Easiest kid-friendly macaroni and cheese

 

Image by Steve Buissinne via Pixabay

 Recently my friend Jennifer and her three young boys came for lunch.  We're trying to make this a biweekly thing, so I've been considering kid-friendly menus for the very young -- say, five and under.  For last Friday, I wanted to make macaroni and cheese, along with hot dogs.  

I nearly always make baked macaroni and cheese and top it with either bread crumbs and grated cheddar, or (my preferred way, and the way my mother always did it) with saltine cracker crumbs browned in a generous amount of butter.  But somehow, I thought unbaked macaroni and cheese, unadorned with anything crunchy, might be the way to go for little kids.  A little more like Kraft Dinner, only much better.

So I went hunting for a Quick Macaroni & Cheese recipe I used to use quite a bit back in the day.  It called for processed cheese (I'd forgotten that) and I wanted to use real cheddar.  So I adapted the recipe quite a bit and I also doubled it.  I was really pleased with the result.  Nice and creamy, and everyone enjoyed it.

Our friends were arriving at 11 to allow for an hour of play time before lunch.  So even though this is a last-minute type recipe with no baking required, I didn't want to be preparing it at the last minute.  So I started my prep at around 10:30 and, when it was done, I popped the mac'n'cheese into a slow cooker and set it on Low until  time to eat.  I skipped the paprika on top to avoid picky eaters saying they "didn't like" that red stuff. But for adults, yes, I would add a sprinkle of it, maybe even smoked paprika.

Here's the recipe:

Easiest Kid-Friendly Macaroni and Cheese

1 pound elbow macaroni
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 to 2 Tblsp. instant minced onion
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (12 ounces)
2 teaspoons parsley flakes (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Paprika (optional)

Cook the elbow macaroni as directed on package.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add the flour, stirring constantly, and cook until bubbly.  Remove from heat and gradually add the milk and the minced onion,, stirring constantly until all is well mixed.  Return the saucepan to the heat and cook, stirring constantly.  When it comes to a boil, continue to cook and stir for one minute or until sauce is nice and thick.  Add the cheese about a half cup at a time, stirring until cheese is melted and blends into the sauce.  Add the salt and pepper and the parsley flakes if using.

Drain the cooked macaroni well and combine with the cheese sauce in a large serving dish.  (Or, if making this an hour or two ahead, place it in a greased crock pot set on Low to keep warm.)  Sprinkle with paprika before serving if desired.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.  

Sunday Scripture

 

It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is the third post of what will be an ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 3.  This week's study may be a little longer than some, but I hope it will be an encouragement.

S= "LORD, how are they increased that trouble me! Many they are that rise up against me.
"Many there are that say of my soul, There is no help for him in God.  Selah.
"But Thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
"I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and He heard me out of His holy hill.  Selah.
"I lay down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.
"I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me round about:
"Arise, O LORD; for Thou hast smitten mine enemies upon the cheekbone; Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
"Salvation belongeth unto the LORD; Thy blessing is upon Thy people.  Selah."  (Psalm 3)

O= In my Bible, the title for this psalm is "A psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom, his son."  In the title is a cross-reference to this incident, from 2 Samuel 15:14 -- "And David said unto all his servants who were with him at Jerusalem,  Arise, and let us flee; for we shall not else escape from Absalom.  Make speed to depart, lest he overtake us suddenly, and bring evil upon us, and smite the city with the edge of the sword."

Cross-reference for "how are they increased that trouble me!" (v.1) -- "And Absalom sent for Ahithophel, the Gilonite, David's counselor, from his city, even from Giloh, while he offered sacrifices.  And the conspiracy was strong; for the people increased continually with Absalom."  (2 Samuel 15:12)

A note for "Selah" (v.2, 4,8) -- says "The frequent use in the Psalms of the Hebrew word Selah possibly marks those places where a musical rest in the chanting or a change of instrumental accompaniment stressed a shift of mood."

I was really interested to see what Charles Spurgeon wrote in The Treasury of David concerning "Selah", and found it helpful, so I will also share that here:

"This is a musical phrase; the precise meaning of which is not known.  Some think it is simply a rest, a pause in the music; others say it means, 'Lift up the strain -- sing more loudly -- pitch the tune upon a higher key -- there is nobler matter to come, therefore retune your harps.'  Harp-strings soon get out of tune and need to be screwed up again to their proper tightness, and certainly our heart-strings are evermore getting out of tune.  Let Selah teach us to pray

'O may my heart in tune be found
Like David's harp of solemn sound.'

    "At least, we may learn that wherever we see "Selah' we should look upon it as a note of observation.  Let us read the passage which precedes and succeeds it with greater earnestness, for surely there is always something excellent where we are required to rest and pause and meditate, or when we are required to lift up our hearts in grateful song.  'SELAH'."

In the ESV, the phrase "a shield for me" (v.3) reads "a shield about me".  So interesting.  What a picture!

Cross-references for "a shield" -- "The LORD is my strength and shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.  Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him."  (Psalm 28:7)

"Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of Thine anointed." (Psalm 84:9)

"Thou art my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Thy word."  (Psalm 119:114)

Cross-reference for "lifter up of my head" (v.3) -- "And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me.  Therefore will I offer in His tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD."  (Psalm 27:6)

Cross-references for "lay down and sleep" (v.5) -- "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep, for Thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety."  (Psalm 4:8)

"When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid; yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet."  (Proverbs 3:24)

Cross-references for "will not be afraid" (v.6) -- "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me."  (Psalm 23:4)

"Though an host shall encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident."  (Psalm 27:3)

Cross-reference for "set themselves against me" (v.6)  -- "And it came to pass, when Ben-Hadad heart this message, as he sat drinking, he and the kings in the pavilions, that he said unto his servants, Set yourselves in array.  And they set themselves in array against the city."  (1 Kings 20:12)

Cross-references for "Arise, O LORD" (v.7) -- "Arise, O LORD, in Thine anger; lift up Thyself because of the rage of mine enemies: and awake for me to the judgment which Thou hast commanded."  (Psalm 7:6)

"Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail; let the nations be judged in Thy sight."  (Psalm 9:19)

"And it came to pass, when the ark set forward, that Moses said, Rise up, O LORD, and let Thine enemies be scattered, and let them that hate Thee flee before Thee."  (Numbers 10:35)

Cross-reference for "break the teeth of the wicked" (v.7) -- "Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth; break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD."  (Psalm 58:6)

Cross-references for "salvation belongs to the LORD" (v.8) -- "But the salvation of the righteous is of the LORD; He is their strength in the time of trouble."  (Psalm 37:39)

"In God is my salvation and my glory; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God." 

"Tell ye, and bring them near; yea, let them take counsel together.  Who hath declared this from ancient time?  Who hath told it from that time?  Have not I, the LORD?  And there is no God else beside Me, a just God and a Savior; there is none beside Me."  (Isaiah 45:21)

As mentioned at the top, we know that David wrote this psalm "when he fled from Absalom in the cave".  He poured out his situation to the Lord:

How are they increased who trouble me!
Many are they who rise up against me.
Many are those who say of me, "There is no help for him in God".

And then he added, 

BUT (Wow!  What a change of direction!)

You, O LORD, are a shield for me.
You are my glory
You are the One who lifts up my head.

In view of this, David says:

* I cried to the LORD with my voice.
* He heard me from His holy hill.

We see such a picture of serenity and rest, even though the situation had not changed, in verses 5-6:

I lay down and slept.
I awoke, for the LORD sustained me.
I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

David goes on to cry out to God:

Arise, O LORD!
Save me, O my God!

and rehearses what God has already done for him:

• You have struck all my enemies upon the cheekbone;
• You have broken the teeth of the ungodly.

He ends with the encouraging conclusion:

Salvation belongs to the LORD.
Your blessing is upon Your people.

A= So many of David's words here become so significant when taken in light of the context in which he wrote them!  It wasn't just some random person who had risen up against him -- it was his own son!  Yet David could praise God for being a shield and defender for him.  Sustained by God, he could even lie down and sleep, knowing the Lord would care for him and he need not be afraid.  What a wonderful example for us in times of difficulty!  We can safely rest in His promises and in His care for us.

We see David here surrounded by enemies, this time led by his own son, Absalom.  The sense of betrayal must have been as intense as the danger itself.  David took his fear and pain to the Lord, speaking to Him of the many who had risen up against him and those who even believed God could not or would not help him.  After recounting this to the Lord, David quickly turned from his troubles to what he knew about God.  He looked at the character of God, and at what God had done for him in the past.  He knew he could cry to God, assured that God would hear and answer.

There is so much for me to apply here!  When I am in any kind of trouble and distress, I can take it to the Lord and pour out my trouble to Him.  I can remember what I know about God and His character, and can confidently cry to Him for help.  Like David, I can even lie down and sleep, knowing that God is in control and is caring for me every moment.  Verse 7 is also a good reminder for me that Satan is a defeated foe.

P= "Oh Lord, what a blessing and encouragement it has been to dig deeply into this psalm!  Even then I know that I'm only scratching the surface.  I thank You for all of the reminders in this psalm about who You are and how You care for Your people.  I pray that whenever I am troubled, You will help me to lift my eyes to You and remember all that I know about You and all You have done for me in the past.  Help me to remember that You have already defeated my greatest foes.  I praise You in Jesus' name, Amen."

Reflection question:  In a difficult situation, David chose to lift his eyes to the Lord and acknowledge His power.  He had a deep trust in God.  As you go through trials, how can you choose to increase your faith instead of increasing your fears?

My thoughts:  I can do the same as David did: Lift my eyes to the Lord and acknowledge His power.  In the hardest situations of life, I have found it reassuring to tell God as Jehoshaphat did, "Neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee."  (2 Chronicles 20:12)  Another helpful verse that emphasizes this truth is Psalm 121:2 -- "My help cometh from the LORD, who made heaven and earth."

I can remember what I know about God:

* He wants me to pour out my heart to Him.
* He is my shield.
* He is the One who will lift up my head when I feel faint.
* He is the One whose glory is paramount.
* He will hear and answer my prayers.
* Because of His care, I can have peace, rest, and even sleep in the presence of my enemies.
* He has defeated sin, death, and Satan.
* Salvation is found in Him alone.
* He is the One who blesses His people.

I'll end with a quote from the Daily Walk Bible: "The servant of God can cling to Him with confidence, knowing that God's help and consolation are assured in both good times and bad.  No foe, nor failure, nor frustration, nor cause for fainting can change the fact that God is in control."

And there is our very simple study of Psalm 3.  I'm enjoying studying these psalms and I do intend to do a deeper study of Psalms on my own as tune allows.  I hope this was a blessing to someone!

An apple for today

 

 Desperate for some sort of blog post in the midst of a busy week, I'm snagging just one question from the Hodgepodge to answer.  It's this one:

1. Monday was National Apple Day...did you eat an apple or enjoy something made with apples on Monday? Do you like apples? Do you prefer your apples raw, baked, or in cider? Do you have a favorite variety of apple?

Easy to answer with some fun posts to link to.

On Monday, we were visiting our friend Charlotte at her cabin.  She did serve applesauce as part of the wonderful lunch she prepared for us.

Sedum at the edge of our friend's driveway

 
Yes, I love apples.  I think probably I prefer them raw.  But they are wonderful in pies or crisps.  Here's a new to me recipe for maple apple crisp that I've made several times already this fall.  It is scrumptious!

Photo from Almanac.com

 
And if you would like some of my own tried and true apple recipes, go here!

Lovely vintage image from The Graphics Fairy

I have sweet memories of an apple orchard from childhood.

Last year, my hubby and I went on a short apple picking excursion in the fall -- something we'd like to make an annual excursion for the two of us.  Here are some pictures from 2023:

My favorite variety of apple is Honeycrisp.  But Cortlands, like those we picked at an orchard a couple weeks ago, are just amazing when they are fresh.

You can just click "apples" in the label cloud in the sidebar for a bushel more of apple fun!

Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is the second post of what will be an ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 2. 

S= "Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? 
"The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against His Anointed, saying,
"Let us break Their bands asunder, and cast away Their cords from us.
"He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh; the LORD shall have them in derision.
"Then shall He speak unto them in His wrath, and vex them in His sore displeasure.
"Yet have I set My King upon My holy hill of Zion.
"I will declare the decree; the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten Thee.
"Ask of me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession.
"Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.
"Be wise now therefore, O ye kings; be instructed, ye judges of the earth.
"Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.
"Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way, when His wrath is kindled but a little.  Blessed are all they that put their trust in Him."  (Psalm 2)

O= Psalm 2, along with more than a dozen other psalms, is generally considered to be Messianic -- a psalm that, either as a whole or in part, points to the Messiah.

C.I. Scofield, in the Scofield Study Bible, gives this psalm a title of "Christ, the coming King".

The Daily Walk Bible, which is my favorite way to read through the Bible in a year, summarizes this psalm: "Psalm 2 describes the world's rulers gathered  together.  With great fury and indignation they shake their fists in the face of God and threaten to overthrow His rule (v.2-3).  And what is God's response to their impressive show of power and independence?  A cosmic guffaw, loud enough to shake the heavens (v.4) at the absurdity of the nations' rejecting the sovereign Creator who fashioned them!  From God's perspective, it is a fool indeed who will not fall down and acknowledge His greatness."

Cross-references for "rulers" (v.2) -- "Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against Him, how they might destroy Him."  (Matthew 12:14)

"Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiphas, and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtlety, and kill Him."  (Matthew 26:3-4)

"And the Pharisees went forth and straightway took counsel against Him, that they might destroy Him."  (Mark 3:6)

"And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy Him; for they feared Him, because all the people were astonished at His doctrine." (Mark 11:18)

Cross-reference for "anointed" (v.2) --  "For Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol, neither wilt thou permit Thine Holy One to see corruption."  (Psalm 16:18)

Cross-reference for "vex them" (v.5) -- "The earth shall reel to and fro like a drunkard, and shall be removed like a booth; and the transgression thereof shall be heavy upon it, and it shall fall, and not rise again."  (Isaiah 24:20)

Cross-reference for "King" (v.6) -- "In that day shall the LORD defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them."  (Zechariah 12:8)

Cross- references for "holy hill" (v.6) -- "Now I know that the LORD saveth His anointed; He will hear him from His holy heaven with the saving strength of His right hand."  (Psalm 20:6)

"Thus saith the LORD: I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain."  (Zechariah 8:3)

Cross-references for "Thou art My Son" (v.7) -- "God hath fulfilled the same unto us ... in that He hath raised up Jesus again, as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee."  (Acts 13:33)

"For unto which of the angels saith He at any time, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee?  And again, I will be to Him a Father, and He shall be to Me a Son?"  (Hebrews 1:3)

"So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest, but He that said unto Him, Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee."  (Hebrews 5:5)

Cross-reference for "Thou shalt break them" (v. 9) -- "Who is this King of glory?  The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory.  Selah."

Cross-reference for "dash them in pieces" (v.9) -- "For the day of the LORD of hosts shall be upon every one who is proud and lofty, and upon every one who is lifted up, and he shall be brought low."  (Isaiah 2:12)

Cross-reference for "put their trust" (v.12) -- "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped.  Therefore, my heart greatly rejoiceth, and with my song will I praise Him."  (Psalm 28:7)

Note on "trust" (v. 12) -- "Trust is the characteristic Old Testament word for the New Testament 'faith' and 'believe'.  It occurs 152 times in the Old Testament, and is the rendering of Hebrew words signifying to take refuge in, to lean on, to roll on, to wait for."

Another note concerning trust: "The essence of faith consists in believing and receiving what God has revealed, and may be defined as that trust in the God of the Scriptures and in Jesus Christ whom He has sent, which receives Him as Lord and Savior and impels to loving obedience and good works."  -- C.I. Scofield

A= Warren Wiersbe comments in With the Word, "God is on His throne and has everything in control.  When the world's noise frightens you, turn to the Lord and let Him take over.  Over the noise of the nations, listen for the assuring voice of God."  This is such a meaningful thought to me right now, with our world in such turmoil.  It's so calming to make the effort to listen for the assuring voice of God.

The Daily Walk Bible suggests that we look through a newspaper and then: "Over each frightening or discouraging headline, write these words: GOD IS IN CONTROL!"  Our headlines over the past few years have often been discouraging and at times terrifying.  Things are intensifying as we seem to be nearing a pivotal point in history.  Yet we can have that reverential trust in God.  We can know that He is in full control, and absolutely sovereign over the rulers of the earth.

P= "Lord, how thankful I am for the truths expressed in this psalm!  It is such a comfort to be reminded that You are sovereign over all the world's rulers.  You will only allow them to go so far in their rebellion against You.  I praise You that I can safely trust in You no matter how scary things may become.  I thank and praise You that You have a plan, and that plan will not be thwarted.  I pray in the matchless name of Jesus, Amen."

Reflection question:  In what ways do you fear God, and how does that affect your daily life?

My thoughts: A note in the Scofield Study Bible explains, "The 'fear of the LORD' is an Old Testament expression meaning reverential trust, including the hatred of evil."

I believe that I am growing every day in that area of reverential trust in God.  I find myself seeing more and more that much of life in this world is literally a battle between good and evil.  This reverential trust can and should affect my every action and reaction as I go about my daily life.  Am I fully there yet?  No, because we should be continuing to grow spiritually until the day we die.

So there is this week's Sunday Scripture.  I hope that it's a blessing to you, my readers and friends.

Could planning for variety re-invigorate my crafting life?

 

 Today is International Craft Day and so it seems an appropriate time to address this thought I've had mulling around in my brain for months now.  Regular readers may remember a post I did back in June concerning variety in my devotional life.  (For those who missed that post,  it had to do with assigning days of the week to my various devotional and spiritual growth pursuits.)   So what I've been wondering is, could I take that same concept and make it work in my crafting life?  

My crafting life needs work, that's for sure.  When I look back at all of the crafts I made in earlier years, in what was a much busier season of life, I feel so sad that I can't seem to find much time for crafting at all anymore.  I seem to be limited to my granny square temperature blanket (which thankfully ensures that I do something creative each day, or almost every day), plus the occasional paper crafting or Shutterfly project, and sometimes some scrapbook journaling.  The thing is that I have sewing projects I should do, both hand and machine sewing, I have other crochet projects in progress, and I have cross stitch and embroidery projects in various stages of completion.  And I desperately want to work on them. But I seem to be stalled, getting very little accomplished.

So  I've made a little plan.  We will see where it goes.  It looks like this:

Sunday: counted cross stitch

Monday: machine sewing

Tuesday: crochet

Wednesday: paper crafting, scrapbook journaling

Thursday: embroidery

Friday: hand sewing, felt food

Saturday: mending, alterations, DIY pantry and household formulas.

Of course I will continue with crocheting a square or two each day for my temperature blanket.  My thought is that if I have this list to turn to, if I have extra time in the evening, or unexpected downtime during the day, I can work on one of my unfinished (or, in the case of machine sewing, unstarted) projects in that day's category.  

Almost-current progress on the temperature blanket; I have added a row since this photo was taken.

 
It's absolutely worth a try, don't you think?

Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is the first post of what will be an ongoing series on my simple study of Psalms.  You can see a copy of the journal here: The Book of Psalms 1-50 or you can find all the resources right here on Women Living Well, Psalms 1-50.  I'm attempting to SOAP each Psalm too, though some of them are longer so I will likely only do a selected passage from many of them. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Each psalm's study also includes a reflection question, which I will attempt to journal an answer to.  Today's study is from Psalm 1. 

S= "Blessed is the man who walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
"But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law doth he meditate day and night.
"And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; its leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
"The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.
"Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 
"For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish."  (Psalm 1:1-6)

O= In the Scofield study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles this psalm "Two men, two ways, two destinies."

The first man does not "walk in the counsel of the ungodly".  He also does not "stand in the way of sinners" nor does he "sit in the seat of the scornful".

Instead of doing these things, this man:

Delights himself in God's Word
Meditates in God's Word day and night.

He will then be like a tree that is ...

Planted by water
Fruitful in season
Filled with green, healthy leaves

And whatever this man does will prosper.  The LORD knows his way.

But the second man, the ungodly man,  is not like this.  Instead of being like a rooted tree, he is like chaff which the wind drives away.  He does not sit with the righteous and will not even be able to stand in the day of judgment.  The way of the ungodly shall perish.

My Bible has a note that "man" in this Psalm is "The singular Hebrew word for man ... used here to portray a representative example of a godly person."

Cross-reference for "walketh" (v.1) -- "Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men men.  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away."  (Proverbs 4:14-15)

Cross-reference for "the counsel of the ungodly" (v.1) -- "Lo, their good is not in their hand; the counsel of the wicked is far from me."  (Job 21:16)

Cross-reference for "way of sinners" (v.1) -- "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not."  (Proverbs 1:10)

Cross-references for "the seat of the scornful" (v.1) -- "I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers."  (Psalm 26:4)

"I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of Thy hand; for Thou hast filled me with indignation."  (Jeremiah 15:17)

Cross-references for "scornful" (v.1) -- "How long, O ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity?  And the scoffers delight in their scoffing, and fools hate knowledge?" (Proverbs 1:22)

"Surely He scoffeth at the scoffers, but He giveth grace unto the lowly."  (Proverbs 3:34)

Cross-reference for "delight" (v.2) -- "Praise ye the LORD.  Blessed is the man who feareth the LORD, who delighteth greatly in His commandments."  (Psalm 112:1)

"Law" in verse 2 means "instruction".

Cross-references for "law of the LORD" (v.2) -- "The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is pure, making wise the simple."  (Psalm 19:7)

"Is the law, then, against the promises of God?  God forbid; for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.  But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe."  (Galatians 3:24-25)

Cross-reference for "law doth he meditate day and night" (v.2) -- "This book of the law shall not depart out of out of thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein; for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success."  (Joshua 1:8)

Cross-reference for "like a tree" (v.3) -- "For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green, and shall not be anxious in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit."  (Jeremiah 17:8)

Cross-reference for "whatsoever he doeth" (v.3) -- "For thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands; happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee."  (Psalm 128:2)

Cross-reference for "chaff" (v.4) -- "[The wicked] are as stubble before the wind; and as chaff that the storm carrieth away."  (Job 21:18)

Cross-reference for "will not stand" (v.5) -- "The foolish shall not stand in Thy sight; Thou hatest all workers of iniquity."  (Psalm 5:5)

Cross-references for "knows" (v.6) --  "I will be glad and rejoice in Thy mercy: for Thou hast considered my trouble; Thou hast known my soul in adversities."  (Psalm 31:7)

"LORD, what is man, that Thou takest knowledge of him?  Or the son of man, that Thou makest account of him?"  (Psalm 141:3)

Cross-reference for "the way of the righteous" (v.6) -- "Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in Him; and He shall bring it to pass."  (Psalm 37:5)

 A= If I'm going to be blessed I will not live my life according to the counsel of the ungodly.  I won't stand with sinners or sit with scorners.  Instead, I will delight in God's Word and spend quality time meditating on it throughout each day. This will cause me to be a fruitful, growing believer, experiencing God's blessing and continuing to grow and bear fruit even in difficult times.

P= "Lord, how I thank You for the clear instruction in Your Word!  I praise You for its guidance, its comfort, its clarity, its beauty, and that it is living and powerful and growth-producing.  I thank You for the delight it is to meditate on Your Word and for how You use that to help me grow and bear fruit, even when difficulties come.  Help me to remain strong and steadfast, rooted and grounded, and to be an encourager who helps others grow in their faith.  I praise You for all that You are doing, in the precious name of Jesus, Amen."

Reflection question for Psalm 1:  "What fruit are you seeing in your life as a result of your love for God and His Word?  Is there anything in your life that causes you not to produce fruit?

My thoughts: Here is a note from Scofield regarding John 15:8, "Herein is My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be My disciples."

"As we bear 'much fruit' the Father is glorified in us.  The fruit may be converts (Romans 1:13); Christian character -- the fruit of the Spirit -- (Galatians 5:22-23); and conduct -- the fruits of righteousness (Romans 6:21-22)." -- C.I. Scofield

It's encouraging to me to see that there is fruit in my life, that I am exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit on a daily basis.  Of course, I have a long way to go, and of course I battle sin on a daily basis, but I'm encouraged to see some fruit, and pray that there will one day be "much fruit" to glorify God.

And there is our Scripture Sunday for today!  I truly hope it has been an encouragement to someone.

Sunday Scripture

 

 It's time for another Sunday Scripture!  This is the last post of an ongoing series on my simple study of Rachel Wojo's Everything Beautiful.  You can read about the plan here if you are interested in it for yourself: Everything Beautiful Bible reading plan. My answers and input on this series are a combination of what I learned back in 2018, and what I found in looking over the Scriptures now, six years later.  I'm attempting to SOAP the passages too, though some of them are longer. [Quick reminder that S stands for Scripture; O stands for for observation; A stands for application, and P stands for prayer.]  Today's study is from Isaiah 60:1-9. 

S= "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee.
"For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples, but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee.
"And the darkness shall come to the light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
"Lift up thine eyes round about, and see; they all gather themselves together, they shall come to thee; thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side.
"Then thou shalt see, and flow together, and thine heart shall fear, and be enlarged, because the abundance of the sea shall be converted unto thee, the forces of the nations shall come unto thee.
"The multitude of camels shall cover thee; the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah; they all from Sheba shall come, they shall bring gold and incense, and they shall show forth the praises of the LORD.
"All the flocks of Kedar shall be gathered together unto thee, the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee; they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory.
"Who are these that fly like a cloud, and like the doves to their windows?
"Surely the coasts shall wait for me, and the ships of Tarshish first, to bring thy sons from far, their silver and their gold with them, unto the name of the LORD, thy God,  and to the Holy One of Israel, because he hath glorified thee.  (Isaiah 60:1-9)

O= In the Scofield Study Bible, C.I. Scofield titles chapter 60 of Isaiah "Glorious Zion in the Kingdom Age."  

In With the Word, Warren Wiersbe focuses on three words that sum up the various sections of Isaiah 60.  Two of them describe our passage.

For verses 1-3 (and also v. 19-22) he uses the word "light".  He notes: "As Isaiah looked ahead to the redeemed people and the restored city of Zion, the thing that impressed him most was glory.  It would be the dawning of a new day for the nation."

For verses 4-9 he chooses the word "unity".  He writes, "Jews and Gentiles alike will delight in worshiping and serving God.  Our world is plagued by division and conflict, but one day, God will give peace."

Cross-references for "risen upon thee" (v.1) --"And I will gather the remnant of My flock out of the countries to which I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase." (Jeremiah 23:3)

"And so all Israel shall be saved, as it is written, There shall come out of Zion a Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob." (Romans 11:26)

Cross-references for "glory" (v. 2) -- "And the LORD will create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for upon all the glory shall be a defense."  (Isaiah 4:5)

"And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did light it, and the Lamb is the lamp of it.  And the nations of them who are saved shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it."  (Revelation 21:23-24)

Cross-reference for "light" (v.3) -- "I, the LORD, have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the nations."  (Isaiah 42:6)

The above is clearly speaking of Christ.

Cross-reference for "come to thee" (v.4) -- "Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold; all these gather themselves together, and come to thee."  (Isaiah 49:18a)

Cross-reference for "Ephah" (v.6) -- "And the sons of Midian: Ephah, and Epher, and Hanoch, and Abida, and Eldaah.  All these were the children of Keturah." [Abraham's second wife following the death of Sarah.]

Cross-reference for "Kedar" (v.7) -- "And these are the names of the sons of Ishmael, by their names, according to their generations: the firstborn of Israel, Nebaioth; and Kedar, and Adbeel, and Mibsam."  (Genesis 25:13)

Verses 14-15 of Genesis 25 go on to list 8 more sons of Ishmael.  So Kedar was one of twelve sons of Ishmael.  And Nebaioth (also in verse 7) was Kedar's eldest brother, according to Genesis 25:13.

Cross-reference for "acceptance" (v.7) -- "Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and m ake them joyful in My house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon Mine altar; for Mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all peoples."  (Isaiah 56:7)

Cross-reference for "glorify" (v.7) -- "And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come, and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts ... The glory of this latter house shall be greater than the former, saith the LORD of hosts; and in this place will I give peace, saith the LORD of hosts."  (Habakkuk 2:7-9)

Cross-reference for "bring thy sons from far" (v.9) -- "Thus saith the Lord GOD: Behold, I will lift up Mine hand to the nations; and set up My standard to the peoples; and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders."  (Isaiah 49:22)

Warren Wiersbe writes in Be Comforted, his Bible study on Isaiah: " 'Arise and shine!' is God's 'wake-up call' to Jerusalem because a new day is dawning for Israel.  This light is not from the sun, but from the glory of God shining on the city.

    "God's glory had once dwelt in the tabernacle, only to depart because of Israel's sin.  God's glory then came into the temple, but it departed when the nation turned to idols.  The glory came to Israel in the person of Jesus Christ, but the nation nailed that glory to a cross."

A= For this Scripture, there were also a number of ways to apply it as prompted in the journal.  

"May His glory be seen in me." -- Rachel Wojo

My thoughts about this: These verses are all about God's glory.  God wants me, and all of His people, to bring glory to Him with our lives.

 

"Today, God's glory dwells in His church and in His people individually; but one day His glory will be revealed to the earth when He answers His people's prayer: 'Thy kingdom come'." -- Warren Wiersbe

 
Rachel also shares a "focus word" in each of the devotional pages.  For this lesson the focus word is "radiant". 

 
The question was asked: Which of my own words have blocked the beauty of God's Word?

My response in 2018: Maybe my worries and concerns as to what people may be thinking of me or may be saying about me.  I need to pay attention to bringing glory to God, and leave everything else in His hands.

Answering this same question in 2024: Life feels a little uncertain right now with our national circumstances.  But I must look to all that I know about God and not to the circumstances.  And there is so much truth about God just in these few verses from Job!

This prompt was given, along with a list: Today I will keep my eyes open for God's beauty in one or more of these places.

These are the places I circled: The words I read; the places I go; the air I breathe; the weather I experience; the rest I receive.

In 2024 I can note that for the words I read, I recently came across an essay by Hal Borland in a 1960s Readers' Digest magazine.  Titled October Splendor, the essay gave a lovely picture of October in New England.

For the air I breathe, it's been a joy to get out in the fresh air and walk many mornings lately.

For the weather I experience, I mentioned a string of perfect September days.  It felt like such a gift!

For the rest I receive, I'm so thankful that at the recent ladies' retreat, I slept all night.  That was unusual, as I don't usually sleep all night.  What a blessing not to have to leave the cabin to go out to the rest room.

A journaling prompt was this:  List one or more ideas to remind myself to intentionally look for God's beauty throughout the day.

My response in 2018: Go for a walk if possible.  Enjoy birdsong.  Breathe deeply.  Notice the beauty of God's Word.  Appreciate the beauty of the privilege of prayer. 

For my response in 2024, I added: Observe the leaves just beginning to turn color on isolated trees -- splashes of red and orange.  Notice the night sky -- the moon looks like a mandarin orange slice right now, and I recently observed several planets.  Watch for the progress as the sedum we planted at camp gradually changes color.

P= "Lord,  I thank You for how You have worked in my life through this study.  It has been a true exercise in looking to You and not my circumstances.  My circumstances personally in 2018, and circumstances in our country in 2024, have been especially challenging, but this study has forced me to see Your beauty in spite of them. What a blessing it has been to focus on Your beauty!  May I continue in Your strength to do this every day of my life regardless of circumstances.  I thank You in Jesus' name, Amen."

 And there is this week's Sunday Scripture -- as mentioned, the last in this particular series.  I pray it's a blessing to someone.  Next week we will be starting a new series on Psalms, though that may be interrupted by Thanksgiving, Christmas, and possibly something else.  We'll see!

Some goals for October

 

A new month means new goals (and with me, always some ongoing ones as well).  October is going to be an exceedingly busy month -- so here goes!

* Keep up with Flylady's homemaking zones of the week
* Get back to working through the "Make Room Challenge" from Make Room for What You Love
* Spend time with our friends who are younger believers
* Enjoy our church ladies' gathering
* 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
* Use Charles Swindoll's devotional Growing Strong in the Seasons of Life for my quiet time daily
* Continue studying and preparing for my Sunday Scripture blog posts
*Work on Even If, a study of Habakkuk from the Daily Grace Co.
* Continue stocking my Etsy shop and continue selling vintage items
* Write at least 4 encouraging notes to friends and family
* Touch base with teen grandchildren regarding the Stand Firm Bible study
* Help and encourage my local daughter as I'm able
* Plan meals with a greater emphasis on healthy eating
* Continue to work on memorizing the book of James
* Continue to help a widowed friend with the challenges of life in general
* Get to bed by 8:30 each night we are at home
* Drink enough water each day
* Walk and/or exercise at least 4 times each week
* Help in many ways with our church's missions conference
* Host missionaries during the conference
* Do a lot of cooking/baking for various hospitality opportunities
* Prepare lunch for our friends from TWNE who are helping us to get our wood in the cellar for winter
* Host friends at our camp for lunch
* Get together with our friends Syd and Cyndy for Columbus Day
* Spend time with our friend Charlotte up north
* Attend a couples retreat (combined with a getaway)
* Attend a Bible conference
* Start a 40-day sugar fast

HEALTHY HABITS FOR OCTOBER:  Drink more water/get more sleep/get more exercise/intermittent fasting/limit carbs

WORD FOR 2024: Continue 

And there you have it -- my goals for October.   We will see how I do!