It was a normal Sunday for us.  It consisted of:

• Rising at 6:00 (for me – my husband was up before me; who knows what time? )
• Leaving the house at 8:25 to be at the church for 8:30 pre-service prayer meeting
• Head to Sunday school
• Morning service
• Teacher’s meeting after service
• Lunch at home
• Blogging for Monday’s post
• Nap – Always on Sunday! =)
• Head to church at 6:15 to practice special music for evening service
• 6:30 evening service
• 8:00 Business meeting
• Fellowship with folks after service.  Talk, laugh, encourage, be encouraged…
• 8:45 arrive home

Allison was home for this Sunday.  When we entered the door Sunday evening she looked at us and said, “No wonder you’re tired!”  We looked at each other bewildered.  Sure, we’re tired at the end of a Sunday, but aren’t most people our age after a full day?  We were no more tired this Sunday evening than any other time – as a matter of fact, we probably had more energy than previous weeks!

As I’ve thought about her comment, I’ve been reminded of the truth that God equips you for whatever He has called you to do.  When others shake their heads and wonder “how you do that!” it’s because they haven’t been called to do that ministry, job or task, and therefore don’t have the grace and enablement from the Lord to do it as you do.

Ministry is busy and it can be tiring, but God’s grace is abundant, as my husband preached about last week.  He energizes us at times when we are weak.  He gives wisdom when we cry out for it.  He takes our burden when we pray and give it to Him. 

Those inside the parsonage are grateful for the prayers of God’s people!  Praying church members are another means that keep us moving forward in the ministry to which the Lord has called us! Thank you, to all of you that uphold us before the Throne of Grace!

When God calls, He equips and enables.  Remind yourself of that for whatever the Lord has called you to do today.  Through Him, you can do all things! 

From my parsonage windows,

Headaches.  Migrane headaches.  They can cause a person to literally bang their head against the wall, not see straight nor think straight, feel miserable all over, want no light shining in the room or in their eyes, and/or cry out for some kind of relief.  Well, that’s the story of my wife Tuesday and last night.

Computers.  Broken down computers. They can cause headaches, especially when they refuse to work properly or just flat out crash.  Well, that’s the story of my wife’s computer.  It’s in the shop due to a nasty trojan that treated the virus protection like a jello wall of enforcement. 

RefreshHer.  “Coming into the pits for a can of Sunoco fuel and a track bar adjustment” (For those who are lost right now, this is NASCAR lingo).  I sent Denise to bed after coming home from prayer meeting (that’s the fuel), and I’ve taken up the duty of posting on her blog in her place (track bar adjustment).

Now, headaches and computers fit into the category of “the stuff of life.”  You are probably thinking of many other things that relate to that subject right now.  Question—How do you stay “refreshed” in the midst of “the stuff of life”?  Well, you need “fuel” that comes only from the daily intake of the Word of God.  Just as the 88 or 14 or 48 can’t stay on the race track without it, you can’t stay on track in the stuff of life without the Word.  The Word is your necessary companion.  The Word is life; the Word is Christ.  He wants to continually refresh you.

No need to explain a “track bar adjustment,” but suffice it to say that it has to do with the handling of the car by the driver in the corners of the race track.  How do you handle the “stuff of life”?  Only through the adjustments that comes through the Word of God.

What does the Bible have to say about headaches and computers crashing?  2 Corinthians 5 reminds us that this earthly body is groaning “earnestly to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven” (5:2). There have been many times when Denise has said, “The pain is so bad, I wish I could go to Heaven.”  It is hard for Denise to think during a severe headache, but she is often reminded that there is coming a day when “absent from the body, present with the Lord” (5:8) will be for her—no headaches forever!!!  Groaning now; glory forever (4:16-18)!!!  As for computers, they are temporal (4:16-18), and therefore, will crash.  Only God is eternal.  The Word is the “adjustment” we need in the stuff of life.

Headaches.  Computers.  The stuff of life.  You need refreshment?  Don’t just read the Bible; meet with the Author.  Come into the pits.  Not for a quick splash of fuel, but for a “full tank” of His presence.  Then you’ll be ready for the stuff of life.

Dale
(Taking care of some of the stuff of life for my sweet wife and . . . looking forward to another season of racing.)

Thank heaven for the Internet and recipe reviews!  They can pretty much ensure that the recipe that “sounds good” or “looks pretty” will actually be worth eating!  I shared with you here, the fiasco I had as a new wife when the recipe for Lasagna broccoli Roll-ups was a complete failure!  If I had had the luxury back then of a review of my recipe, I might not have had the disaster all those years ago! 

When I told my husband Saturday night that we were having Sausage Lasagna Roll-ups, I’m sure his stomach heart grew a bit weak!  However, he didn’t know that the review on-line was a 5 star one!  Yes, technology changes lots of things – even cooking!  I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious this recipe really was!  It’s a nice change from regular lasagna, and when cooking for just a small number, it’s nice not having a whole pan of pasta leftover.  This recipe can be completely made ahead of time – it would even freeze well before baking.  I just put it in the oven before church and used the Time Bake feature.  It was perfect when we got home.

Ingredients

•3 lasagna noodles – *I used 4

•3/4 cup ricotta cheese – *1 Cup cottage cheese

•1/2 teaspoon minced chives

•1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

•1/2 teaspoon dried basil

•24 slices pepperoni – *1/2 lb. Sweet Italian turkey sausage, cooked and crumbled

•3 slices Swiss cheese, cut into thirds – *Mozzarella Cheese

•1 cup meatless spaghetti sauce

•1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

•Cook noodles according to package directions; drain. Combine the ricotta cheese, chives, oregano and basil; spread 1/4 cup over each noodle to within 1/2 in. of edges. Top with pepperoni and Swiss cheese; carefully roll up.

• Place seam side down in a greased shallow 1-qt. baking dish; top with spaghetti sauce. Cover and bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 3 servings.

Citrus Tossed Salad – (Taste of Home) This was really good!

Torn greens
Mandarin Orange
apple, chopped
pecans, toasted

Dressing:
1/2 C unsweetened apple juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 T sugar
1 T olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon – The cinnamon won’t incorporate very well into the dressing, but don’t worry, it will splash onto the apples and make them yummy!

Combine the greens, fruits and pecans on salad plates.  Drizzle with dressing just before serving.

I must confess that the dessert was made by a friend at church who is a terrific cook!  I looked on-line and found this recipe. . .it has to be the same thing!  Oh, my goodness!  Pumpkin pie will take a back seat with this dessert around!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake
14 ounce(s) can evaporated milk

1 cup(s) chopped walnuts

3 eggs

1 cup(s) melted margarine

4 teaspoon(s) pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt

15 ounce(s) solid pumpkin

1 1/2 cup(s) sugar

1 box(es) yellow cake mix

Preparation

Mix first 6 ingredients by hand.

Pour into greased 9 x 13 inch pan.

Sprinkle dry cake mix (entire box) over mixture, sprinkle nuts on top. Pour melted butter over dry cake mix.


Bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes (until it looks solid and nuts are browning).

Did you have any successes – or even failures at good attempts in your kitchen this week?


From my parsonage kitchen,

She had been single for seventy years when the Lord brought into her life a man she’d known many decades before.  He had been widowed and was now alone.  She had been serving the Lord on the mission field all her adult life, and that is where he found her again.  They dated and then were married within a year.  They have now been married and serving the Lord together for the last four years!

This was the sweet testimony that I heard yesterday from the lips of the “newlywed bride.”  What a sweet story, huh?  It was also a sober reminder of how important it is that we keep a right attitude about our current situation in life.  What if this dear lady had gotten bitter towards God for allowing her to be single all those years?  Her future husband, who needed a woman to stand alongside him in his ministry, would not have chosen her to be his wife!  But that, of course, was not the case.  She had been faithful and trusting in the perfect will of her Father…for about 50 years!

What longing do you have that seems like it will never be fulfilled? 

• Marriage?
• Children?
• Ministry opportunity?
• Health?
• Salvation of a  family member?

Our God is not limited by time.  He is eternal.  Keep a contented heart.  Keep a sweet spirit.  Keep serving Him – whether or not He does what you think He should do and in the time you think He should do it.  You and I don’t know what wonderful things He has planned for us in His time.

With love,

On a day when we think about love, my heart wanders to The initiator of love – the Lord Jesus Christ.  Proverbs 10:28 says, The hope of the righteous shall be gladness…  Why can we have gladness?