Karen Ehman: On Priorities

Five years ago I had a little idea. What if for 12 days in December I let 12 of my fellow ministry partners at Proverbs 31 take over my blog? We could get to know them and what they do at Proverbs.

But best of all?

We could make it all Christmas-y with a holiday recipe, decorating or gift idea, or a way to make memories with your loved ones.

Oh, and offer a great giveaway each day?  Ta-da! The annual 12 Days of Christmas was born.

This year’s series starts Monday December 3rd and runs until the 14th, although you will have time to comment on all of the posts until Sunday night the 16th.

There will be one giveaway each day and a grand prize for someone who comments on all 12 days!!

Be sure to join us at www.karenehman.com

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by Karen Ehman

Got teens?

Then during this autumn time of year there are sure to be many hanging out at your house. Bonfires and hayrides are fun. Raking and jumping in leaves are too. But better be ready with lots of foods on hand to feed the hungry crowd.

 

Here are my top-five apple based recipes to please a group of kids in the fall:

Caramel Apple Dip

This will disappear in no time. I usually double the batch.

8 ounces cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

¼ cup sugar

¾ cup brown sugar

1 cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Blend all but peanuts until smooth. Add peanuts just before serving. Use with a tart eating apple such as Granny Smith, Cortland or Gala. If you must slice the apples long before eating them, soak slices in lemon-lime flavored pop to keep them from turning brown. Drain well and serve with the dip.

 

Peanut-Butter Apple Crisp

The boys on my son’s football team can’t ever get enough of this unique treat that combines two kid-pleasing favorites—apples and peanut butter.

8-10 Granny Smith, Spy or other tart cooking apples

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.… continue reading

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• Every time a homework assignment was given back to you with a letter grade written across the top.
• Each pop quiz or chapter test where you found out what percent of the answers you’d gotten right.
• Every paper that was turned in and then dotted, circled and slashed in red and returned to you to fix.
• On the play ground when kickball teams were chosen.
• In the lunchroom when you hoped you wouldn’t be left holding your tray, looking for a play to sit.

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by Karen Ehman

Spin.

You know, the twist reporters put on a story to slant it a certain way.

Or the explanation a coach gives for the team’s heartbreaking defeat.
Yep. We women spin.Or the tone of voice and word choice we use when talking about another person. We speak in a way so as to entice our hearer into thinking what we do about that person and usually, the way of thinking is not positive.

A lot.

I have been guilty of it at times. And, I have been the victim of spins on other occasions.

You know where I see women spin the most, attempting to paint others in a bad light? In two areas.

Whether we work outside the home or not.

And how we educate our offspring.

I know there are people who read strong mandates in their Bibles when it comes to these two issues. They are passionate about their stance and resulting decisions. Some even go as far as to assert that if you don’t ‘do it their way’, you are not living biblically.

Now don’t jump to conclusions and assume I am only thinking of one side of the issue. No ma’am.

I’ve had Christians attempt to convince me that working outside the home is unscriptural, citing verses from the Bible.… continue reading

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By Karen Ehman

I sometimes get frustrated with the somewhat revealing fashions of today. While I’m no ultra- prude who insists that skirts touch the floor and turtlenecks be worn in the heat of summer, I do get a bit flustered with the amount of skin that parades before the world’s eyes even on brief trip to the department store.

In fact, I think I know who two of the biggest culprits are. I’ve penned a short message to each of them here below. Anyone else relate?

 

Dear Victoria–

Please keeps your “Secrets” to yourself.

I do not like seeing your pretty clothing, meant to be underthings, parading around as outer-things. Oh and with certain parts of a girl’s (or woman’s) anatomy hanging or dangling out.

Thank you very much.

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This recent Facebook status of mine drew so many comments and over 100 “likes”. So, I thought I’d post it here to get your reaction.

“Answering Facebook messages while hearing a most wonderful sound drifting in from the family room—my husband doing a Bible study with our 16 year-old son. The man can’t remember to pick me up milk & eggs or what I said to him yesterday ….twice!!! However, he loves God & is so intentional to show our kids how to live for Him. I’ll take the forgetfulness. It is soooo cancelled out by his sincere faith.”

 

Ever focus on only the parts of a child, spouse or other necessary person in your life that bug the living tar right out of you?

Susie is so late all the time.

Mike simply cannot make up his mind.

Kim is so shy, it embarrasses me.

When is Austin EVER gonna learn to keep his room picked up?

I am so guilty of looking at others’ faults with a ginormous magnifying glass, making them grow ever larger to the point where I choose to let them bother me.

And make me behave badly.

My faults, however? Oh, I’d need a high-powered telescope to spot them since I think they are miniscule and so very, very hard to spot!… continue reading

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Ever make a “to do” list at the beginning of the day with high hopes for actually being able to cross off some things? After all, making a list and following it is such an effective time management, “get-it-done” tool, right? Right! Well, sort of.

What we need to caution against is letting that list be our master and allowing it to dictate our mood as we see each day what we have and have not crossed off. And remember, although the list serves as a guide, there are times when God will be diverting you from the tasks on paper and asking you to perform something more important for Him.

The key is recognizing when the interruptions in your day were sent by God for you to respond too. Perhaps He wants you to walk away from your list and tend to something he feels is more important.

When I have had days like that myself, I have trained myself to do the following. (Track with me on this one!) When I have not gotten to the items there in black and white on my list because God sent a sick child, a wounded friend or lonely neighbor to my side, I have actually, at the end of the day, taken a red pen and in large letters written “Hang with my teen, feeding him bottomless pizza rolls as we process his being cut from the basketball team.… continue reading

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My 14-year-old son has a fondness for iPod games; ones where a creature has to jump, twist, dodge and dart in an effort to stay alive. Often he plays them on our short commute to school each morning.

As we drive, we go over pick-up instructions. (At the middle school after wrestling practice? Or at the high school if there is optional weight-lifting that day? And what time?)

I also give my “Be sure your sins will find you out” lecture that my own sweet mama often gave me.

The man cub just keeps playing his game, acting as if he’s not listening. But I know he is.

Often, when jockeying for position in the parental carpool line, I will inform my boy it’s time to get out of the vehicle. Usually, still engaged in the game he will utter the same phrase to me, “Hang on a second. I gotta die.”

As in, “I’m still finishing this round. I don’t want to power off just yet. Let my character finish this round until it dies. Then I will get out of the car.”

As he uttered it this morning, it spoke to my soul.

As a follower of Christ, I am to die to self.… continue reading

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Got teens? Then you know you know one of their favorite pastimes is simply to “hang out”. My husband and I determined early on in our parenting that we wanted to make an intentional effort, once our kiddos got to be tweens and teens, to have our home be dubbed the “hang out place” in their circle of friends. If you too want to make your home the “hang out place” here are a few tips that will make it easy to be ready to host a teen or two (or more!) at a moment’s notice:

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This is a test post for the column by Karen Ehman, On Priorities. The first post in this column will go live on March 13 and then on the second Tuesday of every month.

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