What's for dinner tonight?

Classic Pot Roast

Sharing one of my go-to recipes today. As it simmers away in the crockpot I can't help but thank God for my senses. 

Enjoy!

 Psalm 46:1 

God is our refuge & strength, a very present help in trouble.

Instead of imagining how you might respond to terrible things that "could" happen, draw your mind back to the present and take refuge in His presence.

Participating in the game of what-ifs or could-bes is never productive. 

It hardens the heart and exhausts the soul.

The great deceiver invites us to this game every time we dare to trust FAITH rather than CHEAP fortune. 

To rely on the guidance of God is to disregard self. 

To seek Him is to know He will answer. But you must learn to go to Him first, before others. 

Don't ask all you friends first, don't write to Dear Abby...

Dear reader, if you get a general consensus then try to match it up to what you think God is telling you, you will always be wrong. God doesn't work that way. He will will not play second to anyone and to ask Him to do so will only bring you pain. Have you felt that pain??

Trust begins by making Him first.

Get into the habit of seeking Him first. More on to communicate with Him continually and His thoughts will come into your mind.

Draw near to God, 

and He will draw near to you.--- James 4:8

Confident Peace

Psalm 21:1 

In You, O LORD, I put my trust.

Learn to hide in the secret of His presence. Sarah Young in Jesus Calling brought this phrase to my heart today. Think about it, meditate on it for a minute, let it sink in.....

Learn to hide in the secret of His presence.

 As Christians we have the pleasure ----make that the privilege-- to hide in the arms of our Father. 

Wow! 

I can remember times when my kids would run up to me and hide their face in my lap. They felt safety knowing my arms were around them. Their faces hid in my lap, covering them from what ever was bringing them fear. 

You have that privilege as a Christian. To run to the Father anytime, 

anywhere, 

bury your head in His Holy lap and know He will protect you. You are safe, feel His arms around you and know that:

He is both with you, and
      Within you.

In Him you may have confident peace. That is what I wish for you today, dear reader. That you may have CONFIDENT Peace in Him who loves you more than you know.

Come to His lap, lay down your head, and rest in that Confident Peace.

Homemade Jam

Today was a day to make more homemade jam. We ran out early this year and boy is it good!

Homemade Jam

Yield: 8 jars

Assorted berries (1 ½ quarts strawberries, mashed up, 1 bag frozen raspberries,

 and 1 bag frozen Wyman’s blueberries) which will equal 5-6 cups when mashed

1 box Sure-gel

½ tsp butter

7 cups sugar, measured and ready

1. Mash fresh berries to 5-6 cups; do not mash frozen berries. Put these in a stockpot; mix in the box of Sure-gel, and butter. Heat on high to a rolling boil (this means you stir it and it keeps boiling). Be sure to stir it as the frozen fruit melts so it won’t burn. When it reaches a rolling boil, add the sugar all at once and stir to mix thoroughly. Keep mixing and bring up to a rolling boil again. Cook at a rolling boil for 2 minutes (1 minute if all the berries are fresh). Remove from heat.
2. In the meantime, bring a small pan of water to a boil. Turn off burner and add your lids. Be sure to separate each lid in the water; don’t leave them in a stack. Let these sit while you’re making the jam.
3. Also, wash glass jars and metal rings. Put in a very clean sink submerged in the hottest water you can get.
4. When the jam is done use a glass measuring cup to scoop out the jam. Be careful this is VERY hot! Pour jam into HOT glass jar to within ½ inch of edge, wipe clean the edges, place a hot, dry lid on top with a magnet rod, and then screw on metal ring. Place upside down on towel. After about 5 minutes turn jar right side up you should hear the jars popping (sealing) within a few minutes to an hour.
5. Let the jars rest for 24 hours before storing. Tighten lid more, if necessary and store in a cool, dry place.

What's Ur focus?

Your focus determines your reality.

What are you focused on?

You or God?

Positive or Negative??

Blessings or Problems??

--Mark Batterson

You are responsible for your focus.
There is only one true Focus, one Truth...
Focus on Jesus and you will find life!

You will keep him in perfect peace,
whose mind is set on You,
for he trusts in You.--Isaiah 26:3

Mountains into molehills

Deut. 2:6

You have circled the mountain long enough, now turn North.

I can't tell you how much this verse has meant to me lately. I found it unexpectedly one day- though the Spirit knew right where to direct me....

Found in the depths of Deuteronomy, this verse addresses the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness.

Fearful, self-absorbed, and lost they traveled looking only at there external environment rather than their Internal environment.

The same is true all too often for us.....

We travel around and around the same mountain. Day after day....sometimes it seems like an endless wilderness....



So we need to do one thing...STOP! Look at the mountain - it's much too big for you....

turn North....and give it to the only One who can handle it... the One who loves you more than anything. Give it to God and the mountain will shrink.

How easy it seems yet we take such pride in trying to do it ourselves.... complete the Journey by giving it up. Give up your free will to 'do it yourself' and make your life a whole lot easier....


Make the mountain INTO a mole-hill.

You've circled long enough, look North and the mountain will disappear!


Blessings my sweet sisters....

When less is more

1 John 3:16

Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us:
and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

It's so important to help each other out. I can't stop thinking about how much my Christian sisters have helped me in the past. A hug, a card, a sweet prayer...

When we give to others, we give them a piece of Jesus. And that piece grows for Him. It also grows in us. His ways are not our ways.... we lose a piece of Him yet with that loss He grows in us!

God is so good! Only our omnipotent God could make more of Himself out of less of us. In fact, that's the only way it works. It has to be less and less of us each day so we can receive more and more of Him.

If you are living with guilt or depression, try to remember that's of you. The more you are focused on you and your limits the more you are limited. Do not be a slave to your moods or "feelings" but move over and let Him fill you.

Less is always more with God.

Blessings my sweet sisters,
T