Homemade Granola

 Serve with greek yogurt & fresh fruit for a delicious breakfast!

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats

1/4 cup flax seed

1/8 cup wheat germ (optional)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

In a large bowl, toss the oats, flax seed and wheat germ with the cinnamon and salt.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk until completely combined.

Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture and use your hands to combine them: Gather up some of the mixture in each hand and make a fist. Repeat until all of the oats are coated with the honey mixture.

Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Spread it out evenly, but leave a few clumps here and there for texture.

Bake for 15 minutes, then toss around the sheet, bake for an additional 5 minutes. Cool and enjoy!

In Gods' Sight

Psalm 139 is packed with confirmation after confirmation of how God thinks of us. Dwell on what God says.

• He made you - “You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it”
• He thinks about you- “How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!”
• He knows you- “I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you. To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.”
• He protects you- “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.”
• He pursues you – “I can never escape from your Spirit! I can never get away from your presence!”
• He guides you – “If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave,  you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me”
• He leads you- “You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head.”
• He will never leave you- “And when I wake up, you are still with me!”
• He loves you-“You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

The question we have to ask ourselves is “do we really believe it?” Knowing it intellectually and knowing it in our souls are two different things. Our job is to allow our head knowledge to become heart knowledge. Think how differently you would live if you really believed what God is saying here.

You may want to add your own things to this list. Above all be thankful for Gods’ mercy and love that allows us to live differently

Nutella Cookies

1 Peter 4:9

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.

 

 

Have you ever has someone call you and ask if they could stop by for a cup of coffee in 30 minutes? Or how about this; your husband arranges for friends to come over and forgets to tell you until the morning of?

 

I love to have people in our home, I enjoy the fellowship and encouragement it always brings even if I am not necessarily in the mood at the time. I love that my kids get to hear the wisdom of others, they are also learning how important it is to share our lives with those God puts in our path. But lets face it, sometimes we feel so unprepared!

 

I have come to realize over the years that having people over for fellowship does not always mean providing a three course meal served on china and linen, although that is fun sometimes. Most of the time people just want to visit, fellowship, hang out, whatever you want to call it! So, next time you find out you are having company at short notice whip up a batch of these easy, fast (seriously, they take five minutes to mix up) and delicious cookies, turn on the coffee pot, relax, and enjoy the people you've are blessed to know.

 

1C Nutella

1Egg

1/2C sugar

1/4 C butter

1C flour

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Roll out dough into 1" balls. Place on a cookie sheet and flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass. Bake for 7-9 minutes. Makes 24 cookies



Becoming Thankful



"Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (1Thessalonians 5;18) Are you thankful today? Take a minute and think about it! Being thankful is often one of the easiest things to be, that is when life is good, and the roses are smelling sweet. But what about when life is tough and the roses in our lives are rotting?

Thankfulness is something we should strive for every day, but it's often the hardest thing to do. Being thankful isn't a trait we are born with, in fact it's the exact opposite really.  As parents, one of the main things we try to teach our kids when they are young is to say "please" and "thank you". Isn't it funny how in times of desperation we can easily say "PLEASE GOD!!", but often fail to thank Him! Thankfulness is something that does not come naturally, but it's something that as believers we are commanded to do in scripture, not just once or twice but over and over again! Being thankful is not a feeling or an emotion it is a choice, a decision we can make. It pleases God's heart, and is refreshing to those who surround us on a daily basis. As we learn to be more thankful, the easier it is to see the things we truly are blessed with.

We may find ourselves thinking that the only thing we can verbally thank God for is the fact that we are still breathing. Some may not even be thankful for that. However, if we have chosen to trust God, we can not only trust Him when it's easy.

If you are having a hard time being thankful today, let me help you out! Take a look at these and turn your heart heavenward.

• Thank you Lord, for the sacrifice of your Son on the cross for me
• Thank you Lord, that no matter what, you are God and you are in control
• Thank you Lord, that you are my rock, I can rest in your protection
• Thank you Lord, that you love me more than anyone on this earth could possibly love me
• Thank you Lord, that when all others walk away YOU are there and will never leave me
• Thank you Lord, that you have felt and experienced every emotion I could ever feel. You understand
• Thank you Lord, that just because I 'feel' abandoned I don't have to believe a lie
• Thank you Lord, for my family
• Thank you Lord, that I do not have to fear the future
• Thank you Lord, that even though you don't give me everything I want, you give me what I need
• Thank you Lord, for not giving me what I deserve

Now, if you can't something in that list that you can be thankful for, you need to get on your knees! Let us be thankful today!

Do Not Be Troubled!

John 14v27 - "I am leaving you with a gift--peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don't be troubled or afraid. (NLT)

Worry and fear! Two words we hear alot these days. Worry about how the bills will be paid, fear for our children being drawn into a world that offers countless temptations, influences that threaten to pull their hearts away from how we have taught them to live. Worry about our national security and what the future holds for our great country. So many issues that could plague our minds and cause our hearts to be restless.

It is to be expected that the upcoming election has become a source of worry and concern for all of us. As a mom, my chief concern is for my children and the future that is ahead for them. National debt, national security, social issues, and declining moral standards are talked about non-stop in the papers, online, and on the news. We are bombarded by images of death, disaster, disease and destruction, so much so that unfortunately we often become somewhat numb to what we see and hear.

As the election draws near and so many of these issues and concerns are in the forefront of our minds I have found myself worried, fretting, wondering what will happen if we continue down the road we are on as a nation. I am honored and blessed this year to be able to vote for the first time! The thought of pulling up to my polling station on Tuesday and making my small voice heard makes me excited and proud. However, I have asked myself the question, "what if things don't change?", "what if my vote isn't enough?" Hmmm, what then?

The truth is this. God is in control! Call it cliche, but He is and there is no better way to say it. Nothing slips by his sight. No man is elected without His permission. God's plan was established before the foundations of the earth and nothing will change it. He is the Alpha and the Omega, beginning and end. He will have the last say.

So my friends, do not fret! As the scripture says, we have been left with a gift; peace of mind and heart. We are not to be afraid, but bold. We are not to be troubled, but courageous! We are not to shrink back but we are to pray, trusting the One who made us and loves us.

Courageous Woman - Not 'what' you are but 'who' you are

As women, our identities are so often caught up in whatever life situation we find ourselves in. We tend to think in terms of “what are we?” and not “who are we?” Whether it’s being mom, wife, our job, position at church, our past, these things so often dictate what we think our life is to be.  However, before we held any of these titles, we were women. We were created by God, to do His will and for His pleasure.  The question we need to ask ourselves is not WHAT are we, but WHO are we?

In todays media culture women are often portrayed as objects, some good looking guys latest conquest. However, Gods word says we are individuals, carefully made and put together by His own hands. Women are seen as abused and victimized, God says we are precious and  cared for. Many times we are 'not heard' but God says we are known and loved. 

Whatever you are called to do at this point in  your life, whether it be wife, mom, career woman, business woman or all of the above do it to the best of your abilities. That being said you cannot hide behind the positions that you hold. You have a calling beyond the duties of life.

Do not settle for what the world offers or says is best for you as woman.  Believe the things God says about you in His word.

Wanted......

JOB DESCRIPTION :

Long term, team players needed, for challenging,
permanent work in an
often chaotic environment.
Candidates must possess excellent communication
and organizational skills and be willing to work
variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends
and frequent 24 hour shifts on call.
Some overnight travel required, including trips to
primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities!
Travel expenses not reimbursed.
Extensive courier duties also required.

RESPONSIBILITIES :

The rest of your life.
Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily,
until someone needs $5.
Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly.
Also, must possess the physical stamina of a
pack mule
and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat
in case, this time, the screams from
the backyard are not someone just crying wolf.
Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges,
such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets
and stuck zippers.
Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and
coordinate production of multiple homework projects.
Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings
for clients of all ages and mental outlooks.
Must be a willing to be indispensable one minute,
an embarrassment to others next.
Must handle assembly and product safety testing of a
half million cheap, plastic toys, and battery operated devices.
Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst.
Must assume final, complete accountability for
the quality of the end product.
Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and
janitorial work throughout the facility.

POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION :

None.
Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills,
so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE :

None required unfortunately.
On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis..

WAGES AND COMPENSATION :

Get this! You pay them!
Offering frequent raises and bonuses.
A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because
of the assumption that college will help them
become financially independent.
When you die, you give them whatever is left.
The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that
you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS :

While no health or dental insurance, no pension,
no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and
no stock options are offered;
this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love,
and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right.

Don't know about you but I wouldn't want it any other way!!