A Few Things To Ponder

Why? .....do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.

Why?.....do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.

Why?.....do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.

Why?.....do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.

Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavor, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?

Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?

Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?

Why isn't there mouse-flavored cat food?

Why didn't Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?

You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes?

Why don't they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!

Why don't sheep shrink when it rains?

Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?

If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?

If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?

Don't Quit!!!

I've been reading through the book of Judges in my Bible reading and on Wednesday night at our church, we've been studying 2 Chronicles. It has struck me that many of the mighty kings and judges did very well and were mighty men for the Lord, but then after their great victories, they made bad decisions and tried to do things on their own which got them in a whole heap of trouble.

Gideon was so humble when God first came to him that he thought their was no way God could use him. God use Gideon and his arm of 300 to bring down the Midianites who had an army of 135,000! Then we see that Gideon made an ephod which became a snare unto him and his house. He also had 70 sons "for he had many wives". The next chapter tells of how one of his sons killed all his brothers except one so he could rule the land.

Jehosphat was a king in Judah who had a great kingdom, got rid of the idols, was blessed with peace from God for most of his reign. However, he decided to have an illiance with Ahab (Israel's most wicked king) and then chose to go to battle with Ahab against the prophets advice and it was down hill from there.

This reminded me that we have to be SO careful that after times of victory spiritually or prosperity we need to be extra careful that we are staying in God's word and continue to rely on Him, NOT ourselves or we are sure to fall and get ourselves into a lot of trouble. One bad decision can reap consequences for the rest of our lives! Don't quit reading your Bible, obeying God's Work, praying, asking for God's wisdom, attending church, etc.!!!

Easy Meatballs

Meatballs

Ingredients:

1 pound of ground beef

2 eggs, beaten

1 c. rolled oats*

3/4 c. parmesan cheese

**2 tbsp. parsley

2 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

* I use anything from rolled oats to whole wheat bread crumbs to wheat bran and oatmeal, etc. I also throw in ground flax seed sometimes--depends on what I have on hand. :o)

**You can add what ever spices would be most appropriate for the recipe you are going to put the meatballs in.

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients well.

2. Divide and shape into meatballs. (I usually make about 24 meatballs.) You can use a cookie dough type scoop to help keep them uniform or dump the meat mixture on a flat surface, shape it into a rectangle and then divide it into 24 sections with a pizza cutter, then shape into the meatballs.

3. Place the meatballs on a broiler pan. Cook in 400 degree oven for ten minutes or until done. ***This is SO much easier than trying to cook them in a skillet, I tried that and always ended up with glorified ground beef! It also allows a lot of the grease to be cooked out! You can let them drain on paper towels to decrease the grease even more.

When I buy ground beef, I generally double this recipe and cook them, then put them in the freezer to use in spaghetti, make Swedish meatballs or pizza meatballs at a later time.

For more great Kitchen Tips, visit Tammy's Recipe at: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3159

Adventures at the Mall

Yesterday, I took the boys for their pictures. We got some of together and then singles. Thanks to Grandma, they had coordinating John Deere shirts that made picking out clothes easy. THANK YOU grandma! Picking out clothes is the toughest part of pictures to me. The boys did great and had fun. It was pretty tough to pick out which pictures to buy! We had a great photographer.

We also did some shopping (which the boys absolutely loved) and found some good deals. I needed to find some dress clothes for "T", so we went upstairs in JC Penney, all went well until the escalator back down. I thought that "Z" did okay with escalators in the past. "T" and I got on, and were starting down, however "Z" was still standing at the top with a panicked look on his face, putting out one foot, then the other in the air ABOVE the step, but not putting a foot on the step! Have you ever tried to run back UP the escalator? It is a bit tougher than it looks! Gives new meaning to two steps forward, one step back! I managed to get back up to the top (I was not quite 1/2 way down), and helped "Z" on the escalator. Of course, when we got to the bottom, he wanted to ride the escalator AGAIN! We did not.

A Little Bit of Sunshine

A LITTLE BIT OF SUNSHINE
Author: unknown

She's a little bit of sunshine,

She's a smile to light your days,

She will steal your heart and keep it

with her warm endearing ways,

She's your precious little daughter,

With a sweetness from above

Who will fill your years with laughter

and your lives with lots of love

Congratulations to my friend Sarah and her family on the arrival of their little girl. She joins three older brothers! May she be tough enough to give them "a run for their money", and sweet enough to win their hearts. :o)

How to Find True Happiness

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready.

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

"I love it," he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. "Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait."

"That doesn' t have anything to do with it," he replied. "Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged, it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. "It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing."

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred and bitterness.

2. Free your mind from worries.

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

What a little wisdom from God does

After much prayer and heart searching, I spoke with my employee and am happy to say that things have been worked out and all is well. Amazing what happens when you leave God in charge. :o)

Pray BEFORE You Get Yourself In Trouble!!!

I had a situation yesterday at work in which I had to talk with someone about a matter. Because I had always been able to handle these situations in the past, it did not cross my mind to say a quick prayer before I began to speak. Let's just say things kind of ran amuck. It has served as a great reminder that I always need the Lord's wisdom. I realize now that because I have done my job for almost 6 years, I sometimes see myself as being able to handle the job on my own.

I now see that I could have probably handled things differently and I would at least feel better about my end of the conversation. I usually pray for wisdom before I leave home, but need to remember to pray throughout the day and especially when handling potentially difficult situations.

This has served as a good reminder that while "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13, I also fail quite well on my own. :o)

I just read a devotional after I posted the above post and it was about our work. And how important it is to always remember that our work affects our testimony.
Galations 6:9 "And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."--A good reminder to me that there is never an excuse to become frustrated with people. :o)

God Will Take Care of Us!

I've heard from many people that they are concerned for our country, themselves, our world, etc. as it seems like uncertain times. I don't want to jump on the bandwagon of doom and gloom forecastors. I want to challenge everyone to remember that God, not our political leaders is the one ultimately in charge. God is powerful enought to work through what we might seem as an unlikely vessel to bring about good AND He is powerful enough to protect us from evil (read Psalm 91) AND He is powerful enough to bring us through any tough times ahead. We need to put our faith and trust in God, not our government. If we look to man to solve our problems, we will surely be disappointed. If we look to God to solve our problems, He will NEVER disappoint!

We need to be wise in the decisions we make and make sure we have consulted the Lord first, then leave the rest to Him!

I want to challenge everyone to pray for our country and its leaders and military at least once a day. It is amazing how much better you feel when you know that you have laid our country at the feet of the Almighty!!!

Matthew 6:25, 31-34

25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

31Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Tips for Making Cut Out Cakes

My mom had a cut out cake book that we picked cakes out of each year for our birthdays and she graciously passed it down to me and my kids do the same. I made two cut out cakes for the Cub Scout Cake Auction this weekend and thought of some tips. (You can see pics in my post from yesterday.)

Tips:

1. Don't beat the cake for the full two minutes--this makes it lighter, but also MORE crumbly. I just beat the cake until it looks thoroughly mixed. You will have to ice the cut edges and a denser cake does not crumble as bad.
2. Use parchment paper in the pans. This helps the cake come out easier and the edges of the cake that touch the parchment paper are actually more smooth and less crumbly.
3. After the cake has cooled enough, take it out of the pan and freeze it for at least a couple of hours.
4. Cut the cake while frozen and gently brush off any crumbs.
5. Realize that you will need a lot of icing. About double what you would use for a 13x9 inch because you will have the sides to ice.
6.Take some (about a cup to cup and a half)of the icing and add about a teaspoon of milk so that it is thin enough that is spreads in thin layer, but does not drip or run off the cake. Spread this over the cake to seal in the crumbs. After you are done let is sit for about ten minutes to dry.
7. Spread the regular icing over the top. You can use a spatula or knife dipped in hot water to help smooth out the icing. You can put waxed paper just under the edge of the cake to keep the icing from getting all over your board. Then carefully remove it when you are done icing it.
8. If the cake icing still looks crumby and your family likes coconut, you can sprinkle coconut on top, you can tint it any color you want. Coconut covers a multitude of "sins". :o)
9. Remember that you are the only person that will think it is not perfect. Your kids will love it no matter what!!!!

What to put the cake on...
1. You can use card board.
2. I used one of the foam boards that you can use for a display board from Wal-mart. I covered it with poster board because the boys wanted the background to look like sky or outer space. I then covered it with plastic wrap.

For more great kitchen tips, visit Tammy's recipes at: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3148

Cub Scout Cake Auction--the finale

The cake auction went well. "T's" cake brought in a fetching $18--bought by none other than himself. "Z's" cake brought $17. He chose a dirt cake with GUMMY WORMS!!!!!!!!!! He jumped the bidding from $10 to $20 in his enthusiasm to get the cake. I have to say that he waited patiently, not bidding on any other cake until the dirt cake came up for bid. When he got the cake, the little boy behind him was reduced to tears for a very long time because he wanted to by HIS own cake back. I remembered seeing another dirt cake and upon further investigation, it was found that his cake had not yet been sold, to which the little boy told his mom, "Let's grab it and get out of here!" He ended up buying his own cake. :o)

Here are the cakes we came home with:

Cub Scout Cake Auction

Both "T" and "Z" are in Cub Scouts of "Scub Couts" as "Z" calls it. Today is the cake auction. Basically you make a cake that your son picks out (we have a couple of cut out cake books), often a looooooooooooong process with their mind changed so many times that by the time you go to the store, you can't remember what candy you need to buy to decorate the cakes! You pretty much assume you need to buy one of everything in the candy isle, along with at least one of every type of icing! :o)

Here's my question--Why do CUB Scouts do a cake auction--shouldn't they spend quality time with dad making fancy bird houses or something?

Seriously, we had a fun time, except for trying to ice a really uncooperative crumby cake!--I have a few tips to share for Kitchen Tip Tuesday from yesterday's experience. :o)

Here are the pics. I'll let you know how much they fetched. We are currently having a disagreement in our family about which one we should try to buy. I think a good old fist fight should solve that...or maybe the most helpful kid chooses. :o)

"T's" Cake

"Z's" Cake

Thought For the Day...

Reality is almost always funny..........eventually!!!

This is a picture from when the kids were little. I was pretty annoyed at the time, baby powder is NOT easy to clean up...but now it IS pretty funny. :o)

A Little Humor

I grew up in Illinois and enjoyed my childhood there. I now live in one of the most liberal states, but at least it isn't the most corrupt! What Illinoians have to look forward to putting on their cars with pride...

In case some of you have forgotten, the older gentleman is the former governer who is in jail for corruption. The other guy is the current governor who is being investigated for corruption. Some traditions should NOT be carried on.

Disclaimer: I do realize the situation itself really is not funny. I am choosing to be superficial today and enjoy someone's wit.

A God Who Answers Before You Pray!

This is a story told by an African missionary. I read it once before, but it still touched my heart.

One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities.

Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts. One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). 'And it is our last hot water bottle!' she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk , so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways. 'All right,' I said, 'put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts. Your job is to keep the baby warm.'

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died.

During prayer time, one ten-year-old girl, Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.'

While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say 'Amen'? I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the porch was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly... Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box.

From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patients, and the children looked a little bored. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend.

Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be?

I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could.

Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!

'Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her eyes shone! She had never doubted! Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?'

'Of course,' I replied!

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class , whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator. And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it 'that afternoon'.

And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear. (Isaiah 65:24)

”Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead, tell the storm how big your GOD IS.

Isn't is great to know that God knows our needs and and provides provision for them before we even know we need them!

German Chocolate Cake Cookies

Ingredients:
1 German Chocolate Cake mix
2 eggs
½ c. melted butter or oil
½ c. oats (I’ve used both quick cooking and rolled)
1c. chocolate chips—I have used all types, added peppermint extract and peppermint candy also.

1. Combine all ingredients, mix together well.
2. Drop 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. (I use parchment paper)
3. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes. (Take them out before they appear done or you will have hard cookies.)
4. Cool 5 min. on pan, move to wire rack to cool. Enjoy.

These are my favorite "in a pinch" cookies. They aren't super healthy, but they are super easy. :o) I buy cake mixes when they are on sale and keep them on hand "just in case". They are like the Wendy's Frosty--the perfect amount of chocolate. I get many requests for the recipe. :o)

For more kitchen timps visit: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3140

Let me be on the sidelines!

Psalm 91:7-9

7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.9 Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;

I am currently memorizing Psalm 91. These are the verses I am memorizing this week. I started working on them this morning and they spoke to my heart. These are uncertain times both nationally and globally. I won't go into a list of my concerns, lest I add any of mine to your list. ;o) Everyone has concerns. But we shouldn't be worrying about them. God is in control. I don't really think the world or our country is coming to an end, but even if it is, God is with us and will take care of us. God has promised to take care of His people over and over again in Scripture. We need to make sure we are doing what is right so that only with our eyes will we see the reward of the wicked. I'd certainly rather be on the sidelines watching than in the midst of the trouble! We also need to make sure we are telling others about Salvation so they can join us in watching the reward of the wicked instead of being included in it!

Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem

I have listened to the news of the current conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. I always get annoyed at the way our media generally portrays the Israelis as civilian killers.

What they don't tell you:

1. Hamas "soldiers" do not wear uniforms.


2. They do not come out to fight, instead they hide amongst the civilians, causing the civilian casualties to be higher.


3. They do not fear death because their religion tells them that if they die in fighting the infidel (anyone who is NOT Muslim--including the good old USA), they will achieve higher levels of Heaven and get more virgin wives. It's a little difficult to fight someone who is not afraid of death. Scare tactics don't work! A large part of traditional warfare is based on fear. (We've learned this the hard way in Iraq and Afghanistan.)


4. They DO NOT want territory, they've been offered that and turned it down.


5. They DO NOT want peace.


6. They DO want the death of all Jews. This is the only thing that will make them happy.


7. There are Israeli Arabs who enjoy the same freedoms as the Isreali Jews.

I get frustrate when I hear people say that Israel does not want peace. When we went to Israel, my heart was broken by just how badly the Jewish people DO want peace. Who wouldn't? Can you imagine living your life in constant fear of being attacked? Because a Jordanian soldier shot into a crowd of children on a field trip, it is now law that an adult with every school group must have a gun. You see school groups and there will be a teacher, Rabbi, etc. with the group with a machine gun of some sort thrown over their shoulder. This is a fact of life for them. You see a military presence almost every where you go. (I did not feel in danger, though when we were in Isreal in 2007.) They must constantly be ready for attack. After visiting Israel and realizing how small of a country it is and it is literally surrounded by countries that would like nothing better than to see their demise, I am amazed at the patience and restraint that Israel shows! I don't think that we as a nation would put up with another country shooting rockets at us!

One Jewish lady begged me to tell everyone here in the US that they do want peace and "please don't let them forget the Holocaust." The Jewish people have been a people much persecuted.

Here is a link to a video a friend sent me that explains what is going on between Israel and Hamas. It is about 5 minutes long. There are some graphic pictures.

http://fun.mivzakon.co.il/flash/video/2673/2673.html

Psalm 122:6-8

6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee.7 Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces.8 For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee.

Please pray for the peace of Israel. Many times God has promised to bless those that bless Israel and curse those that curse Israel. Pray also that our government will continue to support Israel and stand by them.

Lessons from Caleb

I've been reading in Joshua as part of my daily Bible reading. I was reminded of the steadfastness of Caleb.

Joshua 14:8 Nevertheless my brethren that went up with me made the heart of the people melt: but I wholly followed the LORD my God. (Caleb speaking)
11 As yet I am as strong this day as I was in the day that Moses sent me: as my strength was then, even so is my strength now, for war, both to go out, and to come in.
12 Now therefore give me this mountain, whereof the LORD spake in that day; for thou heardest in that day how the *Anakims were there, and that the cities were great and fenced: if so be the LORD will be with me, then I shall be able to drive them out, as the LORD said. *Anakims were giants.

How wonderful to be able to say that you wholly followed the Lord! Caleb and Joshua went with 10 other ment to spy on the land God has said they would conquer. They saw the land through the understanding that God was with them and able to defeat the enemy. The other 10 men saw the land through man's power and said it was impossible.

Caleb also continued to serve the Lord even when Joshua was made leader. He did not have a pity party becuase HE wanted to be in charge. Instead, he continued to serve the Lord. He is 85 in these verses and says that he is still as strong as he was 45 years ago. God blessed his faithfulness with good health and strength. Caleb did not lose his zeal to fight for the Lord, here at 85, he is asking for the mountain that has giants on it.

I'm sure that many of us have difficulties in our lives that seem like mountains, even with giants on them. Maybe a situation that seems impossible with people involved that are even more impossible. We can rest assured like Joshua and Caleb that God is stronger than any situation we face. He can help us to get through the tough times and will bless us for our faithfulness.

The Young and the Old--How do you treat them?

The Little Boy and the Old Man

Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
Said the old man, "I do that, too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.
--Shel Silverstein

This week at work (I am the Director of Nursing at a home care company, so I deal with situations in all of our 6 offices), we've had situations in two different counties, one with a child and one with elderly people in which, as an agency, we reported our concerns for their safety to the county and were basically told that nothing can be done until something "bad" happens. (As an agency we worked hard and went "above" the call of duty and was able to sort out the situations and find help on our own.) How sad, that as a society we have stooped to such a level that we really care very little about the welfare of children or the elderly. I could launch into a long rant about our government's mixed up priorities, but I'll spare you.

I just want to challenge everyone to look at those around you and don't look the other way when you see someone in need of help. Stop and give an elderly person a hug or just talk to them. They have wisdom far beyond our years. Often they just want someone to acknowledge their existence. Take the time to listen to a child's story or answer their list of questions.

Proverbs 16:31 The hoary (white or gray with age) head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness.

Matthew 10:42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

Fleas, Lice and Mosquitoes--Oh My

We have a missionary family in Madagascar who are also running an orphanage. They are currently plagued with fleas, lice and mosquitoes. Does anyone have any tips for getting rid of these critters? Remember that they have no electricity and can't just run to the store to buy the latest and newest delicer!

I can't imagine living with this! They also have a 20 month old. This make me so glad to live in the good old USA! Please pray for them.

Cooking with Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

I don't remember how I discovered Whole Wheat Pastry Flour. I had tried to substitute regular whole wheat flour for white flour and often ended up with heavy, non-palatable food!

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour is made out of a different type of wheat that has a lighter texture. White Flour is so refined that your body treats is like sugar, so when you bake things with white flour, your body treats both the sugar AND white flour like sugar. I won't go into the evils of sugar, but will say the less we eat the better for us. :o)

When using Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, you can substitute it one to one for white flour. This has worked for me in cookies, homemade roll out dumplings, biscuits, muffins, and even pie crust. I generally add 1-2 tbsp. of freshly ground flaxseed (I use my coffee bean grinder to grind it) also to my baked goods. This adds a little moisture and A LOT of nutrients!

You can find Whole Wheat Pastry Flour at Bob's Red Mill. http://www.bobsredmill.com/product.php?productid=3634&cat=0&page=1

I find in our local grocery store and Whole Foods Coop. It is more expensive, but the health benefits are worth it for me.

For more kitchen tips, go to: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/node/3134

Blessedness

The Beatitudes--Matthew 5:1-12

Today in my Bible reading, I read Matthew 5. I have a Greek/Hebrew Study Bible and the notes about the beatitudes really touched my heart.

The word "blessed" means "fully satisfied". In other words, we will be fully satisfied as we progress and grow in our Christian life. The beatitudes are a progression of our walk with God.

Blessed are..

vs. 3--"The poor in Spirit"--we realize that we are helpless, not able to do anything for ourselves. We must realize that we are nothing without God and He is our only help and the only way of salvation.

vs.4--"They that mourn"--we must be sorrowful about our sins and the sin around us--no making excuses, treating sin lightly.

vs.5--"The meek"--we must be willing to see ourselves as we really are--sinners saved by God's grace who can do nothing without Him.

vs.6--"They that do hunger and thirst after righteousness"--(can mean "the hungering ones")--we need to realize that we need constant nourishment from God's Word and long to do what is right--It just struck me that I often focus on what food I am going to eat next, but often don't spend as much time feeding my spirit God's Word

vs.7--"The merciful"--we need to care about others; make others' heartaches our own

vs.8--"The pure in heart"--we need to be constantly searching our hearts and confessing our sins to Him, also we need to keep our heats free of evil thoughts

vs.9--"The peacemakers"--we need to have the peaces of God in our lives so that our lives bring peace to those around us.--Even in trials we need to have a peace about us that causes others to see that God is helping us through.

vs. 10-12--"They which are persecuted for righteousness sake..."--we can rejoice when others persecute us, they persecuted many before us and with God on our side, who can stand against us?

As we grow in our Christian walk, we will become more fully satisfied. In each verse, there is also a promise from God. As we do our part, He has promised to do His!

You can learn a lot from the kids...

You know how there are times when the little people in your life can bring you to shame! My kids did that to me last night. It is our month to clean the church and after working all day, I really did not want to go clean. I would have done it, but probably not real cheerfully. The girls ended up having piano lessons. (They are usually on Thursday, but due to the holiday, we had talked about moving them. Their teacher called on Friday morning to ask.) My awesome hubby said he would clean the church if I picked up the kids and took the girls to piano lessons. I thought this was a GREAT deal! But then, on the way to piano lessons, the kids asked when we were going to clean the church. I rather cheerfully said that dad was doing that. All four kids were most disappointed that they did not get to help! I had a chorus of "when will we get to help?", "why can't we clean it tomorrow",etc. I appeased the forces by letting them know that they can help after church on Sunday, so I didn't have full mutiny in my minivan. Needless to say, my kids made me feel really fortunate that they "let" me be their mom. :o)

I also realized that I need to be more cheerful about serving the Lord in even the "little" things. 2 Corinthians 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. Giving of our time and energy is a part of giving to Him.

New Year Resolutions

Happy 2009!

Well, it's a new year and time to reflect on the past year and make some new goals/resolutions. It seems like I set lofty goals each year and then by the second week of January, they are nearly forgotten! I have been thinking about how God does not want us to be failures and wants us to have victory in our lives. Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. We need to rely on Him to help us to conquer areas of our lives that we need to work on. I have also been thinking about how (James 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.) applies to the goals I have set for this year. If I know that I should read my Bible, eat healthy, etc. and I don't, then it is sin.

This year I am going to stay accountable to my blog readers. On the side of my blog will be a "2009 goals" section and I will post each day how I am doing. I am hoping that by keeping them in the forefront of my mind I will be more likely to work on meeting them.

Here are the goals:

1. Read the Bible through this year.--I will let you know if I am staying on track.

2. Spend time in prayer. (More than 10 minutes)

3. Exercise (20 min. +)five times a week--I will list each week how many times I've exercised.

4. Eat Healthy--I will let you know how many times I have cheated each week.

5. Spend at least 15 minutes a day picking up/cleaning my house.

6. Guard my tongue.

7. Memorize three verses a week. (Will let you know each day if I worked on them)

8. Be better about sending cards/remembering birthdays!!!! (Will let you know if I planned/got the card ready.)