Green Velvet Cupcakes (and a Big Announcement!)

So, I know you were all wondering if I fell off the face of the earth. Not really, but I have been out-of-the-ordinary busy. To cut to the chase- our family is moving! We are leaving beautiful Colorado (which has been my home for far longer than any other state I've ever lived in) to move to Washington! I am sad to leave our wonderful friends and church here, not to mention the gorgeous mountains, but we will be living close to so much family in Washington that I am also very excited. For the first time ever in my married life I will live closer than a two-days drive to my parents, five of my siblings, my (favorite) aunt and my grandparents. For a girl who absolutely adores her family, it is kind of a dream come true.

    However that has led to more of this:

than I have done in a very long time! Our last move was seven years ago, and we had an 15 month old and a *lot* less stuff! We also took a vacation in the beginning of March to visit my oldest sister (the only one I won't be living near, *tear*). All of that has combined with a million other things to make a hectic month indeed! Needless to say, I haven't been doing much cooking or crafting.

   But I am trying to use up all the food in the house, and when I saw this recipe, and knew I had all the ingredients, well, it was providential! Green Velvet Cupcakes had to be made!  They were so easy, I'm glad I made time for them.

The basic recipe is super simple. You prepare a boxed white cake mix according to the package directions, and simply add 1 tbsp. green food coloring and 2 oz. melted semi-sweet baking chocolate. You finish baking the cupcakes using the directions on the box. That's it! You could really make any color "velvet" you wanted, but I loved the dark green color. In case you were wondering, 1 tbsp. of food coloring is almost two little bottles! I ran out of regular green, so I ended up concocting a mixture of neon green, blue and yellow to get the same results. Just remember, your batter will get darker as it bakes, so don't make it too deep or you will have black cupcakes! I also used a vanilla cake mix, instead of white, so obviously this recipe is very forgiving.

   I didn't care for their frosting recipe, so I ended up adding 1 and 1/2 blocks of cream cheese, tons of powdered sugar, and a little more vanilla to the Cool Whip. These were even more yummy after they had been refrigerated. I didn't have any green sprinkles (I hate those anyway, and remember, moving!) so I used some decorator icing and mint M&Ms to make little shamrocks. I got the adorable chevron cupcake liners at Micheal's last year for a $0.25! Love!

These were so simple, but just adding that little bit of chocolate made them delicious! I personally believe the food coloring adds to the flavor...;)  I know this is late but I couldn't resist posting them, they turned out so cute! Definitely try it- I'm already imaging all the other colors I can make... Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Linked to:
"Turn It Up Tuesday" at Home on Deranged

The Ministry of Being Mrs.

I took cupcakes up to Joel's work today. That may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but it means a lot to the guys he works with. Several of them are single and don't get anything homemade ever. I take (or send) a lot of goodies to that shop. And I won't lie: I have ulterior motives for taking them. I have always pictured it as a "cup of cold water"  (Matthew 10:42) kind of thing.

 

But then as I was talking to Joel the other day, he mentioned that some of the guys don't believe that I really say and do some of the things he tells them about (good things, like how carefully I do his laundry, and bringing him little trays with dessert and milk). I think it surprises them that I really do care about him-what he likes, and how he feels.

 

I think they have been brought up to see all women as feminists-only looking out to further their own interests. And while I would never claim to be the model wife, I do really try to be a servant to Joel. And to me, that is not a negative thing.

"Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything." (Ephesians 5:22-24)

I was raised to take these verses seriously. To me, they imply that as the Church serves Christ, humbly, selflessly, with a strong desire to please Him, that I am called to do the same. And yes, I view it as a calling.

However, I have long thought that it was mostly commanded in the Word so that we would have a God-honoring marriage that was free from strife. But I am beginning to realize that it is a big part of my witness to the unsaved world. It is how we show the world we are different and broadcast Who brought about that change.

When the guys that Joel works and goes to school with hear about how I care for him, and take care of him, they are getting a picture of what Christlike service looks like. I am, albeit indirectly, witnessing to them! They can see that Christ has made my life different, and that Joel and I love each other in a way that far surpasses the cheap imitation they have been accustomed to.

I stay at home. I homeschool, I go to Bible study, I work at church. I am constantly surrounded by believers. And right now, that is where I am supposed to be. However, just as I give money to various evangelistic organizations, and I donate food, clothes and shoeboxes,  I see being a great wife to Joel as part of my ministry and testimony, not just to him, but to those he comes in contact with. I think it kind of falls under that whole "the two shall become one" (Mark 10:8) thing.

I am not only freeing him to focus on what he needs to do, but hopefully, through seeing what a happy husband he is, and how much I respect him and desire to serve him, they will also see what real Christ-followers looks like. Hopefully, it ignites a tiny flame of desire to have that in their own lives. That is a pretty big order for a little batch of cupcakes, but I just think of it as a long-term evangelism plan that is all part of the "Ministry of Being Mrs." It is a role I am privileged to fill.