Morning Has Broken!

Morning has broken

Like the first morning,

Black bird has spoken

Like the first bird.

Praise the singing!

Praise for the morning!

Praise for them springing

Fresh from the Word!

Mine is the sunlight!

Mine is the morning.

Born of the one light

Eden saw play!

Praise with elation,

Praise ev’ry morning,

God’s recreation

Of the newday!

Irish Folk Song

This morning as I headed out for my walk it was a cool crisp 48 degrees.  The sun was just beginning to peek above the Sierra Nevada mountains and it was absolutely gorgeous.  As I was walking along and talking with God the above song came to my mind.  Isn't it wonderful that we get to start each new day fresh as God gives us another chance to live for Him to the fullest and tell others about His Son Jesus Christ.

Trust in the Lord!

Trust in the LORD with all your heart;
do not depend on your own understanding.
 Seek his will in all you do,
and he will show you which path to take.

Proverbs 3:5-6

When we are told that God, who is our dwelling place, is also our fortress, it can only mean one thing, and that is if we will but live in our dwelling place, we shall be perfectly safe and secure.

God is Love!

 O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
 You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
 You see me when I travel
and when I rest at home.
You know everything I do.
 You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
 You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to understand!

Psalm 139:1-6

Everything God does is love, even when we do not understand Him.

Basilea Schlink

Plans

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

Proverbs 16:7

God specializes in things fresh and firsthand.  His plans for you today may outshine those of the past.

Joni Eareckson Tada

Be Still

Be still, and know that I am God!

Psalm 46:10

In solitude we are the least alone, for it is the place where we can hear the Spirit's clear quiet voice.

Fill My Cup Lord!

I spread out my hands to you, my soul thirst for you like a parched land.

Psalm 143:6

Music speaks to my soul.  Here are the words to a song that says it all:

Fill My Cup

Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
"Draw from my well that never shall run dry".

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

There are millions in this world who are craving
The pleasures earthly things afford.
But none can match the wondrous treasure
That I find in Jesus Christ my Lord.

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

So, my brother, if the things this world gave you
Leave hungers that won't pass away,
My blessed Lord will come and save you,
If you kneel to Him and humbly pray:

Fill my cup Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul.
Bread of heaven, feed me till I want no more.
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

Richard E. Blanchard, Sr.

Choices!!!

Love's Promise Rose

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Christ came into to this world for us.  He took our sins upon himself and paid the ultimate price.  He loved me before I was even born and as He hung on that cross I was on His mind. 

Last night at Celebrate Recovery we sang Amazing Love, a song that I dearly love and it talks about the love Christ has for us.  Our teaching lesson last night was on stumbling blocks and how we set the trap with these stumbling blocks to let the enemy into our lives.  In other words we fail to see the truth because we are so consumed with self. 

As I was walking this morning and communing with God this song kept repeating in my mind and I found myself singing it as I walked.  I also pray as I walk and ask God what He  would like for me to write about and this morning the word choices popped into my head.  So here is what I feel about choices. 

One of my stumbling blocks is choices.  I fret and worry over choices that I make and choices that others make, especially when they affect me.  The only choices that I have control over are the ones I make.  When I start worrying about the choices of others I am setting myself up for failure.  I am far from being perfect and in my life time I have made some good choices and I have made some really bad choices.  The bad choices I've made have hurt people and I have asked for forgiveness for the hurt I have caused others.  The really hard part is forgiving others when the choices they make hurt me and those that I love.  But I am working on that issue at CR and with God's help that forgiveness will come too. 

So starting today with God's guidance and leadership I am going to break the vicious cycle of entrapment.  I am choosing to put God first in my life, my husband Gary will be second and our daughter Marianne and her family will be third.  As God tells us in His Word, Gary is the head of this household and I am to be submissive to his leadership.  Does that mean that I am his slave and at his beckon call?  No!  It means that together with God's guidance and leadership we will make the decisions and rules for our home.

I am choosing to use my stumbling blocks as stepping stones to live a full and complete life in Christ!

But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

Joshua 24:15b

Paths to God

Bronze Star Rose

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Romans 3:23

Have you ever felt like your life was under a microscope and everything that you were doing, whether it was good or bad, was being criticized?  I have!  We need to be very careful when we are being critical of others.  Remember when you are pointing a finger at them you have 3 more pointing back at you.

Paths to God

Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.
Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.

Psalm 51:1-2 

Today has not been a good day and I really need God's compassion to remove these feelings I am having.

Praline-Pumpkin Cake

Praline-Pumpkin Cake

Prep Time 25 Minutes     Total Time 2:15 Hrs:Mins     Makes 16 servings

1/2 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup whipping cream

1 cup packed brown sugar

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® yellow cake mix

1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 container Betty Crocker® Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting

Caramel topping, if desired

Additional coarsely chopped pecans, if desired

1.     Heat oven to 325°F. In 1-quart heavy saucepan, stir together butter, whipping cream and brown sugar. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, just until butter is melted. Pour into two ungreased 9- or 8-inch round cake pans; sprinkle evenly with 3/4 cup pecans.

2.     In large bowl, beat cake mix, pumpkin, water, oil, eggs and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice with electric mixer on low speed until moistened, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Carefully spoon batter over pecan mixture in each pan.

3.     Bake 41 to 47 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

4.      Stir remaining 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice into frosting. To assemble cake, place 1 layer, praline side up, on serving plate. Spread with half of the frosting. Top with second layer, praline side up; spread remaining frosting to edge of layer. Drizzle with caramel topping and additional pecans. Store loosely covered in refrigerator.

5.       Makes 16 servings

Walking with God

When we obey him, every path he guides us on is fragrant with his lovingkindness and his truth.  Psalm 25:10

Gary and I spent some time with our daughter and family this past June in the Pacific Northwest.  We walk every morning so while we were with them we tried to stay with our morning routine.  As we walked we took time to take in all the beauty and enjoy the different fragrances created by our God.  

Gary and I strive daily to walk the path God has set for us.  Is it always easy?  No!  But with His help, His guidance, and His strength we know we will make it.

 

Faith and Trust

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.  And I pray that you, being rooted and established in Love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:16-19

God will never, never, never let us down if we have faith and put our trust in Him.  He will always look after us.  So we must cleave to Jesus.  Our whole life must simply be woven into Jesus.  Mother Teresa

Salmon Cakes

Easy Salmon Cakes

Ingredients

1 (6-oz.) Chicken of the Sea® Premium Skinless & Boneless Pink Salmon Pouch
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
3 Tablespoons butter

Directions

In bowl, combine red pepper, green onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, seasoned salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Stir in Chicken of the Sea® Salmon, egg and 1/3-cup breadcrumbs (mixture may be sticky). Divide and form mixture into 4 balls. Roll salmon balls in remaining breadcrumbs; flatten into cakes about 1/2-inch thick. In skillet, melt butter over Medium heat. Fry salmon cakes 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown. Makes four servings.

Preparation Time10 minutes                        Cook time 8 minutes

Fragrance of Christ

As far as God is concerned, there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives.  It is the fragrance of Christ within us.  2 Corinthians 2:15

Just as this rose gives off a fragrant scent, I so want my life to have the fragrance of Christ in everything I do.

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

Slow Cooker Apple Butter

4 pounds apple, cored and chopped

½ cup water

4 ½ cups sugar

¾ teaspoon allspice

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

¾ teaspoon cloves

Place apples and water in a 4 quart slow cooker.  Cook on low for 10 hours.  Add the sugar and spices.  Continue cooking on low for 8 more hours.  Remove the lid from the slow cooker and cook for another hour or until the apple butter reaches the desired consistency.  Spoon into hot sterilized jars, leaving ½ inch of head space.  Seal and store in the refrigerator. 

Yields 5 pints.

Slow Cooker Applesauce

Thanks SimpleGirlathome@blogspot.com for the recipe.  This is the best Applesauce and my family absolutely loves it!

Slow Cooker Applesauce

 

Ingredients

3 pound apples, peeled and cubed*

1/2 cup brown sugar or 1/4 cup agave nectar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

juice of 1/2 lemon

Combine ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6 - 8 hours.

When the apples are tender, mash with a spoon or fork.

*Granny Smith and Rome Beauty

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F A L L

My Sweetie brought this for me yesterday at Exeter's Annual Festival and I absolutely love it.

It was the perfect item the mantle needed.  I might have to move my family frame though,

I love all the colors of fall

Quilts

My cousin is the proud grandma of identical twin girls.  I have had this piece of material for about 10 years just waiting for someone to have twin girls.  So here is a picture of the finished quilts, pillow shams.  I also made little pillows for the shams.

Yesterday I attended a baby shower for Jera, a very dear friend.  She is also having twins but they have decided not to find out the sex of the babies.  So their quilts have little girl and boy teddy bears.  I also made crib skirts for both cribs and instead of pillow shams I am making bumper pads for both cribs.

I love to sew!!!

Life!

I brought this little plaque earlier this year when I was going through a very difficult time.  The words really spoke to my heart.  Life can throw a lot of challenges our way and if we let them they will destroy us.  When we place our faith and trust in God, His love will bring us home.

I consider my life worth nothing to me if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me, the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.  Acts 20:24

It's not her time!

As I was walking this morning and communing with God a dream I had eight years ago came to mind.  A dream I had a couple of months after my younger sister Linda had gone home to be with our Heavenly Father.  Let me back up just a little.  Linda had been ill for several years with Pulmonary Fibrosis, Auto Immune Liver Disease and Lupus.  The week prior to her going home my baby sister Nellie was spending some time with Linda.  Nellie told me about some things Linda had said and done.  One of the things that really sticks in my mind was when Linda was moving her arms in a motion that looked a lot like she was trying to fly.  When Linda was asked what she was doing she stated "I don't want to loose my place in line."  This was one of the last statements Linda made before her journey home which brings me to my dream.

I dreamt that I was being lifted up in the air and came to rest in what I will call a holding room with all these people working at different stations.  As they were looking up my name I heard this booming voice say "It's not her time, send her back."  The next thing I remember from the dream is I am walking along in the midst of all this kaos.  There is smoke and fire, people are dying and I hear all the commotion of people fighting.  I remember someone asking me did I see Mama and my answer was "No I wasn't looking for her because I knew she was there."  Then I looked to my right and saw the Lion and the Lamb lying down together. 

This dream brothered me for a long time as I didn't understand what God was telling me.  I think I do now.  God was telling me that He still has work for me to do and I felt that even stronger this morning.  He is telling me that I need to put my trust and faith in Him.  That when something comes my way to not look at it as a chore but as a ministry.  As long as I keep my eyes on Him and remain true to the calling He has on my life He will carry me through whatever situation comes my way.  So I will quit my complaining and get on with the task God has put before me.  I will forgive those that have hurt me and I will ask for forgiveness from those that I have hurt.  God has things for me to do and He is in large and in control!

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

It's All About Jesus!

At CHOGE the sermon series for the coming weeks is titled "It's All About Jesus" and the pastoral staff has challenged us to read through the book of Mark.  The staff put together a daily reading plan to help us do this so we really have no excuse not to.

  This morning the sermon was taught by Bro. Gene on Discipleship, Mark 1:16-20.  We learned that a Disciple learns what Jesus knows, loves what Jesus loves and lives like Jesus lives.  We cannot be a disciple unless we are disciplined.  All believers are disciples and are to spread the good news of our Savior.  God will equip each one of us to do this so what are we waiting for?

The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

Luke 6:40

The Lord's Prayer

CHOGE Ladies Prayer was today and it was absolutely awesome.  The location of the retreat was the beautiful grounds at Victorian  Gardens, Visalia, Ca.  Our study today was the six parts of the Lord's Prayer; The Father's Character, The Father's Kingdom, The Father's Provision, The Father's Forgiveness, The Father's Guidance and The Father's Protection.  Guest speaker for the event was Lisa Strom, a dynamic lady.  Lisa broke down each of the six parts and how we put them to use in our daily lives.  It was really great some ladies and spending time in prayer with our Heavenly Father.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,^[a]
but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

Matthew 6:9-13