get a cuppa |
|
and read on!
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July
21, 2005 It's time to take a
little break from blogging --- but that
doesn't mean others have or will......
in the right column there are lottsa
great blogs and other things to look at.
July
19, 2005 These have
been busy days and busier ones are
coming---yikes! I don't know
if I've ever looked after a baby (that
wasn't my own) as young as the one we'll
be watching a couple of days a week for
the next 6, or so, weeks. The
brothers, a 3 week old baby and a
toddler arrive each morning at 6:30
(gasp! I know! cramping my style!) and
are picked up around 1pm. The
young mother and dad are working and
finishing college---I admire their
tenacity... well, no, wait: I
admire covet
wish to have their get-up-and-go!
See... I think a lot of my get-up-and-go
actually got-up-and-went somewhere else.
I see all the youngers scurrying around.
Little ones always seem to have to *run*
everywhere---like they're in a hurry.
They're sort of demanding---ironically,
though, they think they'll never get old
and things will never happen, or take
*forever* to finally happen. But
yet, they run. They run
everywhere. In a hurry to do
everything---and yet they're still not
sure if they'll ever really get old.
Old people are old... but young people
seem to think they will be young
forever. Funny... how many years
we spend wanting to get-up-and-go!
And when we finally have a little better
understanding of what's really important
and what we really want, our
get-up-and-go is... going.
So, more
perusing the news.
Bush makes a Supreme Court Justice
selection of Judge John Roberts.
It'll be interesting to watch what
happens or what the reaction will be
from either side of the aisle.
Sometimes I wonder who the real enemy of
this country is. Sometimes
terrorism doesn't seem to be the
greatest threat---seems the greater
threat is the threat of
self-destruction. It seems
to me the enemy within is sort of a
mixed-bag of arrogance, immorality and
ignorance.
You gotta wonder... I often shake my
head at the legal actions that become
wrestling matches between Microsoft and
anyone daring to beat the
mega-conglomerate in just about any
market---computer or otherwise. I
used to wonder when or where it's all
going to end up... just consider: a man,
who's net worth is over n-i-n-e-t-y
billion dollars and who owns it all
already and now
haggling over Google's actions... I
sure think those Googleboys have quite a
thing going---but certainly don't have
the monopoly on the machines, the
programs, etc., etc. designed, dominated
and powered by the mighty-giant
Microsoft. Interesting... how life goes.
Last night, my husband showed me a comic
strip that paralleled something I'd been
discussing with him over the weekend and
a bit to what I was sharing
yesterday regarding the societal-thought-reengineering process
I've been observing. Perhaps, just
a day before, I'd read an article
entitled: "Study
finds prayer doesn't heal" and I
immediately thought: God is not a puppet
and surely needs clinical
trial --- God is not a pawn or an
instrument to be manipulated on command
and prayer (just like grace) isn't
something we determine and manipulate.
So, to read of the studies concerning
the relative
effectiveness of prayer vs. other
methods of treatment seemed to me to be
an affront to God and surely makes an
exhibition of the arrogance of man.
Seek ye the LORD while he may be
found, call ye upon him while he
is near: Let the wicked
forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the
LORD, and he will have mercy
upon him; and to our God, for he
will abundantly pardon.
For my thoughts are not your
thoughts, neither are your ways
my ways, saith the LORD.
For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, so are my ways
higher than your ways, and my
thoughts than your thoughts.
Isaiah 55.6-9
Well... so this,
from the article:
"...The study,
which involved 748 heart patients about
to undergo catheterization or stenting
procedures, showed that intercessory
prayer failed to reduce the incidents of
major complications, rehospitalization
or death."
and went on to
state,
"The results
suggest that intercessory prayers did
not significantly better the outcome for
those patients who received it. Patients
were not told whether they were or were
not prayed for.
But the study
did point to some beneficial uses of
prayer, and particularly a
nontraditional treatment known as music,
image and touch therapy. That therapy
involved breathing techniques, soothing
music and touch."
The insertion of this
pic of a comic from our
home-delivered news paper
is not an endorsement of
the
Cornered
comic strip
or of the view
expressed. I post
it here simply to
strengthen my argument regarding
the paradigm shift and to demonstrate
how easily and subtly the shift is being
introduced and implemented.
All the while, it amazes me that God
is so patient and so
merciful. I am
amazed at His tender
mercies toward His
creation--- His creation
that daily seeks to
exclude Him and daily
seeks self acclaim.
"Be not deceived; God is
not mocked:
for
whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap."
Galatians 6.7
|
|
This is a picture of a
"comic" in our paper
yesterday.
This
note, below: from the
Cornered Website: "Cut
the cartoon out or print
it out,
and pin it up so
others can enjoy it!
Word of mouth
is the best way for a new cartoon to get known." |
It didn't take reading the entire
Newsmax article: Birth Control Patch May
Pose Health Risk for me to conclude
that the docs' opinions and the logic of
the FDA were absolutely ludicrous.
If you read through to the end you'll
start wondering what in the world is
going on and where will all this faulty
logic take us? I'm thinking they
owe an apology to Merck (think: Vioxx).
Apparently doctors are not alarmed at
the fatality rate of the use of the
birth-control patch. Isn't that
astounding? An article included
death rates for contraceptive pill users
and contraceptive patch uses and
compared the "danger" of the two and the
fatality rates of those and other
pregnancy/hormone related numbers.
Then other death rates per one hundred
thousand... death rates with included
rates for such activities as rock
climbing, motorcycling, and terminating
pregnancies. Death rates for
terminations of pregnancy always bring
out the cynical side in me---they're
always skewed and incorrect!
There's always some rate of something
like 10-20 deaths per one hundred
thousand terminations. Well---in
reality there are at least One Hundred
Thousand and twenty or so deaths when
One Hundred Thousand pregnancies are
terminate.
Your Comments
[moderated]
Some comments received will be
posted below the original, related
blog entry
July
18, 2005 All my
one-liner comments in yesterday's blog
stemmed from my perusal of the few
websites I read for daily news and
information. I try to read a few
so that I see different angles to what
amounts to the same spin----just
extremely different perspectives of that
spin, most of the time.
Something I'm always finding rather
intriguing, is the disparity in thinking
when an issue is presented. For
example... it used to be that a
"God-fearing" Christian man was honoured
and that the foundations of that man's
life were respected and thought to be
praiseworthy. Deceptive, immoral,
irreverent behavior was thought to be
*extreme!* If a man were to have a
narrow set of parameters in which he
operated and yet he was fair and just,
then, his narrow perspective would have
been revered, giving him a mark of
distinction. He would never have
been called ---extreme--- in fact, quite
the opposite. Behaviours that
deviated from that narrow path were
considered *extreme!*
Now, fast forward to the present.
Now that man would be a radical
extremist! Away with him!
Banish him, castigate him and put an end
to his speaking: for he is EXTREME!
You hear radical right wing whacko
enough times, and you begin to believe
the lie, too. Hear homophobia
often enough, and you begin to believe
the lie, the disorder, the extreme(!)
too. Hear the word: choice,
enough, and you start believing that
oppression really might be taking place
after all; that if people didn't have
*choice,* then WHAT? they'd have to
*live* with their *problems* and *ruin*
their lives. See... like the
analogy of the frog slowly simmering to
death, that's what's going on in our
world. First get people
comfortable with concepts by repeatedly
delivering the lie so that it's no
longer thought a lie and then get them
to equate the former way with evil and
oppression and they will eagerly
endeavor to promote and defend the new
way. It will still be a lie but
will be bought as truth. It's
happening all over... and it's been
happening for years. Slowly. Very
slowly. Like the little foxes that
spoil the vine. Like termites
slowly devouring the foundation and
walls of the home. One day,
quite by surprise, the dwelling will
collapse.
These are incredible days in which to be
alive. Incredible! Watch
Israel.
Be still,
and know that I am God:
I will be exalted among the heathen,
I will be exalted in the earth.
Psalm 46.10
And in that day shall the deaf hear the
words of the book, and the eyes of the
blind shall see out of obscurity, and
out of darkness. The meek also shall
increase their joy in the LORD, and the
poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy
One of Israel. For the terrible
one is brought to nought, and the
scorner is consumed, and all that watch
for iniquity are cut off: That
make a man an offender for a word, and
lay a snare for him that reproveth in
the gate, and turn aside the just for a
thing of nought. Therefore
thus saith the LORD, who redeemed
Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob,
Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither
shall his face now wax pale. But
when he seeth his children, the work of
mine hands, in the midst of him, they
shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the
Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the
God of Israel. They also that
erred in spirit shall come to
understanding, and they that murmured
shall learn doctrine. Isaiah
29.18-24
Your Comments
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posted below the original, related
blog entry
I
had the privilege of chatting on IM with
Timothy in Mexico tonight. What a
blessing it is to be the mother of that
boy. He is finishing up his time
of language study there and will be home
in a few days. I'm already feeling
sort of melancholy about it as I know
that in a couple of weeks he will
leave for three months to work on a boat
in California. I guess I know it's
a good thing for him, a good opportunity
to grow, to help and to earn money for
the next Mexico trip this winter.
I guess I know all these things---but my
heart has a time trying to come to terms
with the beneficial circumstances the
LORD continues to provide for him.
Then I stop and consider those who've
never heard. I consider those who
will die and enter a Christ-less
eternity. I consider the small
sacrifice it really is to be part of a
very big picture and then I remember the
precious mother of Samuel: Hannah; and I
wish to join her in saying: "For
this child I prayed; and the LORD hath
given me my petition which I asked of
him: Therefore also I have lent
him to the LORD; as long as he liveth he
shall be lent to the LORD." 1Samuel
1.27-28
I've
always known Timothy was called by the
LORD to something unique and I've always
known that for how ever long he lives,
whatever God calls him to do and
wherever he lives----it would be a great
blessing. Little 'melia,
especially, misses her Timothy.
Your Comments
[moderated]
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posted below the original, related
blog entry
July
17, 2005 What to say, what to say. Today's
version of the news... Death, deception
and slander scattered all over the news.
Israeli missiles are firing at cars.
Thousands more babies have been killed
in clinics around the world.
Thousands more die of starvation.
The very nation needing help the most
lends it hand to the production of
deadly weapons ultimately to be used
against the very hands that were
reaching out to feed them.
Bizarre. Gazillions of dollars spent
entertaining ourselves to death.
Hurricanes leaving behind swaths of
death and destruction. The world is
crazed by the distribution of ten
million copies of a satanic book.
The US slowly dismantles the documents
of Independence and freedom and slowly
erodes the great blessings once enjoyed
by a nation that had God's obvious
providential blessing---ironically
repeating the evil histories of other
nations. Immorality is lauded, The world
winks at sin. Believer's children
dabble in darkness---ignorant of the
power and subtle presence of the enemy
of their souls. It all seems
so hopeless...
But God.
But
God,
who is rich in mercy,
for his great love wherewith he loved
us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ,
(by grace ye are saved;)
And hath raised us up together,
and made us sit together in heavenly
places in Christ Jesus:
That in the ages to come he might shew
the exceeding riches of his grace
in his kindness toward us through Christ
Jesus.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works,
which God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them.
Ephesians 2.4-10
Be sober, be vigilant; because your
adversary the devil,
as a roaring lion,
walketh about, seeking whom he may
devour:
1Peter 5.8
Finally, my brethren,
be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might.
Put on the whole armour of God,
that ye may be able to stand against the
wiles of the devil.
For we wrestle not against flesh and
blood,
but against principalities, against
powers,
against the rulers of the darkness of
this world,
against spiritual wickedness in high
places.
Wherefore take unto you the whole armour
of God,
that ye may be able to withstand in the
evil day,
and having done all, to stand.
Stand therefore,
having your loins girt about with truth,
and having on the breastplate of
righteousness;
And your feet shod with the preparation
of the gospel of peace;
Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all
the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit, which is
the word of God:
Praying always with all prayer and
supplication in the Spirit,
and watching thereunto
with all perseverance and supplication
for all saints;
Ephesians 6.10-17
Hearken
unto this, O Job:
stand still,
and consider the wondrous works of God.
Job 37:14
Your Comments
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blog entry
What a light our Lord is in
a world of such darkness.
|
----------Amen |
|
Pamela I am always touched
when I stop by your site.
You have put together
something which I would say
is a work of Art!! I love
catching up on your Blog
page. I enjoy your style of
writing and your bits of
humor tucked in here and
there. Thank you for your
minisrty to so many ladies
needing a good role model
today. Also thank you for
the hours you have spent
over these pages and the
Prayer for just the right
content. I can heartily
recommend your website, it
is a real blessed resource.
Love in Christ Robin LeClair
Thank you for your
encouragement. At a
time of reevaluating things
and praying for future
direction |
|
I have a question to a
thought which I just had.
You mentioned once that
while you and your husband
are both Christians, your
thoughts might differ
slightly on some topics? Is
that correct? I have a
problem. My husband does not
want me to wear dresses all
the time. He forbids me from
throwing out my shorts or my
jeans. So, I pray about it,
but he doesn't change. I
should wear what he wants,
right? |
Yes, our thoughts on some matters
differ slightly---these are probably
better described as shades of the
same colours, for the most part.
I would seek common ground on the
matter of dress. While I would
earnestly pray about the situation,
I would implore my husband regarding
matters of modesty and femininity
(and then I would be quiet about
it---more words are not going to
benefit you or him) and I would seek
to meet his preferences in as modest
and feminine a manner as possible.
Prayer avails much---first in our
heart. Dresses all the
time----that's not worth quarreling
over. Your godly life, obedient
manner, loving way, radiant
countenance and sweet heart is what
matters.
July
16, 2005 Been too bizzy to blog.
We had our annual KlaHaYa Days
rain fest
backyard party last night and so we were
working around to get things spruced up
and ready.
KlaHaYa Days is the annual town
festival---lots to see and do during
this week in old Snohomish.
The downpour late yesterday afternoon
really dampened already low spirits
around here. Seems like it dawned
on everyone in the family yesterday
morning that Timothy would not be here
for the party and that my parents would
not be here and that this one would not
be here and that one would not be
here... and then the phone calls came
from different friends who wouldn't be
able to come --- and then more rain!
Refusing to be downhearted, I suggested
that we just proceed and see what would
transpire and so after changing things
around and getting increasingly more
"behind" in preparations and working to
provide "shelter" from the storm, we
continued on and were so blessed by the
many friends gathered for the evening.
The barbecues were fired up and the
grilling began and, amazingly, the
weather cleared quite a bit and the rain
stopped for *much* of the evening.
I suppose the inconvenience or
discomfort from the rain was not too
severe. And by the time the
fireworks display began, the rain had
subsided completely and we enjoyed the
show!
What? No pictures? Yep, that's
right... one of the few times in our
family history that an event wasn't
documented in pictures.
This being our ninth year here, we're
very thankful for this place---this
home, and then to be able to enjoy the
tradition of this annual party, to have
family and friends gather year after
year, to renew old friendships, to have
the different ones playing and growing
up together, the olders playing
volleyball, and to be able to visit and
then each year to watch the fireworks
from the yard... well, it's just really
been a humbling blessing. I say
humbling, because it's truly been
incredible to be on the receiving end of
such tremendous bounty and blessing.
It is humbling because I fully recognize
my failings and shortcomings and that
old friends are more precious than gold,
and what's more, the LORD loves me---He
loves us--- He loves us so much and
lavishes on us: His grace. How
great is the "...love the Father hath
bestowed upon us, that we should be
called the sons of God..." Amazing
love.
Today all the olders are away... another
had a birthday party invitation and so
I've savored the moments to enjoy
the youngers, to work with them
and also to be quiet. Pretty sweet
of the LORD to give me what I needed
instead of what I thought I wanted.
But then, He's like that.
Your Comments
[moderated]
July
14, 2005 Men do a lot
of stupid things for sexand money or for
that and power or for that and glamour
or for that and revenge or for that and
what they think will be personal gain.
I've known many men who've lost
everything of value because they
believed a lie. Men who sought to gain what they
were duped into believing was freedom
and pleasure. Men who've
given up a lovely women---a lavish banquet for a cup of
spicy chili. Men who seem to be
stuffing their pockets with charcoal
briquettes --- carelessly ignoring the acres
of rare diamonds in their own yard.
The consequences of immorality and/or
infidelity are anything but freedom and
pleasure --- about as freeing or
gratifying as sitting bomb-laden vehicle
in Baghdad. Deceived into
believing their actions have no
consequence, or worse, that they can
handle them, they take a bite of the
bait. Instantly: no
undoing what's been done. Sort of
like stupid things we've said, we can
never "un-say" and likely, we all have
former friends who will never forget
those stupid things we carelessly uttered. Or, like the oft used
example of squishing out and emptying a
tube of toothpaste and never being able
to get all the gel back into the tube
again.
Sometimes, a man will see that his house
is on fire and he'll do everything
---anything--- to put that fire out and
rebuild the house. A humble
man... a repentant man.
Sometimes, though, even in the face of
seeing that the aid cars have been
summoned and the fire trucks have
responded, and the hoses are blasting
water at the flames, it seems as though
that man hurries to the scene of his
house fire to refuse their aid and
prevent their working to put out the fire.
It even seems that some men attempt to
turn away the fire hose or to
retrieve and return the massive amount
of water back to the fire trucks instead
of allowing the power of the water to
put out the destructive flames.
All for a taste of "freedom." Or
so they thought.
The Word says: "For by means
of a whorish woman a man is brought to a
piece of bread: and the adulteress will
hunt for the precious life." and, "To
have respect of persons is not good: for
for a piece of bread that man will
transgress." Proverbs 6.26;
28.21
Okay, so, where on earth was I going
with all that and where in the world did
all that come from? Certainly not
simply from a multiplicity of
experiences of personal acquaintances.
Well, it seems that Arizona Senator John
McCain, a defender of
virtuous living and clean movies, has
stepped across the aisle to make an
appearance in a new movie: Wedding Crashers,
a be-as-nasty-as-they-can sort of movie
that's got ads all over luring teenagers
and tantalizing men all over the place.
Makes you sort of wonder how nasty will
"main-stream" get? Sodom surely
seems less and less extreme and more and
more familiar as we take in the view
these day. Now, it wouldn't
be surprising if interest concerning
John McCain as a viable candidate or as
"Presidential material" has just lapsed
a bit. You'd think that a man of
his caliber and political position would
scrupulously measure his steps and would
seek to avoid any appearance of
impropriety to avoid totally
jeopardizing his reputation. It's
been a rather depressing week all
around; I don't quite know why this has
struck me so powerfully, but it has, it
just has. What a cap to a
week of depressing political news
and events around the world.
I guess I was better off just working
around our home and yard----but I can
only do head in the sand sort of stuff
for so long till I wonder: what in the
world is going on... and then I wish to
return my head to the sand.
Maranatha. Even so, Maranatha.
Your Comments
[moderated]
Thank you for the good letter... an angle that needs to
be addressed----thank you for writing
it:
|
I've never commented
before but I'm
always blessed by
your blog. I have
recently been
thinking along the
lines you mention
here, as I watch
people--something I
love to do. The
other day I observed
a cab driver
flirting with a
prospective client.
This particular cab
company does tours
in our city and the
cabbie was trying to
muster up some
business for a tour
with a particular
group of tourists.
He was asking a very
nice and attractive
lady if her husband
was the "jealous
type" and if so,
then he (the cabbie)
would "behave
himself" during the
tour. This implied,
obviously, that if
the husband was NOT
the jealous type
then he (the cabbie)
WOULDN'T "behave
himself." This, from
a man who claims
Christianity. I
happen to be
acquainted with the
cabbie and his
family. What kind of
testimony is that?
Now, I understand
that the cab driver
was only messing
around, but I also
know that he has a
lovely wife, several
children, and a few
grand children, and
if his wife heard
him commenting in
this way to this
other woman, she
would be very
unhappy. Not only is
he damaging his
marital
relationship, he is
damaging his
testimony as a
Christian. I also
know that "messing
around" can be a
seed that very
likely may bear
rotten fruit down
the road. I'm
sharing this little
story with this
thought in mind: it
occurred to me that
flirting can be
classed with
adultery. I don't
read anywhere in my
Bible where Jesus
flirted with the
women He came into
contact with. To the
contrary: He held
them in high regard
and conferred mercy,
forgiveness, and
dignity upon them.
If we, as
Christians, are
meant to be becoming
more like Jesus,
through His
incredible grace
upon our lives,
should we not be
concerned with the
words of our mouths
(symptomatic of the
things in our
hearts) and our
living out publicly
what we believe?
Jesus said that if a
man looks on a woman
to lust after her,
he has already
committed adultery
with her in his
heart. So this type
of flirtation...ANY
flirtation as far as
I'm concerned, is
adultery of the
heart. Pretty
serious stuff.
Well...my opinion is
very strong here,
and you may not want
to include this
comment on your
site, but I thank
you for this venue
in which I can get
it off my chest, as
it were! It's been
bothering me for
some time, and it's
something I'm taking
to prayer. I am
asking God to help
me have His grace on
people,
understanding that
none of us have
"arrived." The
cabbie may be weak
in one area, where I
am weak in others
and I don't want to
forget that I, too,
am a work in
progress! Maybe I
should do less
people watching and
put my head in the
sand sometimes too!
:-) Thanks, Pamela,
for a great site.
|
|
Honey
Bee
MomIsHome |
I so
appreciate your sharing
about hopelessness!! I KNEW
you must have gone through
some deep waters yourself to
be filled with so much
depth. (It is hard to find
Christian friends and
fellowship with ANY depth)
YOU'VE DESCRIBED MY LIFE AND
MY WALK! Oh, isn't it good
to connect with others who
have felt the same! God
bless you sweet sister! I
have my rose colored glasses
on today. |
Yes, I am grateful for the privilege we
all have to share with one another.
I pray the LORD will bless you, too.
I truly appreciate your encouragement.
July
12, 2005
Perhaps we've been
trying to pack too many minutes
into each hour lately, but it sure seems
like time's going too fast for all that
needs to be done each day. So much
of what goes on and depletes time and
energy would take far longer to document
and would be of little edification.
But, I do appreciate the regular
notation of thoughts and events and
so... blog. I work to
refrain from thinking that time's wasted
looking at the funny shaped clouds or
reading (just one more, please) story
books to the children or walking the
floor with a too-sleepy grandchild or
the myriad of activities that always
take a lot longer than what seems at the
moment to be adequate. I can't
really remember the last time I read
stories to my first-born or watched the
swings of the second-born or brushed the
hair of the third-born or fixed a sippy-cup
for the fourth-born or held the
fifth-born on my lap or had a tea-party
with my sixth-born or took a walk with
my seventh-born or danced with my
eighth-born or nursed my ninth-born or
finger-painted with my tenth-born or
played dolls with my eleventh-born.
And because all these things were and
are more important than a host of other
things, as I wash fresh-picked
raspberries, I try to allow as many
helpers to join me and to hear the
stories as they remember them and to
share with them the precious stories of
their lives.
I am leaning to be still while I'm busy
instead of being too busy to be still.
And you can quote me on that... as I
truly will need the reminder! More
on this another time.
chrisgln@bigpond.net.au
Oh it is so true! So busy
with little ones that you
can't savour the moments
that make up the memories!
That is why I always had the
camera on top of the fridge
with film and flash ready to
go- we didn't have digital
cameras back then of course,
and certainly no computers
for home use. That is why
now my adult children and
grandchildren come to our
place and automatically
start posing when they see
my camera! I taught them
well..(smile) or in this
case "cheese!" I love your
quote and have taken it on
board. Putting it into
practice is an art but is
something of great value.
Thank you for posting of
this. Love to you all,
Glenys
|
I prepared an addition to my "Special
Occasions" recipe page so that I
could print out the German Chocolate
Cake Recipe... Thank you all who wrote
to ask for the recipe. It's a
tasty cake---and I share this bcz most
in our family don't care very much for
cakes---but they do surprise me with the
things they do like (which sure seem
pretty close to "cake" to me!).
Anyway... here's the specific link to my
German Chocolate Cake recipe.
Your Comments
[moderated]
What
others have said:
happytobehome:
I've never made a german
chocolate cake but it's my
very favorite kind and we
buy one from the store for
my every birthday. Can you
send me your recipe? |
(I will be posting comments when
appropriate below related blog topics
instead of recording them on a separate
page to reduce the urban sprawl of this
website.)
Amy Forbes
What a cute daughter you
have. btw I came here
through Donna's blog at
pausingtoponder.com. http://retrospective.co.nz |
kstanley1952
This is the time we need to
pray. Pray that God will give
the president and congress the
wisdom to appoint a new justice
that will up hold the
constitution. They are not to
make the laws buy interpert the
laws. I pray that God is
watching over us all, believers
and non-believers and with his
love it will prevail. I am
concerned with the way the world
is today. So many things just
not right. I mourn for the days
that seemed more pure and closer
to our God. But if we stand
upright and show that good
prevails and the bad things
NEVER last then the good should
shine through and all will be
good with the world. I always
tell my kids that bad never
lasts - it can't it ends one way
or another, but good (God)
presses on and has no end.
July
11, 2005 I've vacillated much of
my adult life between looking through
rose coloured glasses and occasionally battling
hopelessness. As for the rose
coloured glasses: not literally, but
certainly figuratively. As
for hopelessness, I suppose it depends
on the season---some seasons extending
longer than others. I've just gone
along under the assumption that
everything was going to work out fine or
that things probably really aren't as
bad as they seem at the time---and then
hopelessness washes over like a wave.
Things seem hopeless ---- situations,
relationships, jobs... plans. And
then I stop and consider the mercies of
God. I consider His handiwork, His
past dealings and current provisions and
then as if throwing off the blanket of
despair, I look and see the mercy of the
LORD and marvel over His goodness and
faithfulness. I'm so thankful to
watch and walk with the LORD and am so
thankful for His mercy---His tender
mercies are *new* every morning.
Great is His Faithfulness.
One
thing I'm discovering in the life of
believers is that *seems* a whole lot
easier to "fellowship" on a very surface
level and go along accepting nourishment
from what we later discover were crumbs
instead of feasting on the
ever-unfolding and deepening and
sustaining friendship that is like an
ongoing feast. Sometimes years are
spent attending special occasions
marking significant life events,
developing a relationships that are, in
reality, simply
acquaintances gathering at appointed
times sharing the viewing of momentous
occasions. Collect enough of
these memories, and one might be
persuaded to believe they've experienced
true fellowship. But that's
what we've been conditioned to do and to
accept: "churches" filled with
people that each only really knows on
the surface no matter how many common
events have been shared and each one is
conditioned to accept or believe that
common experiences are enough to be
bonding. Going through events bond
us on a superficial level but that's
about all unless we are truly disclosing
or revealing our thoughts, prayers, and
experiences together in and through each
season. Time frames and formats
almost guarantee that that intimacy
can't or won't happen. Seeing one
another is a sweet thing, but *being*
with one another is sweeter---but it's
risky... really risky. Toes get
stepped on, feelings get exposed and
even bruised and our true selves are
revealed in light of Scripture and
friendship and as the body walks
together, joints get strained, the
fibers that join us together get pulled,
weighed down, tired, and all the while
another thing is happening: the body
gets stronger, healthier, more sensitive
to strains and how to work together to
anticipate and help the strains and the
body begins to flourish. It
doesn't happen by accident and it
doesn't happen over night.
It's only when smaller gatherings are
established and true fellowship is
*undertaken* that a resulting intimacy
begins to happen. I say: begins,
because it takes much time, much
emotional investment and much *risk* to
actually develop true fellowship among a
gathering or body of believers. I
genuinely believe, this depth doesn't
and perhaps cannot occur in most
'churches' today. It's not
just the sizes of them, either.
It's more than that. It's the form
and function and the conditioned
expectation of non participation.
It's becoming increasingly evident, and
increasingly believers are weary of the
loneliness and stagnation of their lives
and faith and are coming to see the
counterfeit and are longing for true
fellowship --- hence the proliferation
of "cell groups" and bible studies and
house churches. None will
flourish, however, until candid and
transparent relationships are
established and nurtured. It takes
risk to go beyond the very surface
levels and get past the facades and
assumptions. This is exacerbated
by the masks believers have been
conditioned to wear and accept on
others.
When the veneer is stripped away,
sometimes the raw tender skin can't
handle the brushing and initially
resists further exposure---but
amazingly, once those steps are
collectively taken in a fellowship and
the expectation of truth is a reality,
and acceptance is authentic, then
genuine fellowship begins to take place
and genuine love develops and we know,
deep down, that that's what we've been
longing for: genuine love; love
that bears all things, hopes all things,
believes all things, endures all
things... love that never fails.
In reality, as believers, what we're
really longing for is Jesus --- more of
Jesus and we want Him to be and be seen
in others and we want Him to live in and
through us. But Jesus isn't a
story or a picture or an ideal, Jesus is
our hope of glory---He is our all in all
and what we must do next is to
demonstrate Him to one another. We
must be willing to be prayerful, humble,
patient, forgiving, forbearing,
transparent and very willing to accept
one another's strengths and weaknesses
and even knowing all that we know, be
willing to walk and work together.
It takes a unique bond, though, and that
is the bond that can only be met through
Jesus. He gathers different ones
at different times in different places
to demonstrate His life, love and
blessing. I think He wants to do
this all over. He sets the lonely
in flocks and makes them a family.
What love. What mercy.
Your Comments
[moderated]
You
know why I share what I share?
Because I am grateful---grateful to God
for His tremendous blessing and
provision and I just want to share it.
That's all. I try to
remember and reflect that and pray it's
evident and when it's not, I pray for
God's mercy.
I
received a letter this morning that
confirmed why I do some of what I do.
You see, when I was a brand new bride, I
called my husband at work and asked him
about a recipe in my brand new, clean
and sparkly, Betty Crocker cookbook.
It's no longer clean and I usually don't
need to ask the types of questions I
asked in those days because I've learned
a few things over the years and I just
want to share a little bit of what the
LORD has done for me. I don't
share because I think I've got it all
together (I don't) or because I want to
make a name for myself (I don't)
or because I am looking to be some big
deal... yada, yada, yada (because I'm
not). I share because someone
shared with me and I'm going along with
an ability and desire to do the same for
others. I know that both the
ability and desire is from the LORD.
By
the way, I got the answer to the
question: "Honey, when the recipe says
to pare and core the apple, does that
mean to peel it and cut it up?"
My blessed teacher said, yes,
sweetheart... and he taught me a whole
lot more about love and life.
Along the way, the LORD sent me many
other teachers, many other encouragers,
many other helpers and many blessings
through all of them.
So.................. to be a sweet
heart... that's my desire. That's
the reason for this website, for my
writing here and for my love for the
brethren---that means the sistren, by
the way. ;-)
Your Comments
[moderated]
What others have said:
lloydfamily
Just a blessing to see
that cake! I usually
make that kind of cake
for my dh for his
birthday, but just do it
in the 9 x 11 pan and
slop the frosting on
top, like my Mom used
to. But, I can see with
a little more effort, I
can make it an elegant
looking dessert! This is
a duh moment for me.
Thanks for sharing.
And thank you for
writing! Yes... My
mother always made this
cake... and I do *not*
know why I was not
around to watch and
learn. Dummy me!
But somewhere along the
way I began to make this
German Chocolate cake
and got better at it and
now make it for most
everyone's birthday and
for "thank you" gifts.
Kathryn took this
picture...isn't it
pretty the way she
draped the blue fabric
behind it?! My
mother bought me the
crystal cake stand just
for special occasions!
And we love using it.
It's quite large and
elegant... and
very unlike lots of the
rest of the stuff we
have ;-) but that
just adds to it, I
suppose. Bless you
for being a sweet heart
to your husband and
family! I'm sure
it blesses his heart to
have you love and serve
him in this way! |
|
Your Comments
[moderated]
A long time ago, the
boys fastened a long board across
the inside top of the 10' tall cedar
hedge and
what an amazing thing to look out
and see that Joey had helped dolly
up to the top of the hedge.
Surprise, mama!