Waiting...waiting...waiting...waiting...

When I know what I want, I’m the most impatient person ever—especially when I’m waiting to hear back from someone. So I looked up some verses to help me stay calm…

“Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.” Psalm 25:5

“Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.” Psalm 62:5

“I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1

“Yet the LORD longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the LORD is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!” Isaiah 30:18

“But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” Isaiah 40:31

“In that day they will say, "Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation." Isaiah 25:9

“Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.” Isaiah 64:4

Now you can comment...

After a handful of emails from you about posts…and in-person complaints that you have to register to comment…I took another look at my settings. Turns out that it was just a couple clicks of the mouse to change this. Now anyone can comment. I’m sort of getting the hang of this.

God doesn't lose control

This morning I needed the reminder that God is still in control. Because God doesn’t lose control. And whether or not I see the purpose of His actions doesn’t matter, because even if He told me His plan, I don’t have the experience or patience to understand it. So a few hours ago—when I heard of more cuts at work—this passage from Ecclesiastes was rather refreshing…

A Time for Everything
“There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

What does the worker gain from his toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on men. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil—this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him.

Whatever is has already been,
and what will be has been before;
and God will call the past to account.”

Ecclesiastes 3:1-15

Mmm...Cake!

Soon there will be an occasion, and I plan to make this delicious-looking Hummingbird Cake…minus the flowers. When a cake batter includes bananas and pineapples, I can only imagine how moist it will be. Stay tuned…

Think “I get to” thoughts

Sometimes the monotony of life wears on me, and it’s easy to grow tired of the repetition: wake up to the ever-present alarm clock, go to work, cook dinner, sleep, repeat.

But the other night at bible study, my friend Barb shared an encouraging thought. She said that she tries to stay in the “I get to” frame of mind:

• “I get to go to work because God has blessed me with a job.”
• “I get to cook dinner because God has blessed me with food.”
• “I get to do laundry because God has blessed me with clothes.”
  

So now when I sound a bit too much like those complaining Israelites wandering around in the dessert, I’ll try to flip the “I get to” switch, and take a minute to realize how blessed I really am.

“So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your eating, sleeping, going to work, walking around life—and place it before God as an offering.” 1 Romans 12:1

YUM: Apple Potato Sausage Saute

This is a great breakfast-for-dinner recipe. YumSugar posted this from Vegetarian Times magazine. I subbed out the "soy sausage" for the real thing.

Apple Potato Sausage Saute
Serves 4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. plus 2 tsp. vegetable oil
• 1 lb. small potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 large apples, unpeeled and thinly sliced
• 1 6-oz. pkg. sausage links, cut into thirds
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup shredded cheddar for garnish
• 1/4 cup snipped parsley for garnish

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium heat. Sauté potatoes about 7 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon oil to skillet, and sauté onion with potatoes about 5 minutes or until golden. Remove potatoes and onion, and set aside.
2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to skillet, and sauté apples over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent burning. Spray separate skillet with nonstick cooking spray; brown “sausage” links.
3. Add all ingredients to skillet of hot apples; stir well to heat through. Sprinkle with cheese and parsley, and serve.

Recipe at Vegetarian Times:
http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9211?utm_source=LowFat&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=content?sssdmh=dm17.360595&esrc=nwycdishorteat2&email=1325727853%3C/span%3E

YUM: Meat Loaf

Internet: I confess that I've never been a fan of meat loaf. I ate it once in 5th grade...at a friend's house. It was most definitely never made in my mom's kitchen. But I wondered if it was one of those delicacies that you learn to appreciate as you grow up, so I was willing to give it a chance. I tried this recipe is from the National Kidney Foundation, and I would say that my mind is changed. Jordan asked if we could make this one again.

Meat Loaf

Ingredients:
2 beaten eggs
3/4 cup milk
2/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons onions
1/2 teaspoon sage
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
Topping
1/4 cup salt-free ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
Mix all the meat loaf ingredients together and pat into a loaf pan. Bake 1 hour at 350°F. Take out of oven and pour off grease. Mix first four topping ingredients together and put on top of meat loaf. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese melts.

Nutrition
Calories 335
Carbohydrates 14
Protein 26
Fat 19
Sodium 177
Potassium 416
Phosphorus 223

From the National Kidney Foundation