Learning from Trees

 Jeremiah 17: 7 -8
"Blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him.  They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."  

This is one of my favorite scriptures and so applicable today with the drought going on in Texas, but even if there were no drought, it still speaks to our hearts.  We all have times of drought in our lives.  Our nation is facing the largest debt crisis in it's history.  Some have lost their jobs, their homes, their businesses and maybe even their retirement due to this economy.  Some face medical issues where God is the only answer.  Where is your confidence placed?  Do you feel it is up to you to solve the problems you face today?  Or, is your confidence in the Lord?

Matthew 6:27-29 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are

Matthew 6:30 And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

If you are a person of great Faith, share it with others who may not be so Blessed.  God is good ALL the time.

Have a Blessed day!

Salty Lessons

Everything is better with salt and sea salt is even better for you, but that is not what this blog is about.  A little salt makes most things taste better, but too much salt can ruin the best dish.  Ask my son-in-law.  The first meal my daughter ever cooked for him included my mother's peach cobbler recipe.  I suggested she double the recipe so they would have plenty.

PEACH COBBLER

Cream together:

1/4 cup margarine

1/2 cup sugar

Sift together:

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir in:

1/2 cup milk

and margarine mixture until smooth

Pour into greased baking dish.  Drain juice from 1 large can of peaches; reserving the juice.  Place peaches on the batter.  Sprinkle with 1/2 cup sugar and pour juice over sugar.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes.

Easy enough!  Double the recipe for a 9x13 dish. 

Not easy when you have never cooked a dish, practically, and you are cooking for someone that could possibly turn out to be your future husband, and you are doubling the recipe.  What if you double the salt and read the measurement as cups rather than teaspoons!  I won't repeat what the son-in-law said, but he had to spit the dessert out of his mouth. 

Fast forward to this past month - about 4 years later to this picture:

That is the same daughter TEACHING a group of my friends how to cook some new dishes!  She is a Pampered Chef hostess now in her spare time.  Who would have ever thought that she would have come so far in 4 years.  The fact that she moved to a small town with 1 1/2 restaurants (one is only open for breakfast and lunch), a pizza place, Sonic and now a Subway has contributed to the need to learn how to cook, as well as being married to a hard working farmer who works long hours in this awful heat and needs a substantial and good meal at the end of the day.  She can make the most awesome dishes now and even has learned to bake home made bread!  Move over Pioneer Woman!  Look closely at that first picture.  She is even making that food look pretty!

Moral of the story:  Read the recipe carefully.  Cups mean cups and teaspoons mean teaspoons.  A little salt does wonders in life.  Too much can ruin a good thing.  Nothing is life is hopeless if you set your mind to do it.  You too can become a good .................. whatever it takes to fill in that blank, if you try.  And, it doesn't hurt to make mistakes if you learn from them.  God is a forgiving God and you too should forgive yourself and move on and accomplish your goals.  And, last but not least, I am one proud mother! 

Have a Blessed day!