Forgiveness ~ "Impossible" Miracle

Do we follow what the Word of God tells us to do with this one?

Forgiveness...easy or difficult?

Well, I would have to say IMPOSSIBLE...unless the Holy Spirit is working it in us!
How do we forgive unless we have God's enabling power?
Not too long ago we heard a wonderful sermon on this topic in our church ~
there is always room for improvement in my life in this area!

When do we forgive?
How often should we forgive?
And how do we go about doing it??

WHEN? ~

Only when we are asked?
Or, do we extend forgiveness to those who don't acknowlege any wrongdoing?
This is very very challenging to put into practice, but it is so powerful and freeing! When we forgive even those who haven't asked us to, we become liberated from the weight of it all...
such an amazing and wonderful truth!

HOW OFTEN? ~

One of the disciples came to the Lord Jesus with this question and suggested that seven was a reasonable number of times to extend forgiveness to someone.
But the Lord raised the bar on that one...

"Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times:
but, Until seventy times seven."
Matthew 18:22

HOW? ~

Only with the power of the Holy Spirit.
We must soak our minds in His Word and prayer.
It cannot be done unless we have God's help...
it is entirely spiritual in nature!
We are incapable of extending true forgiveness without the
enabling power of The Holy Spirit...
really, God does it through us!

"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,
bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind,
meekness, longsuffering;
Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another,
if any man have a quarrel against any:
even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

Colossians 3:12-13


I like the illustration our pastor used.
If you give someone something, it is no longer yours ~
you do not get it back, you cannot control what is done with it...
it is gone.

This is a picture of true forgiveness ~
we have no right to hold a grudge or remind the person of their
faults and failings...
when it is forgiven it is gone!

We must let it go!!

If we do not forgive in this way, we will become bitter and miserable...
ever met anyone like that?
Am I ever like that?
Are you?

Very often it will be discovered that there are things
these unfortunate people are holding onto.
They won't let go...and they want you to know why they are right and
why they are justified in holding onto those ugly things.
Have you noticed that very often these are some of the most
difficult people to be around?
We all need the Lord to enable us to forgive,
and He is wonderfully able to work this miracle in each one of our hearts.

We must look to HIM for the strength and grace.
It requires much prayer and sacrifice on our part, but again,
it is completely do-able with His help.
And it is absolutely necessary for peace of mind and heart.

No earthly counsellor will be able to give lasting relief...
nothing apart from the power of God alone will be able to conquer this.
The Devil would have you to be in bondage to it forever,
but the Lord is about freeing us from these "weights".
If we look to the Lord He will equip us to do the impossible!

Oh, and I do speak from experience ~
how wonderful that my testimony is...
HE IS ABLE!!

Is it easy?
OH NO!!

Do I struggle?
OH YES!!

Is it worth it?
ABSOLUTELY!!


Satan will seek to tear down and destroy our marriages and our families.
We must guard against this and see Him as the enemy...
not our spouse or our children!

When we were Newlyweds we were given the Best Marriage Advice ~
and it has held us in good stead these past 19 years (nearly).
The Lord is the ONE that knits us together and it is HE that keeps us together.
Again, it is the most difficult thing to do in the heat of the moment,
but it is wonderfully powerful and effective.
I implore you to discuss with your husband this solution to conflict
(before there is any conflict) and pledge to implement it together as the need arises.
You will be amazed at the results!

"Dying to Self" is a beautiful poem that helps us keep perspective when we are thinking we deserve better.
It is a great reminder that we are not the centre of the universe
and the Lord suffered much more than we ever will.
After all, are we not here to serve Him and bring Glory to His name?
Don't forget that the Lord will give the enabling to do all these things if we are truly His people ~
He gives the grace needed day by day.

Hebrews 12:1-3
is a wonderful passage of Scripture that helps us all to
refocus on those things that really matter in this life.

Don't forget ~ there are times when we must ask forgiveness of others.
We often will offend our children and
must humble ourselves before them.
The most wonderful and amazing thing is,
they are so forgiving and willing to put things behind them.
How beautiful it is that God created children to be this way!
Ask their forgiveness and then ask them to pray with you.
Confess your sin to the Lord before them in prayer and ask for His help to do what is right.
You will be amazed how this will knit you together with your young ones.
It also demonstrates before them that Mum is not
perfect and recognizes her need of the Saviour too.
This may just be the tool the Lord will use to bring them to Himself.

"Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour,
and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another,
even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."

Ephesians 4:31-32

True and complete forgiveness begins at the Cross.
We must repent of our own sins before the Holy God of Heaven
and first be made right with Him.
How? Click on this link to find out more.

Many Blessings,
Camille

Easy Homemade Vegetable Soup

Is it still a bit chilly where you live?
If so, this is an easy and yummy soup to make ~ full of goodness and flavour!
Even if warmer weather is upon you, this soup
will not heat up your kitchen too much as it is quickly made and does not require all-day simmering.
You could even whip it up on the side burner of your BBQ and eat out of doors.
Whatever the case, I am sure you will enjoy it as much as we do!

13 cups Water
2 cups cut Green Beans (frozen)
2 cups kernel Corn (frozen)
4 small Red Potatoes, chopped
6 stalks Celery, diced
1 bunch Asparagus, diced
1 yellow Pepper, chopped
2 large Yellow Onions, diced
4 Carrots, thinly sliced
1 head of Broccoli, chopped
3 Tbsp. Oil (I use Olive)
2 Tbsp. Soya Sauce
6 cubes Vegetable Stock (I use organic, no MSG)
2 tsp. Salt (I omit ~ check to see if it's needed)
1 tsp. Dried Oregano leaves
4 dashes Cayenne Pepper
1 Tbsp. Honey
1 tsp. Garlic Powder

Heat oil in large pot and saute onion until softened.
Add all remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil.
(I usually keep the broccoli and asparagus out of the pot
until the last 5 minutes of cooking so they don't get overcooked).
Reduce heat and simmmer 20 minutes.
Remove 3 cups of the soup and puree ~
return to pot, stir and serve.
(I just stick my hand blender right in the pot and
blend until it looks about "right")

~ ENJOY! ~

Challenge No. 8 - Winner

Finally, I have had a bit of time to sit down and get the winner for challenge 8 sorted.  My youngest has had antibiotics and is now up and about like normal but I've had work to go to the last couple of days and lots of sleepless nights have meant that I'm behind on everything.

As usual, the winner has been chosen by Random.org

and no 38 is AshaLatha R K Prasad.  Congratulations please email me on cardsformen@donnasden.co.uk with your details and I'll forward them on to Heather over at Fresh Brewed Designs to arrange your $10 certificate.


I'd like to take this opportunity to thank our sponsor once again and remind everyone to go over and take a look at her wonderful designs.  Thanks Heather.

Now, I bet you're all waiting to see who's been picked for the top 3.  As ever, it was difficult because the standard of entries is so wonderful.  Keep it up.  Here they are

Sheena B

Dora

Sonia Sellers

Well done, girls, grab the top 3 badge from the sidebar and display it with pride.

Finally, I want to show you all this wonderful card, submitted by (I'm sure) our youngest member, Maddie, who's 8.  She has a blog with her Nana and I'm sure we'll see a lot more from her.  Well done Maddie.

Short Track Speed Skating ~ Improvised!

Our boys, along with some neighbourhood friends, have put together their own version of the Olympic Short Track. Pinecones mark the edges of the corners and instead of ice skates they use roller blades. Oh the inspiration that can come out of hosting the Winter Olympics! It has been a joy to see them use their imaginations in such creative (and active) pursuits. :)

Just a quickie

Youngest boy has had a temperature tonight so very unsettled.  Will do Challenge 8 winner and Top 3 tomorrow.

Off to bed, now.

The "Extras"

Giving thanks once again for the "ordinary"
and sometimes the "extraordinary".

This week I was pondering the question ~
What is it that we really need?
What does the Bible say?

I was teaching my two youngest from this passage of Scripture
and sought to apply the principles found within it.

The following verses also came to mind ~

"But godliness with contentment is great gain.
For we brought nothing into this world,
and it is certain we can carry nothing out.
And having food and raiment let us therewith be content."
I Timothy 6:6-8

It seems to me that ANYTHING over and
above the basic necessities are
"extra" and a blessing!

Countinuously numbering the blessings ~
these really are the "extras"!

401. Unexpected flowers from my Howie! :)

402. A little girl who is winning the battle with nailbiting.
The reward? ~ A touch of pink on her nails. :)

403. Old Betsy entered the next phase of her existence and "clicked over" 200,000 kms (approx. 125,000 miles) and continues to take us places!

404. Calvin's first pair of glasses and the exclamations of joy they brought ~
"WOW! Look how clear that is!"
As if he was seeing things for the first time...
awe and wonder! :)

405. A place to order glasses online
with relative ease and HUGE savings!

406. Mercy extended to me by my Loving Heavenly Father

407. Illness and trials to make me realize what it is that really matters

408. We still have both sets of parents ~ at this moment

409. Slowing down and taking notice

410. God's Wonderful provision for my failings

Many Blessings,
Camille

Challenge No. 9

This challenge is sponsored by Donna's Den of Crafts (that's me :))

and the theme is 'Monochrome' so we're looking for one colour in varying shades.  You can also use black or white but that's it.  The prize will be a £10 gift voucher and I suppose you might want to know a bit about us.

"At Donna's Den of Crafts we stock a wide range of products from Dovecraft, DCWV, Spellbinders, Crafter's Companion, Crafting with Stephanie, Joanna Sheen and so on.  We are a small home-run business and pride ourselves on customer service.  We have a fixed P&P of £1.00 regardless of the size of order.  Most orders are sent out within 24 hours of payment subject to stock levels."

For the duration of this challenge Donna's Den of Crafts will also have a 10% discount if you enter the code CFM0410 at checkout.

The challenge is open until midnight BST (British Summer Time) on the 9th May 2010 and the rules are

1. The card must be for a man/boy.
2. You need to follow the theme/sketch that is set.

3. It must be a new card.

Leave your name and a direct link to your entry (not just to your blog) in Mr Linky at the bottom of this post.  If Mr Linky is not there for some reason then leave the details in the comments and I'll add you in when I'm doing the draw.

Now for some inspiration from our Design Team....

Issy

 Pat

Shirley

Donna

Viv

So there you have it, we look forward to seeing your creations.

Wonderful Bible Story Books for Kids

One of my friends recently asked about some of the story books
we have in our home and I proceeded to tell her about these.

We have MANY MANY books, but these are unique.
Bible Stories are taught in an accurate and
respectful way ~ our children have enjoyed them
and so have we.

Over the years we have used these books for devotional times
with our children, but they would be appropriate at any time of day.
One book focuses on all the events surrounding the Birth of Christ
and two books are dedicated to the Easter stories.

We have enjoyed reading through this series and would recommend them to
anyone desiring to teach the Bible to children in a God honouring way.
They would be a wonderful Sunday School tool or a
great gift idea for any children on your list.

You will find the website for ordering by clicking on this link ~
just scroll a little way down the page you arrive at and you will see
individual listings for each of the books shown above.

Please be aware that these are not your "typical" cartoon-type Bible story books ~ we felt increasingly uncomfortable with how many of those types of books handled the Bible...it is, after all,
the Word of the Living God.

**Disclaimer ~ I am in no way compensated for this opinion.

**If you live locally (BC Lower Mainland) there is a little home-run bookstore that has fabulous resources. These books are available in their store for a great price. Their phone number is 604-530-7880 ~ they have limited hours and methods of payment. Call to get their address and details.

Homemade Flour Tortillas ~ Yum!

I have always used store-bought flour tortillas.
I had no idea that they were so easy to make!

S.O. E.A.S.Y.

We were having refried beans for dinner and I decided to serve them with Jennifer Jo's recipe
for homemade tortillas.
I ventured into the unknown and made them and they were a hit!
I made a double batch and had NO leftovers ~
not actually surprising around here!
Next time you go Mexican, try these...you won't be disappointed.
I followed the recipe to a "T" and they worked ~
do I sound surprised?
I was.

One thing to note ~ I do not have a comal or a cast iron skillet...
I used the electric frying pan I own (which is stainless with no non-stick coating) and they still worked.
I just greased the pan for each tortilla with coconut oil.

They were F.A.B.U.L.O.U.S.!

Next time I will have to multiply the recipe by four to have leftovers. :)

Balm for the Soul

The chronicling of the ordinary becomes a balm for the soul.
The giving of thanks in the midst of the daily challenges
of life is spirit-lifting and self-encouraging.
What a blessing to continue on this journey...
step by step ~ with HIM!

The list continues to grow and the "everyday" and
the "mundane" become the "wonderful"!

376. Fluffy white clouds in a glorious sky ~
"The heavens declare the glory of God..." Psalm 19:1a

377. Discovery of a bee on a fake flower ~
why would the REAL ones be ignored?

378. Quiet bedtime reading...

379. Amazon ~ Reasonable prices and FREE shipping!

380. Pop*pop*pop of packing bubbles ~ free fun! :)

381. Freshness of the Spring air

382. Broken Dishwasher ~
Makes me appreciate the many times it worked for me!

383. The lack of dishwasher has made me more diligent about
keeping up with all the dishes ~ funny enough! :)

384. A little helper who asks with pleading eyes if
SHE can do the dishes ~ please? :)

385. Radio Theatre to listen to ~ a welcome Video break for two weeks

386. Creative toys to ingnite the imagination

387. Birthdays to celebrate

388. Restful sleep to rejuvenate

389. Sundays ~ refreshing for the soul

390. Crookedly hung towels ~
young men (and not so young) live here :)

391. Dust ~ the important things are getting done...

392. Hard working Husband who cares for our physical needs ~
such a blessing!

393. New experiences

394. Grace ~ where would we be without it?

395. Short notice visits from family

396. Soren moments (cousin's 5 month old baby boy)

397. The yummy smell of a baby

398. Snuggling a little one after many years of having "big" kids!

399. New recipes

400. Cooking day ~
stocking up the freezer for the busy days ahead

Many Blessings,
Camille

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

**My Dad (Camille's) is an artist ~
he used pencil to draw these praying hands while a Bible School student in 1964 ~

It was a gift to us from my Dad a few years ago and it is very precious to us both.

This is one of my favourite hymns ~
might it be a blessing to your heart as it is to mine!


What a Friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit,
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer!

Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged:
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful,
Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness:
Take it to the Lord in prayer!

Are we weak and heavy laden,
Cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Saviour, still our refuge ~
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer;
In His arms He'll take and shield thee,
Thou wilt find a solace there.

Joseph Scriven (1819-1886)

Banana Muffins ~ Healthy Version

These were for breakfast this morning.
"Biscuits, Muffins and Loaves" by Jean Pare
is one of my most used cookbooks.
I have altered the original recipe to make it healthier.
I hope you like them as much as we do! :)

**Updated April 20, 2010 ~ You may find that they burn easily...just reduce the heat to 375* ~ if you keep the temp at 400*, begin checking them at the 15 minute mark.**

~ Banana Muffins ~

1 & 3/4 cup Whole Wheat Flour (I use organic)
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 tsp. Salt (I use sea salt)
1/2 cup Butter, softened (I actually melt it!)
3/4 cup Sucanat (alternative to refined sugar)
2 large Eggs ~ free range and organic (if possible)
1/4 cup Plain Yogurt (organic)
1 cup mashed ripened Bananas (organic)

Measure flour, baking soda and salt into large bowl.
Stir together and make a well in the centre.

In a separate bowl ~

Cream together butter, sucanat, and eggs.
Mix in yogurt and banana.
Pour into well in flour mixture.
Stir just until moistened.
Batter will be lumpy.
Line muffin tins with paper liners and fill 3/4 full with batter
(I fill mine a little more than that)

Bake at 400* F for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Remove to wire cooling racks.

~ ENJOY! ~

Our Two Teenagers!

Calvin and Austin ~
Photos from the late 1990's

Our first two boys were born two years and six days apart.
Their due dates were two years and six days apart.
They were buddies from the very beginning.
Oh the fun memories we have of these two ~
they sure got up to some mischief!
On one occasion they emptied out the contents
of the fireplace in the basement of my hubby's parents home!

OH. DEAR. ME.

What a M.E.S.S.!!

What posessed them to do it??
My Dad and Mum-in-Love were very V.E.R.Y. gracious!! :)

Times have changed ~
the boys have become a bit more civilized! :)


Last week Austin turned 15 ~

Then...


And Now...

FYI ~ Oreo Ice Cream Cake

Dear Austin ~

You changed our status from "couple" to "family" and we couldn't have been more thrilled ~
how precious you are!
We pray that the LORD would lead you in TRUTH and give you wisdom as you become a young man.
Might HE be your focus and the ONE you turn to throughout life!
We love you with all our hearts and thank the LORD that HE put you in our family!

With our love,
Dad and Mum
xoxo


This week Calvin turned 13 ~

Then...


And Now...

FYI ~ Flourless Chocolate Cake

Dear Calvin ~

What would our family be like if the LORD hadn't put you in it?
Oh how precious you are!
We pray that the LORD would be your sure foundation all throughout your life and that you would be steady in your walk with HIM.
Keep your eyes on the LORD and follow HIM and you will never be led astray.
We love you so very much!

With our love,
Daddy and Mummy
xoxo

Challenge No. 7 - Winner

So here I am, back again with our winner for Challenge 7.  First of all let me say a big Thankyou to our sponsors, Sunshine's Stamps.  Please go over to their site and have a look around at the wonderful images they have.

 Our winner was chosen, as usual, using Random.org...

So congratulations go to Yvonne (Scrappy).  So let me know which 3 images you would like from Sunshine's Stamps and I'll forward the details on.  Email me on cardsformen@donnasden.co.uk.

Now onto our top 3.  As ever this was difficult but I managed in the end.

5 - Jackie

17 - Paul

24 - Sharon

Well done to the three of you.  Feel free to grab the 'Top 3' blinkie from the sidebar and display it on your own.  Don't forget to take a look at Challenge 8 - Fancy Folds.

Little Girl's Tea Party

The invitations were sent.

The table was set.

The guests arrived.

J.O.Y.

Joining the Gratitude Community today with my list of thanks.
Want to know the reason for the numbering?
Click here.

361. Tea parties with happy little girls

362. A little girl of our own to do these things with!

363. Little girl laughter ~ in abundance!

364. Beads to string into pretty necklaces and bracelets

365. Twister ~ games to play

366. Patience extended to me by a little guest when I drop her beads ~
T.H.R.E.E. times! :)

367. Little girls in dresses

368. British traditions that can be passed on

369. Rooibos Tea ~ yum!

370. Mummy friendships that flourish with the knowledge
that we are in this together!

371. Eleven little voices around the table

372. Boys that kept themselves occupied while the party was on
and Dad was out (at a funeral) ~ Mum had a *few* things to keep busy with! :)

373. Imaginations put into action

374. Joy in the small things ~ they really are the B.I.G.

375. Sunny days

Challenge No. 8

Challenge no 8 is sponsored by Fresh Brewed Designs which is owned by the wonderful Heather Dennis.  I asked Heather about herself and FBD and here is what she had to say....

Hi. I am Heather Dennis. I am a homeschooling mother of 2 wonderful children, the wife of 12 years to the love of my life, a Christian and the owner of Fresh Brewed Designs.  I have loved to draw and create ever since I was a child. My daughter has inherited my love of art and recently inspired me to start creating again.
All the images in my shop are hand drawn. I offer a wide range of images from coffee, cute and inspirational.I also  love to create custom drawn images, so if you are looking for anything in particular, please feel free to drop me an email.

The prize up for grabs is a $10 gift certificate to spend at Fresh Brewed Designs and our theme this time is 'Fancy Folds'.  By that we mean anything other than a basic bi-fold card.  Of course there's also the golden rule of being for a man/boy.

The challenge is open until midnight BST (British Summer Time) on the 25th April 2010 and the rules are

1. The card must be for a man/boy.
2. You need to follow the theme/sketch that is set.

3. It must be a new card.

Leave your name and a direct link to your entry (not just to your blog) in Mr Linky at the bottom of this post.  If Mr Linky is not there for some reason then leave the details in the comments and I'll add you in when I'm doing the draw.

I made a but of a 'booboo' this week and neglected to give the Design Team all the details until yesterday when Shirley prompted me for the missing information.  Consequently, some may be a bit delayed in posting their card but here are some initial ideas for inspiration.

Shirley

Viv

Donna

Issy

Pat

I'll add in the other DT cards as I get them but hopefully we've given you some ideas.  The details are on each person's individual blog.