Since we’re not in the parsonage this week, I thought I’d give you a peek today at a little of our vacation. 

For the most part, while on family vacation, we go away to lay low, play it easy and rest.  That doesn’t necessarily mean sleeping in, however.  When I’m at the ocean, I’m usually up early because I love to walk the beach in the early morning.  Here’s what I saw yesterday around 7:00 am:

Those clouds cleared away before I got back to our condo and it was absolutely beautiful the rest of the day!  We rested and read here for most of the day – right beside the Lazy River.  It is appropriately named! 

I finished my book, Lost December, while I was sitting here.    I have to tell you, the story was good.  It shared the events of a young man who had it all, but foolishly spent up his inheritance by bad choices and wrong associations.  He and his friends were looking for the meaning of life, but never found it.  As I read the book, I kept waiting for someone to give this young man and his friends the Gospel, and was so disappointed that that never happened!  It had a fairy tale kind of ending, but the young man never learned the meaning of life, that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to die for His sins to give him a relationship with the Lord, and also a home in heaven.  How sad that the opportunity was missed.  But wait…

This was a reminder to me of how many times I have had people around me that needed to hear the Gospel, yet I didn’t take the opportunity to share it with them.  A believer who was watching from a distance would shake their head and say, “what a shame that she didn’t share the truth.”  So, thank you, Richard Evans, for a great story that taught me a needed lesson.

How do you approach people with the good news of the Gospel?

Enjoying our vacation outside the parsonage windows,

Denise

Did you ever wonder why we need a break from our busyness, even from ministry?  I read this verse last weekend in my Bible reading – Isaiah 58:11 And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not. 

What is the necessity of having a rest?  Because we all experience times of drought; of dryness. This verse in Isaiah reminds me that it isn’t a question if we might have a drought, but that the Lord will guide us and satisfy us when we do experience one. 

In a real drought there is a lack of water.  The Word of God is Living Water.  On this time away, it is crucial that I take in healthy doses of the Bible.  Vacation is not a time to refrain from our daily intake of the Word, but to enjoy the opportunities to take in greater doses of it. 

Even if you don’t have the opportunity to go on a vacation, if you’re feeling spiritually dry, don’t neglect the one Source that you need the most – the Word of God.  Take a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and get alone with the Lord and allow Him to “water your garden and make your springs to fail not.”

Spiritual Droughts come, but they don’t have to stay.  Get refreshed once again with an intake of God’s Word.

Something else I am doing this week, is reading some great books.  I just started a book by Richard Paul Evans, (author of The Christmas Box), entitled Lost December  It’s a story of a prodigal son, and is so riveting I can hardly put it down.  I’m half way through it, and I can’t wait to get back to it! The reminder to be grateful for the smallest blessings, and also the need to share the Gospel with poor, desperate people are two thoughts that have stirred my heart already.   

Thanking God for the fresh waters in my spring,

1 cup sugar
2 T. white Karo
3 1/2 Tbl cornstarch
1 cup water
2 heaping Tbl. Jello – Strawberry (or peach for peach pie)
Cook sugar through water over medium heat (medium pan) until thickened, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add Jello. Cool. Add 1 quart strawberries. Add fruit. Pour into pie shell, and chill. Top with Cool Whip.

My filling was a little soft this time, so it didn’t cut into beautiful slices, but you know, even if you have to eat pie with a spoon, it’s still good!  **By the way, If you need help with making a crust, this coming Friday on “Freshen up Friday” I’m posting a step by step video on pie crust making. 

Lemon Bars

I served these last Monday night at Bible study.  Here’s the recipe:

Lemon Bars Deluxe

2 1/2 C all-purpose flour, divided
3/4 C powdered sugar, divided
1 C marg.
1/2 t. baking powder
4 eggs, beaten
2 C sugar
1/3 C lemon juice

Combine 2 C flour and 1/2 C powdered sugar.  Cut butter and flour mixture with pastry blender until mixture resembles cornmeal.
Spoon flour mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2″ pan, press evenly and firmly with fingertips.  Bake at 350 degrees 20 -25 minutes or ’til lightly browned.
Combine 1/2 C flour and baking powder.  Set aside.  Combine 2 eggs, 2 C sugar and lemon juice, beat well.  Stir dry ingredients into egg mixture and pour over baked crust.
Bake at 350 degrees or ’til brown and set.  Cool.  Sprinkle with 1/4 C powdered sugar and cut into bars. 
Yield:  2 dozen

I also served these Hershey’s Deep Dish Brownies.  Some asked for the recipe, so I’ll share it again here. These are my favorite brownies because they’re soft and gooey.  Mmmmm!

 Hershey’s Deep Dish Brownie

3/4 C butter or margarine, melted

1 1/2 C sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

3 eggs

3/4 C flour

1/2 C Hershey’s cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Blend melted butter or margarine, sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add eggs; beat well with spoon. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to egg mixture until well blended. Spread in greased 8″ square pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until brownie begins to pull away from edges of pan. Cool ; cut into squares.

That’s what was cooking in my kitchen this past week.  Tell me what have you made recently.  Have you experimented with any new recipes?

From my parsonage kitchen,

Spring, summer, fall, and winter are all great, but my favorite season is Strawberry season!  Those beautiful red berries are my favorite fruit, and there’s nothing better than berries that are locally grown! 

I made up two batches of Strawberry Freezer Jam last weekend.  I don’t eat jam every day – maybe once a week on an English muffin at breakfast, or on a biscuit at supper.  What a treat it is.  It’s a little taste of summertime to my taste buds.  We always make sure to serve some on Christmas day with the Christmas dinner.  It’s just a special treat to have that reminder of summer in the wintertime.

If you’ve never made the freezer jam, you are missing out on an easy task that gives a huge feeling of accomplishment.  To stand back and see those pretty jars of jam on the counter is so rewarding!  When it came time to make the jam, my husband gave me a hand with the hulling of the berries and we got the two batches done in about an hour!  There’s really nothing to it!  Mix the sugar, water and Sure-Jell and boil for a minute, pour over the berries and stir.  Then all that deliciousness is then poured into the jars that don’t have to be canned or anything!  Let them sit on the counter for 24 hours, then put them into the freezer!

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine, melted

2 teaspoons grated orange rind

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

2 teaspoons sugar

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a blender, and process just until blended.  I have found it best not to put this in the blender, but just to mix it and then mash it a little with a potato masher. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 1 1/4 cups sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add strawberry mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons sugar. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove from pan immediately.

Get refreshed and have a “berry” good weekend!

See you in church!

Nothing personal, but what is your age?  Now, open your Bible and look at that chapter in Psalms. Since I’m 35 (wishful thinking!) 53, I’m looking at the 53rd psalm.  There are only eight verses in this chapter.  What if I were to read that chapter every day of my 53rd year – do you think I’d have it memorized and meditated on by the time my next birthday rolls around?  I believe so!

I heard recently about a mom who reads the chapter in psalm each day to her child according to their age.  Her four year-old hears the fourth psalm every night before she goes to bed!  My husband was talking to this four year-old and quoted to her,  “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”  This little girl looked at him and said, “I know that verse!  That’s in my psalm!” She has taken possession of that chapter of Scripture as hers!  I have never heard of anyone reading the Psalms in this way, but thought it was a fantastic idea!  What a wonderful way to get God’s Word into a child’s heart.

The chapters in the book of Psalms are relatively short until you get up into the 70’s, but if you’re in your 70’s you probably have the time to add that longer chapter to your Bible reading each day!  Why not incorporate this practical way of getting more of God’s Word into your own heart and your child’s heart by “reading your age” chapter each day?  By next year’s birthday you’ll have another chapter tucked away in your heart and will have spent precious time meditating on Truth!  I can’t think of a better way to let a year pass by!

What are you doing to get more of God’s Word into your heart?

With love,