Tablescape Thursday: With All Of My Heart(s) - Celebrating 10 Valentine's Days Together!

Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."  Matthew 22:37

For the last couple weeks I'd planned to surprise Mr. Dishaholic (I'm sure he'll just love being called that) with a special Valentine's dinner.  After all, this was our 10th Valentine's Day together (3 while dating & 7 married).  I had come up with this elaborate plan to leave work early, pick up my needed supplies from the store, and go over to my parents' to prepare the meal so that he would not have any clue.  My idea was to tell him that I'd made reservations for us at a restaurant and that we could just meet there after work.  Only instead of me actually meeting him at the restaurant, I planned to call & tell him I was running a little late and to go ahead and go in to the restaurant and tell them we have reservations.  In reality, I was going to drop off a card about 15 minutes before and have the host/hostess give him the card, which would tell him to meet me at our house in an hour.   In the meantime, I would go to our house & get the table set up & finish the food prep.  Woo!  That makes me tired just thinking about it!  Those were my plans anyway, but instead, it went something like this...... 

The weekend before Valentine's Day we were both visited by an unwanted guest...a stomach virus!  Ugh!  I was feeling somewhat better by Sunday, but not only did it put me behind on my planning & gathering supplies for the table, but it also left me feeling very tired.  Knowing I was short on time and tired, Sunday evening I decided to forgo the surprise & let him know about the dinner.  I gave him a card that asked him to be my valentine & join me for a special "10th Valentine's Day" celebration on Monday evening.  I figured that would help reduce a little of the stress & give me more time to get things accomplished.  It seemed good in theory anyway.

So Monday, I left work around lunch time & headed to pick up my supplies.  What I thought was going to be a quick trip turned into a much longer trip as I ended up having to go to several stores to get everything I needed.  Not to mention that when I got home I realized I had the wrong kind of flour!  So back to the store I went! 

To make a long story short & get on to the good stuff, let's just say that things took much longer than planned, and after much frustration, and several hours later I wasn't even close to having dinner prepared.  In fact by 6 or 7pm, I only had the chocolate covered strawberries & oatmeal lace cookies finished (& that was with my poor hubby's help!).  On top of all that, he was still feeling extremely sick.  Oh & did I mention I was on call for work & got called out later in the evening & didn't get home 'til 4:30 am?!  While memorable, it was definitely not the Valentine's night I had envisioned!  So having said all that, we ended up having our Valentine's dinner tonight.  I guess better late than never!

However, the one thing I did manage to complete by Valentine's evening was the tablescape.....after all, as long as there's a good tablescape, does it really matter what, or if, you eat? :)

My inspiration for this tablescape came from 2 sources.  The first one was simply hearts..... I went around the house, looking through Christmas ornaments & other decorations, gathering all of the red hearts I could find (hence the name, "With All of My Heart(s)").  Of course, it was an excuse to purchase a few more, too!  My second source of inspiration was the fact that this was our 10th Valentine's Day together so I wanted to make it special.  Looking back through some old photos, I came across a few from our 2nd Valentine's Day, which just so happened to also be the first tablescape I ever put together!  So I decided to use some of the same things for this tablescape as I did for that one!

First I started with a basic white tablecloth.  On a recent trip to Target, I saw this red blanket with the hearts "punched out" on the ends & I knew it would be perfect for my table.  Plus, it was only $4.99.  You can't beat that!

At each place setting, I layered the heart plates on top of square red plates.  It's hard to tell in the pictures, but I actually have a black dinner plate layered between the red plate & the black rhinestone charger.

I decided to use a couple of my heart ornaments as napkin rings.

Then I used the same glasses we used for our 2nd Valentine's Day!  (They were painted by mother-in-law).  Conveniently, they also served as our place cards since our names are on them.

For the centerpiece, I gathered some glass jars from around the house.  I filled one with a bunch of red heart ornaments & topped it off with some ribbon.  Another I filled with the chocolate covered strawberries, and the last one I filled with the oatmeal lace cookies.  I added a couple ornaments to the tops as well.  

All was going well, & then it happened!  I was holding my very favorite heart ornament by the string, when the string suddenly broke & the heart fell to the floor, shattering into a hundred pieces!  It broke my heart (get it? :) ).  That was just one of the many mishaps on that memorable night! 

I also added a few pictures of us during our dating years.  Of course, it just wouldn't be complete without a picture of us sitting at the table that served as the inspiration for this one!

And you can't have a romantic dinner without candlelight!  (These candles just so happen to be the very same ones we used before, too).

Our menu for the evening consisted of:

 chicken tetrazzini (the same thing I cooked on our 2nd Valentine's Day)

garden salad

rolls

 oatmeal lace cookies

chocolate covered strawberries

And last, but not least, sweet tea for my sweetie

After all this talk about our 2nd Valentine's Day (& my first ever tablescape), of course I had to include a picture of it.  Do you see the similarities?

red/white heart plates - Kohls

red square plates - by Sonoma/Kohls (many years ago)

black plates- by Rosanna

rhinestone chargers - Michael's

silverware - Walmart (many years ago)

white napkins - Pier 1

(I can't remember where I got the red napkins from)

heart ornaments - Michael's & Hobby Lobby

glass jars - Hobby Lobby

red blanket "tablecloth" - Target

I'm joining with Susan from Between Naps on the Porch for

Tablescape Thursday.

Wildcard Wednesday: The Search for Signficance

I'm trying to do a litte more reading these days.  I enjoy reading, especially non-fiction, information books, but I'm not very good at making the time to do it.  But this last week I picked up a book that I've had for a while (and by a while, I mean at least a couple years!), but had never completely finished reading!  I started over at the beginning and actually finished it this time.  The book is called THE SEARCH FOR SIGNIFICANCE (by Robert . McGee), and it was spot on with what God has been doing in my heart lately!  Isn't God's timing perfect? 

 


This book talks about our God-given need for self-worth, for security, and for acceptance, and how we go about trying to fulfill those needs in all the wrong ways!  All of our efforts only lead to more problems and hurt relationships.  It even talks about how it can drive some of us to be perfectionists (ironic, since my post a couple weeks ago was about my struggle with perfectionism!).  But the book doesn't leave you hanging; it also reveals how those needs are intended to be met : through our relationship with God (also ironic considering my recent study & post regarding how God's purpose for our lives is to have a relationship with Him!).  So I encourage you, if you've ever struggled with insecurity or low self-worth, or if you've ever felt the need to win the approval and acceptance of those around you, or if you're a perfectionist like me and are afraid of failure, read this book!  It's a great reminder of how loved we really are!!!

Tutorial Tuesday: Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Welcome to "Tidbits, Tips, & Tutoral Tuesday!"   I know Valentine's Day is now over, but who says chocolate covered strawberries are just for Valentine's Day? 

Last night I decided to try my hand at chocolate covered strawberries for the first time. Seeing as how it was a definite learning experience for me, I thought I'd share a few tips I learned along the way.

First, I gathered the necessary supplies: strawberries, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, some finely chopped pecans, and a few decorative sprinkles for that special touch.  I also grabbed a large piece of styrofoam (from a recent package I'd received) & some toothpicks.  Then I got to work.

Next, I washed & thoroughly dried the strawberries  (I had read that if they were wet at all the chocolate wouldn't stick) & stuck a toothpick in the stem end of each one.

The next step was to melt the chocolate, & I must admit it took some trial & error (& some frustration) to figure out the best way to achieve the desired result.  At first I tried melting a few chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave, stopping and stirring them about every 30 seconds.  I quickly learned that if the bowl tends to get hot in the microwave, the chocolate will go from not melted to burned in a matter of seconds!  Error #1!

So then I decided I'd pull out the double broiler.  I turned my burner to medium &, stirring continually, started melting the white chocolate chips.  This seemed to be working for a short time, but by the time I had dipped 4 strawberries, the chocolate was beginning to get clumpy in the pan & wouldn't smoothly coat the strawberries.  Error #2!

By this time I was really getting frustrated and decided to go ask my smart & creative hubby what he thought.  (And yes, I was making the strawberries for him, but at this point, I was desperate!)  Not sure exactly what we needed to do, we decided to try one more time, this time with the burner on low.  And guess what?  It actually worked this time!  We had finally figured out the best method!

Now was the fun part!  I, or should I say, we took each strawberry, and holding it by the toothpick, dipped it in the chocolate, twirling it as we took it out to catch any drips.  Then we turned them upside down, sticking the toothpick in the styrofoam.  The reason for this was to keep them from having a "flat" side when they hardened.  (As a side note, you might want to try covering the styrofoam in foil or plastic wrap.  We found that on a small number of strawberries, the chocolate dripped down, & when we removed the strawberry, a little bit of styrofoam was stuck to the chocolate!  However, on the chocolate that we melted "correctly," the dripping wasn't an issue.)  Before the chocolate hardened, we added some nuts & decorative sprinkles to a few of the strawberries.  Then we simply put them in the refrigerator for a few minutes to harden the chocolate. 

Voila!  My (our) first chocolate covered strawberries!

  And I might add, they were delicious!

Scripture Sunday: God's Spitting Image

Then God said, "Let us make man in Our image, in Our likeness....."  So God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.  Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)

Another version puts it this way:
God spoke: "Let us make human beings in Our image, make them reflecting Our nature...."  God created human beings; He created them godlike, reflecting God's nature.  He created them male and female.  (The Message)

When I read these verses, it got me to thinking.  What is the definition of "image"?  What exactly does it mean when it says we were made in God's image?  So I did a little research, and here is what I found:

First, it means "likeness."  In fact, the Merriam-Webster dicitionary not only uses the term "exact likeness," but they also use Genesis 1:27 as their example of how to use it!   I love that!  So what exactly does "likeness" mean, you ask?  Well, it means resemblence or imitation or simply "the state of being like."  In other words, out of all that God created, He chose us to resemble or be like Him. 

So in what ways were we made like Him?  Well, it likely doesn't mean we are like Him physically since God existed before anything physical came into being, and Scripture tells us that God formed man "from the dust of the ground."  (Although when God sent His Son, Jesus, to earth, He did choose for Him to be in the form of a man).  Most likely, it means that we are like Him in the sense that we are spiritual beings.  Genesis 2:7 states that God breathed into man "the breath of life."  We are the only creatures that God breathed His breath in to.  By the way, want to know one of the definitions for "breath"?  SPIRIT!  God breathed His very spirit into us!  Scripture also reveals that we were made like God in the sense that we were given intelligence, moral consciousness, freedom of choice, and emotions.

Another definition of image is "mirror" or "reflect."  So it made me think.....when I look in a mirror or look at my reflection, what is it that I see?  The mirror or reflection isn't actually me, it's simply a piece of glass, but rather it gives me an idea (or represents) what I look like.  In other words, God created us to be a reflection of Him.  He wanted mankind to reflect His very nature.....His love, His holiness, His glory!  We weren't made in His image so that we would be equal with Him or all-powerful or all-knowing; we were made in His image so that we would be a visible (or tangible) representation of God to those around us!  Our purpose as human beings, the reason we were created, is to have a relationship with God and to bring Him glory!  It's that simple.

Of course, Scripture also reveals that humans quickly chose to dishonor and disobey God, thereby, marring His perfect image in us and hurting our relationship.  From that point on, history leads to one thing: restoring that image and relationship.  And how did God do that?  He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross, to take the penalty for our sins, and to rise again to give us power over death!  You see, by simply asking God to forgive us and believing that Jesus died in our place and that He rose again giving us victory over sin and death, our relationship is restored and we can once again begin to reflect the nature of God!  Of course, we're still human.  We're still gonna mess up, but Jesus' blood covers all of our sins, if we simply ask and believe.  I don't know about you, but the more I grasp how great God's love for me is, that He would sacrifice His own Son in order to have a relationship with me, the more I want to spend time with Him and glorify Him!  And it makes sense that the closer the relationship, the more time we spend with God, the more we'll be like Him and the better our reflection will be!   

Just for fun, I also looked up the term "spitting image."  It actually comes from "spit and image," for which I found 2 possible origins.  First, it could mean that one looks so much like the other that he or she was "spat out of that person's mouth."  Second, it could have come from a hasty pronunciation of spirit and image, which suggests that one is like another in both spirit and image.  I also love the fact that when we use the term "spitting image," we are almost always referring to a parent/child relationship.  Hmmm......God breathed His breath (or Spirit) out of His mouth and into ours......we are God's children.....GOD'S SPITTING IMAGE.....pretty fitting, don't you think?

Seeing as how Valentine's Day is tomorrow, I want to leave you with one last verse, one that I think sums everything up and shows us the greatest love relationship of all:

But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 
Romans 5:8 (NIV)

Simplify Saturday

I don't know about you, but I constantly have an on-going struggle within me.  You see, I love new stuff!  It's not just that I love stuff, but I love what you can do with the stuff! 

I'm a decorating fanatic, whether it be for a holiday or a certain event or party or whether it's just coming up with new ways to "decorate" my tables!  I also love creating!  I'm always thinking up new stuff to "create," and I'm usually not satisfied until I've tried my hand at it!  So...I'm constantly getting "stuff" to use for decorating or creating.   The problem is I'm also an organizing fanatic!  My ideal house is spotless, with "a place for everything & everything in it's place."  So you see, this leaves me in a constant struggle....I get rid of stuff in order to simplify and get the house like I want it to be, and then, well, I get more stuff to satisfy my hunger to decorate & create!  And around & around I go! 

In the midst of this "merry-go-round," I've found that I'm always on the look-out for a better, more effecient way to organize or simplify my life without having to completely give up some of my greatest enjoyments: decorating & creating!  I've read countless organizing books; and "Storage" magazine, well, let's just say it's a staple in my house.  All of this reading, along with my love of organizing, has led me to start "Simplify Saturday."  Whether it be talking about an organizing gadget or simply sharing something that I've found to be helpful in simplifying my life, Saturday will be my day to share it! 

My plan was to jump right in & share a little tidbit today, but since Saturday's almost over & I'm a little tired (my hubby & I have both had a stomach bug this weekend), I think I'll just keep this post simple & save it for next time.  So check back next Saturday for "A Purpose A Day Keeps the Stress at Bay."

Tutorial Tuesday: How To Complete Any Project (as demonstrated by God Himself)

Earlier in the week, I shared that I deemed Sundays to be "Scripture Sundays," where I share a little something I've recently learned through my Bible reading.  I also mentioned that I had ideas for other days of the week, too.  Well, welcome to "Tidbits, Tips, & Tutorial Tuesday."  Wow, that's a mouthful!  As I work my way through blogland, this might change a little, but for now, "Tidbits, Tips, & Tutorials" it is!  My plan is to make Tuesdays (or at least as many Tuesdays as I find time to blog!) a time to share "how-to's" and other bits of helpful info. 

In keeping with Sunday's theme of the creation, I want to share something else I gleaned from Genesis 1-2.  Did you know that God reveals to us some helpful tips on how to complete a project?  He does! After all, He completed the biggest "project" of all: the creation of the world!

So here is what I learned:

Step #1: Have an overall vision of what you want the end result to be.                                              
God had a vision.  He saw the big picture.  He knew what He wanted the world to look like and what it's purpose would be.

Step #2: Break it into orderly steps.
God is a God of order!  He knew what all was needed in order to fulfill His vision.....light, water, sky, land, vegetation (which would later be needed for food), sun, moon, stars, fish, birds, land animals, and last, but definitely not least, humans!  He also knew that they needed to be done is somewhat of a certain order.  What would have happened if He'd created man first, with no light, no land, or no food?  Or what if there was no sun or water?  How would the vegetation grow?  You get my point.

Step #3: Work on it a little at a time, giving yourself time to enjoy the process! 
God could have done it all in one day if He would have wanted, but He chose not to!  Instead, He created one thing each day.  I choose to believe He did this partly so He could sit back & enjoy each step of the process.  Have you ever noticed that after each thing He created, He stopped and observed "that it was good"?  (As a side note, after each step of creation, scripture states that "God saw that it was good," but after He created mankind, scriputure says that "God saw...it was VERY good.")

Step #4: Finish what you start.
What if God wouldn't have finished?  Well, let's just say, not only would the world as we know it not be here, but we wouldn't be here either!!  I once heard someone talking about how one of the reasons for depression is that we tend to have so many projects started, but never finish them!  Finishing something gives you a sense of accomplishment & fulfillment.  If you're feeling a little blue, my challenge to you is to look around you and see if there is something you've started in the past that you can finish now!

Step #5: After you're done, take some time to enjoy it!
Gen. 2: 2-3 states that after God finished the work (the creating) He had been doing, He rested.  He took some time to just sit back & enjoy it!  It's important that we don't get so caught up in going from project to project that we don't enjoy the end product..... or the journey for that matter!

Scripture Sunday: In The Beginning...We Were Called to Be Light in a World of Darkness!

After doing a little thinking, I've decided that on Sundays I'm going to strive to make my posts about something I've recently read &/or learned from my Bible reading....thus, I'm deeming Sunday "SCRIPTURE SUNDAY."  (I have ideas for the other days of the week, too, but I'll share those some other time.)   While the perfectionist inside of me is wishing I would have started this blog the first week of January (when I started reading the Bible chronologically) so that the scripture(s) I share line up with what I read that week, I keep reminding myself that this year I'm aiming for PROGRESS, not PERFECTION.  (For those of you who read my "perfectionism" post a week or so ago, you know where I'm coming from.)  So today I'm sharing a little about what I read back at the first of the year.....I think it's quite fitting that at the beginning of the New Year, a time for fresh starts and new beginnings, I read about THE BEGINNING.

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1 NIV).  I also like how another version words it: "First this: God created the Heavens & Earth - all you see, all you don't see" (The Message).

Genesis 1 & 2 go on to talk about the creation of the world & the beginning of mankind, but I didn't just learn about those very important things......God showed me several other "hidden" lessons in those scriptures!  I chose one to share with you today:

When God was creating the world, the very first thing He created was LIGHT (Gen. 1:3).  That got me to thinking....what is the importance of light?  Why did it have to be created first?  When I really stopped to think about it, what good would the rest of the creation have been if there was no light?  It would have been pointless (& hopeless). 

Hmmm....that reminds me of something else.  Later in scripture, Jesus is called the "LIGHT of the world."  Without Jesus, our Light, life is pointless & hopeless!  Interestingly, God also calls us to be a light to those around us.....in other words, we are called to bring hope to this world!  Yes, I got all that from 6 little words: "God said, 'Let there be light...'".

It's amazing what you can learn when you really stop & listen to God!