With Christmas here, I’ll be taking a short break from posting until after the New Year arrives. I look forward to spending time with the family and church members in the coming days and I am especially looking forward to making plans and goals for the coming year. I don’t know if it is because we are women and we know what it means to birth new life, but women seem to understand the need for fresh starts and new beginnings. Something inside of us regularly pushes us to plan, set goals, aspire and achieve.

New beginnings are exciting- what will this year hold? For me it is a chance to do better, to be better, to love more, and to live more… what is a New Year for you? Right now for me is the time for reflection, what do I want to do differently, what do I NEVER want to do again? It is time to pray and plan for my goals and dreams. Once the New year arrives, it is time to get in gear and implement my goals.

This coming year will be one of my busiest ever. From graduating my oldest into adulthood in his final year of formal homeschooling, to starting basic preschool with my youngest, I have five sons that will all need me to be on the ball as mom. I have organizational goals for the home this year, as well as scheduling goals to help my household run more efficiently than it did this past year- and I plan to share what I am working on week-to-week here at Fruitful Vine if you’d like to follow along. There are personal aspirations for health, and music ministry and of course, for my writing. Our entire family is already underway with goals concerning our relationships with each other and with our Lord.

The truth is though, a fresh start doesn’t have to wait for a New Year to roll around… some of our goals are already being worked on, some have a personal deadline throughout the year. With the Lord, His mercies are new every morning, and every day with Jesus is a fresh start! Don’t feel like you have to wait for a special moment or day to begin anew, right now is as good a time as any! What would you like to see happen in the coming year? How would you personally like to improve as a person, wife, mom, etc? Do you want to spend more time with others, or more time on projects important to you? It’s a great time of year to reflect and plan to be more fruitful in your life, but remember- January 1st. isn’t the only day that fresh starts are available to you, trust in Him and He’ll give you one every single day!

We will continue with the Mother Roar Series after the New Year. May you be blessed to the fullest measure this Christmas and I’ll see you next year! –Nicci

This week:

In the Kitchen with Mama Nicci

Fresh Homemade Everyday Bread

 

Greetings! Three days late on sending out this week’s post but better late than never right?The holiday season is in full swing and kitchens are full of the smells of Christmas, packages are arriving every other day on the doorstep

from online orders, parties and church plays are on the calender and the countdown to Christmas is on! We do not have elaborate plans this Christmas, we’re going to spend the big day at home with just our children so for us, this year will be pretty low-key and simple. I still plan, however, to make a HUGE meal, we will probably watch a movie and play some board games, just hanging out as a family. Last year this time we were getting ready to travel to MI and it was a whirlwind trip! Two weeks of non-stop activity trying to “fit it all in” and attempting to see everyone we could. This year though, should be nice and quiet. (As quiet as five boys will let it be!)

Do you have JOY? Our pastor at church taught on joy today and I realized that I am lacking in the joy department! He talked about the difference between happiness and joy and how often we confuse happiness for joy. Happiness is completely within the realm of our senses and temporary, wheres JOY comes from the fruit of the Holy Spirit and is lasting and steady regardless of what is happening around us. Happiness can be affected by outward situations and feelings, Joy is inward and unaffected by outward circumstances. The greek word for joy means , “gladness from the inside out, calm delight…” With Christmas fast approaching, it is now, more than ever, that we should be filled with joy as we celebrate our Savior’s birth…God sent His only Son, the Word of God, into the world as a mere man because He loved us. (John 3:16) Now that is something to be joyful about! When Jesus arrived on the scene as a babe in swaddling clothes in the arms of Mary, it meant that our Answer for our sin had come. It meant that reconciliation to the Father was finally here and available to those who would believe!

Joy is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22) Scripture tells us to choose to walk after the Spirit- to live by the Spirit- and if we will, then joy will be a fruit in our lives. This tells us that we must CHOOSE to walk according to the Spirit of God and joy will be one of the results of that choice. I have made the choice today to walk after the Spirit instead of walking according to my flesh so that joy can have its place in my heart. I encourage you this Christmas season to allow Christ’s joy to abide in you, choose to lay down any “joy-killer” and embrace what the season is truly about: God dwelling among us!

–Nicci

This Week’s Posts:

It seems  like all I did this week was spend time in the kitchen! So, here are some of the things I made this week:

Gingerbread Scones    Fried Jalapeno Poppers    Homemade Tortilla Chips   No-Knead Peasant Bread

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Relationship with Children

Happy Holidays from Fruitful Vine Women’s Outreach!!!

Last week was full of activity once again in the Kilcoyne home! We celebrated our 3rd. oldest son’s birthday in the midst of Thanksgiving preparations. Judah, now 12, enjoyed a birthday breakfast fit for a king! A complete waffle bar, pizza and ice cream! As soon as breakfast was over, it was time to get going on thanksgiving preparations for the following day.

Here in WY, we do not have any relatives close by, so the holidays can be a little lonely; thankfully, we have an amazing church family that is sensitive to that and we were blessed to enjoy a meal together at our church with other families that also needed “family” this time of year.

It is important, no matter where you are, to allow the Lord to bring you family from His Body.

Years ago, this one truth set me free in so many ways, and allowed me the freedom to not place unrealistic expectations on others to meet my needs. Psalm 68: 6 says, “God sets the lonely in families..” I have learned to trust Him to give me family no matter where I am, and He has always been faithful to meet our needs. I am grateful for all the “mamas”, “papas” “aunts and uncles” and “sisters and brothers” the Lord has provided to our family over the years and since moving here to our little mountain town, we have needed them more than ever!

If you find yourself lonely at any given time in your life, look to the “Family Giver” to meet your needs. He truly will set you in a family tailor-made just for you!

 

May His Blessings overflow richly in your life this Holiday Season!

 

Nicci

 

In the Kitchen with Mama Nicci

   Oh my, I have started something in the Kilcoyne house that I don’t think is ever going to stop. Pumpkin Smoothies! I have        heard about these before, but I had no idea that something could be so delicious! Granted, I am a die-hard pumpkin “anything” fan, all I have to do is smell pumpkin, see pumpkin, and I begin to salivate. But this recipe is genius for me for two reasons: not only does it include one of my favorite tastes ever, it also comes in one of my favorite food forms: a smoothie. I love smoothies; icy, fruity ones; green ones; protein ones; and now, creamy, dreamy ones like the following: Pumpkin Smoothie

 

 

 

Duties at Home

     Are you the kind of woman who has to have all your stockings in a row?

     Stress is a robber of peace, joy and contentment, learn to stop stress and

      enjoy the season! Don’t Stress- Be Ready to Enjoy the Season!

 

 

 

 

 

Relationship with Children

   Mother Roar Series Part Two: Loving Your Children  -

Do you know what it means to really love your children?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t forget to sign up for Fruitful Vine to be delivered right to your inbox!

Have a blessed week!