God The Silversmith

According to Wikipedia: "Silversmiths saw or cut specific shapes from sterling and fine silver sheet metal and bar stock, and then use hammers to form the metal over anvils and stakes. Silver is hammered cold (at room temperature). As the metal is hammered, bent, and worked, it 'work-hardens'. Annealing is the heat-treatment used to make the metal soft again. If metal is work-hardened, and not annealed occasionally, the metal will crack and weaken the work."

Sound familiar?...Remind you of Someone?...hmmm?

A friend of mine shared this story below with me and I absolutely loved it...I think sometimes when we are in the thick of the heat of life we need little reminders like this to help us on our journey.  Especially when the pang of the hammer comes and knocks us down; which we can see is an essential part of becoming a beautiful piece of silver to shine for the Lord. 

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.

"This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.
One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
 That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.
 As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
 The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.' She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.
 The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed..
 The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'
 He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it."

 Remember this if nothing else...

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God has his eye on you and will keep working in you until He sees His image in you.  Whatever you're going through, you'll be a better person in the end.  Trust in God.  He won't give you more than you can handle and rest assured that you are in good hands. God bless!

Phil Wickham - Heaven Song

Musical Muse: Phil Wickham-  Heaven Song

Here's another song I love from Mr.Wickham. I thought this acoustic version of Phil singing it is so sweet.  Enjoy! Godbless!

You wrote a letter and You signed your name

I read every word of it page by page

You said that You'd be coming, coming for me soon

Oh my God I'll be ready for You

I want to run on greener pastures

I want to dance on higher hills

I want to drink from sweeter waters

In the misty morning chill

And my soul is getting restless

For the place where I belong

I can't wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song

I hear Your voice and I catch my breath

'Well done my child, enter in and rest'

Tears of joy roll down my cheek

It's beautiful beyond my wildest dreams

I want to run on greener pastures

I want to dance on higher hills

I want to drink from sweeter waters

In the misty morning chill

And my soul is getting restless

For the place where I belong

I can't wait to join the angels and sing...

I want to run on greener pastures

I want to dance on higher hills

I want to drink from sweeter waters

In the misty morning chill

And my soul is getting restless

For the place where I belong

I can't wait to join the angels and sing

No, I cant wait to join the angels and sing my heaven song

Snickerdoodle Score!!

Three Ingredient cookies! Who could resist that?! Cheap and cheerful!

(I know there are four things in the picture below, but water really doesn't count...lol ;D)

I made some Snickerdoodle's for my Sunday school class last week. Against my better judgment I was gonna make them from scratch but then I found this baby at Publix while I was shopping….score! I’d never seen this flavor before in Betty Crocker’s store bought cookie mixes…must be something they only bring out for the holidays because it was next to some pumpkin spice cookie mix too (in a special holiday section of the store). So you can imagine I was elated to find this because I’m notorious for burning cookies. I can make anything else in the kitchen…no problem…but cookies…oh bother... I’ve never been able to conquer them. Not really sure why. I guess they’re my kryptonite in the kitchen…lol. Anyways… :D I made the cookies according to the package and to my surprise they came out awesome!!! I was ecstatic and the kids loved them. They were really surprised that I had made them…lol. (Oh little kiddies…so was I…trust me). Here are some pics of my cookie adventure. Hope you give it a try. One day I’ll be brave and make them completely from scratch, but until then…I’ll be looking to my friend Betty for a helping hand. :D



 This is how the cookies look when you scoop them out and roll them in the cinnamon and sugar before they're baked. :)

 Don't press them down. They will get flat just like these all on there own :)



Check this baby's out! Super yummy and easy peasy to make! Gotta love that! :)

Reasons To Be Thankful

In the spirit of thanksgiving and all that it means; I wanted to share with you a devotional by Greg Laurie that I read this week that really touched my heart.   May it speak to you and touch your heart as it did mine.  We have much to be thankful for...even for the little things :)  I pray that you and yours have a
 Happy Thanksgiving! God bless!!!

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

— Psalm 107:1

It seems as though merchants really don't know what to do with Thanksgiving. They market Halloween and Christmas and make a lot of money off these holidays. But they don't really know what to do with Thanksgiving, which is really very spiritual in its origins. It was designated by President George Washington in 1789 as a national day for giving thanks to God.

In the midst of all our feasting, it is very easy to forget about the one we are celebrating. Sometimes we even forget to give thanks altogether. You might be thinking, Well, I don't have a lot to give thanks for. Maybe you are having financial troubles or health problems. Maybe there is conflict in your family. But we need to put things into perspective. As someone wrote,

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness, you are more blessed than the million who won't survive the week. If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation, you are ahead of 20 million people around the world. If you attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, or death, you are more blessed than almost three billion people in the world. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep, you are richer than 75 percent of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace, you are among the top 8 percent of the world's wealthy.

There is a lot to give thanks for. And the primary reason we were put on this earth as human beings is to glorify God and to give Him thanks.

Cielo

Musical Muse: Phil Wickham - Cielo

This is one of my new favorite songs of his.  There's just something about it that takes me to another place.  It makes me think about the glorious day when God comes back for us and we enter His presence.  How exciting!! :D  Makes me think how trivial everything of this world really is in comparison to God...wow.  Can you imagine?...if this is a human singing just imagine how beautiful the angels must sound...wow.  Enjoy! God bless!!

"Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;

Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.

Sing to the LORD with the harp,

With the harp and the sound of a psalm,

With trumpets and the sound of a horn
Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King."- Psalm 98:4-6

I'm walking through the bright white gates

Breathing in and out your grace

All around me melodies rise

That echo with the joy inside

So I start to sing

But I can't sing loud enough

I can't sing loud enough

When I'm singing for You my God

I can't sing loud enough

I can't sing loud enough

When I'm singing for You my God

With a thunder roll and a brilliant light

Your glory boasts and the heavens shine

The saints and angels stand in awe

Captured by the beauty of it all

So I fall to my knees

But I can't bow low enough

I can't bow low enough

At the vision of You my God

I can't bow low enough

I can't bow low enough

At the vision of You my God

I can't hold it all inside

I'm reaching for the One who brought me out of death and into life

But I can't lift my hands high enough

Life my hands high enough

When I'm reaching for You my God

I can't lift my hands high enough

Life my hands high enough

When I'm reaching for You my God

Oh I'm reaching for You my God
I'm reaching for You

I'm reaching for You

I'm reaching for You my God

Cheese Swirl Pumpkin Pie

Swirly Pumpkin Pie?...why yes.  It sounds lovely...

Well now that we're all in the thick of Thanksgiving prep I thought it be good to share this with y'all.  I make this baby every year....I absolutely love it. I first made it a few years back because I was looking for a little twist on regular pumpkin pie.  I've always felt that pumpkin pie needed a little more body...and the cream cheese in this baby give it just that plus it makes it so pretty too!  If your feeling adventurous or just want a little something extra in your pumpkin pie give it a whirl. You'll love it. It's a thanksgiving staple at my house. :D

Ingredients:

1 9oz (extra servings) ready made Graham cracker crust

(You can also use two regular size 6oz crusts if don't find the "extra servings" crust or you can make yours from scratch...whatevs...I like to use the store bought...it's cheap and cheerful...less mess :D)

3 8oz packages of cream cheese (softened)

1 cup sugar (divided use)

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract (use real vanilla extract..not "imitation"...yes it makes a difference)

3 large eggs 1 cup canned pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie mix)

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
1. Make sure all your ingredients come to room temperature before mixing them.  This will prevent the filling from becoming lumpy. nobody

2. In a large bowl mix on medium speed with electric mixer the cream cheese, 3/4 cup of sugar, and the vanilla until well blended.

3. Add one egg at a time, mixing the batter in between each egg just until blended.

4. Once blended separate 1 and 1/2 cups batter and set aside in a small bowl.

5. Add to the remaining batter the canned pumpkin, 1/4 cup of sugar, and pumpkin pie spice and stir to combine ingredients.

6. Pour pumpkin mixture into crust(s) (if using two divide the batter equally among both)

7.Dollop cream cheese mixture on top of pumpkin batter in several places on pie.

8. To create the swirl effect you can use a toothpick or butter knife.  Drag the knife without disturbing the crust across the pie from left to right and right to left alternating with each line.

9. Bake for about 50-55 minutes (40-45 minutes for two regular size pies) at 325degrees Fahrenheit.  The center will be a little jiggly when you take it out of the oven.

10. Cool pie completely on a wire rack and then refrigerate for at least four hours but over night would be best. Serve with some Cool Whip ;) and enjoy your sweet creation. Happy Baking! :)

Here they are fresh out of the oven.  Ready for Thanksgiving :D

Phil Wickham Concert :)



Loved the lanterns and rugs on the stage...



A few weeks backs a couple of friends and I went to a Phil Wickham concert.  I had seen his brother Evan Wickham in concert before but I had never been to one of his.  I loved every minute of it.  I could hardly contain myself about being able to go see Phil Wickham live and worship God!  Phil was awesome.  It's so awesome to see how anointed he is.  Amazing.  The Lord moved so beautifully.  I love the feeling one gets when worshiping God.  There's nothing else like it; to experience that disconnect with the world and only have that direct connection with God...simply beautiful. He sang a good mix of songs from his older CD Cannons and his newer on Heaven & Earth.  I'll post up some of my favorite songs another time for you guys.  For now here are some pics of the night. Sorry for the blurryness...my camara was broken at the time so I could only take pics with my phone. God bless!

We had awesome seats :)

We took pictures "with" him...lol





Thumbs up!!

Thanks Phil you rocked!!!

Give God What's Right Not What's Left

Hi Guys! So I know I've been sort of slacking on blogging. I feel badly about that but I've realized something...I can't wait for the time to appear but I must MAKE the time.  There will always be things in the way that will seem "urgent" and/or "important" that will in essence distract me.

(Luke 9:23) Following the Lord is a daily responsibility which involves the subordination of my desires and will to His. For this is to take place effectively, we need daily time with Him, waiting at His thrown.

The Lord has really been speaking a lot to me lately and I feel as though I should share but I warn you this might seem random and all over the place...lol.

I'm always kind of scared to do that because...I guess in essence it shows my weakness..(and I really hate to be looked at as weak....not that I feel I should be or am "Super woman"..it's just a thing I have...I'm not entirely sure why)...but I've learned that in my weakness He is strong....
I really understand  now that now..In my weakness God's strength is made strong...wow.  It shows us how much greater and grander the Lord.  Once again the Lord showed me that for those who love Him...everything stems from Him and for his Glory....Think about that...everything.  The good and the "bad".  Nothing comes to pass in this life with out it passing by God first.  If it happens...good or bad...It's because He allowed it to.  To help us grow in our walk with Him, to draw us nearer...but most importantly of all it's for Him to be glorified.(Romans 8:28) But anyways..getting back to what I was saying...
I've been feeling lately like there is no time for anything.  In this race we call life (especially this day in age) it seems as though there are not enough hours in the day to do all that is needed, wanted, or expected of us.  Many times I've gone to bed feeling overstimulated and exhausted by life in general.  I would wait until the end of the day to "spend time" with God because that's the time I had "made".  But in analyzing it now; I wasn't really making that time with God.  I was actually giving him what was left of my day not what was right.  Many times I would fall asleep and wake up the following day feeling like I had cheated the Lord in someway because I couldn't even stay awake for ten minutes reading his word at night.  My day would be filled with getting "urgent" and/or "important" things done but never really feeling like I was accomplishing anything.  There was never enough time.  Always rushing, Always racing.  After a while I started to realize my neglect of spending quality time with God was effecting my state of mind.  In essence I was starting to starve spiritually and I was was dying inside.

In my realization of this I wanted to feel some relief from the craziness of life.  I realized I must decide what is truly essential in life and what is not.  I always use to use the excuse that "If I didn't have to work...I would "find" the time"...ha! Lies!! I know this because on days that I would stay home I would still fill my day with other "important" things like laundry or cleaning or whatever else needed to get done in the house.  This happened repeatedly.  So who was I fooling ? No one but me. Yes, they were necessary things or chores (in it of themselves)but were they imperative or urgent? Certainly not.  Our time In prayer, reading his word, fellowship, etc with God..above all else is important.  It's literary your water for life...your bread..your manna from God.  It will sustain you all the days of your life.

(Mathew 6:11) It shows our need of God's sustenance is daily as is also our need of prayer for God's supply.

So, here's what I learned...

Things that we see as urgent are not necessarily important.  Things that are important are not always urgent.

SELAH!  THINK ABOUT THAT!  PONDER ON THAT!

(Psalm 68:19) God is committed to our care, deliverance and direction (1 Peter 5:6-7) He is our burden bearer, but our need is to learn to take our burdens to the Lord daily.

Ask the Lord to prioritize your day.  Let Him lead you in all you do and you will start to see what "time stealer's/wasters" you've been paying way too much attention to and seemed "urgent" but in actuality weren't.  Remember that the enemy's entire game is to distract us as believers.
.

(Proverbs 8:34) In humble submission to His sovereign purpose; blessing is promised to those who listen but the listening that leads to blessing is a daily matter of waiting on the Lord as our master and Provider.


God Bless!! :)