What Would You Do?

England.  The year is 1517.  The King of England has deemed the Anglican Church as the church for the country.  The Anglican church did not allow individuals to read and study the Bible.  There was a group of folks that did not want to be a part of the Anglican church because they desired worshipping and learning about God.   Let me quote:
 
"Although they didn't seek trouble and even informed King James that they didn't want to interfere with the Anglican church, the king became increasingly bothered by this small congregation.  He called them religious fanatics, ever discontented with the present government...  He issued an ultimatum:  they must either conform to his wishes or be driven from the land.  When they didn't obey he ordered the police to hunt down the Separatists. 
 
People began hunting them with enthusiasm.  Neighbors spied on them and watched roads to inform on their whereabouts...  After much prayer and discussion, they decided that they must leave England.  But how would they do it?  It was against the law--under penalty of death--to leave England without permission."
 
The Some-Day-To-Be-Called Pilgrims found a Dutch ship that would take them to a new land.  However, after they were all on board, the King's officers appeared in several boats to take them captive.  The men were able to escape but the women and children were taken off the ship and put in prison.   Let me quote again:
 
"God was working through the prayers of his people.  Through the imprisonment of these women and children, the British people became aware of their cause and noticed their godly example, and the situation became a political embarrassment for King James.  To save face, he let them go saying again, they must conform or leave England.  They chose to join their husbands and fathers, who had escaped to the Netherlands.  God has answered their prayers, and there were all able to leave England--men, women, and children--with the consent of King James, although not in the way they had originally planned.
 
They stayed in the Netherlands for 11 years as immigrants.  They worked from dawn til dusk and were paid very little.  It was a hard life and many died an early death.  But these godly people did not complain and carried on cheerfully, worshipping God in freedom for the first time."
 
What would you do if the government decided that people must worship in one church.  In one way. 
 
What would you do if you felt an inner desire to learn more about God yet reading the Bible was banned.
 
What would you do if your family disowned you because you chose God's way and not the government's way.
 
What would you do if you had to leave everything. 
E-v-e-r-y 
s-i-n-g-l-e
t-h-i-n-g
y-o-u
o-w-n-e-d
because of a conviction you felt so strongly about.
 
All of this took place before the Pilgrims-To-Be even got on the boat. 
 
I wonder what I would do if I was put into this situation.

As you get a day off work on Thursday to celebrate Thanksgiving, would you please chat around the table about the reason for the holiday. 

Would you give some discussion time to the truth that America was started by a group of religious fanatics that wanted to worship God.

Quotes from The Incredible Power of Prayer:  David W. Galsiger, Joette Whims & Melody Hunskor, pp. 71-83.



Grandbaby Claire

Kidlet One and Favorite Son-In-Law had an ultrasound of their baby yesterday.  They are 21 weeks pregnant.  That sounded funny...they are 21 weeks pregnant.  She carries the baby but they both are having a baby, right?

What a long day it was knowing the ultrasound was at 3:30 and at that time we would find out if it was a boy or a girl.  Not that it really mattered.  We would love a boy or a girl.

Finally my phone buzzed with the arrival of a text message.  This is the picture that appeared on my phone:

A picture of our beautiful daughter wearing a pink sash around her baby tummy...it is a girl!  Doesn't Kidlet One look cute at 21 weeks pregnant!

The C is for Claire.  Baby Claire.  How excited we are to meet her, love her and teach her about Jesus.

Being a grandma is amazing.  If only March would hurry up and get here...

Dust Farmer

I have become a Dust Farmer.   At least that is what my house would tell you. 

The ceiling fan in our bedroom grows dust prolifically.  It was only a few months ago that I was standing on the bed swiping dust off the fan blades.  As I was snuggling down in my bed covers the other night, I looked up.  Dust was crawling over the edges of those fan blades again.

My house has a cathedral ceiling so the kitchen cupboards don't go up to the ceiling.  Dust collects along the top of those cupboards and it, too, creeps over the edges.  Maybe it is trying to escape or maybe it is trying to spread.

I think it is the latter.

It could really be discouraging to look at all the dust that has accumulated.  But I decided I wasn't going to let it get the best of me. 

Given the ability I have to grow dust, I'm giving myself the title of Dust Farmer.

Isn't confession the first stage to healing?

My house is like a field that has been planted to grow dust.  And my dusting spray is like Round Up.  Weed killer.  I'm going after the dust to wipe it out.  The fan blades have been cleaned. Very carefully I've climbed up on a chair to wipe off the top of the cupboard doors.  Every surface  and every area is being plowed up and turned over. 

And all of this is being done with a much better attitude once I realized I really am a Dust Farmer.  My cleaning is done with more of a chuckle as I think of the new title I have.  Instead of complaining and muttering, I'm humming in my new role.

How about you?  Are you a Dust Farmer?  I'm willing to share this title with anyone that wants to have a change of attitude about the realities of life.  Dust is going to happen.  Humming as you "plow up the dust" is much more fun that complaining about it.

A So Amazing Dust Farm.  Come on over to my house anytime!

Hope

My answer to the election results?  God is our only Hope.  I believe He longs for those of us that have invited Him into our hearts to be our Lord and Savior, to partner with Him to share the Good News to the lost.

Need some re-focus and....hope?  This video says is all:

There is an amazing God, full of Hope, waiting to fill those disappointments, fears, and hurts.  His love is like no other...

New Knee - Meet The Surgeon Day

I believe in miracles.  I believe in God that does miracles and I believe He does miracles daily.  Miracles of protection, revealing Himself to each of us, healing of mind, body, emotions, and even more.  Because of my faith in Him, I've asked family and friends to pray that God would heal my knee before any surgical intervention need to be done.  I pray for that, too, because I've had and seen miraculous healing.

My surgery date is November 29.  There is a lot of time between now and then for a new knee to be placed in my leg.  And since I'm on the topic, let's pray right now...

Lord God, maker of the heavens and the earth, I praise You.  In You I place my heart, my life and all things.  I love You and worship You alone.  You are the Lord in my life. Thank you for Your unending guidance, love, and faithfulness.  Thank you for the healing You've done in my heart, emotions, body and thoughts.  I ask again, joining with the readers of this blog, that you heal my right knee.  Arthritis, go!  Cartilage, be restored and fill the areas where there is lack.  Bone spur, shrivel and dissolve...you aren't meant for that knee.  Knee be restored in the Name of Jesus.  Praise You, God!  I choose to keep my focus on You and love You with all my heart.  Bless Your Name and in the Name of the Risen Jesus I pray...Amen.

I also believe God desires to work with each of us to spread His love and forgiveness on this earth.  My new knee could be built through the hands of Dr. T, my surgeon, with the wisdom and steady hand given to him from God.

Last Thursday The Husband and I met with Dr. T.  He is very kind and took time to answer all of our questions.   With my x-rays on display in the background, he reviewed the changes that have taken place in my knee.  One of my first questions was:  am I a weenie and just tired of the achy, painful knee...do I really qualify for a new knee.

He chuckled at me and confirmed that my knee was definitely shot and that the arthritis would cause aching and pain. 

The next steps are many in preparing for November 29.  I'll have a phone interview with a nurse to go over at-home-prep, have a medical exam and get my Christmas shopping done!

The last preparation I have was personally handed to me by Dr. T.  He'd left the room after the exam but then popped his head in a few minutes later.  He handed me a sheet of paper with exercises.  Exercises to strengthen my leg/knee muscles before surgery. 

If you see me lifting my leg and holding it in place over the next few weeks, just leave me be.  I am trying to be a good patient and strengthening my leg!

Keep praying for my new knee...I am!  Thanks amazing friends!

New Bread

 

We've been enjoying a new bread at home

that I've been making from a recipe in

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

by Jeff Hertzbertg, M.D. and Zoe Francois

 

 

This easy-to-make bread is delicious

as sandwich bread.

 

The ingredients of water, flour,

kosher salt, yeast and butter are stirred

together and left to raise for two hours.

Use a large container with the lid off...

can you see why!

 

 

 



The dough is refrigerated or can

be baked immediately. On this day,

I baked a loaf right away.

 

When I grease a pan, I use a baggie.

I put the baggie over my hand and take

a swipe of shortening from the can.

Then I can spread the shortening around

in all corners and up the sides of pans

without getting my hand greasy.

 

Sprinkle flour on the top of the dough and pull

off a cantaloupe-sized ball of dough.

The dough is tucked from top to bottom

and not kneaded.

Pull the dough into an oblong shape.

The pan should be about half-way full.

The dough sits for 40 minutes when baked on

mixing day.  If I'd taken out refrigerated dough

the raising time would be 1 hour and 40 minutes. 



 

The dough will double in size. 



With a serrated knife, make a few slices

in the top of the raised dough.  Melted

butter is then brushed or poured over the

dough before baking.

Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

After completely cooling the loaf,

it can be sliced.

A slice of bread with homemade raspberry

jam is amazing.

Amazingly delightful!

Columbus

Columbus had a bigger vision when he hopped on the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria.   According to his personal diary, he had a burden.  Here is a quote from that diary:
 

It was the Lord who put into my mind (I could feel His hand upon me) the fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies.... There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures....  For the execution of the journey to the Indies, I did not make use of intelligence, mathematics, or maps.... No one should fear to undertake any task in the name of our Savior, if it is just and the intention is purely for His holy service....  The fact that the gospel must still be preached to so many lands in such a short time, this is what convinces me.  The Incredible Power of Prayer, Balsiger, David W, Whims, Joette, Hunskor, Melody.

Columbus had a burden to share his faith (his experiences with God) in other lands.  As I'm reading a book on the history of our nation, I'm realizing I was never taught this fact about Columbus.  He loved God and he loved people.
 
His diaries are filled with prayers and first-hand experiences of God answering his prayers.  As I read that diary, those words, I realized, aren't written from someone that knows about God, those words reflect a relationship and faith in God. 
 
I find it very interesting that the land we live on, America, had a beginning based on God.  Columbus had a personal relationship with God.  He didn't just say a prayer, he talked to God and heard from God.  There was a vision and a purpose in Columbus when he set sail.  He had no fear because he knew God was with him. 
 
Columbus had the burden to share the Good News of Jesus Christ in other lands.
 
With this as a backdrop to the beginning of the United States of America, why do so many want to take God out of our history?
 
 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound...grace that saved a wretch like me...Columbus knew the same grace.

I hope you do, too.  Pray for America.  Pray, pray, pray.