Journal of a Busy Mom

living one day at a time

What is your favorite feeling?

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I’ve been reading a devotional book called The Finishing Touch: Becoming God’s Masterpiece: A Daily Devotional by Charles R.Swindoll. In one of his devotions he asks “What is your favorite feeling?” I immediately thought of my worst feeling. The worst feeling in the world is feeling like a failure. I get a knot in my stomach, my shoulders slump, and my eyes are downcast. I have had that feeling many times in my life. My whole life I spent trying to please my Dad and others. I didn’t want to disappoint anyone. I had to be the perfect daughter, the perfect friend, the perfect everything. I transferred that desire to please to God as well. However, since I am human and a sinner, I never felt like I could please God enough. He was, well, God. I felt I was constantly letting him down. I always felt like a failure. At one point, I even gave up. I thought, “I will never be good enough and never, ever do the right thing all the time”.  Then something wonderful happened. I read a verse in the Bible, that said “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast” Ephesians 2:8-9. I had read this verse before, but that day it spoke to me loud and clear. There wasn’t ANYTHING I did or didn’t do that gave me God’s stamp of approval. I could not BE good enough. It was all done for me by Jesus at the cross.

I know my title is misleading, here I am asking you about your favorite feeling and then I tell you about my least favorite feeling. But, here is the point: feeling the failure in this instance, then feeling that relief, gave me my favorite feeling of all: PEACE. I have peace with God and peace with myself. Yes, I still  screw up and I fail. I still disappoint the people around me, but with GOD I have peace. That is the most amazing and wonderful feeling.

If you are interested in this book I’ve attached an affiliate link.

Ligia

Freezer Cooking: Using cooked chicken breasts

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I made a chicken enchilada casserole with one of the pre-cooked chicken breasts that I froze last week during my mini freezer cooking sessions. I can make this recipe using either a crockpot, the Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker (shown below) or in a casserole dish.

What I love about this recipe is I can make it year round. During the hot months, I can throw it in the crockpot and cook it in my garage or I can use the Baker; depends on whether I want to put it together earlier in the day or right before dinner. In the colder months I can use a casserole dish and use the oven or any of the other two methods.

Here is the recipe which I found on cooks.com. I adapted it to fit my family, so if you want to read the unchanged version read it online at the link above.

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

2 whole chicken breasts, poached

1 14.5 oz can of mild red enchilada sauce (gluten free version for us)

1 small can green chili chilis

8 oz grated cheese (Jack, Cheddar, Sharp)

12 small corn tortillas

chicken broth

1. The night before defrost the frozed pre-cooked chicken breasts.

2. Shred the chicken into a bowl.

3. Mix the chicken with the enchilada sauce and chicken broth

4. Spread the small can of green chilis at the bottom of the dish.

5. Cover with layer of tortillas and a layer of chicken, followed by a layer of cheese.

6. Repeat until you have used all the ingredients and you end up with a final layer of cheese on the top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven or in the crockpot on high for 1 hour or 18-20 minutes in the microwave using a dish like my Pampered chef baker.

 

New Walgreens Rewards Program

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Walgreens is joining the rewards card bandwagon and coming out their own program called Balance rewards. There is a little video on their website about the program, but basically you earn points for shopping at Walgreens. For example if you earn 5,000 points it equals $5.oo.

If you join their “Walk with Walgreens” program you can earn points for that too. One mile equals one point. Who knows, maybe that will motivate me to move more. I went ahead and signed up, why not?

I already use CVS’ Extrabucks card, Safeway Club Card, and now my Target Debit Red Card so I will definitely need this one too. I love to save money and anything helps.

There is also a Walgreens App for smartphones to check your points balance, allow you fill prescriptions, find a Walgreens, make a list, and much more.