MrsDrPoe: Spring Break in Memphis

This Foto Friday I'd like to share with you my "spring break" in Memphis.  Mrs. Luke flew down to the big city last Friday, and Saturday we drove over to visit the fam for a few days.  Sunday for lunch we went to Gus's World Famous Fried Chicken:

Layla played with the only dog in our family that likes her, Bullet when we got back:

And I took a nap with the Old Gray Wiener Dog:

Monday, we had lunch at Leonard's Pit Barbecue:

Checked out the largest Bonsai nursery in the country:

Walked along the Mississippi:

And caught "Born to Be Wild" at the Pink Palace's Imax: 

Tuesday we went to the zoo, and Mr. Wolgemuth took Mrs. Luke and me out for dinner at Mr. P's Buffalo Wings:

Mrs. Luke and I came back Wednesday, and she left us today.  It was a very good (and busy) visit!

MrsDrPoe: Spring 2012 Gospel Meeting

It's another Theology Thursday here on the blog!  Today I'd like to invite you all to our gospel meeting going on March 18-21.  If you can't come in person, feel free to listen live as our guest L.A. Stauffer brings lessons on:

The Way of Love (Sun 9:55 am)

The Way of Faith (Sun 6 pm)

The Way of Hope (Mon 7:30 pm)

The Way of Salvation (Tues 7:30 pm)

The Way of Prayer (Wed 7:30 pm)

Hope you can join us!

MrsDrPoe: Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin

It's another What's for Dinner Wednesday here on the blog!  The first time I had this side dish I was very hesitant to try it.  I was at some school function where food was being served to students; my friends and I were sure that whoever had made this was just trying to clean out the pantry.  Regardless of the chef's motivation, it turned out to be a tasty treat and one that I hope you enjoy as well...Sweet Potatoes Au Gratin.

Ingredients: 1 large sweet potato, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons flour, 1 1/2 cups milk, 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, salt and pepper to taste.

Wash, peel, and thinly slice the sweet potato.  Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then whisk in flour to make a roux.  Stir in milk, and continue to heat until the milk just begins to bubble and starts to thicken, stirring frequently.  After the sauce has thickened, add 1 1/2 cups of the cheese along with the salt and pepper.  Whisk until the cheese has been fully melted:

In an ungreased casserole dish, place a thin layer of the potatoes, and then cover with some of the cheese sauce.  Continue layering in this fashion until you've used all your potatoes and sauce.  Finish the dish off with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese, and bake at 350 until the potatoes are soft (about 45 minutes).  Enjoy!

 

MrsDrPoe: The Jones Family

It's time for another edition of Poes' Pals here on the blog!  Today I'd like to introduce you to the Jones Family:

We've known these folks for about a year now, and we absolutely love visiting with them (especially when Mrs. Jones is cooking)!

Mr. L. Jones is an anesthetist, deacon, family man, and practical joker, and he takes each of these roles seriously.  He is also a fantastic Bibles student and teacher.  I've already alluded to the fact that Mrs. Jones is amazing in the kitchen, but she is also an incredibly selfless and serving person.  She's a stay-at-home-mom, and she spends her time taking care of her family and her church family, constantly making sure that everyone gets the love, encouragement, and anything else that they need.

Ms. Jones is currently a student at Florida College, and she is very much interested in speech pathology.  While we haven't been able to spend as much time with her as we'd like, we always enjoy catching up when she's home from school.  Mr. T. Jones is a senior in high school and will be attending FC in the fall.  He's a track star, a good student, and a terrific role model for dating Christians everywhere.


I hope the next time you're in Atlanta that you get a chance to meet these wonderful people!

MrsDrPoe: Deals, 3/11

It's another Money Monday on the blog!  There are a couple freebees available at CVS this week, but not too much to write home about:

CVS
Zyrtec, 5 ct. ($5.99) - get $5.99 back in ECBs
Pedia Care, 4oz ($5.99) - get $5.99 back in ECBs
 

MrsDrPoe: The Lorax

I have a very tasty item to show you this Foto Friday- "The Lorax" meal at Ihop!  We went Sunday with a group of friends and had a very fun, tasty time.  Check this out...green eggs and ham, hash browns, and a blueberry pancake cooked inside a waffle cone.  YUM!

MrsDrPoe: Paradise

It's once again Theology Thursday, and as always, I invite you to open your Bibles with me as we look at another portion of God's word.

My thoughts today once again come from listening to the radio during this week's travels.  The Coldplay song, Paradise, was on, and Mr. Poe and I were singing along.  Several times in the lyrics, it's said that the girl who's the subject of the song is disappointed by the world and dreams of paradise every time she closes her eyes.  Thought I've listen to and sang the song numerous times, this time it made me think...what is the "paradise" I think of when I close my eyes?

In the New King James version of the Bible, heaven is referred to as "Paradise" 3 times (Luke 23:43, 2 Cor 12:4, and Rev 2:7).  No matter what the answer is when we ask ourselves about what we long for and dream about, as Christians this should be the paradise that we think of continually- especially when we're disappointed with the discouragement and sin in the world.

After thinking about these things, I decided that my goal this month will be to dwell more on heaven.  I hope you'll join me! 

MrsDrPoe: Peachy Pork Chops with Rice

Welcome to another What's for Dinner Wednesday on the blog!  Tonight I'll be sharing with you a simple recipe I developed while trying to clean out the pantry and fridge before we moved...peachy pork chops with rice.

Ingredients: 2 pork chops, 3/4 cups of brown rice, 1 can of peaches, water, 1/2 can chicken stock, 2 teaspoons lemon juice, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of dried rosemary, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper.


Drain the peach juice into a 1.5 cup or larger measuring cup; add water until the liquid level reaches 1.5 cups.  Pour the liquid in a medium saucepan and add the rice.  Cook, mostly covered, on med-high heat until rice is done (about 15-20 min).


Heat the oil in a medium skillet.  Season the pork chops with garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper and place in the oil.  Brown the chops, then remove from the pan.  Add chicken stock, chopped peaches, and lemon juice to the pan, and stir to combine:

Place the pork chops back in the skillet, cover, and cook until done (about 15 minutes).  Plate the rice, chops, and peach sauce, and enjoy!

MrsDrPoe: Our Favorite Sins

Welcome to the latest Reading Review!  Today I'll share with you another book I received free from the BookSneeze website, "Our Favorite Sins: The Sins We Commit and How You Can Quit" by Todd D. Hunter:

"Our Favorite Sins" is a book about what the book of James tells us gives birth to sin- temptation and (as Mr. Hunter puts it) our "disordered desires."  Several temporary ways to avoid sin are discussed, as is the lasting solution to our sin problem, which is changing our lives from the inside out.  The overall theme of the book is the fact that we shouldn't rid our lives of desire, but we should instead reorient our desires toward the things of God.

The book was a fairly easy read, thought provoking, and I would definitely recommend it.  I found it very interesting the types of sins that most Christians say they struggle with were things like anxiousness, procrastination, eating, media, and laziness.  

While the premise of changing the focus of our desire is not new, I liked the visualizations employed (our pursuing the path of sin is called a "downward staircase" instead of a "slippery slope"), the importance of time spent in prayer and silence, and the emphasis placed on the fact that our duty to mold our lives to that of our Savior isn't earning us anything.

I do, however, wish that more of the prayers in the book would have come from the Psalms or other scripture instead of works of men.  Also, some of the views indirectly expressed by the author do not appear to follow the ideas New Testament.

MrsDrPoe: Deals 3/5

It's another Money Monday here on the blog!  Check out these deals going on this week...and be sure to check your local paper to see if you're in one of the CVS promotion testing areas and receive a three-day 20% off coupon.

CVS
Gold Emblem Jelly Beans ($0.99) - get $0.99 back in ECBs
Soft Soap Body Wash or Bar Soap ($3.99) - get back $5 in ECBs WYB2, use $0.50/1 in SS 2/12

Wags
Walgreens Saline Nasal Mist ($5) - get back $5 in RRs
Colgate Total Advanced ($3) - get back $3 in RRs, use $0.75/1 in SS 2/26

MrsDrPoe: Constant Encouragement

Happy Foto Friday to you all!  We're all moved in to the new place; although, we're still working on the hardwoods and waiting on our new furniture.  So instead of showing the typical house pix I've been sharing, I'd like to show you one method we've found particularly helpful in the area of constantly encouraging ourselves to live more like Christ:

writing on our mirrors throughout the house.  This is my side of the large one in our bathroom; every time I wash my face or hands or brush my teeth, I'm reminded of the command in Ephesians 5:22 that as a wife, I should submit to Mr. Poe as to the Lord.  

We've been doing this for years, and it's really helped me to focus throughout the day on scripture that focuses on areas that I feel I need the most encouragement (like respecting my husband, being anxious, etc.).

What ways have you found to encourage your families to be the people we should be?

MrsDrPoe: The Rich Young Ruler, Part 2

The week is almost out, which means another Theology Thursday is upon us!  Today we'll be continuing our discussion of the rich young ruler, so as always, I invite you to open your Bibles with me as we look at another portion of God's word.

If you remember, last week we looked at the story of the rich young ruler, how difficult Jesus said it is for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and that we too may need to get rid of our money and things if they are diminishing our trust in God.  Today we'll focus on the reminder of the passage, Luke 18:26-30.  

In verse 26, the disciples are taken aback by Jesus' teaching.  Then, like now, the rich were privileged, and if it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than it is for a rich man to enter the kingdom, the disciples don't see how anyone can enter.  Jesus responds, "The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."  In this one statement, Jesus clarifies that while we cannot enter on our own accord, all men, no matter what their social status, can enter into the kingdom by the grace of God.

Another typical 'response' when studying this portion of the passage is simply to justify that we don't have to live in poverty to serve God and move on with our Bible study.  Again, this is true...but what should we be doing with our riches if they're not hindering our trust in God?  Here are some practical examples of how we can use our blessings to serve the kingdom.

- host a Bible study, prayer session, or gathering in your home (like Lydia!)
- use your projector/big screen to show music for a singing
- invite brethren in need to stay in your home
- offer to baby sit for free while a parent or other child is sick
- make a meal for a needy brother or sister
- go visit shut-in or hospitalized brethren
- loan a brother/sister in need your car or offer to drive him/her somewhere
- volunteer your time and/or tools to help someone complete a necessary project
- fund your own mission trip or support someone else's
- donate unused or slightly used clothing, food, furniture, etc.
- sell something and give the proceeds to needy brethren (like in Acts!)

As we conclude our look at the rich young ruler, let's remember the end of the passage (Luke 18:29-30) where Jesus tells us that whatever we give up for the kingdom (family, possessions, etc.), we will receive many times more in this life and eternal life when our physical bodies die.  So, if we find our riches drawing us closer to the world and farther from Christ, we needn't be anxious about getting rid of them...trusting in the Lord affords us innumerable blessings through His body!


I hope this study has been as helpful for you as it has been for me.  Let us always remember that all that we have we have been given and that we should use everything in a way that best glorifies God!

MrsDrPoe: Chicken Enchiladas

Welcome to What's for Dinner Wednesday!  Tonight I'd like to share an experiment from Mr. Poe's favorite food genre - chicken enchiladas.

Ingredients: 8 flour tortillas, 8 oz chicken breast (cooked and shredded), 1 cup cooked rice, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 can Rotel, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 cups milk (not pictured), 8 oz of shredded cheddar cheese (divided).

Combine chicken, rice, soup, Rotel, sour cream, and 1/3 of the cheese in a medium bowl:

Place a liberal amount of the mixture on a tortilla, fold, and continue until all the tortillas are stuffed.  Arrange the filled and folded enchiladas in a single layer in a casserole dish. In a small saucepan, warm the milk over med heat.  Add cheese and stir frequently until the cheese melts; pour the finished cheese sauce over the enchiladas:

Bake at 350 until filling is hot, cheese sauce is bubbly, and the tops of the enchiladas are slightly browned (about 10-20 minutes depending on the starting temperature of filling ingredients).  Enjoy!

MrsDrPoe: The Barclays

Good morning to all!  For the next edition of Poes' Pals, I'd like you to meet another couple here in Atlanta, the Barclays:

While we're all members of the same body of Christ, Mr. Poe and I have really gotten to know the Barclays through a Tuesday night home Bible study this school year.  Mr. Barclay is a recent psychology graduate of Georgia State and is currently in the process of grad school shopping.  Mrs. Barclay is almost finished with a degree in early childhood and special education (also at GA State).

The Barclays make such a great couple!  They share a deep love for the Lord and for children; they both are diligent and hard working and have fantastic taste in both clothes and music.  Their annual Christmas Mix CDs are a wonderful example of the latter (that may not mean much coming from me, but the fact that Mr. Poe requested I bring them on our Christmas travels should say something).

Mr. Poe and I have really enjoyed our time with the Barclays, and, though we'll miss them if they move away after they wed, we hope they will have many more happy years together serving the Lord wherever life takes them! 

MrsDrPoe: Deals, 2/26

It's another Money Monday on the blog!  After moving the remainder of our stuff from the apartment to the house, I'm certainly thankful that there are more free pain patches this week!

CVS
ThermaCare Lower Back and Hip, 1ct. ($3.79) - get back $3.79 in ECBs
Colgate Sensitive ($4.99) - get back $4 in ECBs, $0.75/1 SS 2/12, 2/26
Select Easter Candy - get back $3 in ECBs WYB $10

Wags
Belvita Breakfast Biscuits, 8 ct. ($2.99) - get back $1.99 in RR, $1/1 SS 2/26
Baby Magic Dustless Baby Powder, 0.28 oz ($6.00) - get back $6 w/ MIR