The Most

This is a clip from a movie that is titled "The Most"

 I thought it was a good example of  the love that is spoken of in John 3:16.  Get the tissues ready! you're going to need them...it gets me every time.

"For God SO loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. " - John 3:16 &17

For more information on the movie click HERE

God Speaking

Musical Muse: God Speaking
By: Ronnie Freeman

I love this song! I had to post it after my last post..ha ha :) How true it is that God can use anything or anyone to speak to us. We need only to incline our ear and listen to what He's saying. God bless!

What's in a Name?...Lots and Lots Part Three: The Story


So...here she is.  The last and final chapter in this trilogy...lol.
Here are part ONE and TWO in case you need to get up to speed :)

I wanna start off by giving thanks to God. If it wasn't for Him who knows where I'd be. Thank You Jesus for who You are. For loving me when I was unlovable and continue to do so. I love you.

Sooo...once upon a time...nah just kidding...lol ;)

The term "God Given Cupcake" was originally coined by my cousin Lucy.  (You may remember her from my Rainbow Cake post.)  That was the name she gave to an experience that she and I had together a few years back. That makes her an eye witness to the event!...lol.


I want to buy this but I'm not sure if it's for sale...
This photo was taken by: Clare Judith Bowers
Check out her Etsy shop Here :)

The God Given Cupcake story is an example of the ''litte things" or reminders that the Lord gives to us in the midst of the chaos that surrounds us.

A friend of mine was throwing her daughter a "Spa Party" for her birthday.  She had invited my cousin and I to help her (along with a few of our friends) to be the "beauticians" for the little girls.  The party was exactly what one would imagine it to be.  A lot of make up, tiaras, glitter, nail polish and sugar...lol. Everything that matters to a little girl at that age ;) After all the girls were primped, pampered and all the rest; my friend decided it was time to pass out cupcakes.  By this time Lucy and I had been talking for a long time away from the rest of the group and did not realize that they started to pass out cupcakes.  When we finally realized that cupcakes were being passed out in the kitchen it was too late.  All the vanilla ones were gone. There were only chocolate cupcakes left.  (Now I know that doesn't sound like anything out of this world or you might be even saying "so what." In reality it's not a big deal but Lord knows I'm SUPER picky when it comes to chocolate cupcakes, so I usually don't eat store bought ones.  But if and when I do I always get vanilla.) Lucy and I were a little sad because we really wanted one but whatever.  We figured it wasn't meant to be and quickly got over it but we said "God, if only we could just one vanilla cupcake we could share it.  Just one." Everyone by now had come to the living room where we were at to eat their cupcakes.  We were just talking to everyone but something told us to get up and check the kitchen,  in case there happened to be one left.  We figured what the heck.  Let's give it a shot. We walked over to the kitchen in hopes of finding one and sure enough we did! Just one lonesome little vanilla cupcake; like we had asked!...lol.WE checked around and asked if it was anyones and everyone said it was not. It was just sitting there, waiting for us! :D We of course decided to share this God Given Cupcake, because after all... half of a cupcake was better then none at all. So just as Lucy was in the middle of cutting it.  I said "if only we could just get one more, that would really be awesome!" I said this as we were about to take the first bite of our halves.  As I am finishing my sentence my friend  walked over to us and handed us another vanilla cupcake!!...lol.  We started to laugh hysterically and just stand in awe of God because no one had heard us ask for the vanilla cupcakes but He did. 

My life at the time was very dark and even though I was at the party I was very sad about where my life was and how it was changing because my marriage was ending.  I didn't know how the future was going to be or how my life would turn out. But right then and there the Lord reminded me that He hears me. He reminded me of His promise that no matter what; I was not alone because He would always be there and never forsake me. So this is my little labor of love to give back because the Lord has been more than faithful in my life and hopefully through this I can remind someone else that God loves them like He reminded me.

There is no place to low for the Lord to save you from. So, open your heart and delight yourself in the Lord. Open your eyes to see when He sends you those little reminders when the going gets tough along the way that say "I am here and I love you"...even if it is just a little vanilla cupcake. Remember "It's the little things" ;)

Coconut Rum cake

I made this cake for my parents 15 year anniversary.  This is super easy peasy! I usually make regular rum cake but I've been into everything coconut lately...not really sure why...strange...lol. Anyhow, the idea for this cake came from the coconut juice in the red can (see the picture).  My mom and I love to drink it.  It is super yummy.  One day while I was drinking it; I got an idea.  I thought: what if I make a coconut flavored cake and then make a rum glaze with coconut water instead of plain water! I thought it was a pretty nifty idea.  I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who's done that but I think it turned out awesome ;0) I hope you give it a try! God bless!

Cake Ingredients

One Box of Coconut cake mix

Ingredients needed to bake cake

(See back of box)

Coconut flakes (Optional)

Glaze Ingredients
1 Cup of Sugar
Two cans of Coconut Juice (about 8oz each)
1/4 Cup of Rum


1) Bake the cake according to the directions on the back of the box.  You can bake it in whatever shape pan you'd like.  When making rum cake I like to use a bunt pan, just because I think it looks pretty.  Once you've mixed up all your cake ingredients and have popped it in the oven to bake; it's time to make the glaze. 



This is what your juice looks
like before it reduces down

 2) The glaze is very simple to make.  But you must be very careful while making it because sugar burns are very painful.  So the ration I use is 2:1.  For every two cups of water I use one cup of sugar.  The amounts on the ingredient list for the glaze are enough to make one batch of glaze.  It can be doubled very easily, as long as you remember to use the 2:1 ratio. 




It should look like this when
it's reduced by half, and 
the juice is more like the
consistency of syrup



3) To make the glaze just pop open the juice cans and pour into a deep quart size pan. (recycle the cans!) Then pour in your sugar and stir until it's dissolved.  It's very important for you to dissolve it so you don't end up with a grainy glaze.  Once it's nice and dissolved put the pan on the stove and bring it to a boil.  Watch it the whole time! Sugar heats up very quickly and burns extremely easily! As soon as it comes to a boil reduce the heat to medium low.  Let it simmer and do it's thang and reduce by half.  Once you knock back the heat you don't have to watch the pot the whole time but don't forget it! It can take up to twenty minutes for the mixture to reduce by half, sometimes less.  Just keep half an eye on it.  Once your mixture has reduced by half.  Turn off the heat and move the pot away from your stove onto a trivet or kitchen towel.  Carefully pour in the quarter cup of rum.  It will make a funny sound as the cool  rum makes contact with the hot glaze.  Don't get scared.  This sound is completely normal. :)

4) Once your cake comes out of the oven let it cool in the pan for a few minutes until it's cool enough to handle.  Once the cake has cooled; flip it over on to a plate or cake dish (whatever you're going to serve it from).  Now you need to poke the cake with a toothpick to make little holes for the glaze to saturate the cake.  Be gentle with it.  You should always treat cake like a lady ;)   Once you get your cake nice and holey; spoon the glaze over the cake until all the glaze has covered the cake. You can then use the coconut flakes to decorate the cake however you'd like. :) 

5) Now you can dig in and enjoy this baby warm or at room temperature; whichever you would prefer.  

Happy Baking! :D

YUM! YUM! YUM!

Bread For The Broken

Musical Muse: Bread For The Broken

 By Dominic Balli

In light of my last post about Samaritan's Purse I thought this song was appropriate.  Not only for that instance but for always.  I absolutely love it.  It's so moving. Enjoy! 

"Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do. There will always be some in the land who are poor. That is why I am commanding you to share freely with the poor and with other Israelites in need."- Deuteronomy 15: 10 & 11



Twenty million as they reach for hope

No one looks, no one cries
No one cares, so no one tries
I see children in the night

I met Dominic Balli at Flavor Fest 2010
10-10-10 :)

Chorus:

We need bread for the broken

Give some bread to the broken

We need hope for the hopeless

Give some hope to the hopeless, hopeless
Bread for the broken, broken

I see daughters in the fields
She sell her body for a dollar bill
No one looks, no one cries
No one cares, so no one tries
I see children in the night

Chorus
I cannot live my life daily knowing I am connected to you
So what am I to do
If I was in your shoes
I hope and pray that someone reach out to me and pull me from my blues
So won't you grab my hand baby, let me pull you to me
Let me see what I can do so you can be free
Let me grab your hand brother, let me help you now
Take this love from my heart and put this food in your mouth
And let me paint a picture of freedom
Let me paint the picture of healing
Let me paint the picture of humans through our loving and giving
We need bread