Apple Festival and A Different Kind of Harvest

We spent much of the day up at the Lincoln County Apple Festival.  We were there supporting Liberty Baptist Church by helping to distribute gospel literature.  In about 2 hours, we think about 2000 tracts and door hangers and gospels went out.  Praise the Lord for the abundance of cars and people.  Many on the street were receptive to at least taking the literature and I talked to one lady who assured me that she would stop by the church sometime.  More important than a harvest of apples, is the harvest field around us.  If only one soul is saved, the time spent is well worth it. 

What a Comparison!

The Mom Effect?

I have been reading through Kings and Chronicles in my daily Bible study.  While sometimes it is easy to get lost in all of the names and events, I was struck with how quickly things went from good to bad or bad to good.  I commented that it seemed like it would be discouraging to parents to read the accounts.  A good king would be followed by an evil heir.  Why?  Hubby jumped on the negligence of the father.  Yes, they were probably very busy, had too many wives, had too many children ... they definitely had their part in the problem.  I also noticed that often the kings were linked to their mothers (and his mother was ____).  Perhaps it was just a means of identification, but I can't help but wonder if it is also a reminder of the effect that a mother has on her children for good or for evil.

A Perfect Way

Psalm 18:30

As for God, his way is perfect:

the word of the LORD is tried:

he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.

There has been a lot of questioning, a lot of wondering, a lot of confusion in our house as we near the end of the season of training. 

                                  Do we go? 

                                                                  Do we stay? 

               If we go, then where do we go? 

                                                         What is the ministry God has for us? 

           Will there be a full-time ministry or will there be secular employment?

This verse and two songs based on this verse have been a great comfort to me the past two days.  God has also given a number of chapel messages on days when I am at the college to remind me of His power and of His Sovereignty.  I may not have plans past December 15, 2011,  but I am sure that my God is still in control.  I also know that days of uncertainty drive me to my knees and I draw nearer and nearer to the One who holds the answers.

Where were you?

Of course, much has been in the papers (and I am sure on TV) about the horrendous events that took place 10 years ago on September 11.  Those old enough to remember the day remember where they were when they heard of the first plane crash and have felt the change in America since that day.  I was teaching in upstate NY on that day.  The elementary supervisor stopped in to let me know what had happened.  The day continued with a strange tenseness as many students left early with their parents.  The full impact of the attacks did not hit until I saw the intense media coverage that evening.  My sweetheart was in school in South Carolina training to help run a nuclear powered submarine or carrier.  That day would change the course of our early married life.  Once deployments were more measured and predictable, but they no longer are.  Today I am thinking of those who are not on home soil today because they continue to fight in a war against terrorism and those who are home, but with a huge hole in their life because their serviceman is far from home.

"I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just,

that His justice cannot sleep forever."

~Thomas Jefferson~

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Psalm 139:14 

I will praise thee;

for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works;

and that my soul knoweth right well.

Instinctively, I think that we realize how wonderfully the human body is created.  About 2 weeks ago, I tripped over my own feet and landed hard on my right wrist.  As I have nursed it here at home, I am in awe of the number of directions that it should move and the strength that it provides.  God truly does all things well and I am thankful for this well-made machine that He has given each one of us.

Relief

It is the first day of school in the Northeast.  Despite the fact that I taught in FL for 3 years and now live in the south where they start school in the last week of August, I still think of the first day of school as the first Wednesday after Labor Day.  I guess that Shelby, NC is celebrating in its own way for we are enjoying a cool, autumn day.  Oh, how I love the break from the hot summer temperatures.

I spent yesterday doing a little garden cleanup.  It is always bitter sweet.  It is nice to have a "clean" garden again, but I will miss the fresh produce from the garden.  The bean plants will afford a few more meals, but there will not be enough for canned beans this year.  The tomato plants are producing tiny tomatoes that I try to save before the bugs get them.  There may be a little hope to get a few green peppers.  Overall, it has been a sad year in the garden.

I also did some more baking yesterday.  I made some small chicken pot pies for when hubby might have to make his own meal (typically Monday nights if he is hungry before I get home from piano lessons) and then some more hot pockets.  I used a celery seed pie crust for the pockets and they seemed to turn out well.  Hubby will try those soon in his lunch box.

I wish that I had saved the baking for this cool day, but alas, there is plenty to occupy today.  Off I go!

Imprecatory Psalm

We will still be in Psalm 35 this week for our Wednesday night study at prayer meeting.  I have been continuing to read it every day.  Thinking much about "imprecatory."  The Psalmist is calling for judgement on his enemies ... and yet, it mentions how he prayed and grieved for them first.

Psalm 35:13-14

But as for me, when they were sick,

my clothing was sackcloth:

I humbled my soul with fasting;

and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

I behaved myself as though he had been my friend or brother:

I bowed down heavily, as one that mourneth for his mother.

 

I often want to skip the compassion and the discipline of prayer to move right to the judgment.

Homemade Hot Pockets

I have recently read a few books on freezer cooking - making meals ahead of time to have in the freezer.  The math looked good (saving money and time by purchasing and preparing in bulk), but I really couldn't get excited about not having "fresh" food every night.  Last week, hubby came home from work with a request.  "Do you think that you could make hot pockets for my lunches?"  It seemed like an easy enough request and I was sure that if I googled it that I could come up with something.  Sure enough, I was not the first to pursue such an adventure.  I had the perfect filling for the first batch.   A church friend makes a marvelous Italian pork roast.  That recipe was easy and provided a perfect Sunday afternoon meal with plenty of leftovers for experimentation.  Throw a pork roast in the crock pot and add 1-2 Italian dressing packets (the powdered mix) with just a little water.  Cook on low overnight.  Shred in the morning and continue cooking on low until ready!  It is so good.

I took the dough recipe from sweethappylife.com and the assembly from chickensintheroad.com.  We were pleased with the outcome and the freezer now has a number of "fast" meals awaiting a busy day.


I added some cheese and some veggies to the Italian Pork.



These are ready for the oven.  I made these "hubby" size.
 I love how the dough is so forgiving.



All done.  I ended up with 10 pork pockets and
I filled 2 with ham cubes, cheddar, and broccoli.

I liked working with the bread dough, but hubby would like me to try some with more of a crust next time.  I think that I will take my crust recipe from heavenlyhomemakers.com.  I may assemble some tonight using extra filling from making a chicken pot pie tonight.

Good

Glacier National Park - 10/2008

Our Church Sunday School curriculum returns to Genesis this week.  As I study, I like to look for repeated phrases.  This week it is not hard to notice the phrase "it was good" listed six times in the first chapter.  I am thankful for a thoughtful Creator who does all things well and the beautiful creation He has given us to enjoy.  He is a GREAT God.  It is hard to imagine how beautiful that original Creation was when the sin-marred creation we still see today is so phenomenal.  Color, Design, Variety, Creativity, Order, ...

All things were made by him;

and without him was not any thing

made that was made.

John 1:3