I still stand amazed!!!

The kids and I went with Big D’s new friend, Chris, and his wife Heather to their church this Sunday as Glenn had to run the soundboard at the chapel.  The services was really nice, great worship music, good sermon and such, but at the end, they did a baptism.  They had 6 people come to the front who had requested to be baptized, however they also invited anyone else who wanted to be baptized.  A guy came forward and while the other baptisms were happening, he was talking and praying with the guy….turns out the guy had just during that service accepted Christ!  And he wasn’t the only one to come forward!  When all was said and done, I think there were at LEAST 20 people who got baptized, some brand new believers, some had believed but hadn’t yet been baptized.  A young girl of about 12 came forward to be baptized and I kept staring at her as I thought she looked familiar, then another slightly older girl came up to her after she was baptized and I KNEW I KNEW these girls (the older sister then got baptized as well).  These 2 girls and their Dad had attended New Harvest church (our old church that had closed) with us!!  They’ve got kind of a hard life, but the Dad really tries to live right.  And they were there!!!  And they were baptized on a Sunday that we were at the same church!!!!  Just blew my mind how God works even in the littlest things like that!!  And then, as we were leaving, another newly baptized new believer was walking out ahead of us, and I commented, “Wow, look at that smile!”  and he turned and looked at me and said, “I haven’t smiled in a long time either!”  I told him that smile was truly the most beautiful Easter smile I’d seen!  I am just amazed and astounded!!  Also there was a Dad standing up front watching with 2 little girls (looked about 5 or 6 years old) and their Mom was one of the original people to be baptized, and when it was her turn, those little girls were jumping and dancing, and squealing, and I just KNOW they were just a small picture of what it was like up in heaven this morning as new souls entered the kingdom!!!  Oh so very, very good!!!!!!!!! 

Change my Heart, O God, Make it Ever New....

God is working a new thing in me and it’s hard and it very much goes against my people-pleasing nature. And still He asks it of me and without understanding it all or being comfortable with it, I MUST obey. I’ve been fighting it for a bit and finally, today, took action and am now hiding in the shadow of His wings, watching to see His mighty hand move. Just now I got a cool email about the new Narnia movie, Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Included in the email were some unit study/lesson plan links. One caught my eye, and when I clicked on it and read, it took my breath away! Oh, how I love my Abba Father, how I love His faithfulness when I struggle to be faithful.


May you be blessed: Lessons on Beauty & Bravery: A Study Guide for Women

There Must be a City

I LOVE singing with the Hill Air Force Base Inspirational Choir!! (I'm the 3rd from the left)

crocheted headband

crocheted headband, originally uploaded by jjlrdomom.

quick and easy headband I made for the Girlie.

an interesting recipe

So, my little brother has less than a year left on his jail sentence.  He now gets to communicate via email which has been SO fun cuz we can share quick little blips here and there throughout the week.  He's doing really well and lately has been working hard with the other men in his unit to decorate their building....amazing!  2,500 feet of paper chain!!!!  Crazy!  I get tired after 10....10 links!!!  Anyway, he and a friend are becoming quite the chefs using food they buy at the commissary and only a microwave to cook it.  Some of it (fish burritos????) scares me, but then there's some that I may try (he did say that most of this stuff he wouldn't even consider eating "on the outside")  Anyway, here's a pie recipe (following his brief comment about it) he and  his friend are making for Christmas:

Yeah, the chocolate mint mocha pie? It's not bad -- not something I'd eat out in the world, but surprisingly, not bad. Here's the recipe, if you've ever a mind to try such a thing.


Matt's Chocolate Mint Mocha Pie
8-10 peppermints, finely crushed

1 chocolate Carnation Instant Breakfast packet

1/2 chocolate bar, diced or crushed

1 teaspoon instant coffee (or more or less to taste)

1 container non-dairy creamer (in our case, about 7 oz)

chocolate chip cookies, Nilla Wafers, or any cookie you'd like (crust)



Put peppermint dust in a microwave-safe bowl, add hot water, nuke for 2 minutes, stir -- working towards making a peppermint syrup. Nuke and stir, nuke and stir. A thin syrup is ideal.

Pour half the creamer into a slightly larger bowl, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water, stir. Should be fairly thin, but stir for consistency. Warm water works best. Gradually add the rest of the creamer, adding water if needed, to make a mix the consistency of thick gravy. Add Instant Breakfast packet, coffee and mint syrup. Stir, then let stand for 10-15 minutes. Should stiffen to the consistency of toothpaste (or marshmallow fluff).

In another bowl, crush the cookies and add a few drops of cold water, mix to make a dough. More water as needed, but not so much the dough goes soup.

In ice cream dishes (y'know those glass dessert cups?), or if you go prison-style a bunch of empty Philly cream cheese 8-oz style tubs, coat the sides with a layer of crust evenly, and pour in some of the marshmallow mix. Should make seven or eight. Top with chocolate chunks, let stand in ice or a 'fridge to cool.



Try 'em -- they're pretty good!

Just a reminder...

Amos 5:4 "For thus says the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek me [inquire for and of Me and require Me as you require food] and you shall live!" (Amplified Bible)

See also II Chronicles 15:2 and Jeremiah 29:13

"FALL" Into Jesus Giveaway

"FALL" Into Jesus Giveaway