From the Heart, Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken AND Early Mother's Day Picnic at the Park

Good Thursday morning!

From the Heart - I have a fun fact for ya! I love Mother's Day sermons.

For me, they tend to be both encouraging and a big reminder I am human...

I am beyond flawed...

And no matter how hard I try/tried, my best efforts aren't/weren't enough.

God has got to be in the parenting of our kids, the grandparenting of our grandchildren, and so on and so on and so on.

I am just going to share a little bit of Bro. Steve Gaines' sermon from this past Sunday...

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9

On your hands - It should govern everything you do.

On your head - It should govern everything you think.

On your doorpost - It should go with you every time you leave the house and return home.

On your gates - It should be on your gates for the whole world to know you belong to Jesus Christ.

And then Bro. Steve gave two practical ways to teach your children the Word of God...

1. Put scripture in every room of your house (pictures, plaques, painted on the walls, etc.). Make sure your children have scripture around them at all times in your home.

2. When you find out you are expecting, start praying scripture over the unborn baby (and continue to pray scripture over your children as they grow).

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - I have added a list of just some of the verses you can use to pray over your children.

Rejoice before God that all of your child’s days have been ordained by God (Psalm 139:16). Acknowledge to Him that your child's days belong to Him, from the first to the last and every day in between.

Ask God for your child to have a close relationship with Him as he/she abides in Christ (John 15:7-9).

Claim on your child’s behalf the truth that God has not called him/her for impurity, but in holiness (1 Thessalonians 4:7).

Pray that God would give your child a heart that trusts in Him, leaning not on his/her own understanding, but acknowledging Him in all things. (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Ask God to grant your child a biblical fear of the Lord, an awareness of His holiness and His power, and a reverence that inspires obedience. Pray that your child will know God intimately in his/her life, and that the fear of God and the knowledge of God would lead your child to wisdom and insight (Proverbs 9:10).

Pray that your child would develop self-control, thus securing his/her testimony before others (1 Corinthians 9:24-27). Ask God to help him/her renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live a self-controlled, upright and godly life in the present age (Titus 2:12).

Recount back to God that your child’s worth is more than that of many ravens, and that He is the only One who can provide for his/her needs (Luke 12:24).

If you have ever wondered as a Christian parent what to teach your children (at any age)...

Get the Word of God in their hearts now.

Don't hesitate. Don't delay. Don't take a break.

The Word of God is THE tool you need to use every single day when raising your family.

Slow Cooker Creamy Tuscan Chicken

You will need the following:

1 tablespoon butter
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
2 (15-ounce) jars Alfredo sauce with roasted garlic
2 (3-ounce) packages slivered sun-dried tomatoes (NOT IN OIL)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1 (5-ounce) bag baby spinach leaves

1. Melt butter over medium-high heat in a nonstick pan. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add chicken to pan and cook until browned on both sides. (About 2 minutes on each side.)

2. Place chicken in a lightly greased slow cooker.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together Alfredo sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning.

4. Pour mixture over chicken. Cover slow cooker and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours.

5. Open slow cooker, mix in spinach. Cover and cook 5 more minutes. Serve over noodles.

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - I always tell you when something is good, but this is a new favorite, and if you would like to try an Italian dish that is a little different, this is the one for you. It is delicious!

RANDOMNESS - Early Mother's Day Picnic at the Park - Our original plan was to have a picnic dinner at a park in Cullman the Sunday before Mother's Day. Things changed a bit, and we ended up going to a local park in Gardendale.

We were a little concerned at first because two out of three pavilions were being used for BIG birthday parties, but then we found out the third pavilion was empty...

And a grill close by wasn't being used...

And the park was plenty big enough to accommodate our 11 family members and two giant birthday parties at the same time.

In other words, it worked out really well!

Here are some swingin' pics...

And here are a few of the twirly thingy pics...

And, of course, the slidin' pics.

We'll end this little photo blitz with the always popular hodge-podge pics!

If you were wondering why Austin was the adult assigned with pushing and twirling kids, you can now see Josh was slaving over a hot grill.

Everybody had a job!

This is clearly not the best pic The Chick and I have ever taken together...

And I am going to have to take 100 percent of the blame.

Maybe this one will do from a few weeks back.

Y'all have a delightful Thursday, and I will be back before you know it!

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. Here's a little preview from the next post...

HINT - I was just a little ill when this pic was taken on our anniversary weekend a few months back.

From the Heart, My Favorite Things RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE, Sheet-Pan Chicken and Waffles AND McWane Center Randomness

Good Friday morn!

No time for idle chit chat. I have a 45-minute deadline to maintain.

So hold on, because here we go!

From the Heart - I recently listened to Bellevue Baptist's service from this past Sunday. Bro. Steve Gaines is doing a study in the book of James, and this particular sermon was about faith AND works, and how faith without works is dead. The scripture reference was James 2:14-26.

He read this poem as he closed, and I thought it was very fitting.

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I’d rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear.
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear.
The best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds.
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.

I soon can learn to do it if you’ll let me see it done.
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
The lectures you deliver may be very wise and true.
But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
I may not understand the high advice that you may give.
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - Even though I enjoy rhyming words (very much), I am normally NOT a poetry person...

Mainly because I fail to understand a great deal of it.

But this was just as clear as could be to me.

And it isn't just for pastors!

I hope you'll take time to read the scripture reference and the poem in the very near future.

My Favorite Things RIGHT THIS VERY MINUTE - I have posted three of these before, but today I have four because ME turned one recently...

And Judy Kirk added the little portrait on the end to my collection!

I love the portrait, the subject of the portrait and Mrs. Kirk VERY much!

Sheet-Pan Chicken and Waffles

You will need the following:

Cooking spray
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), cut on an angle into thirds
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
5 cups cornflakes, finely crushed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
12 frozen home-style waffles
Maple syrup, for serving

1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Toss the chicken pieces with the mixed sour cream, garlic powder, cayenne, half the lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of black pepper in a large bowl to coat. Set aside.

2. After crushing the cornflakes, put them in a shallow dish and stir in the olive oil, 1 tablespoon thyme and a pinch each of salt and black pepper. Coat the chicken in the cornflake mixture, pressing to adhere. Place on the prepared pan and lightly coat with more cooking spray. Bake until lightly browned on top, about 15 minutes.

3. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and move the chicken to one side. Arrange the waffles in two rows on the other side of the pan, overlapping them. Bake, flipping and rotating the waffles halfway through, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees and the waffles are toasted and hot, 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Serve the chicken and waffles with maple syrup.

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - Of course, you can use your own homemade waffles. (On this particular night, I cheated!)

RANDOMNESS - McWane Center 2021 - It has been a little while since I've been to the McWane Center.

One year, two months, five days and...

You get the idea.

I was thrilled when most of us were able to meet up at one of my favorite places in Birmingham a few days ago. (We were missing Pop, Josh and Roxie, and we added Sarah Grace.)

There was a great LEGO exhibit on one of the floors.

This is what Bham Now had to say about the BRICKOLOGY EXHIBIT!

1. Building Tables. With hundreds of pounds of LEGOs for visitors of all ages, let your imagination loose to design one-of-a-kind creations. From dinosaurs and race cars to castles and airplanes, the options are endless.

2. Giant Jump Ramp. How do you like your race car — fast, flashy, big, small? Dream it, build it, then put it to the test on a Giant Jump Ramp.

3. Earthquake Tables. Think you can build the tallest, strongest and most durable LEGO tower? Find out by testing it on a vibrating earthquake table that’s so quivery it would make King Kong quake in his fur.

From Batman’s Arkham Asylum to a scale model of the Alabama Theatre, witness the creations of some of Birmingham’s most talented creators. Trust me, you’ll be wowed.

NOTE FROM ENCHANTING BELINDA - It really is that good!

The best pics I have of RT are of him looking down working furiously on LEGO creations, so you'll just need to remember how cute he is up close and personal from previous soccer pics.

You have to be super fast to get good pics of everybody, and I hate to admit it, but I don't appear to be as quick as I was 30 years ago.

I wonder why?

I hope your upcoming weekend will be a wonderful time spent with family and friends. Take care, and I'll be back in just a few days. (Sneak Peek below!)

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. We celebrated my Mother's Day this past weekend at a local park. Everyone was able to attend. Josh grilled hamburgers and hot dogs. The kids (and some of the adults) played hard. A good time was had by all! I'll post some of those pics next time.