OK, we didn't exactly sell it yet. But, the person who looked at it on Tuesday made an offer today which we are going to accept!! So, now it is just lots of inspections, paperwork, and time. We drove by the new house tonight just to see it again. P and I are very happy with our choice. We think we can be very happy in that home. The house and yard are smaller and it has and one car detached garage, but it is cute from the outside and very nice inside. Now I'm all excited about moving!!
The Scripture that I've been meditating on recently is Phillipians 4:6-7. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." NIV I've been trying to work out what "peace" really is. In my reading I have found that in the Old Testatment, peace referred to "completeness, soundness, and well-being of the total person." (from Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers). The traditional Jewish greeting, "shalom" means peace. Peace could also refer to prosperity or the absence of war. In the New Testament, Jesus said that he gives us peace and to not be afraid - it sounds like peace and courage go together (John 14:27). In Galatians 5, peace is one of the fruits of the Spirit. Then, in Phillipians, peace is given in conjunction with prayer. So, my conclusion (which is not theologically all that new or earth shattering) is that peace is something that comes from the Holy Spirit and that comes to us more as we pray more. As we get closer to God (through prayer and Bible study and worship), God reminds us more and more that He is in control of our circumstances and we have no need for anxiety or worry. That's my theology for the day.
How does the whole Philippians 4:6-7 relate to me? I am a bundle of anxiety. I have a terrible time not worrying. P has been so calm about everything lately while I keep worrying that we're going to starve. I have been meditating on this Scripture to help remind me Who is in charge (and that it's not me) and that He does offer peace. I have also taken prayer much more seriously lately. There have been more things lately to pray about - a friend with a newly diagnosed chronic illness, another friend's grandbaby was born very prematurely, another friend with cancer. I can pray for them, and be thankful that my illness is not terminal, just painful.
I'm still reading Why Christianity Must Change or Die by Bishop John Shelby Spong. In the part that I'm on now, he is writing about how he believes the stories of Jesus began to be told and embellished through the years after Jesus' death. Of course, he says, none of them actually happened, people just made them up and developed this new system of faith and beliefs. In reality, though, Jesus and his teaching were so radically different than anyone who had ever come before that it is extremely highly improbable that any group of people would have come up with these "stories" on their own. In an age when the pseudo-messiahs of the day were preaching war and throwing off the yoke of Roman rule, Jesus' coming and talking about loving your neighbor and forgiving your enemies was just crazy. And that's what makes the Gospels so believable. Why would anyone make this stuff up and then die for it?
L has been studying Mongolia the last 2 weeks. She and C decided 2 nights ago to build yerts (portable felt tents that some Mongolians still use as homes out on the Steppes of Asia). They took all 4 barstools downstairs and a bucket of sand (I never figured out what the sand was about). After a couple of hours, they finally gave up and decided that our basement would never double for the Mongolian steppes. But, they wanted to sleep in the craft room, which was fine with me. Although, L went upstairs by 9pm and C ended up sleeping in the living room with me (had a migraine).
Muffin update - to anyone who has considered trying to double the milk in their muffin recipe - don't! I did that this week, and the muffins didn't rise and were very dense. Of course, my kids loved them, so I may make them that way all the time, but it's not how they were intended. Now, I don't know how much milk I used to make them so nice and moist but not mushed and heavy. I'll keep working.
More later. It's late, but I'm up with another migraine. It's been a bad week on the headache front. But, the house is sold. One more step forward.
1 comment:
To find the perfect recipes for anything, go to www.americastestkitchen.com. You'll need to register for free (no cost involved for the America's Test Kitchen website recipes but there is a cost for Cook's Illustrated recipes so make sure you sign up for the right one). I've been addicted to this TV show (on PBS every Saturday) as well as their cookbooks for several years now. Curtis loves it because any time I make something from their show/cookbook, it's always good! I did a search for muffins and nothing came back for ATK (plenty from Cooks Illustrated but you have to pay for those). Anyway, you may want to look around for the things you make most, i.e. cornbread, bread, etc. They test every ratio of ingredients, different brands of key ingredients, equipment, etc. to determine the best recipe and method. Keep in mind that they only offer this season's recipes for free so print it out to keep on file because it may not be there later. Several things I've made from this seasons episodes are: classic brownies (they are really yummy---not too fudgey and not too cakey, just right), Congo Bars (to die for!), Spinach Dip with Pita Chips (Evan loves the Pita Chips), Pan Seared Shrimp, and I want to try Pumpkin Cheesecake (looks yummy). And if you want a no fail Filet Mignon recipe, let me know and I'll email it to you (it's not online anymore). I've made it several times with Curtis' being medium and mine being medium-well and they've come out perfect every time (Curtis says it's better than what you get at a restaurant). It takes a lot of guesswork out of everything which makes my life easier!!!!
Post a Comment