Today it's raining. Shocker. The 10-day forecast says: rain. Everyday. I want the 'h' outta here! It's 41 degrees. In Orlando it's 79 and sunny. Wahhhh!
I re-made my healthy granola from a recipe I got out of Eating Healthy magazine. I found like 15 useful and/or yummy things in that sucker. Woo. So, on Sunday night I made this huge batch of yumminess looking granola. Picture oats, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup (yup, kids!), walnuts, raisins, dried cranberries, flax seed (in everything- yes, please!), coconut flakes, nutmeg, ground ginger, almonds, vanilla, canola oil, and oooh yum. It smelled incredible as it baked to dry out a bit and crisp up in the oven. I followed the directions for baking even though I usually don't follow directions for what and how much to put in while cooking. And it still BURNED! :( The lesson was- cook a little less time cause it's gonna still dry out more as it cools after removed from the oven and do not bake raisins unless they are in the middle of some bread or cookies cause they plump up like grapes and then burn all toasty.
That first batch of granola was 6 cups of oats plus all the other goodies and I felt so wasteful, but I forced myself to eat a bowl of it. And, I didn't want another one. Celina didn't even want one bowl. So we made a bird feeder of sorts (ie: plastic water jug with jagged holes gashed into it with a knife and me almost impaling my heart all in efforts to feed the birds...Mary Poppins anyone?) and piled it all inside. Only, I don't think the birds are digging it in its third day sitting on the deck awaiting hungry feathered friends to savor its contents. Hmm...the raisins or almonds are scaring them away? Well, I hope some little squirrel friend will partake and then run away forever so he won't eat the bulbs in our garden like the moles do. (I'm not gonna lie, I know our bird feeder is ugly and tacky and an embarrassment for the neighbors, but if it works I'll make it prettier. Promise!)
I plan to enjoy a bowl of my second batch of granola created while watching the Beth Moore, Mercy Triumphs, video session number two. It was a nice way to make a simple recipe while learning about the book of James and studying God's word. I'm a fan cause it's very hard for me to sit still through sermons unless I am doing something else.
Some of my favorite bits out of my Mercy Triumphs study lately include the following words of Beth Moore's incredible research, writings, and wisdom:
*"The Word of God, however, is meant to do more than penetrate. It's meant to activate." (page 78)
*"Think about the last time you closed your eyes and listened to an instrument that nearly brought you to tears. Something similar can happen when we listen to Scripture being read or a message being taught. The hearing itself can be satisfying. 'Deep calls to deep' (Ps. 42:7), and we nod our heads with genuine resonance." (page 78)
*"If being religious became illegal tomorrow and you and I were arrested, would there be enough evidence to convict us?" (page 84)
*"James suggests if we show all sorts of devotion to God but don't bridle our maverick tongues, it's all worthless." (page 84)
*"You don't live this kind of life accidentally. You make up your mind who you want to be and DAILY DIE to the rest. You surrender yourself to living in the tension where you'll always be stretched and often be broken. Religion pure and undefiled is grit without the grime. You accept that far easier ways to live exist, but you were born for nothing less." (page 86)
Beth Moore, you are a genius and to be respected by many. But, even more than you, James brings things home to convict and grow us in such powerful, life altering ways. And, Jesus, forget it. He rocks my world. Changes my life. Makes me swoon in sweet blissful love for my Savior. And, it's still raining.
No comments:
Post a Comment