If you peeked from my porch on Memorial Day you would have also seen that my husband worked really hard in the backyard.  He planted some small shrubs at the back of our porch to create a bit of a border.  It looks so pretty.  I also potted some herbs that will be at my fingertips when I’m cooking, since they’re on the patio, just outside the kitchen door!  I love cooking with fresh herbs!  I got parsley, chocolate mint (!), and thyme.  We also planted Cherry Tomatoes.  So it was a productive day, as well as a delicious one!

Here we are getting ready to partake of the grilled hamburgers and side dishes.

The real showstopper of the meal was dessert ~ Strawberry Shortcakes.  These shortcakes are from Cooking Light and are every bit as delicious as the “regular” recipe with twice as much shortening!  Put these on your menu for Fourth of July.  Your family will thank you!

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons chilled stick margarine or butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
Cooking spray
6 tablespoons frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
Whole strawberries (optional)

Preparation
Preheat oven to 425°.
Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; cut in margarine with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk, stirring just until moist (dough will be sticky).
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly 4 times with floured hands. Pat dough into a 6 x 4-inch rectangle. Cut dough into 6 squares. Place 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.
Split shortcakes in half horizontally using a serrated knife; place each bottom half on a dessert plate. Spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each bottom half. Top with shortcake tops; spoon 1/4 cup strawberry mixture over each top. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon whipped topping; garnish with whole strawberries, if desired.

What did you do for Memorial Day?  Work or play?

From my country porch,

 For the centerpiece, I got mums from Sam’s Club.  First I filled my crystal ice bucket with the flowers, then I slid the lemon slices around the edge of the container for an extra pop of yellow.

 My menu :

1. Buy fresh berries – local are best!  You’ll need a quart for each recipe you make.
2. Wash and slice berries.  Mash 1 cup at a time with a potato masher.
3. Measure 2 cups of berries (exact measurements are essential!) and put them in a large bowl.Measure 4 cups of sugar and add to berries.  Mix and let set 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add 3/4 cup water and Sure-Jell pectin to small saucepan.  Bring to boil over high heat, stirring constantly.  Boil one minute, stirring constantly.  Add to strawberry mixture. Stir several minutes to combine.
5. Ladle into clean jars.  Wipe rims and screw on lids.  Let set on counter for 24 hours. Place in freezer.

1. Make sure your decision is biblical.  If you’re praying about doing something that God clearly points out as sin, you can stop praying.  God has already shown His will concerning that.  Is dating or marrying an unsaved man a question for you?  Forget it.  God’s drawn the line in His Word.  Have you been offered a job that is great money, but would lead you away from church on a regular basis?  Why pray about that? God wants you to draw to Him. Going into business with an unsaved person?  God wants to protect you.  Obey His Word.  You can trust God’s Word.
2. Connect what happens next after you pray.  It is so easy to be earnest in prayer, asking the Lord to show you what to do, then get up off your knees and completely forget what you just prayed!
    
   • For example, about 5 months ago or so, my husband and I had been invited to Spain to come and speak at a Teen Mission Retreat.  What a wonderful opportunity!  How terrific to return to a place we’d visited before and for which we have a burden!  What a blessing to get to invest in young lives there!  But then, we wondered:
     
     1. Could we afford it?  The ministry that invited us would take care of us once we got there, but we needed to provide our flight over.  How would we come up with air fare for a flight like that?  
     2. Is that a good time to be away?  
     3. Who would fill in while we’re gone?  
     4. Just because it’s a good thing, is it what God wants us to do?
   • While we were praying about it, we had a revival meeting at our church.  One night the evangelist preached about using your life to the fullest while you have the opportunity.  I felt the Lord tugging at my heart concerning Spain.  When we got home from the service that night and we were lying in bed talking about the preaching, I asked my husband if God had spoken to him about the trip.  “Yes!  I really believe the Lord is telling us to go.”  He then immediately got up and emailed the missionary to tell him he could plan on us attending the retreat.  We’d prayed. God used a preacher to confirm His will.
   • We’ve prayed about God’s provision for the airfare, then, just this week, totally out of the blue, someone called and had learned we were going and wanted us to know that they’d been directed of the Lord to help with our flight! God continues to confirm His will and provide for His plan. You can trust God’s leading  
3. If God confirms in His Word, uses other means to show His will, and yet it seems impossible, step out in faith and trust Him.  God is the God of the impossible.
   
   • When we were praying about our recent house purchase, it seemed totally ridiculous to think about!  We prayed.  God dropped the house plans for this house in our laps by a woman in our church.  We kept walking through that open pathway and in a way that only God could do, here we are today.  I’m amazed every single morning when I open my eyes here!  You can trust God with the impossible




4. If the Lord is saying “No,” then wait.  Don’t move.  I prayed ten years about a house.  It was worth the wait!  God’s timing will be perfect.  I heard the words of a song yesterday that said, “What if         trials of this life are your mercies are in disguise?”  God isn’t being mean, He’s guiding us. He’s protecting us.  He knows what is ahead.  I love the illustration that God has a helicopter view.  We only see from the dashboard.  He sees the “wrecks” up ahead and could be, in His mercy protecting you from a danger you cannot see.  You can trust God for His perfect timing.

I trust this helps and encourages you today in whatever decision you need to make.  The Lord wants to show you what decision to make.  Be patient and let Him lead you in His perfect Word, way, power and time!

With love,