Crock Pot White Chicken Chilli

So, I decided to switch things up and post a few recipes here and there. Last night, we had white chicken chili for dinner. It was so good!!!

I found the recipe on pinterest (duh, I'm hooked on Pinterest)! Follow me on Pinterest

I decided to make a few changes in the recipe. You can find the original recipe here

Of course, I didn't remember to take a picture until we started eating! Here's the picture from the original recipe.

Ingredients for Chilli:

1 1/2 lbs of uncooked chicken breasts cut into 1-2" chunks
Two 15 oz cans of white beans (White kidney beans)
One 15 oz can of white corn (can substitute with sweet yellow corn)
1/2 onion chopped (I used the sweet yellow onion)
One clove of garlic, finely chopped
Two packages of taco seasoning (I used McCormick. I notice that other brands tend to be super salty.)
One 7 oz can of chopped green chiles
One can of cream of chicken soup (small can)
One 14 oz can of chicken broth


Ingredients for Topping:
1/2 cup of sour cream
Shredded cheese (I used Colby Jack and Cheddar)



Directions:
Place cut up chicken in the bottom of your crock pot. Add beans, corn and onion on top of the chicken. In a bowl, mix the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, green chiles, garlic and chopped garlic. Once mixed, pour into crock pot. I cooked the chili on high for about 4 1/2 hours. Afterwards, I placed it on low for 3 1/2, for a total of 8 hours.

Using a fork, I broke up the chicken pieces. I didn't drain the beans or corn prior to cooking because I wanted to serve the chili with rice. If you want to serve with tortilla chips or crackers, drain the beans and corn prior to pouring them into the crock pot.

Pour the shredded cheese on top of the chili. Next, place a dollop of sour cream to finish it off. The original recipe garnished the chili with finely chopped cilantro. I skipped that step, but will likely do it the next time I made it.

I really like crock pot cooking. Clean up is super easy if you use the crock pot liners.

Enjoy!!

Sandie

I don't want to raise successful children

I read this a few years ago. It's really been on my heart lately. It's a must read for parents and future parents. It is written by Lisa TerKeurst. She is an awesome writer! She can be found on the Proverbs 31 ministries website. I encourage all women to check out the site at Proverbs31.org !

I Don't Want to Raise Successful Children by Lisa T

“Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.” Proverbs 22:6 (NIV)

I don’t want to raise successful children. That’s a shocking thing to read, and a shocking thing for a mother to type. So, let me clarify.

I used to define success according to my child’s report card. Good grades and academic achievement would surely equal a good child with great potential in this world. But then several of my children wound up being average students with average grades. Though we carted them off to tutors and spent many a late night at the kitchen table helping them, they remained average. And I remained concerned and frustrated.

One report card day I found myself facedown in the fibers of my carpet crying and wondering, “Where have I gone wrong as a mom?”

I dug into Scriptures. I begged God for wisdom and discernment. I prayed for God’s perspective with each of my kids. Finally, one day it dawned on me – what if I simply chose to embrace the natural bent of each of my kids as God’s way to protect them and keep them on the path toward His best plans for their lives?

What if my A student needs academic success to prepare her for God’s plans while my average to below-average student needs to be steered away from a more academic future? What if my sports star kid needs that athletic excellence for his future assignments by God, but my benchwarmer kid is being protected from getting off course by her lack in this area?

And that’s when it finally dawned on me. My job isn’t to push success for my kids. My job as a parent is to recognize the unique way God created each child and point them to Jesus at every turn along their journey toward adulthood. Yes, I want my kids to learn and thrive and grow up educated, but it’s not a flaw in me or them if they don’t have straight A report cards and trophy cases full of sports medals.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it” (NIV).

I am challenged to ponder these words, “… in the way he should go.” Are we training our kids that the “way he should go” is to chase worldly achievement or to chase God? Whatever they learn to chase as a child, they will chase as adults. Therefore, we must be challenged to honestly assess the way we are pointing them to go.

My daughter, Hope, is one of my average students. She has also warmed many a bench in the sports she’s tried, and can always be found hiding on the back row of the stage during school concerts. Using the world’s benchmarks for achievement, Hope wouldn’t be seen as a child positioned for success. But God…

This past January, my 15 year old Hope, shocked me when she announced she wanted to go to Ethiopia with some missionary friends of ours and live in the remote African bush for the summer. Yes, she may not have trophies and straight A report cards but she does have a heart of gold. And because she’s not entrenched in sports and academic pursuits that could have created obligations for her summer, she was free to go to Africa. Free to chase God in a really big way.

One of the first e-mails she sent me from Ethiopia read, “Mom, I’ve fallen in love with the AIDS orphanage children. They rushed at me when I held my arms out and I tried with all my might to hold all 30 of them at once. I love it here.”

Now, don’t get me wrong. I do expect Hope to return to her studies this fall, give 100% effort, and finish her high school career having done her very best. She will most likely then go to college. But she probably won’t be delivering the valedictorian address or wearing the honors cords and medals. She’ll be the one with a vision of a dying AIDS orphan pressing against her heart ready to chase God’s plans to the ends of the earth.

So back to my original statement, I don’t want to raise successful children. It’s true, I don’t. Though Hope’s sister coming behind her is an A student and can always be found on the front row of school performances – we don’t chase after success for her either. I trust God that she needs those things in her life for the plans He’s unfolding in her life. We train with that bent in mind. But, we don’t chase it. Just like Hope, we point her in the direction of God at every turn and pray like crazy.

I stand by what I said and I’ll say it again, I don’t want to raise successful children. Because— raising God-honoring adults who will set the world on fire for Christ is just so much more rewarding.

Don't give up on them

Growing up in the South, family is truly a cornerstone. We would gather every weekend just to hang out. In addition, we spent every Christmas together. I'm talking parents, grandparents, siblings, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. Our family is (was) so intertwined, that I have a cousin that I call brother and another cousin that I call sister. We were just close like that. I could say that I don't know what happened. But, I do. Satan. See, he is so slick. He infiltrates and destroys everything. All he needs is one little argument, just a little jealousy, a little nastiness....and he will destroy everything in his path. That's what he did. Long gone are the family cook-outs, the Christmas morning breakfasts, the birthday parties, baby showers, etc. 

The Bible tells us that Satan came to steal, to kill and to destroy (John 10:10). And, y'all, he has stolen, killed and destroyed within my family for entirely too long. I'm not taking it anymore. I refuse for my family to continue to go down this path. There are so many Biblical promises that are relevant! God said that He would restore all that we have lost to the swarming locusts (Joel 2:25).  The one scriptur that I'm going to focus on is:

Mark 11:24 ESV 

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

I'm going to believe, no matter bad it looks, no matter how much they gossip about one another, no matter how much they seem to hate each other. I will believe that God is going to do a great work. My faith regarding this is bigger than a mustard seed. I want my extended family to be restored.

I know that I'm not the only one in this predicament. I ask you guys to join me in praying for my family. Lots believe God to do exceedingly and abundantly above what I have asked and what I think! Also, if you want to get in on this, leave a comment and we can begin a prayer group for restoration! 

But God....why can't I?

We all have things that we (our flesh) love to do, even though we know that the Bible speaks against those desires. We may really like getting high every now and then, getting wasted, gossiping (guilty!!), having sex outside of the confines of marriage, stealing, etc. Those things feel good, they appeal to our flesh. The more and more we do them, the more we like it! Why? That's how Satan operates. If he can get us to give just a little, he knows that he can wreak havoc in our lives. We may fail a drug test and lose our job, we may get a DWI, we may get an incurable STD, we may get arrested...all this are ways that the feel-good trap of sin may ruin our lives. None of those things may happen, but if we continue to sin repeatedly, we can cause our relationship with God to suffer. No, none of us are perfect, we will always sin, but let us not use that as an excuse. Yes, God knows our heart...but He also knows our actions! Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" So let's not think that God knowing our hearts is going to excuse any bad behavior. 

The more we continue to sin and fight against the Holy Spirit's pulling and nagging (we can call this guilt or our "conscience."), the less sensitive we will become to that pulling and nagging. We can end up with what the Bible refers to as seared conscience--when we no longer feel guilty when we do wrong (1 Tim 4:2). Likewise, God will give us over to a reprobate mind, so that we will do what out not to be done (found in Romans 1).

Satan comes to kill, steal and destroy. By drawing us into a life of unrepentant sin, he steals and kills our joy, our prayer life, our walk. He can even destroy our purpose. If you don't believe that, take the time to reacquaint yourself with the story of Samson (located in the Book of Judges).

Many of us don't understand why God calls some of our sins wrong. What's wrong with getting drunk? What's wrong with stealing, after all this company is rich...a $100 won't set them back! Why is this relationship considered wrong when I love this person? It's simple, it's not God's best for us. God created us in His image and then sent His son to die for our sins so that we could be reconciled to Him. 

Why? Because it is not His best for us. After all, isn't that what we want? We should live our lives pressing toward achieving God's best for us--to have a close personal relationship with Him, to walk i our purpose and to lead others to Christ. The things that God forbids isn't because He's some fun-hating tyrant! No! It's because He's a loving Father...one that knows what's best for His children. 

In high school, would have loved to be able to stay up all night watching television and talking on the phone. But Sandra didn't play that. Why? Because she knew that I needed rest so that I could drive safely to school, to be attentive in class and give my best effort. She knew what was BEST! Of course Jeremiah would rather watch Ninja Turtles all day (the same episode REPEATEDLY) rather than work on his letters. But that's not what's BEST for him!

Everything that is permissible is not profitable (1 Cor 10:23). So, let us start trusting God that He can remove the sinful desires from us! But, until then...remember that His grace is sufficient!

Parenting isn't for chumps

Until recently, I thought parenting was about raising your children to be happy, productive citizens and that we were just supposed to enjoy the time in between. Boy, was I wrong. Sure, I want them to be happy and be productive, but that's not número uno.  My kids are such a joy, even though some days are tough. They make me smile all the time. It really has put God's love for us into perspective for me, and made me realize all the more how I can't imagine how much He truly loves us. I know that I love my children, I'd give my life for them a million times over. And to know that God loves them even more than I do makes me say, "Whewwww." 

So what is the main responsibility? It's simple, it's to model the love that God has for us and to lead our children to Christ. Sounds simple, but it is not. Why? Because it requires a lot of soul searching and changing. It has required a lot of patience for me....patience that I don't necessarily have. I am trying to stop being a yeller. Right now, I'm trying to not yell at Jeremiah for nearly kicking Layla. I've come to see yelling as an adult temper tantrum....the same kind of tantrums that I try to get J to stop. I have to model better behavior. I've heard it said hundreds of times that parents are the first example of God that our children will ever know. Parenting isn't easy. It's hard. It can be exhausting. But it's also rewarding.

I want my children to grow up to be capable, educated, understanding, compassionate....but most importantly, I want them to be God-fearing. Because when life is done and we stand before God, I will be responsible for whether or not I raised my children the way that God commands. I have to do better. I'm not saying that I'm a bad parent, I'm a pretty good mom. I'm just saying that I'm not being the best mom that I can be. I have to totally lean on Christ to get me to that point, because His strength will be required.

We have to stop trying to be be the cool mom/dad, and focus on bend the Christ-like mom/dad.

"Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord." Ephesians 6:4

Is the Past the Past?

So, I ran across this quote on Pinterest on yesterday. I've been thinking and thinking about it. I've gone back and forth in regards to its validity. We all know girls who were labeled this way. Sadly, many of them have been unable to escape their pasts. It seems that it doesn't matter how they've changed or what they accomplished. Many of them have forever been labeled by things they did in high school or college. It seems as if its the nature of people to judge others when they are or were at their worst. 

I've done it. You've probably done it. Thank God that we serve a Father who loves us far too much to leave us where we are. We all have pasts. All of us. Some people's pasts may be a title dirtier than others....but it's dirty nonetheless. 

The people God chose for His greatest works had dirty pasts. Abraham. David the murdering adulterer. Paul hunted Christians. The woman at the well told all about Jesus and many were saved as a result. The greater the problem, the greater the promise.The list goes on and on.

Let us start with Mary...as in the Virgin Mary. Of course, her past wasn't marred with actual sexual immorality. But people in her village assumed that it was. After all, she got pregnant while she was engaged to another man. If this was to happen today, can you imagine the blogs posts and magazine articles? She was judged by assumptions, yet she went on to give birth to the Lamb.

Mary Magdalene is often called a woman who was a prostitute. I don't believe there is anything that supports that theory. But what we do know is that she was cleaned of seven demons. Jesus met her where she was and changed her life. Totally. She was the woman who anointed his feet with expensive oil. She also stood by Jesus until the end. She was present at the crucifixion, when most of the disciples where nowhere to be found. She was also the first person that the resurrects Jesus appeared to. How's that for forgiveness?

The woman at the well was a woman that changed men like Dwight Howard changes basketball teams--often. And yet, Jesus didn't judge her. He met her where she was and changed her. 

So, no...this quote should not be true. Even if people bring up your past (and the enemy will) just remember that God doesn't see your past....He sees the blood of Jesus when He looks at you. Let's love and not judge. Encourage and not condemn.

Have you prayed for them as much as you've talked about them? I know I haven't and I know I need to do better.

What if we were constantly judged based on past moral failures?

The thirst

As little girls, we often dream of our wedding day. It is deeply ingrained in most of us to desire a husband and children. I literally had my wedding planned by 2000. I got married in 2007 and I didn't even have a wedding.

Sometimes we, as females, let desiring a husband take over our minds. It becomes our main focus. I'm terribly guilty of this. When I first started really reading my Bible and cultivating a relationship with God, I allowed my focus to shift to desiring a husband. What's sad is that at the time I was definitely not prepared to be anybody's wife. 

When I got married, I STILL wasn't ready. Why? Because I spent all that time say dreaming about marriage instead of actually working on myself. Being impatient is not God's plan for our lives. It is so important that during our single time that we focus completely on Christ and let Him begin a work in us. 

A lot of us have deep seeded issues that must be worked out so that they won't cause havoc in a marriage. We should be spending that time working on our issues and not daydreaming and thirsting after a man! Sadly, many of us have allowed a husband or marriage to become an idol. Instead of worshipping the Creator, we are worshipping the idea of marriage. That's not the way to go, trust me. 

Wait patiently. And while you wait, focus on God and becoming whole. 

"Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." 

Psalm 37:4-5

What's in a Name??

Most people who know me well know that Jeremiah was given my Papa's initials (JB). I simply adored my grandfather and wanted nothing more than to honor him in that way. What I didn't expect was for Jeremiah to be so much like Papa! Yes, my son has characteristics of someone that he never had the pleasure of meeting. What characteristics? Jeremiah never meets a stranger! He talks to everyone that he sees. And I mean everyone. Also, he has a temper. He likes to show off his possessions. 

I have wondered and wondered how this happened. I came to a conclusion--I spoke it into existence. I call Jeremiah "JB" on a regular basis. I tell him about Papa. I SPOKE it. 

Then I began to wonder how many times we speak things into our lives.  We say we're broke...and then wonder why we're broke. We say we'll never find a mate...and then complain about still being single. We say, "I don't think this business will work," and then wonder why it fails quickly. We have to stop speaking death and start speaking life!! Change your words, change your life! 

After all, God SPOKE the world into existence. If that same power lives within us and our words are constantly words of defeat, death and negativity, can we really he surprised when all falls down?

"The tounge has power of life and death; those who love it will eat its fruit." Proverbs 18:21

Just the beginning!

I guess this is technically my first blog entry. Nothing special..just wanted to say that I'll probably update weekly (not sure what day yet). I'm aware that I don't have followers yet, but I'm mainly doing this to have a record of what I do with my kids on a day to day basis. There's no method to my madness. I'll post funny things that happen, Bible verses that may be Inspiring me at the time, devotions, pictures of my family, etc. 

Coming soon!