The Ameri Brit Mom

Today at Covenant…Solus Christus

Today was one of the best services I’ve experienced in a long time. Pastor Travis changed up the order of service, which is a great way to rock people’s routines and gear them up for really listening to the message. It’s funny how habitual we can become as people. When the worship band unplugged after the second song you could actually see people looking around for songs three and four. Everyone wore a bit of confusion on their face as the Pastor approached the stage long before his anticipated cue. There was such a strong desire for an explanation that not a mind wandered as Pastor Travis began to move ahead with his sermon. To be honest, I liked the shake-up. It’s nice to get knocked out of routine sometimes. We lived on the edge today at Covenant Church. The worship band still did four songs today, but they held off and did two after the pastor’s message which was brilliant. What a great way to prepare to depart and face a new week than with more worship!?! Things were different today, because the pastor’s message was heavy. Today was the fourth week in the Five Solas series at Covenant Church by Pastor Travis Davenport.

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Solus Christus: (Christ Alone)

John 14:6- Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me…”

So far in the series we have learned that we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, plus Christ alone, plus nothing. Christ lacks nothing and does not need adding to in order for us to achieve salvation. Much like we discussed last week, we are saved by faith in Christ alone not faith plus morality. We cannot add to our salvation because Christ has already done what we could never do.

Jesus+nothing=EVERYTHING

Jesus+anything (works, morality, service, etc.)=nothing

In the first week of this series we focused on the authority of scripture in our lives as we dove into the term, Sola Scriptura. The scriptures were written to point us toward Jesus, the giver of salvation. The scriptures without Jesus are worthless. Much like the Harry Potter series is worthless is Harry Potter’s character. (Had to AMEN that parallel drawn by the Pastor during service being the Potter nerd I am.)

But all nerdy parallels aside, if Martin Luther, leader of the Reformation, was correct in saying that, “Jesus is the center and circumference of the Bible,” then why are so many churches shying away from Solus Christus? So many have replaced the idea of salvation with morality.

Numbers have become a priority to modern churches and let’s be honest the story of Jesus isn’t always going to bring in numbers. The story of Jesus is messy. It’s offensive. It steps on toes and makes people uncomfortable. It causes radical change. So instead of preaching the gospel so many churches are turning to a morality-centered message. Sermons on how to organize, build your marriage, and stock your savings accounts are all good things, but should never take priority over the message of Jesus. We, as the western church, should be careful not to ever confuse salvation with morality. When you stand before God at the gates of heaven your organizational skills, marriage, and savings accounts will not be your ticket to move forward. Christ alone saves us. (Solus Christus)

When you remove Christus from “Solus Christus” your church is left solus. (I really liked that play on words.)

The Bionic Neurosurgeon

Just a little fiction to wet your palette. This is a short piece I wrote this week based on a prompt from The Write Practice. It’s a bit random, but was fun to write.

The Bionic Neurosurgeon

The snowboard landed a few feet from Weston in a mound of thick powdery snow. For a matter of minutes he lay unconscious sinking slightly under the weight of his own body. He had allowed his inner-daredevil to take charge when he made the decision to scale his way up to the expert course despite the warning of his insurance agent, Miguel.

When Weston awoke face-down in the snow he used his neck to pry himself from his present circumstance. Glancing at the imprint of his facial structure he smiled at its resemblance to the shape of his notorious iguana, Reptar. Weston keeps Reptar in a cage in his waiting room which he uses as a mechanism to lighten the mood at his private practice. Reptar is known throughout the town for his unusually long tongue and his ability to freak out all of the skittish women who work in the office like Eugenie, the surgeon.

“Doctor Eastmoor!” Weston heard his name reverberating off the mounds of surrounding snow. Eugenie and a couple of nurses came running urgently to his aid. It had been Weston’s idea to take the employees of his practice on the grand snowboarding adventure as their annual trip even though Eugenie had seriously questioned his motive.

“Doctor Eastmoor, it’s only been a few months since your bionic elbow was attached. You need it to heal properly before returning to the snow.” Eugenie had cautioned. She had been the one to perform the surgery which allowed Weston to keep his entire arm. Frostbite had nearly stolen his arm, hobby, and professional abilities last winter. At the time Eugenie had told him he would likely never snowboard again let alone perform another neurosurgery. But one month after attaching his bionic elbow he was cleared to return to his practice.When he had suggested the annual trip to the Snow Club he was met by critique from Eugenie, who seemed to be constantly reminding him of his new limitations.

“Can’t you find a safer hobby, Doctor Eastmoor?” Eugenie began. “Can’t you start a collection? I quite enjoy my antique microwave collection. It’s a lot of fun to invest in something you love. No danger there.”

So even though it was ill-advised, Weston book a cabin for the weekend and brought along his staff more for his own insurance than for a need for companionship. He was bound to not allow himself to give up his passion because of the new bionic addition.

As Eugenie approached Weston laying in the snow he saw, “I told you we shouldn’t have come here…” written all over her face. Before she could utter a word, however, he stood to his feet, checked that all extremities were intact, and then spoke irritably, “Don’t say a word, Eugenie. I’m fine.”

Five Minute Friday: Present

This week the topic for the Five Minute Friday link-up post is Present. What is a link-up? Essentially a link-up is when you join other bloggers and write on a similar topic. You share your blog posts with one another and begin conversations via a host site. You can head over to Kate Motaung’s page to check out other entries from inspired bloggers. Here’s my five minutes of uninterrupted, unedited writing on this week’s topic:

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Have you ever had one of those car trips where you miraculously get from Point A to Point B, but have no recollection of the journey? It’s a scary feeling. Your mind was wandering or “turned off”, but by some divine grace you made it to the destination.

Like a distracted car ride, so many things in our lives compete to separate our bodies and minds. Rivalry is raged for our attention. People, places, and things distract us from our purposes on a regular basis. Email folders fill almost as quickly as a bucket in a rainstorm. Voicemails, text messages, and social media beckon us for replies, likes, and comments. Schedules fill up. Life gets busy. We look ahead like that newbie on the stage who takes the age-old advice of “just looking over the audience’s heads.” But sometimes what we need most is to be present in the here and now.

Constantly chasing the “next thing” won’t bring fulfillment. Going to “this” and showing up for “that” won’t fill us up. Retail therapy (sadly) won’t fix your problems.

One of the easiest ways to deal with difficulties is to run and cower by delegating your attention elsewhere. But when you’re busy divvying up your time to the time wasters in your life you can miss opportunities to be present.

Busy schedules can keep us from the friend who really just needs to talk over coffee.

Social media can take away the chance to spend quality time with loved ones.

Endless shopping trips and binge watching Netflix can steal away time from your purpose.

I never want it to be said of me that I wasn’t present when I was needed. I never want my husband to question my feelings for him because I was so focused on something else that I didn’t listen to what he had to say. God forbid my daughter grows up thinking that something else was more important than spending time with her.

This reminder is just as much for me as for any. Every now and again we all need a little nudge to unplug the devices or suppress the desires to be anywhere, but present in the moment. Our bodies and minds are one and should be in sync. One without the other is a recipe for disaster. Life is a beautiful thing. Every moment is a gift. Each life you encounter is worth your attention. Don’t allow yourself to look back on a moment, a day, or a lifetime and realize that your body was going through the motions while your mind was somewhere else. Don’t live distracted. Be present!

Sausage Balls: Breakfast-on-the-Go!

If your family is anything like mine, every morning there is a struggle to eat breakfast and get through the morning routine. All of my best intentions to be ready on time are often thwarted by the race against the clock. And when required to drop a part of the regimen usually I do the terrible deed of neglecting breakfast. We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Knowing this I’ve started a routine of cooking breakfasts on Sundays and freezing them for the upcoming week. This week I made Sausage Balls and thought I would share the recipe for those of you struggling to grab breakfast in the mornings. Gone are the days of fast food drive thrus when it only takes 40 seconds to cook an on-the-go breakfast.

Sausage Balls:

1 lb. medium ground sausage

2 cups Bisquick

2 Tb melted butter

10 oz shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients by hand in a large glass bowl. Be sure to pull the sausage apart thoroughly to be sure ingredients are evenly distributed.

2. Form small balls of the mixture with your hands. Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. (These smell amazing while baking!!)

4. These can be served immediately, but if you are choosing to freeze them wait until they are cool to place in a freezer bag. They keep well for up to two months.

**in order to reheat sausage balls, place them in the microwave wrapped in a napkin or paper towel. Heat for 40 seconds to a minute. Be sure to check that the sausage balls are cooked through before consuming.

This is such a quick and easy recipe that is a favorite in my home. No more neglecting breakfast or stopping at a drive-thru for a greasy breakfast sandwich for this family.

Snow Boots

Snow Boots by theameribritmom featuring waterproof boots

It’s the time of the year when all flats and heels have been retired and boots take priority daily. Now is the time to plan your outfit according to your shoes, not the other way around. If it isn’t snowing then it’s unbearably cold or the streets are filled with the liquid remnants from the snow. This season the trend it boots is a lot of fun. Uggs have finally taken a backseat to cuter, more versatile styles. Call me a psychic, but I never fell prey to the Ugg craze. I’m so glad the rest of the world caught on to the play-on-words which name the boots themselves. Uggs are ugly.

All kidding aside, I’ve taken my time to purchase a new pair of much-needed winter boots. To be honest, I still haven’t made my decision. All three of the pairs above are similar in price and functionality it all comes down to the unique design of each and which I would prefer.

So I’m reaching out to you, dear fashionistas!

If you could purchase one pair of winter boots from those above which would you choose and why? Also, if you already own a similar pair let me know what you think about them in the comments.

The Ameri Brit Mom

Under the Weather/There’s an Oil for That!

After a long weekend I was feeling refreshed and ready to take on the new week. Even if the outdoor thermostat was reading subzero temperatures this morning. I put on my new puffer vest and thick coat and braved the cold for a day of teaching. Things were going smoothly until lunch time. At a quarter til twelve my sister (AKA the babysitter) called my phone. Immediately, I knew something was wrong. Not because I’m a doomsday prepper, but rather because she never calls me if she needs anything. Texting is our mode of communication during the day since I’m usually unreachable in front of the classroom.

So I answer the phone and find out Arianna is sick.

She was puking and running a fever. Quickly, I switched from teacher-mode to mom-mode. I started to prep to take the afternoon off when my husband volunteered to take the half-day instead. We are lucky being teachers because not many professions give employees the ability to leave at a moment’s notice. Sam’s old school wasn’t as easy to take off from so one thing we have found that we love about working in our district is that they are extremely family-friendly and allow us to take time off to be there for our sick child.

Since she was running a high fever I decided to take my turn and call off for tomorrow. I stayed a little later today to run off substitute plans. It can get annoying to make plans for someone else, but nothing trumps staying home with a cuddly, sick girl.

I arrived home today to Arianna buried in the covers and Sam doing a fantastic job caring for her. He’s a great dad who always does his very best. We are lucky girls!

So the rest of the evening and tomorrow will be spent in the oils cabinet. I realize its been awhile since I last spoke about using essential oils. I’m constantly adding to my collection and even gifted some oils to people on my Christmas list. I’ve been using essential oils in place of over-the-counter medications for about a year now and I’ve found some great remedies through the process. A disclaimer before I discuss how I use oils, ALWAYS RESEARCH THE OILS BEFORE USE. SOME REQUIRE HEAVY DILUTION OR HAVE SPECIAL USE INSTRUCTIONS. MANY OILS ARE NOT SUITABLE FOR DIRECT USE ON CHILDREN OR WOMEN WHO ARE PREGNANT. ALSO KEEP IN MIND THAT EACH PERSON RESPONDS DIFFERENTLY TO OILS, SO RESULTS MAY VARY.

First of all, over the Christmas season I received my first essential oil diffuser. I am absolutely in love with this product. All you have to do is fill the base with water to the fill line and add 4-6 drops of the desired oil. My diffuser can be in use for up to four hours. I also love the changing light colors. There is something therapeutic about the changing colors and cool mist. I love to sit in the bedroom with a good book while the diffuser is on. Since using the diffuser requires heavy dilution almost every oil is safe to use, but there are a few oils that children should not be exposed to aromatically, so again, do your research before using.

Some of my favorite oils to put in the diffuser are peppermint (for energy, upset stomach, headaches, and allergies), lemon (for anxiety, disinfectant, and stress), wild orange (for digestion, anxiety, and aroma), and lavender (for allergies, calming, skin, and sleep.)

Also, the last time I wrote about essential oils my husband was still a bit unsure about them. However, his mind has been changed. Instead of heading straight to the medicine cabinet when he doesn’t feel well he asks me for oils at the first sign of a headache or a sore muscle. Just a few moments ago he approached me for Deep Blue to rub on his muscles after a weight lifting circuit. He’s sold on the results and even trying to learn which oils to use when.

I’m still building my collection, but I am pleased with all of the oils I currently own.

Do you use essential oils? If so, which ones do you prefer?

The Ameri Brit Mom

24 Book Challenge: A Book Set On a Different Continent

The following is a book review by The Ameri Brit Mom. This is book #1 from The Ameri Brit Mom 24 Book Challenge in 2016. This post expresses the genuine opinion and experiences of The Ameri Brit Mom and is in no way endorsed by authors, publishers, and outside influences.

Title: My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She’s Sorry

Author: Fredrik Backman

Publisher: Atria Books

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“Every seven-year-old deserves a superhero.” (Backman 1)

The quote above is the opening line for this beautifully written novel by Fredrik Backman. Elsa is seven going on eight and a little different from the other children her age. Her best friend and superhero is her grandmother. But Granny isn’t your average grandmother. She’s a live-on-the-edge, obey-no-authority type of grandmother. She doesn’t talk about life before becoming a grandmother, but that doesn’t seem to bother Elsa too much.

Most nights Elsa spends time in her grandmother’s flat across the hall (of their boarding house) where they venture together to their very own make believe world, the Land of Almost Awake. For years, Granny has been creating fairy tales and a secret language to lull Elsa to sleep and to reveal pieces of her own history. It isn’t until the passing of her grandmother that Elsa begins to understand that these fairy tales are rooted in real life.

One by one Elsa begins to receive letters from her grandmother for neighbors in the apartment building. With each delivery Elsa begins to piece together the life story Granny never showed her. And her innocent world of fairy tales begins to blend with the reality that monstrosity lives in this world, but not all monsters are bad.

This was an epic tale of compassion. Set in modern day Sweden, this novel is a walk through humanity. In her quest to deliver Granny’s letters Elsa confronts some of her biggest fears and deepest prejudices until the walls that Granny had built around them begin to crumble down. Elsa learns that it’s okay to be different and that differences should be embraced.

Backman is a new favorite in our household. As I read this book my husband became obsessed with Backman’s first best seller, The Man Called Ove. I look forward to fitting this book into my challenge this year as well. If I could compare Backman to another author I would say his style and message is similar to the likes of Markus Zusak (one of my top ten authors!)

If you have read a book from another continent in 2016 comment a review below or copy a link to your own post about the book in the comments below.

Today at Covenant…Sola Fide

Today the sermon at Covenant Church in Grove City was the third of the Five Solas series that Pastor Travis is focusing on during the month of January. The study today included a look at what it means to live by faith alone and the significance of justification in a life saved by faith.

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Sola Fide:

The focus scripture today comes from Ephesians 2:8-9

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved,through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, so that no one can boast.

Sola Fide means faith alone and refers to the fact that we are saved by our faith and not our works (or good actions.) We are justified by our belief in God and our acceptance of his gift of grace. To receive justification means to be declared righteous. God justifies us when we put our faith in Jesus. This belief is the cornerstone of Christianity which sets this religion apart from all others. It is the only religion where salvation is not about what you do, but rather what is already done. It’s a simple acceptance of a gift that was purchased over two thousand years ago.

Five Reasons Why Works Cannot Save You:

Good works cannot cancel your sin, but sin ruins your good works. (The only thing that can cancel your sins is the blood of Jesus)
Good works cannot save you because God doesn’t grade on a curve. (His standard is perfection and not based on our works in comparison to others)
Good works cannot save you because you can never be good enough for long enough. (We are still subject to sin because we live in a fallen world)
Good works cannot save you because you can never be sure you’ve done enough. (It’s not about bondage and anxiety wondering if you’ve done enough to earn your spot in heaven.)
Good works cannot save you because if they could, you wouldn’t need Jesus. (Before Jesus was taken to be crucified he spent time with God earnestly praying that if salvation could be done in any other way that God would not cause him to endure the pain that awaited him. We all know how that story ends. Jesus was crucified because it was the only way. If there had been another way -like good works- then Jesus would not have been crucified.)

Instead of being justified by our own righteousness we have been saved by alien righteousness. Alien righteousness is righteousness which comes from another place. In the case of our salvation our alien righteousness originates with Jesus as the source. Our salvation is completely outside of us. God calls us, draws us near, and all we have to do is accept that gift of grace by believing in him. Our faith alone is what saves us. There is nothing we can do to earn anything from God.

So, if our works cannot save us what is the function of performing good works or deeds?

Good works are born of our love for God
Good works are born of our desire to bring others to know God

For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. (Romans 3:28)

Prescription for Ratings: The Committee

About six months ago I was asked by a fellow blogger to read and review a short story installment to their anthology based on futuristic society of City-State. The first story was entitled Prescription for Ratings: The Contestants. On January 9th the authors released another segment in this series entitled Prescription for Ratings: The Committee. Below is my review and a link to the Amazon page where you can purchase the story for $.99.

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Prescription for Ratings: The Committee

By: Kaisy Wilkerson-Mills and James Courtney

In this second installment to the Prescription for Ratings anthology, the characters of a publicly televised fight-to-the-death reality show begin to reveal the values of this society. Tyler is the youngest member of the committee behind the calling of the shots. New to his career in the medical field and with his own ethics still intact, Tyler struggles to make some tough decisions pushed on him by other members of this committee. Once again, this was written with much attention to detail. I recommend this short story for all science fiction enthusiasts who enjoy some of the recent best-sellers of the genre.

My First Contest!

Well, I’ve officially outdone my expectations.

Over the Christmas season I took part in my first ever writing contest. While the judging is still taking place my piece has been published to the Short Fiction Break website. I’m not looking to win any award for this piece because there are so many awesome submissions. Short fiction is a difficult beast. You have so much to accomplish in a minimal word count. My writing style is more geared to novel writing, but I did my best to meet the standards of short fiction.

My goal in getting involved was to give me practice in the writing process and to receive valuable feedback from other writers. Throughout the contest I documented the changes my story made. In draft 1 I focused on getting ideas down. Draft 2 was a more deliberate attempt at refining perspective and characterization. The final draft was a culmination of several things I had been learning from others in the contest workshop.

If you would like to visit my final version of Fan Mail Murder please click on the link, read the story, and then leave a comment.