Sunday Psalms: Psalm 89:1-13

1. I will sing of the Lord’s unfailing love forever!
   Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
2. Your unfailing love will last forever.
   Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.
3. The Lord said, “I have made a covenant with David, my chosen servant.
   I have sworn this oath to him:
4. ‘I will establish your descendants as kings forever;
   they will sit on your throne from now until eternity.’”
   
   
   Selah
   

   
   
5. All heaven will praise your great wonders, Lord;
   myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness.
6. For who in all of heaven can compare with the Lord?
   What mightiest angel is anything like the Lord?
7. The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God.
   He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne.
8. O Lord God of Heaven’s Armies!
   Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O Lord?
   You are entirely faithful.
9. You rule the oceans.
   You subdue their storm-tossed waves.
10. You crushed the great sea monster.
    You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.
11. The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;
    everything in the world is yours—you created it all.
12. You created north and south.
    Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.
13. Powerful is your arm!
    Strong is your hand!
    Your right hand is lifted high in glorious strength.

Sunday Psalms: Psalm 89:1-13

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/sunday-psalms-psalm-891-13.html

New Posting @ QRP

Introductions have been posted at Quiet Resting Places. Go on over and meet the family (well, at least the two-legged ones *grin*).

New Posting @ QRP

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/new-posting-qrp.html

Saturday Selah: A Reminder for Refreshing

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasing God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.

He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.

Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,

But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
The shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint. --Isaiah 40:28-31

I wanted to post today's Selah early...but I found myself heavy with fatigue from the goings on of the whole week. I needed to rest. Thankfully, a little extra sleep and a morning spent with a cup of coffee and the Word have refreshed me for my day ahead.

All week long I have been able to find a little time to spend in the Lord's word...but not in the kind of fellowship I wished to have with Him. So, He slowed me down. Not by anything He did...but by allowing me to overload myself so that I became clumsy and caused a minor accident that sat me down for some time of rest and reflection.

The local Methodist church has a wonderful program for preschoolers and, even though we plan to homeschool our little Dynamo, I love the pastor and his wife so much that I volunteered to my daughter to pay the tuition. Yesterday was I was trying to cram in some tasks while the little guy was at his once-a-week preschool day:

While walking with a bowl of cereal in my hands I grabbed a piece of window frame to lay out for painting (we're refreshing the bathroom a bit). As I did that, I knocked the whole stack to the floor, which tripped me. Out of balance, all my weight came down on my left foot--which stopped my fall on a piece of the frame. The problem: in my hurry to get on with the project I hadn't removed the nails. Sneakered foot + exposed nail = Ouch! And cereal all over the sub-floor of the bathroom.

Instead of painting, I got to clean up the mess, run out to pick up the Dynamo, head over for a tetanus shot (12 years since the last one) and they threw in a flu shot. Then I had to head into town to get Spiderman's (our 19 yr old son) cell phone fixed. By the time I got home, it was time to fix dinner for Mr. Amazing. No rest...no real work accomplished...and I was feeling yucky from the shots and balancing my weight mostly on one leg.

Even though I caused my own exhaustion, the Lord provided rest: Mr. Amazing decided that we should order take-out subs from a local restaurant... Then he went and got them and served me. Now, Friday is his second busiest day on the mail route and he usually comes home very tired...yet God knew I needed rest and gave me this small blessing.

Here is the refreshing devotion I found this morning, so applicable for me this week:

From The Woman's Study Bible:

God can use fatigue:

1. to cause you to look to Him for satisfaction.
   
   He said before, "This is the time and place to rest, to give rest to the weary. This is the place to lay down your burden." But they won't listen.
   
   So God will start over with the simple basics and address them in baby talk, one syllable at a time—"Da, da, da, da, blah, blah, blah, blah. That's a good little girl, that's a good little boy." And like toddlers, they will get up and fall down, get bruised and confused and lost. -Isaiah 28:12-13 (The Message)
   
   
2. to administer correction as He pulls back His hand of strength to force your body to slow down for refueling
   
   "And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: 'My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.'" -Hebrews 12:5-6 (NKJV)
   
   
3. and, to prepare you for a greater challenge.
   
   "So, Jeremiah, if you're worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses? And if you can't keep your wits during times of calm, what's going to happen when troubles break loose like the Jordan in flood? -Jeremiah 12:5 (The Message)

God has promised to satisfy fully the weary soul and replenish faithfully the sorrowful heart.

"For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul." -Jeremiah 31:25 (NKJV)

Sometimes that means,
"He makes me to lie down" -Psalm 23:2. (NKJV)

Thank You, Lord, for slowing me down so I can hear Your voice. Thank You for hard lessons in obedience. I know You only give them because You love me. Amen.

Saturday Selah: A Reminder for Refreshing

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/saturday-selah-reminder-for-refreshing.html

Come to Quiet Resting Places

Our family blog will be coming online shortly. I've been transferring some of my homesteading blog posts there and I expect to have a journal of home life in rural western West Virgina.

Go visit for a taste of our beautiful countryside. I posted a short slideshow from last weekend when Mr. Amazing said, "Let's blow off chores and go for a ride." We spent the day riding the motorcycle all over and he indulged me by stopping every little bit to take pictures.

You might even recognize the words to John Denver's tribute to WV in the captions.

Quiet Resting Places

More pictures and stories from our home life will be there soon. I'll introduce you to our whole gang: Pastry Princess, Orchid, Spiderman, and of course, our little Dynamo! (And all the animals...)

Come to Quiet Resting Places

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/come-to-quiet-resting-places.html

Just a PostScript: On the theme of Joy

From The Practice of Godliness by Jerry Bridges:

So the choice is ours. We can be joyless Christians, or we can be joyful Christians. We can go through life bored, glum and complaining, or we can rejoice in the Lord, in our names being written in heaven, in the hope of an eternal inheritance. It is both our privilege and our duty to be joyful. To be joyless is to dishonor God and to deny His love and His control over our lives. It is practical atheism. To be joyful is to experience the power of the Holy Spirit within us, and to say to a watching world, "Our God reigns."

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. It is a result of His work, but it is also something we must do. We must, by His power, rejoice. This is part of the practice of godliness.

Just a PostScript: On the theme of Joy

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/just-postscript-on-theme-of-joy.html

Thankful Thursday: God's Love Letters

I was awakened in the early hours this morning. Unable to fall back to sleep, I realized my wakefulness was from the Lord. I began praying for my dear ones, those sleeping here in our home and those sleeping in their own home.

After a time, I grew restless to have my Bible in my hands so I could seek the Lord's direction to pray and I rose from the bed.

Soon the spiritual struggle of one of my dearest ones came to my mind. I sought words from the Scriptures specifically for this dear one's situation. I'm so thankful God has given us His Love Letters when we need to hear from Him.

First, from 1 Timothy 1:19 --

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked.

Next, from 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 --

Don't team up with those who are unbelievers.

How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness?

How can light live with darkness?

What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil?

How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?

And what union can there be between God's temple and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

"I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people.

Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you.

And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the LORD Almighty."

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.

And, from Proverbs 18:10 --

The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe.

Finally, beloved, from Exodus 14:13-14 --

Don't be afraid. Just stand still and watch the LORD rescue you today. The LORD Himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.

Thank You, Father:

• that you are faithful and true,
• that joy in You gives us strength,
  
• that Your word guides and comforts,
• that the believer can stand steadfast on Your word.
  

Amen, Lord!!

Thankful Thursday: God's Love Letters

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/thankful-thursday-gods-love-letters.html

WFW: Love Pouring Over

Pastry Princess and Dynamo @ a roadside waterfall in West Virginia. So refreshing on a hot summer day...Just like the love of God to His children.

WFW: Love Pouring Over

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/wfw-love-pouring-over.html

Morning Glory Farm: Homesteading on God's Little Acre (& a half!)

Homesteading begins in the heart. I discovered that after years of packing up every three years when the Air Force had some new job for my dear husband in a distant place. My early attempts at homesteading were little pots of flowers and herbs, maybe the occasional tomato or bush cucumber plant on the patio or porch of military base or rented housing. Those years I yearned for acres and acres of land on which to grow my own grains and vegetables. Each time we moved my longing grew deeper.

As of today, our homestead, Morning Glory Farm, is an acre and a half on the property my husband spent his teen years. But that is exactly enough for me right now. You see, I have discovered the joy of heart-steading…that is living where God has put me and making the most of what He has blessed me with.My first seed catalogue of the season arrived a week before Christmas. It was like getting an early present! I love spending the cold winter days planning my spring planting. I draw out elaborate plans on cheap graph paper and plot everything carefully.

I use raised beds, 4-foot square each. We have three established beds and I hope to add at least that many more this year. My husband is planning to move my beds to the best, sunniest spot in the yard so he can change the way we drive to his garage. I’ve already picked out several new varieties from the Jung seed catalogue to put in my herb bed. I have four little plants that seem to winter over very well in our climate, a rosemary plant, an oregano plant, and two bunches of chives. This year they will be joined by some pineapple sage (wonderful for tea, especially during sore throat season!) and some chocolate basil (just for fun).

We fight the little rabbits, voles, and squirrels for the strawberries in one raised bed. But the strawberries that we get to eat are so amazingly sweet and flavorful that I’m starting another bed using the offspring of the original plants. I need tips on using/growing my rhubarb. I have three plants at the back of my strawberry bed (with visions of strawberry-rhubarb pie dancing in my head). I can’t seem to figure out when I should cut the stalks and they seem to be favorites of tiny little insects that riddle the leaves with holes.

If I can convince my dear son to help, I will get to build my first cold frame in the next week or so. My father has been working hard to turn our carport into a wonderful and spacious master suite. Some of the construction cast-offs are the four brick columns that supported the roof before he put in the outside wall of the bedroom. They broke into nicely-sized pieces when they fell. I saw a great reuse of bricks in a book my mother brought me today and I have all the materials needed to have a bed ready to take early spinach, lettuce, and hardy herb seedlings that I will start in two weeks. Bricks have the wonderful benefit of holding even little bits of heat from the winter sun. I have a lot of old windows to choose from that will serve as the top of the cold frame.

I have to admit, I am an early-bird planter! My corn seed was in the ground three weeks early two years ago. Every time the forecast predicted frost, I had to run out and cover up all the bright green little stalk-lings. I kill seedlings every year because I just can't wait to start growing!

Morning Glory Farm: Homesteading on God's Little Acre (& a half!)

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/morning-glory-farm-homesteading-on-gods.html

IOW: Overcoming the Pharisee Within

Amy is hosting In Other Words at her site In Pursuit of Proverbs 31. If you want to participate, write a blog about the quote in the box below on your site then click on the link to Amy's blog and leave your URL in the Mr. Linky box. You will also find links for the other participants' blogs.

"A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself." ~A.W. Tozer~

Discipleship training is so important for people young in their walk with Christ. A spiritually mature Christian's perspective is crucial in helping a new Christian sift through all the doctrine preached, i.e. lifestyle choices (clothing, to watch movies or not, etc.), to get to the real meat of walking with the Lord.

"Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith...forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth...If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed. But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness." --1 Timothy 4:1-7

As a young wife, I went through a time of thinking like a pharisee. Although I had been a believer for eight years, I had never had my faith stretched or challenged. My husband's military career moved us all over the country and to many different churches. I was raised in a church that taught the freedom a believer has through grace.

But for several years, while seeking out Bible-teaching churches, we ended up in congregations that tended to focus on works more than grace. This wasn't so overt that it was easily detected. And there lies the danger -- are we being taught to love others while hating sin, or to focus so much on the sin we can't see the person in need of help in growing in grace, or the person in need of a Savior?

It took a hard lesson for me to realize how much of a pharisee I had become.

I called my parents' North Carolina home from our home in Mississippi one day. My then-18 year old sister answered. During the ensuing conversation I found out that she was going through one of the biggest trials of her life. She was unmarried and expecting a baby in a couple months.

She hadn't let anyone tell me because of my previous "holier than thou" behavior concerning loud opinions on everything from bathing suits to short hairstyles. She "was afraid I would judge her and hate her" for her mistaken choices.

That conversation was a turning point in my life. I realized that I was reflecting the doctrines of whatever church I was attending instead of reflecting the love and grace of Christ.

It took me years to get to the place where I can look at the person beneath the outer appearance. I still fight the pharisee within when I see someone in obvious rebellion against his or her Creator.

I have to remind myself--

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." --Romans 5:8

"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. --Ephesians 4:32

I want to be the person who makes others feel safe and loved--

"Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but to pour them all out, just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away." ~George Eliot~

Believers, we have the responsibility to see through Love's eyes.

"This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." --John 15:12

"Let us look at our own shortcomings and leave other people's alone; for those who live carefully ordered lives are apt to be shocked at everything and we might well learn very important lessons from the persons who shock us. Our outward comportment and behavior may be better than theirs, but this, though good, is not the most important thing: there is no reason why we should expect everyone to travel by our own road." ~Teresa of Avila (1515-1582)~

IOW: Overcoming the Pharisee Within

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/iow-overcoming-pharisee-within.html

Fall Into Flavor: Pumpkin Muffins

First of all: Happy Birthday to my sister, Wanda!!!!!




My mother and I had a little get-away about 13 years ago to the old Moravian village of Old Salem, North Carolina.

We stayed at a lovely bed and breakfast inn called the Zevely Inn. Part of the stay included a tour of the Winkler Bakery, where they still use a brick oven to make wonderful treats.

I bought several recipe cards from the Winkler Bakery. These are authentic recipes from the time period (early 19th century). This recipe has become part of our fall breakfasts ever since the trip.

Pumpkin Muffins

2 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/3 cup raisins
1/3 cup soft butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup molasses
2 beaten eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup milk

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and spices. Add raisins and stir to coat. Cream sugar, butter, and molasses; add milk eggs, and pumpkin, and blend well. Stir in dry ingredients blending only until flour disappears.

Fill greased muffin pans full. Bake at 375 degrees for 16-18 minutes. Makes 12-15 large muffins.

Notes:
**I like to make mini-muffins and freeze the ones we don't immediately eat. They can be thawed and reheated as needed.
**I play around with the additions: sometimes I use 1/2 raisins and 1/2 chopped nuts; sometimes I use shredded carrots and chopped nuts.
**These muffins are great with stews and chili, in the place of cornbread.
**To make this recipe similar to the Panera Bread pumpkin muffin: mix 1 teaspoon cinnamon with 2 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle on top of muffins before you bake.


Go visit Linda @ 2nd Cup of Coffee for more recipes and/or to join in. ;->

Fall Into Flavor: Pumpkin Muffins

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/fall-into-flavor-pumpkin-muffins.html

Saturday Selah: The Call of Love

"Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." ~~Jeremiah 33:3

I've been led toward having a specific, organized prayer time. I started using Beth Moore's prayer journal, Whispers of Hope. It is a lovely 10-week journey to commit to 70 days of consistent prayer.

I started Day One with a beautiful experience of prayer and worship. Then bang! My week got so busy and, what wasn't yet a habit was pushed away, just a sorrowful glance thrown at the journal on the end table as I rushed from one urgent activity to another.

All throughout the week, this verse sang in my mind urging me to slow down and pay attention to the Lord's voice.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10

I really crave more than a dashed prayer with breakfast. I do most of my Bible study and writing at night. I am inspired by a fellow blogger, Ann Voskamp @ Holy Experience, to set aside a spot in the house specifically prepared for an organized prayer time.

"I kneel, strike a small halo at bench’s edge, and watch lights, one slight and wavering, one full and rising, seep through blackness.

And in a bit, in the glowing, fingers find leather bookmark, and eyes find passage, and heart finds it’s way home.

I linger there. Verses from Philippians push back the dark; light." ~~from A place for everything, 09-12-2008

Beautiful picture isn't it? Go, visit her blog (click on her name above), soak up the blessing the Lord gives just from reading her words.

The Woman's Study Bible says this about giving priority to prayer:

Prayer should occupy a place in the heart; it also needs a place in the home. While every believer does not need a prayer closet (Matthew 6:6), all believers should have a place of solitude free from distraction in order to pray in private.

To help make prayer a priority, you may want to use a prayer journal or devotional book or write out a prayer list and revise it often. Share your commitment to prayer with others, both to encourage them and to hold yourself accountable for praying regularly.

Becoming still and listening to the Lord, through His word first and then as He guides our thoughts to "great and mighty things," is our way to express our love and reverence to the One who created us for fellowship with Him.

Just as He invited the prophet Jeremiah to pray and then promised to answer that prayer beyond Jeremiah's understanding, we are invited to do the same. As we call to Him, He calls us to immerse ourselves in His presence and be surrounded by His love.

My goal this next week is to be intentional about meeting the Lord each morning in the sunroom. I will have my Bible, journal, pencils, and notebook on the table at the ready by the wicker rocker. All I need to bring is myself...He will be expecting me.

Hold me accountable this week and ask me if I've spent time alone with the Lord each day. I will do the same for you if you email me a note asking me to.

"[Sisters], pray for us." ~~1 Thessalonians 5:25

Saturday Selah: The Call of Love

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/saturday-selah-call-of-love.html

Friday Fun: The All About Me Edition

Amazingly, I have all day today to myself. I'm going to spend most of it doing all those little things I've put off all week (like cleaning the bathroom and washing the linens). I thought while I sit here eating a bacon, egg, and cheddar bagel and drinking coffee with Chocolate Mint Truffle creamer for lunch, I'd blog something fun. I found this meme by Kiki @ Friday Fun in a Google search.

Today's Q&A:

1. What is your idea of a perfect relaxing day?

On the beach...a warm, salty breeze blowing...reading my favorite novel (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte)...Mr. Amazing in the lounge chair next to me reading something, too. Oh, and a vente Pumpkin Spice Latte in the lounge chair's cup holder.

2. Your first real boyfriend/girlfriend,… do you look back fondly or do you get the shudders? Where are they today?

A miniscule bit of fondness. I see that kind of puppy love from a different perspective 3 decades later. I think he's a lawyer with a wife and 2 little kids. Living somewhere in New Jersey.

3. What was your favorite subject in school?

Writing through elementary, and junior high...Journalism in high school.

4. What is your favorite show on TV? Favorite book? Favorite song?

TV: It's a toss up between Criminal Minds, Numbers, and The Closer. Book: See question 1. Song: Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) by Chris Tomlin - clicking opens a Youtube video.

5. My husband’s only real competion is Wentworth Miller from Prison Break. Who is your celebrity crush?

Ok, this will age me: Sean Connery...ooo0, that Scottish accent... *wink* BTW, Mr. Amazing does a pretty good imitation.

6. Since I got my first gray hair at 16, Miss Clairol and her friends are my close, personal friends! What about you? To dye or not to dye the hair? If so, what color is your natural hair (if you remember!) and what color do you dye it?

Natural color: sorta dark mousy brown with gray patches in a most unattractive pattern. With a little help it's: Medium Golden Brown (Loreal Superoir Preference 5G ).


***Don't forget to join me sometime tomorrow for the Saturday Selah and share how the Lord has been teaching you to Be Still and Know.***

Friday Fun: The All About Me Edition

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/friday-fun-all-about-me-edition.html

Thankful Thursday: Sweet Aroma

"I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people."~~Psalm 35:18

I bake bread for my family regularly and for me there is great pleasure in this basic task. Everything about it from measuring the ingredients to forming the loaves to tasting that first bite fresh out of the oven is sensory bliss for me. And the bonus is that I am doing something truly good and healthful for those that mean the most to me.

Similarly, one of my favorite things about communicating with other believers through this blog medium is that I get to enjoy their offerings to the Lord through the gift of writing He has given to them. Such a simple thing, sharing an experience that means much to one in a way that another is blessed.

I discovered something wonderful during my Bible reading...simple offerings such as these are a sweet aroma to the Father as well. Let me share a passage from my study Bible concerning a beautiful offering the Hebrews practiced:

Minhah. The Hebrew name for the grain or cereal offering simply means "gift." This offering expressed the worshiper's spontaneous gratitude to God. No specific requirements regarding its time and frequency were given. The gift involved the product of a woman's daily activity in the home: flour or baked cakes. Dedication of life expresses itself in the simplicity of everyday activity. This offering also produced a "sweet aroma" to the Lord. ~~The Woman's Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Done with a servant's heart, every action becomes an offering of gratitude to God. It is not really something one can plan. It is an overflow of the abundant grace the Father has given us through His Son, Jesus. In this way He uses us to bless others.

"Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." ~~2 Corinthians 2:14-15

I am so very thankful for

• all my friends who blog about the Lord.
• the opportunity to serve the Lord through serving my family.
  
• His patience as I, stumbling along, learn to have a servant's heart.

Thankful Thursday: Sweet Aroma

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/thankful-thursday-sweet-aroma.html

WFW-Climb God's Mountian

Do you want to know your purpose in this life? Go, seek out the One who made you.

"Seek the LORD while He may be found, call on Him while He is near." ~~Isaiah 55:6

He knows you and has a plan for your life.

"For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." ~~Jeremiah 29:11

He has been planning for you since before you were born.

"My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."~~Psalm 139:15-16

You can find Him in His word. He will guide you to Himself.

"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." ~~Psalm 119:105

"Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart." ~~Psalm 119:111

Praise Him on His holy mountain!

"For I know that my Redeemer lives, and He shall stand at last on the earth...this I know, that in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see for myself...how my heart yearns within me!" ~~Job 19:25, 26b-27

WFW-Climb God's Mountian

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/wfw-climb-gods-mountian.html

IOW: Spreading Light

Throughout each believer's life, God gives the opportunity to experience being both the candle and the mirror that reflects it.

God has chosen every believing woman to carry His message to her sphere of influence as she is filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit and anointed and equipped with His power.

"You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be witnesses to Me..." Acts 1:8

Going does not necessarily mean leaving home and family, but it does mean making yourself totally available to serve wherever, whenever, and however He directs.

~Evangelism, Women's Study Bible, Thomas Nelson Publishers

Yes, But How?

Before we can spread light, we must first have the Light.

"The Lord is my Light and my salvation." Psalm 27:1

Next the Light must be our Guide.

"Come and let us walk in the Light of the LORD." Isaiah 2:5

Then we must point others to the Light within us.

"Let your Light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Finally, we must help them desire the Light for themselves.

"But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous Light." 1 Peter 2:9

Again, How?

We must ask the Lord to help us love -- to be so heartbroken if any of our family, friends, co-workers, or acquaintances do not know Him -- that we are compelled to share the Light within us.

"Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him." Psalm 126:6

Practically speaking, spreading the Light as the candle is directly witnessing to others through our words and observed actions. Spreading the Light as the mirror reflecting it is more a lifestyle decision: we must be so aware of the Light within us that every action... even when we are not being observed... is lived for His glory so that our whole life points to Him.

Time alone with the Light through prayer and studying His word daily is the only way to become that intensely aware of His Light within us.

Bonnie is hosting In Other Words at her site Ink It Blog. If you want to participate, write a blog about the quote in the box below on your site then click on the link to Bonnie's blog and leave your URL in the Mr. Linky box. You will also find links for the other participants' blogs.

IOW: Spreading Light

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/iow-spreading-light.html

Fall Into Flavor: Chili & Cornbread

I love this meme! Collecting seasonal recipes is one of my favorite things to do. Mr. Amazing loves simple, homestyle meals.

I asked him what meal I make that tastes like fall to him. He said my Chili & Cornbread. So here are the recipes. BTW, when I made them last week, I followed the meal with Lori's Pumpkin Cobbler. Oh my! It is wonderful!!

The chili recipe can be doubled for more guests or to freeze for a quick serve meal.






Quick Chili
Serves 4

1 pound lean ground beef chuck
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or kidney beans (one 15-oz. can, rinsed and drained)
2 10-oz. cans RO*TEL diced tomatoes and chilies, drained
1-2 cups frozen corn (optional)
1-2 tablespoons chili powder (to your own taste)
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons brown sugar (optional)
1 teaspoon salt

Combine the ground meat, onion, and bell pepper in a medium saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium-high heat until the meat is crumbly and the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, and salt. Continue to cook and stir until the chili is bubbly, about 4 minutes.

Notes:
>>You can use the equivalent of fresh chopped garden tomatoes and chilies for the RO*TEL--just make sure you peel and seed the tomatoes and let the sit on paper towels to absorb some of the moisture. Otherwise, you will have to cooked down the liquid in the pot of chili, which adds cooking time.
>>If you are serving the chili to kids who don't like beans and chopped veggies use this trick: take a portion of the veggies you will serve to them and grind them in your blender or food processor. Take a portion of the meat and put it in another pot then add the ground veggies. This works with getting kids to eat all kinds of things. I put a ketchup happy face on the chili in the kids' bowls-which makes it seem like fun to eat and tones down the spicy taste. The meal is so fast to put together that cooking separate pots isn't too much work.
>>Serve with sour cream to top and brown rice underneath to make a very hearty meal.

Whole Grain Cornbread
Serves about 9

1 cup yellow cornmeal (fresh ground if you have it)
1 cup whole wheat flour (also fresh ground)
2 to 4 tablespoons sugar
5 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. (I grease an iron skillet and put it in the oven at this time.) In a large bowl, combine the corn meal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add milk, egg, and oil. Beat until fairly smooth, about one minute. Bake in greased or sprayed 8-inch square baking pan (or hot iron skillet) 20 to 23 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. (I check it at 17 minutes when using the iron skillet.)

Note:
This cornbread is great as a side with beans, fresh corn, and sliced cucumbers. Just put a slice of fresh tomato in the center of the cornbread wedge. Ummmm! Now that's good southern eatin'!


****To join this meme, post your recipes then go to Linda's blog, 2nd Cup of Coffee, and link up on Mr. Linky.***

Fall Into Flavor: Chili & Cornbread

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/fall-into-flavor-chili-cornbread.html

Saturday Selah

I truly enjoy Saturday mornings. It is the quietest morning of the week for me. No need to rush to wake anyone and begin the hustle through the day.

On Saturday mornings I can pause (Selah) amidst the melody that is my life... Pause and wait for the peace of God to drench me like the falling dew.

"I will be like the dew..." (Hosea 14:5)

"The dew is a source of freshness. It's natures provision for renewing the face of the earth. It falls at night, and without it vegetation would die.

Dew will never appear while there is either heat or wind. The temperature must fall, the wind cease, and the air come to a point of coolness and rest - absolute rest - before the invisible particles of moisture will become dew.

Quietness and stillness bring the dew. At night when the leaves and grass are still, the plant's pores are open to receive the refreshing and invigorating bath.

And spiritual dew comes from quietly lingering in the Master's presence. The grace of God does not come forth to bring rest and renewal to our soul until we completely reach the point of stillness before Him.

Wait before God until you feel saturated with His presence."

selections from Streams in the Desert by Mrs. L.B. Cowman

Learning to be still takes practice. With that in mind, and in the spirit of the Titus 2 woman, I hope you will join me for a little while on Saturdays and share how the Lord is teaching you to

Be still and know.

[If you want to leave a link on Mr. Linky this week, please feel free. Be sure to join me next Saturday with what the Lord has taught you about being still this week.]

Saturday Selah

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/saturday-selah.html

Mr. Amazing Saved the Day!

God gifts people in so many ways. I can write, strike up conversations with all sorts of folks, bake up a storm.... But Mr. Amazing is my hero. To the average eye, he's a quiet, mild-mannered mail carrier. To my eyes, he's so much more.

After working all day, he listened to how I described my car crisis yesterday, told me what he thought the problem was and went to work fixing it. Before bed last night he had replaced the starter and tested the engine. Yesterday afternoon my car wouldn't even start...today it purrs like a kitten.

I am blessed to spend my life with Mr. Amazing. I think Solomon wrote about him:

Go then, eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works...
Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given you under the sun; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might...

Ecclesiastes 9:7, 9, 10 (NASV)

True love doesn't have to prove itself with roses and chocolates. Those are just romantic bonuses. True love is proven in everyday faithfulness.

Love: All that I do and all that I say is for your highest good. ~Pastor Patrick Elliott

Mr. Amazing Saved the Day!

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/mr-amazing-saved-day.html

Thankful Thursday Additions

<---Been there today!


>I'm thankful we live only 1/4 mile from the high school.
>I'm thankful I only bought 6 bags worth of groceries.
>I'm thankful I had left the reusable, environmentally friendly shopping bags in the van.
>I'm thankful all 6 full bags fit inside the 3 above-named bags.
>I'm thankful my grandson just thought it was a grand outing.
>I'm thankful the neighbors don't mind us cutting through their front yards so we could get away from the highway shoulder.
>I'm thankful I remembered to grab my keys from the van.
>I'm thankful for a glass of sweet iced tea to cool down with.
>Mostly, I'm thankful the above-described outing burned enough calories that I could eat, without guilt, that giant piece of vanilla pound cake (covered thickly in chocolate glaze) to help me recover from the long hike home.

Thankful Thursday Additions

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/thankful-thursday-additions.html

Thankful Thursday: I had to show him how to put on eyeliner.

It's Spirit Week at my son's high school. Homecoming is this weekend. My son has been actively participating for the first time. He's never been much on dressing up in anything other than the norm.

Well, today was costume day...He went for a gothic look, not his typical style. He hollered from the bathroom this morning for me to come help him. I tried to show him how to apply black eyeliner. With watering eyes and a grumpy tone, he handed me back the eyeliner pencil and asked me to put it on.

After getting him to sit still and promising not to poke him (He commented, "I think it's better for a person to pull the pencil out of his eye rather than push it into it." -- He was a bit nervous. *grin*), I lined uppper and lower lids. He was satisfied with the look. He was trying to get out the door before he had to let his dad see him with make-up on....Imagine my husband's startled look when he walked in to brush his teeth. LOL

The only person really having fun was me. My son's parting comment was, "I'm never doing this again."

This may seem an odd "Thankful" blog...but it is great to be reassured (especially since I get a big belly laugh about the circumstances) that our children are confident in who they are created to be and feel uncomfortable at stepping out of that role, even if it's only for a little while.

(Nope. He won't let me post a picture. *choking back a snort* ...Yet.)

Thankful Thursday: I had to show him how to put on eyeliner.

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/thankful-thursday-i-had-to-show-him-how.html

WFW: Chocolate=Love

"All I really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt!" ~Lucy Van Pelt from the Peanuts comic by Charles M. Schulz.

Chocolate comes in so many varieties that no matter my mood, I can always find something to satisfy a momentary need...

Mmmm...hazelnut milk chocolate for soothing.

Dark chocolate for a great finish to a great evening.

Mint Chocolate Torte creamer in my coffee for a special start to the day.

And then there's Lindor Lindt Truffles....don't mess with my Lindor chocolate! I can't be held responsible for my actions if you snitch my Lindor!!

Really I do share my chocolate most of the time. I wouldn't want to withhold good things from my family. My girls and I like to have girls' night once in a while. The evening consists of chick flicks, favorite soft drinks, Cheez-its, tortilla chips and a variety of toppings, and Mr. Goodbars, M&Ms, Toblerone....

If one of us in having a bad time, my daughters or I will show up with chocolate and sympathy. I've even trained my son well: He takes a variety of chocolate in a pretty bag whenever he is invited to a girl's birthday party. You know, "Train up your son...." It works! His gift is always the favorite.

Chocolate is a mood lifter and we don't we just love it?!?. But it shouldn't ever be a substitute for facing the realities of life.

When my grandson is angry, he tells me "I don't like you, Nana." It would be more hurtful if he weren't hungry, tired, bored, missing his mommy, or just plain misbehaving.

Evidently wisdom comes with age (according to the Bible--the silver twinkling in my hair is indicating a wave of wisdom coming my way! *wink*) and I've developed the ability to see past his words and try to figure out the real reason.

I'm trying to get to the point where I can be sensitive enough to my husband and grown children to get the underlying feelings that cause words to be harsh. Not quite there yet... I still grab the Godiva baking chocolate after an unresolved dispute with my dh. When I come to myself, I try to apologize and share a few bites of the Godiva. (He's been known to come home with a whole bag of chocolate as an apology too. What a man!!!)

As wonderful as chocolate is, it is important to face the real causes behind our problems. Too often, like my grandson, we tend to expect those closest to us to fill our needs and expectations. And too often, like me for my grandson, those needs and expectations go unmet or unsatisfyingly met. We have to acknowledge that God is the only One who will truly never let us down. This is where love is supposed to come into the picture.

If we can get to the point where we love before we speak...perhaps those things which cause disunity in our relationships can be remedied. If we learn to practice selfless love in our homes, we will be better equipped to show love outside our homes.






~~~~I've got a great book called Chocolatherapy" Satisfying the Deepest Cravings of Your Inner Chick by Karen Scalf Linamen. It is funny and so much applies to me that I sometimes feel she was inside my brain when she wrote it. It's on sale for $4.99 at Christianbook.com. Get yourself a copy. You'll love it!~~~

WFW: Chocolate=Love

http://typingone-handed.blogspot.com/2008/10/wfw-chocolatelove.html