May 18, 2012 |
[This post is one of my Ten Bible Verses I Try to Live By]
I recently completed my list of Ten Bible Verses I Try to Live By. The first on that list is what I consider to be my “life verse”: the one I cling to and claim as God’s word spoken directly to me.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)
“For I know the plans I have for you,”
declares the LORD.
“Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you.
Plans to give you hope and a future.”
Many years ago, when I was uncertain and very afraid of life, in the course of one week three people came up to me and said, “God wants you to know…” and spoke this verse to me. Sure, you say. It’s a common, popular verse when friends see you struggling and want to give you something to hold on to. That may be… except two of these three people had never met me.
One was a good friend. One was the mother of an acquaintance. And one was a stranger at church.
Needless to say, God got my attention. And I listened. And continue to do so to this day. Because He has never failed me.
Recently I found myself focusing on the verse in a different way. For a while I’ve been reciting it as a memory verse, calling out words like “hope” and “prosper” without much deep consideration. I felt God calling me to go deeper, and to tell you about it.
The verse itself is comprised of 29 words. Which makes it easier to remember that the verse is 29:11.
Word by word, I dissected the verse. I came up with a list of what it Is, and compared it with a list of what it Is Not.
Jeremiah 29:11
If we were to pay attention to how the enemy wants us to see ourselves in God’s design, he might try to tell us something else; something like this:
“Because some random stranger had a general idea that never included you,” whispers satan and the world at large, “Maybe you should think about choosing between your meager existence and what to do about it. You can’t make it any better. You’ll never be able to earn your position or any rewards. You’re not good enough. You’ve been forgotten and discarded, and there is no hope for you at all.”
But the TRUTH about what God is saying to you is this:
“Hey, YOU! Pay attention! The Almighty Abba, Your Daddy-God, is absolutely sure and confident about the detailed, specific blueprints He has designed for YOU! The Almighty Abba has publicly announced this Declaration in His Kingdom. He has directed His resources in YOUR favor, including guards to stop YOU from being attacked and wounded. He has also decreed that YOU be gifted with giddy anticipation as you wait for even better things to come and accompany YOU for ALL your upcoming days!”
I don’t know about you, but I choose to believe my Dad, not some liar. After all, Father Knows Best. Right?
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 17, 2012 |
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 16, 2012 |
It’s that time of the week again! Time to all get together from our individual corners of the blogosphere and tell what’s on our minds.
What’s the Word? Wednesdays is a linky that allows other bloggers to share whatever is on their minds that they want to talk about. Think of it as a virtual coffee date with some great friends. What’s going on in your world? Tell us all about it!
This week has no theme. Just think of it as a chance to get everyone caught up with what you want to say. Feel free to link up your own blog posts, or just leave a comment about anything and everything.
If you’re linking back to your own blog, be sure to grab the code, as it’s a new code each week.
I wish you all a happy cup of coffee and overflowing words.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 15, 2012
Since I’m on this blog-improvement kick, I figure it would be a good idea to actually complete the pages I started so long ago, so I just finished updating my Tenfold Page: Ten Bible Verses I Try to Live By.
I’d had four listed there previously. Err, rather, the cites. Tonight I not only posted the cites of my ten favorite Bible verses, but I typed out the verses themselves.
I was reminded all over again of exactly why those particular verses are so special to me. And in the coming weeks, I hope to share in depth with you my take on these verses, how they apply to my life, and how God has used them to get to me even when I didn’t want to be reached.
Whatever your faith, I hope these stories will inspire you and fill you with hope. For God is always in control. And He is always filled with love.
1 Corinthians 13:13~
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.
But the greatest of these is love.”
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
May 14, 2012 |
“Sometimes it’s hard to make ends meet. Food shouldn’t be a sacrifice.” ~from The Unemployment Cookbook.
It’s been so long since I’ve posted a recipe on the blog, I thought this one would be a great treat.
Texas Hash is a family favorite. It’s quick, easy, and inexpensive to make, and delicious to eat. At our house, we often serve it with a salad and garlic toast.
It feeds my family, and guests, with leftovers to spare.
So with all that going for it, there was no question about including it in The Unemployment Cookbook.
This family favorite heritage dish pretty much stands on its own. The flavors blend well, but still offer a base which can easily be changed up to suit individual tastes.
Ingredients
- Medium onion, diced
- green pepper, diced
- 1 lb. ground beef
- 12 oz. diced tomatoes (do not drain)
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 3/4 cup uncooked rice (not instant)
Instructions
- Lightly coat frying pan with cooking oil.
- Fry onion and green pepper until tender (approximately 2 - 3 minutes).
- Add ground beef.
- Cook until browned.
- Add tomatoes, chili powder, salt, Worcestershire sauce, and celery salt.
- Mix well.
- Bring to a boil.
- Stir in rice.
- Reduce to a simmer.
- Cook approximately 30 -35 minutes.
- Serve.
3.1
https://franklymydearmojo.com/2012/05/14/featured-recipe-texas-hash/ (c) 2012 Frankly, My Dear... New Inklings Press
I hope you enjoy this recipe, and like all recipes in the Cookbook, that it inspires you to be creative in your own kitchen.
Share your recipe reviews in the comments here or in the Facebook Forum.
And Frankly, My Dear… that’s all she wrote!
If we were to pay attention to how the enemy wants us to see ourselves in God’s design, he might try to tell us something else; something like this:
