The MOMS at mosaicofmoms hope you have had a wonderful Thanksgiving remembering everything that the LORD has done. We are taking the rest of the month off. We will be back on December 3rd.
To get you in the Christmas spirit, here are some articles that we wrote last year about focusing on Christ during the holiday season.
Blessings! The MOMS
By: Kerri Young
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18
In honor of Thanksgiving tomorrow, I thought it would be fun to share a few fun and simple craft ideas the whole family can participate in to celebrate and get in the spirit of thanks! Please feel free to add some ideas in the comments section if you have Thanksgiving traditions or crafts you’d like to share.
Affirmation Place Cards
What you’ll need:
How to make your Affirmation Place Card:
Fingerprint Turkey Place Cards
What you’ll need:
How to make your Fingerprint Turkey Place Card:
Thankful Placemats
What you’ll need:
How to make your Thankful Placemats:
It might be too late to do this for tomorrow, but it might work for future Thanksgivings.
Old-Fashioned Turkey Hand
What you’ll need:
How to make your Old-Fashioned Turkey Hand
Why do something complicated when you can just trace your kiddo’s hands onto paper and turn them into turkeys?
I found this website with some great ideas for crafts, activities and games. If you have a free moment, go check it out.
Praying you are counting your blessings and having a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Related Article: Five Fun Family Activities to Teach Thankfulness
by: Kerri Young
“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6
One day last week I was outside enjoying a beautiful fall afternoon with my kids and the captain of my cheer squad who was over for our weekly leadership meeting. My middle son, now four years old, was running around playing when he tripped, fell, and busted open a scab on his knee. Seeing blood is very traumatic for him, so of course he broke into hysterics. I quickly kissed his boo-boo and got a Band-Aid, and then he just wanted me to hold him as he wept.
After holding him for a few minutes and trying to get him to calm down, my sweet boy (who is definitely the tender, feeler of my children) said through sobs, “Mommy, I love you and I don’t ever want to leave you.” My cheer captain chuckled as I said, “Oh, sweet boy, some day you will grow up and not want to be with Mommy all the time; I promise.” But this sent my weeping boy into brand new bitter tears, through which he responded something like, “No, Mommy, I want you to always be a part of my family and you will live with me forever when I grow up. I don’t ever want to not be with you!” He was so distraught it brought tears to my eyes and choked me up.
Oh, how our kids can take our breath away with the fierceness of their love and the love we feel for them! If only we could hang onto them and never have to let them go….
But, that is not how the Lord intended it. We will not be around forever on this side of life. Even if we were, our children are not our possessions to hold onto and keep forever. They are blessings the Lord has given us to watch over, train up, and prepare for what God has planned for them as long as they are in our care. Maybe it’s because we are preparing to say goodbye to our parents and move to the Middle East in May, but this has been on my mind a lot lately.
While definitely not a perfect analogy, I’ve heard it said that a child is kind of like a caterpillar and we as parents are kind of like the chrysalis.
Our job is to protect and strengthen those little caterpillars while God is transforming them into something amazing. Then, when the time is right and they are ready, our little caterpillars will take flight as beautiful butterflies. I’ve also heard it said that as parents our job is to give our kids wings so that someday they can fly. Inevitably, that flying means flying away, so we need to not only prepare our children for that reality, but we need to be prepared for that reality ourselves.
Much of parenting and child-raising is baby steps of letting go and saying goodbye. From the first time you attempt to not hyperventilate while dropping your bundle of joy off in the church nursery or painstakingly stand by and let them play in the fastfood play area alone, to the day you bravely hold their hand and fight off tears as they walk into kindergarten and then much too quickly proudly watch them march across that stage to receive their high school diploma….you are preparing to one day let them go and fly away.
One of the greatest lessons I have learned from my parents is the beautiful agony of training up children in the way they should go and bravely releasing us into the world. As we prepare to fly away in May, I can only begin to imagine the bittersweet taste the Lord’s plans for us leave in the mouths of our parents. On one hand, they have done well. They have raised us up to love Jesus and love people and be obedient to the Lord’s purpose for our lives. But on the other hand, we are now preparing to fly far, far away, leave them behind, and take their grandbabies across the world.
I praise the Lord for the godly example of my parents and their dependence on the Lord through the years as they have gradually let me go, while protecting, guiding and preparing me. It is my prayer that I will be able to walk in their footsteps as I parent my own children, and be willing to let my children obediently follow the desires the Lord places in their hearts…even if it means flying far away from home.
Someday I know my sweet boy will not want to be around me all the time, and though I dread that day, I pray when it comes I will have done all I can, with the Lord’s help, to prepare him fully for magnificent flight and fulfillment of walking in the way the Lord leads.
Father God, please help me today to be the kind of mom who trains my children up in the way they should go, fully dependent on Your Spirit at all times. In each small moment of letting go that comes, help me to trust that You hold my children in the palms of Your hands. May they rise up and live to bless, honor and glorify You in however You may lead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
*Chrysalis Picture from http://www.ngcner.org/Monarch-Butterfly.php
But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast. Proverbs 15:15b
Whenever we have company I use my crock pot at least once if not a few times. Who wants to spend all day slaving away in the kitchen when you have loved ones visiting? This soup is a combination of several recipes I have found. To be honest, I’m not sure I’ve ever made it exactly the same way twice. It’s the kind of soup that you throw in whatever you have in the pantry, and hope for the best…but it always comes out good-I promise!
This soup is one you want to cook on low all day if you’re having it for dinner, or all night if you’re serving it for lunch.
Here is what you need:
Frozen raw chicken (the amount depends on how much you like in your soup-or how much you happen to have in your freezer 
Two or three different kinds of canned beans. (i usually prefer black and kidney, but I have also used navy and pinto in it.)
1 can of rotel
1 can of enchilada sauce
1 cup of chicken broth (More or less depending on how thick you like your soup to be. I didn’t have broth the other day and used water-it turned out fine.
2 tsp of chili powder
1 tsp oregano
2-3 cloves of fresh garlic (probably one of the most important ingredients-do not substitute garlic powder!)
1-2 chopped onion (I used sweet or white)
Put the chicken in the crock pot (still frozen). Drain and rinse beans and pour them on top. Dump everything else in, turn the crock pot on low and walk away.
NOTE: I usually use some cornstarch to thicken mine about an hour before serving it. Take 2 tsp of cornstarch and add to a cup of cold water. Stir it well and then dump it in the crock pot with the soup. Mix it around and let it sit for a bit. If it’s still too thin for your liking repeat step one.:)
I usually serve mine with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream. Jalapenos would also be good with it.
I hope you enjoy these recipes, but mostly I hope you enjoy the people you get to share them with. Blessings Moms!!
Gretchen
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Linking up with Nap Time Creations for Tasty Tuesday!
And you shall rejoice in your feast. Deuteronomy 16:14a
By: Gretchen Speer
This is my go to recipe for a quick meal. I keep several french loaves in the freezer, and we almost always have lunch meat and cheese. I will say that I think the thing that makes the biggest difference with this recipe is the quality of ingredients. I have tried using pre- packaged meat and cheese and it’s just not as good as the meat and cheese from the deli!
Sometimes we keep it simple and just do the meat and cheese only on the sandwich, but I when we are serving a crowd I like to offer a “sandwich bar.” It’s like subway came and set up in our kitchen:)
To make these subs you simply cut the bread down the middle most of the way though. Lay it open and put the deli meat and sliced cheese on one side. Lightly drizzle olive oil on the other. Cook it at 350 degrees until it is toasted to your liking. I cut mine up, but leave them on the cookie sheet so they will stay warm until they are snatched up. It is really fast and really easy, and not much clean up either. Doesn’t get any better than that!
Here’s a list of the things I like to sit out for the sandwich bar:
banana peppersIf you have a lot of turkey left over this would be perfect for that!
We usually serve some chips, veggies, fruit and sometimes soup with it. Check back tomorrow for my recipe for chicken tortilla soup!
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