Let's Take a Breather

On the Lighter Side… And I do NOT mean nutritionally! I have been meaning to write something where we can catch our breaths for a minute. So, here it is!

Last night, I made what was quite possibly the best dinner of all time. I know not everyone enjoys cooking as a pass time, but for those of you who do or for those who are interested in tickling someone’s taste buds, I have included the recipes below. By the way, Tim said this was his new favorite meal, so not bad for a nights work.

*For my readers who do not often cook, you might want to prepare your meal in the following order so every dish is hot and ready at the same time… Put the potatoes in the oven 1^st, move to preparing and cooking the chicken 2^nd, prepare biscuit mixture and cover loosely with saran wrap until ready to bake 3^rd, chop veggies & mince/sauté garlic for veggies 4^th, SET TABLE including toppings for potatoes 5^th, spoon out biscuit mixture and put into oven 6^th, finish final stage of sautéing veggies 7^th, serve and enjoy!!!

Chicken And Bacon Wrap

Ingredients:

• 4 chicken breasts, skinless, boneless
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces of mozzarella shredded cheese
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 ½ cups of raw spinach, chopped
• 2 Tbsp diced jalapeños
• 8 slices bacon
• Season-all to taste

Directions:
Put Spinach with a little bit of water in the microwave for 30 sec. or until limp.

Mix cheese, garlic, spinach, and jalapeños together.

Pound the chicken breasts with mallet, but make sure you use wax paper underneath and on top of the chicken before pounding the chicken.

Spoon cheese mixture into chicken and wrap chicken around mixture. Then wrap chicken with two slices of bacon on each breast using toothpicks to hold the chicken wrap together. Sprinkle seasoning (salt & pepper) all over the chicken breasts.

Put the chicken in a baking dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray and cook at 375 for 45 minutes.

Kathrin Y./Paula Dean Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 stick butter, melted
• 3/4 cup grated sharp Cheddar
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cup self-rising flour *(Newer cooks - this is different than regular All-Purpose Flour).

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt together using a fork; cut in shortening until it resembles cornmeal. Add cheese. Stir in buttermilk all at 1 time just until blended. Do not over stir. Drop by tablespoonfuls, or use an ice cream scoop, onto a well greased baking sheet. Brush dough with melted butter. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.

Sides:

Baked Potato

Wrap in foil and bake for 3 hours at 350 degrees F.

*Serve w/ butter, shredded cheddar cheese, sour cream, and sliced green onions!

Broccoli & Asparagus (LaDuni Style)

Ingredients:

• 4 cloves of garlic
• ½ tsp. of crushed red pepper
• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 1 bunch of broccoli
• ½ fresh lemon

Directions:

Mince 4 cloves of garlic, sauté w/ olive oil and a few dashes of crushed red pepper for 1-2 min., move skillet to back burner & proceed with the following: wash and slice both broccoli & asparagus, boil for 3 min. (or until barely bright green but crisp), drain & remove to skillet, sauté for 2 min. in garlic mixture, sprinkle with fresh lemon juice, salt & pepper to taste.

Dessert:

Have Tim come over and make his delicious homemade chocolate chip cookies (Santa & Mrs. Claus Style… Milk Chocolate for Him, White Chocolate for Her)!!!

Sometimes, It Doesn't Feel so Sweet to Trust in Jesus!

This past Sunday, our pastor and worship team did an amazing job leading our church in worship through the story of Abraham and Isaac. I have included the link below, so you can access the service in its entirety, if you desire.

http://media.northwestbible.org/?CFID=3660388&CFTOKEN=16569851

Let me start by saying, I feel blessed to attend a church where our pastor is uniquely sensitive and aware of the real life topics and pain his congregants face while putting faith into practice. I don’t know if it is because of personal experiences or because God has granted him supernatural vision and empathy to see the struggle behind the faces he serves, but he is gifted in addressing pain and personal conflict. Shockingly, I never feel as though he throws out flippant “Sunday School” answers, but he also does not shy away from acknowledging life’s difficulty head on. My “felt” personal problem J is that as my pastor addresses these issues, God often taps me on the shoulder and begins to speak. This was particularly true of this past Sunday’s service, as God began to actively move in me.

I am going to start with a little background information, so you will understand where I am coming from…

This past year, my husband has been applying for PhD programs across the country for the 2^nd time, because he was not accepted to pursue his dream of continued study, so as to teach New Testament within a secular setting, last year. In addition, I miscarried 3 times, limiting at least for now, my/our dream to be parents and expand our family. At this point in time, it feels like an understatement to say we are in a holding pattern, waiting on God.

This mornings sermon included two examples, the loss of one’s dream to teach and the death of one’s child, so I may have taken the sermon a little more seriously than most, but none the less, I have been pondering not just a man’s sermon, but what the Lord is asking of me/us, since that time.

The last song on Sunday was Tis so Sweet to Trust in Jesus. I know God will continue to work on me this upcoming week and in the weeks following, but in that moment I was just plain mad. I told my husband over lunch – sometimes, it doesn’t feel so sweet to trust in Jesus. And as I continued to verbally process I ask questions like, why would we logically put ourselves through what God asks of us? It doesn’t make ANY sense… we are suppose to surrender everything, and God doesn’t even promise to make the situation better. In fact, it might actually get worse! Why would we sign up for that, and why would we CONTINUE to sign up for that? To be honest, I don’t have the right “Sunday School” answers to these questions, nor do I care to possess them. What I do care about (and what I know I desperately need) is to experience what made God so real, so awesome, and so deserving that Abraham was willing to surrender Isaac.

As tears are welling in my eyes, I will simply conclude with the following personal objectives.

Today’s Focus:

1. Read Genesis 22 and journal the following questions:

· Observe and list what God was saying to Abraham?

· Observe and list what was involved/included in the sacrifice of Isaac?

· Ask what God is saying to me through Abraham’s story?

· Ask what "Isaac" God is asking me to surrender?

2. Spend time in the Lord’s presence ~ Wait, Listen, and Watch with Him.
“The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for He is with me; His rod and His staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:1-4

3. Listen to Natalie Grant’s You Deserve, and Worship.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHbLRBsyu3k

4. Listen to Donnie McClurkin’s I will Trust You, and Continue to Trust Him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-iTDdQquWk&feature=related

Lyrics are as follows:

I know that faith is easy when everything is going well
But can you still believe in Me when your life's a living hell?
And when all the things around you seem to quickly fade away
There's just one thing I really want to know

Will you let go? (I'll trust you, Lord)
Will you stand on My word? (I'll trust you, Lord)
Against all odds will you believe what I have said? (I'll trust You, Lord)
What seems impossible ... (I'll trust You, Lord)
Will you believe? (I'll trust You, Lord)
Every promise that I made will you receive? (Yes, I will trust You, Lord)

I know how bad it hurt you when that loved one's life came to an end
And when they had to leave you, you said you'd never love again
But will you trust that I can help you and I'll never turn away?
Will you trust Me, child, no matter, come what may?

What if it hurts? (I'll trust You, Lord)
What if you cry? (I'll trust You, Lord)
What if it doesn't work out the first time that you try? (I'll trust You, Lord)
What if you call My name ... (I'll trust You, lord)
And you don't feel Me near? (I'll trust You, Lord)
Will you believe in Me or will you fear? Oh, my child?
(Yes, I will trust, You Lord)
I will trust

From Tragedy to Job

Last week, an old family friend of ours experienced a severe motorcycle accident. A woman ran a red light, hit him on his motorcycle, and he consequently suffered two broken femurs, one amputated leg, multiple breaks below the remaining knee, one broken wrist, one broken thumb, the permanent loss of his vision, and multiple other scraps and bruises.

I have not seen this man in person since I was probably 13, but when I walked into his room, with no vision, he knew who I was. In the midst of agonizing pain, he tried to ask what was going on in my life and how our family was doing. He talked of how he had been praying for my sister and how thankful/proud he was of my brother for allowing God to move in his life. He bragged to his sister-in-law of my attendance in seminary, and all between moans of excruciating pain.

(Let me break in to say, I don’t consider myself an emotional person. Moody – yes, but emotional – no. I am the kid that LOVED to visit the hospital and nursing homes with my dad when I was little. However, I was so overcome with emotion at this man’s bedside that I passed out. Talk about embarrassing – I am there to encourage him and he ends up encouraging me as I stagger out the door!)

I spent quite a bit of time after my visit remembering what had made this man so special to me and my family. I remembered this man truly loved Jesus and people, he was always positive and encouraging, and he was a blessing and delight to encounter. Here is what I noticed last week at his bedside, while in terrible pain… He STILL loved Jesus and people, he was STILL positive and encouraging, and he was STILL a blessing and delight to be around! Interesting?!?!?

I have not been able to get this friend and his situation out of my mind since last Tuesday. In fact, I have been somewhat consumed. I am not really sure why other than I was so amazed with the genuineness of who he is IN CHRIST! If I were in that type of pain I do not think I would have been gracious to the doctor, but he was. If I were in that type of pain, I doubt I would have been asking about his family, but he ask about mine. If I were in that type of pain, I would probably be demanding and self-focused, but he remained humble and thankful.

For the first time in a long time, I was tempted to say WHY, God? Why does this man have to suffer? Why does someone who has loved You and served You faithfully have to hurt like this?

I think the reason this particular situation hit me so hard, was that he was on staff with my dad at a church where some really horrible things happened to me – this man, my dad, and a few other ministers were the “good guys.” The men who just put their heads down, loved Jesus, and served others. And it just didn’t seem fair that the minister who had hurt me wasn’t the one in the hospital bed missing a leg.

In response to my questioning, I believe this is what God keeps bringing to my mind:

As I have worked through counseling over the years, with respect to the hurts that occurred at that church, God has given me a very clear picture… On one side of a line is me as a child and the minister who hurt me, on the other side of the line is God holding an older version of me, safe and sound. God laid on my heart a long time ago, that because of sin that minister had access to my body, but He (God) always held a line that minister could not cross. God always held the best part of me, and Satan and in all his might could not cross that line and take what God had said he could not have!

The same is true of our family friend… GOD HAS DRAWN A LINE (I don’t know where and it may not be where I would choose, but He has drawn a line none the less). Satan and all his might cannot cross a line God draws. It may seem like Satan has an all-access pass, but he doesn’t! GOD DRAWS AND HOLDS THE LINE OF… ENOUGH, and that line Satan cannot and will not cross!

I know, I know – some of you (if I actually have any readers, other than my parents) are gagging right now. No doubt questions are coming circling the “WHY” word. Why does God allow pain? Why does God allow Sin? If God is all-loving, then why does He allow us to hurt? Comment away and I will do my best to address what I can. But for the time being, here is an example of where God drew a line Satan could not cross:

Job 1 ~

“One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”

Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming throughout the earth, going back and forth on it.” Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. ¹¹ But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”

The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your power, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”

Where was the line? Job’s life was the line!

We may not have the answers we want, and the line may not be where we would choose, but I find comfort in knowing God does have ultimate control. I don’t know what the upcoming months have in store for our dear friend, but this one thing I know… God has drawn a line Satan CANNOT cross! God will be faithful, and I trust God will move beyond our friends furthest expectation and need. But what I am claiming is the fact that God will hold the line of “enough” for His beloved.

Today’s Focus:

1. Remember God makes and holds the line of ENOUGH.

"And God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." 1 Cor. 10:13

2. Claim the following promise for our friend.

“Never have I seen the righteous forsaken, or their seed begging for bread.” Ps. 37:25

3. Pray for our friend to see and know God even more during this difficult time.

“Before my ears had heard of You, but now my eyes have seen You.” Job 1:6-12