Improve Your Serve

Nope, this isn't about tennis, or even volleyball. Rather it's about your Christian walk. Our church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, has begun a series of studies on how to improve our service in our walk with God. Last week we had two messages, one of which was the beginning of this series. In this sermon Pastor Schroeder taught from Mark 10: 35-45 where the "sons of thunder" requested a seat at the right and left of Jesus in Heaven. Jesus shares with them that he has come to serve, not be served, and that they likewise will be required to serve. (Not to mention, that the seats they requested are not his to give.)

This week's message though really really hit home. It was entitled: "Improving Your Serve - It's About Time."
This sermon was based on Psalm 90: 1-4.

1 Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.2 Before the mountains were born Or You gave birth to the earth and the world, Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.3 You turn man back into dust And say, Return, O children of men.4 For a thousand years in Your sight Are like yesterday when it passes by, Or as a watch in the night.

Today Pastor Schroeder spoke about how our time is focused, about the proper order of our service, and about how we spend our "free" time. It was a very very encouraging message and had me thinking over how my time is spent, not only my free time, but how my time in service is spent. His point was that if we get things out of order, no matter how good our intentions, our service will not be as effectual since we aren't first serving where we are called to serve. It was an excellent sermon, and one which I am sure will cause me to continue to reflect throughout the week.

(Sunday school has also been eye opening, and we've only just reached the third chapter in Genesis... after many weeks.)

Our family is thankful for the blessings we are receiving as the Lord teaches us.

Blessings,
Kim

God's Benediction Tree

It's been 10 days since I last exercised. In the past this would not have been a surprising statement. The surprise would have been if I had said I had exercised once in the past ten months. 

Things change. I've changed. God is changing me. Molding me. Doing with me more of what He wants and hopefully making my wants to be conformed to His plans. 

Anyway, I had noted the following things during the first weeks/months of my exercise journey. 

1. I like to exercise. Who knew?
2. I have flat feet and shin splints. I DID know this, just hoped maybe it had changed. HA! NOT!
3. I can walk far and fast. I can jog a LITTLE and slow. I can't do TOO much or it hurts. Pain keeps me from exercising. BE WISE.
4. I LOVE biking. 
5. My iPhone plays music. and sermons. and podcasts. and MUSIC!
6. Steven Curtis Chapman has GREAT music by which to exercise. 
7. I gained 7 lb. when exercising and eating less and eating right. 
8. I lost 3 lbs. this past 10 days when eating more, not as healthy and NOT exercising. 
9. I still want to exercise. 
10. I felt better today, so I walked. 

I'm a rules sort of girl. I want the rule. I want to follow the rule. If the rule is supposed to work and I follow the rule then there should be no problems. But... people aren't made from cookie cutters. We're each unique. 

So, I'm learning. SLOWLY!

If I've been sick and have had a swollen ankle I can't expect to start right where I left off. NO BODY WILL SEND THE EXERCISE POLICE IF I WALK INSTEAD OF BIKE!. Yes, I'm yelling in all caps. God has to really shake me and holler in my ear to get me to hear sometimes. 

So, I walked. And listened to an awesome sermon. I still had some distance left when the sermon ended so I decided to end the worship time with some praise. All along I had been enjoying the sun, a babbling brook, mockingbirds flitting back and forth and dappled light through trees. So, my latest favorite praise song, "10,000 Reasons" seemed the obvious choice. 

Here are just a few of the words, can't put them all since it's copyrighted, but, you'll get the idea...

"Bless the Lord,  O my soul, O my soul, Worship His holy name.... "

[a few more lines then...]

"The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning,

it's time to sing your song again

Whatever may pass and whatever lies before me

Let me be singing when the evening comes. "

(Matt Redman)

So, as I contemplated the past year and what's happened in my life, and all the blessings God has been pouring down upon our family I just lifted my face and started to praise Him as I walked on the trail. 

At that very moment I saw this gorgeous tree and all these golden leaves just started raining down towards me, and on me and around me, with the light streaming and the music playing and it felt as if God himself was laying His hand upon me and giving me His benediction. 

ben·e·dic·tion/ˌbeniˈdikSHən/

Noun:

The utterance or bestowing of a blessing, esp. at the end of a religious service.

And so I have begun to exercise again, praising God and receiving His blessing, as it were. More importantly I am seeing God at work in my life, day and night, in the good and the bad times, He is always there, leading, guiding, sustaining. And my prayer is that I'll still be singing when the evening comes. 

Shalom, 

Kim

Kim's Stuffed Peppers

So, it's like this. I say.... hmmm, I'm sick, I'm hungry, I've got thawed beef and some peppers. What should I make? I ponder options and immediately discard the idea of stuffed peppers. They sound nasty... mushy peppers, who wants them? Keep pondering and come back to the idea. Dried out peppers, who wants them? Keep pondering. 20 minutes of searching online for a recipe. ANY recipe. OKAY already, I'll make stuffed peppers. 

So, back to the online search, because stuffed peppers? I've NEVER. HAD. THEM! Nope. Not once. Nobody in my family  made them as far as I can recall. But, having never had them I still have opinions. Oh yes, I ALWAYS have opinions. And, none of these recipes is "just right" so I combine, tweak, reconfigure, and yes... I have  recipe. And oh my, IT IS GOOD! Yes? YES!

So, here it is. 

• 4 peppers... whatever color you want. I like LOTS of colors. WE used red, orange and yellow. (That's what we had.), tops sliced off, seeds and ribs removed
• 1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
• 3 green onions, chopped, cooked with beef (Note to self... use 1/2 of a sweet onion next time)
• 1.5 - 2 c. cooked rice
• celery salt to taste, maybe 1/2 tsp.
• 1/2 c. tomato sauce
• 1/3 c. ketchup (note to self... use all ketchup in future)
• 1.5 c. shredded jack cheese, divided

1. bring salted water to a boil
2. cook peppers for 4 minutes... NOT till mushy, colors will be very pretty
3. remove from water, turn upside down on a plate and let drain
4. meanwhile, brown beef, when close to done add diced onion, cook till onion is opaque and meat is no longer pink
5. cook rice
6. mix meat, rice, ketchup, celery salt and one c. jack cheese
7. stuff peppers (at this point you can cover and put in fridge if not cooking right away, or you can wrap and freeze for use in the future)
8. cook in covered dish at 350 for 30 minutes
9. take out, add cheese to top, pop in for 5 more minutes
10. serve. YUM

Somehow this is becoming a foodie blog. Guess that's fine. It's my blog and I can write what I want to. HA! 

Enjoy, and if you have  better ideas, please let me know. 

Shalom, 

Kim

Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

So, sans photos... sorry, but I'm sick and I just didn't think of this till now.

Took an old recipe and tweaked it to fit the ingredients on hand. YUM!

Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

1 2-4 pound butternut squash, peeled and cubed (reserve the seeds for roasting)
1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced
olive oil
stock... veggie is best, chicken works (4-6 cups... just to barely cover the veggies)
ginger.. 1-1.5 inches, peeled and minced
orange juice--1/2 cup maybe
zest of 1/2 - 1 orange

sour cream
Tabasco sauce

1. Prep veggies, and everything will turn orange!
2. saute onions for 3 minutes, add carrots for two more minutes
3. put in veggies, including ginger
4. add stock to barely cover veggies, and orange juice
5. bring to boil
6. turn down to simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes or until fork tender
7. add in ze3st
8. use stick blender to puree'
9. serve with dollop of sour cream and as much Tabasco as you'd like

You can make this with pumpkin as well.

We have the pumpkin version every Thanksgiving thanks to my SIL, Meg. I couldn't find the original version, so used a combo of recipes from online and used ingredients on hand. Serve with a crusty bread, and some apple sauce to cool the "heat" of the ginger.

Enjoy!