Gardenia Bushes

On both sides of the front door of my house sit a gardenia bush. I am pleased to report that each is chock full of buds. All day long I've been checking the progess of flowers as they open. The fragrance is intoxicating. The white petals are silky smooth. The color scheme is dramatic. Simply elegant.

Sermon Meditation

Aside from taking good notes during the sermon on Titus, I spent some time diagramming Titus 2:11-13. Diagramming helps one understand the meaning of sentences. One learns to read for the purpose of reading Scripture and increasing in the knowledge of God. One learns to diagram for the purpose of improving one's reading skills.

Do you and your children know how to diagram sentences?

Sabbath Meditation

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:

God was manifested in the flesh,
Justified in the Spirit,
Seen by angels,
Preached among the Gentiles,
Believed on in the world,
Received up in glory.

ITim3:16

It is not hard for me to imagine some first century Christians gathered in a home for worship and reciting this common confession. I look forward to meeting them.

Nearest Book

Her church life really meant something to her.
The Shaping of a Christian Family by Elisabeth Elliot

Copied this idea from Sora, who got it from Kelly.

Follow the herd:
1)Grab the nearest book.
2)Open to page 23.
3)Find the fifth sentence.
4)Post the text of the sentence on your blog along with these instructions.

I REALLY need to learn how to link and manipulate this log.

Flat Rocks

Vegetarian Dinner Idea which received rave reviews from my family this week.










6 rounds Pita Bread (approx 6"dia)
6-8 Cups Veggie Stir Fry (see below)
6-8 Cups Cheddar Cheese, grated (Vermont White)

Preheat broiler. Arrange pitas on large baking sheet lined with foil. This might take two cookie sheets (3 pitas per sheet). Top each pita with 1 C stir fry. Thoroughly cover each pita with grated cheese. Broil until cheese melts, usually 3-5 mins in my oven. (dont leave the room ) Serve immediately.

Veggie Stir Fry

6-8 C broccoli, washed &trimmed, flowerettes and some stem(peeled&diced)
4-5 carrots, peeled&sliced thinly in half-rounds
2 med onions, sliced into crescents
1 lg tomato, peeled&diced

In large frying pan(or wok) heat 1 T oil&1 T butter. Add onions and saute for 1 min. Add carrots then broccoli. Stir continually, cooking on high heat. Or cover and steam for 3 mins until tender yet not losing color. Sprinkle with soy sauce for added flavor, optional. Turn off heat. Stir in diced tomatoes.

Spring

The finches eating at the kitchen feeder are now bright yellow: a sure sign of something.

Two Categories

These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power. 2Thess1:9

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3

Lemon Ice-Box Pie

Lemon Ice-Box Pie

1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
6 egg yolks
2/3 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 T grated lemon rind.

Combine and chill thoroughly. Pour into a baked but cooled graham cracker crust. Top with meringue. Bake 5 minutes in an oven which has been preheated to 425 degrees.

Meringue

6 egg whites
6 Tbs granulated white sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar (opt)

Beat at high rate of speed in mixer until eggs whites are stiff, but not dry. For example, when you pull the whisk out of the whites, the peaks should fall over slightly. In addition, when you rub a little of the mixture in between your fingers, it should not feel gritty.

Graham Cracker Crust

1 1/3 cups graham crackers crumbs
(approx 24 crackers)
1/2 cup melted butter
1 Tbs sugar

Combine in large mixing bowl. Then press into a 9" glass pie plate. Bake 5-7 minutes at 350. Cool. Then fill.

Peach Trifle

Leftover pound cake, torn/cut into bite-sized chunks
Peachtree Schnapps (peach brandy)
Vanilla pudding (from vanilla wafer box, thinned w/juice from peaches)
Peaches (using ones "canned" by a friend last summer) 1 qt
Blueberries, approx 1 C (been frozen in freezer since last summer)
Whipped Cream

In a large glass bowl, layer pound cake and drizzle with a little brandy. Top with pudding, then peaches, then blueberries. Repeat the layers until all your ingredients are used, having chosen enough to serve your guests. Top with freshly whipped cream. Cover with saran. Refrigerate overnight. Serve with a "rice" spoon.


The beauty of a trifle is that it can not only be made ahead of time, but also be made from ingredients one has on hand. So, I feel particularly economical to be recommending this dessert.

Meal Suggestions

After Church Sunday dinner (plan A):

Spiral Sliced Ham
Eggplant Casserole
Steamed Broccoli
Honey Glazed Carrots
Deviled Eggs
Croissants

Peach Trifle


After Church Dinner (plan B):

Roast Lamb w/gravy
Sweet Pepper Casserole
Steamed Asparagus
Steamed Carrots
Croissants

Merlot or Iced Tea

Peach Trifle

Meal Art

Open-faced Sandwich

Brown-One slice Brownberry brand bread, toasted
Yellow-One egg, hardboiled & mashed w/1T mayo
Red-Sliced Tomato
Green-Alfalfa Sprouts

Almost too pretty to eat!

The Finches are Back!

Well, Happy New Year! I can't believe how long it has been since I've posted!

Lately, I have been sighting goldfinches at the thistle feeder. They are barely yellow. It won't be long before they are boldly yellow. And then they will depart.

On Christmas Day outside my kitchen window on the deck, I saw the following birds feeding: cardinals, titmice, chickadees, nuthatches, Carolina wrens, white-breasted nuthatches, rufous-sided towhees, brown thrashers, a red-bellied woodpecker, and an hairy woodpecker.

What fun!

Fashion-Square Knot

Brownie Points

I walked twice today. Two twenty-minute episodes: one inside following a video and one outside ejoying the cool weather.

Wish I could think of a better way to update my site. I will continue to try and conjure up reflections I want to share.

Italian Creme Cake

1/2 cup butter
1 cup oil
2 cups sugar
5 egg yolks
2 cups plain flour
1 tsp soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 sm can coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
5 egg whites, stiffly beaten

Cream butter, oil, and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add egg yolks. Beat. Combine flour, soda, coconut, and nuts. Add to the mixture. Add buttermilk and vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Fold in egg whites. Pour batter into three prepared cake pans.

Bake for 30 minutes in an oven preheated to 350 degrees.

Cool and frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup melted butter
1 lb XXX sugar
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk together in mixer and spread on cool cake.

FAVORITE THEME

Thus says the Lord, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the Lord.

Jeremiah 9:23-24

Of all the wonderful themes throughout Scripture, I think this one is my favorite: that God does things so that people will know that He is the Lord. Our pastor is preaching throught the entire Bible, one book per Sunday morning sermon. It is fantastic. I leave church feeling invigorated and ready to shout from the tree tops "Jesus is Lord!" "Don't you SEE it?" Don't you HEAR it?" "Now, TESTIFY to it."

From the stories in Exodus of Moses' appeals to Pharoah, so that he would know that God is Lord, all the way through the New Testament preachers of Paul and Timothy, the WORD is proclaimed that we might know Him, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

Creativity

I don't really consider myself a "creative" person.

I cant draw. I cant decorate. I cant even keep up with fashion.

But watch me open the refrigerator door and produce "something" from what some people have called "nothing."

Here's my latest "what can we eat tonight?"

Pasta Salad

Cook one pound pasta. I used shells. Drain.

Add leftovers. I used sauted zucchini&onions leftover from spaghetti night on Tuesday; steamed cauliflowerettes leftover from Wednesday; add 1/4C sundried tomatoes, 2 oz sliced black olives. Toss with homemade salad dressing (1/2C safflower oil, 1/4C vinegar, 2T dijon mustard, 1/8 tsp white pepper, 1/2 tsp salt, 1T parsley, 1 sm clove garlic pressed). Garnish with feta cheese or diced (leftover) chicken for main dish.

Serve immediately or chill, if desired.


I think Edith Schaeffer would approve.

Repeating History as Farce by Norman Ravitch

This article kinda goes along with my Confederate Memorial Day post.

Solomon's Benediction

Blessed be the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised; not one word has failed of all His good promise, which He promised through Moses His servant. May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers; may He not leave us or forsake us, that He may incline our hearts to Himself, to walk in all His ways and to keep His commandments and His statutes and His ordinances, which He commanded to our fathers. And may these words of mine, with which I have made supplication before the Lord, be near to the Lord our God day and night, that He may maintain the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel, as each day requires, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the Lord is God; there is no one else. Let your heart therefore be wholly devoted to the Lord our God, to walk in His statutes and to keep His commandments, as at this day.
I Kings 8:56-61

Confederate Memorial Day

It seems odd to me that with all the hoopla over the Georgia State Flag and the use of the Confederate Cross that State employees are not protesting this State Holiday as well.
http://www.cviog.uga.edu/Projects/gainfo/confmem.htm


A Poem by an unknown author

The marching armies of the past
Along our Southern plains,
Are sleeping now in quiet rest
Beneath the Southern rains.

The bugle call is now in vain
To rouse them from their bed;
To arms they'll never march again--
They are sleeping with the dead.

No more will Shiloh's plains be stained
With blood our heroes shed,
Nor Chancellorsville resound again
To our noble warriors' tread.

For them no more shall reveille
Sound at the break of dawn,
But may their sleep peaceful be
Till God's great judgment morn.

We bow our heads in solemn prayer
For those who wore the gray,
And clasp again their unseen hands
On our Memorial Day.