{Our Top Ten}

This last year has been a doozy! Amazing things have happened to us and we feel so blessed. Here are our top ten highlights of 2011:

1. I read through the entire bible, cover to cover. It is my first time reading it all the way through as opposed to the select chapters I had before. It was amazing to get it finished up and I can't wait to read it again next year. It has really helped me to understand the Lord more and appreciate His majesty.

2. Jeremy had 19 articles published through American Thinker and he was also given his own editor to work with. It is so wonderful to see my man grow in his craft and continue to write amazing articles that point his audience to God's truths. Here's to more articles and opportunities in the coming year!

3. We found our new apartment- it was in the same city, but the rent is less and the place is nicer. Win-Win! It's amazing the little miracles God places in our path and how we found this place after searching for months and not finding anything as nice or that fit our price range. We definitely found our home sweet home.

4. This year has been rather interesting when it comes to my job. At the beginning of the year I was working with one company that soon merged with another company. The companies decided to split halfway through the year but I ended up staying at the later company. Then I received a promotion. Another miracle that God allowed to be placed in our lives. He is ever faithful!

5. In August we celebrated 2 years of marriage and 5 years together. My how the time flies. It's funny to reminisce on how we first met (Myspace- I know totally sketch huh?!) who we were as individuals back then and how God has changed us and redeemed our relationship. It is a true testament to His power and I praise Him every day for His blessings in our lives and marriage.

6. We're debt freeeeeeeeeeeeeee!! That was our Dave Ramsey freedom yell :) It took us a little over 3 years to get out of more than $40,000 of debt. Just like Dave always says, "You live like no one else so later you can live like no one else." We slowly but surely got our debt snowball going and finished it off this year when we paid off my car. We are no longer a slave to the lender!

7. Another year of AWANA started this year. It is like any other year except at a recent lesson I taught I was delighted to find out the girls were actually learning. I mean, you never know how much information the kids are retaining when they are all hyped up for the many activities in AWANA. I am getting through to them and it is a blessing to know that I am helping grow those little girls into followers of Christ.

8. 2011 brought some new friends into our lives (Liz from holy yoga and Michael and Deirdre from church). We are enjoying the many people God has placed into our lives - the new and old friends who bring such joy to our lives.

9. Each and every year my prayer is that I grow closer to Christ and this year I have definitely felt the sense of that. I have come to really trust Him, with everything. Sometimes I tend to worry about things, i.e. work, money, family, etc... but recently I just said "God, it's yours. Here are my worries. I am leaving them with you and trusting you to help me through." It is a wonderful thing to surrender all to Him!

10. And finally- one highlight of this year is what is to come. We know 2012 has lots of surprises in store and we fully trust God to see us through.

Happy New Years dear readers, though you may be few. May God richly bless you and your family in the coming year!

Birthday of a King

Today was the sweetest of days as we prepared for the birthday of the Christ child. It was filled with some baking, gift wrapping, running last minute errands but most important worship.

Tomorrow will be a truly blessed day as we celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world. To help our little church kiddies (and parents) with the festivities I prepared small gift bags of funfetti cake mix (only .89 cents at the store!!), frosting, sprinkles, candle and noise maker. That way they can really celebrate the birthday of the King!

Merry Christmas to you all. May God be with your families as you celebrate this joyous day!

"In the little village of Bethlehem, There lay a child one day

And the sky was bright, With a holy light, O'er the place where Jesus lay.

Alleluia, O how the angels sang! Alleluia, How it rang! And the sky was bright, With a holy light. 'Twas the birthday of a King."

O Come, O Come Emmanuel

During this season, as in every day, we are faced with two choices: focus on Christ and His coming or focus on any and everything else. It is so easy to get wrapped up in the glitz and glamour of the day (Christmas, or any day for that matter) that we forget the one who it is all about.

Each and every year since the time that Jeremy and I came to know the Lord, it seems we weed out more and more 'things' from our Christmas to make room for what really matters. I need to remind myself to not waste my life on trivialities because they will suck away my time and energy for the Lord. Satan would have me spend all my time out shopping or attending any number of parties this season, anything to keep me busy and away from time in worship of Jesus. It's not easy, because the world will have you think the gifts and lights and caroling is what it's all about but that just isn't true. What is true is that we as Christians should be preparing for and anticipating Christ's return- that's what Advent is all about. We celebrate His first coming as the little babe who was born to die for the sins of the world. And we look forward to the day when He comes back as King of Kings and Lord of Lords to rule and reign on earth.

These last few days have been precious as I've studied God's word and reflected on His plan in my life and His plan in the world. We serve an amazing God who had the rescue plan for all humanity planned even before the foundations on the earth. He knew what would happen in Eden. He knew we would need a Savior. And He planned to come down to earth to save us. Christmas is merry because God loves us so much. We have been reconciled to our Holy God through His Son. I pray you too are having a merry Christmas reflecting on the Lord and anticipating His triumphal return!

"Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east, and are come to worship Him" Matthew 2:2

Baby it's Cold Outside

This past weekend was spent showering my best girlfriend and her little one on the way with lots and lots of love. The theme of the shower was 'Baby it's cold outside' and I had a lot of fun planning the decor, food and games.



Can't wait to meet you sweet babygirl!!

Songs of Christmas; Songs of Truth

It has already begun; the beautiful Christmas songs playing in the stores and on the radio. I'm sure we all have our favorites but last year I realized so many of them have gospel truths smack dab in the middle of them. How cool to have them heard by so many each year!?

{Hark the Herald Angel Sing}
Those angels were harking because a baby boy was born, the baby born to die. As the 2nd verse states, He was ‘veiled in flesh – the Godhead see; Hail the incarnate Deity’ and ‘Jesus, our Emmanuel’. According to Matthew 1:23, Emmanuel is translated ‘God with us’. Jesus Christ, our Emmanuel, the Savior of the world, left His throne and became a man. He left His heavenly home to save us from our sins, which all started in the Garden of Eden. Because that sweet baby was born we can join the triumph of the skies, we can have second birth, and we can be full of peace and joy because God and sinners have truly been reconciled because of the blood of Christ!

{Joy to the World}
I’ve shared before about my tendency to be like Martha when I know I should be more like Mary, so the ‘aha’ moment in this song is the line – “Let every heart prepare Him room”. He has come down to earth to redeem the whole world, if we will but come to Him and accept Him in our hearts. Once you have accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life, daily you are relying on Him to give you His strength and wisdom. That is where the Martha syndrome comes into play. The trivialities of life often times seem like the most important things and distract us from God. Especially during Christmas time, there is a tendency to focus on the tree, the presents and the many activities. Jesus' birth is just an after thought. This should not be.. it is His birthday, after all, and you wouldn't have a birthday party for your child and leave your little one at home would you? This carol reminds us to make Jesus at home in our hearts- our first priority over all things. What a great reminder of putting Him first always!

{What Child is This?}
For an onlooker it is natural to ask- who is this child? What's all the fuss about? Scripture tells us of a coming Messiah long before He was born in a manger. There are 300+ prophecies fulfilled in the life of Jesus Christ. Some of them were prophecies of things like his family lineage, where he would be born, etc.. So who exactly is He? He is the Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Creator of all things, Great High Priest, Savior of the world, The Resurrection and the life, and the righteous judge. It is inconceivable* that the Creator of the universe would come in the flesh (incarnation= in carne {meat or flesh})

"Hail, hail, the Word made flesh, the babe, the Son of Mary"

John 1:1
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So now when you hear those old familiar songs playing in Safeway or other shopping center you can smile to know that the gospel is being spread for all to hear!

Rethinking Christmas Cards

I love Christmas cards; receiving and sending them! I dropped ours in the mail this afternoon so by the weekend everyone will have received them. What fun to share the joy of the birth of Jesus with others!

But I always feel bad at the end of Christmas just getting rid of them. Besides recycling them into tags or other crafts, a friend of mine from bible study shared her Christmas card tradition.

She told me that as her and her husband receive the beautiful cards in the mail, they pray over the person who sent it. They keep the cards around during the holidays and once the holidays are over, the cards stay out and at the beginning of the year they pray for them again, one card each day.

I can't tell you how excited I am for us to start this tradition too!

"..Pray for one another" -James 5:16a

'Tis the Season

By golly, Thanksgiving is over and we are now into the Christmas season. How the times does fly! The next few weeks are going to be pretty busy with birthdays, a baby shower and of course Christmas with the family.

Picking out a tree and doing some shopping with Mom and Jerm.

Working on crafts for the shower.

I am looking forward to the start of advent this Sunday and remembering the real reason why we celebrate Christmas - to worship the One who became flesh so we could be saved. Merry Christmas indeed!

Thanksgiving Challenge

Every day we should be a day of thanksgiving, where we offer up praise to the Lord for all that He has done, but Thanksgiving day is a time set apart to sit down with friends and family and really reflect on His abundant love toward us.

While Jeremy and I wrote our blessings on leaves for our thanksgiving wreath, I thought of an idea. Instead of just writing down what we are thankful for (Jesus, food, a home, the bible, etc...) we could turn right around and bless someone else with those very things we are thankful for.

Our list of blessings included: Jesus, God's mercy, role models, family, inspiration, good food, good books, hat, guns (Can you guess which ones came from Jeremy?). So while I find role models to be a huge blessing and inspiration, we can in turn be role models to other people in our lives. In fact, just the other day we were told by a family member that she looked up to us as a couple in the way we demonstrate our love towards each other. That was BIG because I didn't even know or think anyone was watching but it turns out she was. What a surprise and honor!

Or we could take Jeremy's blessing, 'good food', and bless a struggling family with the makings for a turkey dinner this week. There are so many possibilities where we can give back and shower other people with the things we are so grateful for. Any ideas how your family can give back some blessings you've received?

Grateful Heart

I don't know about you but there are times when I get discouraged and feel I haven't accomplished the things I wanted to at this point in my life. It's easy to get down on yourself and your situation and start a perpetual pity party. Definitely not a fun place to be! Not only does the situation stay exactly the same but instead of enjoying the moment God has given me, it is thrown away by my own sour attitude.

Last week I was experiencing my own little "party" and nothing was shaking it. Even doing the obligatory thanksgiving craft was not inspiring me to be thankful. But then I came across a family friend who is currently facing some very hard times: health deterioration, searching for a job, losing apartment, etc.. After meeting with him last week I cried. And cried and cried. It's hard to see people suffering in the world especially friends and family members, even if some of them were their own choices.

I called my prayer warriors into action and we have been praying and trying to help with the job search ever since. It is in helping those in need that I am able to see how richly God has blessed us, blessed me, even if I am not where I thought I'd be at this point. God has His perfect timeline for the future and I can rest in that. I am thankful for His presence in my life and being patient with me even when I am incorrigible!

I don't have to be...

... strong enough. I LOVE this song. Lord knows I am not strong enough on my own. I need Him each and every day and I am so blessed to have that relationship. He is my rock and my fortress.



“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." -Jesus (in Matthew 11:28)

Lessons in Kidland

This past weekend, I taught our AWANA girls. The lesson was on God's love and how He wants us to share that love with others, especially those who don't know Him. They listened carefully to the lesson and read about how we can all be good neighbors to the people in our lives.

Along with the lesson, my girls packed shoe boxes for the Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child program. The girls had a great time filling out the sheets about themselves and sharing a nice message with the little ones who will get their boxes.

I had a moment when I was truly proud of those girls when I asked them a question about a lesson I gave them last holiday season- an object lesson about snowmen and the trinity. I said "Bonus question for anyone who can tell me what the snowman represents" and as soon as I finished the question, almost all the girls raised their hands to tell me "Father, Son and Holy Ghost!" It was an exciting moment to know that my girls are actually listening and retaining this information. I pray for those little munchkins that they come to know the Lord and trust Him throughout their lives. It's a joy to be apart of their lives and be able to share Christ with them!

Fall is Delightful {and Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins}

Can I just say that I am thoroughly enjoying the sights, sounds and tastes of fall. It really is in the small things that make all the difference. So on either a hard day after work or a during a busy weekend I can take a moment and just enjoy. The sound on the rain pouring outside my window soothes my soul. The leaves falling off the trees and dancing in the streets puts a smile on my face. And anything pumpkin makes my tummy oh so happy (try pumpkin seeds, TJ's Pumpkin Spice Coffee, and these EASY pumpkin spice muffins.)



Pumpkin Spice Muffins (Adapted from Hungry Girl Yum Yum Brownie Muffins)

1 box spice cake mix
1 15 oz can pumpkin

Mix the two ingredients together. Don't add anything else that may be mentioned on the box, such as eggs, oil or water. The mixture will be very thick and you will be tempted to add in other things to make the batter smoother. DO NOT DO THIS! Place batter into muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) lined with paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes for regular muffins or 15 for mini muffins.

Makes 12 regular or 36 mini muffins.

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens" -Ecclesiastes 3:1

Here I stand, I can do no other

Today is Halloween, my Mom's birthday and Reformation Day. Tonight we will be celebrating with my Mom and eating lots of candy but I just wanted to take a moment now to reflect on Martin Luther, the reformation and the other movers and shakers in the christian world that had a profound impact on the way we worship.



It was October 31st, 1517 when Martin Luther posted the 95 theses on the door of Castle Church in Wittenberg, Germany, in protest to the way the Catholic church had been selling indulgences and various other practices & beliefs. Luther's desire was for a pure and biblically based belief, not one that had fluff and extra-biblical (man-made) 'doctrines'. At the top of the 95 theses, Luther wrote that it was "out of love for the truth" that he was bringing those issues up. It should be a concern to us all to preserve and believe in the pure and unadulterated Word of God.

Then there is William Tyndale who just a few shorts years later was fighting to make bibles available to the common people in the their own language. Tyndale took advantage of the newly invented printing press and was able to mass produce the english bible as well as some of his own writing against the Catholic church's practices. Tyndale's translation was banned and Tyndale himself was killed and then burned at the stake in 1536.

There are some stern warnings in the bible about making sure that we are following the Word as it came from the people who were first inspired by God (2 Corinthians 11:1-4; Galatians 1:8. These men, along with other brave christians, fought the good fight for Christ and His Word. They risked their lives and some actually gave their lives in the pursuit of the true and pure Word of God. In these days when it seems there are so many different beliefs in the world, even within the christian church, it would serve us well to cling to the holy and precious Word that God gave us and not what men impose to be 'true'. What a happy reformation day it is to know we have brothers and sisters in the faith who fought the good fight of faith so that Christ's church would prevail!

Sink Full of Dishes, Heart Full of Love

My sink is full of dishes but that is because we spent a wonderful afternoon with friends. What a blessing it was. Life has been quickly moving along these days and lots of things are on the horizon. What's the dealio with the Egerer family?

I am currently:

*Enjoying the view out our kitchen window right now- LOVE to see the leaves change colors!
*Figuring out how to be a manager in the new role I’ve been given at work
*Planning my BFF’s baby shower – I've been waiting for this - tons of ideas are floating through my mind
*Wishing I had a little one to dress them up like these little cuties


Jeremy is currently:

*Reading lots of BIG books that I can’t even wrap my head around
*Figuring out how to use his love of writing and God’s law into a job
*Possibly going back to school so he is looking into scholarships and such
*Finishing up the sermon he’ll be giving at the convalescence home next weekend

And big news for both of us... we have one more payment to go and then we are completely debt free. We've worked hard the last 3 1/2 years to pay off a HUGE chunk of change and by God's grace we did it. Excited to make that final payment and to finally call Dave's show and scream "We're debt freeeeeee!!!" :)

Faith in Action {In appreciation of my Pastor}

October is 'Pastor Appreciation Month' and I find it a fitting time to write a blog of appreciation about my pastor. The way we ended up at our church was definitely divinely orchestrated. But that's the way God works, right?!

Ours is a straight outta the bible church. Our pastor teaches from Genesis to Revelation. He doesn't skip parts that others may shy away from, even the uncomfortable parts. Frankly, life is uncomfortable sometimes and we can either ignore those parts and sacrifice not learning invaluable lessons or deal with them directly with the wisdom of God. For His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts higher than our thoughts and I will trust Him even if I don't understand 'why' always.

Pastor Paul has been going through an in depth series on the law for the last several months. He has taught on everything from how to deal with difficult neighbors, usury, and taking time to rest on the sabbath. He goes over the hebrew words and explains in detail the context on the scripture so we can truly know what God means to teach us in His word.

It was a month or so ago when something happened in my life that made me think twice about a situation. I was presented with a few different approaches to take but only one of them was the right way to handle it. It was in that circumstance in my every day life that I realized that God's word has been hidden in my heart. Pastor Paul had cultivated these precious words in my heart and at that moment they grew into a flower of faith in action. It's amazing what God's word can do and also to see the men He calls to lead His people. Thank you Pastor Paul for all that you do!

{Baked Apples with Caramel Sauce}

{Baked Apples}

Ingredients:

* 2 large apples, cut in half
* 2 tbsp butter, melted
* 2 tbsp flour
* 4 tbsp quick oats
* pinch of cinnamon
* dash of stevia

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º. Cut apples in half and remove core and seeds with a small pairing knife or spoon.

In a small bowl combine butter, flour, oats, cinnamon and stevia. Spoon on top of the apple halves. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Serve warm with caramel sauce.

{Agave nectar caramel sauce}

Ingredients:

* 1 1/2 cup agave nectar
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
* 2 tablespoons butter
* pinch of sea salt

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. Be sure to stir the caramel sauce occasionally. If your sauce is too thin continue cooking several more minutes. If sauce become too thick, add a spot more cream, and bring back to a boil until cream is incorporated. Enjoy!

Quality Time

“The happiest moments of my life have been the few which I have passed at home in the bosom of my family.” -Thomas Jefferson

This past weekend I was blessed to take an extra day off to spend a little bit of quality time with Jeremy. During the week and even on the weekends, it seems to get so busy that it doesn't feel like we spend all that much time together. Not this weekend though, because we made an extra effort to make this one different.

Our plan for Friday was to go to a local corn maze. Neither of us had ever been so it seemed like the perfect thing to do. We wrote down the directions and headed out the door. But about 20 minutes into our trip we realized we were lost. After about 40 minutes we headed back home. It was lunch time by then so we had some delicious pho, from one of the friendliest restaurant in town might I add. :) And then it was round two of 'operation: corn maze'. We made it to the farm, ate some honey sticks and took some fun pictures. What gets me is that we finally made it to the corn maze and then paid to get lost in the maze. Sounds silly to you too?!

On Saturday, after a quick trip to the gym and a delicious breakfast at my favorite juice bar we headed for the theater with my Mom in toe to see the movie Courageous. Let me just tell you it was AMAZING! Worth every cent of that very expensive movie ticket receipt! :) There aren't that many good movies out these days so I'd highly recommend going directly to your nearest theater and watching it now!!

And finally on Sunday, we went to church and then we spent the rest of the afternoon cooking together and having quiet time with the Lord. We still had plenty of things on our 'to-do' list but we did them together and it was wonderful. I have the best husband ever! We even have plans for another extended weekend together real soon!

Feeling Full

Life is good. Even through the messy and hard times, God is there, providing for and encouraging me along the way. With every step, I know He's by my side. But not only is He there during difficult seasons in life, but He is there in my brightest days too. It is because of Him that I am able to experience such abundant joy. I feel so blessed right now. My heart is full!


God, you are my provider. You have clothed me- when my old pants wore out, some new slacks were given to me. You have provided for me- when money was tight, some unexpected checks came in the mail. You have given me opportunities- when my future was unclear, new jobs and promotions become available. Lord, I know it is through you that I receive all of these blessings. You are a God who gives abundantly. My dear husband is my special gift. Oh Lord, thank you for him. He is always pointing me back to you. Thank you for all of the rich blessings you pour over me. Help me be appreciative of the lot you give me in this life, even when things aren't going my way. Lord you are good through it all. Thank you for your presence in my life. Help me glorify you with the way I live my life. Amen.

Nearness to God

"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above." - Come Thou Fount

I once heard a story about a couple. One day the husband came home from work, ate his dinner and got into bed without once talking to his wife. The wife was sad that he hadn't said one word to her, not a 'how was your day' when he got home, no 'thank you' for dinner and not even a 'goodnight' at bed time. She turned to him and asked "Honey, why aren't you talking to me?" and he said "We already talked this morning, I thought that was enough". This story is just that, a story, but I'm sad to say it happens all too often in our relationship with God.


When I think of that illustration, I think of my own relationship with my husband. I love when I finally enter the door after a long day of work to see my man in the living room waiting for me with a smile on his face, as I am always eager for a hug. Throughout the day I jot down notes about things that happen or topics that I think of to discuss with him that evening. I'm only 25 but I know if I don't write them down I will totally forget once I get home. I wouldn't dream of not talking with hubby before bed. He listens, he advises, he encourages and he just loves. I know how important that daily time with him is and keeping the communication strong. That is how it should be with God.

"For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is his name; and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer, the God of the whole earth He is called." -Isaiah 54:5

"I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. And you shall know the Lord." -Hosea 2:20

In the book of Hosea, the prophet marries the harlot, Gomer. The relationship between Hosea and Gomer parallels the relationship between God and Israel. Even though Gomer runs away from Hosea and sleeps with another man, he loves her anyway and forgives her. Likewise, even though the people of Israel worshipped other 'gods', God continued to love them and did not abandon his covenant with them. "The LORD is long suffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression" -Numbers 14:18 We don't realize God's persistent love for us, even in our rebellion and/or distance from Him.

God is the one we should be eager to talk to, eager to tell about your fears, problems and desires. He is the one to be praised and thanked for every blessing in our lives. Along with my list of topics to talk to Jeremy about each night, I will remember throughout the day to 'talk' to the One who will always hold on to my heart and fill Him in on those things too!

Oil Cloth Bibs {A Super Easy Tutorial}

Let me just start with this... if I can sew these bibs then I know anyone can! I like to pretend I am a sewing expert but most of the time my projects just don't quite look like the oh so perfect sample does. But alas, I am still learning ;)

I mentioned in my previous post about finding some beautiful and funky looking oil cloth fabric at a local home store in Edmonds. When I saw the fun patterns I had to pick up a 1/2 a yard of 2 of my favorites.

With freshly cut fabric in hand, I got to work on my latest project: easy clean oil cloth bibs. Did I mention how easy these are to make, because they are!

1.) Cut the bib pattern out of your fabric and velcro (click for pattern)

2.) Sew the velcro on the fabric as shown on pattern
3.) And finish the bib off with some single fold bias tape in coordinating color
4.) Put on your model and enjoy (in my case the stuffed bears will have to do!)

My next oilcloth project: receipt checkbook cover. :)

Train up a child in the way he should go...

...and when he is old he will not depart from it." -Proverbs 22:6

Last Sunday was the first AWANA club meeting of the year. I love being apart of this program and working with the kids to learn God's word. I am a helper in the T&T girls class but I have been able to teach them a few lessons each year. I already have my arsenal ready with some fun and valuable lessons for their sweet little hearts and minds to hear.

The best part of teaching is being able to share a story or principle with the girls that will hopefully stick with them in their faith walk with God. One way of helping that lesson stick is to have a craft or handout for each of them to take home and remember it by. If you have any pint sized friends of your own, here are some great lessons and resources I've used in the past along with some fun crafts to go along with them.


*God's Princess; Created for a Purpose
Don't you know? As a child of God, you are a princess in His kingdom. "I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My... daughters, says the Lord Almighty." 1 Corinthians 6:18



*The Bible Time Machine; God's story comes alive

Through the use of a time machine or time capsule, you can share the stories of the heroes of the bible."For the word of God is alive and active" Hebrews 4:12


*Jesus Calls His Disciples; Spreading the Good News

Jesus wants us to follow Him and spread His Good News. "And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’" Mark 1:17



*Life in 3D; Abundant Life Through Christ

When we live life with Christ as our focus, we live a 3D life, a life abundant with Him. "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

All things New

It's been a few weeks since Jeremy and I moved and we are loving every minute in our new place. We're getting used to our new routes to and from work and enjoying the new sights and sounds. We have a window in the kitchen now and right next door is a daycare center so it's fun to hear the screams and giggles of the little ones playing outside.

I have had some things on my mind lately so I have tried to stay crafty. I got my hands on some funky oilcloth fabric and I am excited to show you what I've been working on. And as we are fast approaching fall (although it doesn't feel like it these days; hello indian summer) I have gotten back into my knitting. Fall just seems like the perfect time to knit, don't you think? It's been fun starting all my new projects.

While checking out my new neighborhood, my mom and I stumbled upon the most delicious restaurant EVER. We stopped into Epulo for happy hour last week and ordered a side of popcorn. Popcorn, why would you buy that at a nice restaurant for happy hour? Well this wasn't just any popcorn, this was popcorn in truffle oil. YUM-E!! I liked it so much that I brought Jeremy with me the next day to try some too :) Now I am warning you, this is not going to be a cheap habit (truffle oil goes for $20+ a bottle) but it will be a delicious one! Tasty Kitchen has a good recipe to try out for yourself. You're welcome!

It is wonderful to know that through all the hard times and other stuff we go through in life, God is still at work in His creation, in the world and in my life. I see it every day!

He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making all things new!" -Revelation 21:5

Home Sweet Home

We moved this weekend! Phheww.... it has been a long hard weekend of packing, moving, unpacking and then cleaning. But we had an awesome team of helpers (our friends and family) who came to help us get the job done. Look at the handsome guy driving that truck! :)

God blessed us SO much in finding our new place. Our old apartment had a mold problem. And when I say mold problem I mean it. It wasn't the regular kind you clean up with a little bleach and water, it was the deep rooted kind in the house. We'd been looking for a new place for a while but nothing was in good condition or matched our price point, until we found this listing. Who woulda thought we'd be able to find a nicer place for less money?! God did!

We also had a few mini miracles this weekend involving our couch. During the loading part of our move I accidentally knocked over the kerosene lamp on our tan suede leather couch. My Mom and Father in law acted fast and came to the rescue with an oil absorber spray. A healthy dousing of that and the spot was gone. No need for a blanket to cover that spot - Yay!! And when the sofa finally made it to our new apartment we had a minor problem; getting it in the door. We now live on the 2nd floor so getting the couch in at a very small angle up those stairs was just not happening. But when the cable guy arrived we mentioned something about the couch and he said it'd be no problem getting it in. After he set up our cable and internet, he went right alongside the guys moving it in. It took taking off the entire front door but they got it through - double yay!!


Today was spent cleaning up the old place and a little of the new and spending some time with my Mom. I am excited moving forward with Jeremy by my side and the wonderful friends and family supporting us along the way. Thanks for all your help guys!

In Celebration

...of us. Today marks 2 years of wedded bliss with my hubby Jeremy. What a wonderful ride it's been thus far. Nothing too eventful has happened but we have loved and helped one another along in this crazy thing called life.


I was just telling a friend the other day that God is the greatest matchmaker and boy is He. When Jeremy and I first met, I knew there was something special about him. He is my friend and personal comedian. He is my teacher and excellent cook. He is my protector and provider. He is my heart. I love that man and look forward to many more years by his side, through the good times and the bad, richer or poorer and everything in between!

Being Still

I spent Sunday in bed. Sick with some sort of cold. Enjoying some delicious pho but sick nonetheless. But I am thankful for it because it took this cold to help me realize that I sometimes spread myself too thin. I read a book not even a year ago about living simply but the message of the book obviously didn't sink in. I tend to try and do as much as I can in the time I have been given. A few classes here, a coffee date there, and another committee later, I am feeling like I just can't do it all.

Filling your time with an excess amount of activities, leaving little time to refresh leads you to inevitably get burnt out. The time we have in this life is to be used wisely. We must redeem the time and make our actions intentional. If that means cutting a program from my schedule then so be it.

But that is not the only thing that I know I need to be aware of when it comes to my time. I know I squander free time with a minutia of unimportant things, i.e. too much time spent surfing the net for craft ideas, looking for blog material, etc.. As much as I love blogging and working on crafts, the time spent working on them sometimes gets to be too much, leaving little time left for the more important things in life.

Jeremy and I were talking the other night and he said that he didn't know why we fill our time with so many other things and not do what we ought to be doing. God is here and readily available at any moment to talk to, to learn from, etc.. yet time after time you see that we choose to fill a significant chunk of our time on other things and leave just the leftovers for Him.

Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth! -Psalm 46:10

This time of being sick and staying home to recuperate has helped me to see that I just need to be still. I just need to lay low and spend time with Him. I can miss a class or move an appointment to another time if it means I am setting my priorities straight. My christian yoga teacher once said "God has not called us to a busy life, but to a purposeful life". I will spend the rest of the time getting better just resting in Him.

Summer Delights

Summer has finally arrived in Seattle and this weekend was filled with the many of joys of this time of year.

Jeremy got home from work early on Saturday so he came over to my Mom's house and we each got to work making dinner. Jeremy worked on the drink, I worked on the fruit salad and Mom made the main course.

I love using fresh fruits and veggies to make super easy and super yummy meals. Take these for instance: For a cool mocktail to help beat the heat, add 1 can of coconut milk into your blender. Use the option on your blender to get the mixture good and frothy. Next add 1/2 pineapple that has been sliced into the blender. Add a little agave to taste and your ice and blend it all together. And for a refreshing fruit salad take 1 watermelon and a bunch of mint. Mince the mint and add to the cubed watermelon. Toss and enjoy. See, so easy but the results are DELICIOUS!!



My Mom also made my new favorite salad: a BLT salad. How smart is that!? They are good on bread but even better as a salad!

8 slices chopped and cooked bacon
4 cups sliced green-leaf lettuce
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1 cup low-fat croutons

Dressing
1/4 cup light mayo
1 Tbs. water
1 Tbs. cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. agave
pinch of black pepper

Combine all the ingredients for the salad in a large bowl. Then, in small bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients: toss salad with dressing. Makes 4 servings.

And after church today it was too nice out to just go home, so we made a trip to the local zoo and enjoyed looking at God's varied and sometimes goofy creation.








Loving our summer so far and looking forward to enjoying more of it. I hope you also had a joyous weekend!

Moving Forward and Trusting Him

I am back from a short blog break. Lots of things are in the works at the casa de Egerer:

We are moving within the next month so I have been busy cleaning, organizing and purging our house of unnecessary items. You have got to do this if you don't do it regularly. I really didn't realize the amount of stuff we've collect over the years. I'm kind of a minimalist as it is and we still have a few boxes of extra stuff. Gotta love donating it all to the Children's Hospital thrift store!

In other news we will be paying off the last of our debt soon (WOOHOOO!!) and thinking about starting a family. Along with these exciting things comes some uncertainty, like figuring out how we are going to afford a baby, what type of job Jeremy will have, where will we end up, etc...

The last week or so has been one at a cross road. Boy does it feel uncomfortable in this spot. But I know it is in these times that I must trust in the Lord to get us through.

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. When you come looking for me, you'll find me. Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed.

-Jeremiah 29:11-13 The Message

On another note, Jeremy gave his 2nd sermon this past Sunday at the local convalesence home. God has given him a gift and I am so proud! If you want to watch either of his sermons you can watch them here.

B is for Baby Shower

This weekend we celebrated my brother and sister in law and their baby Avery. She will be here soon so this was the time to shower the soon to be parents with love and baby gifts.

It was a co-ed shower and my brother in law really enjoyed himself as you can tell by these pictures. He was too funny opening up the presents. You'd think he thought they were for him!


Instead of games, guests made onesies for sweet little Avery. It was hard to pull everyone away from the onesie station so I'd say they enjoyed it and I'm sure Avery will look adorable in the sweet little designs!


Mommy and Daddy are very excited to finally meet their little one and it was a joy to share in this special time with them. May God bless their new little family!

Grill Master

My husband is known around our house as 'king of the grill'. Before we were married he had a whole slew of different roommates, one of them was from Shreveport, Louisiana. It was that roommate, who taught him how to spice and cook lip smacking steak, pork, chicken, you name it!

The key to really good BBQ food is the seasoning. Jeremy likes to spice the heck out of the meat, but trust me, you will love it! We made some of the seasoning for my Father-in-Law for Father's day.

Jeremy's Amazing BBQ Seasoning - goes well on chicken, beef, pork, and burgers

Dry Ingredients:
*Tony Chachere's creole seasoning
*Onion flakes
*Garlic powder
*Crushed red pepper
*Coarse black pepper
*Dried basil
*Dried parsley

Wet ingredients:
*Hot sauce
*Olive Oil
*Avage Nectar or honey
*Minced fresh garlic

Combine the dry ingredients. You can eyeball the amount depending on the amount of meat you are cooking and to your particular taste. We LOVE garlic so we add more of the garlic powder than others might use. Rub the dry seasonings on the meat. Then add your hot sauce, olive oil, avage nectar and fresh minced garlic to coat. Next, fire up the grill and start bbqing. The result is amazingly spicy and sweet BBQ goodness. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. YUM!

God Moments

Ever read your bible and find yourself getting excited because you've stumbled upon an amazing verse? Ever just have to tell someone about it because it's too good not to share? Jeremy is usually the person I do my sharing with but there are times when I tell him and it may not be as exciting to him or he is preoccupied with something else and he is clearly not understanding how unbelievably cool it is. Well those are the times when I remember that I shared that moment with the One who I was excited about in the first place. I cherish those God moments, just me and Him, taking in His word and loving every minute of it!

(Side note: Jeremy deserves credit for finding that un-be-lievable passage in Zechariah. Cross that with John 1:14 where the bible says that The Word (i.e. God) became flesh and dwelt among men in their midst. He is truly an awesome God, worthy of our praise!*

Fresh Baked {baby onesie cupcake tutorial}

This adorable gift idea comes straight from the oven for that special mom-to-be in your life. Simply gather your ingredients and start 'baking'.

These cupcakes look good enough to eat. In fact, my cousins lil one thought they were real cupcakes for her and not her new baby sister!