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Today I was listening to a talk from the Bethel Church of Redding, CA website by Paul Manwaring.  Paul is originally from England, but has moved to the U.S. to be associated with Bethel.  In the talk he made the comment that the founders of this country when they were creating our government referred to Isaiah 33:22 as the basis for the 3 branches.  Here is the verse:

22 For the LORD is our judge,

the LORD is our lawgiver,
the LORD is our king;
it is he who will save us.
The news media have not been quick to point this out have they?  I get so tired of hearing all the propaganda about separation of church and state when those who formed our original government understood that it would exist only as long as God was kept at the center of all the decisions that were made pertaining to it.
I pray we will return to God and His Word before it is too late for this great country.  She has been a light to and has helped so many because of her Christian foundation.
Please join me in fervent prayer for revival in this land--and the world.  God is our only hope.  As Isaiah says, "It is he who will save us."
at 9:00:00 PM No comments: 
New "Recipes" Page Format

Most of you who follow this blog know that when I started the blog I added a "Recipes" page for my children and grandchildren (and friends, who were interested) so they would have a reference for recipes I had cooked for them throughout the years.   It was my goal to add more recipes weekly.  Some of the recipes had been handed down for generations--usually with no specific measurements--so by trial and error I determined the amounts and wrote them into recipes.  Some came from friends.  And some were discovered in cookbooks and on Internet sites, but all had become favorites.  As the number of recipes increased, and I realized I had many more to add, it occurred to me that I could have them printed into a cookbook for my family for Christmas.
Now that the cookbook has been printed and distributed to family members, I decided to post all the recipes as they appear in the cookbook on the blog, too.  It seems there is more information included in the cookbook than a blog page will allow because I continually get an "error in saving" message when I try to post it all together, so I have divided the recipes into two separate pages.
For those of you who have been using recipes off this site, it may take a little while to find them now, but eventually I believe this format will make them easier to find.  I have tried to include each type of recipe together in the sections--i.e. all the breads before I added the breakfast dishes so once you get the hang of it, I'm sure you'll have no problem returning to the recipe.  Here are the new sections:
Recipes #1 page include the sections: 1 Appetizers,  2 Breads & Breakfast,  3 Main Dishes & Casseroles,  4 Salads & Side Dishes, and  5 Soups & Sandwiches.
Recipes #2 page includes:  6 Cakes, Pies, & Desserts,  7 Candy, Cookies, & Bars, and  8 Miscellaneous.
I assume I will be adding to these occasionally.  If I do, I will probably post about the recipe on the "Home" page as I add it to the other recipes so you will know new ones have been added.
I hope you enjoy this labor of love and find some recipes that will become your favorites, too.
at 10:06:00 AM No comments: 
Merry Christmas! Christ Is Born!

I like this article by John Belt which was posted on The Elijah List today.  Christmas is not only about recognizing and remembering that Jesus was born. It is about worshipping Him--The One who came to save us and to bring us abundant life.
Please take time today to give Him the one gift above all that pleases Him most--your heart in worship.

Massive, Glorious Angelic Praise in the Heavens!
Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of heavenly host praising God and saying:   "Glory to God in the highest,  And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"
The Glorious Event!
When Jesus was born a glorious event occurred on earth that made way for an invasion of God's Kingdom like had never happened before. The magnitude of this happening on earth broke the Richter scale! Jesus came and split time in half with His very Presence. He brought a shift into the earth that tipped the axis. Nations were affected, people were affected, time was affected, and we are affected by the simplicity of His invasion and the power of His Cross.
Mass Worship!
A mass demonstration of worship occurred in the heavens in response to this epic event. Hosts of angels, the armies of Heaven, also referred to as celestial luminaries (in the original language) released massive praise and worship into the atmosphere of the earth like no one had ever seen! These angels that excel in strength were releasing a gigantic, glorious praise into the heavens. The shepherds took note of this, deciding to go check out what was happening in this humble stable. To their surprise, they showed up to see this baby born from the realm of Heaven.
That Holy Thing
Luke 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, "The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also 'that holy thing' which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."
Jesus, that Holy Thing, was born of Mary. This Child was from another world, a realm that is far superior to this finite realm of earth. He who was from the beginning and is the Beginning now was made flesh dwelling among men. He was created, yet uncreated and made manifest in the fullness of time. He was and is the Seed that bruised and crushed the head of the serpent. Coming from His eternal holy realm, He broke into the earth to destroy the devil's work. He brought utter ruin to his dark kingdom. Those who have received Him rejoice in their portion through divine inheritance. He will return in His glory for the clean up job at the end of the age.
Engage in mass worship this holiday with the angels of Heaven, the cloud of witnesses and all creation to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, who came in His glory to redeem us into His family and Kingdom.
Massive Blessings!

John Belt
Live In His Presence Ministries A Soldier's Story of Chanukah

A story of a Jewish soldier fighting in George Washington's Army.
It is Chanukah in the year of 1776. The winter is hard and the cold is fearsome.
We are starving for bread. We have no clothes to warm our bodies and no shoes for our feet.
At these moments, I am reminded of my father in Poland. I recall how much he suffered at the hands of the cruel Baron. I remember I was but a youngster and saw my father dance before the Baron. How terrible was the sight. My father was made to dress up in the skin of a white bear and he danced for the sport of the Baron and his guests. How great is my pain and shame. Father dances as a bear and the Baron jests and revels. I affirm in my heart that I will never be so humiliated myself. At my first opportunity, I set sail to America.
It is now the first night of Chanukah. This very night, two years ago, I fled from my father’s home in Poland. My father gave me a Chanukah menorah and said, “When you will light, my son, these candles for Chanukah, they will illuminate the path for you.” From that day on, my menorah was as an amulet. Wherever I go, I take it with me.
Suddenly, I feel a soft, tender hand upon my head. I lift my eyes, and behold it is him, in all his majesty, General George Washington standing upon me. He asks me, “Why soldier do you cry? Is it then so very cold?”
I forgot at that moment that I am a soldier in the presence of my superior, and spoke before him as a child to a parent. “My master the General,” I said. “I cry and pray for your victory. I am certain with the help of G-d, we shall prevail. Today, the enemy is strong; tomorrow they will surely fall, for justice is with us. We seek to be free in this land; we desire to build a country for all who flee from oppression and suffer abroad. The Barons will not rule here. The enemy will falter and you will succeed.”
The General shook my hand. “Thank you, soldier,” he said, and sat at my side next to the menorah. “What is this?” asked the General. I told him I brought it from my parent’s home. Jews the world over light this menorah to celebrate the great miracle of Chanukah and the miraculous salvation of the Jews. The light of the Chanukah menorah danced in the eyes of General Washington as he called forth in joy, “You are a Jew from the children of prophets and you declared that we shall prevail.” “Yes my master,” I answered with confidence. We will be victorious as the Maccabees of old, for our own sake and the sake of all who follow us to build a new land and a new life.
The General got up; his face was ablaze. He shook my hand and disappeared into the darkness. My faith was rewarded, victory was achieved, and peace reigned in the land. My General became the leader of our new country, and I became one of its citizens.
I quickly forgot those frightful days and nights at Valley Forge. However, that first night of Chanukah, with General Washington, I carried in my heart always as a precious dream.
The first night of Chanukah the following year of 1777, I was sitting in my house in New York on Broome Street, with the Chanukah light in my window. Suddenly, I heard a knock on the door. I opened the door, and incredibly, my General, George Washington is standing in the doorway. “Behold, the wondrous flame, the flame of hope of all Jewry,” he called forth in joy as he gazed upon its light.
The General placed his hand upon my shoulder and said, “This light and your beautiful words lit a flame in my heart that night. Surely, you and your comrades will receive due recognition for your entire valor at Valley Forge. But this night, accept from me, this medallion.” He hung the medallion of gold upon my chest and shook my hand. Tears came to my eyes; I couldn’t say a word. The General shook my hand once again and left the house.
I stirred as if coming from a beautiful dream. I then looked upon my medallion and saw a beautiful engraving of a Chanukah menorah with the first candle lit. Below was written, “As an expression of gratitude for the candle of your menorah.”
This medallion is part of the permanent collection in the Jewish Museum in New York. 
Another good Joseph Prince Devotional from 12-21-11

Here is another good Joseph Prince devotional to remind us where we need to fix our eyes in these uncertain times.
 
One Thirst by Jeremy Riddle featuring Steffany Frizzell

I love this song!
at 6:38:00 AM 1 comment: 
I am so sad! Our beautiful horse, Jobee, (second from left in the above picture) is going to be put down today.  Country Guy found him yesterday evening standing in the pasture holding up one of his front legs.  Jobee wouldn't even try to walk.  He called the vet who could not tell what was wrong but said he might have an abscess.  She thought the horse shoer might be able to tell but since it was late we would have to wait till morning to contact him.  Country Guy went out to check on Jobee early this morning and found him lying on the ground unable to get up.  He called the vet to come put him down so I went out to say good-bye.  I am so sad.  In fact I am crying as I write this.
Jobee is 33 years old.  He is the first horse I ever owned and the one I love the most because he has such a unique personality.  He whinnies when I come to see him, especially if he thinks I'm bringing apples.  It always seems as if he is trying to talk to me.
He was a wonderfully trained roping horse that we bought when we lived in Nebraska.  Dave Arrington, who boarded him for us, used Jobee to teach others when they wanted to learn how to rope.
After we bought him, Dave found a beautiful, used Syd Hill Australian saddle for me.  Every time I approached Jobee with the saddle he gave me a look that seemed to say, "You're not putting that sissy saddle on me again, are you?"
He was a wonderful horse!  He always came when I called him.  He was very calm and well mannered.  He rarely ever shied in new circumstances, and he had the most beautiful trot.  He looked like the horses used in harness racing.  He always lifted his front legs high and looked so stately.  There was only one thing we discovered Jobee did not like and that was horse carts--and bicycles because their wheels must have reminded him of carts.  We always wondered if someone had tried to hitch him to a cart.  He knew he was meant to be a roping horse not hitched to a cart.
I loved Jobee!
at 9:02:00 AM 5 comments: 
Cookbooks arrived!

I'm sure you may be getting a little tired of hearing about my cookbook, but this is the first time I've ever tried doing something like this and I am excited!  The books arrived Tuesday evening and I couldn't be more pleased with the quality.  They are beautiful--from my point of view--and so I am grateful to G and R Publishing for making it possible.  Here is a photo taken with my phone.  Sorry it doesn't really do the cover justice, but it's the best I could do quickly. Of course, I have already found 2 typos.  Don't you hate that!!  I proof read it several times, but finally I just got tired of reading it and submitted the last draft for publishing.  I wish I could know that I won't find any more mistakes but alas I guess I might as well reconcile myself to the fact that there may be.  I can't help being thrilled anyway.  I hope the cookbook will be a treasure for my children and grandchildren and later generations, so it was very much worth the effort.
at 4:07:00 PM 2 comments: 
Excellent Video on the Tax-the-Rich Mentality.flv

This is a good explanation of why taxing the rich will not balance the budget.
at 8:09:00 AM No comments: 

I read this thought-provoking article recently.  I agree that we often point a finger at sexual sin when God sees it just as he sees any other sin.  I wonder how those who are pointing out others' sin would hold up if their lives were looked at for lying, stealing, etc.  The Bible says we have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.  I think it's time to stop looking at the moat in our brother's eye and instead remove the plank that's in ours.  What do you think?

The Dennis Prager Show

What Does Adultery Tell Us About Character?  by Dennis Prager
With Herman Cain's announcement that he was suspending his presidential campaign because of the charges of sexual harassment and of a 13-year affair, issues are raised that the country would do well to think through. The two most obvious are whether we should care about a politician's sexual life and how much the press should report about these matters.
But there is a larger issue that needs to be addressed first: What does adultery tell us about a person? For many Americans, the answer is: "Pretty much all we need to know." This certainly seems to be the case with regard to presidential candidates. The view is expressed this way: "If he can't keep his vows to his wife, how can we trust him to keep his vows to his country?"
I am a religious conservative, but I know this statement has no basis in fact. It sounds persuasive, but it is a non sequitur. We have no reason to believe that men who have committed adultery are less likely to be great leaders or that men who have always been faithful are more likely to be great leaders. To religious readers, I point to God Himself, who apparently thought that King David deserved to remain king -- and even have the Messiah descend from him -- despite a particularly ugly form of adultery (sending Bathsheba's husband into battle where he would assuredly be killed).
And while on the subject of leadership, another question for religious and/or conservative readers who believe that a man who sexually betrays his wife will likely betray his country: Who would you prefer for president? A pro-life conservative who had had an affair, or a pro-choice man of the left who had always been faithful to his wife?
Jimmy Carter, to the best of our knowledge, has been faithful to his wife throughout their long marriage. That is certainly commendable. Did it make him in any way a better president? Has it given moral acuity to the man who wrote a book equating democratic Israel with apartheid South Africa?
And the American who, perhaps singlehandedly, may have prevented inter-racial war in America, Martin Luther King Jr., committed adultery on a number of occasions.
Would John F. Kennedy, a serial adulterer while in the White House, have been any different a president were he faithful?
Just knowing that a man or a woman had extramarital sex may tell us nothing about the person. I have always wanted to know: Why is sexual sin in general and adultery in particular the one sin that many religious people regard as defining a person as well as almost unforgiveable?
Nothing here is in any way meant to be a defense of adultery. As a religious Jew, I believe it violates one of the Ten Commandments. As a married person, I know how much it would hurt my wife and how much it would hurt me if the other had an affair. But marriage is too complex an arena to draw any immediate conclusions about a person. Are we to label a man who takes loving care of his chronically ill wife and who has a discreet affair no more than an adulterer who merits disdain and mistrust? Is a woman who stays in an emotionally abusive marriage for the sake of her children someone with little integrity because she sought to be held in another man's loving arms? The questions and nuances are innumerable.
And what is adultery? Women have called my show to tell me that a man who gets a lap dance has committed adultery. Others go further -- merely attending a strip show, or looking at Playboy, is adultery. To my mind, this is emotion -- not reason, morality or religion -- talking. Yes, many Christians cite Jesus as saying that a man who lusts after a woman other than his wife has committed adultery with his heart. But he made it clear that this is adultery (SET ITAL) with his heart (END ITAL). Jesus, the practicing and knowledgeable Jewish rabbi, would never equate actual adultery with adultery with one's heart. And if someone believes the two are morally identical, why not start asking candidates if they have ever lusted for any woman other than their wife?
In choosing a president of the United States, adultery would greatly matter to me is if it were engaged in indiscreetly. I don't trust the integrity or conscience of a man or woman who publicly humiliates his or her spouse.
Beyond that, I do not want to know anything about the sexual life of any candidate. Media reporting or questioning about candidates' sexual lives constitutes a form of hypocrisy so deep that the English language does not have a word for it. Media people report on the sexual lives of candidates -- for virtually any public office -- on the grounds that since these politicians have great power, the public needs to know all about them. Yet, they offer no insight into their own sexual lives, even though some in the news media are far more powerful than almost any politician except the president of the United States. If we cannot trust a candidate who committed adultery, then why can we trust a news reporter or editor who has committed adultery?
The only thing this preoccupation with candidates' sexual lives has achieved is to ensure that some of the best, brightest, finest and most honest men in America never run for office.
at 9:40:00 AM No comments: 
Cookbooks are done!! Hurray!!

I received a call yesterday from the publishing company saying my cookbooks are done and were going to be shipped yesterday afternoon!  I am so excited to see how they turned out and so happy to have them in plenty of time for Christmas.
The publishing company, G and R Publishing, have been outstanding to work with.  I would highly recommend them as far as service is concerned (I haven't yet seen the books so I can't comment on quality yet, but I have every reason to expect they will be top quality.)  When I realized I might need them earlier than December 20th, the date that was promised, I called them.  They were very pleasant and helpful, and said they would see what they could do.  Now the books are expected to arrive the 13th or 14th.
An added bonus it seems, is that they will be sending extra copies to cover the cost of shipping, so if you would like a copy please let me know.
at 6:24:00 PM 1 comment: 
Say Merry Christmas - Vocal Carrie Rinderer and the American Christian L...

This song makes a good point! If stores want our business because they know we will be shopping for Christmas, they should not be pretending it is a secular holiday and avoid mentioning Christmas. If they can't acknowledge the holiday's true name then we can ignore their stores. 
Thoughts on celebrating Christmas

I was thinking this morning about how much I always dread the Christmas season.  I have been trying to figure out why that is.  There are many things about Christmas that I love. I love the beautiful lights.  I love getting together with friends and family.  I love baking and making special treats that I only make at Christmas time.  I love sending and receiving Christmas letters because it reconnects me with friends and helps me recall fond memories of our times together.  I love the music of Christmas.  I love remembering Jesus--the true meaning of Christmas and what he did for us.
I guess as I think about it the thing that makes me dread Christmas is the focus that has become so ingrained in the U.S. way of celebrating--shopping.
It seems I have so many expectations of how I want Christmas to be celebrated--times when families get together, making memories and having fun, times of treasuring one another, of singing carols and reading the Christmas story, but somehow all of that seems to be pre-empted by the incessant need to shop.  I don't know if it is just how I perceive Christmas, or if others feel the same way, but instead of celebrating and enjoying the things I love about Christmas I get caught up in trying to find the ultimate gift that will make someone "happy."  I begin to question "Did I buy the right gifts?" or "Did I do enough?" or "Did I forget somebody?" or even "Did I get what I wanted for Christmas?"
Even before Thanksgiving, as the Christmas decorations appear in the stores, I begin to feel anxious, knowing I will be spending much time in the next 6 weeks thinking about shopping, dreading shopping, shopping, making sure I haven't forgotten anyone, spending money that could be given to help those in need instead of buying gifts for people who already have more than they need, and feeling as if it is expected I get them something anyway.  I want to return to celebrating Jesus!
I am often asked what I want for Christmas by friends and family.  I guess I need to be telling them what I really want.  I want to return to the joy that is supposed to be felt at Christmas--remember--Joy to the World, The Lord Is Come!   Maybe instead of trying to find the perfect gift to buy for one another, we could instead spend time together, loving one another, and helping each other to find ways to put Christ back into Christmas.  That seems like a perfect Christmas gift to me! 

Do you send Christmas cards?  It is a lot of work and expense, but I enjoy the process.  I have been making our cards for many years now using Publisher on my computer.   I include pictures and news of our family and then print them--or have them printed--on double-sided matte photo paper. Assembling the information for the cards helps me relive and be thankful for life and family!  Writing the addresses on the envelopes reminds me of the person and brings back memories of things we have done together or how I met them.  It affords a little opportunity to offer a prayer of gratitude for their lives,
I have been working on our card the last couple of days.  Since I got my new Apple computer I also purchased Pages, Apple's answer to Publisher.  Since I've always used Publisher it was necessary to learn how to use the new program before I could do the card.  It seems everything I do these days takes twice as long as I think it will!  For instance, who would have thought I could spend so much time decorating the house??
Anyway, yesterday I finally was able to get most of the information organized and laid out in a way that seems acceptable.  Today I will refine the process and hopefully have the card in the mail by early next week.  Here is a screen shot of the cover of the card: Besides the fact I was using an entirely different program to do the card, writing this blog also made it harder to determine what to add to the card.  I feel as if I've already written about most of the important things that have happened this year.  Of course many to whom I will send the card don't even know about this blog, so I had to consider that when writing.
Sometimes it seems pretentious to think anyone cares enough to spend time reading about our family and my thoughts, but then I remember how eagerly I await the mail during the Christmas season!  I can hardly wait to get letters from friends and family to catch me up on the happenings in their lives.  I would so miss hearing from each person that I can only assume many feel the same way.  So in addition to the joy of remembering as I prepare my cards for the mail, knowing there are others like me who are eagerly anticipating news makes it worth the time it takes to keep up the tradition.
I hope you, too, have time to reconnect with friends and family during this busy season.
at 9:04:00 AM 1 comment: