Praise you in this Storm

This afternoon, I was sitting in my kitchen watching the snow fly all around and listening to the winds howl. The forecast had been for a balmy -1C, which it had been earlier on in the afternoon, but now the temperatures were falling and with the wind, I was pretty sure the it was feeling much colder than that.  As I sat and looked out the window, I watched as a squirrel sat carefully perched on a branch eating the seeds that my husband so faithfully puts out.  I watched as a bird feeder blew around in the wind, and watched as to my surprise, several birds flew up to it and perched themselves at it.  They proceeded to eat from the feeder as if the fact that the feeder was at quite an angle due to the wind it didn't even make them take notice.  They sat and fed there for quite some time, moving around so others could join them.  It was as if they weren't even aware of the storm raging all around them.  Amazingly, at that same moment Casting Crowns song "I Will Praise you in this Storm" came onto my iPod.  (see the link below).

I sat and listened to the words that I have in the past heard over and over and watched with fascination as the birds and squirrel continued on doing what they were doing despite the storm raging all around them.  I was reminded of a song that as I child I loved to listen to.  In our church, we always had a variety of speakers coming for Sunday mornings.  I don't recall this gentleman's name, but what I do remember is him singing the song "His Eye is On the Sparrow".  He had a had a distinct accent that whenever I hear this song, I am reminded of him singing it.  The chorus goes as follows "I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free.  For His eye is on the sparrow and I know He watches me."

As I sat and watched the sparrows and chickadees at the feeder it brought me back to the wonder of how God cares for us, and watches over us. In every situation, God is there. In every moment of fear, in every moment of betrayal, in every moment of grief, God is there.  Over the years, K & I have gone through many valleys, yet each time God has proved Himself faithful.  He has given us the strength, the patience, the confidence that He is still in control.  The storms may have raged around us, yet He was there.  I will be honest, as we journeyed through them, at times I did wonder where He was.  I wondered WHY ME? WHY US?  But once I've come through the storm, and even so many times as I gone through those storms, God has shown Himself to me.  

When K had his accident and lay in a hospital bed unable to move (I'll share his story another day) I made the comment that being a Christian was the best and worst thing.  It was difficult because I couldn't understand why God had allowed him to break his neck & his back when we were doing His ministry.  And yet, I was so thankful that I had a God that was in control.  A God that I could go to with my fears, worries and agony.  I couldn't have begun to imagine walking through those months without the knowledge and confidence that God was still in control of things.  Last year, when I was wading through the dark days of depression and anxiety, I didn't understand God, but I KNEW beyond a shadow of a doubt that He was there, guiding me through that journey.  What a confidence we have knowing God is there.  Knowing that He has gone before us.  That He knows the very feelings we are dealing with.  

Having weathered several storms, I can honestly say that I am thankful that God has taken me through each and every one.  I have been drawn closer to God.  I have seen His amazing miracles.  I have seen the power that He has displayed when all hope was lost.  Had I not gone through those waters? I would never have been able to experience all of God's goodness and miracles.  I can truly say I will praise Him in this storm. . . and after the storm. . . I will thank Him as I sit and bask in the the calm after the storm.  What a confidence we have knowing we are God's children and He is taking care of us.  

Matthew 6:25-34

25 “So my counsel is: Don’t worry about things—food, drink, and clothes. For you already have life and a body—and they are far more important than what to eat and wear. 26 Look at the birds! They don’t worry about what to eat—they don’t need to sow or reap or store up food—for your heavenly Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than they are. 27 Will all your worries add a single moment to your life?

28 “And why worry about your clothes? Look at the field lilies! They don’t worry about theirs. 29 Yet King Solomon in all his glory was not clothed as beautifully as they. 30 And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won’t he more surely care for you, O men of little faith?

31-32 “So don’t worry at all about having enough food and clothing. Why be like the heathen? For they take pride in all these things and are deeply concerned about them. But your heavenly Father already knows perfectly well that you need them, 33 and he will give them to you if you give him first place in your life and live as he wants you to.

34 “So don’t be anxious about tomorrow. God will take care of your tomorrow too. 

Live one day at a time"

Just tryin': Chicken & Potato Casserole

Well, this afternoon was yet another piano lesson day.  So what to have ready for the troops for supper was the question on my mind.  As I've mentioned in the past, I've been trying to go gluten free, so pasta has been a bit of a distant memory in our house.  So far it has been pretty easy to take out any of the things that contain grains.  So with that in mind, I came up with this recipe today.  I'm sure you could make it with any meat you have on hand, including ground beef!  Hope you enjoy it.  Our family said it was 10/10 and both kids want the left overs for school tomorrow!  I just kind of came up with this recipe off the top of my head, so hopefully I haven't omitted and of the ingredients I used today!  ENJOY!!!

Chicken & Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts

6 medium sized red potatoes

4 cups of frozen oriental mix veggies (could also use just frozen broccoli florets) 

1 1/2 C grated cheddar cheese

3 +/- Tbsp corn starch mixed with a little water  (or 3 Tbsp butter and 3 Tbsp flour if not going gluten free)

2 1/2 Cups milk

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

4 packets chicken bouillon

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

*  Preheat oven to 400F

*  Cut chicken breasts into one inch cubes and fry until cooked through.  Remove from heat and set aside.

*  Wash and cut potatoes into one inch cubes.  Combine with cooked chicken.

*  Pour milk into saucepan and add corn starch mixture, garlic and onion powder, chicken bouillon and salt and pepper.  Cook until milk thickens into a sauce.  (If using butter and flour, melt butter and add flour until mixed.  Add milk, powders, bouillon and salt and pepper.)

*  In a greased 9 x 13 pan, pour in 1/2 of the chicken and potatoes. Layer 2 cups of veggies on top.  Pour half of the milk mixture over top.  Layer the rest of the chicken and Potatoes, and then the veggies.  Pour remaining sauce over top.  

*  Cover and bake for 1/2 an hour.  Remove cover and bake for another hour.  Remove from oven. Sprinkle grated cheese over top and bake for an additional 15 minutes.  

(Consider baking this on a cookie sheet to avoid bubbling into the oven.)

Cheesy Deliciousness! 

Delicious chunks of chicken, potatoes and veggies in every scoop!

Part Time Server: Days and Evenings

A few weeks ago, I was noticing the recent ads that had been placed on our city's local online advertising site.  One of the most recent was a posting for a part time server.  Now I have never worked in the restaurant business, nor have I had any desire to do so.  It terrifies me even thinking about it. I could just imagine messing up orders, dropping food off of serving platters, or worse yet, pouring hot coffee on someone.  So an ad like "Part time Server" sends fear through my bones!

As I trembled at the thought of being a part time server, it caused me to think of what kind of server am I. In John 12:26 Jesus says this:  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.  

I started to think about what kind of a servant I am for God.  Am I a part time servant, or a full time one?  I will admit, there are many days I don't even feel like being a servant at all!  Other days, I start out planning on being a full time servant, and something or other causes me to fall flat on my face.  But it's Satan's trap that I so easily fall into - focusing on me rather than others.  

God didn't call me to be a part time server.  God called me to be a fully committed, every day, every moment, no matter how I feel FULL TIME SERVER! And when I think, really stop and think about all that Christ did for me, I can only shake my head at myself and think REALLY????  Jesus Christ WILLINGLY came down to earth as a BABY, a helpless tiny baby, all the while knowing that His sole purpose was to grow up and die on the cross, betrayed by the very ones who called Him Jesus!  I shake my head at Judas and think "what a betrayal!"  And yet, is that not what I am doing when I choose to focus on me and only be a part time server?  Jesus said "My Father will honor the one who serves me."  He didn't say His Father will honor the one who sometimes serves me.  It is a full time position.  Not a "whenever I want to" thing.  It's going all in and being 100% committed.  Jesus came to earth and was 100% committed.  He knew that the end He was wholly committed to our salvation by giving up His life.  THAT was 100% commitment!  There's no part way about that.  That's going all in.

So what am I going to do?  Am I going to serve and be "all in" or am I going to sit on the fence and do what I want?  Am I going to serve my Lord part time, or am I going to commit FULL TIME!

God, help me to focus my eyes on you and to give my service to you full time.  Help me to put my selfish desires away and give of myself to you 100%. Help me to be a Full time server, and not just a part time server.

Tuesday's Choice

WOW!  Last week's memorizing was a difficult one.  I'm definitely going to have to keep going over that one to keep it drilled into my brain.  Actually something I've decided to do is try to keep going over all the verses from that month and then add each new week to it.  Hopefully that will cement them in there a little more.

So here are this week's new verses.  Took a few shorter than last week, so hopefully it works for you. These were the verses that I did one of my very first sermons on in Bible College.  I had titled it Living in the Lord.

Psalm 37:3-7

³ Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.

⁴ Take delight in the Lord,    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

⁵ Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this:
⁶ He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.

⁷ Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Blue Monday?????

As I struggle with anxiety and fear and depression, one of the things that has fallen to the wayside over the months/years is my contact with others.  The easiest thing for me is to "hide".  Hide from what scares me.  Hide from what intimidates me.  Hide from the unknown.  Hide from showing myself to others.  It's a crazy cycle.  Feeling like I can't go out, yet feeling like I'm lonely and never get out.  From one day to the next it can be different, and when I make plans to have someone over, or go somewhere, when that day arrives, I may not feel up to it, panic and back out.

Today is known as Blue Monday. Blue Monday The one day out of the year that is categorized as the most difficult day for those of us struggling with depression/anxiety/stress.  I can't say today was my worst day, but I can say that today reminded me of those awful days.  And as I thought about those awful days, it also brought to mind some of the amazing times I have had recently.  As God has brought us through some dark times these past few months, He has also brought some precious people into our lives and home.

On New Years day we celebrated the beginning of the new year with a couple that is near and dear to our heart.  They have walked similar paths to us - infertility, adoption, tweens, past work issues, etc.  We were able to bring in the new year with a family that we loved.  Then, last night, we were able to reconnect with a family that has walked similar paths as we - being uprooted from what you thought your path was, questioning God's processing, trying to be thankful for where God has put us at right now, as well as the infertility, adoption etc.

I am so blessed.  God has brought amazing people into my life.  And so today as I looked back, it also forced me to look forward.  It reminded me of the wonderful group of women I work with at the Preschool. On days when I don't feel like heading into work, they give me joy and happiness I can't explain.  Working for my boss/friend is a blessing I cannot even begin to explain.  Working in a Christian environment is such an incredible blessing. Our Bible Study group has been an incredible source of strength and encouragement. They have lifted us up in prayer and carried us through some difficult times.  Friends who have been like family (who we've watched their children grow up and they watch our children grow up!) since the days we first moved to Steinbach have been a constant source of support and encouragement.  Having friends who have walked the same or similar paths as we have is extraordinary.  I just really am so blessed.  My kids have amazing friends.  Friends who are raised in Godly homes.  Friends who challenge each of them to grow in their relationship with God.

Philippians 1:3   I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

Truly we are so blessed.  Truly I AM BLESSED!!!  God has blessed me with so many friends that love us and care for us and pray for us. 

Blue Monday???? I'd say 

BLESSED MONDAY!!!!!