Family Friendly Friday (Movie Ed.)

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                  Growing up I always looked forward to Friday nights. Friday nights usually meant going to pick up a pizza (with cheesy bread of course) and renting a movie. Sometimes it meant staying with my grandparents who introduced me to their collection of the true classics. But what made this tradition really special was not the movies or the pizzas, or even the cheesy bread, it was the fact that my parents and grandparents took the time to sit there with me and watch the movies. They could have done a million other things and now that I have entered motherhood, I understand the millions of things they were no doubt thinking about on their to-do lists, yet there they sat. I am so thankful to have those memories to look back on, to have that example to follow and to have knowledge of family-friendly movies that I can share with others. That is what Fridays are all about on the blog right now. Sharing family-friendly movies for you to start/carry on this same tradition with your family and friends. Some of these movies you may have. Some you might have to look for on Netflix, Amazon instantvideo or your public library. Some might be available on YouTube. I leave that part to you. 

 Sun Valley Serenade

John Payne and Sonja Henie are responsible for my desire to visit Sun Valley. I love it and I’ve never even been there. If you decide to add this one to your list, I feel certain you will completely understand…

 The Glenn Miller Story

If you weren’t paying attention in the afore mentioned classic, Glenn Miller was the talented bandleader. Glenn Miller has a story of his own you should see. James Stewart plays Miller along with June Allyson in The Glenn Miller story. This movie quickly put Stewart and Allyson among my favorite actors. It is equally responsible for my iPod playlist named moonlight serenade.

Traditional Thursday (Recipe Ed.)

½ cup margarine

(I prefer not to use margarine so I substituted Brummel & Brown spread.)

½ cup peanut butter

¾ cup brown sugar

1 egg

½ tsp. vanilla

¼ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

1 ¼ cup rolled oats

¾ cup whole wheat flour

Icing:

1 ¼ cup powdered sugar

3 Tbsp. sweetened condensed milk

                  Preheat your oven to 350°. Add butter & peanut butter in large bowl & melt in microwave for about 30 seconds. Add brown sugar. Mix in egg & vanilla until all ingredients are well blended. Add salt, baking soda, oats & whole wheat flour. Make a ball out of your dough. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper, then use your fork to make criss-cross marks and flatten. Cook for 8-10 minutes and allow cookies to cool before icing. (I chose not to ice this particular batch. They are really great either way.)

                  Make icing by mixing powdered sugar & sweetened condensed milk together until smooth. Drizzle icing over cookies. Enjoy!

Work-To-Do-Wednesday - Never Finish.

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                  I know you have those days. The ones where you feel like you feel like you just can’t get caught up. Many of my days are like that and I’m guessing yours are as well. In some ways our Christian life is similar.  There are some things we complete. We are only baptized once (if we do it right, Acts 19:1-6). We only get married once (unless there is death or unfaithfulness, Rom. 7:1-4; Matt. 19:9), but most Christian duties continue. Just like cooking, dishes, laundry we never reach a point with them where we can say, “There I’ve finished with that. Now I’ll move on to something else.” These are things that must be done on a repeatedly.

So what are some of these things?

Studying. The Bereans searched the scriptures daily (Acts 17:11). The Psalmist said, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night” (Psa. 1:2). God promised to bless “the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors” (Pro. 8:34). Paul, aged and imprisoned, besought Timothy to bring his book and parchments (2Tim. 4:13); if he still had studying to do, don’t we?

Shining. We don’t get to take any days off from setting a good example others. Christianity does not come with exemptions or vacation days. Jesus told us that we are the light and salt of the world (Mat. 5:13-14). This is true when we feel well and when we don’t. It holds true when things go well for us or when everything seems to go wrong. It is still true when we are around our friends and complete strangers. This is true for the preacher and shepherds, but also for the flock. I am in no way an advocate of Bob Marley and the life he lived, but I do however, find a lot of truth in one of his statements. Two days before performing at a peace rally, Marley was shot. He went on to perform and when asked why he didn’t postpone or cancel the concert he replied, “The people who are trying to make this world worse aren’t taking a day off. How can I?” He was right. It is our job to carry on (Gal. 6:9) and light up the darkness.

              Serving. Jesus told us, “he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve” (Luk. 22:26). Paul penned the words in Galatians 5:13, “by love serve one another.” We never reach the point where we are to be served rather than to serve. We must be observant to the constant small acts of service that we can provide to those around us. It might be as small as getting a cup of coffee for a spouse or co-worker. It might be helping an elderly person into their wheelchair when they arrive for church services. It could be sitting with a friend who just went through a breakup. It could be buying the meal for the person in the drive thru line behind you or having a pizza delivered to the family waiting for their next paycheck. The possibilities are endless. There is always a way to serve, we simply must keep our eyes open for it. As Winnie-the-Pooh has said, “You can’t stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes.”

Supplicating. Supplication defined is making a humble entry especially to God (so I could have listed this one as prayer, but I thought the “S” theme might make it easier to remember). Prayer is a duty that is never finished based on 1Thes. 5:17. Luke told us in chapter 18 verse 1, “that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” David prayed morning, noon and evening (Psa. 55:17). Daniel kneeled three times a day (Dan. 6:10) and Jesus prayed all night (Luk. 6:12). If these great men needed this much prayer, I feel secure in saying we do as well.

sources:

1. http://rapgenius.com/Yc-the-cynic-murphys-law-lyrics#note-2755570

2. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supplication

Tough Truth Tuesday-Is it really that important?

                  I want you to do something for me. Are you ready? You’ll need your Bible. I want you to turn to Revelation chapter 2. Now count how many times you read the word “hear.” I’ll wait...

                  You should come up with four times. It is mentioned in the phrase, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.” In one chapter this phrase is repeated four times. We should pay close attention to everything the Bible says, but I believe when God repeats something it merits extra attention. In Revelation 2, this phrase is repeated to four of the seven churches entreating them to change their wrongdoings. As God’s children, he wants us to listen to what the Spirit has to say in order to avoid some of the same mistakes those in the first century church were making such as apathy, carelessness, forgetfulness, and complacency.

We are warned to “Be not weary in well doing” (Gal. 6:9) and to take heed lest we fall (1Cor. 10:12). Paul, in his letters, repeatedly used the words, “Bring to remembrance” because he along with Peter realized how easily we forget things (2Pet. 1:9). One of the devil’s greatest tools is distraction. Think about it. How much time do you give to the Lord in proportion to other things? We are quick to allow all sorts of other activities to fill our schedules until we feel that we just do not have the time to devote to our Lord. We might make it to church on Sunday and Wednesday. We may spend a great deal of time in prayer, but we fail to listen to what the Lord has to say to us. It’s a one-sided relationship.

Bible study is so often treated with the attitude of  “Well, it’s great if you have the time for it.” The reality is that Bible study is something every Christian must make time for. It is the only thing that will allow us to remember, to be watchful, to be strengthened & aware of the dependency we have on Christ. We must hold ourselves accountable using whatever means necessary. Leave your Bible on your bed or kitchen table to remind yourself to study each day. Write a reminder and stick it to your fridge. Ask a friend to ask you each day if you have spent any time in Bible study. Use social media to share your study in a humble manner. The list goes on and on. It is something we can do…if we really want to.

Mention Worthy Monday (Quotes Ed.)

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“I can’t help it” should not be in our vocabulary. The problem is not our ability; it is our will. With every temptation there is a way of escape.

-Bill Cantrell

We will not convert the world by quoting scripture to them. If we convert them, it will be because of what they see in us. It will be because of the heart we posses and the example we set.

-Buddy Elders

Recognize that what you do daily becomes your legacy.

-John C. Maxwell

Friendship evangelism is great except when it is all friendship and no evangelism.

– Wade Webster

Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles. It empties today of its strength.

-Mary Engelbreit