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Apron Strings & Blessings Weekly Newsletter Vol. 42

Happy Monday and thanks for joining me for this week’s, “Apron Strings & Blessings.” Let’s take a look at a few things faith, family, and home!

A banner featuring "Apron Strings & Blessings - Tying Faith, Family, and Home Together One Blessing at a Time" with a circular "Home with Grace and Joy" logo. Celebrate the strength of apron strings at www.homewithgraceandjoy.com.

This weekend was a wonderful time of not having to actually do anything specific. It was so different but in a nice way. We:

  • Spent two nights out at the fire pit listening to music. (See the details below.)
  • Got some things taken care of around the house.
  • Jay fixed a broken gate (and nearly cut his finger off in the process).
  • I finished Evelyn’s “Legacy Bible.” I am not sure what to call it, but here are the details. (More details below.)
  • We enjoyed the Rededication of our nation to the Lord!
  • I spent some time handwriting the book of Matthew. I am getting close. I cannot explain what a blessing this has been.

If you have kids or grandkids in school, you know that the school year is winding down. We have been to four different awards assemblies so far, and we get to go to one more this week.

After this week (and for some the following week), summer for the kids and all of my educator friends will be here! See a few vacation ideas/posts below.

Faith

Latest Saturday Morning Devotional

Saturday’s Post – How God Led Us to Gizmo: A Faith-Filled Dog Rescue Story about Prayer, Timing, and Trust

A collage featuring a tan and brown dog named Gizmo in various poses—sitting on a rug, cuddling with another dog, playing with a toy, and sharing space. Text describes the faith-filled journey that led us to Gizmo and his heartwarming rescue story.
read it here

May’s Scripture

A quote from Colossians 3:2 is displayed in white text on a beige background adorned with delicate flowers. It reads, "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." Subtle, abstract shapes enhance the background. A nod to Philippians 4 and the URL "www.homewithgraceandjoy.com" are at the bottom.

YouTube Scriptures

This one is based on Psalm 148:3

The sun shines dimly through a thick layer of gray clouds, casting a soft glow in the sky, as if held back by unseen apron strings. A tree with sparse leaves is visible in the lower left corner of the image.

See the clip here

Evelyn’s Legacy Bible

I finally finished Evelyn’s Bible, and what a joy that process has been to do all three girls’ Bibles. My only regret is that I really wish I had bought different Bibles for the two older girls, but I don’t have time to redo them. They will graduate before I have time to finish them.

An open Bible on a wooden table shows handwritten notes in the margins. Apron strings lay nearby, suggesting a pause from daily tasks. Tabs mark different books, and two ribbon bookmarks hang down at Psalm 150, highlighted with underlines and annotations.

I ended with Psalms. Now I think I will start doing a little comparison of the messages I wrote in each one. The Bible is so alive and gives you what you need at the time. It will interesting to see what messages are the same and which ones are different.

Hopefully I will have something to share next week.

Home & Family

Vacation Ideas and Posts

I am working on a post to share some easy meal ideas for you on vacation, if you don’t want to go out every night.

Three people are swimming in the ocean near the shore on a sunny day, with clear blue water and a sandy beach in the foreground—much like you'd enjoy after savoring Wednesday's Enchilada Special.

Other than that, here are a few more “vacation” posts. Hopefully something will be helpful.

Latest Post – How to Take Care of An Aging Dog

These are lessons we learned from sweet Wile E. It was such a learning experience, but I wouldn’t trade it.

A small, gray and tan dog with large ears sits on a carpet next to a patterned couch. Text overlay reads, "How to Take Care of an Aging Dog—Lessons We Learned from Wile E." Learn how to take care of an aging dog at www.homewithgraceandjoy.com.
Read the post here

Flowers

I love shared flowers! My dad’s cousin, Lavonne, saw a comment I made on another post and offered me some of her flowers. She reached out to me and met me in town to get some of her lillies.

An older woman with gray hair stands in a parking lot holding a potted flowering plant and a small blue pot. She smiles at the camera near the open trunk of a car, as Brookshire's and memories of apron strings come to mind.

When I got there, she surprised me with the purple flowers in the picture, Red Salvia, and a Christmas Cactus! I had never had any of those, and I was excited to get them.

Random Granddaughter Video

I had to share this, because it is so amazing! Chloe found a hummingbird stuck in the chicken coop and was able to get it out and release it. Isn’t this sweet?

Just click the picture to see it fly away.

May’s Monthly Menu

Quick and Easy Meal Ideas for May

A collage with “Quick and Easy Menu Ideas for May” shows plates of food: tacos with rice and chips, shrimp pasta, and steak topped with mushrooms—perfect inspiration if you loved our Quick and Easy Monthly Menu for March. Website: homewithgraceandjoy.com.
click here to see the menu

This Week’s Menu

Thrown Together Meals

Do you ever have “Thrown Together” meals? If so, what are your favorites? Last week, I had planned to make Jay’s Sour Cream Chicken Enchilada Casserole. However, when I went to make it, I discovered that I only had 3 flour tortillas.

A plate with scrambled eggs, sautéed broccoli, and three breaded fish sticks sits on a checkered cloth, evoking the comfort of home and memories tied to apron strings.

This was delicious, and besides the potatoes, I didn’t even realize I had the other items in the freezer. I strongly advise:

  • Keep extra food handy:
    • Canned food
    • Dried beans
    • Pasta
    • Frozen food
  • Put together one meat with a couple of vegetables for a fast, easy, and delicious meal.
  • Don’t be afraid to experiment with what you have. This is how one of our favorite meals came about. I don’t even have a name for it. We just call it the 15 Minute Chicken and Cauliflower Rice Meal.
A skillet on a stovetop contains a mixture of chicken and cauliflower rice, black beans, tomatoes, and is topped with a large amount of fresh cilantro. A white spatula rests in the skillet.

Share your favorite “thrown together” meals in the comments.

Favorite Time and Items of the Week

We have been enjoying the backyard sitting area a lot lately!

A square metal fire pit filled with lava rocks, with yellow and blue flames rising from the center against a dark background—perfect for gathering around in your favorite apron strings on cool evenings.

The weather has been perfect, and the dogs have had fun with us being outside instead of just watching TV every night.

However, Ally feels responsible to “be on guard!” There are lots of bullfrogs out there making noise, and she is not taking any chances on them getting us! 🙂

A wooden post with string lights stands in a metal bucket filled with rocks on a grassy lawn at night; apron strings gently sway as a large tree and a deer lying on the grass are visible in the background.

Here are some of our very favorite things for our nights out at the sitting area:

One other thing I have to share about this is the music we have been listening to. It is amazing!

If you like Christian music with a blues vibe, you will love this! Some of the songs are complete verses from the Bible. Just search “Christian Blues” to see the variety. Here is one of our favorites.

This lyric jumped out at me this weekend:

“I will tighten this Belt of Truth until it cuts my doubt in two.”
Christian Blues Haven Channel

The Top Amazon Links

I feel like I share these links all of the time. However, when people have asked me for them, I have had a hard time finding them in a post or newsletter.

A square image with text disclosing affiliate links—clicking may earn a small commission at no extra charge. Only favorite new finds for busy seasons of life or personally used products are ever recommended.
A collage features a floral Eiffel Tower mug on a warmer, a woman in an olive green loungewear set holding coffee, and a beige devotional book with a rose gold notebook on the table. Text: "Most Asked for Links." Cozy moments tied together like apron strings.

You can see my favorite items that are on sale, with a few others at my Amazon storefront. See the link below to check them out.

Amazon storefront

This is interesting – my Amazon storefront shows in real time the trending picks from all of you! The outfit is one of them, but I am surprised by the last one.

Interesting Sites and Things I Found Last Week

There were lots of great posts that I came across this past week. Here are a few of them:

Upcoming Posts

  • Legacy Tours
  • Stacked Enchiladas Recipe
  • Hawaiian Salads
  • Staying Consistent with Bible Reading
  • The Blessing of Writing the Bible

I am also working on a devotional/recipe book. It is coming together nicely. The ebook will include dessert recipes with a devotional to go with each one. I will keep you posted.

Let’s Connect

I would love to stay connected. Subscribe below to receive posts and updates sent directly to your inbox.

We can also connect on social media. Click the icons below to connect with me. You will find pictures and ideas along with scriptures on these platforms each day.

I am planning to start a video Bible Study series that will be on these social media channels. I would love it if you would follow along. Just click on the icon for the social media platform you like best and follow.

Related Posts

Apron Strings & Blessings – Vol. 43
Apron Strings & Blessings – Vol. 41
Apron Strings & Blessings – Vol. 40
Apron Strings & Blessings – Vol. 39

I have enjoyed sharing this week! Have a great one, and enjoy every minute of it!

A delicate circular floral wreath encircles the message "have a grace & joy-filled day—controlling the tongue!" with the name "susan" below, all depicted in soft brown and green
disclosure

disclosure: Amazon affiliate advertising program and other affiliate links may be used on this page. Thank you for supporting Home with Grace and Joy. When you purchase an item, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure and privacy policy on the website. 

“How sweet Your Word is to my taste – sweeter than honey in my mouth.”
Psalm 119:103

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One Comment

  1. Such a fantastic week, Susan! I love that you guys have been spending more time outside. Thank you for the mosquito rec. We’re expecting rain all week, so I know they’re going to be out in full force. Excited to hear about your flower journey. My Granny gave me some irises from our family’s farm before she passed, and every time they bloom, I feel so thankful to have had her in my life, and I’m happy you got to enjoy that feeling too. Thank you for sharing my simple ways to celebrate Memorial Day. Living in a military family was not always easy, but it was always worth it. Adding my prayers to yours for Gold Star families. Big hugs, CoCo

    Reply

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