Give Thanks ~ Nov. 13

I am thankful to God for so many 'conveniences' that seem to be necessities in my mind/life--dishwasher, clothes washer/dryer, microwave, coffee maker, ice maker, air conditioning/heating, 'mommy' van, pc, internet, etc.!!!!!!! :-)

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 12

I am thankful to God for other home school mothers who are willing and able to lend their expertise in areas where I am very lacking, such as biology lab! :-)

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 11

I am thankful to God that, "He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord!" (Psalm 113:9)

Valentines Day 2005 ~ taken right before we all sat down to our annual family Valentine dinner!

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 10

I am thankful for BOOKS, glorious books! Whether they are for education or entertainment--they have been a blessing in my life!

The "Martha Side" of Me ~ Snickerdoodles

I love, love, LOVE snickerdoodle cookies. But up until last year mine never turned out quite right--that's when I discovered a recipe from a former co-worker that I'd saved from the early 90's!!! Sidenote: Does the fact that the recipe sat untried for well over a decade give you any idea how 'not' passionate I am about cooking, hmmmmm????

Anyway, just in time for all your holiday baking, I give you "my" favorite (only!) snickerdoodle cookie recipe (pictured in the foreground, other recipe coming soon)!

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Heat oven to 400 F.
Mix 1 1/2 cups sugar, margarine/butter, shortening, and eggs in large bowl.
Stir in flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls.

Mix 3 tablespoons sugar and the cinnamon; roll balls in mixture.
Place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake until set, 8 to 10 minutes.
Immediately remove from cookie sheet.

Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 9

I am thankful to God for the opportunity (and privilege) to home school our daughters!

By God's grace and mercy our oldest is entering her Jr. year of college, and our youngest is a Soph. in high school. I wouldn't trade these days/years for anything! :-)

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 8

I'm thankful to God for our church family!

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 7

I am thankful that God has provided such beauty and intricacy in nature for us to enjoy!! I never tire of seeing leaves change color year after year, or see them drift to the ground where they create a beautiful 'carpet', and the crunch they make under my feet...

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 6

I'm thankful to God for our warm cozy little house!!!

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 5

I'm thankful to God for delicious food and drink!

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 4

I'm thankful to God for the blessing of truly good friends.

The "Martha Side" of Me ~ Breakfast casserole

Yesterday, a friend asked for my breakfast casserole recipe so I thought I'd just post it here and share it with everyone! A former co-worker from YEARS ago made this when it was her turn to provide b-fast for our monthly birthday celebrations in our department--it's been my/our favorite for many years since!!



Breakfast Casserole

½ cup butter or margarine, melted
12 eggs
½ cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 lb. small-curd cottage cheese
3 rounded tsp. dried onion flakes
2 rounded tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 tsp. dried mustard
½ tsp. paprika
2, 8oz. pkgs. shredded Monterey Jack and Colby, or Cheddar cheese
1 lb. breakfast sausage (any variety), browned and drained
2, 4oz. cans sliced mushrooms, drained

Brown the sausage and drain. Melt the butter. In a large bowl, whip the eggs until fluffy. Mixing well after each addition, add the following ingredients one by one; flour, baking powder, salt, cottage cheese, melted butter, one package of the shredded cheese, mustard, and paprika. Mix in the sausage, onions, parsley and mushrooms. (At this stage you may cover the mixture and refrigerate in the bowl overnight to bake the next morning or proceed to the next step below.)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Place mixture in a greased 9 x 13 baking dish. Evenly top with the other package of shredded cheese. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes. Then reduce temperature to 350, and continue baking for 35-40 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and a knife inserted in the middle comes out fairly clean.

Cool and cut into squares to serve.

Serves 8 – 10

Variations:

• I normally half this recipe for my family—follow all directions above, and bake in a 9x9 baking dish.
• I prefer to put all of the cheese in the mixture, rather than half on top.
• I frequently take advantage of the ‘overnight’ directions—helps make Sunday mornings a bit less hectic in our house!

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 3

I'm thankful to God for my family!!!

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 2

I'm thankful to God that I am married to my Best Friend!

Give Thanks ~ Nov. 1

I'm thankful for godly leaders in my church--men and women who "...diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction..." (1 Thess. 5:12)

I strive to, "esteem them very highly in love because of their work [and] Live in peace with one another." (1 Thess. 5:13)

Because they, "admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, [and are] patient with all men." (1 Thess. 5:14)

October 31 - Reformation Day

As the end of October draws near, I'm always reminded of God's grace and mercy to a simple monk by the name of Martin Luther and how God used him in his day--and continues to use his writings in our day--to awaken the Church to its great need for reform.

"Luther became convinced that the Church had lost sight of several of the central truths of Christianity taught in Scripture the most important of which being the doctrine of justification by faith alone. Luther began to teach that salvation is completely a gift of God's grace through Jesus received by faith." Theopedia

Naturally, Luther became deeply concerned at the practice of selling indulgences as a means to salvation. Indulgences are certificates purchased by family (a good friend of ours owns one purchased/used by his ancestors in 19th century Louisiana) that absolve individuals from the penalties of the sins they had confessed. You could purchase one for yourself or for a deceased relative reportedly in purgatory. In Luther's day, a Dominican friar, Johann Tetzel, was charged with the task of traveling around promoting and selling such indulgences to raise money for the renovation of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. He was quite successful at this and known to advertise the indulgences by chanting, "as soon as the coin in the coffer rings, the soul from purgatory springs".

Luther grew more concerned with the church's departure from Scripture as well as the greed and worldiness found within it. On October 31, 1517 Luther reportedly nailed his 95 Theses on the door of Castle Church inviting open debate on the noted concerns. Read Luther's 95 Theses HERE .

And for those interested in his relationship to his wife (a former nun), Katharina von Bora, and his home life, I highly recommend you read THIS BOOK. I am particularly fond of "Kitty" Luther--we sound like kindred spirits,

"There is a lot to get used to in the first year of marriage", Luther discovered. "You wake up in the morning and find a pair of pigtails on the pillow which were not there before." The pigtails belonged to a determined young lady with a mind of her own...she had a strong sense of her own identity and worth which she would need if she was not to feel swamped and overlooked in her husband's forceful presence.

A shrinking violet would not have suited him anyway. His personality needed someone to come up against, someone who would always be herself. He called her 'My lord Katie' or on occasion pronounced her name 'Kette', German for 'chain'.

He said that if he wanted an obedient wife he would have to carve one for himself out of stone."

"...give thanks; for this is God's will for you..."

1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us, "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

This short verse is PACKED with rich theology, but for now it is the simplicity and practicality of the verse I intend to focus on--thankfulness. Join me--and so many others on my blog roll--during the month of November as I seek to obey this command by sharing via my blog the endless riches of His mercy...

Sort of like the Energizer Bunny, I'm still going...

Updated: 10/30/09

...on my NANC exams!

I've listed the Theology exam questions below and noted where I stand on each question--composing, drafted, editing, or completed. There's also a Counseling exam that I've been picking away at, but I have by far made the most progress on the Theology exam.

I appreciate your prayers as I hope to become certified in 2010!


Bibliology
1. The Bible is spoken of as “inspired.” What does this mean? Completed!
2. What is the relationship between infallibility and authority? Completed!
3. What is the Bible’s authority on theological controversies? Completed!
4. Compare and contrast the Bible and its authority to general revelation and its authority. Completed!
5. Many Christians today speak of continuing revelation. Relate this concept to inspiration and sufficiency of the Scripture. Relate this concept to the issue of miracles, prophecy and tongues. Completed!


Theology Proper
1. State briefly the biblical basis for, and formulate the doctrine of, the Trinity. Completed!
2. List and develop five attributes of God and how they relate to the believer’s life and counseling. Completed!
3. State briefly the biblical basis for, and formulate the doctrine of, God’s omniscience. Relate this doctrine to the teaching of “open theism.” Completed!


Anthropology
1. Who and what is man? Completed!
2. What role does anthropology play in counseling theory and practice? Completed!


Christology
1. Why did Christ die? Editing
2. He was “tempted in all things as we are” (Heb. 4:15). Discuss and relate to counseling theory and practice. Editing


Soteriology
1. “Justification by faith alone.” Discuss the meaning of this phrase. Drafted
2. Sanctification is said to be past, present, and future. Discuss, including the idea of “union with Christ.” Drafted
3. Do Christians persevere? What relationship does this have to counseling? Drafted


Pneumatology
1. Who or what is the Holy Spirit? Drafted
2. What role does this Spirit play in the believer’s life and the counseling process? Drafted
3. Does the Holy Spirit guide Christians? If so, what means and methods does He use? Drafted


Ecclesiology
1. What is the church? Drafted
2. What role does the church play in the believer’s life and the counseling process? Drafted
3. What is the biblical teaching on women being ordained as officers of the church? Drafted
4. What authority, if any, does the church have over individuals and the counseling process? Drafted


General Questions
1. Are you involved in a larger group, organization, or denomination, which disagrees with NANC’s Statement of Faith? If so, how do you differ from your larger group? Explain what you are doing to influence your group towards NANC’s position. Completed
2. If received as a NANC member, can you unequivocally sign the membership covenant? Completed

Return of the BLOG!

If you're a regular reader here at my blog--all 3 of you--you'll know that my blogging began to tapper off this past spring as our personal and family commitments shifted into high gear. Not much has changed in that regard--if anything it's just shifted into other areas of life and accelerated! Nevertheless, I've missed blogging. Blogging--writing my own and reading those of others--provides a great way to challenge my thinking and sort out my understanding of so much. I tend to focus primarily on spiritual and theological matters.

So, I thought it was only right to give you fair warning that I'm hoping to return to regular blogging in the coming weeks. Even amidst the busy-ness of life, plenty has been running through my little 'pea brain'--here are a few topics I hope to work through in the blog:

- Presuppositions--we've all got 'em

- My Biblical Presuppositions

- My Counseling Presuppositions

- Redefining God

- Knowledge of God is not the same as Knowing God

- Framework of a Biblical Worldview

Reformed and Pragmatic?

Under 'Religious Views' on my Facebook profile I state,

"Reformed--embraced reformed theology long before it was considered 'cool'. :-) "

I did that because, while I am delighted that more and more young believers have been reading, understanding, and embracing reformed theology, I did not want to be casually lumped in with the recent/current 'trend' among many young church goers in America, the so-called "Young, Restless, and Reformed" (YRR) movement. Why my concern? Well, certainly not because I can't--by any stretch of the imagination--be considered 'young'. Those days are clearly behind me!! But because I historically am very wary--with good reason, I might add--of pragmatism in the church.

In his recent post at Reformation 21, Carl Trueman reminds us,

"the dangerous thing about pragmatism is that it does not necessarily reject the truth; it merely renders it subordinate to the desired end. To be precise, pragmatism evaluates means in terms of impact and results; and the implication of this is that even means that are intrinsically true can still be co-opted by pragmatism simply because they seem to be achieving the desired results at some particular point in time."

I've been a Christian for 28 yrs. now, I've watched trends and fads--pragmatism--within contemporary evangelical Christiandom create an appetite for that which caught the attention in the first place, and subsequently demands a steady diet of the same. Carl Trueman echoes my concern when he shares one of "a number of things which should give some cause for critical reflection on this new interest in Reformed theology",

"that a movement built on megachurches, megaconferences, and megaleaders, does the church a disservice in one very important way that is often missed amid all the pizzazz and excitement: it creates the idea that church life is always going to be big, loud, and exhilarating and thus gives church members and ministerial candidates unrealistic expectations of the normal Christian life. In the real world, many, perhaps most, of us worship and work in churches of 100 people or less; life is not loud and exciting; big things do not happen every Sunday; budgets are incredibly tight and barely provide enough for a pastor's modest salary; each Lord's Day we go through the same routines of worship services, of hearing the gospel proclaimed, of taking the Lord's Supper, of teaching Sunday School; perhaps several times a year we do leaflet drops in the neighbourhood with very few results; at Christmas time we carol sing in the high street and hand out invitations to church and maybe two or three people actually come along as a result; but no matter -- we keep going, giving, and praying as we can; we try to be faithful in the little entrusted to us. It's boring, it's routine, and it's the same, year in, year out. Therefore, in a world where excitement, celebrity, and cultural power are the ideal, it is tempting amidst the circumstances of ordinary church life to forget that this, the routine of the ordinary, the boring, the plodding, is actually the norm for church life and has been so throughout most places for most of the history of the church; that mega-whatevers are the exception, not the rule; and that the church has survived throughout the ages not just - or even primarily - because of the high profile firework displays of the great and the good, but because of the day to day faithfulness of the mundane, anonymous, non-descript people who constitute most of the church, and who do the grunt work and the tedious jobs that need to be done. History does not generally record their names; but the likelihood is that you worship in a church which owes everything, humanly speaking, to such people."

Let us not undermine the solid foundation laid by those before us who were content to labor under/in/with the 'mundane' things of a life marked by genuine faith in Christ alone.

HT: Upward Call