Terrific Thankful Thursday

It is an amazing day in Southern Georgia, a wonderful beautiful day, and I have so much to be thankful for.
This is the entrance to our land, in the header photo. I am so thankful that God give us the wisdom to buy this place many years ago, instead of going in deep debt to get a house in the city, and big and fancy, for we are now retired, and if we owed for our home I am not sure how we would make ends meet, they just wave at each other now. But God give insight to us, nothing else I can contribute it too, we are not real smart folks, or have any crystal ball to look into the future, so it definitely had to be God's leading.
It is funny how people change, and they have different out look on things as they age, when we are young we think the world is ours, just for the taking, and so many times we want so many things that are out of our reach, so we will go in debt to get them. BIG mistake, we were there one time in our young life, we were  over our heads in bills, had 5 small children running around, needing shoes, and food and always had to pay the rent, we made some really unwise decisions then too, but as we looked more to the lord, and asked for his guidance, he give us great wisdom that no book or any school could ever teach. The fact to live within our means, to be content with what we have, and not to always be looking for bigger and better.
So I think today I am most thankful that God saved me and my dear husband, and then taught us to how live within our means, and how to be content with the things he gives. Like the apostle Paul said in:

Philippians 4:11 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."
Philippians 4:12 "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need."

This is definitely a lesson well learned, and if you have learned it, then thank God and have a very Thankful Thursday, God bless you and Keep you in his care.

Lots of Hugs, Barbara

Wednesday Wonderful Words

Fruit of the Spirit - Visible Growth in Jesus Christ

"Fruit of the Spirit" is a biblical term that sums up the nine visible attributes of a true Christian life.

Galatians 5:22-23, these attributes are: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance. We learn from scripture that these are not individual "fruits" from which we pick and choose. Rather, the fruit of the Spirit is one ninefold "fruit" that characterizes all who truly walk in the Holy Spirit. Collectively, these are the fruits that all Christians should be producing in their new lives with Jesus Christ.

Fruit of the Spirit - The Nine Biblical Attributes


The fruit of the Spirit is a physical manifestation of a Christian's transformed life. In order to mature as believers, we should study and understand the attributes of the ninefold fruit:


Love - "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him" (1 John 4:16). Through Jesus Christ, our greatest goal is to do all things in love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails" (1 Corinthians 13:4-8).


Joy - "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).


Peace - "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ" (Romans 5:1). "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).


Longsuffering (patience) -- We are "strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Colossians 1:11). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).


Gentleness (kindness) -- We should live "in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left" (2 Corinthians 6:6-7).


Goodness - "Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power" (2 Thessalonians 1:11). "For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth" (Ephesians 5:9).


Faith (faithfulness) - "O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith" (Ephesians 3:16-17).


Meekness - "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted" (Galatians 6:1). "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2).

Temperance (self-control) - "But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love" (2 Peter 1:5-7).

*This is an area we all need work in, well I know I do, perhaps you do not, but I think if we all are honest there is at least one of the fruits that need ripening in our life. I found this on the web, and thought it was a wonderful way of putting it, I made the header to go with it, and hope you enjoy the whole thing, God bless you this wonderful Wednesday, may your light shine, and your Spirit soar. Have a very blessed day.

"Welcome To Tasteful Tuesday"

Well good morning, and after all the talk about our senses yesterday what better sense to give into than taste, wow, I made this wonderful Lemon cake for a social at church Sunday, and everyone raved about it. It is so moist and so tastey. I am going to share the recipe here with you now. Hope you enjoy this as much as everyone at church did. Beings a Christian of course we have to have a little scripture to put in too, it is only fitting that God gets his rightful place before our flesh does, lol I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday, and are enlightened by all the wonderful things of creation around you. God bless you real good today and always.

Psalms 119:103 "How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
I looked up the word taste, and you know it occurs 22 times in 21 verses in the KJV

(Exd 16:31 - Hbr 2:9) Look them all up in your spare time, I am sure it will be a blessing to you.
And we think that it is just our invention to taste, giggles, NOT...May we give God the glory for every thing he made, and made so well, and you notice most things he created in us, are to give us pleasure, we need to do a study on Godly pleasure one day, I think that will be very interesting, don't you? Well not the fabulous recipe of the lemon cake. Enjoy and be blessed, let your taste buds just tantalize, and come alive just thinking about it... Hugs

Lemon Layer Cake

2.5 cups sifted flour
2 tsp. baking powder
.25 tsp. baking soda
.25 tsp. salt (optional)
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2 tsp. lemon zest
1.25 cups sugar
3 large eggs
.5 cup milk
.5 cup lemon juice


Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Flour, line and grease 2 8-inch round cake pans.


Combine sifted flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. In a large mixing bowl combine butter and lemon zest and beat until fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar (the slower, the better) until completely combined. Add eggs one at a time, then beat 2 to 3 minutes until the batter is light and fluffy.


Beat .25 of dry ingredients into the wet batter, and then add all of the milk. Beat until combined. Add the remaining dry ingredients, alternating with lemon juice, beginning and ending with the dry.
Divide batter between the two cake pans and smooth with spatula.


Place pans on the middle rack in oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched. Cool in pans on rack for 10 minutes.




Make the Lemon Butter Cream Frosting:


1 small box of instant lemon pudding
1 stick of soft butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 box of confectioners sugar
Coconut


In a medium bowl, beat the butter and lemon pudding with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar in batches and beat until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat for one minute.
(Frost the Cake:)
Up to a few hours ahead, spread a thin layer of frosting on the cake, filling in any gaps as you go. Chill until the frosting firms up a bit, about ½ hour. Spread the remaining frosting decoratively over the top and sides of cake. Scatter with bits of lemon slices, or lemon zest, I add coconut to mine too, but  garnish as you like.

~ The Beauty These Eyes Have Seen ~

I have been lazy today, sitting out on the porch this morning, sipping my coffee and enjoying the sweetness of God's creation. The birds singing, the chickens clucking, the sound of the rooster in the wind, I can even hear the creek flowing, I just marvel at how God created us to hear, and see, touch and smell, and taste, oh my the senses he has given are so remarkable, have you ever just thought about this?


WOW..what if we could not see all this beauty, or smell the wonderful scents of home made bread baking, or even fish frying, and then to taste them, oh me. Then what if we could not touch and know things were hot or cold, or if things picked us, like cactus, or cut us like broken glass, what if we could not hear the bird singing, oh my what a dull and dangerous life we would live, wow my ramblings are taking over this morning, please be patient with me. I have found when I am rambling there is someone who needs what I ramble about, lol.
Now what if we could not hear our baby cry in the night when they need feeding or changing, have you ever thought of the marvelous detail our heavenly Father put into our creation?

Another sense God put in us, is the feelings of our heart, what if we did not feel compassion, or fear, or love, or pity, we would be just like robots, nothing effecting us in any way, well I am glad for all the ways God has put us together, and to think we are made in his image, now we look in the mirror and see our image, so, when we look do we see God in us? We need to see something different in us that sets us apart from those who do not have God living in them.


We need to be a shining light to this dark world around us. Everyone says God looks on the inside, this is so true, but, man cannot see our inside, so they look on the outside and try to see what we are made of, who we are, and what we stand for. We need to have the genuine feelings that we care about people and their feelings, and how we can make them feel better. We need to be separated, we need to be a peculiar people as God put it, we need to look different, so many Christians are striving to look like the world that they get lost in the world, our goal should be to look like God, our creator, to be like Christ our Saviour, and to live like we have the Holy Spirit living in us. Oh God help us to be more like thee, to have more compassion on others, to feel the pain they feel, and to be able to help them in some way. To live my life unto the lord, to be more like him.


Thanks for listening to all my ramblings today, and hope you have a wonderful week ahead, and that you will think about the things I have said here today too.


Be blessed, but better be a blessing ♥ Barbara

Drinking From The Well of Living Water, Happy Now Am I

"There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.


For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2


The law of Spirit and life is a great liberator! Amen we are set free from the law of sin and death. Death has no rule over us because of Jesus' resurrection.


Sin has no claim on us because Jesus paid off our debt to sin on the cross of calvary. We stand before our Holy God as his righteous spotless children, free at last because of the work of our mighty Lord Jesus Christ. There is no condemnation in our future, only glory!


Wow that makes me want to shout, gives a holy goose bump, and brings a smile to my face, I am so blessed and so forgiven for all the wicked evil I have did in my life, praise God for the victory Jesus give...
 
Have a wonderful and blessed Sunday, Praise God we are able to go worship our Saviour freely.

     ♥FRIENDLY FRIDAY♥

Here is a sweet red rose from my garden for all you my dear friends, I hope this day finds you well.
I am recouping from yesterday, my knee is not hurting but my other leg is, lol guess I favored it too much yesterday trying not of step on the right leg, oh well praise God, It will pass, and It will get better.

♥ In Tune With Each Other, My Friend ♥


There is nothing better than sharing with a friend, if you have a good friend you can laugh with, cry with, pray with you have a good thing. Hold them close to your heart daily in Prayer, it is impossible to have a friend and not pray for her, and if you are not praying for her, shame on you. Those we love we pray for, make a point each day to pray for your family, your friends, and especially those you do not like, lets let all malice be put far from us, and let us hold each other high above our self. Talk is cheap, action is where it is, go now and send some one a card, call some one, and just say a prayer for all your friends, and know they are praying for you. It only takes a couple minutes to pray, or write or send a card. Hugs and I consider you all my friends, and I DO pray for you daily. Lots of love on this Friendly Friday. Have a very blessed weekend too. Start praying now for your church services Sunday, God will do great and mighty things when we pray.

Thankful Thursday

SHOWERS OF BLESSINGS

"And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come down in his season; there shall be showers of blessing." (Ezekiel 34:26)
 
 
 
I just love blessings, don't you, and I always want them to come down in showers, not in spurts or in drops but in showers, I love it when God rains down blessings on me. This verse provided the inspiration for the old gospel hymn "Showers of Blessing." While it applies specifically to Israel, it states a divine principle which believers of all times have rightly appropriated to their own lives. The same word ("showers") is also frequently translated "rain," speaking of the rain which followed Elijah's contest with the prophets of Baal at the end of the three-year drought. "And Elijah said unto Ahab, Get thee up, eat and drink; for there is a sound of abundance of rain" (1 Kings 18:41).
I count my friends the greatest blessings God has ever given, in my years of life, I have seen many blessings in all shapes and forms. Some I have since Grade school, some more recent. We just cannot go without friends, they are a need for the human spirit.
I remember one time when we were first married, we had this old car that always broke down, well it always seemed to break down at a light, I would slow and stop for a red light, and then the car would not start again, but God always had someone there to help, in our darkest moments he always sends a light.
 
Today is Thankful Thursday, how many things can you say you are thankful for? WOW I can think of so many right off the top of my head I could not write them all down.
But today I am thankful for my friends, I have several really good friends, that are always there, they always pray for me, and I know I can count on them, I say that is one shower of blessings indeed. If you have one good friend you can trust it is a blessing, but to have several, that is from God.
 
I am going today to have an injection of Steroids put in a Cyst behind my knee, I have been fighting this painful battle for weeks now, and finally know what the culprit is that is causing all my pain. So if you would pray for me, and that this pain will go away, the shot will shrink the cyst and I can get on with my every day living, and doing all the things I love doing. I am so thankful that God is with me every way, and that he has gotten through this time of pain and I can still say, I trust in you Lord, and I know you have my life, my health all of me in your mighty hands, and can care for me so much better than anyone else. Thank you Lord.

Wonderful Wednesday
Feeding the Soul

"Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the Lord in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way." (1 Samuel 12:23)

Samuel's great heart, both for the Lord and for His people, is revealed in the promise of our text. Although he was hurt and disappointed, because he had led them successfully and justly his whole life, he would still pray for them and teach them. This is a great example for Christian leaders or workers today who, through no fault of their own, have been replaced by someone else.

Intercessory prayer is not easy, especially if our prayers are not appreciated by those we pray for. Nevertheless, it is a type of prayer ministry that especially pleases the Lord, and that is more important than human gratitude. "I exhort therefore" said Paul (no doubt reflecting God’s own desires), "that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority . . ." (1 Timothy 2:1-2). Paul would even urge prayer for the emperor, Nero, who had imprisoned him and would eventually have him put to death.

Even Jesus had said that we should "pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). The Lord Jesus is the greatest intercessor of all. For when we sin (and all sin is sin against the Lord), He is our "advocate with the Father" (1 John 2:1), and in fact, "he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25). Therefore, should we not also be prayer intercessors?

Feeding the Body
Krystal's Hamburgers

2 lb. Lean Ground Beef
1/4 cup Dry Minced Onion
1/4 cup Hot Water
3 oz. Jar Strained Beef Baby Food
2/3 cup Clear Beef Broth
1 pk. Hot Dog Buns


Soak 1/4 cup dry minced onions in 1/4 cup hot water until soft while you
mix 2 pounds ground beef with 3 ounce jar of strained beef baby food and
2/3 cup clear beef broth. Keep patties uniform using
1/4 cup meat mixture


for each patty, flattened to 1/4" and fried quickly in 1 T oil per patty on
a hot griddle. Make 3 or 4 holes in patties while frying. Cut hot dog buns
in half. Cut off rounded ends. Fry 1 t onions under each patty as you turn
to fry 2nd side. Slip each patty into bun with 2 dill pickle chips, mustard
and catsup.  YumYum so good

Saluting Sweet Stephanie

Well my precious Grand Daughter is graduating this year, she has been an all A student since preschool, mostly A+ Needless to say we are bursting with pride over this wonderful young girl. She is super special, she works attends school, and is the best granddaughter a Nana could ever have.
I do not see her like I did when she was little, such a beautiful little girl, we moved away from them when she was in still young, but through the years I seen her grow, and watched her become the beautiful young woman she is today. I am posting some photos of her, hope you enjoy them, and say with me Happy Graduation Sweet Stephanie.  Nana and Papa are sure proud of your accomplishments, and know you will do good in college too. God bless you dear one and know we love you very much.

 
Stephanie and My Daughter Michelle
God Bless you my precious Girl

Marvellous Monday

We had such a wonderful Weekend, I hope you all did too, yesterday was great, such good preaching and fellowship, and last night we had a time going to church.
When we left home the sun was shining, we went about 12 miles and low and behold it started hailing, yes hailing some a large as  golf balls, we pulled off under a tree to protect the car we were afraid it was going to get all dinged up. It only lasted about 10 minutes then we went on our way, and no damage done, along side the road we seen all this white hail laying, just seemed unreal. it all happened so quick, and I thank God it was hail and not that Tornado that hit in Mississippi, now that was some real devastation, pray for those folks that were affected by that. I wish I had my camera though to show all that hail, not very often do we see hail in our part of the Country, way down south that is.
I had the best surprise yesterday when we walked into church, and in my seat was this box with a card on it, beautiful card from my new found friend, Lorraine, and lookie what was inside the box. She said when she seen it she thought of Mother Hen and had to get it for me. I have a web site and I am known as Mother hen. Isn't it just gorgeous, and it has found a new home right where it belongs too. Thank you Lorraine, and I am so happy I God has brought us together and we have found this new friendship, hugs. Don't ya just love surprises like this.