Breakfast Butterscotch Oatmeal

INGREDIENTS
1 egg, beaten
1 3/4 cups milk
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons butter
optional: 1/2 raisins, 1/2 pecans, etc..


DIRECTIONS
In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together the egg, milk and brown sugar. Mix in the oats. When the oatmeal begins to boil, cook and stir until thick. Remove from the heat, and stir in butter until melted. Serve immediately.

H-O-P-E

It seems that "Hope" is the new word. The new catch-phrase. The new political attitude that has come to shine in Washington. I have heard these statements quite commonly:

"Hope for a better tomorrow"
"Hope for new jobs"
"Hope for a better economy"
"I hope you feel better"
"I hope things work out for you"

You've probably heard and even said these things too! I have.

Hope is thrown around a lot, but I wonder if people realize what hope really is. According to the dictionary it is simply a "wish for better things". A wish. We know how powerful wishes are. They shine like a coin but are lost in the darkness as we drop them in the well of hope. We never seem to see them again.

Have any of your birthday-cake wishes come true???
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As I look at Scriptures, I find out what hope really is.

"HOPE thou in God, for I shall yet praise Him". Psalm 42:11

"Which is Christ in you, the HOPE of glory" Colossians 1:27

"Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart, all you who HOPE in the Lord" Psalm 31:24

"Happy is he that has the God of Jacob for his help, whose HOPE is in the LORD his God" Psalm 146:5

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See a pattern? True hope isn't hope for something......it's hope IN SOMEONE.

Hoping for a better tomorrow is like reaching for a star. You will never touch it even though you aimed for it.

Hope is like a rope. If you drop a rope into the water, that rope will simply float. Your boat will drift. With God as your hope, you have an anchor on the end of that rope. You see, a hope with no direct object is useless!

Yet we say "hope" over and over, thinking, yes, "HOPING" that something good will come if we say it often enough.

God encourages us to put hope in Him and in His promises. He always provides when our hope is connected TO Him.


I will think twice before I say, "I hope you do well". Instead of saying such a trivial thing, I will lead the person to the God of hope, rather than hope itself.

Our land needs hope desperately; yet they are looking for it in policies, presidents, laws, and dollars. The everlasting hope is found in the Creator of heaven and earth. All we need to do is receive it.

Great Recipe

Great Recipe for a peace-filled life in 2009

1.
Take a 10 to 30 minute walk every day. And
while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate
anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silence for at
least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God
about what is going on in your life. Buy
a lock if you have to.

3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following
statement,
'My purpose is to __________ today.
I am thankful for______________'

4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat
less food that is manufactured in plants.

5. Drink green tea and plenty of
water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds &
walnuts.

6. Try to make at least three
people smile each day.

7. Don't waste your
precious energy on energy vampires,
issues of the past, negative thoughts or things
you cannot control.

8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and
dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

9. Life isn't fair, but it's
still good.

10. Life is too short to waste
time hating anyone.

11. Don't take yourself
so seriously. No one else
does.

12. You are not so important
that you have to win every argument.
Agree to disagree.

13. Make peace with your past so
it won't spoil the present.

14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no
idea what their journey is all about.

15. No one is in charge of your
happiness except you.

16. Frame every
so-called disaster with these words: 'In five
years, will this matter?'

17. Forgive everyone for everything.

18. What other people think of you is none of your
business.

19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.

20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

21. Your job won't take care of you when you are
sick. Your friends will stay in touch.

22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following
statements:
I am thankful for
__________. Today I accomplished
_________.

24. Remember that you are too
blessed to be stressed.

25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many
blessings. You'll be smiling before you know it.

Driving in the snow

Living in Virginia for 17 years now, I am convinced that people can't drive in the snow. Being from Michigan everyone knows that snow driving isn't rocket science. It's just a fact of life.

I realize that Virginia does not get much snow. But that's no excuse. I drove out of our neighborhood yesterday with about 3 inches of snow on the ground. The car in front of me fish-tailed at least 5 times, almost hit the ditch, and almost ran head-on to the oncoming car! All in our neighborhood. I drove to the gas station, bank, friend's house, restaurant,and back home and not one fish-tail.

WHY? I know how to drive in snow. Snow does not scare me. I slow down, "feel" the car more, and refuse to slam on the breaks every minute. Two cars, same road, same snow, but different results! One almost got in a wreck, the other (me) got to several places safely.

On the Christian journey, it seems that many Christians let the "snow" in life panic them. They experience some trouble and just slam on the breaks. They wake up not expecting 3 inches of snow on the road. They don't adjust. Or, in the process of dealing with the snow, they slam into someone else. Snow may change the road, but we can still move on. Slow down, walk in the Spirit, be sensitive, don't drive on auto-pilot.

I noticed yesterday that snow showed what drivers are REALLY like. Most were cautious, responsible, and safe. Some were panicky, rash, and unsafe. All were drivers, but the mature ones could be seen a mile away.

When another Christian is about to slam into you, (being rude, rash, etc...) it may not be you. They may have received 3 inches of snow on their road and they are having a hard time adjusting. Pray and help them from heading to the ditch.

To all the Ladies

Leave Yesterday Alone (its gone)
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Live Today (count your blessings)
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Don't Worry About Tomorrow (it may not come)
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Dear God, The lady reading this is beautiful, classy & strong and I love her. Help her live her life to the fullest. Please promote her and cause her to excel above expectations. Help her to shine in darkest places and love where it is impossible to love. Protect her at all times, lift her up when she needs you the most and let her know that when she walks with you; she will always be safe.

Ladies, we need to stick together! When we pray, love, and serve, there is nothing that can stop us in the kingdom of God.