A young woman was seated beside me on an airplane.  After we chatted a while, I began asking her about where she will spend eternity.  She looked at me, wide-eyed and said, “I can’t believe you’re asking me this. I’ve recently been thinking a lot about death.  I have a nephew who is dying of cancer.”  We proceeded to have a great conversation about what the Bible says about eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

I recently heard the testimony of a Jewish man who was put into a small office space at work with a Christian man.  Though the Jewish man tried to get changed to another spot to get way from this man who constantly talked about Jesus, he could not.  Therefore, he was under the loving influence of a Christian who was truly concerned for his soul.  In time, the Jewish man was won to Christ.  He is now preaching around the world about His Messiah!

The world may say I  just happened to be seated beside a woman who was thinking about death, or that it was coincidence that my Jewish friend was put in an office space with a believer, but we know better.  We understand the sovereign work of a powerful God.

This week I am reading the story of  Queen Esther who realized that the Lord had her at the palace to save her people “for such a time as this.”  As I pondered Mordecai’s words in chapter 4 “who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” I thought of how important it is that we ask ourselves the same kind of question – actually three questions: 

• Where am I?  Consider the broad areas – your home, your workplace, your church.  Now consider the smaller dimensions – your neighborhood and street, your grocery store, your post office, your pew, your office at work, your seat on the airplane.

• Why am I here?  Now think about the people in all those places. Why would the Lord have your life touching theirs?  Or, why did the Lord put them in your path?  If they’re lost and you know the Lord, then the reason is obvious – you are there to share the Gospel.  If you are around a believer, perhaps they need your encouragement or discipleship.
• Why am I here now?  Consider the timing of it all.  Why at this time in your life?  Why during this phase?  Why on this flight?

When I signed up to provide dessert yesterday for our evangelistic team’s meal, I saw it as my opportunity to get to bake and to try a new recipe!  I love chocolate and mint together and had recently pinned a collection of those flavors on my baking board on Pinterest.   I found a recipe there similar to one I’ve made before.  This is one of those “poke” cakes.  You know, where you poke holes in the warm cake and pour something yummy into those caverns.  This recipe gets two yummy things poured over the chocolate cake – minty Sweetened Condensed Milk, and  minty Hot Fudge!  Tell me this isn’t going to be good!

The basic ingredients for this recipe are:

Ingredients:

1 chocolate cake mix, plus water, oil, and eggs on the box to make the cake
1 can (14 or 14.5 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 jar (10-12 ounces) hot fudge ice cream topping?1 1/4 teaspoons Peppermint Extract, divided
8 ounces whipped topping, thawed
3-4 drops green food coloring
1 cup Oreos, crushed

Instructions:
Mix and bake cake according to the box directions. When a toothpick comes out clean, remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes.
Place sweetened condensed milk in a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract. (You can also do this in the can without transferring to a bowl, if you want to save a dish!)
Remove lid from jar of hot fudge sauce. Heat in microwave for about 30-60 seconds, until it is pourable. Be careful not to heat it too much without stirring, you don’t want it to burn. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract.
Once the cake has cooled for 5 minutes, poke several holes in the top with the back of the handle of a wooden spoon. Pour the sweetened condensed milk over the cake, making sure it gets in all the holes. Spread with a spatula if needed.
Pour the hot fudge sauce over the top of the cake, making sure to get it in all the holes. Spread with a spatula if needed. Cool the cake completely before continuing.

Open thawed whipped topping. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract and 3-4 drops green food coloring. Spread over cooled cake and sprinkle with crushed Oreos. Chill for several hours (or overnight) before serving. Best served room temperature.

Ooey, gooey, chocolaty and minty delicious…that pretty much sums it up, friends!  You want an easy recipe and one that will be devoured?  Here you go!

From my parsonage kitchen,

These last couple of months have brought into a sharp reality how little “stuff” matters at the end of our life.  My MIL loved her stuff.  She loved her old stuff, new stuff, free stuff, sentimental stuff, collectible stuff and her stuffy stuff.  ~Cough, Cough~ Get my point?  We are in the middle of clearing out her condo and are reminded how easy it is to want to save “that special card,” or all the copies of that one picture – just in case.  But my  husband and I have determined to go through our own belongings and get rid of the unnecessary things so our girls won’t have this daunting task in front of them some day!

I recently found a great post on simplifying your kitchen here on Goodbye House, Hello Home.  She has some great tips on how to clear out your kitchen and make it organized and clutter-free.  Here is another post about 18 Things You can Get Rid of Today!

I keep a black trash bag in a bedroom closet and when I come across something I don’t need, I put it in that bag.  Then I tie up that bag and take it to Goodwill.  You know what?  I’ve never missed anything I’ve gotten rid of!  As a matter of a fact, it’s so freeing!

Freshen up your Friday (and your life!) by finding 5 things today that you can take out the door!  Put them in a bag, tie it up, and either throw it away, or give it away.  Then get in the habit of doing that each week!  Don’t let your life get cluttered up with your “stuff.”  Trust me, your children don’t want it to deal with it when you’re in heaven!

See you in church for our revival meetings!  If you live away from me, I trust you’re making your way all day on Sunday to a local assembly where you will hear the Word, enjoy fellowship, and have the opportunity to serve the Lord!

Be refreshed,

With love,

Now you know where I’ll be spending my crafting time!  Of course this also doubles as a guest room.  Hmm, think it would be rude to awaken our guest so I could make a card?  Just kidding!

Do you have a dream room you’re planning?

From the parsonage windows,