A peek into my life this week

Then, about two months ago, the door opened for me to invite one of my neighbors to join me in doing The Exchange Bible Study.  It’s a great tool to introduce the Bible and the Gospel to those who don’t know Christ, or aren’t sure of their salvation.  She seemed eager to participate and faithfully came each week.

I could tell right from the first lesson that God was at work in her heart.  She was tender and full of good questions, yet also guarded; she rightly wanted to understand before making any kind of decision.  How she was prayed for!  I so longed for her to understand God’s great love for her in sending Christ to exchange her sinfulness for His righteousness.

Then last week, as we sat with cups of coffee, Bibles and study books, we did the lesson that teaches about God’s love.  We talked about how personal it is – that He loves her!  Tears welled up in her eyes.  I then asked the question that is at the end of the chapter, “What would you like to say to God right now?”  “I want to be saved, but I’m afraid I won’t live up to what He expects of me.”  I reminded her that because we have a sinful heart, that we will sin after salvation, but we confess it, get back up , and by God’s grace move on.  Then she asked, “How do I do it (ask Christ to save me)?” We had already talked all about what Christ had done to show God’s love, and why we needed to trust Him, so  I opened my Bible, tears in my eyes and joy in my heart and I showed her Romans 10:9, 13.  We clasped hands and she prayed and asked the Lord to be her Savior!

I cried.  She cried.  Dale cried.  Oh, the joy of seeing a sinner repent and trust the Lord for their salvation!  That dining room table will always be a special place for me as I think about how the Lord answered the desire of my heart to see someone trust Him in this house. That sweet young woman has become so dear to me and now we’re no longer just neighbors – we are sisters in Christ!  What a blessing!

Are you seeking to disciple others and bring them to Christ?  Keep praying for the opportunity – the Lord will open that door for you!

With love from my country porch,

Every time a new baby is born at our church, my husband reads Psalm 127.  It’s a precious passage:

This is my nephew and his son. I know he and his wife are doing exactly what this verse teaches!

Suddenly I was taken back to twenty-two years ago when God gave us a third arrow in the form of Alli. As I listened to my husband reading this psalm now, the clear understanding of an upcoming wedding and “bow release time” hit me.  I blinked back the tears, swallowed hard and prayed in my heart,

“Oh God, let Alli and Andrew both go straight when they’re released on May 10th.  Help them to stay the path of walking with you all their lives!”

Do you have an “arrow” that God has given you?  Are you daily pulling the bow back as you train, teach, and pray?  One day you will have to release that arrow and it will go in the way in which you have been pointing it.  Which direction will that be?  You’re the one in control today; make good choices – Bow Release Day is coming sooner than you think!

This isn’t written in sadness, but sobriety.  I hope it stirs you to parent with God’s help and strength today!

I’m sharing a secret about a special cake today!  

In less than a week we will have a wedding in our family.  Here I sit as the Mother of the Bride calm, cool, and with a list a mile long of things that need to be done this week!  I’ve planned.  Alli has planned.  So, hopefully things will fall into place each day as we eat away at the details that couldn’t be done until this week.  

One of those details is putting the finishing touches on their little wedding cake.  Alli opted for not serving cake to the guests – she’s going with something else that she loves.  She still wanted a cake for her and Andrew to cut, so she asked me if I’d make it.  I’m not a professional cake decorator, but she assured me she wants it simple.  Simple I can do.  We knew what cake she wanted – Blackberry/Raspberry Truffle Cake. This cake is a super, over-the-top, special cake! 

The icing that this recipe uses is a cream cheese base, but she asked for White Chocolate.  I went to Pinterest and found a recipe that has to be the best icing I’ve ever eaten!  I made up the cake and just put the crumb layer of icing on it.  I then wrapped it well and popped it into the freezer where it is awaiting the finishing layer of icing and a border and topping.  So when you see this pic, please know this is an unfinished cake!  

You can see cupcakes in the background.  I used the leftover batter to make the engaged couple a trial to taste.  They were in love (with each other and the cake!).  This cake is from Southern Living, which right there tells you it’s a winner!  Here are the recipes for both the cake and the White Chocolate Buttercream...

Blackberry Raspberry Truffle Cake

Ingredients

2 (18.25-ounce) packages devil’s food cake mix
6 large eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups water
1 1/4 cups light sour cream
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup seedless blackberry jam
1/2 cup seedless raspberry jam
1/4 cup water

For the Cream cheese Icing
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 (16-ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 3 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted
Garnish: 1/4 cup blackberry and raspberry candies

Preparation

Beat first 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until blended.
Grease 3 (9-inch) parchment or wax paper-lined round cakepans. Pour batter evenly into cakepans.
Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool cake layers in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and remove paper. Cool completely on wire racks.
Combine chocolate morsels and whipping cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, 10 minutes or until mixture is smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl; cover and chill 1 1/2 hours or until mixture begins to thicken.
Cook jams and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until jam melts. Brush tops of cake layers with jam mixture.
Beat chocolate mixture at medium speed with an electric mixer about 20 seconds or until stiff peaks form. (Do not over beat.)
Place 1 layer, glazed side up, on a cake platter. Spread with half of chocolate mixture. Top with another cake layer, glazed side down; spread with remaining chocolate mixture. Top with remaining cake layer, glazed side down. Secure layers by inserting wooden skewers from the top layer down through the other two layers.

If you want to try the Cream cheese icing – 
Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add whipped topping and vanilla, beating until smooth. Working quickly, frost top and sides of cake with cream cheese mixture. Press pecans around sides of cake. Garnish, if desired.

Note: For testing purposes only, we used Betty Crocker SuperMoist Devil’s Food Cake Mix and Jelly Belly Confections Blackberries and Raspberries for candy. Candies may be found at Cracker Barrel, in the bulk candy aisle of supermarkets, or in specialty stores.

White Chocolate Buttercream

Ingredients

1 cup butter, unsalted and softened (if you’re a beginner – margarine is not the same. It WILL NOT hold, in fact it will just be gross).
3 cups powdered sugar (depending on the humidity/heat that day sometimes I have to add about 1/2 cup more, play around with it until you reach the consistency you desire)
1/4 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 oz white chocolate chips or Bakers Chocolate

Method
Melt the chocolate first. I prefer to pour the white chocolate chips in a glass bowl and place it over a pot of boiling water (double boiling), stirring constantly. If you are using Baker’s Chocolate, chop it up first. The microwave is another option, but keep your eye on it and do 30 seconds at a time. Let cool to room temperature.
Place softened butter in a bowl and sift the powdered sugar over top. Starting slow, mix until incorporated and then beat until fluffy (about a minute or two).
After you have scraped the bowl, add the cream and vanilla. At this point you can now stir in the melted, cooled chocolate.
Turn your mixer to medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes.

Try not to eat more than one spoonful! =)

I pray that the finishing of the cake’s decorating will go smoothly!  It’s just my daughter’s once-in-a-lifetime wedding cake!  That’s no pressure!  Eeek, what have I gotten myself into?!  Pictures will come later.  

Do you have a special cake recipe you depend on for those once-in-a-lifetime occasions? 

With love from my country kitchen,

Healthy Light Lunch Options

Recently in filling out a little book my husband and I are doing together, I had to answer the question, “What are you bored with right now?”  My answer was “Lunch!”

I get weary of my lunch menu, probably because I don’t really put enough planning into it.  Hence, the same thing gets served often and I get tired of it!  When it comes lunchtime, I don’t want to “cook” a meal; I just want to fix something that will be quick.  I’ll be cooking supper later in the day – that’s when I bring out recipes and pans.  Lunchtime needs to be simple, but yummy.

So, this week I went searching for some light lunch ideas.  Though I want to eat something that will take away my hunger, I don’t want to fill up on fattening foods and destroy the day with a million calories.  I made this salad for lunch yesterday; it was filling, delicious, and a wonderful change…

This is Orange and Avocado Salad

The Orange Avocado Salad was really good!  I tweaked it a little bit – I didn’t have red onion, so I left that out, and I added turkey breast meat that I’d frozen.  I used a light salad dressing that I had rather than making the Lime Cilantro one they suggested, but would like to give that one a try when I have all the ingredients on hand!

Take a closer look.  Isn’t this dreamy?  I’m in love with avocados, as I mentioned earlier this week. The oranges give a nice little sweet taste to the salad.  Mmm, it was good, and only about 240 calories!

If you’re looking for some good, light options for lunch, I thought I’d share a few more to refresh your mid-day meal!

• BLT Salad
• Salmon Salad Sandwich
  
• Pizza Roll-up
• Shrimp Cobb Salad
• BBQ Chicken Sandwich (Using leftover chicken)
• Italian Vegetable Hoagies
  
• Loaded Spinach Salad
• Tijuana Torta

Talk about being a life-line! This godly wife was so trusted by her husband in her walk with God, that it altered the course of his life!  His story made me stop and ask myself a couple of questions: