W3 (Women Who Worship)

Thanks to Debbie who helped me come up with a Thanksgiving thankfulness idea! It was a success! Here is a picture…

I came in with this felt board with a bare tree and at first they gave me glares, but after I told them that every needed to write something they were thankful for on the leaves and I would pin them on there, most did it with open arms.

Surprisingly, the grandma who is usually grumpy was the first to write it and wrote, “first to my God, then to my kids”. Awesome. My ten year old niece loved it and she helped my nephews, aged 6, almost 3, and 1 come with their ideas. It was especially cute when I probed my 3 year old nephew said his favorite was “my baby” which meant his 1 year old brother!

Some other things were “freedom, U.S., money, job, home, heat, family, church, Jesus” and my niece wrote “the church bus” and I didn’t even know she had been going to church!!

Thanks ladies. I am so thankful for YOU!! This blog has been a blessing to me and I am especially thankful to my Breaking Free Sisters! You rock…..

Anything you are especially thankful for?? Please share yours here!

Sunshine

Hi all, What a blessing it is to be alive this morning! It is crisp, with tiny flurries of snow lazily drifting down as I sit to write this post. The sun is trying to make it out from behind the clouds. I am thankful for sunshine.

Last night I tried something that I just had to share. I pre-made soaked grain pancakes which I just had a small plate of. Boy were they delicious! I can’t wait for the rest of the house to have some since they think my pancakes are kind of well… heavy on the stomach.  So, using my regular recipe I decided to try a new thing. Here is the recipe.

Soaked Grain Panckaes

The night before mix together in a bowl the following ingredients, cover with muslin, or fine cheese cloth and leave out on the counter. Yes, I said leave it at room temperature. This gives the benificial bacteria in the milk products time to neutralize the phytates in the grains and gobble up the sugar, making them easier to digest. 

1/2 cup of Organic Unbleached White Flour

1/2 cup Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour

1 Tbls. Turbinado (raw cane sugar) or Rapadura

1/2 cup Plain Whole Milk Kefir

1/2 cup, plus 1 Tbls. Cultured Buttermilk

Pre- heat griddle to 400 degrees.

Just before cooking mix together:

2 Tbls. melted, Cultured Butter (Organic Valley sold at Country Market has a cultured butter)

1 whole egg

Stir in egg mix, then add the following and stir again, allow to sit a moment. The batter will rise considerably.

1 tsp. Rumford or Clabber Girl, Baking Powder (neither brand contains aluminum)

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

Pour an 1/8 cup of mixture onto the griddle for each pancake. Cook first side until the edges look done and surface shows bubbles. Flip and cook until the pancakes lift easily off the griddle. This recipe originally made 8 pancakes. With the overnight fermentation it now makes 12! Since the pancakes are made with butter in them, you may find no need to add butter on top.  I had them with a tad bit of real Maple Syrup and they were light, fluffy, a little crisp and yummmm! I’m sure these could be made 100% Whole Wheat as well if you like. Experiment, try Buckwheat, or Spelt flours. Just stay away from Soy Flour.

In His Service, Cat

 Enjoy! 

I don’t know about you but I like to try new things.  Maybe this year instead of pop at Thanksgiving and Christmas try a festive drink that loaded with therapeutic benefits.  Share the  gift of health!!!

Green Tea with Pomegranate Juice serves 6

7 green tea bags

3 cups pomegranate juice

½ cup orange juice

2 Tbsp. raw honey

1 orange or lemon, thinly sliced, optional

Boil 6 cups of water, remove from heat add tea bags, cover, and steep 5 minutes

Remove tea bags add pomegranate juice, orange juice, honey and stir.

Garnish pitch on the outside with a slice of orange and lemon then put the other slices in juice.

Health benefits to green & black  tea:  reduce rick of cancer, improve immunity, aids in weight loss, lowers risk of kidney stones, and its a great alternative to coffee.

Pomogranante are loaded with antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, and improves circulation. (These are just a few of the many benefits)

Kids punch instead of green tea use wild berry tea.

We have so much to be thnakful for, the Bible says a cheerful heart is good medicine (PR.17:22) .  Take time to laugh and reflect on all the things God has done in your life.  There is enough bad news in this world lets share the GOOD NEWS.

A thanksful servant, Christie

Ephesians 5:20  Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.  Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Of course I will write on the holiday.  But, first, to my Breaking Free participants, a reminder that our last week of study will be November 28, at 6:30pm for our Celebration Wednesday and so we won’t meet this Wednesday because of the holiday.  Please enjoy the time with your families, and return next week prepared to give a short story about what Breaking Free has meant to you, and how God has been glorified through it.

This week is, as you know, the Thanksgiving week.  In a few days, most everyone in the US will be sitting around a table stuffing their faces with a large meal that invariably includes a large turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, pumpkin pie and many other delectable home cooked foods that accompany your tradition.

In years past, when my mom was still living, and I was still living at home, we ate our turkey dinner at 1pm and and before the meal we took turns telling each other what we were thankful for.  It was quick and simple, but a tradition that was respected and appropriate.  On Thanksgiving Day 1999, I woke up early to begin cooking and saw my mom on the couch weeping.  I looked over and saw the piles of long blond hair on the pillow beside her.  She was in her second week in her chemotherapy treatment because she has newly been diagnosed with Lung Cancer.   She had been very sick due to the treatment, and after this emotional blow, I knew I would be handling the Thanksgiving dinner at the age of 19.  I made dinner and my uncle and his family arrived and some other cousins and we all enjoyed a feast, but I remember mostly just being thankful that my mom was with us.  That was the last Thanksgiving I spent with my mother, as she died the following October.   That was also the last Thanksgiving I made the entire dinner.

Since then I have had to mold my traditions to that of my husband’s family.  It is tough sometimes because most of them aren’t Christians.  To be honest, there family tradition seems to be mostly eat, eat and clean up.  It is there tradition and they enjoy it, but I wish I could incorporate  some thankfulness.  The first year, I tried and it was laughed away, but this year I want to try something different.  Last year, my husband approached his dad about saying a prayer before people began eating and dad was successful at getting everyone’s attention to do so.  And has made sure my husband has everyone’s attention at every other holiday since then.  Hopefully we can be an influence to this family.

So, my point is does anyone have any kind of creative holiday tradition to share what they are thankful for?  I would love your suggestions.  Or share a memorable Thanksgiving.  Please comment here.

Sunshine

Good morning In the Precious Name of Jesus!

Last night we had our Night of Praise at Crossroads Community Church, in Adrian.  If you were not able to or chose not to attend you will never know what you missed last night. Laura’s presentation brought Glory to His Name. The worship songs brought Glory to His Name. Communion brought Glory to His Name. And I believe God blessed us in return with the power of His presence. It was one of the most sweet times of fellowship I have experienced at Crossroads and I was blessed to watch Shelly’s beautiful little daughters dance unashamed and uninhibitied before the God they love.  Oh that we all would choose to worship as little children, as King David, before the Ark of the Covenant dancing with all our might before a Mighty God. Do you love Him? Don’t be ashamed to make a fool of yourself for Him! His love for us is demonstrative, love Him back with arms open wide.

 Cat

We are finishing our last week of study over the next few weeks.  But, Beth has brought us full circle.  How do we display God’s splendor to others?  How do we display God’s glory to others?

We do this by showing the world we have removed the obstacles and experienced God’s benefits for us?  If you were once unbelieving of God, you should now KNOW AND BELIEVE him.  If you were once prideful, you should now GLORIFY GOD.  If you were once satisfied by idols (money, things, people), then you should now FIND SATISFACTION in God.  If you were once someone who didn’t pray, you should now EXPERIENCE GOD’S PEACE through answered prayer.  If you once were legalistic (obeyed laws and rules just because they are in the Bible), you should now ENJOY GOD’S PRESENCE.

If you have taken this study, share here what benefit you most learned to accept.   After giving it some thought, decide that you will share a short story about it at the Celebration Wednesday November 28.

I most learned this time that I now know and believe Him much more than I ever have.  It is amazing to truly be able to say that.  I have come quite a long way in my life to not trusting anyone but myself, to trying daily to trust in Him.

So what about you?  Which did you experience the most?

Sunshine

God has blessed us with some many good things!!!

Garlic is a super food that everyone should eat.  Research shows that those who eat a diet high in garlic have less of a chance of developing stomach cancer.  Garlic contains alliin which helps slow the growth of tumors and inhibits the formation of esophageal, stomach, and colon cancer. 

Garlic  also has antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic properties.

Garlic is one of the first things I eat when I start to feel something coming on.  I eat one clove if it is to harsh I would mince it in some fresh salsa or something like that.

Hosea 4:6  “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge”

Christie

After a great learning tool with the pictures that Beth Moore uses to describe taking our thoughts captive in week 9 of Breaking Free, we have a few weeks of other things to do before our Celebration Wednesday.

Crossroads Community Church in Adrian, Michigan is hosting an opportunity in the CFC Auditorium to praise God the week before Thanksgiving in preparation for the holiday season.  Next Wednesday, November 14, at 6:30pm, we will gather to meditate, pray, sing praises and have communion while revering our Lord.

I will wait in the grand lobby at 6:15pm in case you would like to sit with someone and you may have to come alone.  It is an awesome experience and I would hate to have you miss it just because you do not want to come by yourself.   Let me know by email if you want me to wait for you.

Sunshine

Have you ever had one of those days where you had a lot of catching up to do and before you know it it’s time to eat.  Well that was me today I forgot to thaw out my meat and by the time I realized it, it was to late.  I keep a few handy things around incase of an emergency.  So here is my healthy meal in minutes.

Bean & Vegetable Soup 

1  32 oz organic beef broth    &  1/2 of a 32 oz beef broth

2  cans of organic beans I used Edens white beans & black-eyed peas

1  28 oz can of organic petite dices tomatos (seasoned or plain) undrained

1  14 oz can of organic sweet corn

1 bag of organic frozen mixed vegetables

2 tbsp. reg. barley

powdered garlic and onion to taste

sea salt & pepper to taste

chili powder & thyme to taste

throw it in the pot.  Heat and serve.

We all have these kind of days.  The great thing about this meal that I like is really anything would work.  If you have some spinach or lentils some left over chicken and black beans.  You can add whatevrer seasoning and spices you like.  Everyone loved it! even my son who is not a fan of soup.   I hope this you when your in a pinch.

Genesis 43:11  Then their father Isreal said to them, ” If it must be, than do this:  Put some of the best products in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift— a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 

Christie

Not everything I write on here has to be profound, but today I write about service. God asks us to serve Him once we become believers in Christ. It is our job to BE the church. Church is not a building or a place we go on Sundays as my pastor often says, it is who we ARE. As part of God’s church each of us is given certain abilities, skills, gifts and we are to use them for God’s glory. The Bible tells us we are Christ’s body and each part cannot work without the other. One cannot walk with only one leg that works. So, what “part” are you? Are you involved in ministry? Are you serving God by serving others in the church?

I know that not everyone is doing their part because all over the world there are needs that are not being met, positions in various church dwellings that need to be filled. If you are a Crossroads attendee, I know there are several serving opportunities that remain unfilled.

So, as a challenge to you readers, I am asking you to pray and ask God where He wants you to serve Him. Ask Him which areas are you most fit for. Ask Him to make time for you to serve Him.

For many years, I served God by serving the 3-5 year old children on Sunday mornings. I helped plan throughout the week and used a curriculum to teach 3 year olds to memorize scripture. As the church began to grow, my commitment level grew as well. I then was serving every week as well as attending adult worship experience. When my child died, I suddenly felt as though serving with children wasn’t the best place for me at that time, but that didn’t mean God excused me from serving anywhere. I began helping my husband with the teardown team. Every week I helped him with that. And in a few months, I started to serve again this time only monthly with the one year olds. And eventually returned to the preschool area as a monthly large group teacher. And now I still help my husband with teardown, still do monthly teaching in preschool and have taken on a new leadership role in women’s ministry in helping women take in depth Bible Studies. I felt God leading me in this direction and he has filled it with such joy.

I know that God planned everything to happen for a reason and even while I am employed, I still find time to serve our Lord. Nothing is more fulfilling. So what part do you play?

Sunshine