bench_heart.jpg
2017 Winter Newsletter

This newsletter is By You & For You- our favorite ladies of Cross Current Church!
Enjoy! 
Upcoming Events

*Tapestry Ladies Morning Out- February 25th 9:30-11:30  (EVITE coming soon!)
*Tapestry Ladies Movie Night- Beauty & the Beast March 17th (more details soon!)
*Tapestry Dinner IN- Crock Pot Recipe Share March 18th 5-7pm (details soon!)
* Date Nights - Parent's night out, free childcare offered by The Community Church
* The Broken and Free Tour 
* Family Life Weekend to Remember - marriage conference
New Years Resolutions

New Year, New You!!! That's all we hear around this time of year. Some take resolutions seriously, some don't. Sometimes we stick to them {yay!} sometimes they go down the drain. (Though, if you made it even a week, give yourself a pat on the back)
Below are some of the resolutions our ladies made this year. Enjoy!!

Carrie Pingry
1. Shop at Trader Joe's at least once this year:  Not yet completed.
2. Finish reading the Bible through; 7 books to go this year, 
     but am on Chapter 40 of Ezekiel!  
3. Reintroduce cloth napkins on a daily basis:  Yes, they are back out and 
    on the table.
4. Promised my kids I would work on improving my patience this year: 
   Ask them, its a hard one to measure....

Bree Milrod
Here's how my resolutions have gone:
1. Cut out sugar. I've eaten three handfuls of m&m's from the kid's treat jar.        Today.
2. Work out three days a week. I've worked out once. Total.
3. Create and stick to a cleaning schedule. I've made the schedule...

Jill Brooks
This year's resolution (beginning this month) to memorize the entire book of Ephesians. A book filled with the gospel, who we are in Christ-our inheritance, and living abundantly.  Feeling called, but nervous as memorization is harder now :).  I realize it may take more than a year as Ephesians contains 155 verses, but I need a goal line.
 
Jessica Klootwyk
This year has me looking to what I think is beautiful and spending more time investing in those things.  I want to read for pure enjoyment, write more pen & ink letter's, enjoy live theater and listen to lots & lots of music.    
Winter Survival 101

While this winter has been relatively mild so far, we all know this season in Virginia is no joke. Below are some tips on surviving the cold and dwelling indoors.

Getting through the Winter: I go to toddler story time at Rust library once a week. It's hosted  Tuesday  and Wednesday morning at  10:30 , I just pick whichever day works best for our schedule that week. It's a great way to meet moms/run into familiar faces. - Carmen Josephson
 
 
* As is true for most kids in winter, if mine can't get outside and run around at all, we are usually going crazy by 4pm. So I went on Pinterest and found a great idea! The stair slide!!! All it takes is a large cardboard box. That's it. Cut to fit and let them go! - Bree Milrod
 
* Something that is helping me get through the winter with my kiddos is 
gonoodle.com  I usually put it on when I am cooking dinner and everyone is going crazy. The rule is they can't watch, they must do the activities. 
- Jenny Kilmartin
 
*Sterling Community Center has Tot Drop in on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the school year, from  9:30am to 11:30am . The gym is open with scooters, trikes, tumbling mats, tunnels and other play things. Cost is $2.50 per adult. And kids can run around and spend some energy. They even have an area for parents to hang with infants. (They are currently holding Tuesday and Thursday times too, so call or check with them.) 
- Genny Johnson  
Tapestry Women's Prayer 

Tapestry has a prayer email where you can request and pray for others.  
To join please contact Carrie Pingry
"Ora et Labora.  This is the latin phrase meaning, work and pray.  It is often associated with the Rule of St Benedict, he viewed prayer and work as partners to be done together.  I have this rule written on a chalk board in my kitchen to remind me to pray alongside my work." ~Carrie


Valentine's Day

It's February, which also means Valentine's Day! If you're looking for a night out with free childcare, check out Date Nights. A local church offers FREE childcare every Saturday night in February. They provide live entertainment, games, snacks, a whole evening full of fun for your kiddos for FREE while you enjoy some time! Date night, girls night out, or maybe a quiet night alone is what you're looking for. Whatever it is, check them out! It's an awesome opportunity!

Date Ideas:
Date nights for the winter - check out various local coffee houses, which decor do you like the best, who has the best or most unique pastry,  what was your favorite coffee?  Venture out beyond the belt-way for more diversity in customers, eats, and ambiance.

Heart-shaped cake - any cake recipe poured into one round and one square pan.  After baking and cooling, cut the round in half.  Turn the square cake to face you like a diamond.  Place a half round on the left side of the diamond and the other half round on the right.  Frost to cover entire cake, covering where sides join.  Decorate.  Kids love to help!
Books We Can't Put Down...

Submitted by Bree Milrod
-Loving Your Kids on Purpose, Danny Silk
-Redeeming Love, Francine Rivers
-The Mark of the Lion Series, Francine Rivers

Submitted by Jessica Klootwyk
-None Like Him, Jen Wilkin
-The Green Ember, S.D. Smith ( Will be reading aloud to my kids this year)
-Pilgrim's Progress, John Bunyan

Submitted by Jill Brooks:
-From the Godfather to God The Father, The Michael Franzese Story 
(Michael shares his story from the mob, to prison, to a new life; short read of 156 pages, engaging, outreach orientated, God in action)
-The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer - excellent, part of the reason for my New Year's Resolution

Submitted by Carrie Pingry:
(she has offered to loan them out to anyone interested, email her at cpingry@yahoo.com)
Fiction
- The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman, it made me mad and sad, but had to finish it was such an intertwined story. The movie is also available to rent now.
- Northanger Abbey, its been a while since I have read Jane Austen, she's a hoot, I think I was born into the wrong era, I want a bonnet to wear. 
Non-Fiction
- Freedom of Simplicity by Richard Foster. Summed up, the answer to a simple life is to 'seek first the kingdom of God' Matthew  6:33.  Beautiful quote from the book: "Mother Teresa said, 'Pray for me that I not loosen my grip on the hands of Jesus even under the guise of ministering to the poor.' That is our first task: to grip the hands of Jesus with such tenacity that we are obliged to follow his lead, to seek first his kingdom."
- Hungry by Rondi Lauterbach. She explores the topic of hunger; how it drives our bodies, shapes our day and affects our choices.  Hunger is good; God designed us to hunger so we could feast our souls on his Word. 
Podcasts We Love...

*The Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer - 
  excellent, part of the reason for my New Year's Resolution
  -Jill Brooks

*At Home with Sally.  She always encourages a weary mama's soul by directing
  us back to Jesus and the joy He offers. 
  -Carrie Pingry 
Scriptures/Bible Studies

Scripture I've enjoyed: Joyce Meyer's study on Ephesians.  She has half an hour segments on youtube going through each chapter.  Chapters 1-3 tell of just how much God loves us and our relationship with Him.  Chapters 4-6 tell us how to live and how to act.  This has been an amazing study.  I have gleaned if we truly accept God's love and live in that understanding of what that means we will want to act the proper way, for Christ.  And that's just the beginning!  I want to go back and read more and study more.  God worked through these messages to help clear the cobwebs in some of the things I thought and gave me a whole host of new and good things to think on!
 
New Year's Challenge: 
A challenge for the new year has been to really grasp the sentence "Be still, and know that I am God."  With all going on in the world and here at home it has been a true challenge to do this.  I'm finding that reading the scriptures makes me "be still".  There is something so precious and comforting about those words in the Bible that it makes me want to "be still".  The challenges of each day seem to take us further away from time in scripture but if we have this time in the word, we are so richly blessed. 
-Amy Horan
 
 
"This time of year it can be hard for me to find joy- short days, gloomy weather, no green outside. 
It can just make a girl sad.    So a few weeks ago when I read about some joy in the gospel of Matthew I paused. "Enter into the joy of your master" 25:21 and then again the same phrase is spoken in verse 23 - "Enter into the joy of your master."    I wanted in!    I backtracked in my reading, what had the servant done to be given joy by his master?    It's the parable of the talents, the two servants who were faithful; the ones who obeyed got to share in the joy. Joy comes from holy obedience.
The joy is the reward.   It is there for the taking. We can either just stand there and ignore it or we can 'enter into.' His joy is not dependent on our feelings or mood.   The master's joy does not change, each day is a day to be faithful, trust God, hear, obey and find our reward - His joy.   I can try entering into my own joy, finding things I think might make me happy, but those will always fail or run out in the long run.   But entering into the joy of my master will be everlasting, the benefits immeasurable.   
Lord, show us today how we can obey so we too can enter into your joy!"
 
Oh, that today you would listen as He speaks!  Hebrews 3:7 NET
-Carrie Pingry
 
Movie Screening

Monday, February 20 / 7:30 pm
Regal Dulles Town Center 10 

With 20 veterans taking their lives each day, the United States military faces a mental health crisis of historic proportions. 

The film Thank You For Your Service takes aim at our understanding of war trauma, and can serve as a tool to advance the development of greater support services for veterans.  

Please join us for a screening of Thank You For Your Service at the Regal Dulles Town Center 10 on Monday, February 20 at 7:30 PM.  A panel discussion that includes veterans and their family members, mental health professionals, and equine-assisted activities professionals will follow the screening.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Carrie at cpingry@yahoo.com



Recipes of Note

White Chicken Chili Recipe
Submitted by Carrie Pingry
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutesServes: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, at room temperature
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil, divided
2 small yellow onions, diced
1/4 red onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons cumin
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cups chicken broth
one 28-ounce can whole, peeled, fire-roasted tomatoes with juice
one 14-ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Rub the chicken breasts with 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil and season with salt and pepper. Place on the lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. While the chicken is baking, prepare the soup.
3. In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of coconut oil until it shimmers. Add the onions, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, cumin, chili powder and paprika. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are soft.
4. Stir in the chicken stock and fire-roasted tomatoes. Increase the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 35 minutes.
5. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to cool slightly. Using two forks, pull apart the chicken into bite-size pieces.
6. With a wooden spoon, break apart the tomatoes in the chili. Stir in the beans and the chicken. Cover and simmer for 20 more minutes.

Allow the soup to rest for 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve topped with a lime wedge, cilantro or both.

Healthy Loaded Sweet Potatoes
Submitted by Amy Horan

INGREDIENTS:
1 medium sweet potato 
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 Tbsp scallions, chopped
2 large kale leaves chopped
1/2 avocado, diced
1/2 tomato, diced
1/4 cup salsa
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chipotle powder
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 450 F
2.Wash sweet potato and stab once or twice with fork
3. When oven is hot place whole sweet potato on rack and bake from 1 hour
4. Wash & chop other veggies & rinse black beans (if canned)
5. Once potato is cooked, slice in half and let cool
6.Mix beans, tomato, pepper, onion in bowl with spices, stirring to coat
7.Top potato with beans & veggie mixture
8. Garnish with scallions & salsa and add avocado

Healthy Zucchini Muffins
Submitted by Bree Milrod
I added chocolate chips and my kids loved these! 
Giveaway

Carrie Pingry is giving away these lovely summer dishes to the first taker! Email her at cpingry@yahoo.com to claim them as your own!