Apples Golden

Prayers for My Son

2010-08-04T12:18:00.002-04:00

"You are good; so very good!"

God created you and knows every detail about you. We celebrate your uniqueness. We love you and pray over you-

Today, I pray that as Adam walked with God, so do you. I pray that by walking closely with the God that created you, you will remain strong in the Him and uphold your convictions.

Genesis 1:31a (MSG) God looked over everything he had made; it was good, so very good!

Honey Walnut Shrimp

2009-06-02T20:54:00.005-04:00

Honey Walnut Shrimp (Just like at PF Chang's- minus the tepid melon balls)

http://closetcooking.blogspot.com

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup walnut halves
oil for frying
1 pound shrimp (peeled and deviened)
1 egg white
1/2 cup corn starch
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. Bring the water to a boil and stir in the sugar.
2. When the sugar water turns golden add the walnuts and boil for 2 minutes.
3. Strain the walnuts and set them on parchment paper to cool.
4. Heat the oil in a pan.
5. Dip the shrimp into the egg and then into the corn starch.
6. Fry the shrimp in the oil until golden brown
7. Mix the mayonnaise, honey, sweetened condensed milk and lemon juice in a bowl.
8. Add the shrimp and toss to coat.
9. Serve the shrimp garnished with the walnuts.

Mock Pavlova

2009-05-22T15:41:00.003-04:00

New favorite recipe:

Pavlova with a few "diet" adjustments (i.e. nonfat yogurt replaces the heavy whipping cream)

6 medium egg whites

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp white vinegar (helps take away the "eggy" taste

1 tsp pure vanilla extract, white (I've also used 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract which was extra yummy)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees Farenheit.

Beat egg whites to form soft peaks. Add powdered sugar one tablespoon at a time and beat until still peaks form-- fold in vinegar and extract.

You can either spray with non-stick cooking spray or use parchement paper to line a large cookie sheet. Plop egg white batter by spoonful onto the cookie sheet to create one, 7" circle. Create a small "well" in the middle of the batter to spread the yogurt in later.

Bake 1 hour or until the outside turns a pale, creamy color. Crack the oven door and let cool completely.

Top with any flavor of non-fat yogurt and fresh cut up fruit.

I've tried strawberries and blackberries with vanilla yogurt, and mango/apricot yogurt with blueberries and mandarin (actually my favorite combo thus far).

This dessert is super easy, just takes a little long to bake. Low fat, low cholesterol and perfect for a summery day :)

Moving into 2008

2007-12-27T13:06:00.000-05:00

Isaiah 52:6,10-12
6) My people, you will learn Who I am and Who is speaking because I am here...10) The Lord has shown all nations his mighty strength, now everyone will see the saving power of our God. 11) Leave the city of Babylon! Don't touch anything filthy. Wash yourselves. Be ready to carry back everything sacred that belongs to the Lord. 12) You won't need to run. No one is chasing you. The Lord God of Israel will lead and protect you from enemy attacks.

Babylon, at the time this was written, was probably the most progressive, beautiful city in the known world. It was the pinnacle of modernization--can you imagine what the Israelites must have thought when they saw the city for the first time! I like to imagine that, even though they were slaves, the city was beyond comparison and a wonderful place to live. But this passage commands the Israelites to leaves Babylon (would it really have to be a command if it were an awful place to live). I wonder where this year will take me?

You won't need to run. No one is chasing you. The first part of 2007 felt like an uphill battle and there were a lot of things that I had to fight both outward and inward. I understand that we are all human and are constantly warring within ourselves,but I love the fact that this verse reassures that no one is chasing, no need to run.

The Lord God of Israel will lead and protect you from enemy attacks. My only job is to trust and to follow.

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-24T14:18:00.001-05:00

Not a long post. It is Christmas and there are people to see and places to be--presents waiting for me (sorry, just had to add the last line--it rhymes!) But in all seriousness just a reminder why we celebrate Christmas:

A Child Has Been Born!

Isaiah 9

6)A child has been born for us. We have been given a son who will be our ruler. His names will be Wonderful Advisor and Mighty God, Eternal Father and Prince of Peace. 7)His power will never end; peace will last forever. He will rule David's kingdom and make it grow strong. He will always rule with honesty and justice. The LORD All-Powerful will make certain that all of this is done.

Luke 2

10) But the angel said, "Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11) This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord.

Merry Christmas!

Truth Seeker

2007-11-30T13:04:00.001-05:00

"Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole truth can be won."

Quote from West Point Cadet Prayer

Remembering

2007-11-27T17:36:00.000-05:00

"I remember to think about the many things you did in years gone by. Each morning let me learn more about your love because I trust you. I come to you in prayer, asking for your guidance. You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path." Ps 143:5,8,10

I think milestones are important, necessary for our Christian journey. Throughout the Old Testament whenever anything significant happened the Israelites built an altar and worshipped there-- how many times after this does the scripture make a point of saying, "and the altar can still be seen to this day."

We are so forgetful, so out of focus sometimes that we only see the most immediate problem or circumstance and totally forget to remember all the things that God has already done for us. The Psalmist makes a point of saying "I remember to think", I choose to remember what You've done for me.

People remember differently. I personally have verses taped around my house that remind of a promise or of a time when I needed encouragement. I have a few physical mementos around the house that mean something only to me--you might even think that they are misplaced accessories, but they aren't-- it is my way of constantly remembering what God has done for me.

Wanderer, O Wanderer

2007-10-20T01:05:00.000-04:00

An original poem by C.D. Ward

Wanderer, O Wanderer
This is Home
With the World to Roam
Wanderer, O wanderer
This is your fate
From palace to grave
Wanderer, This is Home

Wanderer, O Wanderer
By the light of Night
Ancients tell their plight
Wanderer, O Wanderer
For you to see
Permanence is not to be
Wanderer, Live this Night

Wander, O Wanderer
Foundations will fall
Time always come to call
Wanderer, O Wanderer
You are free
So be, Just Be

Proverbs 22:9

2007-09-20T14:14:00.000-04:00

The Lord blesses everyone who freely gives food to the poor.

Simple Addition

2007-09-20T13:39:00.000-04:00

Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, Self Control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others and Love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful. 2 Peter 1:5-8

I'm absolutely amazed at the transformation God has done in my over the past year and a half. I don't know about you, and it really doesn't matter, but every time I saw a homeless person I would be so quick to write them off as lazy or worthless... I mean after all they haven't contributed to the GNP today, so why should they get any handouts from me? Like I said, that was what I used to think. My attitude started to change when God brought Steve and Brenda into our lives shortly before Thanksgiving '05.

It was a Thursday Night and Kasey and I were at the church when I went out into the hallway and saw two very down-trodden individuals. I was scared. I had no idea what to do, so I asked if I could help them. They asked if there was a pastor available to speak with-- I went and got Kasey. We sat down to talk with them... mind you, the whole time I'm thinking that they've hit up every church in the area and are just looking for a freebie.

Their story, as I later found out, was 100% true. Steve and Brenda had never been well off, but they had always managed to get by until Brenda started having seizures and headaches. These events took them to the emergency room, but without insurance the ER could only treat the immediate needs and wouldn't go beyond that. From that point on Brenda had to have constant supervision because seizures and stroke were a constant threat to her life. Steve did what he could, but was eventually fired from his job due to extended time off. They had been able to get by working odd jobs that she could go with him on, until the night they showed up at our church.

Their truck had broken down right outside the entrance to our church. Without a phone and being over an hour away from home they came inside to ask to use a phone. He called his brother (who lived an hour away) to come a pick him up. It was during this hour that my husband and I prayed with them and heard about their life story. There were several times during their story that Steve broke down in tears feeling responsible, and hating the fact that he was unable to provide for his wife-- he could only afford Tylenol when she really needed far more expensive medications for seizures. She was constantly reassuring him that she was fine and "love was enough". It was definitely a moving story, but the full blow didn't hit me until they showed up at our church for our annual Thanksgiving banquet.

Our (former) church always a had a very traditional Thanksgiving banquet every year. People would bring their whole families, everyone was dressed to the nines, and we would offer some entertainment after the banquet. The air was palpable when Steve and Brenda showed up unannounced and under dressed. Kasey and I immediately greeted them and invited them to sit with us and get a plate of food. Afterwards we made sure that they "won" one of our free hams. ***This point of the story is a little sketchy because I can't remember why, but we ended up giving them a ride home***

After several turns and an hour later we pulled up to the most humble dwelling I've ever seen. They were so proud of their little home that Kasey and I didn't say anything until we had said goodbye and were safely out of earshot. What was home to them was nothing more that a shack. There was no door or windows (it was only November and temperatures were seldom above freezing) They had some pitiful sheets over what used to be windows, and their electricity had been shut off for about a month (which means no heat). Kasey and I were about one block away before tears just started streaming down our faces. I couldn't believe that two happy people could live like that.

It was wrong or me to judge so quickly and God has been faithful to completely transform the perceptions and notions that I had just a short year ago. And it all started with two people, Steve and Brenda.

Home Improvements

2007-09-11T16:13:00.000-04:00

My husband and I bought our first home three years ago and have learned some VERY helpful information:

1. First, and foremost, everyone needs to kind a "Keith" or "Jason"
*This is defined as two good friends that can help with home repairs (even in the wee hours of the morning)

2. Never, ever, ever- under any circumstances- take all the doors, hinges, and hardware off at the same time and forget to label what goes with which.

3. Never start a project after 6 pm on Saturday. This rule is strictly adhered to at our house. What started out as tightening a leaky pipe turned into a bathroom remodel the week of Easter (it should be noted here that my husband is a pastor and as you know-- Easter is the biggest day of the year for churches, and my husband was without a bathroom that whole week)

4. Retaining walls are not as easy as they look (especially when one of you insists on being perfectly level)

5. Save the time, RENT/BUY a heavy duty wet saw.

6. Cover the vents before you sand your hardwood floors for refinishing.

7. Buy enough paint.

***SOAP BOX*** I found a color that I absolutely loved at Sutherland's. It was a DUTCHBOY color and their paint comes in an odd size (instead of a gallon only, it a gallon+ quart). This color required a tinted base (no big deal, right?). They were currently out of stock in the quart size, so instead of buying two of their huge (expensive) cans when I only needed a little bit more than what was there I was told to come back in a few weeks and they would have the smaller can available- Great! Well, a week after this happened Sutherland's decides not to carry the smaller size (seriously all I needed was to do the second coat of trim on the top of one wall-- maybe 1'x8' section) Hoping against all odds that they would change their minds I kept checking for about a year. Finally, Sutherlands told me to go to a Sherwin Williams store and they could mix it for me because they still carried this base (this is about a year later, btw). I guess Sherwin Williams owns Dutchboy...

HERE IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD- Sherwin Williams (who owns Dutchboy) won't mix the paint for me. They said it is a protected formula that only a certain tier gets for that companies usage. Granted that makes sense from a marketing standpoint-- but what about customer service? They went on to say that there is no way they can mix it for me (even if I brought them the formula for Sutherlands)....

...and for all the real smarty pants... there's something funky about the paint base that makes it impossible to get a true match from a computer scan (believe me, I tried)

Lesson learned-- BUY ENOUGH PAINT!

SO, if you work at Sutherlands, Dutchboy, or Sherwin Williams I will remove this blog once I receive a quart amount of Lonely Pines. I will even write a blog in praise of customer satisfaction, but not until my room is painted.

Anyway... next week we'll be discussing pet ownership...j/k... but seriously don't give your dog Benadryl.

Fall

2007-09-07T10:13:00.000-04:00

I LOVE this time of year... The nights get cooler and the air smells sweeter. Fall is on the way and that means family, friends, family get-togethers... I'm already on the lookout for the first fall tree to break through with the bright, vivid colors of fall. The first apple pie has been made at our house.

Life has been interesting this past year to say the least. I finished my vocational certificate and decided to pursue my four-year degree at KU. This is exciting and nerve-wrecking at the same time. I'm looking forward to finishing and being able to start a "real" career, but three more years seems so far away... Kasey, my husband, resigned his position at the church in an odd turn-of-events. We were so set on our next position being in another church that when God opened another door we almost missed it. A commercial construction company pursued Kasey and asked him to come aboard to develop a marketing team/strategy for their company. Kasey was reluctant at first. (It should be noted that a few weeks prior to this I had asked him if he would ever work a secular job. His response was a definite NO, saying he was called to ministry and didn't know why God would have him work a secular job--- Lesson learned: NEVER say NEVER) Anyway after a few weeks of them pursuing him, Kasey decided we should pray and fast over this decision. So we did, and lo and behold God was really moving us... So in a matter of days, Kasey had changed careers and embarked on a career path that neither of us could have seen coming.

I was reading Ecclesiastes 7:14 today and it says, "When times are good, you should be cheerful; when times are bad, think what it means. God makes them both to keep us from knowing what will happen next." Interesting, neither of us could have predicted this. We still can't wait to get back into ministry and are currently serving as volunteers at Westside Family Church-- and love it!

If nothing else comes of this time in our lives, it has taught me that God has a definite plan for our lives and who are we to try and figure it out on our own. Just because we thought our lives were going to travel a certain path doesn't mean that we will never have "God Detours". The best way to get to where you're going may not be a straight line. There may be bumps, curves, loops, detours... but you'll always end up at your destination.

Re-Thinking

2006-03-18T07:40:00.000-05:00

It's almost 7 o'clock and nobody is up yet... No one to talk too...

I'm thinking about putting together a new study on the 10 Commandments--I know, it's been done before, right? Well, maybe. My take is this, modern psychology says that always telling your children "NO" will become redundant and loose its effectivness (just to clarify, I realize that God is a perfect father and knows how to deal with us-- this is not a bash on His parenting skills.) Psychologist suggest, providing your child/ren with options they can do-- positive reinforcement (e.g. in lieu of "Don't bang that pot again!", it would be something like, "Why don't you go and play...(whatever is less offensive.)") SO, taking this concept back to the 10 Commandments, what if a study was done that said instead of "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain," it was presented that we as Christians are heirs to the Kingdom and have the right to address the King of All with reverence and respect. We can approach God and say "Abba, Father." We can come directly to Him and say, "Blessed be your name-- above all names."

Happy New Year

2005-12-31T18:52:00.000-05:00

I look forward to this next year- it a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. I'm reminded of how God's mercies are "new every morning" at times like this. I've never been one to make resolutions- mostly because I try to make changes as soon as I see the need for one- but good luck to all of you that have and a great new year filled with God's favor and blessing on you and your family.

Belonging

2005-12-26T09:56:00.000-05:00

The Bible is a story of belonging. A People belonging to their Creator and the Creator belonging to His people. As a church we try to help people find his/her niche in our community. We use tools like Home Teams, discipleship courses, post ministry opportunitities, etc. But as a pastor's wife- Where do I fit in?

2005-12-20T10:08:00.000-05:00

"God is the stronghold of my life, an ever-present help in times of trouble".

It's comforting to know that someone is holding us so securely-- especially when there is danger all around- or fear- or worry- or insecurities- isn't it? I was recently reminded how strongly God holds on to us and it encouraged me through a very difficult time. Psalms 23 says that the "Lord is my Shepherd... He makes me lie down in green pastures." My Lord and my Shepherd have guided me to a quiet and calm place without any harm, and now I am at rest.

One thing that I struggle with is the thought of God as my protector. I know that he is omnipotent, created the world, things move at his command, mountains into the sea, rear guard and all that. The thought that I am not protecting myself and letting someone else do scares me. But God is Jehovah Nissi (Our Banner) and will fight/protect/ guard all of us.

I have committed to my daily devotions a time of focusing/memorizing scriptures that specifically refer to God as my Shield. It has really helped. It gives me something to think about when the old situation starts coming up and I start getting defensive-- GOD WILL PROTECT ME- and I WILL ABIDE IN THE SHADOW OF THE ALMIGHTY.

Apples Golden

2005-11-25T11:31:00.000-05:00

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold".