future. So let’s take the last couple days of December as a time to look back, ponder and reflect on the past. …
Read MorePeace on Earth
Christmas is here. The season is in full swing. Between all the decorating, baking, shopping, giving, partying, serving, wrapping, and Christmasing, it seems there is hardly a moment to breathe. The one word I would choose to describe my life right now… Busy. But I don’t want to be consumed with busyness. I love the Christmas season. I love getting together with people, the holiday cheer, the excitement sharing food, spending quality time, and spreading love. But how does Jesus fit into this busy feeling? Where is he in the chaos? How do we remember the baby in the manger amidst all the stuff? We put him FIRST. We orchestrate our life so Jesus isn’t just something we do, it’s the center of who we are. …
Read MoreVegetable Delight Lentil Soup
It’s cold out there! What better than a warm bowl of soup for dinner. I love soup, but I have a hard time with the cold and dark weather of the winter. So I try to make new recipes for wonderful healthy soups to cheer up my days. Then I get warmed up from the inside out. Here is a recipe I adapted for a healthy lentil soup.
Ingredients: …
Read MoreLast Minute Thanksgiving Crafts
Holiday season is here! It’s time to cook the food, bake the desserts, clean the house, organize activities, and entertain the families. Is your plate full yet?
Well here are a few easy, last minute activities you can do with your kids.
Turkey hands. Trace your hands and draw a turkey!
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Marriage Refreshed
This past weekend my husband and I got the opportunity to go to a marriage conference. And of all places it was right on the outskirts of Yosemite. Beautiful! It was so refreshing and energizing to be there. Not only did we get time away from the chaos of life, but we were taking time to focus on the importance of our marriage relationship. The conference was awesome. We learned more about ourselves, discovered more about marriage, and connected through some great discussion time. But I think what was even more impacting than the information we acquired, was taking the time to do something intentional for us. Life gets crazy, schedules get busy, and priorities shift. But amidst whatever it is, we need to remember the most important things. And marriage is the most important relationship you have on this earth. …
Read MoreHappy Birthday Elliana!
It is Rachel’s daughter Elliana’s second birthday today! Even though she can’t read, or use a computer, we wanted to say Happy Birthday! We love you Ellie!!
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It’s okay to NOT BE OKAY
Okay… that four letter word comes out of my mouth way too often (see, it just did!). How are you doing? Okay… How is work? Okay… How is life? Okay… What does OKAY even mean! Most of the time, okay is just a cover up for something deeper going on. It can be an excuse or a scapegoat to gloss over real issues. Sometimes, okay is the only word to describe the in between or confused emotions I am feeling. But what I really need to be okay with, is not being okay. I try so hard to be easy going that I don’t always voice my opinion. I try so hard to work things out on my own that I lie to myself about the depth of an issue. I try so hard to internalize things so I don’t make something an unnecessary conflict. But maybe it needs to be a discussion, disagreement, or conflict. Maybe I need to be honest. And maybe I need to speak up. What happens is something starts with being “just okay” and it ends up in frustration, bitterness, or resentment. I don’t ever set out for things to end up like that, but it happens. Something happens. I don’t want to react or be over dramatic. So I get quiet. I start thinking. And my emotions start eating away at me. At first the struggle was not that big of an issue, but now it is taking root and growing. Without even realizing it, something I tried to “deal with on my own” ends up being stirred up by something else. Then it comes out in my thoughts, words, and actions. NOT OKAY! …
Read MorePumpkin Pie Cake
It’s that time of year. Fall smells are filling the air, rain is beginning to fall, and holidays are just around the corner. Baked goods are pouring out of ovens, tummies are filling up with warm hearty good food, and warm drinks are warming up those cold nights. But there is still always room for dessert. And why make a traditional pumpkin pie when you can switch it up and make a pumpkin pie cake. …
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