Swamp Tea

As I have ventured out on blogville I have found a LOT of gluten free sites. I have limited myself because it can be too much information all at one time. I have had the sensing from God to walk slow and enjoy, don't get overload with celiac information. One of the sites, Nicole Tatum at Glutenfreefaces.com had a give away and guess what -- I WON!! It all came in the mail today!



I usually look ingredients up as I come across them and so when Hannah mentioned she has made "Mrs. Lisa Cobb's Swamp Tea" I went to look everything up. Can I drink this or do I need to substitute some items to make it gluten free?? Well, as it turns out it is all fine and so I will make it this morning when my sweet friend, Lynn Spivey comes over. She is from College Station and she is here in Abilene visiting her mom. Can't wait for the visit and the Swamp Tea.



Swamp Tea

6 small tea bags or 2 family size tea bags
4 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cups sugar -- you can always try less
6 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
6 oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
10 cups water
Ice
Lemon slices or orange slices to garnish
Seep tea bags in boiling water (removed from stove top and covered) for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Add sugar and stir until dissolved. In a large container (it must hold at least 1 gallon) combine the tea, juice and water. Stir well. Serve over ice filled tea glasses and garnish with lemon/orange slices. Or pour into ice filled serving pitcher containing lemon/orange slices. Makes 1 gallon (16 cups, about 12 ice tea glass)

It's Been a While!

Howdy out there,

We have continue to go to Austin/Bastrop every other weekend and so the time just slips by and I don't check into our blog. We stayed in Abilene this weekend and had a relaxed time with a couple we enjoying meeting while in College Station. Johny and Lindsey Garner. They brought their 9 week old sweet Nathan on this visit. Johny visited with some friends from his ACU days and we enjoyed some late night visit time.

We enjoyed a great time at Hope today. Damon Parker, our preacher, presented his #6 child tonight, Barrett. We enjoyed the Lion King theme song and Damon raised Barrett at just the right moment. We all laughed and knew "only at Hope". He then proceeded to preach with Barrett in his arms the entire time. We just love those Parkers. We rejoice with them with their new addition.

I have been diagnosed with Celiac Disease and so I have start a gluten free lifestyle. It has been good for the most part. I am still feeling some pressure after eating at times and feel I will gain some new insight as i visit with a nutritionist later this month. Below is a recipe I tried and enjoyed with ice cream on top.

Apple Clafouti
1 cup gluten free pancake mix
3 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 T cinnamon with 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup milk
3 eggs
1 t vanilla
Preheat oven to 350, generously spray 10" round pie dish
lay the sliced apples in the pan, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture
mix pancake mix, eggs, buttermilk, milk, and vanilla, pour over apples
Bake 30 min.

Don't Let It End!!

As the close of the day comes, I find myself not wanting it to come to the end. Easter, the actual day went way too fast for me. Even the season of Lent went too fast for me. I end the day with going through the verses of the crucifixion and the details of the empty tomb. Both are familiar, but I look for things I haven't noticed before. I love to see God's Word new.

Actually, the entire semester has slipped away from me and that is how day seems also. My thoughts of anticipation of Easter have been different for me the last two years. I am learning more about denying myself of what comes so naturally and I continue with that journey even as today comes to an end. The word VICTORY has come to me several times today and it is JOYOUS to think about my own experience of being raised up with Christ. My continued seeking on the things from above will govern my days and I look forward to the day I will be revealed with HIM in glory.

I saw this celebration today on Facebook and it is how I feel in my heart. I want to enjoy this in all seasons, but I have been able to let the season of Easter prompt new JOY! Let all of us encourage one another as the days walk by. Rejoice in the Lord, again I say REJOICE!!

Take your shoes off and CELEBRATE!!

A Quick Read!! Mudhouse Sabbath, by Lauren Winner

http://www.amazon.com/Mudhouse-Sabbath-Lauren-F-Winner/dp/1557253447


Lauren Winner converted from Judaism to Christianity in early adulthood. She points out disciplines and rituals that are part of the Jewish faith that could enhance our walk with Christ. There are activities she misses that were part of her Jewish faith experience and each chapter is about some of these topics. Some of the chapters are prayer, candle lighting and weddings, food, aging and our bodies. Mudhouse is the name of the coffee shop where Winner enjoys some down time on a Sunday afternoon. She explores her thoughts as she does things differently in her Christian walk but also enjoys drawing in some practices from her Jewish faith. I loved the way she invites Christians into a deeper and more daily walk of faith.

Hearing God's Voice

Last year I went through a study called, Discerning the Voice of God and in August 09 I was given a book entitled God Guides. There have also been other verses and conversations that I have encountered that have influenced me as I have tried to listen more to God.

Since January I have been praying about opening a retail store. I know that sounds like something I have never done before, but after working at Abilene Educational Supply the past few months, the thought came to me. They have been open for 66 years and ACU has decided to close the store since there is a need for space for a new nursing program at ACU. Every person that comes into the store is sad they are closing and there is a real need for an educational supply store.

I prayed, I went to the small business bureau, I asked others for their opinion, and asked them to pray. I came up with a name, I found a location, and got the rent down to the budget I needed to operate with. It took a lot of think time. All the while I was praying and taking steps as I waited for God to answer.

As I listened and prayed about something completely different than considering opening a store, I heard God answer me this past weekend. We were at the hospital visiting Daniel's dad and I was answering three emails while Daniel and his dad visited. As I answered the emails I realized I desired more time to think about what I should be praying for in their lives1 and then actually praying for them. As I look back at all three emails, I asked them each to pray for me this week. Another thing that impacted my thinking was the simple act of looking at a recipe suggestion in my inbox that looked good. I began to think about how my time as I have worked since beginning work in December has been full and there has been very little time for extra things like fully connecting with others, having them in our home and trying a new recipe!! Now don't get me wrong, community is very important to us and we have had people in our home and have enjoyed a game night or two, since December. Time was a big part of what I was thinking about. As I finished the emails, I looked up at Daniel and said, "I'm not going to do the store."

I realized that God had allowed me to do a lot of thinking and dreaming about all of the people I have met at the store and all of the conversation that I have enjoyed since working at AES. I love to connect resources to people - the 12 yr. old girl who is looking for just the right Bible study, the missionary that is moving to Abilene and needs a rent house, the single mom who is trying to explain sexuality to her 2nd grade little boy. I meet a zillion people a day and it is so much fun. But then you have to come to reality, there is much more to running your own store than meeting people and finding resources. God has much more for me to do than all of the details of running a store and He will provide these situations and opportunities without having a store to operate. I don't know what it will look like specifically, but I know it will involve people and me learning to love.

If you wonder if God still speaks, I say YES!! It takes time and it takes being still and listening, it takes expecting to hear from him. He desires to walk close to us and guide us as we make decisions. He wants the glory and I know that I must leave time to think, pray, and listen if I am going to walk on the path He has for me.

As that Saturday ended, I looked back in my prayer journal to April 2, 2009 -- this is what I found, "thank you for all the time you given me to journey, to walk with you and others, to study and not have to give my time to a full time job. I feel I have so much on my heart and my thoughts, it would be hard to set it aside each day."

Thank you God for bringing that back to me two years later!! Peace to you my friends!!

Immediate

Last week at work (book store)I had a time where I was a bit panicked about feeling a dizzy. I didn't understand it and I was the only one at the store working. I immediately thought "wish I could ask Haley (Edmiston) if an apple or a banana would be best to eat." I had a banana but knew I could get someone to bring me an apple. I knew that there was a big time difference in Abilene,Texas and Phayoa, Thailand (where Haley is). So I thought, "man, don't I know of other nutritionist"? I thought of two but didn't have their phone numbers. About that time an email came into my inbox on my phone. You won't even guess!! It was Haley!! That told me that she was up and I could call her. I called and explained my situation and she prayed with me and we talked briefly.

Now, if that isn't God taking care of me, I don't know what is!! What a JOY to know God has His eye on me.

I love reading out of the devotional, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young. I will share the calling from March 6th.

Jesus Calling to me: "Continue on this path with Me, enjoying My Presence even in adversity. I am always before you, as well as alongside you. See Me beckoning to you: Come! Follow Me. The One who goes ahead of you, opening up the way, is the same One who stays close and never lets go of your hand. I am not subject to limitations of time or space. I am everywhere at every time, ceaselessly working on your behalf. That is why your best efforts are trusting Me and living close to Me.
Hebrews 7:25
Therefore He is always able to save those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to intercede for them

Ps. 37:3-4
Trust in the LORD and do what is good;
dwell in the land and live securely.
Take delight in the LORD,
and He will give you your heart's desires.

Surprises from the Lord

You never know what the day will bring. I started my day with meeting with a Social Work grad student here at ACU, Lisa Marciniak. She and I met last September and she had just arrived on campus from NY. Within about two weeks she asked if we could discuss the Bible. I was excited to have spiritual conversations in the near future. We have continued to meet and pray for one another, visit about our lives and enjoy some Bible study. This morning was no different. We visited, took prayer requests from one another and I shared the story of Jonah with her. We really were fixing to leave one another and she mentioned that she felt God recently take her to the cross and say, "This is enough" or maybe a question "Isn't this enough?" She had been fighting the thought of being baptized. Lisa and I had never talked about this topic. As she spoke I asked her a few questions and we visited about some of her questions and thoughts. She seemed to be hung up on when and where....simple decision in my mind. Finally I told her today would be a good day, or if I were talking to her tomorrow, I would say today would be a good day. I also told her each day satan keeps you from it, he has checked off "another day". Later she said this didn't set well with her that satan checked off another day he had kept her from being baptized. As we finished she said, TODAY at 5:00, at Jacob's Dream on ACU campus I will be baptized. WOW!! We prayed and I met up with her small group from her congregation and some other friends. It was a precious time, she gave her testimony ~ her journey of finding God. She was baptized and we sang. My heart is full of JOY when God's handiwork is so clear!!