Puffed Pancakes

My inspiration today is coming from my sister's blog. She posted about my mom's awesome caramel corn, so I think I’ll continue on the food theme, and post the recipe for puffed pancakes. What? You've never heard of puffed pancakes?!!! Well, let me enlighten you.

Growing up, it was tradition to have puffed pancakes once a year—on Christmas morning. After opening gifts, we would enjoy the warm, buttery goodness of those puffy, delectable. . .mmmm. . .words just can’t describe them.

However, last year something happened. I don’t know what it was, but for some reason we didn’t have puffed pancakes for breakfast. Maybe we ran out of eggs. . .Whatever the case was, you can be sure that I’m going to lobby hard to resurrect them this year.

Puffed “pancakes” are baked rather than fried, and get their name from the “puff” they get in the oven. I would love to say that they’re healthy for you, but unfortunately, they’re not. But hey, it’s once a year. Give yourself a treat with these easy to make “pancakes.” And might I add that they’re great without syrup too.

Joyce’s Puffed Pancake (Mom’s recipe)

½ c. butter/margarine
1 c. flour
1 c. milk
6 eggs
Salt to taste (a dash usually does it)

Melt ½ cup butter in a 9 x 13-inch pan in the oven. Meanwhile, mix together flour, milk, eggs, and salt. Pour over melted butter in pan. Bake 25 minutes at 425 degrees. This will puff up, especially at the edges. Serve with fresh fruit, syrup, or jam. This recipe can be increased as many times as you like. *This is a high fat dish so you may want to watch what you serve it with.

Are You Starving?

The other evening, at Bible Study, we were in John 6:45-71. In this passage Jesus tells the crowd: "I am the bread of life (vs. 48)." When the crowd complains ("This is a hard saying; who can understand it?"), Christ goes on: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe. . .Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to me unless it has been granted him by My Father."

Throughout this entire passage, Jesus is equating belief (a.k.a. salvation), with eating and drinking. He shows the contrast between earthly food, and heavenly food.

Pastor "Y" gave 5 points/reasons why belief is related to spiritual eating and drinking.

1) Food must be internalized
- No one is satisfied by merely looking at a plate of food.

2) Eating is prompted by hunger
- If you eat candy all day, yes you might not "feel" hungry, but your body is craving proper nourishment.

3) Once eaten, food becomes a part of your body
- It gets broken down and distributed to every single cell.

4) You trust the food you eat
- No one knowingly eats poison.

5) Eating food is personal--no one can do it for you

My mind sidetracked from what the pastor was talking about, and I began to wonder about, and compare, candy and vegetables.

If all you eat is candy, you will eventually starve to death.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying candy is bad. I myself really enjoy candy--more than I should actually. Isn't that the way with all of us though? Most of us like our candy better than our vegetables. (Ok, there are some of you really healthy people out there that do prefer a carrot over a chocolate cupcake, but...you're few and far between.) Admit it! Candy is SO much more convenient. You can grab a Snickers bar, and eat it on the run, as you work on "important things." On the other hand, cooking a balanced meal--or even packing a simple but healthy lunch--takes TIME. That's time I can't spend on other, "important" things.

But when you look at the "nutrition label," of each, what do you see? That candy bar will give you a huge, though short lived, boost of energy in the form of fat, sugar, and carbohydrates. This serves to build up our fatty layer, who's only purpose is to "insulate." Those veggies however, will sustain you long term, and provide nutrients essential for life and growth. Fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals all work together to purge your system of toxins, build muscles, and strengthen bones. Though this too builds a fatty layer of "insulation," it also increases our stamina, and the ability to act on our environment.

Interesting too is the fact that, the more you eat vegetables, the less you crave candy.

Now please understand, it’s not wrong to have candy. But if all you eat is candy—then I’d say you have a big problem!

The first step to recovery is acknowledging you have a problem. Developing a taste for vegetables takes time. If you have too much too quickly, you might have some not-so-nice side effects, so it’s best to wean yourself onto them a little at a time. The goal is to gradually increase the amount until it becomes second nature to reach for veggies.

This got me thinking. These same principles apply to my time with the Lord--in short my Quiet Time. When I don't spend time with the Lord, I am starving myself. There are many substitutes out there for actually cracking open the Word: devotionals, reading plans, theological study books . . . etc. As beneficial as they may be, they are in reality, nothing more than "candy."

My time in God’s Word [spiritual vegetables] is much better for me than any “candy” my theological library could offer. In fact, the more I “eat” my spiritual veggies, the less I crave candy.

I have always tended to eat more candy than vegetables, but this semester I really wasn’t eating much of either—I was “starving” myself.

By not eating my “veggies,” I was experiencing a build up of toxins—worldly thinking and attitudes, muscle deterioration—inability to flee or fight temptation and worldly philosophies/propaganda, and spiritual osteoporosis—a weakening of biblical convictions.

I still have a long way to go in fully developing my spiritual appetite. But a slow start is better than none at all. It is a lengthy process, but the fruits of diligence (no pun intended) will manifest themselves in due time.

What are the things you turn to in order to find “satisfaction” for your hungers?

Nature in my Backyard

Just after breakfast this morning, mom called "L" and I into the living room to see a beautiful Monarch butterfly perched on one of our Mexican Sage bushes. "L" and I both grabbed cameras and snapped pictures of this glorious creation that came to visit us. I took about 40 shots. Here are some of them.









As I was snapping the last few pics of the butterfly, a hummingbird buzzed right up--in close range. I snapped as many photos as I could, but the little stinker was too fast, and blurs out in most of them. Only two turned out--very nicely though!

I believe this is an Anna's Hummingbird, as the head is a bright, shimmery pink.

God's beautiful creation is simply amazing. You might see some unexpected blessings--if you just sit long enough.

True and Real

Last Saturday (Oct 20th) I went to a one day conference with my mom and sisters. The speaker was Elizabeth George--the author of A Woman After God's Own Heart. The conference consisted of three sessions, and I would like to share highlights that I took away from each session.

Session 1: Thinking on the Truth
-Thinking on God's truth is loving God with all your mind.
-To make sure you are thinking on His truth, confine yourself within the hedge/path of "Is it true? Is it real?"

Session 2: Winning over Worry
1) Think the truth about the past.
-Don't dwell on the past (don't have "if only's")

a) It [the past] is no longer real
-Thinking on it breeds regret and remorse
-We need to log it and leave it (learn from it and leave it)
-Thinking on it fails to acknowledge God.
* Romans 8:28

2) Think the truth about the present
-What are you doing about the way it really is?
-When you get things settled with God, nothing else really matters.

3) Think the truth about the future
-"Life is a mountain climb to the very end."-Edith Schaeffer. It doesn't get easier.
-"I have not seen the righteous forsaken."-sorry, I didn't catch the author's name.
-"Let not our longing [for the future and what "might be"] slay the appetite of our living [in the present]."-Jim Eliot
-"Focus on the givens, not the not-givens."-Elisabeth Eliot

Session 3
-He is the "big picture" behind everything.

1) We can trust God for our number one problem.

2) We can trust God for all things--including the good things.
-God uses good things to stretch us and force us to grow (spiritually).

3) We can trust God for the bad things.

4) We can trust God for the large things in life.

5) We can trust God for the small things.
-It is the small irritation that causes the pearl to grow.--I loved this one!

6) We can trust God for the people problems in life.
-God uses people as sandpaper to make us more like Him.

It was a day very well spent! There was much to hear and absorb, and all of it was good for my soul. I also left with three books: The Bare Bones Bible Handbook: 10 Minutes to Understanding Each Book of the Bible, A Woman's Walk With God: Growing in the Fruit of the Spirit, and A Woman's High Calling: 10 Essentials for Godly living.

The first book was written by Elizabeth's husband, Jim. I want to incorporate it into my quite times, as I think it could be helpful. The last two books are written by Elizabeth. I anticipate both being slow reads, as I earnestly desire to digest and ponder their contents.

As I read through each of Elizabeth's books in turn, I would like to share some of the contents here--chapter by chapter--along with my thoughts. I don't anticipate the postings being very consistent--something like once a month (if I'm lucky). As it is difficult for me to make time to read a book, it is even more difficult to find time to sit and type. So you are fairly warned that postings will be sporadic--as if they aren't already. ((Smile))

Rising dross

Lord, more and more
I pray Thee, or by wind or fire,
Make pure my inmost heart’s desire,
And purge the clinging chaff from off the floor.

I wish Thy way,
But when in me myself would rise
And long for something otherwise,
Then, Holy One, take sword and spear and slay.

Oh, stay near by,
Most patient Love, till, by Thy grace,
In this poor silver, Thy bright face
Shows forth in clearness and serenity.

What will it be
When, like the lily or the rose
That in my flowery garden blows,
I shall be flawless, perfect, Lord, to Thee?

~ Amy Carmichael

California Cruisin'

Wow! It has been way too long since I last posted. Yikes, I've got to get better at this.

Well, today is my birthday. And what better way to celebrate, than to buy myself a car? Ok, ok, I really bought it a week and a half ago, but still... It's a 1997 Pontiac Bonneville. Dad said it's considered a "full sized" vehicle. It is pretty roomy. The seats are cloth--no peel and stick leather in the heat--and oh so comfortable. Did I mention that it also has a CD player and air conditioning? As for the drive, the steering is tight--as opposed to "loose"--and it accelerates and decelerates like a dream. "So this is love. . . Mmm hmm Mmm. . . So this is love. . ." I am having a ball driving it and figuring it out.

Front seats

Back seats. Look at all that leg room!

Dashboard

Now about my birthday...Tonight we are going to Panera Bread for dinner and then back home where I'll open my presents. Mom already told me that I'm getting "car stuff." Now gifts like tires make sense to me--and seem very practical too. It'll just be the immediate family, but it should be fun. I don't need a special occasion to love hanging around with my family.

Wallhanging

I wanted to share my latest project with ya'll. I've been really busy lately, so I haven't had time for much, but this is something I've worked on little by little.

1 Preserve me, O God, for in You I put my trust.
2 O my soul, you have said to the Lord,
“You are my Lord,
My goodness is nothing apart from You.”
3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
“They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight.”
4 Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another god;
Their drink offerings of blood I will not offer,
Nor take up their names on my lips.
5 O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.
7 I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel;
My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord always before me;
Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will rest in hope.
10 For You will not leave my soul in Sheol,
Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption.
11 You will show me the path of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16 is my life Psalm, and I wanted to put it up on my wall, but I didn't just want it on my quote wall, I wanted it BIG! Ordering "Wall Words" was out of the question, and I didn't want to pay to have a poster made, so I settled for something simple, and cheap--paper. Yes, this project took 98 pieces of paper, and several hours to complete. Fortunately most of the hours were not spent all in one solid chunk, but rather in 15 minutes here, and 10 minutes there. The largest chunk of time I spent was 3 hours cutting and taping it to my closet door. But I am very pleased with the final result. It doesn't look professional, and there are gaps of the closet peeping out between the papers, but nobody will see it but me. So it really doesn't matter does it?

Rainbows

Mom, my sisters and I have just returned from the Orange County Fair. There were plenty of things to see, including the world's largest horse (appropriately named Hercules), African acrobats, hula dancers, and myriads of exhibits to wander through. While touring the exhibits, we even came across a woman who was spinning dog hair into thread/yarn. Talk about interesting people...

My excitement really centers around one booth. And...oddly enough, it was a booth that sold flip-flops. Yes that's right, flip-flops. But these are not just any flip-flops, these are Rainbows. Friends have been telling me about Rainbows for awhile now, but I could have cared less until recently. You see, Rainbows are made to conform to your foot--to create a custom fit--and they are guaranteed for the life of the sole. My current sandals are a sorry sight indeed, but what else could you expect from a pair that has been well loved, and worn everywhere for the past three years? My friends' Rainbows have been around twice that long, and are still going strong. So I thought it might be nice to give some a try.

I checked online, but didn't want to pay $45 plus shipping; and I didn't really feel like driving down past Irvine to the Rainbow Outlet, so I was thrilled to see the Rainbow logo floating among the sea of booths at the fair. I have since bought myself a nice pair of expresso brown Rainbows. As I sorted through the mass of colors and sizes, I received instructions from one of the booth employees. "When you pick your Rainbows," she said, "you want to make sure they fit tightly, and your heel goes all the way to the back of the sandal." "Why?" was my question. "Rainbows stretch to fit your foot. Within about a week, you will see and feel the conformation to your particular foot shape. As they stretch they will loosen [obviously] and feel more comfortable."

Ok. I think I can handle that. Now, all that's left is to see if they live up to their hype.

Up and Running

Hold on tight 'cause here we go! This is my first attempt at blogging. I was inspired by my sister (check out her blog http://thebeautyofthelord.blogspot.com/ ). But while she sounds profound in her discourses on God's greatness, mine is merely dedicated to the small and simple things of life.

So please don't expect much from this. I see this as a place for me to catalogue and share "snapshots of my life," in ordinary things.