What happens when....

I've never seen anything like it. DD forgot to check to see if water was in the tea kettle before turning it on. My nice red tea kettle that I got for mother's day is ruined and so is the burner.

The tea kettle turned a deep purple (almost black) looked like a blotted plum ready to explode. The lid stuck on it and the kettle stuck to the burner. Boy did it stink. After it cooled down the kettle returned to it's normal red and the burner popped off. I'm just glad we were home.

"Sorry Mom!" she says. That Mother's Day gift didn't last too long.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Thumb Size

Personalize IT!

Quick and Easy lunch

Make your own personalized pizza.


1 pita pocket per person (you may also make them with English muffins)
1 can of pizza sauce
toppings of your choice:
peperoni
Canadian bacon
green peppers
onions
olives
shredded cheeses, cheddar and mozzarella

Place pita pocket on plate, spread with sauce, add toppings of choice.
Place in microwave for 1-2 min. until cheese is melted.
and Enjoy!!!

Wondering minds want to know...

OK, my daughters and I were having this great theological discussion the other day. Just thought I'd open it up and see what you all thought.... are you ready here's the question..

If dried up grapes are called raisins.

and

Dried up cranberries are crasins.

What are dried up strawberries????

Any good ideas.

progress report

Week of June 18th-24th
Friday - 0
Monday - 45 min. = 3 miles
Tuesday - 1 hr. = 4 miles
Wednesday - 0
Thursday - 0

Total of 7 miles this week

Running total of 89 miles for challenge.

Simple Secrets by Nancy Mehl

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Simple Secrets Barbour Books (June 1, 2010) by Nancy Mehl
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Nancy Mehl lives in Wichita, Kansas with her husband Norman and her son, Danny. She’s authored nine books and is currently at work on her newest series for Barbour Publishing.

All of Nancy’s novels have an added touch – something for your spirit as well as your soul. “I welcome the opportunity to share my faith through my writing,” Nancy says. “It’s a part of me and of everything I think or do. God is number one in my life. I wouldn’t be writing at all if I didn’t believe that this is what He’s called me to do. I hope everyone who reads my books will walk away with the most important message I can give them: God is good, and He loves you more than you can imagine. He has a good plan especially for your life, and there is nothing you can’t overcome with His help.”

CREATING FICTION FULL OF FAITH, HOPE AND HEART…

Nancy Mehl is a mystery writer who loves to set her novels in her home state of Kansas. Her three-in-one book, COZY IN KANSAS, contains the first three Ivy Towers’s mysteries: IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, BYE BYE BERTIE, and FOR WHOM THE WEDDING BELL TOLLS which was nominated for the 2009 American Christian Fiction Writers Book of the Year Award in mystery.

She and her husband attend Believer’s Tabernacle in Wichita.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Graphic designer Gracie Temple wants it all: the big city lifestyle and a successful job in advertising. And it looks like her life is on the right track when she takes a job at a struggling, midsize firm in Wichita.

But Gracie Temple's uncle left her a house in a rural Mennonite community. She soon learns he secluded himself for years to protect a secret about her own father. Now it's up to Gracie to decide if she'll keep the secret or if she can afford to expose it.

Sam Goodrich loves his fruit farm in Harmony, Kansas. But when he meets city-girl Gracie, he begins to wonder if he could leave it behind for a woman who makes him feel things he's never felt before.

When someone tries to keep Gracie from discovering the truth behind the town's collection of secrets, will Sam and Gracie cling to their faith to help them decide what's most important...before it's too late?

If you would like to read the first chapter of Simple Secrets, go HERE.

Fiber Foods

Top Fiber Foods for Your Diet

The following categories have the "Top Five" foods, which offer the most fiber for your diet:

Fruits

Raspberries – 1 cup – 8 grams

Pears – 1 medium – 5.5 grams

Apples – 1 medium – 4.4 grams

Oranges – 1 medium – 3.1 grams

Bananas – 1 medium – 3.1 grams

Vegetables

Avocado – One-half, medium – 6.7 grams

Broccoli – 1 cup – 5.1 grams

Spinach – 1 cup – 4.3 grams

Sweet Potatoes – 1 medium – 3.8 grams

Carrots – One-half cup – 2.3 grams

Beans

Navy Beans – One-half cup – 9.6 grams

Lentils – One-half cup – 7.8 grams

Pinto Beans – One-half cup – 7.7 grams

Black Beans – One-half cup – 7.5 grams

Kidney Beans – One-half cup – 5.7 grams

Nuts and Seeds

Flaxseeds – 1 oz – 5.6 grams

Almonds – 1 oz – 3.5 grams

Sunflower Seeds – One-fourth cup – 3.0 grams

Peanuts – 1 oz – 2.3 grams

Walnuts – 1 oz – 1.9 grams

Grains

Wheat – 1 cup – 8.2 grams

Pearled Barley – 1cup – 6.0 grams

Quinoa – 1 cup – 5.2 grams

Oats – 1 cup – 4.0 grams

Brown Rice – 1 cup – 3.5 grams

The Full Plate Diet, Pages 44, 50, 56, 62, and 68

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

This weekend we are out of town so I'm going to do a meme

Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

What a fellowship, what a joy divine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
What a blessedness, what a peace is mine,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.


Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.


O how sweet to walk in this pilgrim way,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
O how bright the path grows from day to day,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.


Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.


What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.


Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Bible Reference:

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. Deuteronomy 33:27

For the arms of the wicked shall be broken: but the LORD upholdeth the righteous. Psalms 37:17

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. Proverbs 3:5

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the LORD, and say, Is not the LORD among us? none evil can come upon us.
Micah 3:11



Elisha Albright Hoffman ~ Lyrics
1839-1929
Born: May 7, 1839, Orwigsburg, Pennsylvania.
Died: November 25, 1929, Chicago, Illinois.
Buried: Oak Woods Cemetery, Chicago, Illinois.




Anthony J. Showalter ~ Composer
1858-1924
Born: May 1, 1858, Cherry Grove, Virginia.
Died: November 16, 1924, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Buried: West Hill Cemetery, Dalton, Georgia





Hymn History:

The idea for this song came from Anthony Showalter, principal of the Southern Normal Music Institute in Dalton, Georgia. Showalter, a Presbyterian elder, was a well-known advocate of gospel music. He published over 130 music books with combined sales of two million copies, and he became known through the South for his singing schools in local churches.

Showalter took a personal interest in his students and enjoyed keeping up with them as the years passed.
One evening in 1887, he was leading a singing school in a local church in Hartselle, Alabama. After dismissing the class for the evening, he gathered his materials and returned to his boardinghouse.

Two letters had arrived, both from former pupils. Each of the young men was heartbroken, having just lost his wife. Professor Showalter went to the Bible, looking for a verse to comfort them. He selected Deuteronomy 33:27 - "The eternal God is your refuge, And underneath are the everlasting arms..."

As he pondered that verse, these words came to mind:

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;
Leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.

He scribbled replies to his bereaved friends, then, reaching for another piece of paper, he wrote his friend, hymnist Elisha Hoffman. "Here is the chorus for a good hymn from Deuteronomy 33:27," his letter said, "but I can't come up with any verses." Hoffman wrote 3 stanzas and sent them back. Showalter set it all to music, and ever since, these words have sheered us in adversity.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms;
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms.

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. Deuteronomy 33:27

The word refuge may be translated “mansion,” or “abiding” which gives the thought that God is our abode, our home. The Bible often speaks of God as our refuge and describes in detail the dwelling places that Christ is preparing.

God knows how important the feeling of security is to His children. We feel most secure in our homes that we live, and move, and have our being. It is at home that we feel safe: we shut the world out and dwell in quiet security.

Jesus told his disciples to "abide in me". He is our shelter and retreat, our abiding refuge.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye,
except ye abide in me. John 15:4

At home, we take our rest; it is there we find calm after the fatigue and struggles of the day. And so our hearts find rest in God, when, wearied with life's conflict, we turn to Him, and our soul dwells at ease.

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

At home, also, we let our hearts loose; we are not afraid of being misunderstood, nor of our words being misconstrued. So when we abide with God we can commune freely with Him, laying open all our hidden desires.It is the place of our truest and purest happiness: and it is in God that our hearts find their deepest delight.

Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalms 37:4

We have joy in Him which far surpasses all other joy. It is also for home that we work and labor. The thought of it gives strength to bear the daily burden, and quickens us to perform the task. So it is when we labor for Christ.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:29-30

Many today labor for the things of this world and have little time left for the things of God. In the book of John we are told that we must not labor for thing that perish but we must labor for things that endure unto everlasting life.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. John 6:27

There is coming a day soon when the saints of God will be gathered and will enter unto a place prepared for them and they will dwell in the house of the Lord forever and ever. We ought to live today as it was our last for the time is at hand and the appearing of our Lord and Savior is emanate.

Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:11-12

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Psalms 23:6

~God be with You till we meet again, Tom & Myra

FFF ~ June 25, 2010

1. Chocolate

2. Sun Tea in my fave glass

3. mailbox surprises


4. Surprise visits from friends
(she brought me a surprise too - of course not necessary, but nice and thoughtful)


5. BBQs that we enjoy with friends too.
(WooHoo, that's what we're going to do tonight)

SWT

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Chasing Lilacs by Carla Stewart

This week, the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance is introducing Chasing Lilacs FaithWords (June 17, 2010) by Carla Stewart
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Carla Stewart’s writing reflects her passion for times gone by. She believed in Jesus, the power of the written word, and a good cup of coffee. She's a country girl living now in a mid-sized city with her engineering husband who just happens to be her best friend and biggest fan.She and her husband have four adult sons and delight in the adventures of their six grandchildren.

FROM CARLA:

I grew up in the Texas Panhandle with two younger sisters and loving parents. Small town school. Great neighbors. Today, those small-town, fundamental things resonate within me -- the twang in people's voices, the art of being neighborly and just being a decent human being.

Growing up, I preferred the company of books over TV and playing outdoors. I imagined myself in many different careers, but given my down-to-earth raising, I settled on nursing. I didn't faint at the sight of blood and did well in science, so it seemed a natural choice.

I worked as a registered nurse off and on through the years, but primarily I stayed home with my four rambunctious boys and dreamed of the day when I could write the novels I loved to read. When our youngest son was in high school, I quit my job as a nursing instructor and settled in to pen my first novel. It's been quite a journey. One I wouldn't trade for anything.

I'm committed to writing the stories of my heart and am truly thankful to Jesus, my Savior, for allowing me this freedom. May all the glory be His.

Chasing Lilacs is her first book!

ABOUT THE BOOK

It is the summer of 1958, and life in the small Texas community of Graham Camp should be simple and carefree. But not for twelve-year-old Sammie Tucker. Sammie has plenty of questions about her mother's "nerve" problems. About shock treatments. About whether her mother loves her.

When her mother commits suicide and a not-so-favorite aunt arrives, Sammie has to choose who to trust with her deepest fears: Her best friend who has an opinion about everything, the mysterious kid from California whose own troubles plague him, or her round-faced neighbor with gentle advice and strong shoulders to cry on. Then there's the elderly widower who seems nice but has his own dark past.

Trusting is one thing, but accepting the truth may be the hardest thing Sammie has ever done.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Chasing Lilacs, go HERE.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Aahh

S'more Brownies

S'more Brownies

Ingredients:
Box brownie mix or ingredients for make it from scratch brownies
3 cups miniature marshmallows
4 graham crackers, broken but not into crumbs
2 chocolate candy bars, broken but not crumbs (I used chocolate chips)

Make brownies as directed on box or in recipe.

As soon as brownies are removed from oven immediately sprinkle on marshmallows and graham crackers over hot brownies.

Set oven on broil. Broil for 30-60 seconds or until marshmallows are golden (watch carefully as they brown quickly)

Sprinkle with chocolate candy bar pieces. let cool 15 min. serve warm.

Tackle it Tuesday ~ first day of summer

And what did you do today????