Forgetful or Faithful

For two days in a row I've forgotten to go to things which were on my schedule for three o'clock in the afternoon.  Yesterday my excuse was being busy baking cakes for an fundraising event.  The assignment was two lemon Bundt cakes.  I ended up making three when the first one didn't properly come out of the pan.  At least I was able to sample it, since it was a new recipe, and now we have a cake to eat, too!  But the massage I was supposed to enjoy instead got cancelled when I didn't show up on time.

 

Today I have no excuse.  I've known about the bridal shower for two weeks.  The present was purchased and sitting on my corner china cupboard waiting to be placed in a gift bag.  Just last night I told my husband, "Don't let me forget to go to the bridal shower tomorrow".  As it turned out, he forgot to remind me not to forget, and I arrived at the church just in time for the end of the shower.

Some might call it being scatterbrained or perhaps clutter-brained would be a better word.  What was distracting me from attending the shower was the clutter in my home.  My mind was occupied with getting to the bottom of the "piles" which have been taking up residence on our table for several weeks now.  Digging through the mess, I came across several letters which needed writing, so at least something was accomplished with my time.  But it really would have been more special being at the shower.  Interestingly, both missed events were marked on my calendar. . .I just forgot to look at it!

In the midst of my regrets, I find myself thankful for a God who never forgets.  His love is constant and He never gets distracted by the craziness of the world.  He has promised to be with us always, and better yet, according to Hebrews  10:23, "He who promised is faithful".  Faithful, even when I'm forgetful.  That's a good thought on days like today. . .and yesterday!

A Reason to Celebrate

Earlier this week a group of the Anderson relatives gathered for an evening meal at the Sunrise Care Center, our local nursing home.  Although the room is technically the "activity room", it has tables and chairs and a small kitchenette, making it the perfect place to come together.  Bert's aunt and uncle, Peggy and Leonard, are now residents of the nursing home, and it is easier for them to have us bring in a meal when a reason to celebrate arises.

 Our reason to celebrate this week was having their son, Brian, home for a visit from Hill City, South Dakota where he pastors the Lighthouse Assembly of God.  Aunt Arlene made a great batch of spaghetti, along with a lettuce salad.  A request was made for my fruit salad, and the meal was completed with garlic toast and an assortment of cakes and candies for dessert.
  

 

Put together family, food and fellowship and you can be sure laughter, smiles and hugs will join in.  Have you had a reason to celebrate this week?  If nothing else, say with the Psalmist:

 

"This is the day the Lord has made!

We will rejoice and be glad in it!"

~Psalm 118:24

Message in a Song

Lately there has been a song sending me a message.  Although I remember hearing bits and pieces of the song in the past, it was within the last week I really heard what God was trying to say to me through it.  The title is simple.  "Breathe"  It is something we do every moment of every day.  It is how God designed us to maintain life in our bodies.  Sometimes, however, we get so busy with the things of life we forget to acknowledge our need of taking a spiritual breath along with our physical one.  Tonight, at the end of a busy day, I sense a need to look over the words and take a few deep and very purposeful breaths, asking God to quiet my mind and fill me with more of Him!

Alarm clock screaming bare feet hit the floor
It's off to the races everybody out the door
I'm feeling like I'm falling behind, it's a crazy life
Ninety miles an hour going fast as I can
Trying to push a little harder trying to get the upper hand
So much to do in so little time, it's a crazy life
It's ready, set, go it's another wild day
When the stress is on the rise in my heart I feel You say just

(chorus)
Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at My feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe

Third cup of joe just to get me through the day
Wanna make the most of time but I feel it slip away
I wonder if there's something more to this crazy life
I'm busy, busy, busy, and it's no surprise to see
That I only have time for me, me, me
There's gotta be something more to this crazy life
I'm hanging on tight to another wild day
When it starts to fall apart in my heart I hear You say just

(chorus)
Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at My feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need

Is to take it in fill your lungs
The Peace of God that overcomes
Just breathe
Let your weary spirit rest
Lay down what's good and find what's best
Just breathe

(chorus)
Just breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at My feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe
Just breathe

Publishing: ©2015 Centricity Music Publishing (ASCAP)/So Essential Tunes & Not Just Another Song (SESAC)/Wordspring Music, LLC & Tony Wood Songs (SESAC)

Writer(s): Words and Music by Jonny Diaz, Jonathan Smith and Tony Wood


To hear the song follow this link:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnjeMwxFuBA

Trouble!

Tonight the words of an old spiritual come to mind.  It tells of times in the Bible when there was trouble and Jesus came to the rescue.   When I can't control the events happening around me, I remember the chorus. . .

Lyrics:

Trouble come my way (Trouble come my way)
Have to cry sometime (I Have to cry sometime)
Trouble come my way (Trouble come my way)
Have to cry sometime (I Have to cry sometime)
Lay awake at night (Lay awake at night)
But that's all right (That's all right), that's all right

 

Chorus 1:
I know my Jesus (Jesus, He will fix it)
Lord, I know my Jesus (Jesus, He will fix it)
Well, I know that Jesus (Jesus, He will fix it)
After a while (After a while)

 

Stepped into the furnace (Step into the furnace)
A long time ago (Long time ago)
With ole Shadrach (Shadrach, Meshach)
And Abed-Nego (And Abed-Nego)
Well, they didn't worry (They didn't worry)
'Cause this I know (This I know)       

 

Chorus 2:
They knew that Jesus (Jesus, He will fix it)
They knew that Jesus (Jesus, He will fix it)
They knew that Jesus (Jesus, He will fix it)
After a while (After a while)

 

When you are hurting (When you're hurting)
And on your face it's shown (Pain is shown)
But you keep on trying (You keep tryin')
To bear the pain alone (All alone)
You know you need to give it to Jesus (Give it to the Master)
He can handle the load (Heavy load)

 

 

Yes, the troubles will come.  And I can't fix it.  But Jesus will. . .after awhile! 

What Do You Do [With Your Time]?

One of the joys of my retirement has been participating in a group called the "Music Makers". On a weekly basis we provide entertainment for the residents in our local nursing home, and once a month also perform for the people who reside in our assisted living center.  With an accordion, guitars, harmonicas, banjo and rhythm sticks backing me up, singing the "old time music" never gets old.

 

 

The last time we played at the assisted living center, one of the ladies asked me an interesting question.  She just happens to be 102 years old, and still maintains her own apartment attached to a shared common area.  As I joined her for refreshments following our performance, she looked me in the eye and asked, "What do you do with your time?"  Immediately my mind went blank.  I found myself re-asking the question in my mind.  "What DO I do with my time??"  Had I been thinking, I would have asked her what she would do with her time if she could return to my age!

 

The next day, morning arrived and I found myself wondering what I would do with my time, and whether or not it would be useful in the overall scheme of things.  Mondays and Wednesdays I begin the day at the Lighten Up Wellness Center, doing a Women on Weights class.  On Tuesdays and Thursdays a stretch and breathe yoga class starts the day.  Over the years I have found a consistent exercise program to be helpful in maintaining both physical and mental health.

 

Often, after exercise time is complete, I make my way over to Mabel's house.  Mabel is my aunt and godmother and an inspiration to many in our community.  In her 90's, she maintains a positive outlook on life, despite the health issues she battles.  Although many think the visits are for Mabel's benefit, they usually are just what I need to fuel my day.

 

 

Evaluating the remaining time in my days, I found housework, laundry, cooking and dishes were responsible for a good chunk of time, but more and more what I found as the week progressed was a great deal of time was wasted scrolling through Facebook.  Along with a desire to follow my daughter and son in their commitment to a "February Facebook Fast", came an added dimension to my own fast. . .making better use of my time.  Perhaps by my next visit with one of our community's centurions I will have a better answer as to what it is which captivates my time!

 



 

 



February Facebook Fast

It began with our daughter declaring she was going off Facebook for the month.  This is something she does periodically and swears it is a very healthy thing to do.  Following her example, our son also decided to say no to social media for the month of February.  And so it is I decided to join them in saying good-bye to Facebook for a month.  At least it is a short month, so hopefully I can survive!

After day one, however, I must admit it has been rather freeing.  More housework was accomplished than has been done in a long time.  The dishes were actually washed and put away and I had a nice visit with my mother-in-law this evening while Bert was at the City Council meeting. 

Back home I did take some time to check my email and clear out some of the many unnecessary items in my inbox.  In the course of doing so, I came across a devotional called, "Jesus Needed Rest and So Do You".  It focused on the story from Mark 4:35-40 where Jesus is found sleeping in the boat.  The three points emphasized were taking time for connecting with God, taking time for connecting with others and taking time for yourself. 

My prayer for this time of "Facebook Fasting" includes doing a bit more of all three.  Although I will be disconnected with others by way of Facebook, I hope to connect more in person or in "old fashioned" ways like writing actual letters to people.

The other avenue of connection I hope to expand on is my blogging.  Over the past several months I have been jotting done ideas as God gives them to me, but Facebook time always managed to take away the time I should have used to blog. 

And so here we are at the end of day one. . .

The Smell of Fellowship!

A wonderful smell is beginning to fill the air spaces of our home.  It is a smell I have enjoyed many times over the past thirty or so years.  I'm not sure exactly when I inherited the recipe, but it was given to me by my oldest sister-in-law after she served them to us on one of our many visits to her home in St. Cloud, Minnesota.

The original recipe card is tattered, discolored and torn on one of the corners.  It certainly reflects on the number of times it has been used, although, to be truthful, I can whip up a batch of these delightful treats without even taking out the recipe card.  Over the years I also started using a larger size pan, so have a second sheet with the expanded ingredient list when needed.

What is this delicacy, you may ask?  The original card reads, "Recipe for Brownies".  Over the years, however, we have expanded the name to "World Famous Brownies", as they have made their way across the seas to Germany when my brother-in-law was in the army and.  A request for the recipe also once came from Brazil, so the flavor has reached three continents!

Because we don't need to be tempted by the calories, the recipe is seldom used unless there is a special occasion for which to serve them.  Today they are on hand for the fellowship time following tomorrow evening's "Singspiration" service at our church.  The idea for this Ecumenical gathering began years ago among the ministerial organization in our community.  Any month which had five Sundays was designated reason to have another, with the churches taking turns hosting and providing a light lunch for fellowship.  Over the years, as pastors came and went, there came a time when the tradition slipped through the cracks.

After reminiscing about how enjoyable the services once were, and discussing the prospect with two of the current pastors, a decision was made to revive the custom starting with the fifth Sunday in January of 2016.  The Music Makers group who provides weekly entertainment at the local nursing home, consented to provide the accompaniment and our church volunteered to host the event.  On the agenda is singing many of the "good old hymns" of the church, as well as taking time to hear the talents of several local musicians as they share special numbers.

If you happen to be in the area of Crosby, North Dakota tomorrow evening, take time to stop in at the Assembly of God church on Main Street and enjoy the music with us.  The event starts at 7:00pm.  An added bonus will be a free sampling of the "World Famous Brownies"!  In case you don't make it, here's the recipe if you'd like to try them for yourself.  Options for both pan sizes are included.

 

WORLD FAMOUS BROWNIES

For traditional jelly roll pan: * For baker's half sheet pan:

(10 ½ X 15 ½ inches) * (13.25 X 18.625 inches)                      

1 Cup Sugar * 1 ½ Cup Sugar

½ Cup butter * ¾ Cup butter

Cream together and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4 Eggs * 6 Eggs

Add:

16 oz Can Hershey's Choc. Syrup * 24 oz bottle Hershey's Choc. Syrup

1 tsp. Vanilla * 1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

Mix until blended.

Add:

1 Cup flour * 1 ½ Cups flour

1/8 tsp. Salt * Scant ¼ tsp. Salt

Mix well then pour into a greased and floured pan and bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. (About 5 minutes longer for the larger size pan.)

Frosting:

1 ½ cups sugar * 2 ¼ cups sugar

6 T. milk * ½ cup + 1 T. milk

6 T. butter * ½ cup + 1 T. butter

1 ½ T. white corn syrup * 2 T. white corn syrup

Bring to a full boil over medium heat. Boil ½ minute or so, then removed from heat.

Add:

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips * 1 1/8 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. Vanilla * 1 ½ tsp. Vanilla

Beat until all chips are melted and frosting begins to thicken. Pour on cooled brownies.  Be sure to save just a bit of the frosting to enjoy spread on saltine crackers, something my mom used to do for us as an added treat!