Graced with Grace

Computers! It can be a big distraction, but it can be a blessing, too.

My Job! I am so thankful for the job I have. I enjoy it and I have learned so much. I love the opportunity I have to witness and share the Gospel to those I work with and to the customers. I love to be a blessing to these people and bring a smile to there face. ;) I love it when the people are so grateful and tell me how much they appreciate my help. I love it when a customer comes in and I just know they are a christian even though they don't say so. I love it when the older man, who seems so intimidating and stern, says "thank you" and smiles. I love the regulars who I can basically know what to order for them because they always get the same thing. I also love when these same regulars decide to try something different for a change. Your Blogging Friend,           Hannah Grace

Thankful to come home after a hard, yet delightful day of work to drink a nice hot cup of tea.

Sunday, a day of rest! ;)

Here is the long awaited bread recipe that I told you about awhile ago. I hope you get a chance to try it out and like it as much as we do. God bless! Whole Wheat Bread In Bosch mixer bowl with dough hook place the following: 5 ½ cups water (130 degrees) ½ cup oil 1 cup brown sugar 2 Tbsp. Dough enhancer (optional) 1 cup gluten (optional) 2 Tbsp. Salt 8 cups flour Using spring switch on machine, fold flour into liquids gently until all flour is moistened. Turn to speed 1 and blend for about 1 minute. Add: 3 Tbls. Dry active yeast (or 2 ½ Tbls. Instant yeast) 3 cups more flour (milled above) and fold in. (At this point I usually let dough sit for 7 minutes) Turn to speed 1 and while machine is running, add enough more flour to form a soft dough that is beginning to pull away from sides of bowl slightly (about 4 more cups for a total of about 15 cups of flour). When dough is as described above, time for 10 minutes, and knead on speed 1. Dough will ...

This may not be the healthiest soup you've ever eaten, but it sure is delicious. It is a family favorite, so I hope you try it and enjoy it as much as we do. Cheeseburger Soup ½ pound ground beef ¾ cup chopped onions ¾ cup shredded carrots ¾ cup diced celery 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes 4 tablespoons butter (or margarine), divided 3 cups chicken broth 4 cups diced, peeled potatoes ¼ cup all-purpose flour 8 ounces processed American cheese, cubed 1 ½ cups milk ¾ teaspoon salt  ½ teaspoon pepper ¼ cup sour cream In a 3-qt. sauce pan, brown beef; drain and set aside. In the same sauce pan, sauté onions, celery, basil, and parsley in 1 tablespoon butter until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth potatoes and beef; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Meanwhile in a small skillet melt remaining butter. Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or u...

Here is the recipe for our pie crust that we use for almost everything. It is so good! Easy Pie Crust  1 ½ cups flour ½ tsp. salt 2 Tbsp. sugar ½ cup oil 2 Tbsp milk Mix together dry ingredients, add milk then oil. Stir until mixed pretty well together. Press into pan. Cook crust at 350 degrees until lightly brown, cool and add filling. Makes 1 pie crust (this pie crust is great for everything, sweet pies or not sweet pies) 

Herbs and Spices! Some of my favorites are cinnamon, nutmeg, all spice, pumpkin spice, oregano, parsley, Italian seasoning, and cumin. I love to add spices and herbs to my cooking. It is amazing how adding just a little can totally make whatever I am cooking, taste so much better. What spices do you like to use? What is your favorite spice?

Thankful for the stars that shine and twinkle at night!

Note: This is not really how we do the first day of fall, but simply a creative way of writing to combine some of my favorite things about fall. Also, this is concentrating on the indoor aspects of fall.   I awoke to the sound of the crackling fire down stairs with its light flickering across the wall. I hastily got dressed for the day and ran down the stairs to warm by the fire with a blanket, a hot cup of tea, and my Bible. Today is the first day of fall and I couldn’t wait to begin our traditional first-day-of-fall cooking. Coffee cake was to be our breakfast, as always, and then we would begin. You can’t have fall without pies, breads, and pastries. A bushel of apples sat in a basket ready to cut. A number of us would set to work cutting apples, while others would make our all time favorite pie crust, roll it out and put it in pie pans. With lots of members in my family, the work always goes smoothly and is sure to be lots of fun. I could just imagine the arom...

Thankful for the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center's ministry.

Thankful for the opportunities that I have to serve in my community, such as volunteering at the Greensboro Pregnancy Care Center.

Fall 2010 The majestic iridescence that is seen in the forest in autumn is one of singular enchantment. Each day brings a freshly painted display of original rareness. The maples gleam in their blush red or purple leaves. The poplars stand erect in their ostentatious radiance of yellow and orange hues. The oaks in there impressive refinement dominate the grounds in their magnificent splendor. You would hear the clamor of birds warbling their ebullience and squirrels clattering nonsense, or the bellowing of dogs promulgating that winter is near. The ants are hastening to secure the last of winter provisions. Deer bound contentedly about in their jaunty manner, or glean from the lingering greens of the year. The brook gurgles down its labyrinth design in utter ignorance of all the frenzy for the approaching winter. The whole forest is proclaiming that winter is near each in its own unique fashion.  Penned by Hannah December 1, 2010 (Yes, I did write this 2 years ago.) ...

Yay! I am half way through my 100 days! I am thankful for forks and spoons! They can make eating a whole lot less messy and easier.

Pot holders! What would we do without those little and sometimes hardly thought about, yet extremely necessary pieces of cloth? Well, we would burn our hands (or else find something else to use to get hot things out of the oven).

Blankets to cuddle up in and keep me warm at night!

Libraries! I love going to libraries and finding new and interesting books to bring home and read! Our family is known for taking out huge stacks of books when we visit the library, especially if  several of us are in at one time. ;)

So thankful for my sweet, loving sister , who so graciously forgives (mischievous grin); uses her talent to make a knitted hat for me; brings joy to the family; and is simply an awesome sister! I love you Priscilla (also known as Prilla, Bill, Cilla, Billa, Prill and a multiude of other names)! 

Watches! Ever since I learned how to tell time, I have been deeply fascinated with watches and clocks and just being able to know what time it is at any moment through the day or night! As my family knows, if my watch breaks, it is a necessity that I get a new one as soon as possible. I have noticed that more and more people don't care to wear a watch. They have their cell phone, iphone, or some other thingy-m-jigger that has the time on it, so they don't bother to wear a watch, but I' going to stick to wearing a watch. My wrist feels quite bare without it. ;) Not only that, but I don't have any of those thingy-m-jiggers (cell phones, ipods, mp3s, etc.). Call me old-fashioned if you want! ;) Have a lovely day full of sunshine and pass on a smile! ;) Your Blogging Friend, Hannah

Blogs! I am thankful for encouraging blogs that build up brothers and sisters in Christ!

T he fl a mbo yant a utumn co lor s !

Thankful for the opportunities I have to share the Gospel, the Good News, with others! God is so awesome and I am so happy that I can serve such an awesome, loving and great God!

BIG 15 passenger vans!!!!!!!!!!!!! How many of you who are reading this know what I am talking about? ;)

Nice cozy fires!  I love to be able to cuddle up next to the fire place in the winter with a blanket and a book. A cup of hot tea adds pleasure and warmth to the moment! 

Thankful for good authors and writers, such as, G. K. Chesterton, John Piper, C. J. Mahaney, Lori Wick, Joshua Harris, Grace Livingston Hill, and Margaret Jensen, etc. You can see more of my favorite authors at Hannah's Bookshelf   page.  Who are some of your favorite authors?

I recently posted the question "If you could go any where in the world, where would you go?" So I thought ya'll might enjoy my answer. I would really like to go to Holland (Netherlands) someday! Why? Well, I am about 40% dutch and so that, of course, makes me very interested in the dutch people. 

Poetry! I love reading good poetry, if I can understand it! Some poetry is good, but it is way beyond my comprehension.

Blogging! I am thankful for the opportunity I have to be a blessing, encouragement, and joy to others through my blog and I am thankful for all of ya'll that read my blog! You guys are awesome! Thank you! ;)

I am so thankful for my beautiful, wonderful,amazing Great-grandma, who is 104 years old!

Thankful for the adventures in life!

If you could go any where in the world, where would you go and why?

So thankful that God's word cannot be bound. Nobody can stop His word from going forth to all the nations!

Laughter that bubbles forth from a heart overflowing with pure joy! Nobody can make me stop loving laughter!

The smell of home cooked meals!

Pictures!  It is so much fun to go through family albums and look back on the past!

I am so thankful that we have the Bible in our very own language!

"Though the Lord is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; But the proud He knows from afar." Psalm 138:6

L ovely letters in the mail from sweet encouraging friends!

Exercise! So good for the body! ;)