Simply Chatter: Summer Days Dawn

I’ve heard it said that it is so hot the hens have laid hard-boiled eggs—that pretty much sums up our temps lately!

We’ve been helping my mom move to an apartment, and bidding our goodbyes to my childhood home. My kids are grieving as much as my mom and I are.

There is just something about a grandmother’s home, isn’t there?

Meanwhile, back on our home front,

I never know what I might find on my memory card when I pop it into my computer….

My oldest. . . .He’s always entertaining!

At least he still has all of his toes.  I may lose a few, because of

my new little friend“Bubbles” - a Chinese Crested Powder Puff.  She is sweet, but mistakes me for her chewy toy!

Don’t you just love mornings?  We have finished up our homeschool year, so they have been especially quiet and peaceful.

I snapped this one morning as I walked around our yard filled with heavy fog,

delighted over some blooms,

spent some quiet time with the Lord, and enjoyed a God breeze.

Back inside and up the stairs to check on the kids,

this was the scene from my oldest daughter’s room.

For us today, it is off to town we go, hoping to get my mom on the internet at her apartment.  She is like us and miserable without her window to the world!

Hope that your day is blooming with joy!

Simply Faith

What is Christian faith?  Sometimes we tend to complicate it.

Faith is trusting and relying on Christ, and you can.

Faith is believing that the Lord will do what He promises, and He will.

Isn’t that simple?  That’s all there is to it. 

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
                                                                                                                              Romans 5:1-2

When You Feel Rejected

All of us at times experience rejection.

It cuts to our core, because we all need to feel

valued and cherished,

loved and accepted, 

capable and competent.

On the cross, the Lord demonstrated His love for us.  With that in mind, remember:

You are so valued by God that He laid down His life for you. You are cherished by Him so much that He is interested in every detail of your life to the point that He even knows the number of hairs on your head.

The Lord accepts you fully.  You belong to Him and are part of His family.  He loves you unconditionally and forgives you freely. 

Of course you are competent - you are His masterpiece!  The Lord has plans for you.  His Spirit lives in you, and will help you to be capable of anything that He has called you to do.  Don’t compare yourself to others, just set out to do what He created you to accomplish. 

So there you have it –  you my friend, are wonderfully made, and as a believer, you are complete in Christ. 

Blueberry Pound Cake

I often get requests to make this cake. I love it too, and I especially like that it begins with a cake mix. I originally found the recipe at allrecipies years ago. It is great for company, or for just us!

Blueberry Pound Cake

1 package yellow cake mix
1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups blueberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).  Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.

In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and sugar.  Make a well in the center and pour in eggs, cream cheese, oil and vanilla.  Bean on low speed until blended.  Scrape bowl, and beat 4 minutes on medium speed.  (Batter will be thick.)  Fold in blueberries.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  (My oven takes an hour), or until toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes clean.  Let cool in pan on wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out onto rack and cool completely. 

Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

So nice of you to stop by!  I hope that you will come back again soon!

Delicious Citrus Tea Punch

This punch makes us happy.  We served it at a ladies tea in our church years ago and it has been a favorite since.  My grown kids declare it temporally relieves a sore throat and all the Vitamin C is bound to be a good thing!

Citrus Tea Punch 

2 family size tea bags

1 cup sugar

1 can frozen orange juice concentrate (thaw in refrigerator to make stirring easy)

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate

Boil about 6 cups water, add tea bags and remove from heat.  Let steep until tea looks strong.

In a one gallon pitcher, add tea and sugar.  Stir.  Then add orange and lemonade concentrate.  Fill the rest of the pitcher with water.  Stir well.  Garnish with lemon if desired.

Tucked Under His Wing

I am so glad that you are here for a visit!  Today’s post was written by a very special young lady, my daughter.  This is from her blog, Musings of an Elf, and I would like to share it with you.  I hope that you are blessed by it as much as I am. 

In life, there is one thing every person wants.

Knowing they are safe.

Scared, alone, fearful, worried, frightened—we’ve all experienced these. Thinking we are not safe is a horrible feeling.

No matter what we are doing, as long as we know we are safe, it’s easy to push through. We all need that security.

And we do always have that security, no matter where we are or what we’re going through.

“I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”
Psalm 4:8

God promises as long as we trust in Him, we will always have His protection. He is forever with us, comforting us, caring for us, and protecting us.

“He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust: His truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”
Psalm 91:4

There is nothing that can break that security we have in His protection. Even as the storms surge around us and it appears like there is no hope, He is still there, keeping us secure under His wing.

“How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.”
"Psalm 36:7

We have no reason to fear, for the all powerful, all merciful, loving, and kind Creator of the universe has us safely tucked under His wing.

 Graphic from Little Birdie Blessings

Simply Heart and Soul: Growing Spiritually Fit Through Trials

Weary?  Troubled?  Rejoice! 

This is a time that you can make great strides in spiritual growth. 

This is a time that your witness can be the strongest by demonstrating to those around you the peace of Christ that “surpasses all understanding.”

This is a time that you can exercise and boost your faith as you put it to action.

This is a time to increase your awareness of our dependency on the Lord.

And most importantly, this is a time that you can discover a deeper relationship with your Heavenly Father.  Draw near to Him and let Him envelop you in is loving arms as He guides you through your situation. 

“God knows that soldiers are to be made only in battle; they are not to be grown in peaceful times.”  Charles Spurgeon

“The dark moments of our life will last only so long as necessary for God to accomplish His purpose in us.”  Dr. Charles Stanley

Simply Chatter

Spring – isn’t it WONDERFUL - the birds singing, the blooms everywhere!    

A bit of gusty wind and storms too, but I love rainy days as well!

Pictured above is my father-in-law coming to our aid after a tree fell from the wind this past Wednesday. . .I am so thankful to the Lord that it fell in the direction that it did.  (I nearly panicked when I heard it cracking and crashing since my youngest had just gone out to play, but all was well.)  We did live in the woods, but we are about to get over it with losing most of our trees!

Sadly, there has been some other crashing noises around here.  It was time for the house that my father-in-law grew up in to come down.

Last year’s April 27 tornado ( you can click here for my post about that experience) destroyed much of it and we had to bid it a final goodbye this week.   Closing the door to that part of family history was difficult.  However,

lots more memories are to be made, like eating out!  I love to eat out!  We had so much fun last weekend watching the performance of a Japanese chef as we dined at his hibachi.  This fellow was most entertaining, not to mention the food was fabulous!

Lunch out at a local nostalgic mom & pop diner was a fun midday treat Thursday.   The jolly owner sings as he works,  jokes and cuts up with everyone, creating lots of giggles and grins. 

 

Speaking of things I love, dusk is one of them!  I snapped this while driving home from town last week.  I couldn’t resist—it was just such a pretty evening!

On our way to a friends ordination last weekend, I snapped this one.  (Don’t worry, this time my husband was driving. )  I was enthralled with the sky, so I happened to have my camera in hand.  The biker was unexpected!  

Sometimes unforeseen things happen.  While spending time with the Lord one morning, I felt like He had directed me to a couple of specific verses to ponder—“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Jer. 33:3

And “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” Eph. 3:20.

As I meditated on these verses, I got a text from a friend that has a Christian radio show, telling me that he was headed to an interview with Alex Kendrick from Sherwood Pictures.  Look what he came back with - a signed copy of Facing the Giants for my daughter with a message written directly to her!  OH MY!  I never saw that one coming!  Reckon God had an object lesson for me as I poured over these verses? 

I hope that you had a terrific weekend!!!  I am so glad that you dropped in for a visit!!!       

Simply Heart & Soul: Keeping it all Clean

Oh boy do my kitchen cabinets and refrigerator 
need cleaning out!  And my bedroom closet - what a state it is in, again!  It wasn’t long ago that I cleaned it out, but apparently, I failed to maintain it.  

In spite of my good intentions, there is always something else in need of my attention.  So I quickly tuck things away, thinking I will restore order on another day.

Generally, I manage to keep the rest of our house  tidy.  Just don’t look inside cabinets, drawers, and closets!

You know, our hearts can get in the same state as my storage areas.  It is easy to stay so busy with outside appearances of our lives, sometimes haphazardly tucking things away, intending to work on issues later.

We need to diligently take care of the inside too, lest our hearts pile up with things that don’t belong. 

At the close of each day, make it a habit to evaluate the day with the Lord. 

Ask Him how you did,

how you could have handled things better,

what pleased Him,

and what needs cleaning up and purging out. 

It is far better to tidy up now, than to let things overflow into our lives like my kitchen areas are about to do!     

Search my heart, O God,

Make me ever clean, pure, and new,

My Lord, my Savior,

I long to be in step with you.

                           

Super Easy Gooey Chocolate Cake

If you want an easy, quick fix for a chocolate craving, this is sure to help!

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 jar hot fudge topping

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 tub Cool Whip

Directions:

1.  In a 9x13 pan, bake cake according to package directions.

2.  Warm hot fudge in microwave for 30 seconds.  Mix well with sweetened condensed milk.

3.  When cake comes out of oven, poke holes all over cake with a toothpick.  Pour hot fudge/milk mixture over cake. 

4.  Cool completely, then top with Cool Whip.  Cover and store in refrigerator.

Through Faith in Christ

If you have accepted Jesus’ offer of salvation through faith in His death, burial, and resurrection, then you are:

Forgiven – No longer will your sins be held against you because Jesus paid your sin debt in full. 

Justified - You are declared no longer guilty.

Redeemed – On the cross, Jesus paid the price for your sins, and you now belong to the Lord. 

Reconciled – You are a child of God, have access to Him, and can have a personal relationship with Him.

Sanctified – Since you are His child, you are set apart from the world and have the Spirit of God living inside you to work in you and through you to transform your life.

Glorified – Jesus has prepared a place for you where you will partake in His eternal rewards and glory, which is more wonderful than we could ever imagine! As you step into Heaven, you will be glorified.

Now that is reason to be joy-filled!

If you would like to know how you can be sure that your eternal destiny is secure, click on the key on the sidebar of this blog.

He Will Uphold You

Is your heart heavy?  Be on the lookout; God will make something positive come out of your trials.  

Remember that He is in the business of healing the brokenhearted, and He can use your pain to make you a blessing to someone else as well.  

Affliction defeats us only if we allow it.

Don’t look back, move forward.

Don’t give up, look up.  Look to Jesus. 

How to Season a Cast Iron Skillet & a Southern Cornbread Recipe

If you have a new skillet, or you have an old one that has lost its sheen, follow these easy steps to a finely performing, non-sticking skillet:

1.  Scrub it thoroughly with soap and hot water.  Dry well.

2.  Completely coat inside of skillet with a thin layer of cooking oil or shortening. 

3.  On the middle wrack, place coated skillet in oven.  Bake for about an hour at 300-350 degrees.  Allow skillet to cool in oven.

Tip:  Keep a skillet for the sole purpose of making cornbread.  Wipe out with a dry towel between uses.  (Soap and water will cause the skillet to need to be re-seasoned.) 

Now you are all ready to make some delicious cornbread!

Southern Cornbread

1 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal

1 slightly heaping tablespoon self-rising flour

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided

1 egg

1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  In a mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, flour and baking soda.  Add 1 tablespoon oil, egg, and buttermilk to dry ingredients, using enough buttermilk to make it pancake batter consistency.  Stir just until blended. 

On stovetop, heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in cast iron skillet.  Lightly sprinkle a little cornmeal in hot oil.  Add cornbread batter, beating in air as you pour into skillet.  Transfer to oven and bake 15 – 20 minutes, or until lightly golden.  Turn out onto serving plate immediately.

Notes:  If your skillet is newly seasoned, layer a coat of cooking spray before adding oil to pan.  Bake bread as directed.  The second time around, skillet will be even better seasoned and bread will turn out of pan with ease.

I follow the tradition of my mother and grandmother, using Sunflower Corn Meal Mix.  If you have access to it, give it a try.  Cornmeal brands make a difference, so experiment and see what you like best.

Weekend Highlights

I was in the midst of party plans when I got a bit distracted with paper, scissors, and glue,

 

As I cut hearts and made a mess of my dining room table, sunshine poured through the windows spotlighting a pretty camellia blooming, gracing my view.  (Is this the right time of year for them to bloom?)

Pink, oh, that reminds me!  Must be time for a break!

Okay, now then, I must get down to business, and put the finishing touches on the Valentine party that we give for the homeschool group each year.

But wait, Hubby just walked in the door with ROSES and CHEESECAKE!!  OH BOY!!!

     Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Honey…Sweet!

Turns out, Pooh bear was smart after all.  Honey has a lot of benefits!

Soothing a sore throat is one of them.  Mix honey with lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and warm water.  Gargle or sip, and it will help reduce inflammation and can also kill some types of bacteria.  I have used a teaspoon or two of honey mixed with a little lemon juice as a substitute for cough syrup.

Did you know that honey is a good first aid treatment?  Since it contains antibacterial properties, cuts and burns can benefit from it as it helps keep wounds free of infection and clean.  It also reduces swelling and scarring.

Lastly, honey makes a good sugar substitute.  Although it has more calories than sugar, since it is sweeter, it requires less and has the added benefit of reducing cholesterol. 

So now that we all have a good excuse to indulge a little, here is an easy recipe (not that this will do anything towards reducing cholesterol!  ).

Honey BBQ Pulled Pork

1 Boston Butt Pork Roast
1 large bottle of prepared BBQ Sauce
(My favorites are Bull’s Eye and KC Masterpiece)
1 cup honey

1. Rinse roast.  Place in slow-cooker and cook LOW for 8-10 hours, or until roast is fork tender.

2. While still hot, shred roast with a fork, removing fat and discarding juices.  Place shredded pork in large baking dish.

3. Mix BBQ sauce and honey.  Spread over pork.  Bake 350 degrees, uncovered, until hot and bubbly. 

(Preparing steps 1 and 2 the day ahead works well.  I usually divide the shredded pork and freeze half of it for barbequing at a later date.)

Thanks you for popping in!  I hope you have a very Happy Valentine’s Day!

A Secure Investment

What is your most valuable possession?

When I think of the things that are of significant value, material things come to mind – our home, our cars, various sentimental treasures. . .  But there is something far more valuable than any of these things.

God’s Word is the most valuable possession that we have.  Yet, oftentimes, we don’t think about what a treasure it is.  

With all of the distractions in life, it is easy for us fall into taking the Bible for granted, without realizing it.

Make an investment today; an eternal one. True prosperity comes from

reading, 
           studying,  
                       applying,  
                                   and sharing

                                        the Word of God.

           It is His “text message” to you.

“But the word of the Lord endureth for ever…"
                                        1 Peter 1:25

Super Speedy Supper and the Day’s Ado

I am working this week to get the house all spruced and spiffy,

so I planned a very simple dinner that I thought I would share:

Busy Day Pot Roast

Beef chuck roast
2 — 12 ounce jars of prepared beef gravy (I use Heinz Homestyle)

Rinse roast, place in crockpot and cover with gravy.  Cook on LOW about 6 to 8 hours until tender.  Cut against grain for extra tenderness.  That’s it!  

This roast works well as a main dish, makes yummy hot roast beef sandwiches, and is even better (to me) when served with sautéed onions.

I wasn’t planning to bake today,

but when I saw a pumpkin muffin recipe at An Artful Mom, I couldn’t resist.  They were DELICIOUS!  Thank you, Pam!

Now that I have refueled with yummy muffins and sweet tea, it’s time to get busy again.  I know a certain little fellow that needs a bath…

Won’t he be thrilled?

On the Home Front this Week

Ah, nothing like making snowballs on a January day… 

However, this January day calls for this kind, instead. 

It sure has been unusual weather.

Besides making snowballs this week, my youngest daughter and I have been watching “My Fair Lady,” little bits at a time, as we get a chance.  I have always admired Audrey Hepburn.  She was so talented! 

Monday, we had an opportunity to visit a home that we used to live in, which was an unexpected blessing!  We had not seen the inside since we moved out in 1997.  To our surprise, the day we saw it landed on the anniversary of when we moved there!  We felt God’s hand in that!  Recounted memories and adventures came to life for my 13 year old, since we had already moved out before she was born.  The five of us spent several evenings watching old VHS home movies reminiscing of our beloved days in that house.

Pictured is my now 19 year old, as she woke up and saw her Christmas presents in 1995,

and her having a birthday, along with my now 24 year old and my beautiful mom.  

Wednesday afternoon I visited with a lovely 91 year old lady with a gorgeous melodious voice, and her artistically gifted daughter. Their picturesque southern home was built in the 1850’s.  Charming!  The ladies and the home!  

I got a surprise in the mail yesterday—a book called "Personal Battle Planner” written by Charles Stanley, from a giveaway.  How I came about it was interesting.  Last Sunday evening, I was planning to go upstairs to get settled in, and felt like for some reason I needed to go to In Touch.  So just in case God meant for me to, I did, even though I had already visited their website earlier in the day.  I saw the giveaway and wondered… Oh how I love that the Lord is interested in every detail of our lives! 

 

My husband and his dad have been cutting lumber on the portable sawmill today, getting ready to build a garage/workshop next to our house.  Busy days ahead—the best kind!

That about covers our week in this neck of the woods.  I hope all is well with you and thanks for dropping in!