31 Days Of Praise - Day Two

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Greetings in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and glory to His name!


Despite the fact that Day One of Lisa Jo's challenge went very well, by nightfall it was with a heavy heart that I finally climbed into our bed burdened with fear, doubt, and anxiety concerning the future of our family. How can God fix all that's wrong? To me there are no answers. In my desperation I reached out into the darkness and grabbed the Bible that my children gave me as a Christmas gift many years ago. It rests on the nightstand by our bed. In the darkness I flipped it open to an unknown passage. Then, I turned on the small light that we keep on the head of the bed, and I read...

"Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it?

I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert."

(Isaiah 43:18-19)

Praise the name of the Lord! In that moment of utter desperation I had reached out of the darkness and into the marvelous Light of God's Word and, once again, He failed me not! There in that moment of utter desperation God made yet another promise unto me! He promised that He will do a new thing in my life! That He will make a way in the midst of our wilderness experience and provide rivers of living water in the dry, parched, and sometimes desolate desert places in which we now find ourselves.

After reading those verses I shut the light off, cradled the Bible in my arms, and drifted off to sleep. I awoke several hours later to find it still there...nestled in my arms...held close to my chest. I could hear the quiet breathing of my husband asleep beside me and suddenly I knew that, no matter what uncertainty may present itself with the passing of each new day, with God making a way...with God opening up our path step-by-step before us...all will be well. 

Praise the name of the Lord forever! Amen!

In Him,
~Rebecca

1000 Gifts - October 2, 2012

Today's Gifts...

      3 gifts falling...

45. Falling Leaves...Golden Yellows, Fiery Reds, Pumpkin Oranges, and Beautiful Browns

46. Water Falling...Rushing...Tumbling Over a Rocky Cliff In Northern Minnesota

47. Falling Temps As Autumn Turns Into Winter

31 Days Of Praise - Day One

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Once again I am being challenged by Lisa Jo Baker over at Tales From a Gypsy Mama, who in turn is being challenged by The Nester over at the Nesting Place to write for 31 days about any subject of your choice.

I hadn't even seriously considered taking this challenge until this morning. I couldn't think of a single topic that I felt that I even could write about...let alone wanted to. The past few years have been difficult to say the least, but the past few months, weeks, and days have been particularly trying. I've not been able to concentrate on anything and it shows...in every area of my life.

But...the past few days a reoccurring theme has kept presenting itself to me. At every turn the Lord has been challenging me to praise Him in the midst of our difficulties. It's something I used to do with ease, but, here lately, even that has been difficult for me.

BUT...(yes...another "BUT")...here today before God, and you as my witnesses, I accept the challenge to offer up 31 days of praise unto the Lord and commit to sharing the results of that challenge here. I ask that you pray for me as I embark on this challenge, because I am, indeed, afraid to commit, because I've just not been that good at keeping my commitments lately, but before God, and you, I promise my best to try. Some days it may be little more than a whisper of a prayer, but I do commit to do my best to complete this challenge.

Let me start with this scripture of singing praises to our Lord. I know that there's a little tune that goes with this, because we used to sing it often at our little church back home in Blue Springs, Missouri. It is with that tune in my head that I present this verse to you this morning...

"I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever..." (I will sing! Oh, I will sing!)

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever! I will sing of the mercies of the Lord!

"And with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness" (thy faithfulness!)

And with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness "to all generations."

(Psalm 89:1)

And this morning I offer up praise to the Lord for the following...

First and foremost I praise the Lord God for His immense love for me. Ninety-nine percent of the time I feel so incredibly unworthy of it, yet I know that it's true that He loves me because His Word tells me He does. So much so that He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross of Calvary and shed His precious blood for me! I must not fall prey to the enemy of my soul and allow myself to go by feelings. No! I must rather go on faith. If God's Word says it, then I must believe it!

Dear Heavenly Father, I praise You and thank You this morning for sending Your Son, Jesus, to die on the cruel cross of Calvary for me. Cleanse me from all unrighteousness, Lord, and create a clean heart within me. Forgive me for my failings and help me (us) to overcome the current difficulties that assail me (us) on every front. Help me (us) to redeem the time and do that which is right in Your sight. In Jesus' holy and precious name I pray...Amen!

 

Have a blessed day everyone! 

In Him,

~Rebecca

Today's gifts...

 3 GIFTS ORANGE -

     41. big, round pumpkins
     42. juicy, tangy oranges
     43. a big, orange tabby that will forever live in my memory

Five Minute Friday - Grasp

It's FRIDAY! Normally that means it's time for another Five Minute Friday where, as our hostess and inspiration, Lisa-Jo Baker, puts it, we write "For only five short, bold, beautiful minutes. Unscripted and unedited. We just write without worrying if it’s just right or not."  BUT...I've not had opportunity to sit down on a Friday and participate in a Five Minute Friday since early August! I'm so thankful to find time and opportunity to do it today! Yeah!

Today's topic is grasp. So...here...we...

Go!

When I first saw the word grasp several things ran through my head...chiefly..."Why does it take me so long to grasp on to anything? Why am I always so slow to 'get' it?"

While I really don't know the answer to those questions, I do have to say, that it's not because I don't want to 'get' it. I usually just don't. It's true! I don't get a lot of things.

For starters, I don't get how most people think. It seems that, as a general rule, most people today, would rather believe a lie than take the time to search out the truth in practically any matter. It's like it's too hard or something. It's just easier to believe the lie and go on.

But the thing that I find the hardest to grasp is the truth of how much the Lord Jesus Christ loves those same broken and unbelieving people. God loved each of so much that, even if we were the only person on the face of the earth, He still would have sent His Son to bleed and die for us. I cannot grasp the depth of that kind of love! Can you?

Even though it's hard to grasp in our finite minds, may our hearts and spirits grasp this...and I pray this over each of us today...

That Christ Jesus "...would grant you, according the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and ground in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height: And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God" (Ephesians 3:16-19).

May each of us 'get' it when it comes to this!

Stop!

Delicious Homemade Recipes For Using Apples! (Living On A Dime)

Delicious Homemade Recipes For Using Apples!
by Jill Cooper
http://www.LivingOnADime.com
I've always dreamed of having an apple tree in my backyard. You know the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for?" Now that I actually have my own apple tree, I stand in my yard watching the apples piling up around me thinking, "Oh no -- What do I do with this mess now?"
If I could make gasoline out of apples, I could retire, but since that is not an option and my frugal mind will not allow me to waste one apple, I have had to come up with some yummier "apple disposal" methods.
If you find that you have a few dozen more apples than you know what to do with, or if you just can't resist the great sales that stores have on apples this time of year, these recipes from Dining On A Dime will help settle your frugal dilemma.

Apple Tips:

• When you have a partially eaten apple, save the good part and chop it into pieces. Place in a microwave safe dish. Blend together 1 tsp. each brown sugar, flour, oatmeal and margarine and a dash of cinnamon. Top the apple with the topping and microwave until tender.
• Core and slice apples very thin. Dehydrate and use in granolas, eat alone or soften in warm water to use in recipes.
• Slice apples and use in pancakes or waffles.
• Freeze extra apples for later. Peel, slice and core them and then store in 2 cup portions in freezer bags.
• Use soft apples in cooking.
• Cut apples into small pieces and add to salads with a fruit based dressing.

Homemade Apple Butter
9 to 10 apples, cored, peeled and chopped
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. salt
Place everything into a crockpot. Stir, cover and cook on high 1 hour. Cook on low for 9-11 hours or until thick and dark brown. Stir occasionally. Uncover and cook on low 1 hour longer. Stir with whisk until smooth. Refrigerate or Freeze. Makes 2 pints.

Apple Pie Filling
9 cups baking apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
5 cups water
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
Toss apples with lemon juice and set aside. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add apples and return to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until apples are tender (6-10 minutes). Cool for 30 minutes. Then ladle into freezer containers or bake immediately. Makes two 9-inch pies.

Fried Apples
4 large apples, cored and sliced
3 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
Cut apples into 1/4 inch slices. Heat butter in a large skillet. Put the apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon in the skillet and cover. Over medium-low heat, cook apple slices 7-10 minutes or until they begin to soften and the syrup thickens. Serve coated with excess syrup on top. Serves 4.

Baked Apples
apples, cored
raisins (optional)
1 tsp. margarine
dash of cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
1 Tbsp. honey or brown sugar
(These ingredient amounts are per apple.)
For each person, use 1 apple. Fill the center of the apple with all the ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees until tender or put in a Dutch oven on top of stove and simmer on very low until tender.

Apple Snack
2 qts. apples, peeled, cored and halved
Coarsely grate apples. Place on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 225 degrees until dry. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Apple Crisp
6 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon and/or nutmeg
1/2 cup water
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange apples in a well-greased baking dish. Blend all remaining ingredients except water. Spread evenly over top of apples. Pour water over the topping. Bake 45 minutes until apples are tender and top is crisp. Serves 6.

Peach Crisp
Use peaches in place of apples.

Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit http://www.LivingOnADime.com , sign up for our free Living On A Dime Newsletter and learn to save more!

Welcome To My Bear-y North Woods Kitchen

These curtains and tablecloth have been in mind for a long time!

I purchased the material right after we got home from a northern Minnesota vacation TWO years ago and, finally, just tonight got them cut and stitched together!

 They should be nice for winter...warm, cozy, and cabiny!

And, for anyone who knows them, Big Ted, Sweet Lucky, and Lovely Honey are all represented in this pattern. To find out more about them visit the North American Bear Center's website. It is located in Ely, Minnesota.