July Book List

The Punch Bowl; Dan Searing.  This book celebrates the 21st century renaissance of this classic concoction, with 75 recipes that date from the 18th century to today.  It also features a brief but colorful history of punch as well as stunning photographs of vintage serving sets and contemporary engravings and maps from the drinks heyday.  This was a fun book to read and I took note of several of the recipes.

How to Eat a Small Country; Amy Finley.  A family's pursuit of happiness, one meal at a time.  This was a delightful memoir.  Amy's tale of moving to rural France (where family life still revolves around the dining table) to preserve her marriage and family is a great read.

The DNA of Relationships; Dr. Gary Smalley.  Discover how you are designed for satisfying relationships.  I would highly recommend this book to EVERYONE.  It teaches you how to have and/or save meaningful relationships and how to let go of ones that are harmful.

The Bible for Blockheads; Douglas Connelly.  A user friendly look at the good book.  This is an excellent book for anyone new to the Bible and to use as a bible study guide.

God and the Art of Happiness; Ellen T. Charry.  This book is about the deep connections between theology and ordinary life. .... It's boring!! Couldn't get through the first couple chapters and didn't finish it.

Try This; Danyelle Freeman.  Traveling the globe without leaving the table is the theme of this book.  It's basically a guide to eating out at all types of cuisine. .... Another BORING book I couldn't finish.

Family Inspiration - 27 July

A meaningful prayer life is essential in maintaining a Christ-centered home.
(Love For a Lifetime)

Be glad for all God is planning for you.  Be patient in trouble, and prayerful always.
Romans 12:12

Here Is The Truth

(This was sent to me via email, I don't know who the wrote it, but I felt it was worth posting.)

 

Here is the truth: when you are a Christian, Jesus lives in you in the form of the Holy Spirit. You know and believe the absolute Truth and try to share this with others. The reason we try to share this knowledge is out of *love*...not out of sense of having to be "right" or "intolerance of others" but because we know where those who do not repent & believe on Jesus are going.

Jesus spoke in parables, and I like to use them too. They help illustrate a point...

Let us imagine that a group of 100 people was walking down the middle of a road. You are a lookout on a hill above and can see the road beyond them. Coming right towards the group of walkers is a large semi-truck..full speed ahead...it was not a safe road to walk on.

You know the walkers must make the *right* turn in the road, or the truck would kill them all... so you run down the hill, full speed, knowing you don't have long to convince them. They can not see or hear the bus ahead but you tell them that it was coming, soon, and you know that if they all make the turn to the right, they will be safe. Your voice is urgent and bold...with love and concern nestled in your words. You feel that surely, these people will listen and know you are warning them for their *own* good.

A quarter of the people listen to you and trust you, for they know you are a lookout and trust you wouldn't lead them wrong. You breathe a bit easier as 25 of them turn to the right road. Another quarter of the walkers laugh at you. They tell you that you "worry too much" and "don't know what you are talking about". You stare at them, tears welling in your eyes ~ not for yourself but because of what awaits them around the next turn ~ as they walk away, jeering at the "stupid lookout". The third quarter of people yell at you... they say you always want to be "right" and "you don't know the right road". No, No, You want to say! I *do* know and am trying to help because I am concerned for you! Please listen! But they continue on, all of them arm in arm...feeling secure that they don't need the Truth. The last quarter of the crowd begin crying, for you are one of "those Christians"..."scaring" them and they feel that you are not being loving in your tone of voice. They tell you that any good lookout would be more gentle and tolerant of them. That you would not "make waves" and "interfere" with their lives. Would your Head Lookout be proud of you for scaring them and not "loving" them enough?

You move to the right road and walk with a burdened heart. You are so thankful that 25 people would be saved from this and feel as though you did your job correctly...but you are torn...because you know the other 75 are headed for sure-doom. What did you do wrong? What could you have done to save one more person? Why wouldn't they listen...?

There *are* true Christians in this world...people who don't just talk the talk...but they walk the walk. They don't walk the way of Christ because they think they are better than everyone else...but because they know the Truth and desire to serve God. They warn you because they love. Actually, to *not* warn you is what is un-loving. To let people walk themselves to eternal death is the *most* un-loving thing a Christian can do. No Christian is perfect. Sometimes we don't express ourselves perfectly or unintentionally hurt someone. But we try our best and make amends and repent for wrong-doings...all the while always proclaiming the Good News.

If we offend you because we say your beliefs or behavior is wrong....it isn't out of intolerance or an un-loving spirit. It's because we believe the Word of God...the True God. We believe in Jesus and His Sacrifice for us. To be loving is to *warn people of what is ahead if they don't take the right road*. If we try to tell you about it and you choose not to listen, you have made your choice...but it is our duty to tell you, **because** we love. Some do it self-righteously and are prideful (and even hypocritical sometimes) about it...their methods are wrong. But, no matter what, this Truth is absolute. Most Christians try to share it with you because they love.

 

No matter who you are or what you have been involved in....if you are breathing, there is time to make that turn!

Family Inspiration - 19 July

Married life offers no panacea - if it is going to reach its potential, it will require an all-out investment by both husband and wife.
(What Wives Wish Their Husbands Knew About Women, p.103)

Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot wash it away.  If one were to give all the wealth of his house for love, it would be utterly scorned.
Song of Songs 8:7

Banana Nut Bread Muffins

These muffins smell amazing when they're baking, and taste pretty dang good too.  They are dense like bread, not fluffy like most muffins.  Sorry I didn't get a picture, they were gone before I could snap one.

1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 very ripe large bananas, mashed
1 tbs vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

This recipe makes 12 jumbo size muffins.
Heat oven to 350*.  Spray muffin pan with cooking spray.
Blend together sugar, butter and eggs.  Add dry ingredients, which have been sifted together.  Add mashed bananas, chopped nuts and vanilla.  Pour evenly into muffin pans.
Bake for 20 - 24 minutes.  Start checking at 15 minutes.

Eight is enough!?!?

The Lord has blessed me with 7 siblings.  Yes, that means there are 8 of us.  And from the oldest (me) to the youngest (Taylor) there is a 23 year age difference. 
Now, not all of my siblings are full blood relation.  My brother John is "full blooded", Jennifer, Jordan, Brianna & Caytlin are "half blooded" and Nathan and Taylor are "step siblings".  What does that all mean?  Basically that we all don't come from the same mother, or father for that matter.  Nathan and Taylor joined the family when my Dad married their Mom. 
What is the point to all of this?  Well, that none of what I just said really makes a difference when it comes to how I love or feel about all 7 of them.  I have a different relationship and love for each of them. Full blood, 1/2 blood or otherwise has nothing to do with it.  They are all my brothers and sisters.  I don't love one more than I love the other.  I feel absolutely blessed to have each of them in my life, as they have all impacted my life in different ways. 
Each one of us is completely different from the other, although there may be personality and apperance simularities among us, we are all very different people. That's what makes our family so unique and special.  And that's what makes me so blessed to have seven brothers & sisters.
Now, Lord knows I miss them terribly.  Sometimes I wish life could be all butterflies and rainbows and that we could all live in the same town, raising up our families together.  But that's not reality, so the time I do get with them is very special and I try to make every minute count.  And I hope they all know just how much I love them.

Pulled Pork BBQ

I made some awesome pulled pork this weekend.  Matt's been asking for it for sometime, so Sunday I made him up a batch.  I didn't use a pork shoulder roast, I used what I had on hand, which was 2 huge pork chops and 4 huge country cut pork "ribs" (whick is actually cut from the shoulder)

The night before I sprinkled all the pork with my rub from my kc rib recipe posted in May, and I let it marinate overnight. The next morning I put it all in the crock pot before we left for church.
When it was to the point of falling apart, about 8 hours, I took it out and "pulled" it apart.
I mixed it with a concoction of store bought sauce, my spice rub, maple syrup and coffee.

1 bottle of BBQ sauce
1/4 cup home made maple syrup
1/4 cup strong coffee
2 tablespoons spice rub

Put syrup and coffee in sauce pan, bring to a boil. Let boil about 5 minutes till it reduces.  Add spice rub and sauce.  Mix with pork.  Serve on hamburger buns or sliced bread.  YUMM!!!

Family Inspiration - 14 July

A good marriage must have its foundation in Jesus Christ in order to experience lasting love, peace and joy.

You are ... fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.
Ephesians 2:19

Family Inspiration - 10 July

There are ways to teach a child of his significance regardless of the shape of his nose or the size of his ears or the efficiency of his mind.  This is the concept of universal human worth intended by our Creator.

Not one sparrow ... can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it ... so don't worry! You are more valuable to him than many sparrows.
Matthew 10:29, 30

July 4th Menu

We had a great 4th of July, spent the day at the National Museum of the US Air Force up at Wright-Patterson AFB, them came home and grilled out some yummy eats!!  After a filling dinner we sat on our front lawn and watched our neighbor set off some big daddy fireworks. 

We cooked everything on the grill ....
Lobster Tails, with butter & lemon
BBQ Chicken
Corn on the Cob
Green Salad (not grilled)
Peach & Black Berry Cobbler

Seems like we had something else but I can't remember what it was .... anyway, it was all very yummy. Sorry, I didn't take pictures of our meal this time and I'm not going to post any of the recipes unless requested.