Sunday Scripture

 

Here goes with another Sunday post from my Fall 2020 study of 2 Corinthians with Good Morning Girls.  As mentioned previously, I use the SOAP method of Bible study , and their study guide uses a similar method.  For 2 Corinthians chapter 7, the verse to study was verse 10.  

S= "For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death."  (2 Corinthians 7:10)

O= A cross-reference for "godly sorrow" is Psalm 32:10 -- "Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about."  Godly sorrow over sin will result in our finding all-encompassing mercy.  

The Corinthians verse states that godly sorrow results in salvation not to be regretted.  "Salvation" in this context means "being saved from the habit and dominion of sin."  Worldly sorrow, however, leads to death, ultimately -- with bad consequences in this life as well.

A= I'm thankful that with the Lord "there is mercy and plenteous redemption" (Psalm 130:7)  It is a blessing to be reminded that when we genuinely grieve over our sin, and truly repent of it, sweet forgiveness is available to us.

P= "Lord, I pray that You will help me in considering my own life: Is there sin I need to repent of?  I pray that You will help me to think about this honestly and to deal with any sin with true repentance.  Help me also to be able to extend forgiveness to others when they truly repent.  I pray in Jesus' name, Amen."

Spring scenes from here and there

 

No time for a long post, but I thought I'd share a few spring photos from here and there around New Hampshire.  We've been coming and going a lot of late, and we've even managed to snap a few pictures along the way.  At top, you see a pretty perennial I received as a Mother's Day gift at church.  One lady potted up these plants and gave them to all of the other ladies at church.  Mr. T and grandson Sam planted it over at our little camp, where it is looking quite happy indeed.

Several years ago we purchased a mini daffodil plant to have at church on Easter in memory of a dear young friend who passed away at 18.  We planted it out back and, to our surprise, it has thrived there.  This year was its prettiest, most prolific year ever.

This pretty wildflower -- bloodroot -- seeded itself by a corner of our garage.

The lovely tulip pictured above and below is on the grounds of a camp where Mr. T and I have been volunteering this spring.

What a sweet sight is a beautiful old truck in a green New Hampshire field in springtime! Even sweeter is the sight of two old trucks, and an old sawmill in the background.

 On our way home Friday afternoons from working our volunteer jobs, we've been stopping at this fabulous ice cream place.    Such delicious homemade ice cream and such fascinating sights to see.

 

 

The shadow of a fern was so pretty on the threshold of our little cottage!  I asked Mr. T to snap a photo or two when we were there on Monday.

There are so many other glorious shrubs, bushes and flowers that we haven't taken time to photograph.  (One of my very favorites is a lilac bush with both white and lavender blossoms.)  For now, these will have to do.  Hope you've enjoyed this little peek at springtime in the Granite State!

Sunday Scripture

 

 Here's yet another Sunday post from my Fall 2020 study of 2 Corinthians with Good Morning Girls.  As mentioned previously, I use the SOAP method of Bible study , and their study guide uses a similar method.  For 2 Corinthians chapter 6, I chose to study verses 16 and 17.  

S=  "What agreement hath the temple of God with idols?  For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.
"Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord."(2 Corinthians 6:16-17)

O=  Back in verse 11-13 Paul states that his speech to the Corinthians is candid, and his heart is wide open to them.  He asks that they open their hearts to what he is about to say -- then begins to instruct them not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers or idol worshipers.  As believers, they are the temple of the living God; He is dwelling in them; therefore, they must separate themselves from sin.

A= Obviously, this applies to me also.  God Himself is dwelling in me in the Person of the Holy Spirit.  My body is His temple; therefore I am not to defile it by allowing ungodly influences to gain a foothold in my life.  I must not have close associations with unbelievers.  I can build friendships with them to point them to Christ and show them His love, but I must not allow any worldly thinking to influence me.

P= "Lord, I am overwhelmed to think that You, the living God, are dwelling in me and that my body is the temple of Your Holy Spirit.  These truths should cause me to be deadly serious about the associations that I allow myself to have.  I pray that You will help me to pay close attention to this and to separate myself from ungodly influences of any kind.  I thank You for how You will work in this area, in Jesus' name, Amen."

A fun little dessert recipe

 

I thought I would share the nice little dessert that I took to our daughter Carrie's home on Mother's Day.  This choice of dessert was the result of an impulse buy at the grocery store.  Have you tried the Athens Phyllo Cups?  They've been around for years, but it's been awhile since I purchased or used any.  

While grocery shopping on the Friday before Mother's Day, I noticed a stack of the Athens Phyllo Cups on display in the produce department.  To my surprise, they had not only the traditional phyllo cups but also a chocolate flavor and a graham flavor.  They were 3 boxes for $5.  I scooped up a box of each, not sure what I would do with them.

A recipe for Petite Cheesecakes was on the box of the regular flavor shells.  I had all of the ingredients on hand (very simple ones), so that decided the matter.  Here is the recipe as I prepared it.

PETITE CHEESECAKES

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons flour
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 teaspoons lemon juice
2 pkgs. (15-count each) Athens Phyllo Shells (I used 1 box of regular and 1 box of chocolate)
1/2 cup seasonal fruit, preserves, or favorite topping for garnish

Preheat oven to 325º.  Arrange phyllo shells on a sheet pan.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, and flour.  Blend in egg, vanilla and lemon juice until smooth.

Spoon filling into each phyllo shell.  Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.  ( I went for 15.)  

Let cool for 10 minutes.  Garnish as desired.  I used lemon curd, strawberry pieces, halved Andes mints, and some lovely organic raspberry preserves that Vee had given me when we met up in February.

As you can see, these turned out quite pretty.  They were also delicious.  

These little tarts transport well and are easy to serve and eat.  They would make a fun dessert to share at upcoming graduation parties, weddings, recitals, and more. 

Sunday Scripture

 

 Here's more from my study of 2 Corinthians with Good Morning Girls.  As mentioned previously, I use the SOAP method of Bible study , and their study guide uses a similar method.  For 2 Corinthians chapter 5, the verse studied is verse 17.  The entire chapter is great, of course, but it's verse 17 that stands out as the centerpiece, or the key, if you will.  

S=  "Therefore if any man be in Christ, He is a new creature: old things are passed away: behold, all things are become new."  (2 Corinthians 5:17)

O=  Looking back to verse 15, it points out that Jesus died for all.  So, if any person trusts Him as Savior, that person is a new creation in Him.  The old things in our lives pass from us, and all things become new in our lives.  Then, those who trust Christ are no longer to live unto themselves, but unto Jesus, who died for them.

A= I'm so thankful to be a new creation in Christ!  What a blessing that old things are passed away, to remembered no more by the Lord!  But these stupendous facts are not to simply elicit a passive response on my part, just a placid acceptance and enjoyment of my new life.  I am no longer to live life for myself, but instead I am to live for Jesus, who loved me and gave Himself for me -- to live for Him who died for me and rose again from the dead!

P= "Lord, I thank and praise You for loving me so much that You sent Your only Son to die for me.  I am so thankful that my old ways of life are passed away  -- that I'm not the sad, unhappy, sin-drenched person that I once was.  I'm incredibly thankful and grateful for the new life that I have in Christ.  I pray that You will help me to live every moment of my remaining years as unto You and for Your glory.  Amen."

May 12 Hodgepodge

 

Time for the Wednesday Hodgepodge which takes place weekly at From This Side of the Pond.  Joyce asks the questions, readers answer them on their own blogs and then link up.  Here we go with this week's questions:

 1. It's like my mama always said, "______________________________________________." 

"This house is falling down around our ears!"  Usually uttered on a Saturday morning to inspire us all to clean our rooms before going out to play.  Right now I feel the same way.  Cleaning and decluttering desperately needed here.  I just can't seem to summon up the energy.

2. May 11th is National Eat What You Want Day. What will you be having by way of celebration? 

I wish I had known this ahead of time. I would have chosen a warm meat loaf sandwich on a sub roll with barbecue sauce and melted cheese, along with oven potato wedges and some coleslaw.  For dessert, I would go out for ice cream at one of our seasonal local places.

What I actually did have: some roasted red pepper tomato soup (packaged and oh-so-yummy) and a few saltines.

3. Describe your idea of a perfect spring day.

Green grass, apple blossoms, warm sun, soft breeze, no black flies ... maybe even a picnic. 

4. Success, fulfillment, growth, achievement...pick one and tell us how it relates to your life in some way, either currently or in days gone by. 

I'm going to pick growth, So thankful for the opportunity to grow spiritually and to grow as a person. Even though the past year has been a huge challenge, I'm thankful that even pandemics and lockdowns can't keep us from personal and spiritual growth.

5. I saw this going around on various social media sites and thought it would be fun to answer here. The last thing you bought on Amazon is your weapon in battle. How will you wield it?  (if you're not an Amazon shopper, then the last thing you bought online anywhere)

The last thing I bought on Amazon was vitamins -- two bottles each of a super fruit formula and a pomegranate extract.  Obviously wielding these in the battle for good health.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

Today is the birthday of my hubby's youngest sister.  Happy Birthday, Carolyn, if you happen to be reading this.

And there is the Hodgepodge for May 12!

Happy Mother's Day!

  

A sweet card (no longer available) in my Etsy shop

How is it the second Sunday in May already?  2021 continues to speed by, sure proof that time flies whether or not you are having fun.

Since Mother's Day is here, I'd like to wish all of the moms among my readers a very happy and blessed day!  I hope  that you get to spend the day doing something you enjoy and perhaps celebrating with some of your children if that is possible.  

Being a mother is a privilege but such a challenge as well.  I surely made many mistakes along the way, but am thankful for God's guidance and oversight over my mothering efforts.  I'm blessed to have not only children and grandchildren, but several "children of the heart" as well -- one of whom I see often and talk with every week.  I'm thankful for the privilege of being involved in all of their lives.

For those who are hurting today ... and I know Mother's Day can be difficult for many reasons ... please know that God sees and understands, and wants to comfort and bless you today.

As I've mentioned in past Mother's Day posts,  I really think that we need to celebrate all ladies on this special day, because even though some may not have borne children of our own, we all have had opportunities to nurture others in one way or another.   In fact, God's plan is that older women will teach the younger ones many important things and will nurture them in the faith.  I frequently remind the ladies in my Sunday School class that each of us is older spiritually or physically than someone else.  Teen girls can be an example to younger ones, for example.  My own daughters were so blessed as little girls to have teen girls to look up to -- and those teens set a very good example indeed.  History repeated itself, and as teenagers themselves, my girls found themselves being looked up to by littler girls.

So wherever this finds you today -- if you are a mom, a grandmother, or a nurturer -- a most blessed Mother's Day to you!

Sunday Scripture

 

 Here goes with another passage from my study of 2 Corinthians with Good Morning Girls.  As mentioned previously, I use the SOAP method of Bible study , and their study guide uses a similar method.  Today's passage is from 2 Corinthians chapter 4.  As I sometimes do, I selected a different passage from the chapter than the one suggested in the study.  I chose to study verses 6 and 7.

S=  "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."  (2 Corinthians 4:6-7)

O= The same God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness is the One who has shined into our hearts.  He has given us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.  Even though Satan seeks to blind the eyes of unbelievers, God wants us to shine the light of the Gospel into their lives.  He chooses to use us, as "earthen vessels" so that the excellency of the power will be of Him and not of us.

A=  I love the imagery here.  It is incredible yet true that the very same God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness (Genesis 1:3) has shone light into our hearts.  He wants us to point others to that light as well.  I love that He places the treasure of the Gospel in earthen vessels like us, so that the excellency of the power is in Him and not frail, fallible human beings like us.  I'm reminded of Gideon's men breaking the earthen pitchers so that the light inside shone through.

P=  "Lord, I do thank and praise You for shining the light of the Gospel into my heart.  I thank You that not only do You recognize my fragility as a vessel of clay, but You designed it to be this way so that the power seen will be Your power and not my own.  I pray that You will give me opportunities to shine Your light, in Jesus' name, Amen."

Friday five

 

 Just a really quick Friday five before heading any deeper into a busy day:

1.  The scilla is back!  I hadn't seen any of it for a couple of springs now, but my hubby spotted some sprigs of it recently.  Yes, it's considered invasive, but it can do no harm in the area of the yard where it's sprung up.  I won't mind if it spreads, though it's been slow to do so thus far.

2.  The outhouse is finished at our little camp.  That's another step toward being able to spend more time there.  We will use the Incinolet at night, but this facility is for daytime use.

3.  A clean laundry sorter!  I didn't get a photo of this, so the vintage laundry ad below will have to do.  I try to run my fabric laundry sorting bins through the washer and dryer every few months, and I've had it on my list for the longest time.  Finally achieved it yesterday.

4.  The fun of watching a granddaughter learn to read.  Ari could read a little bit last year, but now she is taking off and reading everything in sight, including reading the grocery store flyer as I made my list while sitting outdoors at the camp.

5.  A yummy, new-to-me radish salad recipe.  I found the recipe for Ravishing Radish Salad in a special Taste of Home Healthier Cooking magazine that my daughter in Nevada had waiting for me.  I bought radishes for it but hadn't found time to put it together until yesterday.  Really good, though of course I changed a few things.  I didn't have fennel; used chives instead of green onions;  maple syrup instead of honey; 1 tsp. dried dill rather than the fresh; a squirt of the Garden Gourmet basil rather than the fresh leaves (GG is the next best thing) and I left out the toasted walnuts at the end, but I think they would be really good.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!

A cookbook recommendation: Mom Knows Best

 

 Just in time for Mother's Day, I'm going to share one of my favorite cookbooks with you all.   I love all of my Gooseberry Patch cookbooks, but this is one of the everyday standouts in my collection.  I received a free copy of this cookbook because one of my recipes, Grammy's Potato Wedges, was published in it.  I've been so thankful for this book and I turn to it often.  There are six sections in the book which include recipes for breakfast, brown-bag lunches, snacks, main dishes, sweets, and a special section of recipes for kids to make.

First up is Grab & Go Breakfasts.  There are egg dishes, cereals, muffins, coffee cakes and more.  I always enjoy baked oatmeal, and this book has three recipes for it -- one with a pumpkin pie flavor (which I have not tried) and one with a peanut butter/chocolate flavor as well as a simpler, more basic recipe.  I made Melanie's Oven Omelet for a ladies' brunch and Country Skillet Breakfast for a supper meal.  Both very good!  There are also French toast and pancake recipes, several smoothie recipes and much more.

Next chapter is Brown-Bagging It.  Lots of portable recipes for soups, sandwiches and salads.  Tuna Egg Salad is one I've tried that was very good, as is Mamaw's Special Tuna Salad, which includes shredded apple along with pickle relish.  Don't shudder at the shredded apple; it's actually very tasty in tuna salad.  Seems to give it a fresher flavor.

Healthy Bites for Snacking is the next chapter, and it is just what it says.  Salsas, dips, frozen treats like yogurt pops and individual fruit salads; hummus, mini pizzas, and much more.  One day I watched my friend Jenn make Paper Bag Popcorn as a quick and easy treat for her toddler.  What a great idea.  This chapter is full of them, and kids are always hungry.  

Dinners for the Daily Dash is the largest section in the book and is subdivided into four smaller ones.  The first of these is One-Dish Wonders.  I've made the Italian Chicken and Penne Skillet and the Spinach & Sausage Soup -- and there are still many more that I want to try.  The second smaller section is Made From Scratch.  From here, I've tried the Veggieful Italian Hot Dish, the Savory Chicken & Rice Soup, Kathy's Italian Zucchini Dish -- and again, still more that I want to try.   From the next section, Ready When You Are!, I've tried Sam's Chicken-Cabbage Soup, Mom's Best Chili, Mother's Sausage Supper -- but there are still loads of recipes that sound good to me.  Lastly in the main-dish section is $5 to $10 Dinners.  The Farmhouse BBQ Muffin Cups are so tasty.  I made the Bacon Cheeseburger Sloppy Joes for friends who loved them.  Again, plenty of recipes that sound good that I haven't yet tried. 

The next section is Kids in the Kitchen and includes a variety of recipes of all types  that kids can make or help with.  My potato wedges are in this section.  They have been a huge hit with my kids and grandkids over the years.  There's also a Macaroni Pizza Pie that I've tried -- it starts with a box of mac'n'cheese mix!  The Microwave Mac & Cheese is fabulous.  So good.  I use 3 cups of elbow macaroni or rotini rather than the 2 cups the recipe calls for.  

Lastly is the Sweet Treats chapter.  It includes muffins, cookies and bars, a couple of easy pie recipes, and some recipes for individual mug desserts.  The Blastin' Blueberry Crunch is the only recipe I've tried from this chapter, and it was yummy.  Though I found the recipes for sweets the least enticing in the book, truthfully.  Probably a good thing!

I find this to be a very practical cookbook, filled with quick and easy recipes that families will enjoy.  I highly recommend it to you as well!

Maybe a Hodgepodge

 

... we will see!  I'm going to attempt it, anyway.  Recall, the Wednesday Hodgepodge takes place weekly at From This Side of the Pond.  Joyce asks the questions, readers answer them on their own blogs and then link up.  Here we go:

1. What's something you 'may' do this month? 

My hubby and I may plan a getaway.  We'd really like to take a couple of nights away.   At the very least we may try spending a few nights at our little camp.

Our temporary water supply at the camp

2. Last time you literally or figuratively shouted mayday!? 

Probably figuratively -- using different wording -- just a couple of hours ago during my prayer time, as I prayed for our country. 

3. Let the chips fall where they may, come what may, maybe, Cape May, mayflies, devil may care, you may now kiss the bride,  much to our dismay, mayhem, mayonnaise...choose a 'may' word or phrase from the list and tell us how it relates to your life in some way right now. 

Oh, to make it easy, let's say mayonnaise.   I really like Hellman's mayonnaise.  But a few months ago Walmart had jars of Kraft Mayonnaise for 50¢.  Of course I had to buy several jars even though it is not my top favorite.  Just used the last jar, so it's back to Hellman's!

Think there's any Hellman's mayo in that fridge?

4. If someone were serving you breakfast in bed this weekend, what would you like to see on the menu?

Something non-crumbly.  Let's see.   Maybe a slice or two of a crustless quiche, served on a little plate with a fork.  Maybe some firm-textured mini muffins and a little dish of whole strawberries.

5. Tell me one true thing you believe about motherhood. 

Even though I often feel that I failed miserably as a mother, God has known my heart and intention to be a good mother.  He has guided me, sometimes in spite of myself.  Countless lovely, meaningful Mother's Day cards and gestures over the years encourage my heart.

6. Insert your own random thought here. 

It's been a very odd couple of months.  April was filled with March winds; now May, along with the last week or so of April, is featuring lots of April showers.   It's been glorious weather for the May flowers, however, and the daffodils and forsythia are still holding their own.  Azaleas are bursting out all over.  No lilacs yet.

And there's another edition of the Wednesday Hodgepodge!

Sunday Scripture

 

Here goes with the third Scripture Sunday, sharing my study of 2 Corinthians with Good Morning Girls.  As mentioned, I used the SOAP method of Bible study.

For the third chapter of 2 Corinthians, I chose a different verse than the one suggested for this day, which was verse 17: "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."  

Instead, I chose 2 Corinthians 3:5 --

S=  "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God."

(2 Corinthians 3:5)

O=  A cross-reference for "that we are sufficient of ourselves" is John 15:5 -- "For without Me ye can do nothing."  We are not to think anything of ourselves, for truly all that we are and have comes from Him.

Our sufficiency is of God and not ourselves.  Another cross-reference is 1 Corinthians 15:10 -- "But by the grace of God I am what I am; and His grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain ... but the grace of God which was with me."

A=  I truly can do nothing in and of myself.  Only by God's grace and by the empowering of His Spirit can I do anything that will matter for Him.  I need to seriously recognize that without Him, I can do nothing.  I can't take credit for anything that I do.  My sufficiency is of Him, and all glory must go to Him.

P=  "Lord, I am so thankful for all that You do for me, and for the sufficiency that I have in You.  Help me to never forget that all that I am, all that I have, and anything I am able to do comes from You and must be done to Your glory.  I praise You for these truths, in Jesus' name, Amen."

May goals

 

 Time to set a few goals for this new month of May.  Here we go:

* Memorize at least 4 Bible verses and review some older ones
* Read and study the May chapters in the Daily Walk Bible
* Continue our Daniel Bible study with younger believers
* Help our widowed friend Terry with the challenges of life in general
* Continue study for Sunday School -- A Woman After God's Own Heart
* Get to bed by 9 pm each night  
* Limit sugar
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise each day
* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week (with some help from Clean Mama)
* Do something creative each day
* Post in this blog as often as possible
* Post in my Christmas blog as often as possible
* Continue planning for family birthday gifts and crafting any handmade ones
* Spend a little time on some UFO craft projects
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Keep up with Etsy and trust bookkeeping
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Celebrate family birthdays this month
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
*  Meet friends for breakfast out
*  Get some good work accomplished on renovating our camp
*  Attend a granddaughter's violin recital

HEALTHY HABITS FOR MAY:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/limit sugar
WORD FOR 2021: Steadfast