Omelet in a Ziplock

Omelet in Ziploc Bag
1 pint size ziploc bag
2 eggs
omelet ingredients (cheese, peppers, ham, tomatoes, onions, mushrooms, etc)
Crack 2 eggs (not more than 2) into the bag and shake.
Add ingredients into bag and seal, be sure to get all of the air out.
Place the bag (or bags because you can cook several at one time) into a boiling water for 13 minutes.
Open the bag and the omelet will come out easily.

One of my ACU friends, Jessie, came over this morning. I had layed out this recipe to see if this really worked. So we decided to make this a joint effort. I know the baggie of ingredients doesn't look all that yummy, let us assure you it was wonderful!!



The omelet rolls out of the baggie and is perfect!!



My friendship with Jessie is one of spiritual encouragement. We share how the Lord is working and speaking to us in our daily walk. We talked about wanting to live authetic and about bridging the gap between culture and the Church. We both want to grow in this area. She is soon off to Seattle Pacific to work on a masters in marriage and famil counseling. I will miss her in the fall. We ended our morning with her praying for us out on our front porch.

Thank you, dear Father for the precious ones you bring to me in my travels!!

Welcome back to the states, Thompson family!

Around 8:30am I skyped Justin, Alison, Cailyn, and GBaby2 (to be named at a later date), to connect with them as they made final preparations to leave Costa Rica. Well, at best, they were not overly excited to see my face. Now, isnt that a terrible thing to think? Cailyn was watching a video on the computer (they had already delivered their TV to a neighbor), so I was taking away the distraction that was keeping Cailyn busy while they finished packing. It is really a good thing that I am as self-confident as I am or I might have slammed the online phone down, which would have been to Cailyn's movie watching joy!!!

As I am typing this post, the Thompsons are probably feet-dry and going through customs in Houston. Terri (Nana) and Allie are meeting them in at Bush Airport and spending the night with them as guest of Danny and Susan Clancy. Blessings on the Clancy Clan - wonderful, gentle-spirited people. Saturday brings another flight to Tennessee for some time with their Fairlane church family, and then, early in May, time in Texas with all of us.

We talked this morning about their trying to pack as much as they could into their bags, but realizing that some items, although sentimental in some ways, would need to be left to bless families in Costa Rica. It will be 4 months since the last time we hugged our kids, so i am happy for Terri and Allie tonight as they get an early hug. We are excited about spending some time with them in Bastrop with my parents and sister's family, then time here in Abilene. The Thompsons will be walking into our new home for the first time, so we are excited to share that time with them and Hannah (and hopefully the Grassman!) Our Hope church family is excited to see them as well as other friends here in Abilene.

Pray for our time together to fill us up until the next time we see them in Peru!
daddyO

Great Reflections

There are just some concepts and teachings that I am drawn to more than others. Friendship is near the top for me when i think of topics. All of you need to go over to Mike Cope's blog today. It sent my mind whirling. I love to talk, read and learn more about friendship and grow in this area. I have been given rich relationship, both in and out of my physical family. Friends have walked me through victories and stumbles. The article he sights in the beginning is great to take in also. I read it after continuing to read his own thoughts. He reminded me of my love of Larry Crabb's books. I don't remember who introduced me to Larry Crabb long ago (before children came along).

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up.

Travels

Easter weekend provided us a great time to visit Hannah in Tulsa. She is attending Tulsa University, working on a masters in Speech Pathology. She is just days away from completing her first of two years and we are very PROUD of her. Our weekend was filled with home cooked meals, picnic at Woodard Park, dominoes at Shades of Brown, her favorite coffee shop and attending a worship service at her home congregation, The Gathering. We also were able to view her new apt. in downtown Tulsa, and are at PEACE with her decision to move into this 1920's location. Her boyfriend, Jason shared the weekend with us and it was a good memory to store away.

After living in Abilene for nine months we traveled back to College Station this past weekend. Our stay was a very encouraging time. We went mainly to attend the wedding of Kathleen Spivey and Matt Lee. Wanting their marriage to be about serving one another and others they washed each others feet as part of the ceremony. Both Daniel and I were able to visit with friends in several venues. Our hearts were full as we started back home. Thank you to the A&M church for all of the hugs and care you always bring to us. We pray for you often.

Traveling Together

I'm enjoying the Stepping Up, a Journey Through the Psalms of Ascent study authored by Beth Moore. It is being offered by the Abundant Life Program at ACU. We meet on campus at noontime on Thurs. This makes it easy for staff and professors to take their lunch break and come study God's Word. Each week we either watch the video or meet in small groups. The small groups are guided by a facilitator who talks a bit and then guides each group to talk a few minutes about a certain question and then we move on. I have really enjoyed the class. My observation is that the class isn't so much for me to meet others, although I have met some. The main attraction is God's Word and the work He wants to do in my life. It has been a fun study, and today a thought has stayed with me.

"Group travel was the core of ancient pilgrimage. Traveling alone was practically unheard of." , pg.97, Stepping Up. This thought has me thinking about how important our home congregation, our community of believers, are in our daily life. Who are you traveling with?

My mom and dad were wonderful travel partners for me growing up. They were encouraging in areas that helped me build confidence. My mom introduced Jesus to me, and my dad was constantly winking at me from across the room. I have felt love from the very beginning, and as I have grown older this teaching and love has made it easier for me to understand, seek and accept God's undying love for me. I have also had other travelers, Daniel, my partner in life for almost 30 yrs. (Aug. 18th will be 30 years) My love language is acts of service, and believe you me, Daniel has it down!! He really has the love stuff down so much better than I do.

My children had been travelers with me, and boy have I and do I learn from them. There have been humbling times and stretching times. All to the glory of God. I watch Hannah's determination to get through graduate school. She definitely will be able to relate to one of the Psalms of Ascent, Ps. 128:2 "You will surely eat what your hands have worked for. You will be happy and it will go well for you." Alison's tough and flexible attitude that Bob D, an elder at the A&M church of Christ talks about is deep down in her soul. She teaches me as she lives out the Psalms of Ascent, Ps. 124:1 "If the Lord had not been on our side - let Israel say...". I love the Message version, "If God hadn't been for us - all together now, Israel, sing out!"

There have been many others in College Station and now in Abilene that God will provide to "travel with me". Tell me who is walking along side you and who are you walking along side?? Travel in groups!!

Two New Ones

There is a wedding shower coming up for a couple who attended Hope while at ACU. All of the woman hosting the shower got together and a recipe was handed out. I said I would try it out. Here it is, Frozen Hawaiian Pie. I doubled the recipe to make (2) 9x13 pans. In looking at the recipe reviews some said to add cherry juice for a bit of color and use non-fat condensed milk. Both of which I will do next time. Also, one person used strawberries instead of cherries. Great!! Let me know if you try it.

Second, was a wonderful recipe for Shortcut Chicken Manicotti. We loved it, and it actually made 6 servings. We love broccoli so I added more.

Life Tip for today - don't think of yourselves as grasshoppers, as the Israelites did in Numbers 13:33. Calculate God in all you do. It is His battle!! You are just joining his team!! Peace!!