Forever Beloved - Faith, Love & Truth

Monday – chicken and waffles, complete comfort food

Tuesday- lasagna and garlic bread

Thursday – tacos, easy peasy {and a fav of the littles}

Friday – chicken and biscuit casserole {recipe below}

Saturday – Rigatoni with Red Pepper, Almonds, and Bread Crumbs {adapted a bit to fit our families taste}

Sunday – no peek beef tips, mashed potatoes, corn and homemade bread

Chicken and Biscuit Casserole
1 tube of Pillsbury biscuits
1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of Sour Cream
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1 can of peas
2 cups cooked chicken
1 cup mild cheddar cheese
3 Tbs milk

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix soup and 1/2 cup sour cream. (If you heat them together on the stove your biscuits will come out less doughy on the bottom. I usually heat my mixture in a large saucepan first – This is step is not required, but helps if you don’t want a doughy bottom of the biscuit). Then stir in chicken, peas, milk and melted butter. Flatten this out then top with shredded cheese.

Put biscuits on top of the cheese you just sprinkled. Just layer them in a single layer. If you did buy the thicker biscuits I would probably flatten them out a little, or cut them in half so they are not as thick, they will cook better.

Cook for 35 minutes or until the biscuits on top are golden brown and the mixture underneath is hot and bubbly.

She considers a field and buys it;

out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

She sets about her work vigorously;

her arms are strong for her tasks.

She sees that her trading is profitable,

and her lamp does not go out at night.

In her hand she holds the distaff

and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

Proverbs 31:16-19

This week we see a wife who is a capable, intelligent woman. She has a good savvy business mind; which is very needed when raising a family, especially on one income in these economic times.

The first thing we see is the Proverbs 31 woman considers a field, she doesn’t just rashly buy it. Every woman doesn’t have to go into real estate and horticulture — the principle here is that this woman uses her mind. She is smart, patient and wise with her finances and doesn’t just purchase things on a whim. She considers it, prays about it and talks to her husband about it. She seeks her husband’s approval before making any purchases. She would never make a purchase without consulting her husband first. She spends her money wisely and unselfishly. And I would say she’s a saver, since she obviously had the money saved up to purchase the field.

She doesn’t just buy the field, she plants a vineyard in it. She is obviously a hard worker. When she has a special project like this, she gets at it and get it done. She doesn’t get to the middle of the project and decide it was too hard and give up. She works hard, eagerly and vigorously.

The Proverbs 31 Woman was a BEAST y’all! She took pride not only in her spirit and mind but also her body. She treated her body as if it were a temple. WHY? Not to be beautiful in the worlds eyes, but to be fit and ready for anything GOD called her to do!

We need to have diligence and a heart that’s willing to work. Our home is the place where our children’s hearts are molded and where they grow spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. Our home is where our husbands come after a hard day of work to find comfort and to relax. A home with a hardworking woman is a complete blessing to her family.

Remember last week we studied a bit on Verse 15 {She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants} and how it ties to Verse 18. A lamp is always kept burning at night in Eastern houses. Since the houses are very small, the careful housewife has to rise at midnight to replenish the oil. While she is up, she often then begins her household work by grinding the corn or preparing something for next day’s meals.

I was curious about Verse 19, so I really studied it and researched the meaning. This verse tells us that she performed the work of spinning her flax into thread. The distaff definition is a staff for holding the flax or wool in spinning. The spindle definition is a slender round rod or stick with tapered ends by which thread or yarn is twisted in spinning by hand and on which it is wound.
We also see a reference to spinning in Exodus 35:25 And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen.

She was such an industrious lady! My goodness, even spinning her own thread to make her own fabric to make her family clothes. Wow! As I’ve said before, I’m not friends with sewing at all. But there are lots of other ways we can apply this to our own lives and do with eager hands to provide for my family. I enjoy loom knitting and can whip up a mean scarf in a few days. There are so many different things we can do with our hands…sewing, knitting or crocheting to name a few.

These verses show a woman who endures, who keeps going, who is strong for all that she must do and be. This week, be willing to get your hands dirty, work hard and show an amazing work ethic. And as we discussed last week, do it without complaining. Remember, your most important work will be done inside the walls of your home.

Meal Planning Monday

A Proverbs 31 Woman {Week 4}

Today, I Choose Happiness