Bringing a meal, more than just a yummy dish!

Hello there! 

Last night I posted a picture on Instagram and it generated lots of comments, questions, and a few texts. 

So I thought, this would be the perfect blog post with more information! 

What is this picture you ask? 

Ok, here it is! 

please pardon the cell phone picture, I was not planning on this becoming a blog post. 

Our sweet friends have a new addition to their nest so of course a meal was in order. 

Food is one of my love languages, I am convinced of this. 

Having my home full of the people I love, good food and drinks, well I am happy as a bird with a french fry. 

Going to a restaurant with some of my favorite people, well that too just makes my day! 

And the hubby and I are always scouting out the best steakhouses in any city we visit. 

So yes, food, drinks and lingering over conversation and laughter, makes my heart happy.

I also love, just love, making food and taking it to people. 

It has always been something I have really enjoyed....

Naturally because I can't do anything simply, I have to doll it up a bit. 

And since you asked, this is what I did this time. 

The menu was perfect for summer:

Chicken Salad with Grapes on Croissants fresh from the bakery

Summer Fruit Salad

and a Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Each dish was in a foil pan wrapped with foil.

I truly believe when you bring someone a meal, as nice as it is to give in a pretty dish you 

don't want to put them out by asking them to return your dish, unless it's one you're gifting them!

Since this was a busy momma I wanted to make a yummy meal and keep things as simple and did not want her to have to go to the trouble of returning anything!

Next I used rectangle doilies, these are the placemat size.

Doilies are a must in this house, every size and shape.

Use them for entertaining almost every time! 

The doilies were wrapped around the pans and secured with a tulle pink bow.

On top I used my computer to make the monogram tags with the dish listed below the monogram. 

There are also little pink baby carriages that were affixed to the middle of the bow I cut using my 

Die Cut Machine. 

This was super easy and looked so cute! 

It's so fun to brighten up the receivers day and love on friends. 

It is the unexpected that so many times speaks to the heart!

So there you go friends, you asked, I shared!

Now, go on out there and share the love.

Is there anyone in your world who could use a meal? 

It doesn't even have to be fancy.... 

A momma who worked a long day and could use 2 pizzas and some cokes delivered at 5:30? 

Maybe your neighboor who lives alone and may not cook full meals anymore for just one person.

If you look, I promise you will see, and you will be blessed beyond belief!

simple sentiments

This past week my small group wrapped up with Beth Moore's Believing God study.

It was so radically different from our last but equally good in it's own way. 

On day 4 this week, the verse above was our "treasure"

and it spoke right through me. 

It was like it was there just for me.

Does that ever happen to you? 

This year the word I chose for the year was love. 

Loving others the way He loves. 

At least making an attempt though failing daily. 

Daily I have to ask Him in His strength to help me do this...

Meeting people where they are at and loving them unconditionally. 

It isn't always easy and like I said it's something I fail at daily.

It is something that with some people has been a work in progress for years.

It is so difficult to love difficult people.

In our human powers it is out of our reach, but in Him, with Him, friends the impossible, is possible.

But there is so so much here. 

So much more than that. 

When I made that promise in Jan I also said, God give me your eyes.

Just like that Brandon Heath song I have quoted on here before.

When we see the world through His eyes there is a shift in the way we act.

Those of you who have shared pieces of your story with me know exactly what I am saying here.

The student in your class acting out is suddenly a child who didn't eat last night and slept on a hard floor.

The acting out isn't defiance, its hunger, fear and exhaustion... in the body of someone too young to cope.

The friend who is snippy at car riders, isn't just being a pain, she is momma scared about a test result this week or whose marriage is crumbling... who needs an extra measure of grace and patience from a friend.

You see, there is a shift here, a shift from, it's about me to it's about them, it's about loving them even when it is tough, through Him and His strength. 

I want to love out of the overflow of my heart, out of what He has so graciously and abundantly given to you and to me.... so perfectly and yet we have done nothing to deserve it. 

There is a reason that out of Faith, Hope and Love, the greatest is Love.

Love covers, love carries, love acts.

My prayer is that as women, as daughters of the King, whatever earthly role we may fill

we always love out of the overflow of our hearts. 

For when we do this we can't help but conduct our actions with love for others.

Can you imagine what would happen in your circle of the world, in your work place, your community, your service organization, PTO and yes, even our churches, if we loved out of the overflow of our hearts?

Radical things would transpire... because when we get out of the way, and let Him have room to move, room to inhabit our hearts and out minds, our actions fall right into line with His will and His heart.

We'd be blown away.

Friends, will you join me? Will you love out of the overflow?

Best wishes for an awesome week. Take up the challenge and write me, what happens...

sweet mason jar invites

As a lover of all things southern, food, culture, literature, travel, and just life

mason jars are no exception.

Growing up in a family where tradition was important and food was central to family gatherings

I can remember mason jars in my great grandmothers cabinets 

when I would visit on Saturday mornings with my Papa. 

Maybe that's why I love them so much, it brings me to a place in time with 2 people I wish I could 

have known and done life with as an adult.... as a momma. 

Our bible study community group is closing out our Spring Semester Study... 

I love these girls y'all. They are precious. They love well and laugh hard.

We've only been together about a year but the ties run deep 

and when one of us is in need you should see these girls rise up and love each other well.

They rally and support and love from the overflow of their hearts. 

So with the close of the semester I just had to honor them.

I want to love them well... so dinner at my house it is. 

This is where the mason jar invites come in. I found the template on line through pinterest and then 

used a program on my computer to format it to my needs. 

Y'all they turned out precious! 

What I have envisioned for this evening, well, I just hope it turns out half as well as I have

made it in my head... because these girls they just deserve it.

Take look at how cute they turned out...

Are these sweet or what?
Love love love them!
the information is all on the back and they are tied up
with lovely puffy bows!
The tablescape will follow suit....
this year my word of the year was "love"
I wanted to make a concerted effort to love those around me well...
Love out of the overflow of my heart with His love and His compassion...
Having the opportunity to be with these girls this year has been such a joy.

More pictures to come after our dinner next week!
In the meantime, love out of the overflow of your heart....


If you would like the template for the Mason Jar you can visit
Working on It Wednesday

holding our loved ones close and my word for 2013?

this holiday season we drew inwards, we celebrated with close family and friends 

and it was such a season of special memories... i hate to see it end. 

such a bittersweet time on christmas day. 

my heart is full for all the love and laughter and lives that filled my home the past 3 days.

my feet are aching and i am beyond tired but my mind it races with the memories made, still so fresh. 

one thing rang true for me over the past few days and it was to hold your loved ones close. 

life is so fragile as we all know and in an instant it can all change. 

one fell swoop and life as we know it is never the same. 

as i grow older and life teaches me more i am often pausing to revel in it's lessons.

the past few weeks especially i have really felt in my heart such a need to share my love for those around me.

ensure they know they are a treasure to me.

to hug someone just a bit longer, really listen to their laugh 

or feel their soft skin as we hold hands to pray at the family table.

being sure to tell them i love them when they leave my home not just tell them good bye.

i want to love these people in my life well. i want them to know i care, that they are special and loved.

this is the time of year i really try to reflect on the past year,

reflect on my word of meditation from the past year

and decide which virtue to move into the following year.

two years ago my word of action was, simplify.

i simplified my life down to bare bones so i could focus on what mattered most.

last year my word was, intentional.

being intentional in my decisions, my family and in my relationship with Christ.

this year there are a few ideas swirling around in my head.

prayers are offered to help lead me in my next word of the year.

i think it will have something to do with those around me this year....

do you have a word of the year?

if so how do you decide which one?