It’s not something I love to do, but several times a year I have check-ups.  I have an annual eye exam. I sit in the dark with one eye covered and strain read “O, F…No, make that E! G, H, I…errr, um, no that’s a T.” Yeah, it’s fun.    I have my teeth cleaned and examined twice a year. I sit and review my memory passages in between counting the tiles on the ceiling to get my mind off of the scraping going on inside my mouth.  “Are your teeth always sensitive?” the hygienist asked the last time I was there.  “No.  Only when someone is taking a jack hammer to the back of them,” I wanted to answer!  I also have a yearly over-all physical examination.  Enough said!  Though they’re less than fun, without those examinations blindness could be lurking around the corner.  Decay could take over a tooth.  Minor problems that could lead to deadly disease would go unchecked.  It’s essential to good health to have regular examinations. 

Spiritually it’s just as important that we have regular check ups.  It’s so easy for bitterness to cause decay in our heart.  Resentment and envy are cancers that destroy usefulness. Stop and ask the Lord: How’s my heart today? Am I blind to something I should be seeing?   Is my heart:

• tender
• sensitive
• thankful
• grateful

or is it:

• hard
• unresponsive
• self-centered
• resentful

Yesterday I read Hebrews 3:7-10 To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways.  The Lord brought to my mind that if I do not acknowledge what He is doing in my life, my heart could become hardened.  If I don’t recognize God’s hand in what is going on around me, that means I take credit for it all.  How arrogant that is. 

We must all realize that everything that goes on in a day is from the hand of our God.  When we fail to recognize that, we are like the Israelites who didn’t know God’s ways.  This is just one small way that a hard heart can slip in.  A hardening of our heart leads us away from the Lord.  We are independent of Him and are on our own.  How disastrous that is!  Look where it got the Israelites! 

At the first realization of a hard heart, we must apply the cure, just like we would if there was a physical issue going on.  The cure is confession and acknowledging our God.  “Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up.”  Learn to thank Him for the little things all day long.  Recognize what He is doing and tell others.  Your security in Christ, answered prayer, provision of needs, grace blessings…they’re all His doing.  Have you thanked Him today? 

Don’t let your heart get hard.  Get it checked, then at first sign of disease, take the remedy!

Thirty-one years ago today I was a young bride getting married to the man of my dreams.  He was literally my Prince Charming, who had come in and snatched me and my heart away!   I am blessed beyond measure to have a husband who is godly, a romanticist, loving, thoughtful, appreciative, tons of fun, and still my best friend!  All I wonder is where did those years go?  They have truly flown by. 

I have no regrets of the decision to marry Dale Cunningham, but if I had to do it all over again, I would do a few things differently from the start of our marriage.    I would…

• Keep a journal of each anniversary – what we did, where we went.  Maybe keep a scrapbook with cards and celebrations from each one.
• Be more careful to show respect to Dale in my words and actions .
• Forgive quicker.
• Learn his mode of communication and learn to wait for him to speak.
• Be more flirtatious with my hubby.  Yep!

Too many of those things weren’t learned until many years into our marriage.  Our marriage has truly gotten better every year – maybe it’s because we’re both willing to keep learning about each other and how to make our marriage – not perfect, but better. 

If we get to be married another 31 years, I pray it will continue to get deeper and sweeter with each passing day.

From my parsonage windows,

Recently as I read through the book of Job,  Job is asking lots of questions, but he doesnt’ receive any answers at this point in his trial.  Then I read – “My desire is that the Almighty would answer me.” (Job 31:35)  When you’ve been in a trial have you ever said the same thing?  Have you asked,  “Why is God not talking to me right now?  Why am I not understanding why this is happening?”  Recently in a church service my husband said this – “When you were taking a test, did your teacher talk?”  The answer is, of course, “no! The room was always quiet!” 

As I sat and thought all this through after reading this verse in Job, I realized that during testing time when it’s quiet…

• I’m able to really think. 
• I have time to reflect
• I’m not interrupted by someone else’s opinion
• I’m able to think about what I’ve learned
• I’m able to appreciate my Teacher and all He’s said to me prior to the test
• I’m able to apply what I’ve already learned to what I’m experiencing now

If it’s quiet right now during your test, remember that the greatest Teacher hasn’t left you; He’s watching over you like the best Teacher would.  He’s letting the quiet be a part of your learning experience.  He loves you…even when He’s quiet.

Is your Teacher quiet right now?  What have you learned?

With love,

My Father’s Day table and fun napkin fold.

What better way to celebrate Father’s Day than with dad’s favorite food?  I couldn’t be with my dad this weekend, but if I had been, I would have churned homemade ice cream.  My dad teasingly says he’s getting to where he kind of likes the stuff (ice cream).  I’m pretty sure he eats it almost every day and sometimes more than once a day.  A favorite memory of my dad is seeing him turning the crank on the wooden ice cream churn.  He knew just how stiff it should be, and how to pack it so it would cure properly.  I’ve inherited his love for ice cream – I just don’t let myself indulge like he can!

However, here at the parsonage, I made a couple of my husband’s favorite things for Sunday dinner.  We had grilled pork chops but they were marinated in coffee and molasses (two favorites of his!).  I fixed a baked bean dish he loves, and then finished the meal with his favorite cake – Carrot cake.  He was a happy guy!

On Saturday he got an early gift of breakfast made by Alli.  I was ecstatic  pleased to get to join them for this great meal!  She is a pancake lover, who pins all kinds of great pancake recipes onto her Pinterest, where she found this recipe for Mini German Pancakes.  Take a peek at my plate…

Doesn’t that look delicious?  It was!  Here’s the recipe:

Mini German Pancakes
1 cup milk
6 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. orange zest (optional)
1/4 cup butter, melted

The blueberry sauce was simple – 1/3 C sugar and 1 Tbl cornstarch in a sauce pan.  Add 1 cup water and mix with whisk.  Add 1 Cup blueberries and cook until thickened.

• 1/4 cup molasses
• 6 fresh thyme sprigs
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 bone-in pork loin chops (1 inch thick)

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first nine ingredients. Pour 1/2 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the pork chops. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining coffee mixture until ready to cook.
• For glaze, place remaining coffee mixture in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced to about 1/2 cup.
• Drain and discard marinade. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil; using long-handled tongs, lightly coat the grill rack. Grill chops, covered, over medium heat or broil 4-5 in. from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145°. Let meat stand for 5 minutes before serving. Spoon glaze over chops. Yield: 4 servings.

Carrot Cake:

Preparation

The larger size was to be used to cut up for my ruffles.  The side of the shirt was cut open to allow for strips to be cut.

After the neck ruffle was on, I put the wide layers on, spacing them 1 1/2″ from the row of ruffles above it.

I basted the ruffles on, then did a little adjusting, then went back and sewed them in place with smaller stitches.

Folding the strip in half, I began rolling up the flower, hand stitching it underneath as I went.
See the two strings above?  Those are made by cutting 1/2″ strips, then pulling it tightly.  They are attached with the roses.  So cute.