Thursday, August 25, 2011

N.T. Wright on How to Read the Bible

Two Links and a Thought

Here is a great article about applying the gospel in mothering. It went right along with something I found here last week.

WWMD

What Would Mama Do?

What kind of example do I set for my kids? How do I use my free time? What do I do when things go all wrong? What do I do when I sin against someone (especially against my husband or kids)? Do I ask forgiveness? Do I cover over the sins of others? Do I abstain from gossiping? Do I make excuses for my sinful behaviors (PMS, just really stressed, overwhelmed, tired)? Do I feel like I have to be perfect? Do I live in the joy of the Lord even when I have to really seek it out? Do I pick up after myself? Do I work hard? Do I enjoy spending time with my family? Do I happily serve others? Am I generous? Do I listen well? Do I pray? Do I pray for the needs of those outside my family? Do I serve those outside my family? Do I serve any widows or any orphans in any way? Do I even think about them? Do I read my bible? Often? Do I love God and call Him my friend?

When my children face life everyday can I exhort them (as Paul did) to follow my example? I don't know about you, but that is a helpful thing to think about when I am trying to figure out what to do or how to spend my time. I don't want to feel like I must live perfectly before them, because they won't be perfect either. But I do want to show them a good example and what to do when they mess up. I want them to be so many things. To love God with their heart, soul, mind, and strength. To love their neighbor as themselves. To extend and receive forgiveness and move on. To be thankful. So I must be and do those things. After all, more is caught than taught.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

My Favorite Dessert

Well, one among many. But here it is: This made with this and topped with a tiny bit of this.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Pancake Verdict (and *my* recipe)

I confess that I was not nuts about the pancake recipe in that last post. One problem was that I did not have unsalted butter and I forgot to adjust the amount of added salt accordingly. They were not gross, but were a tad salty. Also, it mentions adding up to 1 cup of milk to thin the batter in the morning. Well, when I stirred the batter to assess the thickness they were so thin that I actually had to add 1 cup of flour to keep them from being as flat as a sheet of paper! I may have done something wrong, but I did double check things and nothing comes to mind. Oh well. I was excited to try something new, but the truth is...I love *my* little pancake recipe. I can't even remember where I got it. But this recipe makes terrific homemade pancakes every time. Try it out and see if you agree.

Brandy's Pancakes

1 egg
3/4 c milk
1 T sugar (brown or white)
2 T oil
1 c flour
1 T baking powder
1/4 t salt

Whisk together well and let it sit for a bit while you heat up the griddle. Pour 1/4c batter on griddle for each pancake and leave it until bubbles burst in the middle and the edges begin to look dry. Flip it and cook another 2-3 minutes. Serve with any of the following: butter, peanut butter, homemade strawberry freezer jam (yum!), and of course syrup! I triple this recipe to make enough for my family. Also I use "T" for tablespoon and "t" for teaspoon.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

New Pancake Recipe

We are having these for breakfast in the morning. You mix the batter up the night before and leave in on the counter. How handy! I have the cookbook that it came from, but it is also available here.


Bruce Paltrow’s World Famous Pancakes

Yield: 3 dozen 5-inch pancakes

Active Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Total Preparation Time: 20 minutes + overnight resting

3 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons fine salt
3 cups buttermilk
6 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled, plus more butter for cooking
6 organic large eggs
Up to 1 cup milk, as needed to thin batter
Real Vermont maple syrup, warmed

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Whisk together the buttermilk, butter and eggs together in another bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones whisking just enough to combine (small lumps are okay). Let the batter sit, covered, overnight. The next morning, heat up your griddle or favorite nonstick pan and slick it with a little butter. Add enough milk to the batter to thin it to the right consistency—the thicker the batter, the thicker and heavier your pancakes; the thinner the batter, the more delicate your pancakes—neither is wrong. Cook the pancakes on the griddle, flipping them after bubbles appear on the surface of the uncooked side. Let cook 2-3 minutes more, then remove, and eat with lots of warm maple syrup.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Prayer

O My God,
You fairest, greatest, first of all objects,
my heard admires, adores, loves you,
for my little vessel is as full as it can be,
and I would pour out all that fullness before you
in ceaseless flow.

When I think upon and converse with you
ten thousand delightful thoughts spring up,
ten thousand sources of pleasure are unsealed,
ten thousand refreshing joys spread over my heart,
crowding into every moment of happiness.

I bless you for the should you have created,
for adorning it, sanctifying it, though it is fixed in barren soil;
for the body you have given me,
for preserving its strength and vigor,
for providing senses to enjoy delights,
for the ease and freedom of my limbs,
for hands, eyes, ears that do your bidding;
for your royal bounty providing my daily support,
for a full table and overflowing cup,
for appetite, taste sweetness,
for social joys of relatives and friends,
for ability to serve others,
for a heart that feels sorrows and necessities,
for a mind to care for my fellow-men,
for opportunities of spreading happiness around,
for loved ones in the joys of heaven,
for my own expectation of seeing you clearly.

I love you above the powers of language to express,
for what you are to your creatures.

Increase my love, O my God, through time and eternity.

From Valley of Vision (I changed some of the thees and thous)

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Meal Times

I just happened upon this helpful article over at doorposts entitled Teaching Our Children to Be Thankful For Their Food.

That reminded me of another wonderful article: Virtue Begins With a Spoon. No matter where you fall on the issue, this article will give you food for thought :0)

Friday, August 05, 2011

Thoughts and Attitude

"We think we’re stuck with the attitude that it was our lot in life to bear. The truth is that the sum total of our thoughts equals our attitude. Thoughts create emotions and then harden into attitudes."

I really appreciate Charlotte's blog. She is a christian, homeschooling mother of 12 children and went from a size 22 to a size 6 using T-Tapp 15-30 minutes a day. She just posted a great one about housework.