What's for Dinner?

I received this letter from my cousin, Lorra, at a time when I really needed to start being more intentional with my time at home.  She is an amazing mom and wife, and she loves the Lord dearly!  I hope you are as encouraged by her words and her heart as much as I am.  -Amy

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Hello!

Over the past weeks, I have been listening to a radio series on Titus 2 and the biblical instruction for older women to mentor younger women.  "Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God." (Titus 2:4-5)  As I listened to this, my first thought was of how I would love for a godly, older woman to speak into my life on a regular basis.  Then the Lord reminded me that we are all older than someone and that mentoring could simply mean sharing some of the practical ways God has shown me to love and care for my family. 

As a busy mom you know how precious time is, so I am going to attempt to share the ways God has helped me make the most of my time, take care of necessary household tasks, and glorify Him in the process.  These are just helpful hints and suggestions.  By no means do I have it all figured out!  As a mom and as a child of God, I am just a work in progress.



One of the best time savers for me is menu planning.  I sit down with the Sunday ads and make a menu for the next week based on items that are either on sale or I already have at home.  Afterwards, I make my grocery list so that I only have to go shopping once that week.  I keep a pretty good stockpile of pantry ingredients, too, so sometimes all we need is bread, milk, and fruit! 

The next thing that has been helpful is that one night a week I make something that can pull double duty for another meal.  For example, if I am browning hamburger meat for tacos, I brown enough for a spaghetti casserole and chili later in the week.  Or if I am baking chicken, I make enough for two casseroles so I can put one in the freezer for later.  I try my best to freeze one extra meal a week.  That way I always have something I can pull out on a busy day when I don't have time to cook.  It takes a little planning, but the time saved makes it well worth it to me in the long run.  (Bonus Recipes!)

My final time-saver is sandwich night!  As a family, we try hard to have game night once a week, and sandwiches are perfect for those nights!  There is little to no clean up for me, and I get to join in all the fun!  We started this as a way to spend quality time together, but for me it has the added benefit of being a night I don't have to cook or clean!

You may already have a system for your meals that works for you.  The Lord has just been prompting me to share some of the things He's shown me!  Just know that I am praying for you, your husband, and your precious children! 

Love,

Lorra 

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Lorra Casson is from Auburn, Alabama.  She is a wife to Thomas and mother to Drew (age 6) and Will (age 4).  She and her husband are also foster parents, so she is currently a foster mom to a 16 month old little boy.  Lorra says that being a mom is the most challenging job she has ever had, but it is also without a doubt, the most rewarding!