Sunday's Sermon - Feb 27

Scripture: John 3:1-21

Sermon: This Is How God Loved

Last week Jim talked about Nicodemus and his meeting with Jesus. How Nicodemus was an important leader and teacher within the Jewish community. And how he just couldn't wrap his head around the idea of spiritual birth, and the need for God to work a new thing within us in order to be truly saved.

That covers the first half of this passage. I suspect that he'll be focusing on the last half of this passage this week.

¹⁶"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. ¹⁹ And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. ²⁰ For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. ²¹But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."

The other day Justin and I were reading the story of Adam and Eve and how they listened to Satan instead of God. I asked Justin...what do you think you would have done?

His response: "I would have listened to God mommy. Why didn't they want to listen to God mommy?"

me : "It's sin buddy, no ever really wants to listen to God unless he helps them listen to him."

Him "oh" (but you could see little wheels turning)

me:" you know how I turn you to look at me sometimes when I tell you something? ... that's me helping you listen to me. God helps us just like that...but inside of us."

Him : "oh"

I don't mind the "oh's"...means he's listening and means that sometime he'll come back with a question. he's a thinking boy which I like. Though at times he surprises me how long he'll think about something and I'm left scrambling with ... where did that come from?!?! :)

Anyways, this passage just brings me back to that conversation because it says "people loved the darkness rather than the light". It's so true isn't it? It is often so much easier to do something bad than it is to do something good. Easier to gossip than to point out that people handle things differently. Easier to let something slide than to do something that goes against the crowd. It's something I have to be on guard against when I go to Subway.

I look forward to seeing what Jim has to say about this passage on Sunday.

Irish Meal Day

I freely admit that this is a duplicate post to my post over at the homeschool blog. But this also seemed very family oriented so I thought I'd share it here as well. :) Cheers!

Boy, the lad and I had fun today. Yesterday we did days 2 & 3 of Expedition Ireland put out by Amanda Bennett Unit Studies. We learned prata is potato, that Ireland has beautiful scenery and interesting stories. We had fun colouring their flag and learning about Burren and Crystal.

Instead of doing more studying of Ireland we decided to have a cooking Irish food day.

We started the day off with pancakes of course.

Here is an easy way to make thin pancakes:

---

4 oz/ 125g/ 1 cup plain flour
pinch of salt
2 eggs
1/2 pt/ 250ml/ 1 cup milk
1 tbsp melted butter

---

Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds. The batter should then be allowed to stand for 30 minutes in a cool place. Heat a small pan over a medium heat. Grease with a little butter and wipe out with kitchen paper. Fry about 2 tbsp of batter at a time, swirling to cover the base of the pan. Keep them thin and there will be no need to turn. Serve rolled up with sugar.

We did two things with them. MOST we put cinnamon sugar on and rolled them up.
A few we added some gooseberry jam and rolled.
We learned we like the cinnamon sugar best and NOT to be shy with it either. :)

here the lad is learning to apply the cinnamon sugar.
Here I teach him how to roll it. He was a bit hestitant to do it himself as they were quite warm yet.
And the finished product...the cinnamon sugar ones in front, the jam ones behind.
We had thought about dusting them with icing sugar but "Mommy, I think plain is better."

Then off to go grocery shopping for the rest of the days meals....The lad looked hard for the buttermilk, and thought it funny that evaporated milk has a cow picture on the front of the can.

For lunch, due to hunger issues, we decided that the Irish part of our lunch would be GREEN salad. :) The rest we just ate as we wanted to. (sandwiches).

This afternoon we made

Irish Soda Bread

mix together:

4 cups bread flour

1 tbsp double action baking powder

¾ tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Add 2 c. buttermilk

Mix well

Knead 1 minute

Cut in half and form into two balls

Place on greased cookie sheet

cut an 'x' in the top of each ½ inch deep

cook 350 oven for 45-55 minutes.

We learned that if you subsitute whole wheat flour for white, adding more fluid a good idea.
That it is fun to alternate kneading bread.
That is it HARD for a five year to cut an "x" in the top of a ball of bread with a big knife.

the boy working hard at kneading
I neglected to take a picture of the finished product. Turned out a bit dry, but the inside was yummy. We'll do this again sometime.

I was HIGHLY intimidated by the thought of making candy and was VERY nervous that I would mess it up. BUT it worked!!!! I was delighted.
Grandmom's Irish Potatoes Candy

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 1/2 cup evaporated milk

• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, evaporated milk, cream of tartar and salt. Mix well and bring to a boil. Cook to the soft ball stage at 234 degrees F (115 degrees C). A few drops will form a soft ball when dropped into cold water. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Add vanilla and beat until creamy and stiff. Roll into balls and shape like little potatoes. Roll each ball in cinnamon to coat, then press in pieces of chopped nuts to look like eyes. You can also dust with cocoa to simulate dirt.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 62 | Total Fat: 0.9g | Cholesterol: 3mg

They are pretty good. Hubby says they are kinda like fudge, but different. We were supposed to put nuts on them to look like potato eyes, but the lad nixed that idea and I didn't mind since I'm not a huge nuts in candy person anyways. :)

Oh... we also made cookies!

Irish Ginger Snaps

Ingredients

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup shortening

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Cream sugar, egg, salt and shortening together. Add flour, baking soda and spices. Mix well. Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and roll the balls in sugar.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 5 to 6 minutes.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving Calories: 87 | Total Fat: 4.5g | Cholesterol: 6mg

NOTE: in our oven... 15 minutes.

And yes, I neglected to take a pic of the finished product and I doubt they'll last long enough for a picture to be taken.

We spontaneously decided to invite gramma up to share our Irish meal. Apparently all the ladies at the bank wanted to come and share it as well. Gramma turned them down. :) Our Irish meal was ham, potatoes, and bread.
The brown furry guy in the forefront is "super Jeff". He's an all powerful rabbit who helps make all types of things. This time he helped make cookies! He was a VERY curious rabbit and got flour on his nose in the process. :) He isn't the lad's favourite stuffy, but he is a good comrade in arms. :)

For more irish meal ideas.. go here. :)

5 fingered prayer

5 fingered prayer, good for everyday!

This is beautiful - and surely worth making the 5 finger prayer a part of our lives.


1. Your thumb is nearest you. So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you. They are the easiest to remember. To pray for our loved ones is, as C. S. Lewis once said, a 'sweet duty.'


2. The next finger is the pointing finger. Pray for those who teach, instruct and heal. This includes teachers, doctors, and ministers. They need support and wisdom in pointing others in the right direction. Keep them in your prayers.


3. The next finger is the tallest finger. It reminds us of our leaders. Pray for the president, prime minister, leaders in business and industry, and administrators. These people shape our nation and guide public opinion. They need God's guidance.


4. The fourth finger is our ring finger. Surprising to many is the fact that this is our weakest finger, as any piano teacher will testify. It should remind us to pray for those who are weak, in trouble or in pain. They need your prayers day and night. You cannot pray too much for them.


5. And lastly comes our little finger - the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others. As the Bible says, 'The least shall be the greatest among you.' Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself. By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

Bifocals....okay....

Went to the eye doctor yesterday as I've been having some problems with my eyes. There are times when I simply cannot see, everything goes blurry on me.

Discovered that my eyes have deteriorated a lot over the past year... more so than my original family doctor anticipated.

So I'm going to be needing new glasses and a new prescription. Looking into getting digital progressive bifocals made. Just in the process now of getting quotes and what not.

Praise God, He is our helper!

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Exodus 17.8-18.27 Psalm 41.

Exod 17.8-18.27
Every time I read this story I am amazed.

⁸ Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. ⁹So Moses said to Joshua, "Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand." ¹⁰So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. ¹¹Whenever Moses held up his hand, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his hand, Amalek prevailed. ¹²But Moses’ hands grew weary, so they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it, while Aaron and Hur held up his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side. So his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. ¹³And Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his people with the sword.

Like seriously....who would think of this? To raise your hands with staff in hand to God and win a battle? That's not a normal idea, and yet that is what worked. And the Lord promised to blot out Amalek.

¹⁴Then the LORD said to Moses, "Write this as a memorial in a book and recite it in the ears of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven." ¹⁵And Moses built an altar and called the name of it, The LORD Is My Banner, ¹⁶saying, "A hand upon the throne of the LORD! The LORD will have war with Amalek from generation to generation."

After this event, Jethro (Moses father-in-law) came for a visit and he praised God for how God had protected Moses and the people, rescuing them from Egypt and bringing them through the desert and everything. Then Moses went about his daily business and Jethro was stunned. Why do you sit around all day with these people coming to you? Learning the reason he came up with a simple solution for Moses. Choose some good people to help you with this task.

²³If you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people also will go to their place in peace."

The task was too much for Moses, he needed outside eyes to help him find resolution to it.

Isn't it neat how God orchestrated it all?

Ps 41
This is a song of David, to the choirmaster.
My reading of this Psalm nets me two basic thoughts: living a life of integrity and compassion is a very good thing, and second that praising God and asking him to forgive your sins is also a very good thing. :)

Living a life of integrity and compassion

¹ Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;
12But you have upheld me because of my integrity,
and set me in your presence forever.

Praising God and asking for forgiveness

⁴As for me, I said, "O LORD, be gracious to me;
heal me, for I have sinned against you!"
......
¹⁰But you, O LORD, be gracious to me,
and raise me up, that I may repay them!
11By this I know that you delight in me:
my enemy will not shout in triumph over me.

Praise the Lord, be humble before him, acknowledge your wrong doings, and live a life protected by the Lord God.

Christian Carnival

Not in any particular order, very simple submission method this week as it's been a crazy busy week for me.

A Small Church Pastor's Family from Ridge’s Blog.

Hats off to the small church pastors and their families! They are making a difference where no one else will go.

Philip Carlson presents Studying the New Testament Koine Greek Biblical Language posted at Science and Theology in Apposition.

This is the first in a series of posts discussing Greek and Greek resources available online.

Jennifer in OR presents One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp: A Review posted at Diary of 1.

One Thousand Gifts is the beginning, a game of sorts, to list one thousand things in life for which to be grateful.

Russ White presents Humility verses Humanity posted at Thinking in Christ.

We need to have the humility to accept our humanity, although it wounds our pride, and stops us from dreaming of the truly grand things.

Barry Wallace presents I Hate Conflict posted at who am i?.

I'm not young, but it seems as if I still haven't learned to deal well with conflict.

FMF presents Not Enjoying Your Wealth posted at Free Money Finance.

What the Bible has to say about enjoying your wealth.

Joe Plemon presents How Moe Broke Out of His Rut posted at Personal Finance By The Book.

Although Moe had lots of riches, or because Moe had lots of riches, he was in a rut. Read how he breaks out.

Steps to spiritual formation: Taking every thought captive by Disciple's Journal.

Is it possible that we can be so 'spiritual' in the way we evaluate our own spiritual condition that we set aside the commands of God? I think so, based on a recent discussion of 'transformation'

Be Happy given to us by Fish and Cans.

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Exodus 3-4, Psalm 33.

LeJon presents Behold, I Make All Things Anew! posted at ..::A.Bloody.River::...

Behold, I Make All Things Anew!

Inspired by SONICFLOOd & a rare song titled "Precious Jesus" by The Choir & Leigh Nash...

loswl presents More than Conquers in Jesus | INSPIKS posted at INSPIKS.

I had some experiences that led me to believe that I had demon activity in our house. I would be troubled in my sleep almost every night and sometimes when I was taking a nap in the afternoon.

Timothy Payne presents Psalm 99- An Awesome (Awe Inspiring) God posted at realityinred.

A devotional post taken from Psalm 99. Our God should inspire awe... He is an awesome God, but He is also a righteous, powerful, almighty God. Too often modern Christianity perverts His love into a Worldly love, makes that His overruling attribute (the perverted love), and excludes His Holiness and terrible awesome power. The Fear of the Lord becomes the chummy respect, and... the terror of sin's retribution becomes the "Oops, I did it again" mentality...

Dana shows up with More than words can say posted at Roscommon Acres.

Sitting, nursing, listening to my daughter recite her verses for AWANAs I turn the page. There at the top, a question:

“What is something going on in your life you can pray about?”

Be Happy!

I'm following This plan takes you through the bible in two years. Todays' reading is: Exodus 3-4, Psalm 33.

Exodus 3-4
As I doing my devotions this morning my son came downstairs all bright-eyed and asking questions. He wakes up talking...just like I do. :) Anyways, he wanted to know what I was doing so we talked about this passage together.

We talked about God told Moses that he was going to use Moses to get his people out of Egypt. Moses gave God all kinds of excuses but God met everyone of those objections. And then God told Moses..the job will be hard. You will say "Pharoah, God says let my people go". and you know what Moses ... Pharoah will say "NO". So Moses took this assignment knowing that even though the job would be hard, that God would help him all the way.

When I asked Justin how he thinks that made Moses feel.. he said "happy".

And I have to say, I agree with him. If I know that something will be hard, but that I'll be helped through it all, it would make me happy as well.

Be happy all you who believe in the Lord...he will HELP you. :)

Ps 33
these verses sum up this Psalm for me.

⁸Let all the earth fear the LORD;
let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!
⁹For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.

So when the psalmist says

22Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us,
even as we hope in you.

he has good reason to say it.

God made the world. He simply spoke and things came into being, not by chance, not by accident,it was deliberate design. Scarred by sin.. indeed, but that doesn't change who the original creator, designer, master is. For the people that God calls his own, he will help them and protect them as any true and real father would his children. This is a psalm of praise to our creator, the one who cares for his own. Let us all praise the Lord.