Crock Pot Roast

I love my crock pot!  This is one of my favorite recipes because it is super easy, only takes a few minutes to prepare and tastes like it took hours.  Brian has even made it several times! 

Ingredients:

- Top round roast (I've used all different sizes and it doesn't seem to make a difference except in cooking time)
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 packet brown gravy mix
- 1 packet Italian dressing mix
- 1/2 packet Ranch dressing mix
- Red potatoes or other small potatoes
- Carrots and any other veggies you like with roast
*optional* Reynolds Slow Cooker Liners - they make clean up so easy!

Directions:

- Mix brown gravy, Italian dressing and Ranch dressing powders together in a bowl
- Take roast out and place it on a plate
- Pat roast all over with combined spices
- Insert crock pot bag if desired
- Put roast and washed vegetables in crock pot
- Pour water on top
- Turn crock pot on low for 4-8 hours depending on the size of the roast. It should pull apart easily when poked with a fork when it's done.

Cookin in the crock pot

All ready to eat!

If you like gravy with your roast, like most normal people, you can make it from the juices. 

Gravy

- Skim the fat off the top of the liquid left in the crock pot

- Mix a few spoonfuls of flour or corn starch into about 1/2 cup of water.  Make sure its mixed well.

- Pour juices into a sauce pan and bring to a boil

- Add water mixture and stir until thick.  Add more flour or cornstarch and water if too thin.

I don't have a picture of the gravy because Brian and I eat ketchup and mustard on roast like wierdos!  I have made it before when we've had polite company.  : )

Hope you like your roast!

Surrender

Yesterday Brian and I were a little late to church. It was my fault, sometimes I'm slow. Brian likes to encourage me to hurry up by saying things like, "We're gonna miss the Holy Spirit if we're late!" He makes me laugh. With my track record it's a darn good thing that is just a joke.

As I put down my things and settled into my spot, the worship team began to sing "I Surrender All." Now I'm a relatively young person, and I'm into the new style of worship music. Ok, maybe I'm an old soul because I'm pretty sure the "new" kind of music has been around for longer than I have. :)Anyway, as much as I love contemporary songs, hymns just speak to my soul. The words are so rich and moving. I can't help but imagine a man from the 1800s sittig by candlelight writing the words with a feather pen. Those hymns have been sung by saints for many, many years. They are powerful.

Yesterday as I began to sing that song, the words got stuck in my throat. I just couldn't say "all." ALL to Jesus I surrender, ALL to him I freely give. The Holy Spirit stirred my heart and reminded me of some things I have been holding tightly to. Honestly, it shocked me a little. I thought "Lord, I surrendered that to you!" as he gently reminded me that I had taken it back. Sometimes it's embarrassing how many times I have to surrender my struggles. I am thankful that God allows his Holy Spirit to convict me, even when it stings. However, with real conviction comes real hope. The end of the song says, "O the joy of full salvation!
Glory, glory, to His Name!" He wants all of me, my whole heart, all my doubts, desires, and faults surrendered to him. I am grateful that he has shown me over and over again that his plan is best, even when I don't understand. I am surrendering all to him!

Glory, glory to his name!

My First Blog Post

Brian and I have been married one year today.  Sitting in church this morning, I was overwhelmed with all that God has done in our lives this past year.  I decided to start a blog because I want to tell people about it!  This blog will be about my spiritual journey, marriage, family, and there might be a good recipe or two thrown in.  : )  Basically, my "view" on life and how God continues to broaden that view to see his will and purpose.  And if Brian has a view to share, he might post too.

Brian and I go to First Euless and our pastor has been doing a series on the names of God.  El Roi was the name we studied last Sunday.  It means "the God who sees."  The God who sees.  There is such complexity to this simple phrase.  He sees me.  He sees my life, my circumstances and my struggles.  He sees my bank account, my messy car, my dirty bathroom.   He sees my anxious heart, my doubting head, my sinful actions.  And he loves me.  He died for me.  Trusting God is considerably easier when you know his character.  He is omniscient, knowing all things, and yet he sees every detail of my life. 

This last year was my first year of marriage, but also my first year in "the real world."   Looking back on this year, I truly see the goodness of God.  He wants good things for his children.  However, we must trust him even when we cannot see what he sees.  When we got married, Brian did not have a job and I was babysitting a few days a week.  (Thank you Barnards and Hunts!)  However, for three months we paid our bills on a part time job and the money people generously blessed us with at our wedding.  God saw us.  He asked us to trust him, and we did.  We weren't perfect.  In fact, the day before Brian got his job offer my journal entry during my quiet time was, "I don't know what to pray anymore."  I get the super-spiritual award!  Maybe that's what God wanted, for me to be so beyond my own thoughts and ways that there was nothing left to do but trust him. I could not see his plan, but he could see me.  He was there.  And he was faithful.  He is faithful.  He is El Roi, "The God Who Sees."