God's Path...

A couple of weeks ago I started working my way through a wonderful Bible study by Elizabeth George, Finding God's Path Through Your Trials. I had read through the book when I first obtained it, some months ago. But actually doing the study is so much better than simply reading the book.

As Christians, we know that trials are a fact of life. We all have them, and we all have a variety of them. God's Word says that we will have trials in this life. But the Bible also tells us that we can count these trials as joy! I encourage you to get this book and do the study. It has been a huge blessing to me already, and I'm only about halfway through it.

God has been impressing on me that I should share some of the things He is teaching me, with others. One thing that I've done, as part of the study, is write out some prayers to God concerning His purpose for trials and His presence with me in them. I thought I would begin today by sharing one of the prayers of my heart.

"Dear Heavenly Father,

"I am so thankful for Your lovingkindness, mercy, and grace. I am thankful for Your sovereignty, for Your omniscience and omnipotence. I thank and praise You that You have a good plan for my life and that You will work all things together for good. Help me, Lord, to accept my trials as part of Your good plan, and to be joyful even when life is not joyful, for Your sake. Help me grow to the point of utmost usefulness to You and others. Thank You, Lord, for the good work You have begun in my life and the work You continue to do... even through trials. I love You, Lord.

"In Jesus' Name, Amen."

My prayer today is that God might use this simple prayer of my heart to encourage someone else. Lord willing, I'll post something small and simple every day that I am learning through this study.

Menu Plan Monday for March 3

Monday again! It's another chilly winter day, and we got lots more snow over the weekend, so again this week I have lots of comfort foods on my menus. As usual, my plan for this week includes some repeat meals that didn't get used last week.

MONDAY: Macaroni & Cheese, Mixed Vegetables, Coleslaw

TUESDAY: Meatless Moussaka, Romaine Salad, Wheat Italian Bread

WEDNESDAY: Seafood Chowder, Focaccia Bread

THURSDAY: Meat Loaf, Scalloped Potatoes, Herbed Beans & Carrots

FRIDAY: Corn Chowder, Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

SATURDAY: Rosemary Chicken with White Beans, Cornbread

SUNDAY: Forgotten Jambalaya, Cornbread

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Usually well over 100 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.

Favorite Ingredients Friday for February 29

Here is a favorite chocolate dessert that goes over well at a potluck or when you have guests in.

CHOCOLATE CAKE WITH FUDGE SAUCE

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) cook & serve chocolate pudding mix
2 cups milk
1 pkg. (18 1/4 oz.) chocolate cake mix

FUDGE SAUCE:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 can (12 oz.) evaporated milk
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine pudding mix with milk in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cook, uncovered, for 6 to 8 minutes at 70% power, stirring at 2-minute intervals. (If you prefer, you may cook the pudding in a saucepan on the stovetop, but cooking it in a bowl in the microwave saves a step and a saucepan.)

Add the dry cake mix to the pudding and beat until well blended. Pour batter into a greased 13x9-inch baking pan and spread evenly. Bake at 350º for 30-35 minutes, until cake springs back when lightly touched and edges pull away from sides of pan. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.

For sauce, in a heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate chips over low heat. Stir in evaporated milk and sugar until smooth. Bring to a boil over medium heat; cook and stir for 8 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.

Cut cake in squares; serve on dessert plates with warm sauce over cake. Ice cream or whipped cream are completely optional.

This came from a Country Woman magazine -- it was a prize-winner in one of their contests. This recipe is chocolate to the nth degree and is incredibly easy and delicious.

Photo from Taste of Home

To see what others have shared for Favorite Ingredients Friday, head on over to Overwhelmed with Joy and check out the links.

Sew Crafty Friday for February 29

Most of my projects this week are works in progress. First, here is the Country Baking cross-stitch sampler. I'm still working on the back-stitching. I don't work on this too often, but yesterday I got quite a bit done while my hubby was in the dentist's chair and I waited for him. The "book-like" area down near the bottom left is going to contain a list of the fruit of the Spirit.

Next is the scrap afghan (a UFO from many years ago). This afghan is worked in 2 pieces and then joined together. This is the first piece and is almost complete. I just have a few more rows to go which will include one more color -- maroon. Then I will need to make the second piece and join the two. It's a project I work on only at home at this point because it is so large and heavy.

And last, here is the completed framed cross-stitch of a little verse from Psalms -- also a UFO of many years' duration. I apologize for the blurry photo. I took one with the cross-stitch leaning upright, but that picture didn't show the frame as well, so I decided to use this one. I was going for a rustic look with the frame and think I succeeded pretty well. It was an ugly dark brown frame I found somewhere. I painted it with several coats of a linen color, then several coats of navy blue, before sanding and sealing it. I was pleased that when I sanded it lightly, not only the linen color, but also some of the original dark brown, showed through in places, which really helped to give it the worn old look I was aiming for.


That is about it for my crafting efforts this week. If you have managed to accomplish or even start any crafting, then head on over to Waiting for Him and share your projects. Shereen and others will be eager to see what you have to share. Happy Crafting!

Show & Tell Friday for February 29

For Show & Tell today, here are a few more items from my walls. These are on the wall at different places in our upstairs hallway.

This nifty old (stamped) cross-stitch of a little red schoolhouse was made by one of my great-aunts. We found it among her things and I decided to bring it home and give it a good home.

This plate was a gift from my sister many years ago. It is a painting of Bass Harbor Head Light in Maine. We had gone camping there together once and stayed at a campground within walking distance of this lighthouse. One evening we walked down there and were surprised to meet a deer in the misty evening light. My sister is in heaven now, so the plate is a lovely reminder of her and good times spent together.

And this crewel stitchery is one that I made for my grandmother many years ago. It was returned to me when she passed on. It depicts a little Hummel girl. My grandmother had a lovely collection of Hummel figurines, and I made this to complement them. It was a fun project to do. The little girl's face, arms and legs are not stitched but are made from peach-colored felt and the details embroidered on top of the felt.

And that's my Show & Tell for today!
To see what others have shared for Show & Tell this week, go visit visit There is No Place Like Home and check out the links. It’s so much fun to see what others have to share!

A birthday moment

Back in January, we celebrated my birthday at my daughter's home. Just after the candles were lit, as the family was singing "Happy Birthday", there was a moment which I tried to capture in a sort of poem. Here it is:

The candles
were an afterthought -- and so
just three of them adorn my birthday cake.
Their small bright flames
reflect the brightness of the children's eyes.
I gaze into their faces as they sing:
The six-year-old, whose eyes
seem somehow sad and wise beyond her years;
The mischief-loving boy who is so sweet;
The pretty curly-headed four-year-old;
The baby, still too young to know the birthday song
but smiling as the others laugh and sing.
They are so precious to me, God! You know
how much I love these little ones of Yours.
So as I blow the candles out, my wish
is not a wish at all, but just a prayer
that You would touch these tender little lives
and light each one a heart aglow for You.

Menu Plan Monday for February 25

Another Monday! It's a bright chilly winter day, so I have lots of comfort foods planned for this week. As usual, my plan for this week includes some repeat meals that didn't get used last week.

MONDAY: Ground Beef Stew, Rolls

TUESDAY: Pepper Jack Chicken (leftover from Sunday), Southwestern Rice Bake, Broccoli/Cauliflower Blend

WEDNESDAY: Ground Beef Stew (leftover from Monday), Butter Dip Breadsticks

THURSDAY: Meat Loaf, Scalloped Potatoes, Herbed Beans & Carrots

FRIDAY: Vegetable Chili, Cornbread

SATURDAY: Macaroni & Cheese, Mixed Vegetables, Coleslaw

SUNDAY: (Potluck at Church) Curried Chicken with Peaches, Brown Rice, Asparagus Stir-fry Vegetables, Caramel Chocolate Cake

If you would like to see menus which others have shared, head over to I'm an Organizing Junkie and check out the links. Usually well over 100 people share links to their weekly menus. You'll find some great ideas and often recipes too.