A baby blessing...

We are so excited and happy to welcome 

Jesse Calder 

into our family!!

 He was born on February 22nd... 

"The Spirit of God has made me,
    and the breath of the Almighty gives me life."

Job 33:4

Look at that double chin!! ;-) 

We are so thankful for this little bundle of joy, God is so good!! Mommy and baby are doing wonderful, and Daddy and brothers (not to mention all the Aunts, and Uncles, and Grandparents;)) are loving this new little guy!!

"I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well."

Psalm 139:14

Recipe: Big Daddy Biscuits :)

Big Daddy Biscuits :) 

recipe adapted by ~ JaeRachelle 

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour & 1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar (I don't always use the sugar)

1/3 cup palm shortening (or butter)

1 cup milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead a few times. Pat out dough on a floured surface to about 1 - 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut biscuits with a large biscuit cutter. Repeat until all dough is used. Place biscuits onto an ungreased (the flour on the bottom of the biscuit makes it so that it won’t stick) baking sheet.  Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.  Serves 6. Enjoy :) 

February Photo Challenge - Week Two

February 9th - Inside Your Junk Drawer ~ Well, I usually have a very messy junk drawer (or several for that matter...) but I recently cleaned it out and it hasn't gotten all that messy yet! ;)

  February 10th - A Stranger ~ Some random people on a motorcycle... ;) I kind of like the color of that car too...maybe ;P 

February 11th - Something red ~ It was a red shirt kinda day :-) 

February 12th - A Shadow ~ Walking with my dog...

February 13th - Makes You Laugh ~ So... :D For this day I was already planning to take a picture of this awesome brother of mine, because he always makes me laugh!! But I didn't want to just take of picture of him smiling or something - and then he did what he does all the time and made me laugh by modeling how he thinks I should wear my scarf :P And I happened to have my phone nice and handy :-D hahaha *I have a feeling I might regret putting this picture up someday!*

February 14th - A Heart 

February 15th - Your Handwriting ~ Some quotes and Scripture... 

Run to Him, with child-like faith!

   As I was babysitting two little boys the other day, I was reminded of how amazing child-like faith is, they believe everything you say, and completely trust you, they think you're so smart, and know so much (even if in your mind you're thinking, hmm, this is a harder question than most grown ups ask me!). The little 3 year old was asking me lots of questions... "Who built this house?", me: "oh, I don't know. But it was a strong man!" :) him: "Who made the trees?", me (thinking to myself, yes! This is my opportunity!): "God made the trees", him: "who? God?", me: "yes!", him: "is He strong?", me: "yes, He is!"... I don't think this little boy has ever really heard God's name...I was a little surprised. 
   He didn't question me though, even if he didn't understand who God is. He trusted... And I pray by God's grace that He would plant a little seed in his heart to want to know more about this God who made the trees, and that he would ask his parents, causing them to search also. 
   That's the way we need to be toward God, in complete trust. There are so many things that I don't understand, and I can really over-think them, causing me to ask "why?" questions. But, oh! We do not need to ask "why"! Because in God's Word He has given us every answer we need pertaining to life and godliness! I know in my own life I have sometimes neglected reading God's Word, because I thought I knew a fair enough amount... Now, it's not that I didn't think I could learn more, by no means, but I didn't have the motivation to make time in my busy schedule. 
   Oh friend, don't do this, it will only cause you to become distant from Him. Even if you have to get up extra early, do it!! It's so refreshing, and rejuvenating, and your love for Him will grow so much. You will want to share what you're learning in His Word with everyone, and do it, don't be shy (like me:p)! And the most assuring thing is God is in control, just like that little boy trusted me that God made the trees, so we must trust God to bring us through whatever we are struggling with. 
   Isn't he an amazing creator God?! Really just stop and think about it, trees are super amazing aren't they? There are so many kinds... And God made them! It wasn't by just random chance, it was planned, to bring God glory! I know it can seem like something so simple...but whenever I really stop and think about it, I'm overwhelmed and have to praise God. 

   This is one of my favorite Psalms... 

"The heavens declare the glory of God,
    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
Day to day pours out speech,
    and night to night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech, nor are there words,
    whose voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out through all the earth,
    and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
    and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
    and its circuit to the end of them,
    and there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect,

    reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure,
    making wise the simple;
 the precepts of the Lord are right,
    rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure,
    enlightening the eyes;
 the fear of the Lord is clean,
    enduring forever;
the rules of the Lord are true,
    and righteous altogether.

 More to be desired are they than gold,
    even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey
    and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them is your servant warned;
    in keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors?
    Declare me innocent from hidden faults.

Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
    let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless,
    and innocent of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

    be acceptable in your sight,
    O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."

Psalm 19

~*~*~*~*~

Give thanks...

Blessings on your day...

February Photo Challenge - Week One

 

 

February 1st - You ~ I love my sister...!

 

 

February 2nd - View From Your Window ~ Excuse the blurry picture and just look at the beautiful sky... :)  Another phone picture and driving in the car, again...!

 

 

 February 3rd - Passion ~ We must be a voice for the unborn....everyday thousands of babies are being murdered by abortion. - "Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute.  Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalm 82:3-4

 

 

February 4th - Something You Ate ~ Pancakes... oh, and applesauce ;)

 

 

 February 5th - Words ~ Shine for Him - everyday!!!

 

 

February 6th - Looking Up ~ Some of the ingredients to make a warm and tasty mocha, especially perfect with all this wonderful rain :)

 

 

 February 7th - Friendship ~ These two boys are my buddies, friends and nephews :) I LOVE to hang out with these awesome, little, handsome guys :-D And I CAN HARDLY wait for my third nephew to make his appearance into this world any day now....yippee!!! 

 

 

 February 8th - Hands ~ playing a game...  

 

A walk in the woods - the view through my lens...

 

 

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

 

 

 

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

 

 

 

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

 

 

 

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! 

 

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me! 

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Do you ever feel like you might just burst, because God is so good and you're so happy?!?! That's how I felt while walking this morning and taking pictures of God's amazing creation...! As I was walking the above song was going through my head...so I thought I'd share it :)

poor me...RICH ME!

   At the beginning of last month our church had a mother/daughter retreat and the theme for the retreat was "poor me...RICH ME! - your poverty before God and the wealth He wants to give you...". I was very encouraged by the teaching sessions and I wanted to review them, so I thought writing up a post would be a good opportunity to share my notes/thoughts... To start with I want to share our theme chapter that we memorized... 

"Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised! The Lord is high above all nations, and His glory above the heavens! Who is like the Lord our God, who is seated on high, who looks far down on the heavens and the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people. He gives the barren woman a home, making her the joyous mother of children. Praise the Lord!" Psalm 113 (emphasis mine)

   I just love this Psalm...! It's showing how great and awesome our God, the creator of the universe is! "He looks far down, on the heavens and the earth...", who are we that He wants to bless us, that He would look far down on us? I'm always amazed at God's amazing love and grace!!

   First, we began with a biblical description of being poor, because in the culture we live in where hardly any of us goes a day without three meals, we tend to automatically think of being poor as just having no money and as a very low thing. I know that personally that is the first thing that came to my mind.

   But, being poor also can mean: that we are dependent on another person - we are lacking in ability or training - we have little or nothing - we are lacking a resource or quality- something that is faulty or inferior - or something that is humble or pitiful. Here's a definition from the Bible of being poor: 

"Being empty or needy in any way and unable to fill that need on your own".

   We are very poor in God's eyes, we are sinners, deserving of death. I know that personally I struggle with admitting that I am weak, or struggling. These lessons helped me to see more clearly how much God loves the poor, and how I need to be poor before Him!! James 2:5 - "Listen, my beloved brothers, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him?" God loves the poor! 

   A little child is very poor and is a perfect example of poverty. When they are first born they really can't do anything for themselves, can they? They have to rely completely on their parents, siblings, and others for care and love. They expect us to help them! They trust us with their very lives...because if we didn't feed them, or keep them warm... they would die! They aren't ashamed to admit that they are poor either, all to often we think we are so rich that it's something we think is way to humbling to admit that, "we are failing, and God we need your help"... But before God we should be just like little children!!! 
   God is SO RICH and we are SO POOR... We must come to God empty and with the faith of a little child, asking Him to fill us up. And He's waiting, come to Him as a little child - humble and with complete faith, with your cup in your hand asking Him to give you living water! You'll be blessed...

   One example that stuck out to me in the teaching time was this, God's not going to write you one big check from His "bank of riches", and give it to you for the rest of your life. No! He gives you the riches a dollar at a time, He wants you to be completely dependent on Him for everything and to keep coming back humbly for more! And He will give you just the right amount you need - just at the right time.
  

"Our treasure in Christ is the presence of the

 glory of God dwelling in us by the Holy Spirit." 

   Just think how RICH we are because of HIM! We have eternal life- because of Him!, we have the Bible, God's very words- because of Him!, we have a new heart - because of Him!, we have access to God through prayer - because of Him!, we have His glorious Spirit in us - because of Him!, we have the resources of the Church - because of Him! I don't know about you friends, but that makes me SO excited!! And, so very thankful...

"He makes us rich spiritually - it's His gift to us - so that He will get the glory." 

 Our treasure brings us life rather than condemnation! Our treasure is permanent and lasts forever! Our treasure enables us to behold the glory of God! And our treasure transforms us into the likeness of God's glory...! God HIMSELF is the treasure He has put in us!!! Praise God!

"God uses our poverty in this life to

achieve our wealth in the life to come." 

  The treasures that God has given us then makes us bold to share the gospel in how we live out our lives, and in sharing it with those around us. It allows us to rejoice in affliction, poverty and persecution. May those who just see us on the outside, either in a store, at a park, anywhere - be able to see just by looking at us that "they have something that I don't." And may they turn to God. Be a bright light for Christ, to bring Him glory!! 

   We must become poor just like a little child, if we are to obtain these glorious riches. Our Heavenly Father delights in us, and longs to give us His riches! Trust in Christ for all things... - feast upon the Bible... - ask Him for His blessings in prayer... - immerse yourself in His people... - walk by the Spirit... 

We are rich because of HIM! Praise God... 

Photo Challenge - Week Five

 

YES!!! I was actually able to complete the whole month ;-) Here you all go, the last of January (I still can't believe it's already February though...!). 

 

 

January 26th - I Am A... ~ Child of God

 

 

 January 27th - Looking Up ~ My Labrador... :)

 

 

January 28th - Ice ~ Not sure how much more original I could have gotten than this...not my favorite picture but it will have to do :P

 

 

 January 29th - Evening ~ Driving home. And in the car again... ;)

 

 

January 30th - Soft ~ African Violet leaves are so soft...

 

 

January 31st - Black & White ~ Daffodils brightening my desk!! 

 

Be a voice...!

I'm not sure if any of you have heard of Saeed Abedini, who is in an Iranian prison for sharing the gospel, and has been there for over a year, in one of the most horrible prisons. Anyway, here is an opportunity to help by signing a petition, as there is some hope that they will release him. Go here www.beheardproject.com - and click on Saeed Abedini. Pray that they would release him...according to God's will. 

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." Hebrews 4:16