Bible For Breakfast...

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My husband always says...Just like we need to eat breakfast in the morning to fill us...all the more we need the Bible for Breakfast to feed our souls. So true! I will be honest...There are mornings I don't feed my spirit...for whatever reasons be it I am undisciplined. Thank God for the husband I have for always encouraging me/us to fill our minds and bodies with the word of God with our children at breakfast time.
"People need more than bread for their life:They must feed on every word of God"
~Matthew 4:4

Every most mornings Freckles and I read from our 6 month track...It has taken longer than 6 months...But happy to report we are almost done with it. We will have read scripture in every book of the Bible. These days...we have been a lot more diligent in reading the Bible for breakfast...Because I know that I need it and my kids need it and because God calls us to read the word. It really has been a great way to start the day. My dear husband also says...
You wouldn't starve yourself from food right?, so why would your starve yourself of the word?"

Now since school will be starting back up our family won't have the same schedule.BOOOO!!!! Mr. Darling has classes during the week which will take much of the day and Maestro has started a couple classes in college which will keep him from a normal morning routine. My hubby though, as disciplined as he is reads the word every morning over coffee...As our son and a few friends who are also attending college with him have pulled together to read and discuss scripture as their devotions. This gives me complete joy.
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. ~3 John: 4
 So looks like it's just me and Freckles most days...
I feel very strongly our mornings with God and Bible for breakfast
 is a priority we need to focus our day.

Not only do we read the word...We also pray. Mr. Darling wrote up a whole little prayer booklet for Freckles to use as prayer guides for morning prayer, meals and night prayers as well. It is so neat. So each morning we read the morning prayer together and pray for others and the goings on.
"Pray without ceasing"
~1 Thessalonians 5:17

"The family that prays together stays together"

Another part of our devotion time is reading from this devotion. I read it to Freckles and she looks up the scripture verses and reads them aloud. Then we talk about it. We also got her a Faith Journal where she can write down her thoughts, joys, fears and take it to the Lord in prayer.

When we walk by the Spirit the fruit of the Spirit will be evident in our lives:
 love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control
-Galatians 5:16, 22-23
****
I pray you too will start your day of with your Bible for breakfast...It will keep you going all day long!
Blessings!

Saturday Morning Cinnamon Biscuits & Photo Tips...

Good day!
 I just wanted to pop in and thank you for the well wishes through comments and e-mails. Friday was a better day for me except Freckles got the same thing now...Poor dear was a mess all day with a sore throat and low grade fevers. I am sure she will feel much better for the zoo today. We will take it slow with Gramma and Great Gramma. Oh yeah, I wanted to share this recipe I actually shared back in 2009... very simple recipe for Cinnamon Biscuits here. As I was photographing these...I thought I could share with you how I take care of my dark pictures. Number one I don't have a high end camera...Just a little camera that was less than $100 bucks. I am not complaining... I am very thankful to even have a camera to capture moments. One day though...I will invest in a very nice camera...For now... I deal.
Alright that being said... I love taking pictures...I don't like using flash, since it really makes pictures look blah. So if I don't have enough light during the day I have to tweak and edit it through my picture program... I store all my pictures on Picasa.com....which is free...I can then crop, enhance etc... there or there is an option you click through Picnik....These photos I edited with Picnic.
(before)
Notice how this photo is dark....I uploaded it to Picasa then clicked the Picnik button option. Then I clicked Edit...Then clicked exposure. I moved the top bar to the right adjusting the exposure setting to about 26 and the bottom bar contrast to about 31. Then I clicked save to Picasa... You then have the option to save a new copy or replace...I usually press replace..unless I am going to edit that same picture in different manners.
(after)
You will have to play around with the exposure/contrast as well as other effects you want to accomplish. I love it...I have found that tweaking my pics. they really look better. Some pics. are harder to edit than others though... If a room is wayyyyy too dark...The picture itself will look fuzzy even when you try to edit it. Unless you have a realllly good camera that is. I have also become the best of friends with my crop button option... I just love that you can cut out unwanted background or surrounding area...It brings your subject in so much closer. You also have the option to sharpen a picture if you think it is a bit blurry...
This too has helped with many pictures.
(before)
I am pretty happy with most of my picture results. I can't complain too much... Again I am grateful to even capture a picture at all. I hope this has helped a little. Perhaps you already knew all this...Perhaps you learned something new... I hope you can benefit either way. By all means...If you have any tips for me...please send me an e-mail or a comment. I'd love to hear your take on making photos better when you have a mediocre camera!

(after)
 I hope this will inspire you to embrace
 your cameras this weekend and shoot some photos and give them some sparkle!
P.S This is only my opinions and my own experience. I  am not a professional and have no clue really what I am talking about when it comes to photography...Only what I have personally learned from experience and playing with my own photo's.

Have a delightful weekend!!!!!

Spring Breakfast Table....

I am so excited!
I was out yesterday running errands and picking up Freckles from her friends house and decided to look real fast through a passing Thrift store. There it was right in front a me....A sweet little vintage table and two chairs. Surely, it would too much for my pocket book. I only had $25.00 from my birthday gifted from my dear MIL. I got out and took a wee look...and asked the guy how much. He said...Well, how about $85.00 and I'll give you half off! Hmmm....Nope still too much for me. I got the gull up to ask if he'd take $20.00...He thought for a minute and said... How about $25.00!!! I said, or shall I say I screeched YES!!! I'll take it!!!

So, I came home with a cute table and two chairs for the amount I was willing to spend... I cleaned it up with Ajax...It was dirty!!! Then I decorated it this morn for a sweet Springy breakfast!

I got out all my cute reds, yellows and white vintage stuff and went at it!
Check out this funny lil Chick with a polka dot scarf...I got her at the Dollar Tree.

 
As a center piece I placed some of my fun soda pop bottles
 on a ceramic dish and put some flowers in them.
I used my red chargers from my Sister which she got from Target. Yellow plates originally from Ross priced at $3.99 each...I got them at a Garage sale for one buck each! And, they were still new with price stickers. Red and white plates I bought a couple years back from The Dollar Tree. Red napkins gifted to me for Christmas from my SIL & Brother, and the sweet whimsical dishes I got from my Sil & Brother as a birthday gift this month! So sweet!!! I love how all the colors and patterns go with each other. I also used my polka dot glasses from Target!

I am already planning to re-cover the chair seats in reds...
Probably will be quilted patchwork or something. I can see it now!
 
So, then I made a french toast with eggs and bacon breakfast and a glass of milk!
We enjoyed the morning sitting around my new table. I just love a bargain!!! 

Linking Up With....

The Charm Of Home
The Picket Fence
Between Naps On The Porch
Thrifty Groove
Tabletop Tuesday
It's A Very Cherry World

Dutch...Dutch ...Baby!!!

 
I wonder why they call this a Dutch baby when they also call it a German pancake? Anyhoo...I made this yummy breakfast the other day and thought I would share the recipe for those who have never had it before. I'll never forget the first time I made a Dutch bay... about 10 years ago I threw a baby shower for a friend....This is the perfect dish to make for a brunch. I slather on the butter a bit of lemon and powder sugar...Yum!

 

*Dutch Baby*
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter, melted and divided
 1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons vanilla sugar, plus extra for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
Lemon wedges
Powder sugar for sprinkling
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Place 2 tablespoons of the melted butter into a 10-inch cast iron skillet and place in the oven. Set the remaining tablespoon of melted butter aside to cool slightly.
Wait 10 minutes before assembling the other ingredients.
Place the flour, vanilla sugar, salt, milk, eggs and remaining tablespoon of melted butter into the bowl of a food processor or blender and process for 30 seconds. Carefully pour the batter into the preheated skillet. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges are puffed and brown. Sprinkle with additional vanilla sugar and serve with lemon wedges.

Enjoy!!!

Belgian Waffle Birthday....

It's my baby girls 10th Birthday today!!!

 

She requested Belgian Waffles
 for her Birthday Breakfast...
 Here is
 the recipe we use.

 

Te waffles made her smile from ear to ear.
They were moist, sweet and delicious.
 We lit a candle and sang Happy Birthday to her.

She was one happy Birthday Girl!
Thank you to all who left her birtday wishes,
sent her cards and gave her gifts!
Happy Birthday my darling daughter!

Food For Thought.....

Miss Freckles made breakfast all by herself !

French Toast dipped in banana and pineapple, YUMMY !

She just added a little banana and pineapple puree to

the egg mixture,dipped in the bread than cooked on the griddle!!!

Thank you sweetheart..

.it was a wonderful start to a wonderful day......

 Food For Thought:

Always keep your words soft and sweet -

just in case you have to eat them.

More Food For Thought:
******

TODAY I WILL NOT STRIKE BACK :
If someone is rude, if someone is impatient, if someone is unkind...

I will not respond in a like manner.


TODAY I WILL ASK GOD TO BLESS MY "ENEMY" :
If I come across someone who treats me harshly or unfairly, 

I will quietly ask God to bless that individual.

I understand the "enemy" could be a family member, neighbor, or a stranger.


TODAY I WILL BE CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT I SAY :
I will carefully choose and guard my words being certain that I do not spread gossip.

 
TODAY I WILL FORGIVE :
I will forgive any hurts or injuries that come my way.

*****

Enjoy this Lord's day !

Makin' BaNaNa Pancakes...

Good Morning to you!
We have been so busy packing...
there is nothing like having a big wholesome
breakfast to keep ya going till lunch at least!

We made whole wheat
BaNaNa PaNcAkEs !
MMM MMMM Good!
Singing to Makin' Banana Pancakes
by Jack Johnson!!!

Make a batch of Whole wheat pancake batter,
add two brownish bananas, mix well, pour it on the griddle,
cut up some more bananas on the side or right on top and enjoy!
Sometimes we even add peanut butter on top!! Yum!
Have a great Morning!!!