Friday, June 1, 2012

One Year Anniversary // Huge Giveaway Celebration // Prayer Challenge

Today marks Reflections of Grace one year anniversary! It is truly hard to believe that one year ago we started this blog! In some ways it feels as if we have been posting on Reflections of Grace for the longest time, but in some ways we feel as if we have just begun this journey of blogging! Today we are here to celebrate Reflections of Grace one year "birthday" with several giveaways for you! :) We are so thankful to the Lord for His faithfulness and goodness to us through this adventure of blogging and pray that it has been a blessing to you, and has made a positive inpact in your life! Our main goal in writing this blog is that the Lord would be glorified in our writings and that it would encourage and strengthen you as you grow closer to the Lord!

So today we are here to celebrate, and as such we thought it would be very fun to host a big giveaway with several prizes for you to say "thank you!" for being such wonderful, sweet, encouraging, readers and followers of this blog! Before we show you what will be giving away we would like to give a big "thank you!!!!" to all our sponsors: Samantha of Emarie Creations, Gail of Lilla Rose, Karly of Little Goat Natural Soaps, Priscilla of Blossom and Twig, Amanda of Fairy Bubbles, Leigh of Barberry & Lace, Lindsay of Made By Lin Lin, Brittany of Brittany Chavers and Olivia of Fresh Modesty! We are so thankful to the Lord for your generosity in helping us celebrate our one year anniversary! May the Lord's blessing be upon you for your kindness!

Please remember to read through the whole post before entering the giveaways since we are taking entries a bit differently than we have previously done. At the end of this post you will find instructions on how you can enter to win these lovely prizes! So now without further adieu, we would like to introduce our sponsors and their lovely shops to you!

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Prize Number 1 
Sponsored By Emarie Creations

"Hi! My name is Samantha and I am the owner of Emariecreations, a small home-based Etsy shop that offers cute, colorful and affordable accessories for ladies of all ages.
I've been crafting my whole life and started my shop in late 2009 as a way to sell my creations and make a little money. I'm really enjoying the 'adventure' of having a home business and have fun coming up with fresh, new ideas for my shop.
I specialize in polymer clay items mostly, with a few resin jewelry pieces as well. I try to have lots of colorful items in stock made from both mediums.
Hope you enjoy taking a looking around my shop!"

Emarie Creations will be giving away a pair of their polymer clay, handcrafted lollipop post earrings! Emarie Creations has several pairs, all in different colors, available so the winner will get to choose the pair she would like. Click HERE to see all 5 lollipop color choices! Samantha is willing to ship worldwide, so this prize is open to all ladies, no matter were you live!

Polymer Clay Lollipop Earrings

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Prize Number 2 
Sponsored By Lilla Rose 
Lilla Rose Hair Clips, Barrettes, Hair Sticks, Hair Bands, Bobby Pins, Buy Wear and Sell.
{If you do not see Gail's website when visiting this link, then look to your top left corner of the screen and click on the link that says "Looking for Gail's Site?"}
{Blog}


"Gail is a stay-at-home mom with 5 children and has been married to her husband for almost 8 years! She blogs over at The Imperfect Housewife about what life is like having children, 5 years old and under and, more importantly, her walk with Christ. Gail has been an Independent Consultant for Lilla Rose since December of 2011 and feels blessed to have the flexibility to continue to stay home with her children while sharing a product that she loves.


She was introduced to Lilla Rose by winning a giveaway and receiving one of their hairbands. Gail loved it so much that she decided to 'take the plunge' and become an Independent Consultant. Since then, she has learned quite a bit about the company and the famous Flexi-clip. The Flexi is unique in that it is a patented, one-piece hair clip. It comes in 7 different sizes to suite all hair types and lengths. They are beautiful and elegant and add that little something to your hair style. The Lilla Rose product line centers around unique, functional, and well made hair jewelry. From the flagship Flexi Hair Clip, they have expanded to Hair Sticks, Orings, Hairbands, and Bobby Pins."



Lilla Rose Consultant, Gail will be giving away a Flexi-clip in the winners choice, up to $16 value! There are so many to choose from, click HERE then click "Go Shopping" for the options! Gail will be willing to ship internationally so this giveaway is open to all young ladies no matter were you live!


{For those interested in learning more about Lilla Rose and the flexi-clip, feel free to check out Bethany's product review HERE!}


a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Prize Number 3
Sponsored By Little Goat Natural Soaps


"Welcome to Little Goat's Natural Soaps! I'm Karly. :) I am wife to a music professor and mommy to a newly 3 yr old little boy. We ventured into this business to provide non-toxic, gentle soap for babies and adults alike.

When our son was about 7 months old, we thought he had baby eczema. Turns out he was reacting to all the horrible chemicals that were in his baby soaps & lotions! I did more research and was appalled by the complete lack of regulation of Health & Beauty products in the USA. Most of the chemicals going into your everyday perfumes, lotions, body washes, BABY products, sunscreens, (fill in the blank) have not been tested. A lot of the things on the shelves in this country have things in them that are banned in Europe, Japan & other modern countries. 

Scary, I know. That's where we come in... We are here to prove healthy & safe doesn't mean "boring"! It only takes 26 seconds for a toxin you smear on your skin to be detectable in your internal organs. Be informed. Shop smart. Don't settle for less! I hope you love our products! ~Karly"


Today Karly of Little Goat Natural Soaps will be giving away one bar of her natural luffa soap in the winners choice of fragrance! There are so many fragrance choices, so click HERE to view them! Karly will only be able to ship to U.S. residences so this giveaway is only open to ladies living inside the U.S.


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Prize Number 4
Sponsored By Blossom and Twig


"I've saved many pieces of paper from my past: handwritten notes and letters, recipes, invitations, and yes... even a gift tag from my mother with a special Christmas message to me. I realized what a sweet reminder of good memories they are and fell in love with the idea of creating paper goods that people can use to express their love, gratitude and good wishes to one another - things that can be kept to remember people you love and good times you've had.

A bit about me... I am married and have 3 children: Lydia, Martha and Gabriel. I live in a small town with fields on either side of my house and lots of woods around me. I love the quiet solitude and peacefulness of the woods, but the train track that runs through my front yard interrupts that daily, lol, ... and then it gets pretty quiet again : )

I've been a quilter for over 20 years and rarely have ever met an antique quilt or sampler that I didn't like. I've been in my local quilt guild for almost that long... have held many jobs in the guild and one of my latest is being "The Sunshine Lady" which means that I send cards out to the membership for birthdays, get well, etc. I was having trouble keeping cards on hand for that and started to make them myself - and I fell in love with paper! Almost as much as I love fabric."


Priscilla of Blossom & Twig will be giving away their lovely french butterflies bookmark! Priscilla is willing to ship internationally so all ladies can enter for this lovey prize!


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Prize Number 5
Sponsored By Fairy Bubbles

{Etsy Shop}
{Facebook}

"My love of crafting soaps began years ago. It started as a weekend project done with my daughter and progressed to selling locally, and now I am proud to bring Fairy Bubbles to the world wide web. All of my products are hypoallergenic and gentle on skin. I use body safe colorants only, and only the best quality herbs, butters, salts, clays, milk powders, teas, essential oils, and fragrance oils we can find.  I love working with essential oils! You will see a good number of our soaps are made with essential oils." 


Amanda of Fairy Bubbles will be so generously giving away a 4 oz. jar of lime and coconut scented whipped soap! View details by visiting the listing HERE! Amanda is willing to ship internationally so anyone may enter for this prize!

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Prize Number 6
Sponsored By Barberry & Lace

{Etsy Shop}
{Facebook}
{Twitter}
{Blog}

"Founded in 2010 by Leigh Benner, Barberry & Lace has grown in leaps and bounds in the short amount of time it's been open. Leigh currently works from her home where she lives with her two cats, Molly and Bert, and her Samoyed/American Eskimo mix, Sadie.


Leigh has always has grandiose ideas of owning a business and when she discovered jewelry, she was in love. She loves drawing inspiration from the colors in nature as well as her love of all things vintage... and miniature. Leigh enjoys piecing together new items and adding defining features to new ideas as well as finding and developing small charms that warm her heart. It truly is a wonderful and rewarding fit."


Leigh of Barberry & Lace will be giving away $15 shop credit to their shop! Here are one of my favorite items from their shop!
the pale pink sophie headband.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Prize Number 7
Sponsored By Made By Lin Lin



{Etsy Shop}
{Website}


"My name is Lindsay and I am the founder of MadeByLinLin. My studio is based out of Vancouver, British Coloumbia. I sell handmade, unique, quality, and affordable jewellery and accessories for all ages and styles. I opened MadeByLinLin on November 2010 and have never been happier designing and creating products for people around the world."


Lindsay will be sponsoring a lovely 18-inch rose necklace! The rose is 10mm and the winner will be able to choose her rose color! This prize is open to everyone as Lindsay is willing to ship internationally!
One Rose Necklace - Your Choice of Color - 24 Rose Colors To Choose From

Below is a chart of available rose colors:

THREE PAIRS of Rose Stud Earrings - 24 Colors to Choose From -5 New Colors


a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Prize Number 8
Sponsored By Brittany Chavers

{Etsy Shop}
{Facebook}
{Twitter}


"My shop is geared towards vintage inspired, romantic jewelry. I love using flowers, LOTS of color, and unique items to bring happiness to my jewelry. I look at every necklace I create as a little piece of myself, and I hope their new owners love them as much as I do."


Brittany will be giving away this lovely coral dahlia ring. View the listing details HERE! This prize is only open to ladies living inside the U.S.
Coral Dahlia Ring Buy 3 Get 1 Free

Coral Dahlia Ring Buy 3 Get 1 Free

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Prize Number 9
Sponsored By Fresh Modesty

{Website}
{Sewing Blog}
{Fashion Blog}


"Fresh Modesty: Creating Custom Swimwear is a 34-page tutorial with step-by-step directions for sewing an individual, well-fitting swimsuit for yourself, a friend, or a family member. I share how I draft a pattern from a series of measurements to make the various pieces of the suit as well as how to sew it all together. Countless modest style options are given including a maternity option, making it so fun to design a suit you adore.


Many people are scared to death at the thought of sewing their own swimsuit. I mean, after all, isn't Spandex a bear to work with? On the contrary! Spandex is surprisingly easy to work with. In some respects it's easier than cotton or other fabrics because if something doesn’t line up exactly, you can just stretch it! Don’t I need to be an expert seamstress in order to do this? No! In fact, I had only been sewing for a year and a half before I made my first bathing suit. If you’ve followed patterns and made slight modifications with success, you can sew a bathing suit.

Stuffed with detailed pictures and drawings, this eBook is perfect for the adventurous beginner. A veteran sewer won't be bored, either, because of the wide range of style choices given. This wide range also means that the suits created will be appropriate for all ladies, young and old. From your two year old to your grandmother, they are sure to flatter."

Today Olivia, the lady behind the e-book, will be giving away a copy of her e-book, Fresh Modesty which is a step by step guide to sew your own modest swimsuit! Below is a sample of the swimsuit you can make using this e-book! {To see more swimsuits that were made using this e-book click HERE!} The winner will receive their copy via email. Since there is no mailing required this prize is open to all ladies as long as you have an email address! To learn more about the swimsuit you can make click HERE!






a Rafflecopter giveaway


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How You Can Enter:
I am sure that you ladies are itching to start entering to win these lovely prizes, right? ;) So here are some details on how to enter! Now, here is how it will work. You will enter for each prize on a separate giveaway form. You may have already noticed that each prize has a giveaway form for that certain prize under the prize image, so that is what this is for. 

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When was the last time you prayed to the Lord? Was it truly a heart-felt, spirit lead prayer or one you just said since it's what you always do? Well today we could like to present you a little challenge! Instead of having the normal entry such as following our blog, leaving a comment, hearted the shop on etsy, etc we decided to make your one and only entry be to pray for 5 minutes, praying for a different thing for each 5 minutes/for each prize you'd like to enter. Depending on how many prizes you'd like to enter will determine how long you pray. We would like to encourage you to complete these prayer times when you aren't sitting here at the computer, since you want a true prayer and not one that's just being spit out in order for you to enter. So please try and pray during your devotion times or when it's a quiet time that's convenient for you. 

So here is how it will go. For each prize you'd like to enter you pray for 5 minutes for a certain thing which will be specified on the giveaway form. Make a note to yourself of which prizes you'd like to enter as well as what certain thing you will pray for 5 minutes about. Even if you don't enter all the prizes {for instance if you don't have pierced ears thus not entering the earring prize} we would still like to encourage you to pray anyways as this is what will be your eternal prize! You may break this up into several days time and enter as you go or you can pray all of them at one time, the main goal is just to get on your knees and share your heart with the Lord. Once you have prayed then you can come back and enter that prize! You will do this by signing in with either your email or with your Facebook account if you have one, then it will show the option to pray for 5 minutes. Once you have done it click "Enter" and you will be entered! If you have any questions concerning this them please let us know! Here is a list of the prayer/prize details:

Prize Number 1: Lolli-Pop earrings sponsored by Emarie Creations. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray a prayer of adoration and praise to the Lord for 5 minutes.
Open To: Everyone



Prize Number 2: Lilla Rose flexi hair clip sponsored by Gail of Lilla Rose. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray a prayer of thanksgiving and praise for 5 minutes.
Open To: Everyone



Prize Number 3: A bar of soap sponsored by Little Goat Soaps. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray a prayer of confession for 5 minutes.
Open To: Those living in the U.S.



Prize Number 4: Butterfly bookmark sponsored by Blossom & Twig. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray for any needs or request you have for 5 minutes.
Open To: Everyone



Prize Number 5: Whipped soap sponsored by Fairy Bubbles. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray for authorities for 5 minutes.
Open To: Everyone



Prize Number 6: $15 Shop credit to Barberry & Lace. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray for persecuted Christians for 5 minutes.
Open To: Everyone

Prize Number 7: Rose necklace sponsored by Made By Lin Lin. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray for your family for 5 minutes.
Open To: Everyone



Prize Number 8: Coral ring sponsored by Brittany Chavers. 
Prayer Requirements: Pray for your future spouse for 5 minutes.
Open To: Those living in the U.S.


Prize Number 9: Fresh Modesty E-book, sponsored by Fresh Modesty.
Prayer Requirements: Pray for 5 minutes for a stronger relationship with Christ.
Open To: Everyone

Okay, now you may enter! All the giveaways will ends on June 29th, 2010. Have a blessed day and be sure and check back on June 30th when we will post the giveaway winners! If you have any questions about entering then please let us know! And also, please feel free to share with us if you have been blessed by this blog, down in the comments, since we love hearing how the Lord is working in your lives and using our writings. Lastly, we would like to thank all our sponsors again, for without you ladies there would be no giveaway! God bless!

Blessings,
Bethany & Johanna

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Sharing our Struggles

{Written By Miss Johanna}


There have been so many times throughout my Christian walk where I have felt utterly discouraged when I hold myself in comparison to others. Especially when I'm in the midst of a spiritual struggle. When I see how on fire others are for Christ, and than look at my own life and the strugglesd that I go through daily, I feel completely unworthy to be accepted by those who seem so pure and holy. Regrettably, this has evinced in me the tendency to keep my troubles to myself. Countless times I have felt unable, or perhaps unwilling, to share my secrets with anyone. Why? It's simple. Because there is always that little voice in my head which dauntingly whispers, "you can't tell her that you are struggling with this! She is such a better Christian than you! She would be appalled!" It wasn't until very recently that the Lord opened up my heart to a few important truths. Truths that changed my life.

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, I seemed to forget that we are all sinners. Romans 3:23 says: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Often times, when I look at the sins which have marred my life, I seem to believe that I fall shortest when compared to others. But in truth, are we not all equal when standing before God? Haven't we all sinned, and therefore, deserve eternal condemnation? Whether you lied or stole, whether you committed adultery or murder; do we not all fall equally short? In the same way, no matter what you have done the Lord's forgiveness is always enough to wash us clean.

Secondly; we all fail. Every time I am going through a spiritual struggle or conflict, I seem to believe that I must be the only one. When I looked at the lives of others, and saw how wonderful their relationship was with Christ, I was simply heartbroken at the thought of mine being so much less beautiful. It seemed that everyone's life was perfect; except for mine. It seemed that no one else had struggles; except for me. And of course, this made me want to keep it all in; all to myself. I didn't want anyone to know that I wasn't as perfect as they were. I was blinded to the fact that no one is perfect. I couldn't see that we all make mistakes. I was too focused on my own worries and struggles.


Until recently. I realized the truth. I stepped over my pride. I told of what had been on my mind. What I had been struggling with. What I needed help with. Where I had fallen short. When I had messed up. And how they could help.  And I asked them to pray for me. You see, when we share our troubles with others, we accomplish so many things. 

Firstly, we realize that we are not the only ones going through this. When we allow ourselves to share our hearts with others, we will always find that they too are going through something. When we tell others of our struggles, often times we gain encouragement from their experience. 

Secondly, it is no longer a secret. So many times, when we allow our struggles to remain secret, they can grow into something much bigger and more terrible. If we allow them too, they will poison our conscience and infiltrate our heart with fear. I believe one of the devil's greatest weapons is fear. He will tell us we are not good enough; he will tell us that we are an utter failure; and he will fervently try to discourage us to share our failures with other, because, as long as we do he will have the high ground. There is nothing like fear to block our minds from God's love and truth. Don't let it blockade yours. 

Finally, when we let others know about our struggles, they will be able to pray for us. James 5:16 says: "Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." You see, when we confess our shortcomings to others, they are able to wield the greatest weapon of all of all, just when we are unable to. They are able to intervene for us. They are able to strengthen us through Jesus Christ. They are able to defeat the devil through prayer. 

Sisters, if you are going through something in your life today I hope you have someone you can share it with. Don't let that little voice stop you when it says, "you can't tell her this! She is such a better Christian than you," because it isn't true. It takes courage. I know. But don't ever forget ...

We all fall short.
We all struggle. 
We all need help. 
We all need Jesus.

Friday, May 25, 2012

Monthly Interview :: Miss Haley

Today for our monthly interview, Reflections of Grace will be interviewing Miss Haley of Chapter Thirteen blog about the importance of choosing our reading materials wisely. Haley has been a sweet friend and pen-pal of Bethany's for a while now and we are both excited to be able and let her share today! Thanks Haley, for letting us interview you! :)  ~Bethany & Johanna {P.S. Be sure and visit Reflections of Grace on June 1st for our one year anniversary giveaway celebration! We have several prizes in store that you can win so check by then and enter!}


REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Could you introduce yourself to us? How did you come to know Christ?

HALEY :: Hi everyone! My name is Haley. I'm fourteen years old. I live in Kansas with my dad, mom, and little sister. I'm homeschooled. I like photography, reading, blogging, baking, letters, and crafting. I am being raised in a Christian home. I accepted Christ when I was nine years old and was baptized a couple years later in our church.


REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Why do you enjoy reading?

HALEY :: I've always loved reading, even when I was little. My mom would take me to story time at the library and I'd look through stacks of books. I like reading mainly because books can take you places that you'd never go otherwise. They make you use your imagination and allow you to learn about new things.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Why do you think it's important to be careful of the books we read?

HALEY :: I think it's important to be careful what books we read because books will make you use your imagination. It's important because when we read we're learning and we're thinking about what the book is presenting.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Have you ever started a book but decided not to finish it? What made you decide to do so?

HALEY :: Yes, I have. It was a children's book actually, but I stopped reading it because the of the bad language that was used throughout the book. I really did not feel comfortable with it, I felt guilty reading it, and I knew it wasn't God-honoring.


REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: What are some of your favorite books/authors?

HALEY :: I like books by Janette Oke. The Millie Kieth A Life of Faith series. Also, I really like the Viking Quest series by Lois Walfrid Johnson.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE ::  What are your favorite kinds of books? (Example: fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, amish fiction, etc)

HALEY :: Historical fiction. And I like if there's a little mystery in it too. I mostly read books that take place in the pioneer times, just because I'm so interested in that time-period and I love learning about it.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Let's say you have started a book, but you find it's content is a bit "iffy" and aren't sure if you should continue reading it. Do you have guidelines as to were you draw the line or were its okay to keep reading?

HALEY :: When it comes to discernment of whether or not a book is okay to read, consulting Philippians 4:8 is helpful. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things."  Does the book steer my thoughts towards good things? And most of all does the book honor God? If not, then I won't keep reading it.

REFLECTIONS OF GRACE :: Would you like to share anything in closing?

HALEY :: I'd like to encourage you that if a book is not honoring or you would not be using good judgment to read it -- just put the book down, return it to the library. I know we "want to know what happens in the end", but it's really worth it not to have things in your mind that just don't need to be there. And thank you, Bethany and Johanna, for having me!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Fruity Delights :: Recipes



I just love fruit! They come in all shapes, sizes, tastes and colors and are very healthy! Some of my favorite fruits are strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, bananas, oranges, grapefruit, apples and kiwi! Today I've compiled some yummy looking recipes that will be perfect for the upcoming summer! Please enjoy!

Healthy Fresh Fruit Pizza 

Fruit Pizza Recipes

For the cookie crust:
  • 1/2 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the cheese spread:
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 8 oz. cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup sugar
For the topping:
  • Sliced fruits
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. To make the crust, cream the sugar, egg, vanilla and butter until fluffy and light. add the baking powder and flour and mix well. Spread the mixture into a pizza pan or on to a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool. Combine the sugar, vanilla and cream cheese and spread onto the cooled crust. Arrange fruits on top and cover. Refrigerate for 2 hours and enjoy! Serves 6.

Fruit Dip

Marshmallow Fruit Dip


  • 8oz package cream cheese, softened and room temperature
  • 2 – 7 oz jars marshmallow creme/fluff (I was able to buy 1-130z jar)

Mix marshmallow creme and cream cheese together (by hand or mixer) until well combined.  Serve with your favorite fruit such as strawberries, cherries, bananas, pineapples, etc.  Enjoy!

Creamy Fruit Tarts

Best Creamy Fruit Tarts


  • 1 cup buttermilk baking mix 
  • 2 tbsp. granulated sugar 
  • 1 tbsp. butter, softened 
  • 6 oz. cream cheese, softened 
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar 
  • 1/4 cup sour cream 
  • 1 1/2 cups assorted fruit slices or berries 
  • 1/3 cup apple or apricot jelly, melted
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix baking mix, 2 tbsp. sugar, butter and half of the cream cheese in small bowl until dough forms a ball. Divide into 6 parts. Press each part of dough on bottom and up 3/4-inch sides of 6 tart pans, 4 1/4 x 1-inch or 10 custard cups. Place on cookie sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light brown; cool on wire rack. Remove tart shells from pans. Beat remaining  cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and sour cream until smooth and spoon into tart shells, spreading over bottoms. Top each with about 1/4 cup fruit. Brush with jelly.

Strawberry Fruit Roll-Ups




  • 2 cups strawberries
  • ¼ tsp cinnamon

Blend the fruit until smooth, then spread onto a Teflex sheet or a parchment-lined baking sheet. If using a dehydrator, dehydrate at 105 degrees F for 8-10 hours or until the fruit is pliable and easy to peel from the sheet. If using an oven, leave it on at the lowest temperature until the fruit is dry (times will vary depending on the oven). Cut into strips and store in a glass container in the refrigerator.

Whole Wheat Fruit Muffins



  • 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup oil (I used coconut oil)
  • 3/4 cup orange juice or apple juice
  • About 1 cup of total filling (berries, fruit, nuts, etc. – see below for details)
Heat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl with a fork or whisk mix the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Make a well (hole) in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the eggs, honey, vanilla, oil and orange juice. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together – do not overmix. Now here is the fun part. If you are in a hurry just add 1 cup of blueberries, mashed up banana & nuts, or other filling of your choice. If you have 5 or 10 minutes extra (and some anxious helpers) do not add anything to the muffin batter before continuing with the next step.
Line a muffin pan with liners and fill 2/3 to 3/4 of the way full with batter. If you didn’t already add your filling, sprinkle 1 – 2 teaspoons of whatever you would like (from the list below or from your own creation) onto the top of each raw muffin in the pan. Then gently mix each one with a fork or spoon. Here are some options to consider for the fillings:
  • blueberries
  • diced strawberries
  • peeled and diced pears
  • applesauce
  • either diced or mashed up bananas and chopped walnuts
  • raisins and chopped pecans (I add an extra pinch of cinnamon to the muffins with this filling)
  • grated carrot and chopped walnuts
  • orange or lemon zest (only add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of zest per individual muffin)
  • a mix of dried fruit bits
  • jelly
After the filling has been mixed into each muffin slide the tray into the warm oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature and freeze some for a later date. Enjoy! Yield: 12 muffins.

Fruit Sorbet

 berrysorbet.jpg


  • 1/2 banana, frozen
  • about 1/2 cup frozen berries (I like blueberries and raspberries, mixed)
  • about 1/4 cup chopped frozen mango or pear (adds creaminess)
  • up to 2 Tbsp. agave nectar (may be omitted)
  • up to 1/4 cup plain soymilk or coconut milk (may be omitted)

Throw everything in your food processor and whir until it begins to resemble ice cream.  You’ll need to stop the machine and scrape down the sides two or three times before it comes together.  As soon as it’s creamy, scoop out and serve–it melts quickly.  This is a little scoop of heaven in a bowl!

Note :: As always please use discretion when visiting the provided links. Thanks!

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Judge Ye Not!

{Written By Bethany}

We were in the grocery store, grabing a few items before going home for the day. I spotted a young man an instantly a bad impression flew through my mind. I saw a slowchy teen-aged boy with baggy jeans that had chains drapping from side to side. I saw tatoos and a hair cut that was a bit weird, and on top of that there was an imodestly dressed girlfriend hanging off his arm as he scuffed through the store. I thought to myself "What a low life, he's obviously not a Christian becasue of how he looks....etc" As I continued to think bad thoughts towards the man I noticed that as he turned around there was a small book in his back pocket of his several-sizes-to-big-jeans. From the small bit that was peeking out I was able to read "Holy Bible". I was in awe of how the Lord used that young man to show me just how judgmental I was. Before I'd even seen him for 5 minutes I'd judged him wrongly. I still, to this day, don't know whether he was a true Christian or not. But either way the Lord used that store visit as a opportunity to show me how judgmental I can be without even realizing it or meaning to. How judgmental my sinful mind is.

~*~*~*~*~

We were out in town and were in a parking lot getting out of the van. I noticed a young girl walking to her car with some other girls who may have been family members and my eyes quickly turned to her large stomach, clearly showing she was pregnant. I started to think negative things towards her, wondering how she could ever do such a thing. But then the Lord hit me with a thought. She is pregnant, and yes she's not married but she is still pregnant dispite the "option" to abort the baby. She could have easily gone and had it "taken care of" and never have to go through so many stares, mean words, harsh eyes, rude looks, and embarassing situations. The amount of courage it must have taken to choose life, despite the negative response of others was huge! But she choose to keep the baby, to save it's life. I realized that even though she had messed up {as we all do daily if not hourly}, she didn't make it worse by trying to cover it up or fixing the problem to make it look like she was innocent. She made it work, she adapted her life to fit the results of her mistake. God showed me that even though this young teenaged girl was pregant, she was really a hero to me, becasue she was strong enough to not abort her baby. For that alone should I treat her with respect instead of think unkinly of her.

~*~*~*~*~

I was about 8 years old and we were at a science discovery museam. As we walked in I saw a lady with a long modest, plain dress and tennis shoes on her feet. My mind automatically began to think how "unfashionable" that outfit looked, and how her shoes totally didn't match her dress. I began to go on and on about how I'd never wear such a clothing choice in public. Before I'd even spoken to her or had time to make a first impression I judged her based on her outer appearence. How could she even stand to be in a feminine dress or skirt? I hated them! Now fast forward a couple of years. You see a family walking in Wal-Mart and notice that all the girls of the large family are wearing long skirts. You guessed it! Now I'm the girl with the skirt and tennis shoes on. { :D God sure does teach lessons in a interesting, unforgettable way, doesn't He?} Now I'm the girl out in public with the "unfashionable attire"! I'm the girl who wears skirts everyday and is willing to sacrifice fashion for modesty's sake! How the Lord has since then changed my heart! I now realize that it's not what you wear that makes you who you are! through this experience the Lord has shown me so much on judging!

~*~*~*~*~

These are all an examples of the many times I've judged before giving thought to what I was doing. My sinful nature's first responce is to judge, to find something about them to grade myself against, to see how much more "godlier" I am than them becasue of some certain area based on the outer appearance. This brings to mind the story of the sinful man who begged for God's mercy at the temple humbly, were the "clean, innocent" rule-following man just was there because he was following the rules. Who was truly forgiven? The Lord has often shown me how I am quick to judge. I must let God do the judging, and it's a good thing I can't righteously judge others, otherwise if I judged myself according to how I judge others, then I'd be bound for hell for sure with no hope of Heaven! Thank the Lord for such a merciful God! Often times when I judge others I realize that I'm really making God sad becasue I'm thinking I'm better than others based on outer appearance. But 1 Samuel 16:7 tells us that: "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." I'm told that my best acts of righteousness are as filthy rags...how much more my sinful acts? {Isaiah 64:6}

Judging is something our sinful nature is prone to, it's something that just happens before we realize it. We must train our mind to be merciful and to stop judging, leave it up to God. The Lord is the only True Judge so if we leave the judging up to Him then our lives will be a lot easier and we will be able to see people for who they are instead of pointing the finger. Blessings!


Thursday, May 10, 2012

Book Reviews

A Sister's Secret, Sisters of Holmes County Series #1
A Sister's Secret
{Sisters of Holmes County Book # 1}
By Wanda E. Brunstetter
{Review By Bethany}

Publisher :: Barbour
Number of Pages :: 299
Source :: Library
Publication Date :: 2007
My Rating :: 5 out of 5 stars

Putting her rumschpringe {running-around years} behind her, Grace Hostettler returns to Holmes County, Ohio; joins the Amish church; and begins a new life with a new romance. The next four years are nearly idyllic for the oldest Hostettler child-except for the hidden pain she bears from a carefully harbored secret. Her peaceful world is shattered the day she runs into Gary Walker-an Englisher who knows enough about her past to destroy her future. Gary's arrival in Holmes County coincides with a series of startling attacks against the Amish community-and the Hostettlers in particular. Is Gary at the root of this evil? Amishman Cleon Schrock plans to marry Grace but is unaware of her past. When evidence of Grace's deception arrives on her family's doorstep, will Cleon feel compelled to desert the woman he loves? {Taken From Back Cover}

I really enjoyed this book by Wanda. I read one book authored by her last year and really enjoyed it so I told myself I'd read more of her books but hadn't gotten around to it until now. :) This is the first book in a series called Sisters of Holmes County. The series consists of three books, each one is about one of the Hostettler girls who are Amish: Grace, Ruth and Martha. In this first book the main character is Grace, since she is the oldest. I will say that I loved it and it kept me wanting to read more and more! It had a wonderful way of making you feel like you just can't put the book down until you've read one more chapter... ;) 

Pros :: Even though this would be considered a romance, Wanda did a wonderful job keeping it clean. The most romantic part in the book is about holding hands and even that didn't go into details. Even though there wasn't much descriptive romance, Wanda had a way of still clearly getting the point across of the two being in love without presenting it in a way that is distracting to a single woman. Even though there is deception going on in the book, at the end Grace is truly sorry and repents of keeping her secret to herself. So even though there is deceptions and lies in the end Wanda made a great point at showing how truly sorry Grace was.

Cons :: Since Grace is keeping a dark secret deep inside her there is deception{don't worry it's nothing too serious...so if you are thinking she committed some bad crime, worthy of jail-time, then it isn't anything like that :)}. She hold the truth about her past from her parents and what makes it worse is that when evidence shows up on her door, she has to spill the beans all at once. One thing I didn't like about the book is how I felt as if Wanda wasn't putting much detail into how the Amish live personally. She made reference to using weapons when they were being attacked with pranks, but the Amish don't use guns or weapons, the Mennonites don't even do that! This is only one example of several that I found that lessened the ability to feel like you were in the book. So I felt as if she didn't put much effort into making you feel like they were Amish. Although this is something that makes a book more enjoyable to a reader, it's definitely not something to make you avoid the book altogether.

A Sister's Test, Sisters of Holmes County Series #2
A Sister's Test
{Sisters of Holmes County Series Book # 2}
By Wanda E. Brunstetter
{Review by Bethany}

Publisher :: Barbour
Number of Pages :: 287
Source :: Library
Publication Date :: 2007
My Rating :: 5 out of 5 stars

Ruth is the second oldest sister in the Hostettler family, and she has one burning desire-to marry and fill her Amish household with children. Life seems to be falling into place when Martin Gingerich starts to court her and she befriends a motherless child. But her dreams are suddenly shattered in one horrific moment, putting Ruth's faith to the test. Finding herself spiritually adrift, Ruth's only prayer becomes a desperate "God, why?"


This was a very inspiring book and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It was very nicely written and was very interesting!

Pros :: This book was very inspirational and after reading it, I found myself counting my blessings more and thanking God for my family. In this book Ruth goes through lots of trials and losses and reading about her hard times makes you realize how well off you are. I never seem to realize how blessed I am until I read or hear about someone else who has it a lot worse off than me. This was a book that really left an impression on my heart and helped me be more thankful. Since Wanda went through great detail with Ruth's trials you felt as if you are there besides the person feeling their grief and pain. Often times I found myself thinking "Oh, poor Ruth" as if I would someone in real life that recently went through a loss!


Cons :: One thing about this book is that the events that happened seemed to happen too fast. For instance, in the last book Grace and her husband Cleon are having a hard time getting along and then all the sudden after several chapters of conflict in a few pages they have made up. It just didn't seem like everything happened like it would in normal life I guess, but it is fiction after all. :D The only other con I can think of is it's a bit of a sad book, several people pass away, but the end is wonderful and it makes up with a very happy, hopeful ending!


A Sister's Hope, Sisters of Holmes County Series #3A Sister's Hope
{Sisters of Holmes County Book #3}
By Wanda E. Brunstetter
{Review by Bethany}

Publisher :: Barbour
Number of Pages :: 297
Source :: Library
Publication Date :: 2008
My Rating :: 3 out of 5 stars

Martha is the youngest of the Hostettler sisters and the most daring. While her main focus has been on her dog breeding business, Martha has also been troubled about the continuing attacks against her family and home in an Ohio Amish community. When prime suspect turns out to be Luke Friesen-the man she loves- Martha decided to play detective. But what will the search for truth cost? Luke seems to have taken the wrong road in life. With definite motive and myriad of methods, he looks guilty as sin. Will Martha's hope in his innocence be enough to bring the real criminal to justice? Roman Hostettler disproves of the love blossoming between his daughter and Luke. In his determination to drive the couple apart, discord and dissension grown within the family. {Taken From The Back Cover}


Sadly, this was my least favorite book in the series. If it weren't for not letting you all down by not having the third book's review or for finding out who had been responsible for the attacks on the Hostettler family, then I'm afraid I wouldn't have finished this book since I'd not considered it worth my time.

Pros :: The story was fairly interesting and did great on starting were you left off in the last book. Honestly the cons outweigh the pros, so I'm not able to think of anything else that was a pro in the book.

Cons :: I'm afraid that this book had more cons than pros, and I'd like to share some of those right now. For one, the subject of direct disobedience to parents was shown. Martha deliberately went against her father's commands in several areas, one being that she was forbidden to be around or talk to Luke. At first, Martha doesn't really have feelings for Luke, but as she slowly starts to see him behind her father's back, she develops feelings for him. In the book there is also more romance than in the first two which is disapointing, and two kisses are shared against Martha's fathers commands. If honoring our parents wasn't such a big deal then it wouldn't be listed in the Ten Commandments, but it was. So obviously God thinks it's important! The fact that this book shows Martha going against her father's wishes - and knowing full well that she was doing so and did nothing to stop it, but rather encouraged it-was just a bit more than I would have liked to see. To make matters worse, in the end Martha is "justified" by disobeying since Luke proves innocent and then end up marrying. The book almost makes it seem as if disobedience was no big deal and that in the end, ultimately everything fixes itself.

For those looking for the third book review in the Rose Trilogy Series {In continuation of THIS POST review for the first and second book in the series}, please let me explain why it isn't here as promised last month. :) This book seems to be pretty popular right now, and due to that, the book has been out for the past few weeks at the library, thus I've not been able to check it out yet nor read it. However the first time I am there and it's available to check out, I'll get it and be sure and review it in a upcoming review post as soon as possible. Thanks for your patience!