Fruitful Words

Recently a friend and I were talking about Jesus.

• Did we know Him? Really know Him?
• What difference would it make if we really knew Him?

Dr. Lockridge knew Him.

“Dr. Lockridge, a retired Baptist pastor was spotted in the audience at the beginning of a Baptist convention. The organiser of the convention asked him to come up to the stage, and open up in prayer. What followed was [this] stunning description of what God means to Dr. Lockridge.” (Found at Ignite.)

Some say the resulting prayer was almost 7 minutes long.What a prayer life Dr. Lockridge had because he knew more than who Jesus was. He knew Jesus.

Listen to this youtube rendition of the prayer.

Today, I was most encouraged by these descriptors . . .

• Well, my King is a King of knowledge.
• He’s the wellspring of wisdom.
• He’s the pathway of peace.
• He’s the captain of the conquerors.
• He’s the leader of the legislatures.
• He’s the overseer of the overcomers.
• He’s the governor of governors.
• He’s the King of kings and He’s the Lord of lords.

Listening and pondering such words helps me focus on my growing knowledge about and relationship with Christ.

In this time of political uncertainty and too many choices,I want and need to know the God of knowledge, wisdom and peace. I yearn to follow and to be led by the captain of the conquerors, the leader of the legislatures, the overseer of the overcomers, and the Lord of lords.

What encourages you from this prayer? What do you want/need to know about Jesus? Please share as I’d love to pray for you.

“Christian hospitality is a matter of obedience to God.”

(I will give the proper attribution once I find out who said that.)

What do you think?

This week I am cooking according to an unambitious menu plan: 3 dinner meals. Unambitious is better than “paring Fritos with chocolate pudding or having popcorn and canned corn for dinner.” Go to Menu Plan Monday for a wider variety of menus.

Monday: Chicken Tortilla Soup. See the middle of this post for the recipe. Truly yummy and easy!

Tuesday: Spaghetti sauce with chicken chunks over elbow macaroni.

Wednesday: Chicken Tortilla Soup.

Thursday: Ham fried rice (with lots of veggies) over chow mein crispy noodles.

Friday: Spaghetti sauce with chicken chunks over elbow macaroni.

Saturday: Ham fried rice over chow mein crispy noodles.

Sunday: Potluck at my hospitality group. I have pineapple and cherry pie filling, so I’ll be bringing dump cake. Click here and read comment #7 for the recipe.

What are your standard go-to meals?  

Hospitality Homework for last week was to invite someone over for a meal.

Tuesday night my guest showed up along with the torrential rain that has inundated northern California.

Problem - I thought our meal was for Thursday and I was in the midst of writing two papers due for Wednesday. One of the papers was on communication! Good thing my prof didn’t know that in reality I flunked that test.

Afterwards I thought about how I could’ve handled it better. My house was astrew with books, papers and projects. Not much food of the healthy kind was available. But I could’ve taken us to a nearby restaurant, since I needed to eat as well.

On Sunday we finally had a meal together: Chicken Tortilla Soup, oranges, Best Ever Muffins (which weren’t) and water. No salad because the fixings were yuck. Despite all this, we had a tasty meal and fun time.

My guest even asked for the soup recipe; which could be renamed as dump soup. So here it is as given to me by Lori.

Dump the following in a soup pan and heat until warm:

• 1 can (12.5 oz) chunk chicken breast
• 1 can (15 oz.) of black beans
• 1 can (15 oz.) of kernel corn
• 2 can s(15 oz. each) of chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups salsa

Serve over tortillas and top with shredded cheese, avocado slices, sour cream and olives.

If you have more time, money and a sensitive palate you could try this version that tastes like it came from Applebee’s. Truth be told, I prefer the one that tastes like it came from Lori’s.

What are some of your hospitality goofs? Favorite dump meals?

P.S. A good dump cake recipe is here. Read the 7th comment for the actual recipe.

Sunday nights I attend a hospitality group with (9-1 adults and scads of kids. This 4 week small group, led by John & Shula, will help us to understand and then to better implement hospiality in our own spheres of influence.

We start out with a potluck dinner and lots of talking.

• John then leads in a lecture/discussion on some aspect of hospitality.
• The evening progresses to dessert, coffee, and more talk.
• Sometimes we have homework assignments to fulfill during the week.
• When we get to the lecture/discussion portion of the evening, the kiddos and a babysitter go to another room and have some fun more suited to their ages.

I am attending this group for 4 reasons . . .

1.  To get me back into the entertaining/hospitality mode . . . .  In July of 2006 I felt like hospitality had taken a backseat far too long. Read here for more. Despite some valiant attempts (here, here and here) I didn’t get past the writing stage. John & Shula are great examples of showing hospitality. Nothing like learning this from the “masters.”
2. To eat a meal with people . . . .  As a single I eat most of my meals alone. The exceptions are my evening seminary classes and when my nieces/sista invite me over.
3. To get to know others better .. . . You can’t get to know others on Sunday mornings at church  - too much going on.
4. To observe group communication for a paper I have to write . . . . This observation has made me sensitive to what is working well in this group. And there is plenty.

Eventual Outcome of Group

The typical Dinners for 6 has been suggested. But an even better idea was suggested.

Form a Sunday hospitality group - Couples, singles and families would sign up (maybe once a quarter) to invite others to share the Sunday afternoon meal with them after Church. This could be at a restaurant, park or at the host’s home. Really the ideas are endless.

We are just at the beginning stages of brainstorming and it is exciting. It is also exciting to “work” with John, Shula and their kids in this hospitality experiment at CNC.

 What do you think? Any ideas? Suggestions? What’s worked at your church?

Diaper Diaries is in week 16 of her 1 Corinthians 7:5 Challenge.

It’s a series of “challenges” designed to help ladies stay aware of an area that is important to their husbands and their marriage.

Diaper Diaries writes, “Yes ladies, I’m talking about sex. Or more accurately, the sad lack of it that is going on in many marriages. When I told a friend I was going to be blogging about sex she responded, “But you have a Christian blog.” This is where we Christians are seriously missing the boat.”

Read more: “So here’s the deal. Every week, I will be posting a challenge on my website to encourage us wives to step it up to improve the sex in our marraiges.”

“It will be tasteful, it will be fun, it will be great for your marriage, it will be pleasing to God.”

So click here for the premise.  And here for week 1.

A good marriage takes work. That’s no surprise.

So it makes sense to enter into the marriage with a good base of communication and knowledge about each other. Premarital counseling can be done with a clergyman, another couple, or even with a good book.

Did you know that premarital counseling lasts about 5 years? Then it’s time for a booster shot.

So whether you are laying the foundation or needing a booster - below are some ideas for marriage books and websites.

Books

1. Ten Lessons to Transform Your Marriage: America’s Love Lab Experts Share Their Strategies for Strengthening Your Relationship by John M. Gottman, Julie Schwartz Gottman, and Joan Declaire (2007)

This author is recommended by one of my profs who has been a pastor for 10 years and a psychologist for 30 years. John Gottman and his colleagues have researched and come up with efficacious marriage–saving ideas.

2. Hope-Focused Marriage Counseling: A Guide to Brief Therapy by Everett L. Worthington (2005)

This author “attacks” marriage counseling from a different slant - hope. Instead of focusing on what’s wrong, the focus is on restoring hope in the marriage.

3. The DNA of Relationships for Couples by Dr. Greg Smalley & Dr. Robert S. Paul (2006)

This book explains how to break destructive relationship patterns. I especially like adopting the no-losers policy. This book might present its ideas in a way that will click with some couples.

Websites

4. http://www.troubledwith.com/

This website has “creative advice and practical solutions” for issues like abuse & addiction, life pressures, love & sex, parenting children & teens, relationships, and transitions.

5. http://www.family.org/

The Focus on the Family website has information in the form of books, articles and tapes on the following issues from a Christian perspective: Relationships and Marriage, Parenting, Faith, Entertainment, Life Challenges, and Social Issues.

6. http://www.familylife.com/

Articles, tips, and links on the following topics from a Christian perspective: marriage, parenting, singles and life issues.

7. http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/

Articles and books for areas regarding

life (headlines, viewpoints, entertainment, health and wellness, career and finance, online learning)

ministry (adults, students, women, pastor, and discipleship to name a few areas),

and family (marriage, parenting, homeschool, singles, senior adults, and women).

Are you overrun with oranges, mandarins, or grapefruit?

Want to take advantage of good supermarket deals on these fruit but don’t know how to store them?

Well, since today is Works-for-Me-Wednesday, I’ve got a tip for you.

Wrapping paper!

Yes, wrapping paper. For years my parents had a tree full of ripe oranges just after Christmas. Instead of throwing the used Christmas paper away, they would wrap the fruit in it.

Once wrapped, the fruit was put into a box and stored in the garage. The wrapping paper kept the fruit from moisture and kept them good for months.

I did a quick check on the internet and found that fruit wrapped like this can last from 2 weeks to 5 months. Ours lasted in the months category.

Knock knock.

Who’s there?

Orange.

Orange who?

Orange you glad I shared this tip?

Go on over to Rock’s–In-My-Dryer for more tips.

Go to your local Baskin Robbins with a friend and use this coupon.

Go soon because this offer expires on the 31st of this month . . . . . Which is January and only 9 days away.

Hat tip to Don’t Try This At Home.

Ok - so I’m procrastinating.

I should be writing a 4-6 page paper on proposition one - “Communication is involvemnet.” It’s really good stuff, but I want to play.

After all, I just finished writing a 6 page paper that list 20 books (ministry-related) I want to read in the next couple of years (and why). This is a useful list and I could have come up with more. The bad thing is that I bought several (truthfully about 6) books. Just when do I think I’ll have time to read them?

And I complied a list of 20 websites that I can use in ministry. This paper was supposed to take only about 5 hours. I easily spent double that.

 So, what books do you hope to read in the next couple of years and why? And what about websites - any useful ones you’d like to share?

There are many such websites out there, but I’d like to recommend: Weird and Surprisingly Good  written by Alanna. She’s a newbie to blogland as her start-up was this very January 3rd.

Alanna says, “I cook weird and often surprisingly good recipes because of my food allergies. I am a little restricted in what I can eat: no cow dairy, chicken eggs or gluten (which is in wheat).”

The recipe section on her blog (13 entries so far) runs from smoothies, to salad dressing to several yummy sounding meat dishes. The sweet potato soup also sounds delish.

Alanna has food tips like how to clean your blender -the easy way, a review on Odwalla brand bars and drinks, and a cookbook that supports the wheat-free, egg-free, dairy free lifestyle.

She also has a strong interest in braille.

So stop by Alanna’s place and give her a bloggy hello and leave a comment or two. I know I will frequent her blog.