Thankful for food Thursday!

The only chocolate I like is dark chocolate in a house of milk chocolate lovers!  So, chocolate not being my favorite of desserts, (sigh, I know!) my taste buds like something a little different.  These are delish and even my chocolate fans of the family eat these up! :)

Incredibly Delicious Lemon Bars 

Ingredients:


1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups white sugar

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 lemons, juiced

Directions:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

3.Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/12 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.

4.Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. For a festive tray, make another pan using limes instead of lemons and adding a drop of green food coloring to give a very pale green. After both pans have cooled, cut into uniform 2 inch squares and arrange in a checker board fashion.
 
*Use lime for a key lime flavor!

God's voice

Since I came to know God years ago, I have had a personal relationship with Him where I hear Him speak to me and try to obey.  When I was young I knew I loved Him and I always felt He was there but I can't ever remember Him speaking to me with that still small voice.  But I actually think it was me not listening!  I don't like the "once saved always saved idea".  It does not make sense to me but I do know that once you come to know Christ in an intimate way, His voice becomes so evident IF you listen and get to know Him.  Because of that I know that I am saved and where I will be spending eternity. 

Now, is that based on all of my works that I do here on earth?  If I am "busy" enough serving Him and praying and reading my bible enough, and all kinds of other lists, I will go to heaven?  No!  The only way I am saved is by His blood.  Yes, it is my decision to surrender and obey, but NOTHING I do will save me!

1 Peter 1:18-19~ Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot.

 Yes, there are definitely things I will WANT to do because I desire to please Him but my salvation is not based on those things.  I have had times in my life where God has spoken to me to go and tell someone that Christ loves them and that they are not alone.  He has spoken to me and told me to give all that I have to a lady I did not know including my FAVORITE bible!  We did not have much and I only had $40 in my bank account but at that time, that was A LOT because it was all we had!  I had a hard time with that one and God gently spoke to me that I should put my trust in Him and He would reward me 100 fold.  Well, I did obey, (not so I would be rewarded, God just knew that I needed that reassurance).  So after talking to my husband about it, we took the money out of our account and gave my favorite bible to this lady and months later after forgetting about being rewarded, my husband got a job with EXACTLY 100 times more that what I gave to her.  $4000 more then our previous income!!  God does want what is best for us and I am convinced that if we would ask Him more, our lives would turn out way better then they are without asking Him! 

The enemy, Satan is so occupied with trying to keep us from hearing God that we get so "busy" we don't even take time to listen!  That is his goal!  If we are busy, we can't hear.  If we can't hear, we can't obey.  If we are not obeying, our lives will be a mess and our spirit will be empty searching for peace with things that cannot satisfy!  So, why do we settle for the world, when we can have peace and joy and have it abundantly?  We are just trying to do it on our own. 

I have lost things before and will say a simple prayer and ask God to help me find it.  Within minutes, I usually have it in my hand.  I have been 9 months pregnant and ask God on the way to the store to please help me find a close parking space.  A car will be backing up at the time I drive in the lot!  I am not saying we treat God as a good luck charm or a musician to get what we want.  What I am saying is that He DOES care about the little things and the big things in our life because He cares about us!  It says in the bible, "we have not because we ask not."  It also says to, "pray without ceasing".  So that tells me that God desires us to bring all that we have and all that we are to Him!  I always tell my children that we are all one choice away from going the wrong direction and our eternity could be in jeopardy!  However, if we are listening to that voice, and He does promise His sheep will KNOW His voice, then we will be living our life for Him and although we will make mistakes, He is merciful and knows our hearts.  Sin is NOT our problem!  It is our lack of relationship with Him and the absence of listening to Him that causes us to suffer!   I get so tired of hearing about how sin is destroying our lives!  Although sin does destroy us, it is because of lack of Jesus in our lives that sin is a problem!  We need to hear of what relationship with Him does to us and how to listen to His voice!  Not that we will NEVER sin because we allow Jesus in our hearts, but sin will not overtake us if we are turning to Him and following His voice. 

God, please allow me to follow and listen to your voice!  Thank you for not giving me a list of rules that I have to do to be saved but saving me by your precious blood!  Help me to realize daily that it is not sin that is my problem but the absence of you in my life that causes me pain!  May I always allow you to radiate through me by loving others the way that you love and others will see you in me!!   Thank you for being a perfect shepherd and the privilege of being your sheep!  Amen!

Labor Day thoughts

Cool ~ rainy ~ sunshine ~ still doing school ~ dad is home ~ making cookies (200 to be exact) ~ no joke! ~ lots harder than I thought ~ kids love cookie dough ~ so does mom ~ grilling out for dinner ~ grilled chicken is my favorite ~ homemade french fries are too ~ taking a trip to an old railroad bridge with the family later today ~ my house is a mess ~ don't care ~ okay, really I do care ~ not going to do anything about it now ~ I have sugar and flour all over me ~ don't care about that either ~ really I don't! ~ I want another baby ~ really I do! ~ feeling like I need a fresh wind of the Holy Spirit to blow over me ~ maybe that was my problem last week? ~ I am ready for fall ~ can't wait to make apple pie ~ already have Christmas presents bought ~ lots more to buy however ~ glad we only give each of our kids 3 gifts for Christmas ~ I love holidays ~ I don't like to "labor" on Labor Day ~ going to go take a nap!

Foto Friday

Ready to jump into the weekend and put this week behind us!



Have a great weekend y'all!

Thankful for food Thursday!

Easy Beef Noodle Casserole

2 lb ground beef
15-17 oz cooked pasta
1/4 t garlic powder and onion powder (optional)
2 cans Beef Consome Soup
1 c water
1 c seasoned bread crumbs
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef while pasta is being prepared.  Drain beef and noodles.  Put noodles in 9x13 pan and follow with beef.  Pour soup (should be a little soupy add more or less to desired consistency) and water over beef and noodles.  Sprinkle bread crumbs over casserole and then cover and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  Remove, uncover and sprinkle cheese on top and bake for another 5 minutes. 

* You can add veggies if you want.  I have added corn, beans and peas before.

I use this for after church on Sundays.  I set my timer and add the cheese when I get home!  By the time everyone gets changed, its ready to go!

If looks could...

If looks could...

Well, you fill it in!

With the flu hitting our home WAY to early this year, this look reminds ME of how I feel about it!  Beware it is a bad flu!  Use lots of soap and steer clear of sick people!  I guess I am one of those sick people!  :(

I need to remind myself This...

Today, from the time I left the quietness of my prayer time,
I needed to look at this picture because..
it has been ONE OF THOSE DAYS!



As little as we formally do for "school", we started doing that again after a little time off!
But...
The nice little organized way that I had in mind and had planned for weeks did not
Work...
It was utter chaos and the furthest thing from organized that I can think of!
So...
After I collected my thoughts, picked up a broken picture frame that had "mysteriously" fell to the floor, and layed on my bed in tears for a moment
We..
Continued to do things as I had planned
However...
Things still were not working!  Kids running in cirlces, spilled water all over NEW school books, etc!

Until...

Dad walks in the door!
Suddenly...
Everything was quiet, and everyone was getting along and playing together!  HA!
After...
He saw it written all over my face, I shared my morning with him and he saw my frustration, he calmly states to me
This...
"I know it has been bad, but look at them!  They are doing so well!"  (Me, not so much!) To that I reply
BUT...
"You were not here an hour ago!  This is NOT the way it was!"  He looks at me and winks
Then..
I get an overwhelming peaceful feeling that is just what I needed!
Because...
Sometimes you just have to sit back and realize that things are never as bad as they seem! 
Remember...
We see bits and pieces
BUT...
God see's the whole puzzle
And...
after the puzzle is put together and the pieces suddenly fit, it will all be worth it!

Raising children is so hard somedays and things just don't turn out the way I had planned but that's okay!  I have a loving Father that wants for me to lean on Him and give Him my weakness so that He can be strong!  For that I am SO thankful!  (Otherwise I just might not get up tomorrow morning!) :)

Foto Friday- A feast for many

We had the joy of sharing a meal with another large family we know.
There were 21 children between our two families!
I wonder if the tables in heaven will resemble this? :)
 It was a wonderful time of fellowship.