National Day of Prayer

Hey friends!  As you may already know, or just to serve as a reminder, today is National Day of Prayer. 

And if you don’t already, what a great time to start a routine to pray together as a family.  It’s never too late to make this a part of your day and you’re sure to be blessed by it!

For our family, it’s how we end the day with our children, even though they are now mostly grown.  Developing this habit has become a memorable and special part of life for us.  Usually we include a devotion or something that the Lord has pointed out that day.  It’s an informal time for us, and more times than not our gathering begins with swapping some laughs, all piled in our bedroom.  My daughter’s poodle Navi is so accustomed to the routine that she oftentimes arrives in our room before we do where we find her at the foot of our bed wagging her tail. She is so funny about this!  But one of the dearest memories that I will always store in my heart is my youngest daughter’s after prayer routine of going around the room giving us all goodnight hugs, and yes, even Navi gets a hug and has developed a remarkable ability to stand up on her back legs and literally return the hug.

And speaking of hugs, since I just used that word three times in one sentence :), hugs to you and I hope that you are enjoying spring!  The air is so sweet in our neck of the woods right now that I can hardly stay indoors!

That Faithful Day

They were all there.  Mary, the mother of our Savior, and Mary Magdalene.  The disciple John.  Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea.  The centurion and the two criminals.  The religions leaders, the soldiers, and the crowd.  Each with different stories and outcomes, yet we share something in common with them – Jesus was bearing the weight of all our sins.  So in a sense, we were there, too.  Jesus’ precious blood was paying the price for our sin debt.  Yes, “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  That’s how much He loves us.  On that bittersweet day, the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated His love for us by

• His willingness to suffer unimaginable physical agony for us
• His willingness to bear the weight of all sin of all time so that its power over our lives could be destroyed
• His willingness to be separated from the Father for the first time since eternity past because God cannot look upon sin

The One who is blameless, took the penalty of sin in our place.  What a huge price we were purchased with! 

Easter and spring are a pair where many of us live.  The once calloused, bare branches are fringed with tender new leaves and blossoms, tinting the landscape into a joyous sight making us all the more mindful of the new life the Lord offers us.  Scripture tells us that if we are in Christ we are new creatures; old things are passed away and “all things are become new”  (2 Corinthians 5:17).

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”  Romans 6:4

The empty tomb on that first Easter shows us that all who are willing to trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior will also be resurrected to new life.  Jesus’ victory can be our victory.  It’s ours for the asking.  

Happy Easter, my friend.  It’s my prayer that you have a beautiful weekend celebrating His great love and the hope that we have in Him.

 

Cubed Beef and Gravy

Hi there blog friends!  Just finished a yummy lunch and wanted to share some with you.  And the easiest way to do that is by giving you the recipe!

Classic Cubed Beef and Gravy

2 lb. cubed beef
all purpose flour
vegetable or canola oil
2 cups water
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 – 3 onions, sliced
1 chopped bell pepper
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Dredge beef in flour.  Heat oil in skillet (enough to cover bottom).  Brown beef in oil over medium high heat.  Stir in water, tomato sauce, and remaining ingredients to beef in skillet, adding a generous amount of salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and then turn heat down to a barely simmer.  Cover and cook two hours, stirring occasionally.  Taste and re-season if necessary.  If gravy gets too thick, add a little extra water before cooking is complete.  

This is a hearty, satisfying dish which pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes. 

As you can see, my little somebody else wanted some, too!  But poor baby had to settle for a dog biscuit since garlic and onions aren’t healthy for our K9 friends. (For more on food safety for dogs, click here.)

Blessings, dear friends!  Hope you are having a wonderful day!