Something stinks in here!

The more I get in God’s word the more “Amen!”’s erupt from my mouth, the more grateful I become of his mercy and nature, and the more I find myself singing songs of praise in my heart.  I find myself in a very peaceful place.  As I am on this journey God is showing me the pride that coursed through my veins, he is transfusing me with new life.  ‘His agenda and not my own’ are no longer words said in vain, but with real meaning and desire.  I am finding that in obedience to God’s word, there is humility.  And that is exactly what he desires of us.  In our humble state, he can be glorified.  When we are humble, he can be lifted up.

This morning as I stood getting ready for work a few thoughts popped into my mind. I smiled and said to the Lord, let me find a pen and paper so that I can write them down and share them later if you want me to.  I opened up the bathroom drawer and there was a pen {not too completely surprising if you saw my bathroom drawer…it is a catch all} but I was very happy.  Then I looked around me, I had nothing to write on.  A slip of paper on the dryer caught my eye.  Perfect!  I wrote down three things.

Once upon a time about 15 years ago I remember a woman in our church in Machias, Washington, who was a seasoned smoker, quit smoking.  She only had a few days of no smoking under her belt, but she exclaimed to my mother (who greats everyone in the foyer) that she had just been around a smoker and they smelled awful!  She asked my mom, “Did I stink like that too?!?”  I don’t remember what my mom answered, but it was probably very polite and encouraging, because that is just the way she is.  Sadly this woman, not more then a few days after that, picked up her old habit again and went back on the chain.

God is working hard in my heart.  He is working tirelessly on me.  I don’t want to squander his good work.  It is very irritating when the little boys get dirty right after I give them a bath.  It is most days inevitable.  I want to, as a child of God, try and keep myself clean.  I want to make my heavenly father proud.  Oh Lord, let me know when I am getting stinky...I want to be sensitive to your Spirit.

I am finishing up reading in 1^st Corinthians and a verse froze my eyeballs.  I read it again.  And again.  And I got out my highlighter and I underlined it and I highlighted it.  Corinthians is Paul writing to the church at Corinth.  They were zealous for signs of the Spirit and the supernatural occurrence.  A lot like us today we go in the ditch, instead of living life in balance.  Paul says to them in Chapter 14 verse 12: So with  yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.   He was correcting them for puffing up themselves and putting on a ‘holy roller’ showcase.  Paul tells them (14:33) God is not a God of confusion but of peace.

Here is the frosty that froze my eye balls and caught my attention 1^st Corinthians 15:1-2:

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you- unless you believed in vain. {Spirit Checker!}

Ronda’s paraphrase…I (Paul) preached the gospel to you, you received it (in all appearance), you stand in it (so you say), and by it you are being saved (that would be the natural progression), if you hold fast to the word preached (what needs to be done)…unless you believed in vain (unless you are a big faker).

I think I am understanding it right.

This is not a game for show.  God sees your heart, you aren’t fooling God.  You may be fooling a lot of other people.  And you may even be fooling yourself.

Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. Galatians 6:7

And he said to them (Jesus), “You are those who justify yourselves before men, gut God knows your hearts.  For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15

Ok, Gods word can bring a BIG paddle.  But I would rather be paddled by the word of God then puffed up with pride from the things of this world.  The king of this world {satan} wants you to be either numb to God and overly concerned with self, against God, or fast asleep.  Since satan himself was afflicted by pride and it was his downfall…it worked for him…it works for us.

God is God, we are man, his creation.  God loves the humble.  God loves the cheerful.  God loves those that love him, and love others.  I am but a vapor, a mist…so short is my time here on this earth, yet the manner in which I live my life, in truth or lie, will determine eternity.  And there is nothing hidden that won’t be brought to light. There is no time like the present to open up your heart to God and saying, ‘Renovate me.  Recreate me. Transfuse me. Use me. Whatever it takes, may you be glorified.’

Jesus, your name is precious.  I pray that you will let me never forget the stench of my prideful ways.  I pray that you will give me spirit checks if I am doing something I shouldn’t, saying something I shouldn’t, hearing something I shouldn’t, seeing something I shouldn’t.  I pray that you will give me foresight to RUN from evil.  I pray that you will expose evil to me for what it is so that I can flee from it..  If it is a song, if it is a TV show, if it is Facebook, if it is something that is taking me away from you, if it is an idol, make it detestable to me.  Thank you for convicting me daily.  Thank you for drawing me near.  I pray for anyone whose eyes read these words that it will minister to their hearts.  I pray that this weekend you will help me to be a good example of humility and love.  You are so gracious and I am so grateful. Amen.

I want to thank those of you who answered the question the other day about if you pray before you eat.  I want to especially thank Marie.  She wrote:

I thank Him for the food while I’m preparing it.

I thank Him for the lettuce as I chop it,

The animal that gave it’s life to sustain me,

The people I’m preparing it for,

The fuel to cook it,

The well water to wash it,

The pots and utensils to cook and serve it, spices, etc…

When I sit down to eat something that’s been prepared for me

I thank Him for that person and each item as I eat it.  It’s usually not out loud, unless requested,  but blossoms into praying without ceasing…

We have SO much to be thankful for!

Amen Marie, Amen!

Today was busy, but it was blessed.  I made a new friend and she blessed my day.  I love my job.

Here is the recipe for the tartlets and the quiche I posted yesterday.  Then it is off to the grocery store for me.  I love going grocery shopping…but tonight I am taking the little boys, which is usually a crazy deal.  So pray for me ok?  I really appreciate it!

Heat oven to 425 F.

Lightly grease 2 mini muffin tins (24 total tarts or quiche)

I used Hodgeson Mill whole Grain Insta-Bake Baking Mix.  I put 2 cup of mix in a bowl and mixed with about ½ cup almond milk.  You can use regular milk if you want.  1 tablespoon butter cut pea size mixed into dough. If your dough is too sticky add mix until the dough is only slightly sticky.  If your dough is too dry, add more milk; easy peasy!

Pinch off about a tablespoons worth of dough and use a floured rolling pin on a floured surface to roll out. Place each rolled dough into your muffin tins. Do this until all your tins are full.

If you are baking the tartlets you will want to bake shells for approximately 8-10 minutes.  They should be lightly browned and crunchy.  Cool on a baking rack and fill with preserves.  I used peach.  YUM!!!

If you are baking quiche you will need:

2 eggs

¼ cup heavy whipping cream

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon steak seasoning

¼ cup cheese

Whisk all ingredients together and use a tablespoon to spoon mixture into UNCOOKED tartlet shells.  Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes.  Edges should be brown, egg should puff up but not jiggle.

Serve warm.

xoxo

Ronda

Tea, Tartlets, and Truth

These little beauties were gone in 2.5 seconds.  I was VERY happy with how they turned out and so was Sam and the little boys who devoured the batch in record time.  I just might have to write a little email to the folks over at Hodgson Mill and tell them that I used their baking mix to make some awesomeness…I think they would appreciate that.

I love making little tartlets filled with yummy preserves and tasty flavor combinations.  But you know what I like even more?  Eating them!

Tartlets with custard and fresh fruit are amazing, chocolate with peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly, mini key lime tartlets.  Oooooohh the possibilities; I love tartlets!  They are perfect with tea and they are pretty to look at.  They are pretty fabulous.  These were Peach Preserves Tartlets.  Kael kept trying to sneak his little hand in to grab one while I was taking pictures.

See his little finger there.  Love that kid!

I also used the dough to make mini quiche.  These babies are a breakfast treat, let me tell you what!  So you get two sweet treats with one batch of dough.  I think that is a sa-weet deal.  They were really fun to eat side by side.  The savory in the quiche next to the sweet in the peach was perfect.

Last night Pastor Bryan (our youth pastor) rocked out a sermon in the main service.  God brought it, Bryan rocked it, and anyone listening was blessed by it.  There was some that did not listen.  There were some that were being distracting (a lot of teen volunteers at the church right now and a few of them were in need of a tap on the shoulder)…but if you had ears to hear, you heard.  I was bummed that not everyone heard.  But, like Pastor Bryan said last night, God’s mercy is new every morning.  Yes, yes it is.  And how sweet is that!

Bryan taught out of Romans chapter 12:1-2. BAM! This is one of the chapters that God has been ministering to me out of!  Very cool.  I like how Romans Chapter 12 closely parallels 1^st Corinthians Chapter 12, which is where I am studying right now.  God is awesome like that.

Grab your Bible and read Romans chapter 12 and then read 1^st Corinthians chapter 12.

As you get to the end of 1^st Corinthians chapter 12…you did just read it didn’t you?  Oh, I hope you did because this next part won’t have the same "jazz hands" moment if you didn’t…At the end of 1^st Corinthians chapter 12 Paul talks about how each has their own gift and then he says something that brought delight to my soul.  It is a journey that God has been bringing me through for several years.

Are all apostles?  Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?  Do all possess gifts of healing?  Do all speak with tongues?  Do all interpret?  But earnestly desire the higher gifts.

And I will show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude.  It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.  Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. {Zing, speaks straight to my heart and zaps me with conviction}

Love never ends.  As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away.  When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.  When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.  So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

1^st Corinthians 12: 29-31 and 13: 1-13

God’s word is so impressive.  Even if you are not a believer you can nod your head in agreement because this is GOOD stuff!  This scripture speaks to the truth that is written within the blueprints of our spirit.  We know when we read it that it is good!  Yet daily I fail.  Daily I fall short.  Daily I mess it all up.

I am so grateful for the truth that his mercy for me is new every morning.

This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD.  Lamentations 3:21-26

Oh, doesn't that just warm your heart!  Mine is all nice and toasty.  I do have two toddlers squirming on my lap right now who smell like they need a bath.  I will post the tartlet and quiche recipes later when they are down for bed.  Gotta go be a mom.

Quick little prayer first?  Yep, I need it too.

Oh Father, my heart is set out for you.  It is yours and yours alone.  I won't share it with this world.  I won't dress it in darkness.  I will sing of your faithfulness.  Thank you so much for my friends and family who take time to read this.  I pray that you use this little blog to your glory.  I pray that you be with our family tonight as we go through the routines of getting little boys ready for bed.  That we will cherish these few quick hours we have with them.  I pray that you will help Sam and I to be good stewards over these two tots that you have blessed us with.  Help us to raise them in a way that glorifies you and makes you happy with us.  Let us love one another, let us love others, and let us not hold anyone down and set anyone aside.  Let us sing with those who sing, and dance with those who dance, and embrace those who just need a little hug to lift their spirits.  Help us be sensitive and more and more like your son with every passing second of every passing minute, of every passing hour, of every passing day.

We love you!

xoxo,

Ronda