What God created us for

As I’m beginning to read through John Piper’s Don’t Waste Your Life, I thought it would be only necessary to highlight poignant passages in the book such as this one:

God created me – and you – to live with a single, all-embracing, all-transforming passion – namely, a passion to glorify God by enjoying and displaying his supreme excellence in all the spheres of life. Enjoying and displaying are both crucial. If we try to display the excellence of God without joy in it, we will display a shell of hypocrisy and create scorn or legalism. But if we claim to enjoy his excellence and do not display it for others to see and admire, we deceive ourselves, because the mark of God-enthralled joy is to overflow and expand by extending itself into the hearts of others. The wasted life is the life without passion for the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples.

Are you living a wasted life?

Food on Friday: Meatball Subs

Being of Italian descent (and some Irish, but for some reason the Italian has always been more dominant), I grew up on spaghetti and meatballs. My mom’s were always good and I don’t have her exact recipe, but I found another recipe that turned out really good too! You can use this recipe with any kind of pasta or you can do what I did for my hubby the other day and make meatball subs with the leftovers!

Ingredients:
1 pound lean ground chuck (I used the 80/20 type)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1 tsp. garlic powder or garlic salt
1 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 tsp. olive oil
1 jar tomato sauce (I used Ragu’s meat-flavored sauce)
Pasta and/or whole wheat or white hoagie rolls

Heat your broiler and prepare a broiler pan with a cooking spray. In a medium bowl, combine the ground meat, eggs, bread crumbs, garlic powder or salt, parsley flakes, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese and the olive oil. Mix together and form small meatballs out of the mixture (I got about 16 meatballs from it.) Place meatballs on broiler pan and broil on each side about 8-9 minutes, turning once.

In a saucepan, heat about half of the jarred sauce on low. Once the meatballs are done, carefully place them in the sauce and let simmer about 5-10 minutes. Either boil pasta for dinner and use remaining sauce for pasta and serve with meatballs, or make the subs.

If making meatball subs, slice open the hoagie rolls and place three meatballs cut in half onto one side of the rolls. Top with some of the leftover shredded mozzarella cheese and toast/bake for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Serve the subs with chips.

From earthly pilgrims to heavenly princes

If you ask my son what he did this weekend, he’ll quickly tell you that he went to a princess party. Hmmm, you might wonder, what exactly is this 3-year-old talking about? Of course, my husband or I would expound by saying that he went a princess-themed birthday party for one of his friends who is a girl. Flowing gowns and shiny tiaras (not to mention a pink castle moonwalk) were all the rage at this birthday bash and my son quickly picked up on princess theme. Thankfully, he was much more interested in bouncing in the moonwalk than attempting to play the role of Prince Charming.

But for a little while, the birthday girl was treated as royalty since it was her day to shine. Turning 3 is a big deal and you should be able to don a Cinderella gown and glass slippers if only for a little while. You go from pre-schooler to princess in a matter of minutes and all the attention is on you. Even if all you want are the presents.

I was reminded of this weekend’s party while continuing to read The Pilgrim’s Progress and came upon an interesting paragraph that clearly describes Jesus Christ. At this point, the main character, Christian, has had his burden removed by leaving it in a grave at the foot of the cross and has been saved by his Savior. He must continue on his journey of faith along the straight and narrow path despite discouragement and doubt. However, he receives some refuge in what is called Palace Beautiful where he learns more about the Lord of the Hill, Jesus, who is described as…

“a brave warrior, who, at great cost to himself, fought and killed the one who had the power of death…He stripped himself of his glory in order to give eternal riches to the poor and humble, and to make heavenly princes out of earthly pilgrims.”

How beautifully John Bunyan (translated into modern English) described the Prince of Peace, the King of Glory. He exchanged all the riches He knew for us, in order to save us, to turn us into royalty. The Bible clearly describes this in Philippians 2:5-11:

Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

And what was the outcome of His humility and obedience for us, the earthly pilgrims? First Peter 2:9-10 says is succinctly:

But you are A CHOSEN RACE, a royal PRIESTHOOD, a HOLY NATION, a PEOPLE FOR God’s OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; for you once were NOT A PEOPLE, but now you are THE PEOPLE OF GOD; you had NOT RECEIVED MERCY, but now you have RECEIVED MERCY.

Those who believe Jesus Christ died for their sins and rose from the grave, those who claim Jesus as Lord, are chosen, are royalty, are holy. We are set apart for Him! We are truly heavenly princes (and princesses!) who have received eternal riches because of God’s great love and mercy. We are heavenly princes for more than just a day – for eternity! And because of that we are to proclaim the excellencies of our Lord and Savior, to tell other earthly pilgrims that they too can become heavenly princes because of what Christ has done on the cross and because He overcame death. At a great cost to Himself and a great benefit to us.

Food on Friday: The Best Beef Stew

This is a really good beef stew recipe that is even better because it’s cooked in the crock pot! It makes 5-6 servings and is a great meal to take neighbors and friends. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. beef stew meat cut into chunks
1 Tbsp. flour
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 an onion sliced
4 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3-4 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks (or 1 cup baby carrots)
3 cups beef broth
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. ground thyme
1/4 tsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup water

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Place beef on a cutting board and season with salt and pepper, and then evenly coat in the 1 Tbsp. flour. Cook about 10 minutes or until the meet is almost browned (a little pink is ok.)

In the crock pot, place the onions, potatoes and carrots. Place the beef from the frying pan on top of the vegetables in crock pot. Pour the broth over the beef and vegetables. Add in the Worcestershire sauce, thyme, garlic and salt, and mix all together. Cook on high for 4-5 hours, or low for 8 hours. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, mix together in a separate bowl the flour and water, and add that mixture to the beef stew. Cook for the remaining 15 minutes on high (if the temp. was on low) so the stew can thicken. Serve with biscuits or bread.

My burdern acquired…my burden removed

While recently reading The Pilgrim’s Progress again (since I didn’t get past the Slough of Despond the first time around), I read this bit of dialogue between the weary traveler, Christian, and a seemingly wise friend, Worldly Wiseman:

“This is a dangerous route,” Worldly Wiseman tells Christian, “You have already encountered the Slough of Despond; if you continue on this road, you will face weariness and pain, dragons and darkness, death and many other dangers.”

“But my burden is worse than any of the things you’ve mentioned,” insisted Christian.

“And how did you acquire your burden in the first place?” asks Worldly Wiseman.

“By reading this book,” Christian responds.

The book that Christian is referring to is the Bible, the book he is found reading at the beginning of The Pilgrim’s Progress. The book that tells him he is headed to a eternity of destruction if he is not saved. And how shall he be saved, he wonders? Upon meeting a friend named Evangelist, he learns of the Way of salvation and begins upon his journey.

In a sense, I, too, began upon a journey of faith after “acquiring” my burden of sin from reading “the book.” Growing up without a personal knowledge of Jesus Christ, God led me to read a Catholic Bible I had in my room when I was 22 years old. As I lived a life I felt had no purpose or specific direction (I was not, though, suicidal), the Bible would offer me some guidance, I figured. Rather, I met my Savior and learned of my need for Him after being shown by the Spirit that I was destined for an eternity of destruction due to my sinful ways. My burden of sin overtook me, as it did Christian. But praise be to God – He removed my burden through His grace, mercy and love. After that initial meeting, I began reading the Bible voraciously and God led me to a small Christian church where I was baptized into the faith.

It’s been almost 8 years since my conversion and through Scripture, God has shown me my life before and after Christ…

Before Christ, I knew God but did not honor Him as God or give thanks but became futile in my speculations and my foolish heart was darkened (Romans 1:21). I was cursed, for cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the book of the law (Galatians 3:10). Like all sheep have gone astray, I had turned to my own way (Isaiah 53:6). For I knew my transgressions and my sin was ever before me, and against God only had I sinned and did what was evil in His sight (Psalm 51:3-4). For there is none righteous, not even one and all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10, 23).

But God being rich in mercy and because of His great love for me made me alive together with Christ even while I was dead in my transgressions (Ephesians 2:4). God demonstrated His own love for me that while I was yet a sinner Christ died for me (Romans 5: 8). In my trouble, I cried to the Lord and He answered me (Psalm 120:1). I confessed my sin and He was faithful and righteous to forgive me and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). I confessed with my mouth Jesus as Lord and believed in my heart that God raised Him from the dead and I was saved! (Romans 10:9)

For it was by grace I was saved through faith, which is the gift of God, not anything that was of myself so that I may not boast (Ephesians 2:8). Christ redeemed me from the curse of the Law having become a curse for me (Galatians 3:13). For while I was still helpless at the right time Christ died for me, the ungodly (Romans 5:6) and as far as the east is from the west God has removed my transgressions from me (Psalm 103:12). He has rescued me from the dominion of darkness and transferred me into the kingdom of His beloved Son in whom I have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:13).

Therefore, I have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father so I too might walk in newness of life (Romans 6:4). I have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer I who live but Christ lives in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Galatians 2:20). I have been bought at a price and I must glorify God in my body (1 Corinthians 6:20). And if I am in Christ I am a new creature – the old things have passed away and new things have come (2 Corinthians 5:17).

The Spirit Himself testifies with my spirit that I am a child of God and if a child, an heir also, an heir of God and fellow heir of Christ (Romans 8:16-17). I am a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a person for God’s own possession so that I may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called me out of darkness into His marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). And if God is for me, who is against me? (Romans 8:31). For I am convinced that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor things present nor things to come nor powers nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate me from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus my Lord (Romans 8:38-39).

Humble beginnings lead to fond memories

It was never meant to happen this way. I never intended to be in an apartment when my first child was born. Nope – it was not my plan. But then again nothing ever goes as planned. Or perhaps Proverbs 16:9 phrases it much more succinctly – The mind of man plans his way, but the LORD directs his steps.

However, it did happen that way. When my firstborn arrived, my husband and I were living in a one-bedroom apartment. One that we liked sometimes and one that we hated most of the time. But it was home.

When my son was about 11 months old and our lease was up, my husband and I attempted to find a house to rent but nothing safe was within our budget. And buying a house was not in the plan at the time. So, we moved into another apartment – a two-bedroom, third-floor apartment. In the same complex. Its only redeeming quality was the lake-front view. But oh those ducks could be quite loud in the morning.

Spending time in an apartment, on the third floor, with a rambunctious 1-year-old isn’t ideal but it was what we could afford. Of course being a stay-at-home mom I made the best of it. We colored, read books, played games, watched the ducks from the balcony, spent time outside on the balcony, filled up a baby pool with water on the balcony (don’t recommend that) and tried to not make too much noise for our neighbors below. Naturally, an early-rising toddler has no concept of how fast he’s running or how loud he’s stomping, and that your “neighbors” are still sleeping at 6 a.m. Oh and did I mention that carrying groceries up three flights of stairs isn’t all that fun either? (well it was mostly my husband’s job but it was still hard work!)

With enough prayer and faith in God, my small family eventually moved out of that apartment into our very own home. Our first house! Being almost 2 years old, my son would now have his own backyard and more space in his room to collect more toys that he really doesn’t need but that’s a different story. We loved our new house! It was and is a gift from God! I would change nothing about it.

It’s been more than a year in our new home, yet, most recently, I’ve found myself reminiscing about our old stomping grounds, our third-floor stomping grounds. Perhaps it’s because we now drive by that apartment everyday taking my husband to his bus stop and my son recognizes his first home and says, “Aparmen!” very happily. He asks me repeatedly to go there but I kindly remind him of our new home.

But looking back upon those “tough times” often being cooped up in the apartment, I think about the fun times we had when my son was small. His first bath in the real tub, his first birthday, his first steps, the way his room smelled like baby powder, how he loved watching the ducks, rocking him to sleep while humming, ‘It is well with my soul,’ and the fun games we attempted to play on our small balcony. Not to mention the constant prayers of faith asking God to one day provide us with a home to use for His glory. It’s so strange to think now that something so confining at one time could be the catalyst for fond memories at this time.

Those were our humble beginnings and even though our living situation has improved, we still face difficulties as we make sacrifices living on a limited income. But would I ever exchange the memories made in that apartment with my little baby over a larger, more secure income? Most assuredly not. I think in a way it was God refining me to force me to lean upon Him even more, to trust Him daily, with all my needs. For what need do we have for God, the Ultimate Provider, if we have no needs at all?

Dear God,
I pray to lean on you all the more as I find myself in hopeless and difficult situations. As I look around me and see trials and tests, I pray that my faith will increase as I remember that I am standing on solid ground, on the rock that is My Savior and Your Son Jesus Christ. Help me to remember from where You have brought me, a life of death and destruction, to where I am now, a new creation in You, and where You are taking me. Help me to remember that is You who is carrying me, as a Shepherd carries his young lamb on His shoulders. In Christ’s Name.

Food on Friday: Homemade Mac ‘n Cheese

Now, I know that we all have our favorite homemade recipes and I in no way want to impose mine upon yours. But as a person who did not grow up with homemade mac ‘n cheese (it was Kraft all the way), I have learned to enjoy this one recipe which I found in none other than a kids’ cookbook. Let me know what you think and pass along yours!

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked elbow pasta
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. dry mustard (yellow)
1/4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 cup milk
1 1/4 cups mild or sharp cheddar cheese cubes
1/4 cup crushed plain Goldfish crackers or Ritz butter crackers (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water for about 8-10 minutes. Drain. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Reduce heat to low. Add the flour, salt, pepper, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until smooth. Add the milk and cheese. Continue stirring until the cheese melts and the sauce is creamy and smooth. Stir the pasta into the cheese sauce. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and top with the crushed crackers if desired. Bake in the oven 20 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving so sauce can thicken.

The Untitled Blog Post

A lot can happen in three months – WordPress changes its format, you find out you’re pregnant, your son turns 3 years old. So, what’s the natural response? Blogging hits the backburner. At least for me.

But amidst the craziness and chaos of life, one thing has remained constant. There will always be more craziness and chaos. That’s life with a toddler-turning-preschooler who demands his way is the best way. Wait ’till he meets Jesus.

Or maybe I should say wait ’till Jesus meets him (and hopefully transforms him SOON!). But that wouldn’t be correct because my son is already known by Jesus, already known by His Heavenly Father, who fashioned him in the secret of my womb before I even knew he existed.

And God my Father has done it again – has allowed me to become the carrier of another miraculously-created life who I will bring into the world in less than six months. If only I could pray away the labor pains. Not likely.

But what I am praying for is that this unborn child will personally know and trust Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The same prayer prayed daily for my firstborn. That Jesus will be first place in his life, that Jesus will remain the one constant thing amidst the craziness and chaos of life.

Of course, telling my son that will work wonders because he listens oh so well I believe it’s called selective hearing and thankfully he has heard my conversations about Jesus because he already knows Jesus loves him and died for him and that Jesus is alive. He at least can recite this at 3 years old and I’m praying these truths will become written on his own heart soon.

No, I think the better way for my son to learn that Jesus is first among all things is to see that portrayed in my life. In my crazy and chaotic life. For him to see that no matter what financial difficulty we face, no matter how many repairs Dada’s truck needs, no matter how many times I’ve repeated the statement that pee-pee goes in the potty not on the floor, that Jesus is still King of all. Because no matter how I treat my Lord, He is still Lord. No matter how unfaithful I am to Him, He is still faithful to me. It is undeserved love but as my husband would say, “It is what it is,” and it is grace.

Oh Lord, if only our hearts would cling to You with unfaltering faith, if only we could take You at your word and know beyond our doubts that You desire to bless us beyond belief, then we could truly rest in Your peace here on earth and exchange our chaos for your calm. For your death and resurrection have given us the right to become children of God, and as an earthly father desires to give his children good things, You, Lord, desire to give us even more.

What I’m Lovin’ Now…

1. Whataburger – I never thought I’d hear myself say this but I truly do prefer Whataburger over Chick-Fil-A! What is wrong with me?!?! It could have something to do with the fact that my son and I got sick from eating at a local Chick-Fil-A more than a month ago but I can’t be sure. I just seem to prefer Whataburger’s No. 7 with lemonade over Chick-Fil-A’s No. 1 with lemonade (except, of course, CFA does have better lemonade.) But I can always choose the sweet tea at Whataburger, which isn’t bad. Oh and my son enjoys Whataburger, too, so that helps.

2. My moms group – Our church started a moms group/Bible study a few months ago and it is so great! I’m having a wonderful time chatting with the other moms, making new friends and allowing my son to play with kids his own age. Not to mention I’m learning what God expects of me as a mom and that it is not perfection. Whewwww! That’s good news! But He does expect self-sacrifice, discipline and above all things love.

3. John 13 – For some reason, in the last few weeks, the story of Jesus’ humility in washing His disciples’ feet has been top o’ mind for me. When I read it after not having read it for a while, it just so spoke to me about my own attitude as a servant to my son and husband. “If you know these things, do them and you will be blessed.” I just adore Christ and am grateful for how much He has given up for me and for everyone else.

4. The weather – Fall in the Houston area is quite nice – you can have cool mornings, windy afternoons and brisk evenings. I can actually go to the park and playground at 4 pm and not become drenched with sweat. My son and I have been spending a lot of time outdoors and it’s been great. It certainly does wonders for his napping as well as our electric bill!

5. Honeycrisp apples – So, I’ve always been faithful to Gala apples but recently bought some Honeycrisp apples that were on sale at our local grocery store. And boy were they yummy! They weren’t too sweet but were definitely crunchier and juicier than Gala! I did a little research and found that there’s an entire Web site devoted to this variety of apple. Now, I just need to find more of them at the store and get them on sale. I wonder how homemade applesauce would taste using them?

Seeing God in everything…even Hurricane Ike

Wow – I haven’t posted in several weeks! That’s what happens when a bout of bronchitis and a horrendous hurricane interrupt life! And another wow is really the only word to describe Hurricane Ike, which blew through southeast Texas and devastated many coastal cities. Where I live only superficial damage resulted but it was a storm that I don’t want to remember.

However, at one point during the aftermath of the Category 2 storm, I wondered if sometimes a hurricane or other natural disasters are used, maybe even needed, to get people to put priorities into perspective. Tons of people lost their homes and possessions. Crawling and digging through rubble, residents in Galveston and other beach-front properties tried to put some semblance of their lives back together. Even if they could only salvage a fork and a spoon, at least it was theirs. If they have nothing, then what do they have?

People who were without power for days and weeks found new ways to cope with significant amounts of time, much of which was spent during hot and humid days. But God was gracious in providing some cooler weather. But what thoughts raced through people’s minds as they were kept back from watching TV or using the Internet due to no electricity? What did they ponder upon? What changed?

There is no immediate way to determine how the hurricane has impacted people’s lives, other than those who are completely homeless. Many people seemed to remain hopeful in spite of the loss but deep down what questions were being held inside? How will I get through this? What will happen next? What if I don’t get my next paycheck? Where will I live? Where is God? Personally, I never heard Paul’s words in Philippians 3:7 more clearly:

But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.

Only a few days after Hurricane Ike, I read my devotional for September 17 and was amazed at how God could be so timely. Only in His perfect and infinite wisdom could He have known that the words written so long ago in Streams in the Desert for that day would be needed for this day. Focusing on seeing God in every circumstance and situation in life, the message says:

To see HIM, and to be sure that His wisdom cannot err, His power cannot fail, His love can never change; to know that even His direst dealings with us are for our deepest spiritual gain, is to be able to say, in the midst of bereavement, sorrow, pain and loss, “The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”

And what truly spoke to my heart and made these words of seeing God in all of life’s trials and tribulations even more applicable was a poem written by A.E. Finn that followed the devotional and I’ll post it here (the last one is MY favorite):

“Give me a new idea,” I said,
While musing on a sleepless bed;
“A new idea that’ll bring to earth
A balm for souls of priceless worth;
That’ll give men thoughts of things above,
And teach them how to serve and love,
That’ll banish every selfish thought,
And rid men of the sins they’ve fought.”

The new thought, came, just how, I’ll tell:
‘Twas when on bended knee I fell,
And sought from HIM who knows full well
The way our sorrow to expel.
SEE GOD IN ALL THINGS, great and small,
And give HIM praise whatever befall,
In life or death, in pain or woe,
See God, and overcome thy foe.

I saw HIM in the morning light;
He made the day shine clear and bright;
I saw HIM in the noontide hour,
And gained from Him refreshing shower.
At eventide, when worn and sad,
HE gave me help, and made me glad.
At midnight, when on tossing bed
My weary soul to sleep HE led.

I saw HIM when great losses came,
And found HE loved me just the same.
When heavy loads I had to bear,
I found HE lightened every care.
By sickness, sorrow, sore distress,
HE calmed my mind and gave me rest.
HE’s filled my heart with gladsome praise
Since I gave HIM the upward gaze.

‘Twas new to me, yet old to some,
This thought that to me has become
A revelation of the way
We all should live throughout the day;
For as each day unfolds its light,
We’ll walk by faith and not by sight.
Life will, indeed, a blessing bring,
If we SEE GOD IN EVERYTHING.

Yes, we can see God in everything because ALL THINGS can be used for His glory, for our refinement and for others’ encouragement. Yes, even a hurricane. For life will indeed a BLESSING bring if we see God in EVERYTHING!