Fruitful Words

6 Questions Google Answered Quite Well

susan2009 — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:07:32 +0000

“Lorna and I decided that what the Bible doesn’t cover, Google does.” I recently wrote this as my Twitter/Facebook status. Below are some things I’ve needed to know.

1. Is it okay for my dog to eat raisins? No. As few as 7 raisins can cause death!

2. What is a Dear Jane Quilt? It is a Civil War quilt designed, sewed and finished by Jane Stickle in 1863. It has 225 different blocks.

3. How to shorten URLs for Twitter. When I want to link to a blog. fan page, website or news article, I need to shorten the URL in order to fit it and my comment into Twitter’s 140 characters. I am currently using Metamark.

4. When does advent start in 2009? I am going to decorate the church before Advent and so needed to know when that is. If you want to help, call me. Advent starts Sunday, November 29. BTW – This week I will post an Advent Quiz.

5. Define debauchery. Why do I need/want to know what debauchery means? I’ve been memorizing Ephesians 5:18: “Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.”

It means: too much indulgence in pleasures usually considered immoral, especially sexual activity and excessive drinking.
Debauch means: 1. a. To corrupt morally.b. To lead away from excellence or virtue.2. To reduce the value, quality, or excellence of; debase. See Synonyms at corrupt.

6. Potato Soup. Cooler weather means time to eat soup. Only thing is, I usually cannot make a decent home-made soup. But there are a lot of easy and yummy sounding potato soup recipes out there. I am looking for one that is gluten-, dairy- and egg- free. I think I can modify this cream cheese potato soup recipe quite nicely. (Scroll to the bottom of the post.) I even found a cream cheese alternative (at Whole Foods) that is free from gluten, dairy, and egg. I’ll let you know how it tastes.

What have you Googled lately?

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One Caution When Using Online Cookbooks (WFMW) These days it is so much easier and faster to Google “pancake recipe for one,” “vanilla pudding recipe,” “perfect gravy,” or “What can I do with sweetened condensed milk, coconut and chocolate chips?“ It may be easier and faster, but the results are not always better

November 19 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

susan2009 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 01:27:58 +0000

Today I am grateful for beauty and the people who contribute to it. I love it when a bathroom is nicely decorated. It adds a homey feeling. The decor of a bathroom can add or detract to that overall homey feeling. The church bathroom is not exempt from this.

I had a lovely surprise when I walked into our women’s bathroom at church today. It had these lovely items! Now don’t you think these decorations add charm and warmth? Thank you Elaine for doing this!

I like to communicate in every medium at church. So I like that we have information that women need to know on the inside of the bathroom stall door. I love how Marsha always makes these infomercials look so inviting.

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts
Day 10 Photo: Changing the Woman in the Mirror
Day 11 Photo: Devoted Sisters
Day 12 Photo: Prayer Calmed Me 4 This
Day 13 Photo: Gratitude on the Internet
Day 14 Photo: Chip’s Sweater
Day 15 Photo: Stop
Day 16 Photo: Faithful Workers
Day 17 Photo: Necessary Books
Day 18 Photo: Friends & No-Knead Bread

Other Related Posts:

P.S. Ann Tatum is hosting 30 Days of Thanksgiving. She encourages us to daily share our gratitude. Click here and be sure to scroll to the bottom of the post and click on Mister Linky. Then you’ll be able to read other participants on this thankful journey.

November 18 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

susan2009 — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:29:46 +0000

I am grateful, again, for people in my CNC family. I had lunch today with this precious homeschooling mom and her 2 daughters. We had homemade split-pea & barley soup with homemade no-knead bread. It was fun sharing our stories and sharing our lunch together.

This bread really was tasty. I want to investigate this no-knead technique some more.

After you mix the ingredients together you put it in a big container and let it sit and rise, in the FRIDGE, for at least a couple of hours before using. What you don’t use you keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

What bread recipe have you used lately? Care to share a slice along with the recipe?

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts
Day 10 Photo: Changing the Woman in the Mirror
Day 11 Photo: Devoted Sisters
Day 12 Photo: Prayer Calmed Me 4 This
Day 13 Photo: Gratitude on the Internet
Day 14 Photo: Chip’s Sweater
Day 15 Photo: Stop
Day 16 Photo: Faithful Workers
Day 17 Photo: Necessary Books

Other Related Posts:

November 17 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

susan2009 — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:35:49 +0000

At times books have been more necessary than food, sleep, people, or recreation. They have provided wisdom, comfort, escape, excitement, new ideas, and even discomfort. They have helped define who I am.

I am grateful for books.

In our small apartment there is not enough room for 2 of my bookcases. The books needed to go somewhere. My daughter (who also loves books) suggested the top shelves of the HIGH kitchen cabinets.

I think these 2 pictures show the importance and place books have in our lives.

Your turn. Have books ever been more necessary than something? What do they mean to you?

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts
Day 10 Photo: Changing the Woman in the Mirror
Day 11 Photo: Devoted Sisters
Day 12 Photo: Prayer Calmed Me 4 This
Day 13 Photo: Gratitude on the Internet
Day 14 Photo: Chip’s Sweater
Day 15 Photo: Stop
Day 16 Photo: Faithful Workers

Other Related Posts:

November 16 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

susan2009 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 15:40:01 +0000

Today I am grateful for people who work at CNC. Without their faithful contribution, it would look a lot different around here. In the case of David this is literally true! So thanks, David, I am thankful for your work. I’ve noticed it and have benefitted by it.

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts
Day 10 Photo: Changing the Woman in the Mirror
Day 11 Photo: Devoted Sisters
Day 12 Photo: Prayer Calmed Me 4 This
Day 13 Photo: Gratitude on the Internet
Day 14 Photo: Chip’s Sweater
Day 15 Photo: Stop

Other Related Posts:

November 15 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

susan2009 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:00:02 +0000

Today’s gratitude word is STOP. I am grateful that I have Sunday after church as a time to stop my normal activities. I nap, read, journal, listen to music, & whatever else is refreshing to my mind, body, & soul.

Today I wrote an answer to a question a friend recently asked me: How do You Hear God? Go here to read my answer.

How did you “STOP” today? What activities refreshed you?

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts
Day 10 Photo: Changing the Woman in the Mirror
Day 11 Photo: Devoted Sisters
Day 12 Photo: Prayer Calmed Me 4 This
Day 13 Photo: Gratitude on the Internet
Day 14 Photo: Chip’s Sweater

Other Related Posts:

How to Hear God’s Voice

susan2009 — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 03:22:44 +0000

“Have you ever heard God’s voice? How do you know it’s Him who is answering your questions?” A friend recently asked me this.

How would you answer my friend? Below is my answer.

I’ve never heard an audible voice from God. Nor do I have special headphones to detect His voice. But I do hear from Him in several ways.

1. Intuition, a hunch, a small quiet feeling - it almost seems like it’s me. I.e. I couldn’t find papers I needed to do my taxes and I looked and looked to no avail. I finally calmed down enough to ask God for His help. Then I had this “intuition, a hunch, a small quiet feeling” and looked in a place I hadn’t looked before. There they were. I could have ignored that “voice,” but I didn’t. I’ve had enough of these kinds of experiences to know that the answer was from God and not me. I didn’t know the answer before I prayed.

Plus, the Apostle John says that we are God’s sheep and the sheep know their Master’s voice. I think this knowing get’s stronger with practice. In general, if the advice leads to peace, joy, unity, and godliness it is from God.

2. I ask God a question or for help and then I wait for His response. I get God’s response in one of four ways.

Through His Word – general reading. When I’m waiting for an answer I love reading God’s word. It’s like I’m on a treasure hunt. Sometimes the answer will pop right off the pages. Like it was just written for me today! As I keep a regular Bible reading schedule, the more often God will “talk” to me through this. As a minimum I read a psalm and a proverb a day. The proverb I read corresponds to the date.

I.e. I’ve been fretting a little about my future. I read Proverbs 16 and it tells me (in a nutshell) “Stop worrying. God’s got it under control.” Click here to read it for yourself. What did God “say” to you from this Proverb?

Through His Word – specific reading. When I need advice/help/guidance I look to see what the Bible has to say about it. A concordance comes in handy here. I also look over the highlighted portions of my Bible. It’s amazing how helpful this has been for me.
Through other people. The Bible talks about how wise it is to consult with others (who are wise) when I need direction or help. I talk with the pastors and elders from church. I also talk to a few people who know God and value/follow His priorities for their lives. I look for answers that are uniform from all these people. I look to see if their advice agrees with biblical principles. Finally, I listen to hear if my own “spirit” agrees. All these need to be consistent with each other.
Through circumstances. This is also called the open door or closed door answer. I.e. When I moved to CA in June 2002 I knew I needed to go back and finish my BA so that I could get a job that would support me. I prayed and asked God to show me which school. I made phone calls to various schools about counseling. Sac State was not taking any more students. The other 5 or 6 places I called didn’t return my call even though I left several messages. Then my sister said she heard an advert on the radio for William Jessup University and maybe I should call them. I did. The next day I went for a campus tour. By the end of the tour I was signed up and ready to start school in October in a Christian leadership/theology program. They didn’t have a counseling program (then).

God wants to communicate with/to you. As you seek Him, He will make Himself known to you.

Psalm 9:10: Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.
Proverbs 8:17: I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.
Lamentations 3:25
The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.

November 14 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

susan2009 — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:45:53 +0000

I’m grateful for the beauty of each moment. Too many times there is beauty around me that I do not acknowledge or even see.

Today’s moment is Chip’s sweater. The breeze and air at the beach were cool, bordering on cold. His sweater, although a girl color, kept most of him warm. It shrunk in the wash and so doesn’t cover his whole behind. But this is a good thing. That way he doesn’t get it ”wet” when going potty.

This video shows Joshua Bell, one of the greatest musicians in the world, playing in a Washington, DC Metro Station. As you watch and read the accompanying article, you’ll notice that way TOO MANY people failed to notice and be grateful for the beauty in their midst.

Lord, help me to slow down, savour and be grateful for the beauty surrounding me.

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts
Day 10 Photo: Changing the Woman in the Mirror
Day 11 Photo: Devoted Sisters
Day 12 Photo: Prayer Calmed Me 4 This
Day 13 Photo: Gratitude on the Internet

Other Related Posts:

November 13 – Photo of the Day = Gratitude

susan2009 — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 08:02:07 +0000

I am grateful for the internet. It has some helpful and inspirational information. Below are some sites I am grateful for.

13 Posts Geared Towards Gratefulness

10 Things To Be Grateful For And Why You Should Be by Annabel Candy at Get in the Hot Spot. Annabel also shares 3 things you can do to get into the gratitude habit. Buy a notebook to write your list in. Send yourself a gratitude email. Tell someone your list and ask what they are grateful for.
Brenda Arnall is recording the blessings in her life on a weekly basis. One newly designed scrapbook page each week features a new blessing. Click here to read a listing of her blessings.
365 Days of Gratitude Photoblog. The purpose of her photoblog is a reminder that “there is beauty in all the little things.” Click here to see a cool picture of a fly on a fly trap plant.
Writing thank you notes is an idea I like. Writing 365 thank yous in a year is an idea I really like. The author of Thankkfully Yours thinks “writing thank you notes will help [her] feel thankful.” Unfortunately she didn’t get past day two of documenting her progress. I included this blog because I think it’s a great idea. Maybe someone I know will start such a group project which I can join.
The website Attitude of Gratitude posts a picture, quote and a list of “gratitudes.” The pictures show a different point of view. These three homes here, here, and here are cool. Many of the posts contain wisdom from or experience with AA.
Peacorn, Popnuts, Soda Gum & Chewing Water is following along with the Ann Tatum’s 30 Days of Thanksgiving. I especially like this post. The photos and words are poetry.
Paula’s Place, another 30 Days of Thanksgiving participant, is thankful for fresh cranberries and shares her cranberry sauce recipe. This post is a speech by Roger J. Robicheau and is is meaningful to me. Makes me grateful for the military, America and God!
At Lynne’s Thoughts I read she is grateful for hearing. I concur. Noise bothers me. BUT there is so much sound to be grateful for . . . the beautiful sounds of laughter, the buzz of conversations, the wind blowing leaves, the ocean’s roar, Teddy’s happy growl, a room devoid of sound, and of course music! Lynne is also doing the 30 Days of Thanksgiving.
I am grateful for every post at Sweet Nothings. Each one is a visual delight and fun to read. She is another 30 Days of Thanksgiving poster.
This 30 Days of Thanksgiving poster is grateful for tea parties and has the photos to show it. I like tea parties, too. I wonder if I have time this month to have one with some special friends to show them my gratitude? Thanks to What’s He Up To Now for this gratitude idea.
Read this to see how being grateful can save you money.
Living in a state of gratitude will increase your happiness. Go here to read 7 ways gratitude impacts your life. Cultivating gratitude is like how a tumbleweed grows in the blustery wind.
Go to The Gratitude List to share your top 10 ”gratitudes” with the world. “Gratitude is appreciation for people, places, and things, as well as, for ideas, qualities, and feelings . . .” (Macarena Lovemore). Go to this site and post your top 10. The lists are broken down according to age group.

Previous Photos from November’s Photo-a Day.

Day 1 Photo: Christmas Tree with Broken, Tangled Lights
Day 2 Photo: Birthday Boy
Day 3 Photo: Mums at the Church Entrance
Day 4 Photo: Simple Technology
Day 5 Photo: Mystery Ice Cream Gift
Day 6 Photo: Rocking Godson
Day 7 Photo: Spontaneous Friends
Day 8 Photo: Children’s Influence
Day 9 Photo: Shoebox Gifts
Day 10 Photo: Changing the Woman in the Mirror
Day 11 Photo: Devoted Sisters
Day 12 Photo: Prayer Calmed Me 4 This

Other Related Posts:

I Help Because I am a Parent, Auntie & Missionary

susan2009 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 20:42:39 +0000

When I participate in Operation Christmas Child, I do so as a parent on behalf of the children in my life: my 2 adult kids and my 5 nieces. I fill a box because I’d hope someone would do the same if one of my children was in the same situation.

Each year I participate in Operation Christmas Child on behalf of a child in my life. Like one year, I donated 2 shoeboxes to a boy and girl the same ages as my children. Another year I made up boxes with my three nieces who attend CNC. As I fill a box, I pray for God’s help in picking the items. I also ask God to bless the child and bring joy and salvation to him or her.

One word that describes the situation of the children who receive these boxes is lack. Because of things like famine, drought, earthquakes and war these innocents lack adequate housing, healthcare, water, food, family support, toys, and school supplies. I can’t do anything about most of these lacks, but I can help by providing toys, school supplies and hygiene products.

So I join with others in Operation Christmas Child because I am a parent.

I also do so because I am a missionary. A missionary is a person who intentionally spreads a faith often accompanied by charitable work, usually in a foreign country. Operation Christmas Child fits that bill. They consider each person who fills a box as a missionary because our work of filling a box provides an opportunity for a child to learn that God is good and that salvation is available to them.

As you fill boxes with your children let them know that they too are missionaries.

Franklin Graham, founder of Operation Christmas Child, says one of the most important things we (missionaries) can do is to pray as we fill our boxes. Let’s ask God that the child who receives the box and discipleship material that Operation Christmas Child includes will lead the child to know God’s love and salvation.

These boxes go into remote locations and are delivered by dog sled, bicycles, donkeys, and camels. This gift of a shoe box opens the way for the gospel to be shared which leads to hope. These children who experience so much lack desperately need hope. Our boxes provide that hope.

Consider today how blessed you and your families are. I know that for some of us, filling a box is a sacrifice. Maybe some of us can get together to fill a box? But do consider what a huge impact that sacrifice will have in the life of a child who knows lack in so many areas.

Here’s my prayer.

Father, Thank you that Operation Christmas Child is one way we can bring joy, hope and salvation to children living in hard circumstances. Help us to discern what to put in the box and how much to spend.

Father, we ask that you would bring extra money our way so we can participate generously in this missionary opportunity. Thank you for the many blessings you have given us. Help us to give in response to those blessings. I ask that you would pour your love into our hearts so that they are captured by the fervor of spreading the gospel. Amen.

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