Recently, we had the joy of attending my niece’s baptism. Christina gave her heart to Jesus last year, and she asked soon thereafter to be baptized. Since our church meets in a retirement apartment complex, we don’t have a baptismal available. We had to wait for hot weather to use a pool.
The June evening held an air of anticipation as family and friends gathered to watch Christina’s baptism. She understood that baptism did not save her; it was her faith in Jesus’ shed blood. Baptism was her public confession of salvation!
After the baptism, we enjoyed snacks and fellowship.
Love, Sarah
I thought this was so adorable. Little brother hanging out while big brother swings! Dad shared a short message. Drew, Anna, Tina, and Mary. Love Tina’s white dress!
“I now baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Such a beautiful example!
Dad had the idea to purchase a bouquet of balloons for Christina. When Maxwell babies are born, we often put balloons on the mailbox. So in a similar way, Tina could announce her new birth. Tina about to release them! Off they went!
It was gorgeous to see those red balloons drift off into the deep blue sky.
Afterward, everyone enjoyed snacks Nathan and Melanie provided. Miss Oreo Girl Drew with a cousin (from Melanie’s side) Dad and Tina Nathan and Tina
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4)
Get ready for an easy, moist muffin bursting with semi-sweet chocolate. Let me introduce you to the Maxwells’ Favorite Chocolate Chip Muffin. We pull it out for special occasions.
Maxwells’ Favorite Chocolate Chip Muffins
Yield: 12 muffins
2 cups flour 1/2 cup sugar 1 TB. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 3/4 cup chocolate chips 1 egg, well beaten 3/4 cup milk 1/3 cup oil
Topping: 3 TB. sugar 2 TB. brown sugar
First, preheat oven to 400º. Next, place baking cup liners in a muffin pan (you can use either a 12 cup, or use 2 – 6 cups). Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Beat egg separately, and then add the egg, milk, and oil into the dry ingredients and stir gently until moistened. Batter will be a bit lumpy (but don’t leave pockets of flour). Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups. Next, measure your topping ingredients into a small bowl and mix until combined. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake for 15 minutes or slightly less, depending on what you like for doneness.
Muffin pan note: My all-time favorite muffin pan is a heavy-duty stainless steel. It cooks muffins perfectly. Unfortunately, it doesn’t list the brand on the pan anywhere, and I bought them years ago. We also have a Fox Run Stainless Steel Pan, and although it is not as heavy of a pan, it does fine. The Amazon link is our Titus2 affiliate link, please see our Privacy Policy here.
“How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” Psalm 119:103
This amazing young woman keeps a full schedule, between work and serving.
After Bible time, the girls take a run (side note: between the toe injury and a bad cough, I’ve had to take exercise easy for awhile, so sadly I didn’t join them).
Still smiling after a time-record for the year
Then, they move to the basement for a short workout. This includes box jumps and Russian twists.
After getting ready for the day, Anna settles at her computer and begins work. She works part-time for two companies, and her work load varies based on what the companies have going. At this particular point, she has a pretty full plate. For one of the companies she does help-desk IT support. You may or may not remember, but she became A+ certified a few years ago and has continued to use her skills.
This morning she has a call to make right away, and she spends the next hour and a half working on tickets.
Before she heads to Melanie’s, she prepares leftovers for lunch. Since our microwave died a few years ago (much to Mom and Anna’s gratefulness), we often use the oven to warm lunch.
Both of my sisters have amazing hearts for little kids, and Anna has helped at Melanie’s since January, when Benjamin’s arrival neared. After is birth and early weeks, Anna offered to continue helping, so she generally goes over twice a week for an hour.
Today Anna and Abby are organizing clothes in the basement.Then they take this bike’s kickstand off and put it on another.
After lunch, and between other projects, Anna bakes cookies for a Dad to take to a meeting. Cookie tip for fresh cookies in short order. When you have spare time, make cookie dough, and then take a cookie sheet with a liner (they are a must-have for any kitchen in my opinion: I have the Exopat Matfer, but the price is high now, so maybe they aren’t making that kind: check out the comparable AmazonBasics one: that’s our Amazon affiliate link, see our disclosure), and using an ice cream scoop, drop cookies onto the sheet. Freeze until they’re solid, and then put in a Ziploc bag. Whenever you need fresh cookies, pop them onto the cookie sheet and bake like normal. Do not defrost before baking. You’ll have fresh cookies in less than 10 minutes!
Anna’s back at her desk working. Who wouldn’t like to talk to such a cheerful person?
Since I took pictures on a Monday, you know what Monday means. Aunties’ Playtime at 4. The day is hot, so the girls decide to do water fights.
Click into this picture to see the amazing arc of water going for Joshua’s back. The water time is a soaking success. After dinner and Bible time, Anna finishes her day with balloon practice. She’s extremely talented in this area, and we’re looking forward to the county fair the end of next month.
“Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Colossians 4:5-6
Thursday, we said good-bye to Anna, Mary, and John as they left for a several week ministry trip to a location we choose to leave undisclosed for the privacy of the ministry they are serving with. Please lift them up in prayer, for many opportunities to share Christ and for health and protection.
Home is definitely quieter with some gone, but we still have some interesting blog posts coming up!
Love, Sarah
Frozen custard on the way to the airport :: My sisters are such a joy! Ellie preferred having her own seat. Anna and Mary Maxwell John Maxwell
“And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” Romans 10:15
Perhaps worse than not knowing what to make for dinner are the sweet little voices asking continually, “What’s for dinner, Mommy?” when you have no answer for them. I discovered a simple solution – weekly meal planning.
Before grocery shopping each week, I wrote out our dinner meals for the following week. Then I printed it and posted it on the refrigerator. I could check with a glance if I needed to defrost meat for the next day’s meal or prep veggies in the morning. Best of all, those children who could read knew where to look for the meal plan. When the pre-readers asked what was for dinner, I usually had already checked and was ready with the answer, but if not, I had it at my fingertips.
With all adults living in our home, we still do weekly meal planning (see the screenshot of my Google Doc spreadsheet below with my meal plans for the last three weeks). I no longer post it on the refrigerator, though. The adults are content to discover the dinner meal when they sit down to eat.
Trusting in Jesus, Teri
Menu Planning with Google Docs
“And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.” Luke 4:4
Last summer when I talked to a friend, we discussed books that had impacted our lives. The book she mentioned was God Is More Than Enough by Jim Berg (that’s our Amazon affiliate link; see our privacy policy). I had never heard of the book or the author, but I respected my friend enough to want to read it too.
Think about the phrase “God is more than enough.” Do you believe that? If so, do you live that way? In this book, Jim Berg brings us face to face with those questions and the reality of our answers.
Do you ever struggle with “What ifs” or “If onlys” or “I don’t like” thoughts? Dr. Berg shows that the basis for discontent is unbelief, and gives five compelling biblical statements to combat that unbelief.
What about worry? That is something with which I can struggle. Jim Berg uses the phrase “noisy soul” and “quiet soul.” When I worry, my soul is not quiet. At the root of that worry, is something I don’t believe God for. For example, recently John and Jesse went on a backpacking trip in Colorado for a long weekend. They didn’t have cell signal to communicate with us through most of their backpacking time, and I began to worry about them—a noisy soul. I was reminded once again that God is more than enough. With my trust rooted in Him, I didn’t need to worry. Worry doesn’t solve anything, while faith quiets my heart. Prayer, which I can do, cements that trust.
I love having a quiet soul and dislike it if my soul is noisy. If you ever have noise in your soul, I highly recommend God Is More Than Enough as a great book to read this summer.
Trusting in Jesus, Teri
“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
The Maxwell family and ministry blog of Titus2.com.
