True Encouragement

Psalm 119:74

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; 

because I have hoped in thy word.

Though it is necessary to encourage others with the thoughtful word and deed,

it is not only the beautiful flowers on the table,

it is not only the note in the mailbox,

it is not only the phone call,

it is not only the paycheck,

it is not only the pretty present.

The true encouragement for God's children is to see others 

who are trusting God's Word and showing that trust in their actions.

As I thought on this verse for the past week,

I was increasingly thankful for those individuals and families that challenge me.

Their love of God and trust in Him as manifested in their daily behavior

encourage me to keep growing in my own walk with God.

That is TRUE ENCOURAGEMENT!

Are You Wasteful?

 Proverbs 18:9 

He also that is slothful in his work 

is brother to him that is a great waster.

Yet another convicting Proverb this week.

I hate waste.

We eat leftovers.

We squeeze the toothpaste until it can't be squeezed any more.

We drain the old condiments into the new condiments

(I never thought I would do this when I was growing up).

I keep the trailer as cool as possible in the winter.

I hunt for coupons, sales, and coupon codes to save a buck or two.

But,

I tend to ignore my tendency to be slothful.

I tend to ignore the fact that I do not always choose 

the most profitable activities for my limited 24 hour day.

I tend to sacrifice the Best Activity to a Good Activity or even a Poor Activity.

I tend to waste time looking for "lazy ways" to finish hard jobs.

God sees it all as waste.

He has entrusted me with each day

Am I making the most of each moment?

or am I distracted by ease, pleasure, amusements?

Fall Work

After a drizzly morning,

the sun came out and yesterday was a beautiful day for some cleanup.

I removed the trellis and beans from the garden - 

dug in the compost I had collected. 

There are still some carrots and lettuce.

I cleaned out the gutters in the front of the trailer.

They were full of leaves and the gravelly substance from the shingles.

Hubby is going to work on the seams this weekend - Hopefully.

I dug out some simple decorations for fall.

I enjoyed the last pieces of nature before winter.

And today,

Preparation of the church prophet's chamber for a guest this weekend,

a hillbilly rake job (that is mowing the leaves),

a walk with an encouraging friend,

and a dress to cut out.

Thank You

Thanks to all who participated and have yet to participate in the Friday Forum.

There were over 60 hits to that blog entry in the past 3 days.

Living in a small town,

and involved in a small church,

your participation and encourage and contact was a great blessing to me.

I actually learned something different from the blog than I intended.

As I read your contributions,

I realized that there were certain occasions that draw a ministry meal, 

and this is as it should be.

But I was convicted not to wait for the sickness, the death, the birth - 

I am sure that there are some folks that need a ministering to this very week ...

And today's work ...

garden cleanup ...

I took a chance at a fall garden and lost ...

we had a good frost a number of nights last week ...

despite my attempts to cover my beans ...

they were lost.

Don't fret though, February is right around the corner :)

Safe Spices

Most single spices are gluten free and therefore "safe."

The problem comes when you buy a mix, a marinade, a blend ...

often times there is a binder added that turns the spice into an enemy.

I am a big fan of "Italian Pork."

It is easy.

It is delicious.

It feeds a BUNCH!

I was buying Italian Dressing mix to use in this dish

and all was fine.

But then, the company changed their recipe - 

and the gluten and wheat appeared :(

But now I make my own :)

It is cheaper ...

and I always have it on hand!

Zesty Italian Dressing Spice Mix

1 Tbsp garlic salt

1 Tbsp onion powder

1 Tbsp sugar

2 Tbsp oregano

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1 tsp parsley

1/4 tsp celery salt

2 Tbsp cajun seasoning

2 Tbsp = 1 packet

I printed the recipe on a card and stuck it on my jar

so a refill is quick and easy.

Friday Forum: Ministry Meals

My morning is a little busier on Friday, since I need to be out of the house by 8:45;

thus I do not usually post on Fridays.

Perhaps you would like to be involved.

Perhaps you can help me.

My brother used to like to propose a "Bizarre Question of the Day."

I hope mine won't be so bizarre but will be fun and informative.

I promise that if the idea flops - the Friday Forums will end in December.

Question of the day:

What is your "go-to" ministry meal?

or

What is the ministry meal you received 

that was the greatest blessing?

A ministry meal is one that you take to shut-ins, sick folks, families with new babies.

All answers will be posted in the comment section :)

Freezer Full

I am a little late on the blog post this morning.

I had a job that had to be tended to ...

60 lbs of chicken.

Ever heard of Zaycon meat events?

That's the reason that I had 60 lbs of chicken!

I am thankful that it was cool enough to leave the meat in the car last night - 

because it would have been a chore to make room for it in the fridge,

and I did not feel like taking care of it last night after church.

I am thankful that I finished emptying the bags and trimming the fat
about 5 minutes before the trash collectors came,

so that all of the mess could be hauled away this morning.

I am thankful for a freezer full of meat ...

along with corn that my folks brought last week.

Now we are planning an open house picnic for our church family - 

I imagine that we will have grilled CHICKEN ...

and corn ...

and we will add some baked beans, chips, and of course, dessert!

Silence is Golden

Proverbs 17:27-28

He that hath knowledge spareth his words: 

and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit.

Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: 

and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

How quickly my mouth gets me in trouble.

It can backbite.

It can gossip.

It can boast.

It can try to "one-up".

It can tear down.

It can degrade.

It can discourage.

A wise woman knows when to be quiet.

A wise woman knows when to limit her words.

Is your daily speech edifying?

Is it vain?

Does it label you as a wise woman?

Lifts my Spirits

You know that I just love fresh flowers.

The bright colors,

the scent,

the life ...

AAHH!

I am enjoying this new arrangement.

I put a single rose in the bathroom for our guests last week -

an attempt to add to the B&B feel.

I may be addicted - 

trying to figure out if I can afford $3 a week to keep the vase full :)

  

Baking Cake

I am not a real cake lover.

For years, my birthday cake was always a Carvel Ice Cream Cake.

Unfortunately the chocolate crunch is off limits now.

I also found an awesome cake for my wedding - 

if you are ever in the Hudson Valley of NY - 

check out the Pastry Garden Poughkeepsie, NY.

Beyond that, usually I would rather have a cookie, bar, or bowl of frozen yogurt.

I have not had great success baking cakes and typically revert to a trusty box mix.

Last week, I branched out and made from scratch cupcakes for my father's birthday.

Aren't these cute?

I didn't do the piped icing, but they were still fun.

Cakes made with lemon-lime soda (or pop, or cola).

The fun ingredient seemed to keep the gluten-free cake lighter.

I also had success with a gluten-free, dairy free carrot cake for the church dinner.

Again, the carrots kept the cake moist.