My little Booknook at the Lighthouse

I'm Moving!!

2007-01-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

I've decided to move to a new blog. Actually I added a third blog to my blogger account. I will be moving there effective immediately. The address is: http://stainedglasswindow-ampraisinghim.blogspot.com/. Please update your links, and blogrolls.

My other blog "Mother of a Special One' will continue to be active.

Please join me there. Thank you.

For the New Year

2007-01-01T19:37:00.000-05:00

My dreams for the new year for myself would include learning what it means to be Spirit-filled as a Christian; continuing on my revolution: Dirty Feet for Heaven in 2007; and also learning to walk the path of forgiveness for those who have hurt me. These may be few, but I believe they are very meaningful to me. I know the Lord has some wonderful, amazing, and at times difficult adventures ahead for my feet in 2007.

Missing Link

2007-01-01T19:34:00.000-05:00

I have just realized that the link I referred to in the previous post has been taken down. It was a link to the story of "Papa Panov's Christmas" some call it Papa Panov's Special Visitor. According to my research that story is an old French folk tale, rewritten many times, including a version by Leo Tolstoy, and others, such as Helen Steiner Rice, (thanks DennisS). If any of you have access to the older version of it, please let me know.

A good story

2006-12-22T20:33:00.000-05:00

Click here for a good story for this time of the year. There may be other versions, or places where you can get this in hardcopy....if so let me know.

When I read this tonight, the Lord really spoke to me and encouraged me through this story. May it be a blessing to you too.

Wow, what a revolution!!

2006-12-18T14:19:00.000-05:00

Remember this post I wrote almost two weeks ago, click here, about getting my feet dirty for heaven in 2007. Remember how I said I was going to start that day.!! Well, here's my first progress report. I say this to glorify the Lord who has enabled me to get my feet dirty for Him already. I pray that you will be challenged, and join in and/or at least pray for me as I journey this path.

Here are some of the paths that the Lord has taken me in less than two weeks, and gotten my feet dirty for Him:

~~helping a widow find a place to donate no longer needed clothes; also chatting with her on the phone a while
~~ supporting my husband as we begin the painful journey of a church conflict
~~seeing an Amish woman so eager to help someone else when no one else was caring
~~helping a hungry elderly woman in the grocery store's cafe read the menu
~~working again today at the homeless soup kitchen that I went to in September
~~talking with a child at church who is having behaviour problems due to a nasty home situation
~~praying for many needs
~~helping to shop for donations for the local food bank who was collecting outside our local grocery store
~~chatting with some young struggling families after church

I can't think of anything else right now. It has been an incredible journey, and its only just begun. I love these adventures!! Sometimes the paths the Lord leads me down are not the easiest, but I'm trusting Him to bring victory!!

For you

2006-12-16T19:17:00.000-05:00

Psalm 27
A psalm of David.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The LORD protects me from danger— so why should I tremble?

2 When evil people come to destroy me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.

3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will know no fear. Even if they attack me, I remain confident.

4 The one thing I ask of the LORD— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, delighting in the LORD's perfections and meditating in his Temple.

5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock.

6 Then I will hold my head high, above my enemies who surround me. At his Tabernacle I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the LORD with music.

7 Listen to my pleading, O LORD. Be merciful and answer me!

8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."

9 Do not hide yourself from me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don't leave me now; don't abandon me, O God of my salvation!

10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.

11 Teach me how to live, O LORD. Lead me along the path of honesty, for my enemies are waiting for me to fall.

12 Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I've never done and breathe out violence against me.

13 Yet I am confident that I will see the LORD's goodness while I am here in the land of the living.

14 Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD.
Psalms 27:1-14 (NLT)

What the birds taught me

2006-12-13T19:20:00.000-05:00

I have been having a very, very, rough past few days. Not only has there been sickness in my house, but my husband, who is a pastor is facing the toughest battle he's ever faced with a church since he began in ministry. It's rough.....very rough.....I have to go find Sissy's post about the Ballast in the midst of the storm. (click here)

The Lord throughout my life has used special things to encourage me....this time just a couple weeks ago he used birds. I'm only now realizing the full meaning of the event.

It was a rainy Friday a couple of weeks ago. Where I live the birds have already begun their flight south for the winter. Now I admit I'm not a bird watcher or even a bird expert, but as the event unfolded, I sensed in my spirit it was from God. As I was growing up and facing hard times, I would look for a red cardinal, for encouragement. In my childish mind, it became a symbol of God's presence. At the deepest, darkest, loneliest times in my life, God would allow me to see a red cardinal. Then a blue jay would become a symbol of God's promises, to me. Each time I saw a blue jay I would be reminded of God's faithfulness to keeping His promises.

That Friday,a couple of weeks ago, a weather front was coming through. We were on the edge of a thunderstorm cell. The rain became heavy, and the wind picked up. As I was eating lunch, I heard a noise. I moved the curtains and looked out the window. There in the tree right outside my kitchen window was a blue jay, then two, then three, then four then FIVE blue jays, finding shelter from the rain in the tree that had nearly lost all its leaves. I had never seen FIVE blue jays all at once. Remembering my symbolism of the bird, I thought to myself, "the Lord must really be trying to say something to me, to send 5 blue jays!!" Then a red cardinal appeared, then another, and its mate, and I thought I glimpsed a third red cardinal. WOW!! I was in total amazement. I turned and adjusted my seat to watch the drama outside. I was convinced that this rare event all these birds in one tree, outside my own window was truly from the Lord.
Eventually as the rain cleared they flew away, and I finished my lunch.
I later picked up my "Jesus Person Pocket Promise Book" a Bible promise book. I began to read promise after promise from the Bible.
As the days went by and especially today as the 'war' at church seems to be heating up....I'm reminded of truly God's faithfulness to His promises in the midst of storms, and His presence alongside of us, despite the problems.

God used those birds to teach and prepare me for this storm in my life.

Let's get a revolution going...

2006-12-06T19:50:00.000-05:00

I've been greatly encouraged by your comments on my last post. And in remembrance of today,St. Nicholas day, I want to begin a revolution...well, at least join one. Today as I was mulling over what you all wrote in response to my last post...and I was surfing the blogosphere and landed on this site at this post: here. I'm joining in!! The revolution is ON!!! Dirty Feet For Heaven in 2007

I'm actually starting it today, on St.Nicholas' day, as sort of remembrance of his work for Jesus for the poor, and downtrodden. Also, its an easy date to remember. :)

I'm not actually sure how her revolution is going to play out...mine might take on a slightly different form. I gotta pray about the final details. But the Lord has already confirmed that its okay for me to join. I just need to follow His daily plan. I don't want to go into this with my agenda, when He has a whole different plan. I want to get my feet dirty for Him, on His timetable, and on His preplanned streets!

Hang on for the ride. When the Lord and I do things together, sometimes it gets quite adventurous!!!

Happy St. Nick's Day!!!!

2006-12-06T08:54:00.000-05:00

Yep, we do the celebration of Christmas a little different around here. Today at school my son along with his classmates will be celebrating St. Nick's (Nicholas) Day. At his old parochial school, the children placed their shoes outside in the hallway, and at a certain time, it was announced they were to remain in their classrooms. After a little while, they were able to go and retrieve their shoes, filled with candy and goodies. Since we moved and he attends a new parochial school, I'm not sure exactly how they will celebrate it today. I'll have to wait until he comes home to find out.

We have told our son that there is no real Santa Claus as the 'world' portrays him from the North Pole, with a red suit, and reindeer. He has respectfully kept the 'secret' quiet when around other children. (We still have fun decorating, tree, little village, etc~ just not the emphasis on Santa)

However, we have told him that there was a real St. Nicholas, a real man way back long ago (third century A.D.) who went around giving to the poor, and helping the needy. It is upon this fact that the modern day Santa Claus stories have developed. We have also told him the pictures of the red santa have developed in the 1800's mainly due to advertisements, etc. There was a poem/story (The Night Before Christmas) written and have launched what we have today. He at nine years old, can formulate this history, and say in his own words: It {the story of the real man} has become secularized.

Today in many European countries, they too will be celebrating the 'feast day of St. Nicholas'. For a very informative web site click here.
This is an excellent, and very helpful website. In fact on this page , (click here) is the difference between St. Nicholas~the real giving man, and Santa Claus, the secularized version. Also on this page, click here, is a very telling summary statement. Copyright laws prohibit me from quoting. it...please check out the website.

So have a happy St. Nicholas' day today!!

Knocking

2006-12-05T19:54:00.000-05:00

Have you noticed the knockers on doors? They range from bells, the old bicycle type, where you have to actually turn the bell; to modern door bells, to brass knockers; to just the handy ol' knuckles that come attached to your hand :) . Knocking is a way of getting someone's attention. Often when we are home and hear knocking we are eager to answer the door, unless of course its a travelling salesman!!

Many times this time of year we delight in hearing the doorbell, or knocker, because it could be a USPS, or UPS, or FedEx delivery, etc, bringing boxes from faraway friends or relatives. Sometimes, doorbells can be finicky. Our backdoor bell can only be heard outside of the kitchen. If you are in the kitchen with the door only a few feet away, we can't hear the doorbell!

There is a special type of door knocking mentioned in Scripture. Its found in the Book of Revelations:

20 "Behold, I {Jesus} stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.
Rev 3:20 (NKJV)

Jesus is standing outside of our hearts, our lives and knocking. He is wanting to come in. Have we left Him in? Have we allowed Him entrance to all areas of our life? Or have we become like my backdoor bell~finicky, and for whatever reason won't let Him in, because we don't hear Him? Or have we clearly heard the knock, and refuse to allow Him in certain parts of our lives? Next time you hear a doorbell, remind yourselves, as I do, of this verse. How are we responding to Jesus' knocks?

My 100th post!!!

2006-12-04T12:59:00.000-05:00

This is it!! My 100th post. Below are the names that several of you have emailed me. (For more info see the two posts below this~ for some reason blogger is not letting me link within the post).

As the angel Gabriel said to Mary in the first chapter of Luke:
37 "For with God nothing will be impossible."
Luke 1:37 (NKJV)

we are claiming also that the following 100 + people will someday come into a relationship with Jesus. Won't this be a great rejoicing party in heaven someday!!

BC, Larry, GP, HRK, Nori, Mike, JM, James, DT, AC, Alex, RB, Phyllis, MC, MI, JK, Maura,Unspoken, TS, Carol, JAT, Kari, GRH, Tim, Daniel, Unspoken, GAH, Elyse, YSH, Keith, Tracy, CAG, Dolores, Chuck2, Ty, Bryan, Luann, Carol, Nick, Carolyn, Olku, Donna, Diane, Paul, Kim family, Alex, Unspoken, Charlotte, Melanie, Denise, Barb, AK47, Christopher, Crystal, Betty, Dan, Tammy, Bob, James, RK, SJ, ADK, Greg, MK, DK, Juanita, IB, Grace WG, MG, Joyce, JB, SB, JR, Kathy family, Linda, RSG,Carol ,VR, June, Ellen, Evelyn, Dorothy, Chuck, GN, JN, Caitlyn, NH, Unspoken, MH, Chrissy, JH, Taylor family, Unspoken, AH, CR, Cheryl, MR, Deb, MR2, MG, Pat, DG,Leon, AG, TH, Dan, TRG

Please join me in prayer....
Dear Father, We thank you for this opportunity to pray for these people listed above. Lord, you have told us in your Word that NOTHING is too hard for You. These names are all of those that You love. Please move upon their hearts with the Holy Spirit, drawing them, wooing them, into a relationship with you. Cause any blinders, bondage, or walls that are preventing them from salvation, to be broken and released. We rejoice in You...........

Readers....feel free to add your own prayer to this in the comment box.

Almost there

2006-12-02T07:29:00.000-05:00

I really want to thank you for your encouraging responses to my 100th post idea. Please, if you haven't already done so...read the post below this and if you want submit your list via email. I want to get the list up soon. However, as I logged onto Blogger, I noticed there will be an outage at 3pm pacific time today...so I'll give you all some more time because of this. Also, the creating post function doesn't look the same. I'd like to get the 100th post up by early next week.

Here's a couple of verses that I found and am contemplating. Feel free to share your comments.

5 This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:5-7 (NKJV)

Almost 100

2006-11-29T11:07:00.000-05:00

This, according to Blogger is my 98th post. When I started I never imagined that I'd get to 100, muchless get to 100 in less than 6 months! I guess I talk a lot!

Anyways, I wanted to do something special for my 100th. I thought about listing 100 things about me, and then I thought, that you'd be bored out of your seat trying to read it. Not that I haven't done anything exciting like: ride a ski lift to the top of San Fransisco Mountains in Arizona on a clear September day just for the view (my first off of the earth experience~ and scary is mildly putting it); or be questioned by the FBI on a suspected suspicious fellow passenger on a train trip, (pre 2001); or go white water rafting as a young adult without knowing how to swim; or seeing some of the sites of NYC for free ; or logging over 30,000 miles on Amtrak, or ...nah, you thought my life was boring, so I better stop while I'm ahead.

Anyways, for my 100th post, I want to do something for others. I really don't know how many readers I have. But for the small amount of readers that I do have, I wanted to reach out to you. I want to create a list of at least 100 unsaved family or friends that you care about. Now here are the rules, they don't have to have their real names listed. I'm setting up another email just for this. Please email me your name or screen name with the names of those you want prayed for. You can list pseudo names if you want, or even initials, or simply the word unspoken. I've never attended a Billy or Franklin Graham crusade where ahead of time they pass out a Operation Andrew card to pray for unsaved friends. I've always wanted to do it. So this is my Operation Andrew list. Feel free to write a post about this on your own blog, but link back to this post. Please don't put my email address on your post, thanks. For example the list I'll post on my 100th post will be something like this:
Please pray for
1. unspoken
2. Joe S.
3. J.K.
4. Dolores

Please indicate how you want your list to look like when I publish it. I'm NOT going to mention who submitted what names. It's only going to be a collection of names to pray for.
email me at pastorswife504 at yahoo .com (take out spaces, and change the word at to the symbol) Questions ? please use this comment box. Thanks

This week's In other words

2006-11-28T09:51:00.000-05:00

"God has delivered us, He has parted waters for us, He has made water gush forth from rocks and sent us our own manna from heaven. He has brought us into our own Promised Land. Will I miss the opportunity to tell the story to our children?"~ Ann Voskamp, Holy Experience ~
For more posts regarding this quote click here.

This week's quote focuses on God's miracles as He led the Hebrew people, later to be called the Israelites out of bondage of slavery in Egypt into the Land that He had prepared for them. The stories of this journey can be found beginning in the book of Exodus, in the Old Testament in the Bible.

I have had the privilege to teach these lessons to children. The most memorable group of children was on the high desert of the Southwest US. They were Native Americans, and I was their kindergarten teacher. It was a Christian Mission school so we were permitted to have Christian Education classes.

I will never forget how I began the story inside in our classroom(symbolizing Egypt), and since the weather was good, in the coming days, took the story outside. Using dress up clothes, and the girls carrying dolls, we ventured out. Our class had a Moses and as we traveled the desert path, it was so easy to visualize the hardships and the difficulties that the Hebrew people faced. We 'pretended' to camp for the night, and the children closed their eyes, and with delight found crackers symbolizing manna when they 'woke' up. Another day's lesson was the striking of the rock that brought forth water. Thanks to a 2 liter jug, propped up on the rock there in the desert, with the clear wide blue sky above, and the gentle breeze which brought sand to our eyes, the story came alive. We were ever so thankful for the water, and filled our 'paper' cups quickly to quench our thirst. We discussed the hardships of finding water, and food in the desert for their families.

They knew all too well. Theirs was the life of the desert, for generations. They could easily pretend to feed their dolls. They delighted in learning about how God supplied quail and manna. There in the desert, yet also on school grounds out on the cross-country running track, we relived the story of Moses. From that day on, I never was the same. I could easily relate to the hardships of the Hebrew people many many years before. There on the high desert country, I had my own wilderness experience. I met God in a new way.

Even today, though I no longer live in the desert, I am once again facing a difficult time. I remember how God brought the Hebrew people out of bondage, and I continue telling the story of their deliverance. I have told it to other children in Sunday school classes, and even my own son. God is a God of deliverance. And it seems I have another bunch of 'children' to tell this story to. The members of this church where my husband pastors needs to hear and live the story of God's deliverance. They too are under bondage from Satan in many forms. Who will tell these children? Here I am Lord, send me.

Praying

2006-11-25T15:11:00.000-05:00

I love to pray for others. If you want me to pray for you, leave a comment. You don't have to tell me the specifics, but just let me know if you want me to pray for you in the coming weeks as we move toward Christmas.

Hairs on the head

2006-11-19T19:32:00.000-05:00

My son and I were in a Christian bookstore yesterday. A young man was minding the store for his grandmother who was away at a conference. He noticed my son's hair and asked him if he just got his hair cut. Now I know that sometimes haircuts are obvious,especially in the summer where the summer tan/burn line is evident. Haircuts are also obvious to people who come in daily contact with you. However its not summer here, and we had never seen this young man before. I told the young man, "yes indeed he had a haircut the day before". I asked him how he knew. He said that he was a hair stylist/barber. He had noticed how his hair was cut around his ears.

Later this incident made me think of the following Scripture verses:

29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 "Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
Matt 10:29-31 (NKJV)

It comforted me to realize that Jesus cares so much for us. All of our hairs on our head are numbered!! We are of great value to Him. If that young man noticed my son's haircut~ how much more does our Father in Heaven notice not only our haircuts, but all the other details of our lives. The thought that He knows everything about us and really cares for us brings great comfort to me.

Dignity

2006-11-18T15:23:00.000-05:00

A verse I came across this morning really helped me today.

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the afflicted ones with salvation. 5 Let the godly ones exult in glory; Let them sing for joy on their beds.
Psalms 149:4-5 (NASB)

My eyes caught this part of the verse:

For the LORD takes pleasure in His people

The fact that the Lord takes pleasure (aka delights) in His people, and that includes me...was overwhelming this morning. On the heels of having received some of the meanest, downgrading statements of my life this week, I really felt like a piece of dirt. But, when I read this, I knew that God didn't see me that way. He actually delights in me! That was news to my ears. And slowly as the day progressed I knew deep down this was true.

His people...you, me, are not dirt in His eyes. Though we may receive insults, feel like dirt, and feel so useless and hopeless....The Lord Takes pleasure: Delights in His people....let's shout it from the rooftops today.

Looking

2006-11-13T20:20:00.000-05:00

In some states here in the U.S. children are back in school before Labor day. I know, because in the state I grew up in, school bells rang before September. However the state I now live in Labor Day marks the last official weekend of summer. School usually begins a day or two after this holiday.

This past Labor Day, I found myself in a department store, frantically searching for a couple overlooked items on my son's list. {How is it that when I was young, we had no such things as back to school lists. The schools provided everything necessary. Remember those writing tablets? And if you wanted any special folders, it was optional not required. No, I'm not that old, but still young enough to have those memories LOL.}

Anyways, this Labor Day, my husband kept my son in the car, while I bravely fought the store traffic in the aisles to get the few things necessary for his return to school. It was a mistake. The aisles were crowded. The items, what were left of the supplies were few and far between. I soon found out that I would have to try at another store. Why didn't I check over this list, and discover the missing items last week?, I regretfully thought.

It was about that time, I heard something. Words. Not English, nor Spanish, which I'm getting used to hearing in stores. Another dialect. Another accent. Something familiar, yet strange. Then I saw one of the speakers. A young girl~ a very small girl. And a father. They were trying to decipher her back to school list. She was trying to translate the words out loud from English into their native tongue. They were trying to read in broken English, the labels on the shelves to see if they matched the list. They were having problems.

I stopped my mentally regretting of fighting the crowds. In fact in my mind the crowds disappeared. I noticed they weren't getting any help from anyone. I volunteered. I tried to in slow simple English to talk to the father. Often the girl standing looking up at me, had to translate. They showed me the list. Basic items. But in the midst of all the jostling, and rapidly dwindling supplies, it was turning out to be quite a challenge. Together the three of us worked at the list. Finally we had to give up on about two of the items. This store simply was out. He would have to look elsewhere.

In departing, I wanted to share with them something of my love for God, verbally. The language barrier was there. I could not effectively cross it. I ended up saying a few words, not wishing them luck{because I don't believe in luck} but God's blessings on the little girl's school year. The father warmly gave me his name, and his daughter's name and his hand in a firm handshake. I gladly took his hand and returned his handshake. They , I had learned during our hunt, had been living here in the nearby city for five years. Originally they were from a Eastern European country. As we departed, I prayed silently for them. Often throughout these weeks since Labor Day I think of them. I wonder how they are doing. I wonder if he is married and if he has other children. I also wonder if they know Jesus. Or are they looking for Him too? I pray that the whole family will find Him if they don't already know Him.

Are you looking for Jesus too? Are you lost in the crowd of choices and trying to decipher which one is right? Are you trying to follow a list that seems so hard to understand?

The Bible says:

"If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me."
Jer 29:13 (NLT)

God wants to talk to us, He speaks our language.

8 My heart has heard you say, "Come and talk with me." And my heart responds, "LORD, I am coming."
Psalms 27:8 (NLT)

Are you looking? God says, "COME".

For you

2006-11-12T19:28:00.000-05:00

I know I'm writing a lot tonight, but I have a lot to say. After I shared the first three breakthroughs earlier today, (see post below), I was thinking. The past few weeks have been quite a turnaround for me spiritually.

I don't know where you, my reader, stands with your relationship with the Lord. Would you categorize it as great; good(but could improve); satisfactory; bewildered; or non-existent?

I want to share that even though I became a follower of Jesus as a youth, I mostly had head knowledge. I also had a lot of issues that were preventing my true following Him. It seems lately that the Lord has been using different things to really get my attention on Him.

The one thing I want to share tonight is that for years I really didn't understand what the symbolism, what the true meaning of the cross was. I knew that Jesus paid our sins in our place so we wouldn't have to. But how did the cross fulfill the OT laws? Why was Jesus called the Lamb; Why did His death end all sacrificing of animals to God? Those questions as well as others boggled my mind. And I'll expand more on it. Last year I found those answers.
I will be posting links, and verses that answer these questions.

I am still a learner. I don't have my act together or know all the answers. I do know that God thru His Son Jesus has prepared a way so that I(and each and every human) can have full, abundant, eternal life. I know that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to guide, direct, infill, and enpower believers. I pray this for each of you.

I want you to know that I pray for each of you who is reading this blog. I pray that you can find the joy that I have in Jesus. My life has had many turns and struggles. I am definitely not perfect. But I love Jesus. He has met me anew recently while I was in a deep valley. His presence and love mean so much to me that I want to pass it on to you. Please use the comment section. I'd like to hear from my readers where you are spiritually. I want to pray for you, regardless of wherever your relationship is on the above spectrum. Please let me know how I can pray for you. Sometimes we need to rededicate ourselves to Him. Here is another quote from one of my most favorite Christian authors, Corrie ten Boom:

"God is voting for us all the time. The devil is voting against us all the time. The way we vote carries the election.

'Choose you this day whom ye will serve...but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' Joshua 24:15 KJV

Yes, Lord, I again, or for the first time, choose to be Yours. What joy to know that You chose me. I lay my weak hand in Your strong hand. Together with You, I am more than conqueror."

Each New Day, Corrie ten Boom; Revell: 1977, p. 15

Here is a concise way of becoming a follower of Jesus:
http://www.billygraham.org/SH_StepsToPeace.asp

Which way are you voting?

Any requests

2006-11-10T19:08:00.000-05:00

I'd like to ask if anyone has a prayer request, I'll be glad to pray for you over the weekend. Please leave a comment. :)

Only by a few inches

2006-11-08T10:46:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was voting day. In our town, the polling place is at the town hall which is in the same building as the police station. As one faces the town hall building to the left is a parking lot and then beyond that is a church. To the right of the polling place is a narrow driveway and then the fire station and beyond that begins the property of a bank.

As I walked by I noticed two small signs one to the right of the building, and one to the left of the building. The signs were the size of a marker that a utility company will place in the ground marking the location of a underground pipe. These signs read something to the effect, 100 feet from the polls. I'm not sure exactly what the distance was, but you get the idea. The message was clear, no political signs or posters were allowed within that measurement. They had to be posted beyond the 'marker' signs. Just beyond those marker signs indeed the grass was littered with political ads. Now on the side of the church, I'm sure that the property lines were very carefully monitored to ensure that no political signs were on the church property. However, on the other side of the building where the property becomes the firehall, and then the bank's, there was something interesting I found this morning, which was not there yesterday morning when I took my morning walk. Apparently, sometime yesterday, political posters were added to the utility pole. Now that in itself is nothing unusual. Poles are often adorned with signs advertising everything from lost animals, to garage sales, and political candidates. However what made these signs unique, was the fact that the pole was within the measurement, within the area of no posting! It was literally only inches from the border, only about 6 or so inches from the designated line that marked the no posting edge. I noticed that the narrow grassy area had become too cluttered with signs and someone had decided to post signs on the utility pole, obviously thinking that its so close to the limit, it surely must be okay. I also noticed the sign stating the distance was crumpled, but still standing, as if someone didn't want that marker sign to be seen.

There was a clear distinction on the side of the building next to the church, however on the side of the firehall and bank, someone wanted to "blur the lines" and still make it 'right'.

How true this is in other aspects of life. There is a clear distinction with God between right and wrong. There are absolutes. However in the world today, how often do we see blurred lines of right and wrong. How often do we see people, even Christians trying to make something that is wrong~ right, even if it is so close to being right, but yet still in the boundaries of being wrong?

Odds and Ends

2006-11-07T13:32:00.000-05:00

Well, my kitchen experience didn't turn out that great. The food did, but it wasn't met with great responses. My son decided that although there wasn't anything wrong with the beef macaroni dish, he'd rather pass on it. He really doesn't like anything with ground beef, except for hamburgers! LOL. He's a hard one to cook for. Lots of casseroles, and other things gets the thumbs down sign from him! SIGH!!! {oh by the way...Anyone else raising a boy who is ALL BOY!! ???}

BUT he loved the cornbread. He said that it was best heated up. I agree warm cornbread (for me, heated up and with margarine is the best!)..he takes his plain. When my husband got home from a retreat and spied the cornbread, he took it from the container and quickly tasted it and gave the thumbs down signal. My son quickly jumped up and said, "I'll take care of it for you, dad, and promptly put it on his own plate and ate it! However, later my husband took a bite of mine from my plate, and said that mine tasted better....I said, of course his would have been better had it been heated and buttered! LOL again!!! So maybe I'll try another cornbread option that was mentioned before.

Another quote from Corrie ten Boom:

"FAITH is a
Fantastic
Adventure
In
Trusting
Him

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him, and he will act. Psalms 37: 5 (RSV)

Lord we may do wondrous things through trusting in You. Our lives become one continuous adventure, and we know that the safest place in the world is the center of Your will. "

from Each New Day, Corrie ten Boom, p. 164, Revell: 1977

I'm trying this recipe today

2006-11-03T09:42:00.000-05:00

It's quiet in my house today, so I'm in the kitchen...:)
Yesterday I made my Beef Macaroni dish (see my Sept. 21 post:
http://ampraisinghim.blogspot.com/2006/09/kitchen-adventures.html) for that recipe. When I originally made it, I tried making some cornbread. I followed the recipe on the cornmeal can, but unfortunately it came out too dry for my husband's liking. It was okay for my son and I. However I'm trying this cornbread recipe today:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Homesteader-Cornbread/Detail.aspx
As noted in the comments: I'm using a 9 X 13 greased pan. I also let the cornmeal and milk soak for 5 minutes. Also, I stirred the mixture for 5 minutes, as per, the author's suggestion listed in the comment section. So.....I'll be back after it comes out of the oven to let you know how it went. :)

A quote to share

2006-11-02T20:35:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all of you who read and 'listen' to my ramblings. I know the previous post may not make much sense to you, but it sure is a burden lifter for me...it has been helpful for me to write out my own thoughts on this stage of my spiritual journey. I hope it might be a blessing to someone.

Tonight, I'd like to share a quote from Corrie ten Boom, from her devotional book entitled: "Each New Day" (Fleming Revell Co., 1977)

"dated September 23

When I worked behind the Iron Curtain it was often dangerous. Life seemed so hard and there were so many sorrows in and around me. Do you know how it feels when dangers are threatening and you are conscious of being weak while the dangers are so strong? I know, and you can know that you are never alone--no, never. Jesus was with me and is with me. Jesus is with you. You are not away from His constant care for one moment.

.....'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.'
Isaiah 43:1-2 (RSV)

Lord, sorrows and dangers press upon us. You alone keep us secure. Thank you, Lord, that we stand on victory ground with our weak hands in Your strong hand. Hallelujah!"

Till the storm passes by

2006-11-01T10:32:00.000-05:00

Over the past few days, both blogger and my own computer was acting funny, so needless to say my time on the internet was greatly reduced.

Well, I found a hat. I went back to one of the stores I first tried, and they had more of their winter stock out, and found one very similar to the one I described. It's warm, and over my ears, and also called a 'beret' on the tag. I ended up getting two, since I know they didn't have this style last year, and who knows what styles they'll have next year. The hat was under $10.00 so I thought that getting two at that price wasn't a bad idea.

Over the weekend, because of my own computer problems I was on my husband's computer. His screen savers are a mix of both scenic and sports. One particular wallpaper picture that came up on his really touched me. It was a photo taken onboard a sailing ship. (now excuse my laymen's terms :) )It was taken middeck facing frontwards, on the left side of the deck. The deck was deserted. One could see the rigging of the sails, and the equipment on the deck. The ship was being tossed in the midst of a bad sea storm. The waves were really rolling, and very high, especially on the left side. The clouds were very menacing, and the rain was pounding the already wet deck. However, as one looked ahead to the point of the ship in the front, (again excuse my non-seaman's language), just to the left ahead, there was a small break in the clouds. One could tell that the sun was just shining thru behind all those storm clouds. There was quite a radiance of light illuminating the white puffy clouds in the break. It was as if we were looking thru the storm to heaven itself, the way the sun and clouds were. That picture spoke to me about how we could be in the midst of the most powerful storm, and just ahead is victory. God is providing a break in the storm reassuring us of His power and majesty, and most importantly His ability to see us thru and provide the victory. He keeps us in His hand, and gives us a very special protection, 'till the storm passes by'.

copyright 2006 ampraisingHim; all rights reserved

Looking for..........

2006-10-24T13:05:00.000-04:00

I'd like to thank all of you for hanging with me as I 'scribble' some thoughts about churches, and my own spiritual journey. I'm encouraged by your responses.

Now on a lighter note, I'd like to have help for two things. I've already tried an internet search and really couldn't come up with what I wanted. If any of you may have an idea, please comment.

1). A winter hat. I have a lovely, warm hat and scarf set for goodness maybe, nearly 20 years, (no wonder its hard to find! LOL), and I'm looking for a duplicate. I only need the hat, not the scarf. The hat I have is a cable knit, double layer, hat that comes down over the ears, and originally had a 'beret' effect, though over the years that effect is gone. I've been checking out the stores as it is approaching winter. I have the traditional 'knit' cap, but I'd like something that's not so tight against the head. My 'beret' hat is not that tight against the skull. I looked in Target yesterday and found they had 'berets' but they weren't warm enough, nor did they come down over the ears. I live in a cold, snowy climate and want protection. Any ideas, is great welcomed.

2). Online praise and worship sites, or Christian radio sites that play Christian praise and worship music. I've also searched for this, but I must not be putting in the right words, because what I'm getting is not what I'm wanting. Again, any help is appreciated. Thanks, :)

Will the real church please stand up, part 2

2006-10-23T09:47:00.000-04:00

I have to face it. I know it in my head, but I must keep telling my heart. There is NO real perfect church~ not till we get to heaven! The church I am at now, I cannot leave because my husband is a pastor. The cabinet, comprised of the district superintendents and the bishop placed him here this summer. It is a mission field. I must accept it.

That said, however that doesn't stop me from growing spiritually. I think that is the area of my discontent. It is a spiritual hunger. I want to grow spiritually, personally. I've tasted something great spiritually before in my life while I was on the reservation. I need to 'retaste' it. It was what some would call a "Holy Spirit experience". But frankly since then, I've hadn't had much teaching on it, nor do I know what to do with it.

So the real church doesn't exist here on earth. However, I believe God is calling each of us to be reconciled to Him personally thru the salvation that Jesus (God's Son) died to obtain for us. Instead of lamenting my church, since I can't do anything about it, I can focus on my personal relationship with the Lord, and pray for the congregation that they too can find Jesus as their Saviour.

There are many blogs, online ministries that are out there to help us in our daily walk with the Lord. I encourage you to find one or more that will help you draw closer to the Lord thru reading the Bible, praying and communing with the Lord.

One such devotional is "Laced with Grace: Let God's Word Transform you today". The link is on my sidebar. I encourage you to try it. Browse thru the earlier posts. You'll be blessed.

Will the real church please stand up, part 1

2006-10-21T15:10:00.000-04:00

Will the real church please stand up? I have been doing a lot of thinking lately about my church history~ my own church history. I guess you can say I am an eclectic Christian. I mean that I have visited or have been a part of several types of churches. Those include (not in chronological order) Baptist, Mennonite, Assembly of God, United Methodist, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Catholic, non-denominational , etc. I have been to churches where two pot-bellied stoves kept the room warm, to a large mega-theatre atmosphere where hundreds gathered at a time, and the weekend' s total attendance averaged well over 1500. I have been to churches where English was the 'secondary' language, and as a Caucasian I was definitely in the minority.

My earliest church memories as a child began with a church whose history dates all the way back to pre-American Revolution days. However, my most memorable and happy church experiences go back to when I was just out of college and a volunteer on a Southwest United States Indian reservation. There the Christians are definitely in the minority, numbering only about 2% of the population. The faith of those Christians I have yet to see matched anywhere else. My saddest church experiences are from several different churches through-out my life, where conflict, selfishness, materialism, and plain old stubbornness rule, unfortunately.

Where is the real church? I don't know. In my current quest for personal spiritual renewal I have to say that American churches for the most part are caught up in materialism. But I have sensed the Holy Spirit, most often in small intimate gatherings on the reservation where the struggling Christians came together weekly out of pure necessity to encourage, learn and support each other. The surroundings were often simple, as church sanctuaries go. Often wooden slat benches filled with worn-thin pillows were the only comfort we had to sit on. But that did not matter. Nor did time matter. Often Sunday worship services were like the rest of the cultural emphasis on the reservation- time was not a god. 1 1/2 to two hours for a worship service was not uncommon. After being in that environment, I found myself shaking my head the first time I went back home for a Christmas visit and my home pastor said, "Please share how reservation life is treating you within a five minute time frame."

I will never will forget on the reservation the monthly practice of the Christians meeting together for a "Day of Prayer". One Sunday a month the Christians would attend their local churches for Sunday school and Worship. Then about mid-afternoon they would travel to the host church for the Day of Prayer services. A prayer service, with a couple of hymns would begin the afternoon. Then we would break for a potluck supper. After supper, each church or group represented would sing 1 or 2 songs for the audience. The evening would also include time for testimony, congregational singing, and a sermon. What always amazed me was that the group would consist of two neighboring Native American tribes who on the outside were seen as enemies, but within the church walls were seen as brothers and sisters. In addition to the Native Americans, there would be a few of us non-natives. But what a foretaste of heaven, where people from mixed tribes, coming together to worship the Lord! I remember one time, for the evening service on this Day of Prayer, the children were excused to another room, just to free up more seats for the standing room only adults! When one counted up the hours spent in church on any given Day of Prayer, from the early morning till night, it could quite easily reach at least 7-9 hours !!

To be continued...
copyright by ampraisingHim 2006, all rights reserved

What are you reading?

2006-10-19T10:53:00.000-04:00

What Christian fiction or Christian non-fiction are you reading or have recently completed and would like to mention? Now that its fall, and winter is approaching, I'm always on the hunt for good books!! Please share! :)

Now what?

2006-10-13T16:25:00.000-04:00

I have enjoyed reading all of your responses to the previous post ("Surgeries, the church, and please share") . If you haven't already done so, please read and feel free to comment. There's a great dialog going on.

I think if I could sum up my reaction, and God's leading as I read the responses and looked at other blogs, it would be two words, well actually three, :), the Holy Spirit.

Everywhere I turned in the past few days, have been blogs, newsletters, or devotionals about the Holy Spirit. I think the Lord's trying to tell me something.! What exactly I don't know. I know the role of the Holy Spirit is vital to a Christian's growth, and to the church's health. I believe the Holy Spirit is still very active in the world today.

Some places that I have been blessed this week included the following posts:
http://destinationgloryland.blogspot.com/
(see post: "tested by fire")

http://stf.heavenlytrain.com/
(see posts: "barriers" and "underlined by God")
and the newsletter that she references:

http://www.lutheranrenewal.org/
(click on publications, and then Oct 2006 newsletter)

and
http://windowstomysoul.blogspot.com/
(see post: "Verify your spiritual life")

and

http://lrlwreath.blogspot.com/
(see post: "Let your fire burn")

I encourage you to take a moment to browse thru these helpful posts. And also feel free to comment on the role of the Holy Spirit in today's churches.
But I want to leave you with one more post that I think sums up our feeling of spiritual wasteland here in the United States. Although originally written in and about another country, I felt encouraged, because where there are prayer warriors there is hope. Here in the U.S. are we being faithful too?

http://stf.heavenlytrain.com/
(see post "room with a view").

How a river and a snowflake helped me

2006-10-05T12:25:00.000-04:00

It's been quite a week again. First, I think we all are grieving the innocent lives lost in our schools, especially the Amish schoolhouse. May God surround all those involved with His love, mercy, and presence. May those who don't have a relationship with Jesus be led through the witnesses of others to salvation.

....Anyways, over the past few days I've been helped by a picture of a river and a picture of a snowflake. First the river:
The night of receiving the news of my mom's upcoming breast surgery, I posted here on my blog. After I got off of the internet, and moved away from my computer, I noticed that my wallpaper on my computer had changed. Every few hours it changes. This time the screen was filled with a scenic picture of a sunrise, with the following verse at the top of the screen.
This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalms 118:24 (NLT).

The picture was a beautiful river meandering its way to the horizon. At the horizon was the sun just coming up and scattering its gorgeous rays across the earth. I thought to myself...me, rejoice, no way!! How could I rejoice on a day like today? I was also led to the following verse:

There is a river of joy flowing through the city of our God--the sacred home of the God above all gods.
Psalms 46:4 (TLB)

After a few minutes, I slowly began to think of things I was thankful for. Over the next couple of days, I kept thinking about that picture and learning that despite the hurt contained in a single day, we could still find something to be thankful for. Hard, yes, but God is with us in our times of pain.

The second picture was yesterday. I had been examining my spiritual life very closely in the past couple of days. Yesterday, I really asked the Lord, how could He love me despite my past, and everything. I asked Him, if there was some way He could remind me of His love, and that I mattered to Him. A little later, I was on the computer. After I had been on the internet for a while, I closed off of the internet, and the screen went to the wallpaper. This time the picture was a close-up shots of three snowflakes. The magnification was so great that one could see the snowflakes' intricate patterns. Instantly across my mind came the verse,

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.
Psalms 139:14 (NKJV)

God did love me. He made me wonderfully, just like He did those snowflakes!! He loves me. Jesus loves me!! Yes, that thought still is a little foreign to me. I know it in my head, but in my heart its another story. So often growing up, and even as an adult, I don't think I ever grasped who I am in Christ. I still am learning. I know I'm saved. But, I'm still learning about truly who my identity is in Christ.

Know what I mean?

A bulletinboard

2006-09-29T17:41:00.000-04:00

I saw this bulletin board at my son's school last night. It was "Meet the Teacher's Night" aka Open House.

The world says:
I love you because.....

God says:
I love you in spite of....

9 God's love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.
1 John 4:9-11 (NRSV)

This week's Tuesday's in other words

2006-09-26T09:48:00.000-04:00

"It takes a lot of courage to show your dreams to someone else." ~ Erma Bombech ~

After seeing this quote posted last Friday, I did an internet search, using these words as my search criteria. I was amazed at what I found. I found this quote listed on everything from coffee mugs, to tee-shirts, to slogans for real estate agencies. I even found this quote in an online Hindu business chat column on the financial markets!! This quote has evidently made the rounds in secular society.

But how does this quote affect me---it, like all other quotes, and other items in question makes me reach for the Bible, the written source of Truth to find out what God says. Throughout the weekend, I have found verse after verse scattered throughout the Scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments, but mainly in the book of Proverbs stating that our dreams need to be God's dreams for us. It is fine if we have a dream, but we must go to God and in effect give up the dream, a goal, or a vision if its not His. How often do we strive to achieve our dreams without first finding out if they are His? For my friend, if they are His....then lookout world, nothing can stop God!! He'll give you the courage to not only share the dream with others, but the unction, and the open doors to see the dream to fruition!! !

Beauty of Sacrifice

2006-09-24T19:12:00.000-04:00

This week, the Carnival of Beauty 's theme is : Beauty of Sacrifice.
As I sat pondering this topic of sacrifice, I thought about Christ's sacrifice. This reminded me of an event that happened years ago when I was in college.

During college, I commuted, and when I wasn't on campus for classes I was at home. One day while preparing lunch for myself and my father, I heard a strange noise. As I went to search out the cause of the noise I was dismayed and even a little frightened to find that a bird was making this noise. A bird somehow had gotten itself inside the house and was desperately trying to get out, thru the glass part of the window. That very window had a removable screen in it, so I removed it and propped the window open so it could fly out. But it insisted on staying up above the open part and desparately tried to get out thru the glass. I tried a number of methods of 'shooing' it out. I grabbed a dishtowel and tried to swoosh it out, all the while talking to it, and giving it directions. I went and opened other doors and windows when the bird left that room and tried other avenues of escape. It could see its destination, but doing things its own way led to no avail. I then sat down, tired, and wanting to catch my breath. I thought, if only I could talk birdtalk, I could tell the bird the right way to get out. But I wasn't a bird, so I couldn't tell it which way to go. Finally, after much time had passed it finally flew out the side door.

I thought about how this relates to our spiritual life. We as humans are just like that bird, trapped in our sinfulness, and desperately trying to find our own way. But unlike the bird, we will never on our own make it to safety. Our ways are always fruitless. God in His loving ways, knew that we couldn't be freed on our own. He sent Jesus as our Saviour. He came down from Heaven, and became a man. Jesus, God's Son in human flesh could talk our language. Ultimately He would die on the cross and pay the penalty for our sins so that when we put our trust in Him as Saviour we are given eternal life, and our sins are washed clean.

5 Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. 7 He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. 8 And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross. 9 Because of this, God raised him up to the heights of heaven and gave him a name that is above every other name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Phil 2:5-11 (NLT)

16 "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 (NLT)

This is the beauty of sacrifice for me. Jesus dying for me, and for you while we were sinners and providing the way of salvation.
{Copyright 2006-by ampraisingHim; all rights reserved}

The Carnival of Beauty is sponsored by a gracious home.com and hosted this week by Renee at: http://www.childrensclothesetc.com/blog/.

Footwashing

2006-09-22T19:10:00.000-04:00

I've been thinking after writing my previous post, "How God is getting my attention" (which is a short version of my testimony) that I want to continue from time to time writing about other things that the Lord has spoken thru to get my attention. Today's topic is footwashing. Now I am not beginning any sort of pro/con; or debate....this is merely a story of how God touched my life thru a symbolic, meaningful act a few years ago.

A few years ago, I visited a Mennonite church just across the state line from where we then lived. It was just far enough away that these trips were rare, and had to be done in good weather. One spring morning, I visited, without any foreknowledge, on their footwashing Sunday. It was a very moving time. Looking back, I feel so honored to have been able to participate in this service, as a guest. I'm so glad they included me.

After the service was over, the men and women separated. All of us women went downstairs to a Sunday school room. We removed our stockings, and took turns washing each other's feet. We were partnered up with another lady. My 'team' was one of the last to do it. One lady would set on the chair and put her feet in the basin, while the other knelt down in front of the basin wet the feet, and then lifted them out, and dried them with a towel. Then they switched places. I quietly informed my lady partner that I had bad toes, and she kindly, ever so sweetly replied, that it didn't matter. After my feet had been wet, and dried, and I had done the lady's feet, my heart was so strangely warm. You see, my bad toes had been my embarassment all my life. But here, I was loved, accepted, and hugged, bad toes and all. My feet, my ugly feet were kindly washed by a 'saint'. I will probably never see my 'saint' this side of heaven. But when I do, I'll give her a huge hug because her loving act touched me.

I think it took months for me to realize the significance of the act. God was breaking my pride in some areas of my life and raising my self esteem in others..bad feet was just one of those areas. Years later I now look back on that experience and its as if God's whispering in my ear...."That lady, showed My love, Christ's love, by touching, and washing your feet. If she accepts your feet, how much more do I accept and love your feet, and your whole self. I (God) love you very much." It took me quite a while to learn that fact, that God loves me, ugly feet and all! ! But, HE DOES LOVE ME!! Amazing, isn't it! Equally amazing...is that He Loves Everyone Reading This Post!!!!!

How God is getting my attention

2006-09-21T15:02:00.000-04:00

Edit: This post was originally written for another Testimony "meme", I'm using this also for the Bloggy Tour of Testimonies. Feel free to comment at the bottom. Also once you are finished here and you want to read other testimonies for this tour, please click here:
http://ahumbleheart.org/blog/

What is your testimony? Your testimony is Your personal story of how God got your attention and drew you into a relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ.

I’ve been asked to answer the above question. I’ve pondered it for a couple of days. I’m posting this tonight, due to a planned outage by Blogger, as well as schedule conflicts tomorrow.

I don’t even remember when I first began a relationship with Jesus. I know it was at a summer Christian camp. I know the year, because after having supposedly done so, my mom informed me that I should get baptized. Did I understand it all? No. Did I have doubts, questions? YES. It was that way for a couple more summers at camp. I would be filled with doubts, questions, and therefore ‘rededicate’ my life…thinking that somehow that would make the doubts go away. Then finally one kind staff person about 4 years after my ‘initial decision’, asked about my walk with Jesus. I told her I wasn’t sure, and then she showed me from Scripture the way to know for sure. We prayed. Then I KNEW I was going to heaven!! I knew I was a part of God’s family!! Oh the joy!

Those years as a child and a youth at that summer camp, was my true Christian training ground. I never wanted to go home. I would remember the lessons learned, the quiet times with God, His glorious nature, all thru the year until the next summer camp season.

Struggles came to my family, as I became a teenager. I was the oldest and had to shoulder a lot of the burden. Due to my father’s health problems, and his inability to work, we became poor. We struggled. God got my attention, thru daily, tiny things. It varied, from different things in nature, thru passages of Scripture, etc. I prayed and journaled a lot. God saw me thru.

Even today, God is still getting my attention. See my previous posts to read more about what I’ve been learning in the past few weeks.(Edit: Also see my subsequent posts following this one, for other things the Lord has brought to my attention). All I can say now is that God is worthy of our trust. He is faithful. He is the Lord. He is loving.

Kitchen adventures

2006-09-21T10:09:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, my husband informs me that he wants to invite the associate pastor to dinner probably Friday evening, because his wife has been out of town for several days. He said that he wanted me to make my chicken pot pie recipe, homemade bread (I use a breadmachine), etc. So it was off to the store, to get the necessary ingredients. While there I realized that they were having a sale on the basic baking need supplies. Since we moved, I knew it would be a good time to 'restock' the pantry.

I was in the canned goods aisle when I saw a can of stewed tomatoes. I remembered a meal that my mom used to cook a lot, we originally discovered it in a 4-H learn to cook, cookbook. I knew that I no longer had the recipe, so I tried to remember all the ingredients. When I came home I did a search thru the cookbooks that I have, and even an internet search. WOOOHOOOO, I found something very similar. (The original recipe from childhood included adding corn, but my husband doesn't like that idea.) And I made it last night!!
Here's the link to it:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1627,159185-236203,00.html

But as I went along I doctored it up:

I replaced the chilli powder with 1 teaspoon italian seasoning. We don't do the chili thing...but Italian seasoning was more acceptable. Instead of the tomato soup or tomato paste I substituted one can (14 1/2 oz) of stewed tomatoes. My can was the no salt added variety, with onions, celery, and peppers, by Delmonte. I cut the tomatoes up into smaller pieces, so my son would like it better. I cut the salt down to 1 teaspoon. I increased the macaroni to about 1 1/4 c.. When I added the stewed tomatoes, it did not look right, so I ended up adding also 1 can of tomato paste. It did turn out very well. I served it with cornbread. I also made some more macaroni as a plain side. I also served it with a vegetable, and a salad. My family loved it...so I'm doing it again. Here's my doctored up recipe:

BEEF MACARONI SKILLET DINNER

1 lb. ground beef ( I used 90% lean)
1 - 1 1/4 c. uncooked macaroni
1/2 c. chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 c. hot water ( I had boiled water in a kettle and put it aside)
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste or 1 can tomato soup
1 (14 1/2 oz) can stewed tomatoes no salt added (contained onions,
celery, and peppers also..cut the tomatoes into smaller pieces)
1/4 c. water

Brown ground beef; pour off drippings. Add macaroni, onion, salt, Italian seasoning, sugar, and pepper. Stir in 2 1/2 cups hot water; cover and cook 10 minutes. Combine tomato paste or tomato soup and 1/4 cup water. Also add stewed tomatoes. Add to meat mixture and continue to cook another 10 minutes.

NOW....does anyone have any ideas on how to make cornbread? I bought cornmeal yesterday, and used the recipe on the side of the can, but it could be a little more moist...it was too dry....any ideas, or favorite recipes that you use to make good moist cornbread?

ALSO....I'm adding to my recipe collection. My son loved the above meal, and he's been known to be very picky when it comes to main entrees. He has no problem with vegetables...but give him a casserole, or something similar, and he'll probably turn his nose. Last night, he gave a good thumbs up.....now I'm on the hunt for more one dish dinners, or crock pot entrees. We used to do some crockpot recipes, but he got too picky....now I want to do them again. I'd be open to any suggestions. Thank you.

Tuesday's In Other Words....

2006-09-19T08:14:00.000-04:00

This is my first time doing a CWO, Tuesday's In Other Words. After reading the quote posted, I thought that the post I wrote last night after my experiences yesterday fit in excellently. So please read my post entitled: "What the soup kitchen did to me" directly below this one, for my take on the ordinary, and sacred. Thank you.

What the soup kitchen did to me

2006-09-18T19:48:00.000-04:00

There are some who are participating in a 30 day of Nothing during this month. I applaud those who are trying to bring awareness of the world's needs to themselves and to their families. I discovered that too late to begin on Sept. 1. However, after my experiences today, I want to begin for me, a lifetime of Nothing. I want to permanently decrease my 'extra' spending, extra extravagances, etc. For its not just the 'world' that suffers....its people down the street, and up around the corner.

Today I went to help out in what some call a soup kitchen. I had a good breakfast, and when we arrived at nearly 10 am, my stomach was still content. I donned a plastic apron, and server's hat and gloves and began to finish preparing the food. I then wrap plastic forks in napkins ready for those who would come thru the door.

Just before 11 am we get several trays ready with food. The door is open. Grace is said, and we begin to serve. All kinds of people, young, old, middle age, all kinds of backgrounds come thru the door. All with hungry stomachs. Some with many layers of clothes on their backs, even on this very warm day. We serve a little over 150 in about 2 hours time. At one point I am told that I could go eat. I had brought a lunch, (since this was my first time, and not knowing the policy) but I'm told that we can eat what we serve. I decide to go ahead and eat the food. I take a tray and am told that I can eat on a table out of the way here in the kitchen. I ask if I can eat out there in the main room, with the others. One man in line heard me asking, and said something like, "You wanta eat and talk with us?". I said, "sure I'd talk with you." I'm given permission to eat out there, and open the door and go out among the others to eat. I really had a strange sense that Jesus would have done that....eat with those who were being served. I feel suddenly that this meal that I'm sharing with them was one of the best meals that I ever had....not due to its fanciness, or richness, (the bread was stale, and had a day or two old donut. But the tuna salad was fresh, and I don't usually like pickled beets..but I eat them anyways, even the tuna salad and the beets :)..... )
But I had a strange sense that this meal, in this place with these folks was actually a banquet.

In reality for many of them it was a banquet, their only meal of the day. For the mother with the child (the only child I saw today) who had just come from the dr's, and was declared to have an ear infection, it was a respite. For the struggling ladies who have kept different bed company, this was a place to get some energy before they returned to the streets. For the runaway girl, who has seen too many nights away from the house she once knew, this too was a haven. For those who were high on things that did their body harm, they barely managed to get thru the line. For others who had gray hair in their whiskers and atop their head, it was a place to rest their weary bones and get some strength. It was a banquet, with an unseen Guest!

I pray that for each person who came thru the line, for the gentleman who shared my table, for those who muttered pleasantries, for all those that we helped...I pray tonight the Saviour would surround them with angels. That they would be drawn to a saving knowledge, where someday thru accepting Jesus as their Saviour that they too can look forward to a Heavenly Banquet, where I'd see them again, for eternity......would you join with me in praying for these folks.

Today has changed my life....I left that warm kitchen in the city and gladly welcomed the air conditioned vehicle that I rode home in. But those folks had to be greeted with the heat, and the harshness of their lives, while I rode home comfortably to my own home, own bed, own family, own pantry of food, and own bathroom.....tonight I have much to be thankful for....and many more lessons to learn from these folks.

p.s. I left my packed, untouched lunch to be given away.

{copyright 2006, ampraisingHim, all rights reserved}

Habakkuk 3:18

2006-09-17T19:56:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Vicki at Windows to My Soul, (http://windowstomysoul.blogspot.com/)
I have discovered Christian Women Online. I clicked on what is called the Scripture tags, and found out that they could be added to blogs. Now I had been seeing them around here and there, but the one on Vicki's site touched me...so I went looking and found this one, (see sidebar). It highlights Habakkuk 3:18.

18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation.
Hab 3:18 (NLT).

What a great verse for me this weekend, and every other day for that matter, too :) .

{p.s. feel free to click on it,go to the CWO site and add your own Scripture tag to your blog......I also found one for my other blog! }

Some more favorites

2006-09-16T09:27:00.000-04:00

I dug into my closet and found one of the earliest books I received as a present from my Grandma. It's entitled: The Happy Twins by Helen Wing it was published in MCMLXVI is that 1966 or 1956? Anyways its a Rand McNally book, I think what's called an elf-book. I did an internet search and came up with the following: The other book I was thinking about I believe is called Johnny and the Birds by Ian Munn and Marjorie Cooper, illustrated by Elizabeth Webbe. This is another Rand McNally elf book published in 1950.

Some of my other books I enjoyed reading were what the Walt Disney movies were based on. The ones I have read are:

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter {movie: Pollyanna}
The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford movie {The Incredible Journey, original version}
Thomasina by Paul Gallico {movie: The Three Lives of Thomasina}
Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers {movie: Mary Poppins}

Now the movie The Parent Trap was based on a book,(according to The Disney Films by Leonard Maltin; 3rd edition), entitled Das Doppelte Lottchen by Erich Kastner, English title: Lisa and Lottie

Also during college I came across a neat book during a Children's Literature class entitled Nothing Ever Happens on My Block by Ellen Raskin. It looked familiar, I must have read it sometime earlier as a child. What's neat about it is that there is a whole story happening behind the main character in the illustrations while (I can't remember if its a boy or girl), bemoaning the fact that nothing ever happens. It's a neat illustration that when we look beyond the end of our noses there's so much going on. Its the detail in the pictures that make the book.

Also looking for two or three books that I had to read in jr. high and high school...I think one's called Mama's Bank Account and the other might be My Antionette . Both are about immigrants, but I'm not sure if the titles are matching the particular stories that I'm remembering...I'll have to check back.

More to follow....feel free to read and comment on the two posts below on my favorite books and favorite Bible passages.

My 50th post and again the envelope please

2006-09-15T19:58:00.000-04:00

I have begun my list of books that I've loved since childhood. (see my post below).......also this is my 50th post. I can't believe it! I didn't know I had this much to say! Anyways...for this occasion I'd like to begin a list of favorite Scripture passages of mine (you can add yours too). Last night for various reasons (health and nightmares) my son and I both had little sleep. Tonight other things have happened that I felt that he could benefit(I could too) from my reading of one of my favorite Psalms to him right before bedtime. He appreciated it. It was Psalm 91. That is the first on my list:

Psalm 91
Psalm 121
Psalm 23
Romans 8
Isaiah 40
Isaiah 41
Psalm 100
Ephesians 3
Joshua 1:9

more to come....

The Envelope please.....

2006-09-15T18:16:00.000-04:00

I LOVE to read, and the following are a list of books that I have read since childhood...the list is NOT complete, but still a work in progess. If you notice any errors...let me know. If I come across these books I'll gladly read them again. Some of these books God used in great ways...someday I'll tell you about those stories. I knew in my head a lot of these books, but thanks to islandsparrow for the correct names of the authors.

Young Adult/Adult

~Anything by Janette Oke: especially loved the Acadian series jointly written by Janette Oke and T. Davis Bunn
~Anything by Beverly Lewis
~Anything by Grace Livingston Hill ( I read as a teenager)

Children-Young Adult

Little House by Virginia Lee Burton
Mike Mulligan and His Steamshovel by Virginia Lee Burton
Tootle by Gertrude Crampton ( a Golden book)
Henry Huggins? (I think) by Beverly Cleary
The Bobbsey Twins by Laura Lee Hope
Heidi by Joanna Spyri
Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder
Thursday’s Child by Noel Streatfield
Houseboat Girl by Lois Lenski
Trixie Belden Series by Julie Campbell/aka Kathryn Kenny
Nancy Drew Mysteries
Happy Hollisters by Jerry West
Grandma’s Attic series by Arleta Richardson
Encyclopedia Brown by Donald Sobel
Gone Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright
The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
Country Noisy Book by Margaret Wise Brown
The Secret Garden and The Little Princess both by Francess H. Burnett
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
The Wheel on the School by Meindert DeJong
The Borrower’s by Mary Norton
still trying to find a book I think called Henry and the Birds?

more to come....stay tuned.