so many recipes...so little time

I also have several great recipes to share for all the wonderful blueberries and peaches that are so plentiful right now...that will be next on my list:)

I heard this quote last week by Jaroslav Pelikan: "If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen – nothing else matters." AMEN and good-night!

Back to the blog

I'm not sure why I have not been blogging. Maybe because we have a major project going on at our house (mostly an exterior renovation that is creeping inside:) and my youngest child graduated from high school at the end of May. He also played golf on his school team and their season was in full swing. My daughter was home for a couple of weeks during May during which we spent a weekend with my sister-in-law and our nieces getting to be a part of wedding planning for one of them. It was such fun! Anyway, I've been busy. My husband and I were also having a forty day fast from tv. You would think I would have had lots of time to write. Interestingly I thought I would too, to read and write but it was not so. I realized that just fasting from something doesn't guarantee that your spiritual focus will improve. It is still a matter of discipline of the heart and mind. It was an interesting exercise in many ways.

It is now the beginning of August and we're still in the middle of the project, hoping to be finish by the end of September. Can I just say how much I hate chaos? But it seems that it is part of the process to achieve change, even for the better. That is a hard truth.

Since I started writing and re-writing this entry our daughter found out that she is moving from the campus of the University of Florida to Auburn University with Campus Crusade this fall. She helped lead a summer project team to Miami and all this was just finalized the week she was coming home at the end of June. As soon as she drove in from Miami she and I made plans to drive back to Gainesville to pack her things. Then my mom (who just turned 82 in June) fell and broke her wrist. We had to get her stabilized before our trip. My sweet sister-in-law let us drop off most of my daughter's things at their home just an hour from Auburn. That was so that we could see out our windows and not run the risk of being ticketed when we went to Auburn the next day to find a place for her to live! (Think Beverly Hillbillies packed into our vehicle.) We then came home and I took my mom in for surgery on her wrist the next day. Then a week later my husband, our older son, our daughter and I left for a medical mission trip in Peru. More about the trip later.

Bottom line: this summer has been CRAZY busy (there's that stupid word again!). Now it's almost time to move my daughter into her new apartment this weekend...and then her cousin gets married in a couple of weeks. Maybe once I get her settled, the wedding is over and I begin to get my own house back in order I can get back to the business of blogging!

true maturity

I have heard that one of the signs of real maturity is not getting your feelings hurt. I think that's true of both emotional and spiritual maturity. I don't generally get my feelings hurt often but when I do it's usually because of someone in my immediate family. It doesn't happen frequently now so maybe I am maturing. I hope for the day when I am secure enough in my own skin, with who I am and how God has made me, secure in His sovereignty that I don't get my feelings hurt. My kids have all hurt my feelings at times along with my husband, sometimes just superficially but sometimes they have been hurts that I have struggled with. I recently was struggling with a hurt that brings back old memories and consequently melancholy and regret. I have often told my kids in recent years that even if I could go back and do some things differently I wouldn't because then I would do other things wrong. I really don't want to go back but sometimes I am tempted to think along those lines. The funny thing about this is that they probably don't or didn't know that they had hurt me and certainly not as deeply as I feel or felt. Thankfully, time does remove the immediacy of the hurt if not the hurt itself. And time also gives me a different perspective. I still long for that day...when there are no hurt feelings...but that won't be completely possible until heaven.

Coincidence?

I just read this from Seize the Day with Deitrich Bonhoffer :
...To lose ourselves in the busyness of much doing is simply to deny our own need to be replenished. To be more discerning, to prioritize, and to realize the limits of what we can do will, in fact, help us to be more effective...Busyness does not guarantee productivity and effectiveness.
Coincidence? I think not. After what I last posted, I'm sure this was meant for me.

I was actually thinking about something I had read last week in this devotional book about anxiety and prayer. "From the moment we awake until we fall asleep, we must commend other people wholly and unreservedly to God and leave them in his hands, transforming our anxiety for them into prayers on their behalf." --Letters and Papers from Prison .
He writes about all the things we worry about on behalf of our children, family and friends. There are so many things that concern us; important things that can have an effect on their entire lives and little daily things. He says that our anxious thoughts only intensify our worry. "In seeking to transform anxiety into prayer, it is not simply a matter of talking to God instead of talking to ourselves, for that may simply result in talking anxiously to God. Rather we are challenged to recognize the limitations of our worrying and the possibilities of what trusting prayer can do."

I read this just today.
Numbers 23:19 NLT
God is not a man, so he does not lie.
He is not human, so he does not change his mind.
Has he ever spoken and failed to act?
Has he ever promised and not carried it through?l
The obvious answer to these questions is NO! God is faithful even when we aren't. He is doing some incredible things in our family these days, much of it through in and through our children. These are the lyrics to a song by a group called 1000 Generations that I have found my
self listening to a lot.

Fail Us Not

Failure doesn’t phase You, worry doesn’t win,
Loss doesn’t leave You afraid to start again,
Our sin doesn’t shock You,
Our shame doesn’t shame You at all

Mistakes do not move You, terror doesn’t tame,
Death doesn’t doom You to life in the grave,
Our suffering doesn’t scare You,
Our secrets won’t surprise You at all

There is nothing above You,
There is nothing beyond You,
There is nothing that You can’t do…
There is no one beside You,
There is no one that’s like You,
There is nothing that You can’t do…

Whatever will come, we’ll rise above,
You fail us not, You fail us not,
No matter the war, our hope is secure,
You fail us not, You fail us not,
You fail us not…

Hatred doesn’t hide You, evil doesn’t ail,
Despair can’t disguise You and tell You that You’ve failed,
Our doubt doesn’t daunt You,
Our darkness won’t defeat You at all

You’re bigger than the battle,
You are bigger than the battle
You are bigger than the battle has ever been

You can hear this and more at their official website http://1000generations.com

I mentioned a song by Josh Wilson in an earlier post. I am blessed to have my kids to share all kinds of music with me, some I would probably never know about. If you like guitar, Josh has and awesome recording of Amazing Grace that you can hear on YouTube and he has an official website with Sparrow Records.

Good Things...

I was thinking about how little time I've had to sit down at my computer and write over the last few weeks. It seems I've been BUSY. Don't you hate that word? Isn't it the most overused term in our vocabulary? I aggravate myself using it . It's my excuse for everything. One of my dear friends reminded us a couple of days ago at our Bible study of an Oswald Chambers quote about the "good things that keep us from the excellent". It's the idea of the urgent crowding out the important. If you've never read a little booklet called Tyranny of the Urgent, you've missed a gem. I need to read it occasionally to remind myself of how I allow the urgent to take over my life. It's my default mode. How do we slow ourselves down? I was talking with a few younger women about this tonight. One of them was saying that their Bible study leader had encouraged them to just "be still" this week; to take time every day to be quiet and wait before the Lord. It's hard for me to do that even when I am having my time in the Word. My mind is always racing ahead. I remember my husband reading this and sharing it with me years ago from the writings of Philip Yancey and Dr. Paul Brand. As I recall, Dr. Brand said that he and his wife had begun to pray together. When they first began they would both think of many things, unrelated to their prayers. They would write these things down and then continue praying. He said that after some time, those thoughts became less random and would many time prompt them to some action like making a phone call or writing a note. He also said that these were many times divine appointments made at just the needed time. I have to remind myself and go back to this practice. Praying about those random people and things that come to mind and writing them down so that I don't forget and I don't become so preoccupied with them that I don't pray effectively. I also tend to be overwhelmed with the whole of life because I forget that it's all the little parts that make it up! I have to constantly remind myself to break the big things up in smaller chunks that can be accomplished. It's that idea that you don't have to eat the whole elephant at once (I think I just read this on a blog this week; it was what her mom used to tell her). My husband has also recently told me that his new mantra is to walk slowly, think deeply and love passionately. I have great difficulty with the walking slowly...there's so much to do and so little time:) I think I would do well to also remind myself that God is the creator and keeper of time and my job is not to fill up every moment with stuff but to discern what He has for me to do and where He wants me to spend my time. When this happens there will not only be enough time to do those things but there will be time for rest, reading, worship and reflection and even fun! There will be margin. (A very good book by Dr. Richard Swenson.) I like that visual of having a page with margins on either side; I want my life to be like that, not filled edge-to-edge. I want to have time for the important things: my relationship with God, with people and with service that He has for me.

Another recipe

I told a friend I would email her this recipe but thought I might as well share it. This is another recipe I adapted from one of Giada's and one of Tyler Florence's. You can check out their versions at foodnetwork.com.

My Minestrone Soup

2 Tbs. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
4 large carrots , chopped
4 celery ribs, chopped
6 oz. ham, chopped finely (you can use prosciutto, if you prefer; bacon, pancetta or Italian sausage will work)
3-4 garlic cloves, minced
6 to 8 oz. baby spinach (Giada uses Swiss chard, I use spinach because it's always available)
2 c. very small pasta, like ditalini or tiny shells
1 28 oz. diced tomatoes
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 15 oz. cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 quarts chicken stock/broth
rind of Parmesan cheese (if you don't have one just add an ounce or two of fresh grated Parmesan)
chopped Italian parsley
salt and fresh ground black pepper


Heat the olive oil. Saute the chopped veggies, garlic and ham until the onion is translucent, about 10 minutes over medium heat. Add the spinach and saute for a couple of minutes until it is wilted. Add tomatoes and rosemary sprig and simmer for another 10 minutes. While that is simmering blend 3/4 cup cannellini beans with 1/4 cup broth or stock until smooth. Add the pureed beans, remaining broth, and Parmesan rind. When broth is heated, add pasta, whole beans and a couple of tablespoons of the parsley. Simmer for another 10-15 minutes until the pasta is cooked and the beans are heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Garnish with more parsley and shredded Parmesan. This recipe serves 8 -10 but can easily be halved if you don't want a big pot of soup or leftovers (which isn't us:)

the pit

I was reading Psalm 40 this morning and was reminded of one of Corrie ten Boom's favorite quotes“There is no pit too deep, that God’s love is not deeper still.” I am not presently in the pit but it hasn't been long ago that I was. My read-through-the-Bible-this-year plan ( I use John Piper's plan, you can find it at http://www.sfkcpc.org/daily/files/bethlehem_baptist_church_-_bible_reading_plan.pdf"> I actually find myself slipping back into the pit quite often and maybe you do too. The past several Psalms, back to 33, have spoken to my need to continually look to the Lord.
These are selected verses from these nine chapters:[New Living Translation]

For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does...But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken... the Lord watches over those who fear him, those who rely on his unfailing love...He freed me from all my fears...Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles. For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. Taste and see that the Lord is good! Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him! Fear the Lord, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need...
Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.

Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you...Do not abandon me, O Lord. Do not stand at a distance, my God. Come quickly to help me, O Lord my savior..."Lord, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered—how fleeting my life is. You have made my life no longer than the width of my hand. My entire lifetime is just a moment to you; at best each of us is but a breath.”... I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire, He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed.They will put their trust in the Lord.

As I think about trying to be what He desires and my constant need for him I'm reminded of Josh Wilson's "Savior, Please". (Lots of things remind me of songs:) These are the lyrics.

Savior, please take my hand
I work so hard, I live so fast
This life begins, and then it ends
And I do the best that I can, but I don't know how long I'll last

I try to be so tough
But I'm just not strong enough
I can't do this alone, God I need You to hold on to me
I try to be good enough
But I'm nothing without Your love
Savior, please keep saving me

Savior, please help me stand
I fall so hard, I fade so fast
Will You begin right where I end
And be the God of all I am because You're all I have

Hallelujah
Everything You are to me
Is everything I'll ever need
And I am learning to believe
That I don't have to prove a thing
'Cause You're the one who's saving me

Shouldn't that be our prayer ? Even thought I have the assurance that He has saved me from the penalty of sin: I am justified before God. He has to continue that work of making me "less like Adam and more like Christ". I know I can't keep myself out of that pit and I can't get myself out. Jesus is the only one who can do that...and I'm so grateful that he will never stop!

You can hear Josh Wilson sing this at youtube.