Peanut Butter Giveaway

I stumbled upon these pictures and had a good laugh.  That's me in the boots and little Paul...who is now 6'4.  There's mom in the background.

The neighbor girl and me, rockin' big wigs.  Oh yea!

Sam and Ceth, ruling the road Big Wheel style.  Doesn't that look like Kael and Caleb?  I sure think so.

Sam and his dad.  Wow, makes me realize how much Ceth, Sam's brother, looks like Garth.

I take oodles of pictures of our boys.  They are pretty used to me with a camera and rarely give me much reaction.  Caleb is the one out of my two that will ham it up on occasion.  I like hammy.  Kael is a little more serious and often looks past me or gives me a look that would say, ‘not again mom.’


Here is Kael filling Daddy's shoes...

Well trying to at least...Sam wears a size 14 shoe so Kael has a little bit of room to grow.

Here are the boys with one of our many new friends Mr. Hopper.  These mammoth grasshoppers are everywhere!

I made the most amazing dinner tonight for myself because Sam was eating at the church with some of our new volunteer friends.  We love our volunteers and there are a few young adult volunteers that we have grown especially fond of.  Sad that they will be leaving on Wednesday, but hopeful they will come back to visit again.  I am sure they will.

I will share with you about my amazing dinner tomorrow night because I devoured it.  It had no hope of getting its picture taken.  I was too hungry, and it was too delicious smelling, and then it was delicious tasting…I sat there thinking, “I could eat this everyday for every meal.”  It is healthy and it is tasty!

I know…you are in such suspense right now.  Going to have to keep you there for 24 hours, until I can make more; I don’t want to ruin the surprise.

I did want to share with you about my favorite peanut butter.  You may be thinking, ‘seriously Ronda, peanut butter…that’s the best you could come up with?’  Wrong.  It is because I love you, and this peanut butter that I am sharing it with you today.  It is chocked full of good stuff.  And it has a wonderful sweet taste and texture.  When I found it I had to share it and I sent my folks some in Washington.  And guess what, they love it too.

Here is what I love about "Naturally More":

1.       It is full of ‘GOOD FOR YOU’ ingredients and is all natural

2.       It is de-lish-ous!

3.       It only costs $2.88 at Walmart (and yes they carry it in Washington Walmart’s too)

4.       It has OMEGA-3 Fatty Acids (good for your brain)

5.       It does not contain hydrogenated oils, no trans fats, and contains no cholesterol.

I do not get any incentive for suggesting this delicious peanut butter to you, just the foreknowledge that you might buy and enjoy it as much as we do is enough incentive.  It's ingredients are: Dry roasted peanuts, flax seed, wheat germ, sugar, honey, egg white.

Leave me a comment either on facebook or the blog as to your favorite thing to eat that involves peanut butter and I will randomly pick someone to send a jar to.

My favorite…oh man, so many!  So hard to pick…um, a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich, that would be tops for me.  But that also equals a ridiculous quantity of calories so I only eat this when I am pregnant, or breast feeding.  That way I can justify the splurge.

I have wanted to make my friend Manuel’s European Sweet Bread, but have been unable to locate all the ingredients.  Who knew Anise would be such a hard item to find!  I have looked at two stores with no luck.  Joplin doesn’t have many more stores.  I will keep my eye out and as soon as I find some I am making a batch.  I have heard it is amazing!

You may have also noticed that I have a new look for the ole blog.  Hope you like it.  I sure do!

Lifting you up in prayer! Don't forget to comment about your favorite thing to eat peanut butter with/on.  Hopefully there will be more than two of you who do...or else I will have to flip a coin.  That could be fun too I guess.

Xoxo

Ronda

Monkey Brains

When I was in junior high our youth pastors were Chris and Tammy Immer.  I cherish my memories with them and I can remember spending lazy summer days with Tammy at their house 'down by the river' (SNL skit, made me laugh); a group of us girls would watch movies, "chick flicks", and we would play Wheel of Fortune on Super NES, and we would devour Monkey Brains.

Them were the days.

I think I need to start making this a little tradition for some of my youth gals out here.  I love having tea parties, and hang outs, and bread bakin' days.  Sam and I have our eye on a house and we will see if it comes to be.  If it does, Monkey Brain devouring memories are going to be made there.

And if it doesn't, that's ok, you can eat Monkey Brains anywhere.  And they are delicious.  I am sure that you have heard of this referred to as "Monkey Bread," but Monkey Brains is so much more fun to say!  Especially when you bake them in cupcake tins so that they are smaller and perfect for individual desserts.

I jazzed mine up a bit and added apples to the sauce and also threw in some mixed nuts and dried fruit.  So this is Monkey Brains, grownup style.

Ooooey gooooey cinnamon Monkey Brain goodness!  This is a delicious treat  See that pecan right there? I want to eat it right out of the picture.  Mmmm, pecans smothered in cinnamon caramel sauce.

Maybe you should make some, and invite some friends over to enjoy it with you.  Monkey Brains = Awesome Memories

Monkey Brains for 6

1, 12-16 ounce can of biscuits

1/4 cup mixed nuts and dried fruit, coarse chop

1/2 cup of white sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar packed

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 granny smith apple, washed, pealed, cored and cut into nickle size chunks

Preheat oven to 400.

Cut biscuits into chunks and throw them in a bag with your cinnamon and sugar and shake to cover.  Drop into greased muffin/cupcake tin and sprinkle with chopped nut mixture.

In a saucepan heat your butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and apple.  Heat to boiling and cook for 1 minute.

Pour over each cup.  I Like to make a little extra sauce to hold back and drizzle over the top after they are on the plate.  It is delicious.

Turn oven temp down to 350 and bake for 20 minutes.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes, they will be very HOT. Spoon onto a plate, should hold together nicely.  You can serve it just like it is, with ice cream, with sauce; be creative, and have FUN.  This is fun to make with kids too if they can work a pair of scissors...mine are not ready for scissors.

xoxo

Ronda

Once upon a time...

Meet John.  John is my great, great, grandfather.  And you know what?  I had ties to Missouri that I never knew I had.  How quickly we become removed.

In 1881, 100 years before I was born, my Great-great grand pappy John headed west in a covered wagon to Tumwater, Washington, from Springfield, Missouri.

When I contemplate this picture of a man that I have never met, never known, never heard stories of, my own flesh and blood (not even THAT far removed!) that I begin to realize my own existence is so temporal.

At least I have a picture and can know what he looks like.  Think about his great-great grandfather…Did my great-great grandfather know his great-great grandfather?  Did he know his name or anything about him?  He definitely didn’t have a picture of him.

This is my great-great grandmother Suzan.  Her and my GGGP John had 4 kids when they left Missouri, and 6 more in Washington.  My dad says, “so we know that they got along. ;-)”

I bet she made delicious home cooked food.  Sad that they didn’t smile in pictures…makes you wonder if they were fun people.

All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass.  The grass withers, and its flower falls away, but the word of the LORD endures forever. 1^st Peter 1:19

I remember the first time I read that…I fell in love with this scripture and it was tattooed to the walls of my heart.

xoxo


Ronda

All charged up!

I got GREAT NEWS yesterday, my camera battery charger (replacement) came in the mail and I was very glad to have my camera back.  Welcome back camera.

I took it to church with me and snapped some shots of our youth praise team. See how excited Bryan is that I got my camera back!!!  Actually this was his 'seriously Ronda?!' look.  I get that look often. We like to have fun and we spend a lot of time with one another, so we can get goofy at times.

There is my honey!  Dressed up in my favorite color green thanks to Colby's rockin lights.

My lovely Keesha on the keys.  Always so pretty.

I think it is fun to be goofy, it keeps you young. Below is Bryan and his son Jarrett.

I met a fun volunteer.  His name was Bob.  While I was walking the halls with my Camera and it's full power battery.

Bob and 9 other folks came from Owensville, Ohio.  I asked Bob how they found Abundant Life and he said that God put it on his heart to come to Joplin. {he got tears in his eyes as he told me this, and let me tell you, He was a bear of a man.  I liked him immediately}  He said that he called Ameri-corps to find a place that a few of them might be able to stay and that they were given a list with 5 churches.  He said he saw the name "Abundant Life" and he knew that is where he wanted to go.

So he put out the word thinking that maybe a handful of people would want to come.  And before he knew it, he had 19 people wanting to come to Joplin to serve.  9 were able to come and so 9 came with his group.

So many faces, so many stories...I am lovin it!

Now that the group of ladies that went out from our church on a missions trip to Jamaica are home we won't be having the ALCC blog anymore.  It was a temporary thing, but it was such a HUGE blessing to me.  It forced me to get off my duff and go meet people.

So I think when I can I will post a little about our volunteers here for you...{and for me}.

Be blessed and share, cause you care!

xoxo

Ronda

Charged! And ready to go!

I have a really nice camera.  My Dad and Mom bought it for me for my birthday two years ago.  Last year Kael pulled it off the counter and broke my lens.  So my parents found someone in Springfield, Missouri selling theirs and they bought if for me.  All I had to do was pick it up.  Can I say I am pretty sure I have the best parents ever?  Because, I’m sayin’ it!

This past week I couldn’t find my camera charger and so I, out of desperation, ordered a new one online.  I know that I will eventually find the old one, but I can’t be without my camera for an undetermined amount of time.  I searched, and searched, and prayed… that little cord is hiding out somewhere.

I was able to catch one picture of this bread that I baked before the battery bit the dust.  Not the best picture in the world, but not horrible.  This bread however…this bread would like to be entered into the best whole wheat bread in the world contest.  It is convinced that it would win.  It is so soft, and ever so slightly sweet, and has an amazing yeasty taste.  The kind of taste that usually only comes from bread baked at home.  I am not that experienced making bread, but thanks to the folks over at King Arthur Flour that sent me all that flour to try, I have been building my bread baking resume!  And this folks, this recipe is a KEEPER!

I am really excited to try out Manuel Santos’s recipe for his European bread, but I didn’t want to bake it yet without being able to take a picture of it to prove that it existed.  I am sure we will gobble it up so quick that you would never know I ever baked it without photographic evidence.  So I will have to wait until Thursday, and at the latest, Friday, before I can try my hand at his specialty.

I am sure it will be delicious.

Tonight we have praise team practice at the church.  I can’t wait!  I am so excited to relax and enjoy worshiping the Lord.

I am going to skip a day talking about guilt…I am not sure if I am done.  But I am sure that I have typed and retyped so many times that I don’t feel good about typing anything at all in regards to it.  I am ok with that.

{crickets}

Just one more thing to share.  Are you ready?

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom:  Preach the word!  Be ready in season and out of season.  Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.  But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. 2^nd Timothy 4: 1-5

Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.  2^nd Timothy 2:15

The LORD is good, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him. Nahum 1:7

God knows are hearts.  There is nothing that is hidden from him.  He has called you to LOVE and share his love with others.  Are you ready?  Set...GO!

Heavenly Father, I know that very soon I will stand before you and give an account.  I am nothing apart from you.  According to your word ALL good things come from you.  My good works are like filthy rags. Thank you for reminding me through your word that I am called to share.  Thank you for constantly keeping the word LOVE in front of me.  Thank you for writing your word on my heart and for giving me grace, and mercy.  Let LOVE course through my veins.  Give me your eyes for people.  That I will see past dirt, past the physical man, and into the heart.  That I will be kind and gentle.  Thank you for new mercies every day.  Thank you for making a way for me.

 Whole Wheat Goodness! OH MY GOODNESS! 

Ingredients

3 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast

1/3 cup honey

5 cups bread flour

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup honey

1 tablespoon salt

3 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

In a large bowl, mix warm water, yeast, and 1/3 cup honey. Add 5 cups white bread flour, and stir to combine. Let set for 30 minutes, or until big and bubbly.

Mix in 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1/3 cup honey, and salt. Stir in 2 cups whole wheat flour. Flour a flat surface and knead with whole wheat flour until not real sticky - just pulling away from the counter, but still sticky to touch. This may take an additional 2 to 4 cups of whole wheat flour. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to coat the surface of the dough. Cover with a dishtowel. Let rise in a warm place until doubled.

Punch down, and divide into 3 loaves. Place in greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pans, and allow to rise until dough has topped the pans by one inch.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 25 to 30 minutes; do not overbake. Lightly brush the tops of loaves with 2 tablespoons melted butter or margarine when done to prevent crust from getting hard. Cool completely.

By Nita Crabb

You can make this, and you will be so happy that you did...and so will anyone within smelling and tasting proximity.

xoxo,

Ronda

Forgiveness and Mercy

Today was eventless, and thus it was eventful!  I know that doesn't seem to make sense, but because I didn't have a single thing at work to work on today I opened my Bible to wait for the chaos to begin...and you know what, it never really did.  As I read God's word my love and understanding of him grew deeper and deeper.  I am glowing in love right now.

Let me tell you about my God.  My God is the God of the Bible.  Every word was inspired by him...it was God breathed.  My God is a God of endless love, redemption and reconciliation.  He is long suffering, patient, kind, and benevolent.  He purchased my freedom with the blood of his Son, Jesus.  He gives wisdom and understanding to those who ask.   He is all these things and SO MUCH MORE!!!

If you don't have a relationship with him...please talk to me.  I want to share more about my God with you.  I think you will love him too.

I was blessed and honored this week that someone did just that.  They shared with me that they were unsure if they had a real relationship with Jesus.  They come to church every Sunday and sing the songs, and pray the prayers, but when they leave they don't feel anything.  You know what...I think this is how a lot of us feel.

Would you like to pray with me?  It is such a relief to know that we can talk to God.

Heavenly Father, THANK YOU so much for today.  Thank you for the precious time I had today to read your word.  It  came alive to me and the little blip at the end of verse 16 of 2^nd Corinthians chapter 5 that says, ‘How differently we know him now!’  The more I read your word the more I understand who you are.  You ARE God, of endless love and tremendous patience.  You are the God of redemption and reconciliation.  You are the  God that is long suffering, patient, kind, and benevolent.  You desire us to LOVE you and LOVE others, and HATE sin, and resist the devil.  You are God, the one who will give wisdom if we ask.  Your words says in Ephesians Chapter 1: 7-8 that you are rich in kindness and grace and that you purchased our freedom with the blood of your Son, Jesus, and that you forgave our sins.  You have showered your kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.  So we stand on this promise, I ask you for wisdom and understanding.  You are so…awesome.  Let us not be casual Christian’s, let us be passionate for you.  I love you so much. Amen.

I mentioned yesterday that I was going to be starting a little series on Guilt.  I don't even like that word series...sounds so serious.  I don't like the word 'Guilt' either though.  It was a word that popped into my mind while I was putting on my makeup and I thought...hmmm, maybe something for a blog for another day.  But then later in my day when I opened my Bible, there was that word again.  This is when I decided to step out and step up and figure out what the deal is with guilt.  The more I thought about this word the more I didn't want to talk about it.  Come on now, this word is HUGE!  It has so many layers and elements to it.  Guilt, you are guilty.  Guilt, you or someone else has made you 'feel' this way.  Guilt, the devil whispers accusation that separates you or distracts you from God.

The thing is we are all GUILTY.  We are so stinkin guilty we deserve life sentences in the pit of hell.  You may be thinking...'whoa Ronda, that is a little harsh...seriously, I am not really THAT bad.'  Well, actually...we are THAT bad.  To God all sin is equally weighted.  Come with me for a second and we are going to jump over to 2nd Timothy starting in Chapter 3 verse 1 going through verse 5.

But know this, that in the last days perilous time will come:  For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.  And from such people turn away!

This is where I would be saying "whoa!"  You see, we all have sin.  Romans 3:23 ~For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of the glory of God.  And 1st John 1:10 ~If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

Now that we know we are all guilty, the Bible says in Romans 6:23 that "the wages of sin is death."  But {OH how I love the word BUT right now in this instance} it goes on to say..."the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  Because you see, Christ died for sins once for all, so now we get to have redemption, we get to be reconciled, we get to have *relationship*.  I am so thankful for relationship.  This would be a really silly hobby if I didn't have a relationship with the true living and active God.

Here is where things get really awesome.  We are forgiven.  We are free.  We can ask God to forgive us of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness.  We can drop the guilt and ask God to strengthen us and stand on the promise that he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear.  God loves us and he made sure in his word that we know we are forgiven *HUGE SIGH and SKIP IN MY STEP RELIEF*

“I, yes, I alone- will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.” Isaiah 43:25

He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases.  He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies.  He fills my life with good things. Psalms 103: 3-5

He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.  He does not punish us for all of our sins; he does not deal harshly with us; as we deserve….He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west. Psalms 103: 9-10 and 12

…I will be merciful toward their iniquities and remember their sins no more. Hebrews 8:10

You were dead because of your sins and because of your sinful nature was not yet cut away.  Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.  He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.  In this way he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities.  He shamed them publically by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:13-15 {new living translation}

Do you see this?  Oh, I hope so tenderly that you see this.  Halleluiah!  Thank you GOD! I hope your heart is squealing for *joy* right now.  Mine has been pealing out in the parking lot kind of squealing all day!  You might be thinking ‘Ronda, you are a real goober right now’…and that is just fine by me.  I will be a goober for God all day long!

Now here is our responsibility..and I can tell you that to do this you will need to read the word and pray that God will come alive to you...Have fellowship with him.  Sorry if that is too "Christianese", talk to God and be his friend.  He is the best friend you will ever have.

Put on your new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:10

Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you.  Remember the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others.  Above all, clothe yourselves with love which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts.  For as member of one body you are called to live in peace.  And always be thankful. Colossians 3: 13-15

I am going to leave it here for today.  Tomorrow, if the Lord allows, I want to write about forgiveness.  You who desire mercy...be merciful.

Oh and one more thing.  If you feel guilt, and you have already asked God to forgive you, but the guilt keeps coming up...that is contrary to the scriptures that we read above, and God's word says in John 10:3-5  "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.  And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.  Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers."  And in verse 10-11 it says "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy.  I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.  I am the good shepherd.  The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."

So I would encourage you to get in God's word so that you will know his voice.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1

When you feel guilt that your spirit does not recognize is the voice of God, tell it to GO!  Tell that voice, the one who comes to accuse you, that he has no right, that you are a child of God, and that you are FORGIVEN!

Believe it and receive it!  I am so thankful!  I thank God, like Paul, through Christ Jesus our Lord.

Pray with me once more?

*BIG SIGH*

Oh God, thank you so much for your precious forgiveness.  Thank you  for each person that will read these scriptures that you gave me today.  I pray that like they are doing a work in my heart that they will do a work in theirs.  God, you see me right now, and I do not take this lightly.  If I could type on my knees I would and I would beg your forgiveness.  I thank you so much for your unimaginable sacrifice.  It becomes so common place, but as I sit here and I contemplate the reality of it, I am so...I can't even think of the right word for it...closet thing I can think is embarrassed.  I am so sorry that without the blood of Jesus that we are detestable.  That we do wicked things.  God, please help me.  Please give me wisdom and understanding.  Let me be on fire for you!  I don't ever want to be lukewarm in my love and devotion to you ever again.  I never again want to  slip into a life of spiritual complacency.  I want to be diligent in training to know your voice.  Thank you for never giving up on us.  In Jesus name, Amen.

God is real.  Jesus is real.  The Holy Spirit is real.  And our opposition the devil, Satan, is real.  Our life is but a vapor, we have a call to LOVE.

And because I love you!!!  I wanted to share one of my favorite things...I am giggling right now because the depth of the conversation above and my goofy transition into a favorite thing.  I was thinking about it this morning though, I used to buy things to fasten bags shut...you know what I am talking about; those little clips for chip bags and stuff.  BUT, I bought a bag of 50 clothes pins for $0.99 at Walmart, talk about a bargain!

 

And now I clip them on a set place in my kitchen so I always have one, and it seems I always need one.  I clip these little beauties everything now!

xoxo

Ronda

I told Satan to shut his pie hole

Lighthearted is where I want to be.  In this moment I want to be light and funny, and full of wit so that you enjoy reading these words and they fluff your day and encourage you.  God put something on my heart Friday, a single word.  The word that he gave me intrigued me because I didn't think it really applied to me.  But then as yesterday went on, I began to experience this word.  I did a great deal of rationalizing, of planning and making excuses, but with each projected milestone I failed...and with the failure came the word...and it is this moment that I see how it applies to me.

What scares me is this word is so HUGE.  I want to take it as far as necessary, but not over do it.  I am going to give a few days to this topic. So consider this an introductory.  I hope you don't give up on me.  I hope that I can write this so that if it is for you, that it will catch your attention, and that you will take a minute to take this journey with me...because I am here RIGHT NOW.

On Thursday I shared about the joy killer STRESS.  Stress is interesting because it is something that we often put on display.  We wave it about as a badge of honor, and even brag about it.  Now for the word I got...GUILT.  Guilt is a different strain of joy killer.  Guilt is secret and hidden and we like to keep it that way.  We don't usually say, "hey everybody, come see how awful I am," "Come see what a bad parent I am," "Come see how little self control I have,"  "Come see what a bad Christian I am." What I felt guilt about I want to keep secret too.  But you know what...I know that what I feel guilty about is nothing but SATAN, because it's just that plain silly.

Wanna hear it?  I ate pie.  I ate the most delicious pie ever.  I ate the most delicious pie that I made myself, and it was delightful, and the perfect ending to my CRAZY week.  But I felt guilt.  I felt guilt because I went over the calories that I wanted to eat yesterday, by a lot!  I felt guilt for everything I ate yesterday because I grazed all day.  I was never hungry, I just ate.

Ronda, the human {veggie/fruit/nut/granola/pretzel/Cherios/watermelon/salad eating} vacuum cleaner.  Oh, and Persian Lime Pie consumer.  Besides the pie everything I grazed on was healthy, and I have no reason not to eat pie but my own silliness.  I am healthy, I am fit, I am active.  WHO CARES IF I EAT PIE!?!?  Nobody.  Absolutely nobody. In fact you are probably saying, "Ronda, you definitely should eat some of that pie...pie is delicious."  And you would be right, and I did, and it was.

Let me tell you that Guilt can be both friend and foe.  If you have guilt, you just might be guilty of something.  Or you might have guilt and it be something to distract you, wind you up, take you out.  Guilt sets you apart and it sets in deep, because you are too afraid to tell anyone about it, or let yourself up from it. Satan is a master at his job.  He is a joy killer and a life stealer.

So Satan, consider yourself on notice.  This is a pink slip.  You are done here.  Shut your pie hole, pack your Guilt and go.  In Jesus name, Amen.

Now that we shooed Satan away.  I want to share with you the perfect end to my crazy week...

~Guiltfree~ Persian Lime and Blackberry Pie

Crust
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons melted butter

Filling
3 large egg yolks
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup Persian lime juice or (approximately 4 to 6 Persian limes) If you use key limes they are smaller and so you will need about 9-10 of them.
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest

Topping
2 cups blackberries
1/2 cup water or fruit juice
1 teaspoon lime juice
3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons confectioner sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

To make the crust: Mix the ingredients and press them into a 9" removable bottom tart pan or 9" pie plate. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned. Place on a rack to cool. Reduce the oven heat to 325°F.

To make the filling: Whisk together the egg yolks, condensed milk, and lime juice and zest until well blended; the mixture will thicken almost immediately. Pour into the crust and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, till just set. Remove from the oven, and cool at room temperature for several hours before topping.

To make the topping: Rinse the berries. Stir together the water or fruit juice, lime juice, and sugars in a medium-sized saucepan set over medium heat, cooking till the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, pour over the berries, and spoon onto the cooled tart. Chill for several hours. Serve with whipped cream, if desired. Yield: one 9" tart.

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour

I am very excited for these next few days.  Will you pray with me?

Jesus, sweet Jesus.  Thank you for giving me your Word, and thank you for giving me a word.  I pray that you have complete control, and that I don't steer this...Please teach me through your word and give me only the right things to share.  Give me wisdom and discernment.  Thank you so much for all the blessings this last week, and for supporting me through the insanity.

We love you.

This warmed my heart yesterday, so grateful for moments like these...I love my boys!

xoxo

Ronda