Chocolate Coconut Brownies for the Homemaking Party

Welcome to the Homemaking Party!  I'm getting the party started a little early today because I'm headed out to my first Writing Group night tonight and won't be here to post it at the normal time. A friend invited me and a few other ladies to meet once a week to share our writing and inspire one another.  I'm so excited!  

What I'm really excited about is the diversity of ages in the group.  My friend who started it is almost 19, I'm 33, another friend is in her early 40s and, yet another, is in her 60s.  I love it how we can all learn from one another and grow.  It's going to be a great thing!

Another thing I'm excited about is getting to share some of our favorite treats, since we're all bringing a snack to share.  I have a potluck tradition of always bringing my Cucumber Dill Treats and Chocolate Coconut Brownies when I get together with friends.  Jamie is allergic to coconut so this is the only time I get to have them! 

Chocolate Coconut Brownies
1 pkg. brownie mix & ingredients to make them
small bag sweetened coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
chocolate for melting

Bake brownies in a large pan---at least 13x9.  (I use the Pampered Chef large bar pan...I think it's 15x11).  Let them cool for a few minutes and then mix up the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and egg.  Spread coconut mixture on top of brownies and bake until the top is light brown.  Melt chocolate and spread over top of brownies and cool.


I love to feature some of the neat posts that are linked up---Please make sure and put my button or a text link on each blog post you link up.  Here are a couple of my favorites from last week's party:

The first post that caught my attention was this one from Tablescapes by Bev.  I've just started collecting this pattern from Johnson Brothers called Friendly Village, and am hoping to have a few pieces by Christmas.  So far, I've found one plate at a yard sale.  Ha!  Check out Bev's post on how she organized and decorated her dining room.

Penny's Vintage Home is someone that I feature regularly because her home and ideas just take my breath away!  It's never too early to start thinking of Christmas decorating and I am DEFINITELY thinking about it now!  I think I'll go check out some yard sales this weekend and see if I can snag some pretty things to craft with!

Thanks to everyone for the great posts!

If you have been featured, please grab a button!

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Linking with:
Homemaking Party @ Hope In Every Season
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Pearls and Lace Thursday @ Faith, Grace and Crafts
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Homeacre Hop 
Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits @ Stone Gable  
Think Tank Thursday @ Saving4Six 
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Create It Thursday
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Thrifty Things Friday @ The Thrifty Groove
Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home
Foodie Friday @ Rattlebridge Farm 
Family Fun Friday @ Happy and Blessed Home
Farm Girl Friday @ Let This Mind Be In You
Fit & Frugal Family Friday
Faithful Fridays
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Finding the Pretty & Delicious @ Your Homebased Mom
30 Min. Linkup @ 30 Days
Sharing Creative Ideas @ Made By Joey  
Show Me Saturday
Metamorphosis Monday @ Between Naps on the Porch
Craft-o-Maniac Monday  
Motivate Me Monday 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 
Living Proverbs 31
Make the Scene Monday @ Alderberry Hill 
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 
Masterpiece Monday @ BoogieBoard Cottage 
A Round Tuit @ Creating My Way to Success 
Monday Funday @ C.R.A.F.T. 
Better Mom Mondays
Marriage Monday
Manic Monday @ Cupcake-n-Bake
Mommy Mondays
Making Your Home Sing Monday
Inspire Mondays
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Tutorial Tuesdays with Hope Studios
Character Corner
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Domestically Divine @ Far Above Rubies
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
Tending the Home Tuesday
Tuesday Link Up Party 
Make Bake Create @ Hope In Every Season
Wisdom Wednesdays @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Home @ Rose Chintz Cottage  
Inspire Me Wednesday @ MamaBuzz
Watcha Work-Up Wednesday 
What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants 
Wednesday Link up at Adorned from Above
Shoe Lace Linkup @ Living In the Shoe
Home Link Up at Raising Arrows

Blessed at Home #13: Finding Inspiration

Thank you for stopping by our 13th week of Blessed At Home.  We sure appreciate everyone who has visited and shared our articles on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter. Please visit the Contributor Page to read more about this excellent ministry from some of your favorite homemaking bloggers.

Today's featured contributor is Tauna @ Proverbial Homemaker:

Tauna, Proverbial Homemaker

I am wife to a wonderful husband and mom to a small brood of sweet children. Both my husband and I are native to the Northwest and live in beautiful Oregon.

I'm an ordinary woman who loves an extraordinary God. One who changes, redeems, transforms, and loves like crazy. I write this blog for Him as well as to be an encouragement to you! 

It is my hope that you'll find support and encouragement atProverbial Homemaker. 

Here are some things I write about:

• Following Jesus
• Biblical marriage and parenting
• Homeschooling (pre-k/k/early elem.)
• Loving and serving others
• Making our homes a haven for our families (from a recovering messy)
• Gardening (from a recovering brown thumb)

You will not see perfection there. My life walking with Jesus began in my adulthood, and much to my surprise and delight, He completely transformed me. 

This journey as His daughter and pursuing the call of wife and mom is a recent one. Truly, me being a wife, mom and homemaker proves that anything is possible with God.

As He guides me, I promise honesty and transparency, and to share what I'm learning from Him and the wise people He's placed in my life.

Today's topic is, Finding Inspiration

Jennifer, Mama Economics

I truly enjoyed praying and mulling over this question the past few days. I love when I am challenged to clearly define who I am. As with everything in my life, I am nothing without Christ. My life begins and ends with Him on the cross. I was quite surprised at how many outlets I found for inspiration in my life, but there was one significant common link.

Specifically, I find inspiration from great literature, praise and worship songs, cleaning, exercising, my children, church, fellowship with like-minded believers, my daily quiet time with the Lord, the still moments of the night when sleep eludes, a fierce thunderstorm, a spectacular sunset, or the magnificent mountains that encompass our home. The list could easily continue, but all are rooted in Christ.

"But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31 (KJV)

As believers, God is sufficient to inspire us to greatness. With the gift of inspiration comes the responsibility of using it wisely. Let us be mindful to make the most of our days while we are on this side of Heaven. We must purpose to honor and bring glory to God through all our words and deeds. Life is not a matter of searching for inspiration, but rather acknowledging Christ as the Author and Creator and following through with the perfect plans He has laid before each of us.

When Christ inspires our days, He provides true fulfillment and an enriched life that allows us plenty of opportunities to be His faithful servants.

Mrs. Smith, Just a Country Girl

Inspiration is such a fun thing to me.  If you look around, every
single person gets their inspiration from somewhere else.  :)  It's
really great!  God uses so many different things and people to inspire us!  Of course, we all can say the Bible inspires us, and really, that should be our #1 source. So I'm just going to move on from that, because of course I find much inspiration in the Bible; especially the book of Ephesians.

Did you ever meet some people who are just SO inspiring?  Or see someone on tv, or hear them on the radio, etc?  Did you say, "Man, I wish I could act more like that person!"  It's okay to be inspired by people; in fact, I think it's a GOOD thing, as long as you're just being inspired and not idolizing them.

I find a lot of inspiration from Big Kenny of Big & Rich, as some of you may know.  If you see my blog post from 2 days ago, you will see that he inspires me.  :)  As I said in that post, God speaks to each
of us differently, which is so cool to me.  What speaks to me may not speak to you, and that's okay! However, we can still share that inspiration, because it will probably speak to someone else, even if we never know who that someone is.

Now the reason I believe that God chose Big Kenny as my source of inspiration is probably because we think alike and live our lives a lot the same...other than he is a rich, famous man and I'm a poor, unknown female.  ha, ha.  See, God knew that I wasn't going to hear His words through a very prim, proper, quiet soul.  Sadly, I just wouldn't have. 

I am a bit of an eccentric, energetic person with lots
of goals and dreams...so that's what He speaks to me through.  A person of that nature, but with a strong spirit who preaches the Word of God through his music and life.  :)  I find the man very inspiring
because he is the "Ambassador of Love" and reaches out to so many people in need; preaching as he goes.  How cool it would be to do that!  And I CAN do it, to a point.  Of course the whole world isn't
going to see me do it because I'm not famous.  But I'm not supposed to be.  I can reach out to the people God puts in my path and preach of love and other Godly things, being inspired by the music God shares with me.

I don't know about you, but I don't find a whole lot of inspiration in this broken world.  So when I do find someone who's doing it right, it's so refreshing to me!  I want to be that kind of person--the person that someone looks at and says, "Wow, she's just living the way she is being called to live and is so happy-go-lucky and positive."

Am I that person?  Not yet.  And I will probably never get there all the way.  But, I'm striving to be that person, because that's who God is calling me to be.  He made me quirky and full of energy for a
reason.  I may not know that reason now, but that's okay.  I just need to keep on keeping on.

Wherever you find God speaking to you; whoever He is using to get His message across; embrace it. Take it to heart.  God will use the most surprising people or things to speak to you.  And others won't
understand.  That's okay!  It's YOUR message from God; not theirs. Take what you can from it and go forward, friends!  You, too, can be an inspiration to someone.  :)

Misty, Simply Helping Him

In being a Princess of The King, I am inspired to live daily striving to serve Him through my words and actions, thereby revealing my love for Him. 

In being a help meet, I am inspired when my husband continually works hard for our family. It inspires me to remain equally diligent at home with the kiddos and chores awaiting me. 

As a mother, I am inspired to be better, in seeing the smiles on my kiddos face when I've truly "hit the nail on the head" for them. 

In being a woman, I am inspired by my mother and the Proverbs 31 woman, to which I will never be equal to, yet yearn to be more like them each day.

In being a photographer, I am inspired by the beauty of the world God has created. In the sunrise, dew drops on the petals, and waves crashing against the sand. All around us is inspiration waiting to be seen, may our eyes be opened to all the beauty He's blessed us with.

Kate, Teaching What Is Good

I find inspiration in many little things. For blogging, it comes from my family or the mentoring I do or from scripture. For my mentoring, it comes from stories I've lived through and the scriptures. For my family it comes from encouragement from others and from the scriptures.

Anybody else seeing a pattern here?

The Lord gives me insight and inspiration from His Word. Sometimes from odd parts of the Word, sometimes from the straightforward parts. But the absolutely positive thing is that His Word inspires me in my life. It inspires me 

• to be better than I am
• to be stronger than I am
• to be wiser than I am 
• to live more faithful than I am

There are times when I've tried to read the scriptures in order to GET inspiration. And I've found God doesn't really work as a Vending Machine! He likes to do things in the way that changes ME. That usually means pruning and transforming me long before I ever get anything else that is share-worthy.

RATS!

I would much rather turn on music, light some candles, open The Book and BAM! Inspiration flows. God seems to prefer I open The Book, He turns on the light of Truth, I get really uncomfortable, I see some sin in my life and I am compelled to repent. This always eventually leads to inspiration. He'll bring it back again and again in stories or imagery or analogies for my life and to share with others.

So, I guess you can say that inspiration in my life is found in my flaws - as the Lord works to remold, transform and re-invent my life in the image of Jesus. I'd still rather it came from a much easier route...but this one allows the inspiration to be real and true and life-changing for me and for others.

Where does YOUR inspiration come from?

Meghan, First Comes Love

The very notion of inspiration is as elusive and intangible as inspiration itself. The Free Dictionary defines inspiration as “stimulation of the mind or emotions to a high level of feeling or activity.” I found that definition…less than inspiring.

The Ultimate Inspiration, the one that moves us – mind, soul, and spirit – is Jesus Christ Himself. All creativity originates from Him, the original Creator.

But how does He inspire us? Sometimes through His word or His direct revelation, that whisper in the depths of our spirits. A lot of inspiration alights on us like the gentleness of a butterfly on a bloom if we are sensitive to its landing.

The sweet scent of a baby.

The gentle plunk of raindrops on the roof.

The steam rising from an early morning mug of a favorite beverage.

The steady ascent of a ladybug on a blade of grass.

A phrase from a Wesley hymn sung heartily on Sunday morning.

The enthusiasm of children’s voices singing of Jesus’ love.

A comment of encouragement.

The gentle touch of holding hands.

The vivacious fuschia of a petunia blossom.

The crumble of garden dirt through fingers.

The chittering of a squirrel.

The simple melodies of a piano practice session.

Inspiration is all around us to be absorbed and nurtured if we open our hearts.

Sarah, Hope In Every Season

I find I am most inspired in my writing when I am in the right atmosphere.  For me, that's usually a table in a dark coffee shop or the furthest corner of a pub-like cafe.  I like to be somewhere where I can pretend I'm invisible, but still observe all that's going on around me.  It also helps that it's usually quieter than my house!

In my homemaking, I am most inspired by other bloggers who share their tips---but, even more so, the things God has shown them.  I am so blessed my blogging "sisters" who are real and relatable.  I hope that I, too, am an inspiration to others.

***Are you a blogger looking to increase your Social Influence and make some money too? Sign up for Sverve to receive influencing money-making opportunities! http://www.sverve.com/dashboard/6658***

Linking with:
Wisdom Wednesdays @Simply Helping Him
Winsome Wednesday @ My Daily Walk in His Grace
Whole-Hearted Home Wednesdays 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home
A Wise Woman Builds Her Home
Homemaking Link Up @ Raising Homemakers
Watcha Work-Up Wednesday 
What's It Wednesday @ Ivy and Elephants 
Simple Living Wednesdays @ Our Simple Farm
Wednesday Link up at Adorned from Above
Shoe Lace Linkup @ Living In the Shoe
Home Link Up at Raising Arrows
Homemaking Party @ Hope In Every Season
Thursday Favorite Things @ Katherine's Corner
Strut Your Stuff Thursday @ Somewhat Simple
Thriving Thursday @ Serving Joyfully
Homeacre Hop 
Tutorials, Tips and Tidbits @ Stone Gable  
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter
Think Tank Thursday @ Saving4Six 
Home Sweet Home @ The Charm of Home 
Create It Thursday
Open House @ Bernideen's Tea Time Blog 
Share Your Cup Thursday @ Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson
Inspiration Friday @ Dear Creatives
Farm Girl Friday @ Let This Mind Be In You
Fit & Frugal Family Friday
Faithful Fridays
Show and Tell Saturday @ Be Different, Act Normal
Or So She Says...
Saturday Nite Special @ Funky Junk Interiors
Finding the Pretty & Delicious @ Your Homebased Mom
30 Min. Linkup @ 30 Days
Sharing Creative Ideas @ Made By Joey  
Show Me Saturday
Motivate Me Monday 
Modest Monday @ The Modest Mom 
Living Proverbs 31
Better Mom Mondays
Marriage Monday
Manic Monday @ Cupcake-n-Bake
Mommy Mondays
Making Your Home Sing Monday
Inspire Mondays
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home
Character Corner
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Domestically Divine @ Far Above Rubies
(Titus 2)s Days @ Time Warp Wife
Tending the Home Tuesday
Tuesday Link Up Party