Graced with Grace

Yesterday was my sister, Lydia's, 7th birthday and she wanted a Fort Cake. So here are some pictures of how it turned out. It was a lot of fun to make! This is after the fort had been destroyed (or eaten) by the enemy ;) Hope you have a very happy day in Jesus!

  Dear Micah, Today marks 6 years since you went home to be with Jesus. I miss you lots. I miss hearing you say “Chimpanzees on the roof!” or “No sirry, Bob! No sirry, Bob!”. I miss hearing you sing and play your guitar. I miss the silly songs you would make up about someone who walked into your room. I miss competing with you on who had better handwriting (You know I won on that one, right?) I miss the competitions to see who can do the most lessons of Math in one day. I miss your laughter and smile. I miss your jokes and humor that made me laugh so often. I miss the funny stories you would post on Xanga. I miss seeing you wear that “Stinky hat”. And, yes, we all remember how much you loved Peanut butter, right? Haha! ;) Or how much you detested mint ice cream, or mint cake or mint brownies or even mint pancakes? ;) haha! Oh, yes, and beavers gnaw on trees, right? ;) There is so much that I miss and will keep on missing until the day I see you again. But I know, however much I m...

Dear readers out there who read my blog, I’m sure you’ve missed my random thoughts. But my excuse is good. You see, I have to jog, Or do my school work, which there is lots. I have daily chores to do and places to go And life gets busy and starts to fly, (As you very well may already know) And before you know it, a month goes by. Posting on my silly blog gets quite forgotten In all the whirl of these busy days. And I forget all the thoughts I had thoughten, When I get lost in this crazy maze. But when life calms down for just a moment, I remember to take time to write, Maybe I’ll write a letter or encouragement, Cheering others on, in what is right. But off I must go once again. When you see me next I do not know? And that is all I plan on sayin’.

"A word spoken pleasantly is a large spot of sunshine on a sad heart. Therefore, 'Give others the sunshine, tell Jesus the rest.'"  From Streams in the Desert by Mrs. Chas. E. Cowman. May your day be filled with sunshine. God bless you!

I found this little story in an old devotional book (written in 1925) called “Streams in the Desert”. It blessed me and so I thought I would share it with you so that you also might be blessed by it. I once met a poor colored woman, who earned a precarious living by hard daily labor; but who was a joyous triumphant Christian. “Ah, Nancy,” said a gloomy Christian lady to her one day, “it is well enough to be happy now; but I should think the thoughts of your future would sober you. “Only suppose, for instance, you should have a spell of sickness, and be unable to work; or suppose your present employers should move away, and no one else should give you anything to do; or suppose…..” “Stop!” cried Nancy, “I never supposes. De Lord is my Shepherd, and I knows I shall not want. And, Honey,” She added, to her gloomy friend, “it’s all dem supposes as is makin’ you so mis’able. You’d better give dem all up, and just trust de Lord.”

            The book of Luke, believed to have been written by Luke a gentile, was probably written around A.D. 60 Luke begins his book with an introduction (Luke 1:1-4). He is writing to Theophilus, about Jesus, so that he will believe and know the truth. The life is of Christ is indeed true and we should believe it with our hearts not just our head.             (Luke 1:5-2:52) He then goes on to tell us the account of Gabriel, the angel, appearing before Zacharias and Mary and bringing the good tidings that each will be given a son. Yet Zacharias does not believe and is therefore struck dumb until his son, John, is born, while Mary does believe and is greatly blessed among women, bearing the Messiah, Savior of the world. When we believe the truth, we are blessed, yet disbelief comes with great consequences. When Jesus gets to the age of about twelve He is then seen in the te...

The Best Cinnamon Rolls Cinnamon raisin rolls with frosting Dough: ½ cup warm water (105-110 degrees) 2 pkgs. Active Dry Yeast, 2 scant Tbsp. 2 tbsp. sugar 1 3.5oz. Pkg. instant vanilla pudding ½ cup butter, melted 2 eggs, beaten 1 tsp. salt 8 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup butter, melted, to be used when putting rolls together Filling: 2 cups brown sugar, firmly packed (or your choice of sweetener) 4 tsp. Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting: 1 8oz. cream cheese, softened ½ cup butter, softened 1 tsp. vanilla 3 cups powdered sugar 1 tbsp. milk, just enough to fluff Combine all ingredients and mix until smooth. In a small bowl, combine water, yeast, and sugar. Stir until dissolved. Set aside. In the large bowl, make pudding mix according to package directions. Add butter, eggs, and salt; mix well. Add the yeast mixture; blend. Gradually add flour and knead until smooth, adding “sprinklings” of flour as needed to control stickiness. Once the dough is no longer sticky and is soft and silky ...