More Tempting than Chocolate

What is…

More tempting than chocolate

More powerful than the pope

More extensive than Google

More useful than a rope

More abundant than the sand

More fierce than a warrior

More ancient than the pyramids

More dangerous than dishonest lawyers

What is…

Hard to come by

But hard to let go

It can’t get you friends

But it gets you many foes

It is hard to resist

But hard work it takes to earn

It is cold and hard

Yet you it can burn

 So with it be careful

Be honest and true

Because with it you can bless

Or harm will come to you

In the last several weeks, I have researched this mystery throughout the Bible.  It can be found over 1500 times (more than baptism and faith combined), so Kyle Butte states.  However, I stopped searching when I found 300, as it would take me months to find them all.

Seeing the importance it is to God, I wish to share my research with you.

What is this mystery?  Find out here:
https://www.sugarsync.com/pf/D7132327_4517408_66821

Like Putty in Your Hands

Last Friday was one of those days when I look around my house and just want a change.

 

I go through these phases of wanting to display every art piece and memorandum we have every owned...and then a few weeks later I look around and can't see our walls; so the process of restoration begins. Only a few chosen items get to remain hanging dainty on the off-white background, while the rest get to see a new home in a matter of hours. Discarding is a beautiful thing. It refreshes your spirit and reorganizes your mind to a whole new level. To see more clean white walls gives your eyes a place to rest and think of nothing to allow your creative juices to flow. To much stuff, even the good stuff, creates chaos and clutter. But allowing only the few, good chosen ones creates peace of mind.

The only problem that appears after taking all of the pictures off the walls are the ugly, little black holes remaining. So the mending work begins.

Even though some of those holes are small, they are awfully noticeable on a pure white wall. They need to be filled with soft, moldable putty in order to blend in. Friday, I finally decided to patch all the holes in my wall after the "peace ceremony" of discarding. I whipped up some putty (see recipe below) and was able to fill each and every tiny scar with pureness. If I forget to putty, sure, the walls are free from clutter, but the holes are still there. It was like bandaging an open wound, except better. Clean. Pure.

*****

Sometimes we go through phases of wanting to do every good deed listed on the church bulletin and attending every program, ballgame, meeting, and party there is. Then we look around and can't see ourselves. We are lost in the shuffle. It is time for restoration. Choose only a few items that should remain dainty in your life, the rest should be discarded awaiting a new soul to take on the good deed or tossed out to the trash. Discarding is a beautiful thing. It refreshes your spirit and reorganizes you mind to a whole new level. To allow time alone with God gives your soul a place to rest and think of nothing other than Him to get your juices flowing. To much stuff, even the good stuff, creates chaos and clutter. But allowing only the few, good chosen ones creates peace of mind.

The only problem that appears after taking all the clutter off our schdules are the ugly, little black holes remaining. So the mending work begins.

Even though some of the emptiness remain small, it is awfully noticeable on a pure white soul. It needs to be filled with gentleness, moldability, and rest in order to blend in. To whip up some putty, read your Bible daily (even just a verse and mediatation will do for a starter), talk with your Friend (the God Almighty), and make a list of what needs to continue to stay out of your life (business), and what needs to fill in the holes (true good deeds...not just programs). If you forget to putty, sure, the business may be gone, but the emptiness will still be there. It is like bandaging an open would, except better. Clean. Pure.

______________________________________________________________________

Recipe for literal wall putty:

3tbsp flour
1tbsp+ water
Acrylic Paint (color of wall)

1. Place flour in small bowl.
2. Make a "well" with the flour (like making tortillas).
3. Add 1tbsp of water in the hole. Don't mix.
4. Add a couple drops of acrylic paint to the water. Your paint should be 5-10 shades darker than your wall color. (Hints: red+yellow=orange, blue+red=purple, yellow+blue=green, yellow+red+blue=brown, red+white=orange, white+black=gray; most "white" walls are not pure white but have a hint of pinkish-orange in them or a light blue-grey tint.)
5. Swirl the water and the paint together. At this point, your water should be a shade or two darker than your wall color.
6. Slowly mix in the flour starting with the inside of the well. Mix until soft dough forms (like tortilla, pasta, or cinnamon roll dough). Add more water if too stiff. Add more flour if too watery. Add more paint if too light in color (hold up to wall to test).
7. Knead until all parts are incoorperated.
8. Test on inconspicuous area.
9. Fill holes with putty (it doesn't take much).
10. If wall has a "bump" from the nail pushing out the wall, simply take a hammer and lightly tap against the wall to flatten surface.
11. Let dry :)

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To not remain empty any more...look at this: how do we get saved

White Out Covers Colorado Plains

My husband and I travel often.  Unfortunately, the many times that we make road trips, we encounter various obstacles along the way.

The first major road trip we took was moving from Tennessee to Colorado.  After battling the flu and being snowbound in Gatlinburg, we finally managed to leave town on a December afternoon.  We made it as far as Memphis until we were rear-ended and pushed into the car in front of us.  Sandwiched!  Our car was totaled.

After moving to Denver, we began taking road trips up North to visit Nathan’s family.  It is only supposed to be an hour-and-a-half trip, so sometimes we visit on the weekends.  However, on one of these occasions, we got stuck in Friday-night traffic, and the trip took 3 hours.

Last October we volunteered for a campaign in Oklahoma.  (The campaign was excellent!)  We also had volunteered to drive; about 60 miles outside of Denver on the return home, the semi in front of us decided to blow a tire.  We ran over it. Fortunately, we were able to drive the van back home, but we drove less than 40mph and repaired a tire and a gasket that week.

This past December, we decided to head up North, again, for Christmas.  This time, we left on a Wednesday.  (“Yay! No traffic,” we thought.)  It was snowing a bit when we left, but as we drove on, we headed into a blizzard.  That same blizzard dropped a foot of snow on Denver that night.  We didn’t even know if we were on the road at some points. It took more than 3 hours, in the dark, in the blizzard. 

Just yesterday, we took a trip to Burlington.  They had offered Nathan an opportunity to teach class and preach. (THANK YOU for this wonderful opportunity!)  Burlington is about a 2 to 3 hour drive east of Denver, almost to the Kansas border.  So at 6:00am we were on the road again. My husband was gracious enough to drive, seeing as though I am not a morning person, and I happily dozed off in the passenger seat.  About an hour-and-a-half into the trip, I awoke with a startle.  Everything out the window was white.  The sky was white, the ground was white, and the car we should have seen in front of us was white.  It was NOT snowing, but it had snowed the previous week.  But with the overcast skies and the wind harshly throwing the snow in the air, we were surrounded by a white bubble.  It was like a thick whirlwind of fog encapsulating us.  Amazing!  We couldn’t see past a hundred yards; yet going 50mph on the interstate, it seemed like only 10 feet.  It was terrifying. 

I couldn’t think of anything else but to spout out “When the skies above you are gray, you are feeling so blue!” And then, for my husband’s sake, I silently sang to myself the rest of the song...

“When you’re cares and burdens seem great all the whole day through,

There’s a silver lining that shine, in the heavenly land;

Look by faith and see it my friend, trust in His promises grand.”

At the end of my silent song, we pulled off at a rest stop.  We bundled up tightly and faced the windstorm to take a break that was much needed.  Five minutes later, we bundled up again to head out on the road again.  But as soon as we got on the interstate, we noticed a difference like night to day.  The winds had died down, the grass was poking through the snow, and the sun was peaking out through the clouds to form that blessed silver lining.

Thank you, God, for the safety you have provided.  May we trust You, not only during our physical obstacles but, more importantly, during our spiritual struggles.

How to Make Homemade Pizza (in 30 minutes)

It is Saturday evening, and as usual, our weekend ritual did not cease. My husband loves pizza.--Confession: I do too!-- From the time we got married, I have been working from day one to make the perfect pizza. My poor husband has had to put up with the all-too-many failures, and I still fail occassionally. Of course, my mother-in-law makes the perfect crust; but, alas, you must use yeast (and wait...and wait...and wait...just like that homemade pasta from the kneader's kitchen). Thus, I have attempted to create a 30 minute pourable crust. The crust, I dare say, is most important. Too fluffy or crisp and the whole thing is ruined. Without it, it would just be a pile of soggy meat and vegetables.

Oh, but the crust without the toppings would just be bread. The pepperoni, the salami, the ham, the sausage, the chicken...and that's just for the meat lovers. The zucchini, the tomatoes, the bell peppers, the onions, the mushrooms, the mozzarella and cheddar cheese...scrumptious toppings. And yet, without the sauce it would just be dry. The spices, the tangy tomato sauce, the creamy luscious Alfredo dressing, the spicy buffalo for heat...all unique and delectable.
"The more toppings the better!" we always say.

Have you noticed I love food? And have you noticed I love the church? Christ is the necessary foundation for the perfect church. The One that establishes us and makes us delectable. Without Him, we would just be a soggy mess. But the variety is SO good: the elderly women who hardly speaks, but will always bring you a pie when you need it the most...the loud mouth man, who without him, there would be no direction....the fast and furious mother with five little ducklings in a row that tries to attempt to organize a tea and conduct VBS on top of teaching Sunday Bible school...the soft-spoken but structured man who utters a word only when truth is needed. All of them are founded on Christ Himself. All of them work together through their differences to enhance the flavor of one another. "The more the better!" we always say.

The perfect pizza.

The 30-minute Pourable Pizza

Crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt (garlic salt is even better)
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
3 tbsp sugar (yes, sugar)
2 tbsp baking powder (double acting)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
2 eggs

Sauce (we prefer the zesty italian or pasta sauce for more flavor)

Toppings:
"The more the better!"

First 7 minutes
1. Preheat oven to 400*F.
2. Meanwhile, mix dry ingredient (first 5) in large mixing bowl with whisk.
3. Add wet ingredients (last 3) and mix with whisk.
4. Pour two large, greased cookie sheets (or pizza pans), making 2 mounds.
5. Spread mounds into 11 inch circles by slowly tilting the cookie sheet in a circular motion or use the back of a spoon. (It is very important to get the batter thin and level as the batter will double to triple in thickness. If thick, the batter will end up like cake. If thin, the batter will rise to a normal size. For an even denser and thinner crust, leave out the baking powder and cook longer as the batter will be thick. If your pans are too small, make a rectangle crust on a cookie sheet).

Next 13 minutes
6. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.
7. Meanwhile, prepare toppings by chopping into bite-sized pieces. Prepare sauce if needed.

Last 10 minutes
8. Carefully remove pizza from the oven and spread sauce until 1 inch from sides. Use back of spoon.
9. Place toppings on top of sauce, leaving cheese for last. Sprinkle cheese over top.
10. Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and toppings are heated through.
(Set table and clean up while waiting on finishing touches)

ENJOY!