Christian Life

Making Spiritual Connections

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A friend just told you how the Lord provided for her financial needs.  A man at church shared a testimony of how God healed him of cancer.  You hear of a friend whose childbirth was miraculous.  You see the softening in the heart of someone who needs to be saved.  Then a trial hits your life and you wonder where the Lord is.

Ever been there?  I know twelve men who have.  The disciples.  Just after they had seen Jesus provide food for 5,000+ people with 5 loaves and 2 fish, they were on a storm-tossed sea .  Jesus walked out to them on the water and they were scared even more of who this might be!  Then Jesus revealed Himself to them and calms the sea and the disciples are amazed, “For they considered not the miracle of the loaves: for their heart was hardened.” In other words, they didn’t make the connection from what they had witnessed earlier to their own situation!  If Jesus could do a miracle with the loaves and fish, He could calm the sea.  Make the connection, disciples!

Jesus healed the cancer, provided the finances, brought the baby in a miraculous delivery, and drew the lost person’s heart toward the Gospel…and maybe He allowed you to see all that so you would trust Him to intervene in your situation, too!  He wants us to “make the connection” between what we witness and what’s going on in our own lives!  The connection can also be the Truths He shows us in His Word.  Our God is the same today as He was then!

Stop and consider what you saw God do just this past weekend.  Now, what does that do for your heart when you look at your life and what you’re dealing with?  Make the connection and trust Him!

Lovingly,

 

dessert

Chocolate-Mint Pudding

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Would I normally choose pudding for dessert?  No, not when it’s from a box and is kind of rubbery tasting.  However, when it’s made from scratch and is silky, smooth, chocolaty and minty, I could eat it every. single. day.

This recipe is from Cooking Light, but in typical fashion, you’d never know it (well, I also topped it with homemade whipping cream which put it over the top!).  I couldn’t resist!

This recipe is not difficult to make, it just takes a little patience – unlike the old box of pudding.  Trust me, you’ll be glad you put in the effort.  This is special enough for  a company dinner.  Your guests will love you for it!

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For the semi-sweet chocolate pieces, I used these Nestle’ Chocolate Mint filled chips.  They added a little more minty taste to the pudding, which is super good!  But you could use just regular chocolate and it’ll be delicious.

After the pudding is cooked, be sure to lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a film from forming.  Then refrigerate the bowl.

Ingredients

3 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup packed fresh mint leaves (about 1/2 ounce)
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Mint sprigs (optional)

Preparation

Heat milk over medium-high heat in a small, heavy saucepan to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge (do not boil). Remove from heat; add mint. Let stand 15 minutes; strain milk mixture through a sieve into a bowl, reserving milk. Discard solids. Return milk to pan; stir in sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt. Return pan to medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring constantly with a whisk until mixture thickens.

Place egg yolks in a medium bowl; gradually add half of hot milk mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Add egg mixture to pan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thick. Remove from heat; add vanilla and chocolate, stirring until chocolate melts. Pour pudding into a bowl; cover surface of pudding with plastic wrap. Chill. Garnish with mint sprigs, if desired.

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I garnished my dishes of pudding with a fresh strawberry.  Not only did it add a pretty color, it was delicious dipped in the chocolate!

Any pudding lovers out there?  Give this a try even if you’re on the edge.  It’s not hard, and it will turn even a night of leftovers into a meal fit for a king!

With love from my country kitchen,

 

Uncategorized

A Sparkly Change

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I recently read an article about making your standard lighting over your table a little more sparkly and Shabby Chic by adding prisms to it.  Soooo, I went on the hunt for glass prisms and I thought I’d need to string them together and then drape from my light.

Then a couple weeks ago while at Hobby Lobby (woo hoo!), I found these little gems…
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They are magnetic!  Yes, they hold in place when you simply attach them to the chandelier!  Look at the special touch it added to my light!

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I also added one to my outside planter that I created to make it look like a water droplet.  Ready?
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You could add these to a tabletop lamp, a metal bowl, or a host of other places! This is the perfect, easy and inexpensive solution to add sparkle to anything that’s metal!  Isn’t that clever?!  These were about $8 for 3, but you can use a 40% off coupon at Hobby Lobby!  What a great find!!!  In case you can’t find them at a store near you, they are also on Amazon here.

Have a great weekend.  I have some fun planned for tomorrow.  I’ll share pictures next week, so stay tuned!

Stay refreshed,

Christian Life · Uncategorized

Monuments

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This is a reposting of a topic that is very dear to my heart – journaling. I talk to so  many women who do not keep a record of what they are learning or what God is doing. I repost this today to encourage you to consider otherwise. 😀

If there is anything I have a surplus of, it is journals. I have always loved to write my thoughts down and I have a sundry places in which I do just that. It began when I was in elementary school. I had a tiny diary with a lock and key. I wrote about things that happened at school, holidays at home and special events in history like when Neil Armstrong took the first steps on the moon in 1969 and the election of Richard Nixon to the White House.

In high school my writing took a little twist as I also included some creative writing in the form of poetry into my book of thoughts. How interesting it is to read of the events of my life as a teenager (and all the drama that entails!). I can clearly see how the Lord was directing my steps as I graduated from high school then sought His will for the future. If I hadn’t written all that was happening at that time I’m sure my fifty year-old mind would surely have forgotten the details of the God’s provision for my going to Bob Jones. As I went to college I journaled the anxiety of classes, homesickness and again seeking God’s will for the future.

Do you remember when Joshua and the Israelites crossed over the Jordan River? When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight’” (Joshua 4:1-3). Those twelve stones were to be the monument that reminded the people of the way God brought them across the river and delivered them. My journals are my monument, if you will, of God’s faithfulness to me. They remind me of what God has done. That stoney monument was also to be the “story-starter” for the Israelites’ children when they asked what the meaning of the stones was. My journals help me to tell my girls the details of how the Lord brought my husband into my life and how they too can wait on the Lord to do the same for them. I’m reminded of God’s provision in a material way, of the way He’s answered prayers over and over again.

There are many positives of keeping a journal, but the best is the preservation of the memories of God’s work in your life. If you’re not writing these things down, you probably won’t remember in the years to come and there will be no way to then pass on that memory to the generation behind you.

May I suggest:

  • Make bullets and write a phrase or two about the Scripture you’ve read.
  • Write what God said to you in that passage and how you can apply it.
  • Write down praises
  • Write down your prayer requests and write when they are answered

It doesn’t have to be lengthy or creative, just record events. Its memories will be monumental!

With love,

 

Marriage

Blessed

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Because you’re married to a pastor does not mean that life/marriage is a breeze.  We deal with tough things – just like every other couple.  We have disagreements, have need for apologies, and confession of wrongs.  Harsh words can be spoken, and hurts are suffered.  But because we’re believers and Christ is the center of our home, there is remedy for all that!  Then when those issues are cleared up, blessings can follow!

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I don’t think I share enough about the blessing I have in my husband.  This is for God’s glory, because my husband is God’s gift to me.  It’s certainly one I don’t deserve, but am so very thankful for! We shouldn’t wait for a special holiday, their birthday or their death to let others know what people mean to us.  So, will you oblige me?

I am blessed with a husband who:

  • loves God with all his heart.
  • loves me!
  • loves his daughters and sons-in-law
  • learned to love my cats!
  • is one of the most giving people I know!
  • is affectionate.
  • loves to have a good time.
  • loves people.
  • has a shepherd’s heart
  • has a passion for souls.
  • loves to shop!
  • has great taste!
  • loves to surprise me!
  • knows God’s Word and teaches it with passion both publicly and privately.
  • prays for me.
  • does the dishes!
  • vacuums every week.
  • takes off his shoes to keep from tracking in dirt inside.
  • encourages me to follow God through any open doors the Lord gives
  • is willing to say, “forgive me; I was wrong.”
  • reads my blog every day, and so I say – Dale, I thank God for you and I love you so very much!  You are one of my greatest blessings!

God is gracious to give us all what we do not deserve (beginning with salvation).  I am so grateful for the gift of marriage, and pray that the way I love and respond to my husband will be a picture of the Gospel to a lost world who is watching.

Have you told your husband how much you appreciate him and why?  He needs to hear it!  Today might be a great time to do just that!

Refresh your marriage,