November 12, 2024

Fruit Parfaits (to go!)

August 4, 2014 by

Here in our little village, we have a community park which fronts on the river which runs through the village.  Twice each week during the summer season, free concerts are held in the bandshell!  This week the Schenectady Pipe Band was scheduled to play!  Oh, I just love bagpipe&drums!!!  (How about you?)  So Robert asked if I would like to go…ummm, let me think…YES!

I thought that he would love it if I made some kind of sweet treat to bring along and enjoy out under the stars listening to stirring bagpipes!  Originally I was planning on making some cookies (his favs!) but we had an abundance of gorgeous berries this week. So then I got ready to make a berry crisp…all yummy warm berry sweetness with a healthy topping of cinnamon-y crunchiness!  But THEN I was talking with my daughter, kassia, about the trendiness of mason jars filled with salads, and suppers…and desserts! My mind was made up—Fruit and Cake Parfaits!

2014-07-31 18.51.46

These were super simple to put together.  I prepared all the components earlier in the day: an easy-peasy yellow sheet cake (gluten free, of course), a berry compote, and homemade whipped cream.  After supper, all that was needed was to layer it all up into mason jars, cap ‘em off, and put them into my picnic basket!  I hope you give these a try!  They would be a great dessert to bring along to a bbq, or picnic…or how about taking them to the drive-in?  Enjoy!

Fruit and Cake Parfaits…to go!

components:
mason (or Ball) canning jars2014-08-03 21.13.26
yellow cake or angel food cake
fresh fruit
whipped cream

note: quantities are at your discretion! For our parfaits, I used a ‘manly’ quart-size jar and a pint-size jar for me. I would suggest “wide mouth” jars, too (much easier to spoon out the yumminess!).

cake component:

  • I simply baked up a plain yellow cake (use a mix…go right ahead!)
  • when thoroughly cooled, cut up into small cubes

fruit component:2014-07-31 14.55.43

  • we had strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and cut up peaches
  • sprinkle sugar (I used coconut sugar) over the fruit and gently combine
  • proportions: 1 tablespoon sugar to 1 cup fruit (I used 3 cups of fruit)
  • set aside for a minimum of 30 minutes (or up to 2-3 hours) to allow the sugar to draw out the moisture from the fruit creating a syrup

whipped cream component:

  • please indulge and make your own whipped cream
  • I used a half-pint container of heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract, and 2 teaspoons of confectioners (10X) sugar

to assemble:
in this order—cake cubes, macerated fruit, whipped cream—fill up your jars; done!  oh…if taking along with you…don’t forget the spoons!!!  Enjoy!

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

 

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Be Exalted

August 3, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I stand in awe of who You are
You have overwhelmed my heart
once again
My all in all, my everything
With abandon I have come
to meet You here

Be exalted
Be exalted
In my life above all else
Be lifted up

My eyes have seen
Your majesty
Filled with wonder
Now my soul must sing

There is only one true God
Who is holy
You are holy 

 

 Singer / Songwriter: Ben Cantelon (along with Mia Fieldes, Jason Ingram)

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Throughout the Bible, there are many, many, many records of those who truly exalted God in their hearts and with their words of praise and through their actions!

A few who quickly come to my mind are,

  • Jesus
  • David
  • Esther
  • Moses
  • Job
  • Paul

But one example that I just love is Mary, the mother of our Lord.  Oh, what a heart she had!  She is a great standard for having the right type of heart and life. Mary was so very humble!  (Check out Luke 1:38.)  Her pure and praise-filled heart for her God is shown in many ways.  One illustration is found recorded in Luke chapter 1.  Upon hearing her cousin Elizabeth confirm what the Angel Gabriel had told to Mary, she was filled with praise! Listen to these words of hers…

And Mary said: “My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
And His mercy is upon generation after generation
Toward those who fear Him.
He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
Luke 1:46-50

And she continues in her praise to exalt her God, the Almighty One.  But what does it mean to ‘exalt’ God?  One reference I checked, defines exalt as

EXALT‘, v.t. egzolt’. Low L. exalto; ex and altus, high.

  1. To raise high; to elevate.
  2. To elevate in power, wealth, rank or dignity; as, to exalt one to a throne, to the chief magistracy, to a bishopric.
  3. To elevate with joy or confidence; as, to be exalted with success or victory. We now use elate.
  4. To raise with pride; to make undue pretensions to power, rank or estimation; to elevate too high or above others.
  5. To elevate in estimation and praise; to magnify; to praise; to extol.

We can see through these definitions and practical usages of the word exalt that clearly it is to ‘raise…elevate…magnify…praise…extol.’  And it is easy to see how and why our God is THE One to be exalted!  As Ben Cantelon sings, ‘You alone and no one else, be lifted up!’

The following psalm suggests another important perspective to exalt that includes our own bowing down.

The Lord is king!
Let the nations tremble!
He sits on His throne between the cherubim.
Let the whole earth quake!
The Lord sits in majesty in Jerusalem,
exalted above all the nations.
Let them praise Your great and awesome name.
Your name is holy!
Mighty King, lover of justice,
You have established fairness.
You have acted with justice
and righteousness throughout Israel.
Exalt the Lord our God!
Bow low before His feet, for He is holy!
Psalms 99:1-5

Notice in verse 5 the difference between the two exclamations made: “Exalt the LORD our God!” is given in comparison to “Bow low before His feet.”  In studying this verse and looking at the Hebrew words used, I read that the word translated as “bow low” is one of the basic Hebrew words for worship.  Literally it means “to bow low” or “to prostrate” oneself before and worshipping a sovereign, a king.

Wouldn’t you say this could apply to how we can exalt God, figuratively, by not only by raising our voices in praise to Him, but also by humbly bowing low before Him in worship.  Truly,  at times, we are literally bowing before God as a response to His incredible and awesome greatness!  This physical act can help our hearts to humbly bow before Him.  But whether we kneel or are prostrate on our faces before God or not, we can exalt Him within our hearts as we recognize and praise, “Be exalted…in my life above all else, be lifted up!”

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

May our prayer and our praise be to always exalt Almighty God whether we be standing with arms raised in praise, or singing joyfully out our praises, or kneeling humble before Him, or flat out before Him in submission to Him!

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My life makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble and afflicted hear and be glad.
O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
Psalms 34:1-3

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Be Exalted, O God

August 2, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples;
I will sing praises to You among the nations.
For Your mercy and loving-kindness are great, reaching to the heavens,
and Your truth and faithfulness to the clouds.
Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
let Your glory be over all the earth.
Psalms 57:9-11

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

As our Ann so succinctly laid out in the devotional she wrote earlier this week …

Why do we exalt Him?

  • He is a great God who created the heavens and the earth. His supremacy is beyond our imagination. He must be glorified.

Be exalted O God above the heavens and let your glory be over all the earth
Psalm 108:5

  • He is Holy.

Exalt the Lord our God and worship at His footstool, He is holy.
Psalm 99:5

  • He is my God in whom I trust. For He is faithful and loves us unconditionally.

You are my God and I will give thanks; You are my God and I will exalt You.
Psalm118:28

  • He has done great things. You know God has done so many great things in our lives. We are alive today because of His grace and mercy and favour, protection. He must be exalted for all this.

Lord, You are my God;
I will exalt You and praise Your name,
for in perfect faithfulness
You have done wonderful things,
things planned long ago.
Isaiah 25:1

  • He is a God of justice and covered with righteousness. And this righteousness it was imputed in us when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.

The Lord is exalted for He dwells on high, He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.
Isaiah 33:5

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

I pray that as you listen to the following song that your hearts will be drawn to rise up and praise and EXALT our Great God.

May He be exalted above all else in our lives!

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Encouragement Comes in Many Forms

August 1, 2014 by

encouragementbloggraphicromans15

This morning I’ve been meandering around FaceBook…noticing oh-so-very-many encouraging posts.  This—the encouragement—is a wonderful use of social media such as FaceBook, don’t you think?  Encouragement comes in MANY different forms; for example,

  • beautiful photographs of God’s gorgeous Creation that are shared
  • quotes that nurture our souls and motivate us to go and do
  • prayers that are offered to sisters in need
  • and (my favorites!) Scriptures that you post to remind another of God’s goodness, His grace and mercy, His faithfulness, and His love.

It is through the history depicted in the Scriptures that we come to know so much about our great God and His heart for all mankind.

For whatever was thus written in former days was written for our instruction, that by [our steadfast and patient] endurance and the encouragement [drawn] from the Scriptures we might hold fast to and cherish hope.
Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance (steadfastness) and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
That together you may [unanimously] with united hearts and one voice, praise and glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah).

Romans 15:4-6

Truly it is by and through the Scriptures that our hearts and minds are encouraged. In the Bible we read of God’s promises, we hear of the Hope of eternity spent with Him (and each other) in His Kingdom, we learn of our Father’s unconditional love. All intended to encourage us!

Here are definitions for the words encourage and encouragement from Webster’s 1828 dictionary:

ENCOUR’AGE, v. enkur’rage.

  • To give courage to; to give or increase confidence of success; to inspire with courage, spirit, or strength of mind; to embolden; to animate; to incite; to inspirit.

ENCOUR’AGED, pp.

  • Emboldened; inspirited; animated; incited.

ENCOUR’AGEMENT, n.

  • The act of giving courage, or confidence of success; incitement to action or to practice; incentive.

Each of us knows by experience…some more than others, it is true…that there are days when we simply feel that we don’t have the courage to endure. There are times when the stresses and pressures of this world cause our little hearts to cave and we doubt we can handle them. There are life situations that we struggle through worrying and being overwhelmed at times. These are all situations and circumstances in which we must find a way to seek the One Who has made us promises, the One Who is faithful, the One Who loves us unconditionally…the One Who desires to encourage each one of us!

There is SO MUCH that is good and joyful and righteous and blessed and a blessing  to think about!  When we set our thoughts on THESE things, we will be encouraged!

Finally, brothers,
whatever is true,
whatever is noble,
whatever is right,
whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely,
whatever is admirable—
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—
think about such things.
Philippians 4:8

It is our’s and our’s alone…a constant choice we have to work towards being encouraged!  We are not alone in this!  We have each other…we have the Scriptures…we have Jesus…we have the Holy Spirit…and we have God Almighty!  We CAN do this!  We can become encouraged and live with joy and rejoicing!  So…

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:4, 6and7

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *  

My prayer and desire for each of us:

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds…
but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:23-25

 

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Black Bean, Corn, Mango Salad w/ Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

July 28, 2014 by

Recently I made a happy little find at Trader Joe’s!  These Chile-Lime Chicken Burgers. They were nicely priced at $3.49 for a 16 ounce package of four burgers. They are made with all-natural ingredients, no preservatives…and are high in protein, low in fat. All which fit right in here with our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV! Do you have a Trader Joe’s near to you? If you haven’t shopped there yet, I would heartily encourage you to give them a try! We are always satisfied with our purchases at Trader Joe’s…and will pick up another package or two of these on our next shopping trip.

traderjoeslimechickenburgers

So, these made for a quick meal as they grilled up in approximately ten minutes. But, what to serve with them…this was my question. Hmmmmm….something quick, healthy, fresh…?  I googled ‘…lime, mango, salad…’ and was presented with quite a list and variety of choices. After reading a few recipes, I had a pretty good idea and a plan of action. We were quite satisfied with the burgers and this Black Bean, Corn, and Mango salad with Honey-Lime Vinaigrette to accompany the burgers. This makes quite a large bowlful (I’d venture to say 9-10 cups or so). So consider making this as a side dish to bring along to a BBQ this summer. Enjoy!

Black Bean, Corn and Mango Salad w/ Honey-Lime Vinaigrette

2014-07-23 20.23.00
ingredients :
salad:
2 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can small white beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 small sweet onion, sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large mango, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

vinaigrette:
2 small (or 1 large) limes
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup mango (or orange) juice
1/3 cup olive oil
sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
sprinkle of ground red pepper (optional)

garnish:
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves (optional)
zest from the limes

Directions:

  • in a large mixing bowl, combine veggies, beans, and mango
  • zest the limes (putting the zest aside ‘til the end), and squeeze all the juice from the limes
  • combine lime juice, honey, balsamic, and mango juice using a blender, food processor, or simply whisk by hand
  • slowly pour in the olive oil in a slow steady stream ‘til it is fully incorporated with the liquids
  • season the vinaigrette to taste with salt and pepper (and the red pepper, if using)
  • pour the majority of the vinaigrette over the salad, and stir thoroughly but gently to combine (adding more of the vinaigrette, if necessary)
  • allow to set at room temperature for 20-30 minutes to combine flavors (or place in refrigerator ‘til ready to serve)
  • when ready to serve, garnish with the lime zest and basil strips

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Lime Shrimp Quesadillas

July 21, 2014 by

So…I’ve told you before about my husband’s new-found love for Tex-Mex foods. The other day he specifically asked me to make quesadillas. “Why, sure I will!”  😉 But I was a bit stymied how to ‘lighten them up’ from being cheese bombs in our tummies…AND fit them here into our healthy but oh-so-yummy POV.  But then I realized it was simple: ease up on the cheese, and add lots of veggies!  That was easy!

Oh, there’s just one not-so-easy step—the flipping!  Here’s what I did…but if you have a better method…bring it on!  (Please!)  When the bottom tortilla has browned off just a bit (3 minutes or so), slide it carefully out of the pan onto a dinner plate. Then, invert ANOTHER dinner plate on top, hold them together now, flip over, remove the top plate and slide the tortilla back into the pan with the browned side facing up now!  If I can do it, then I have no doubt that you, too, can do it!  Enjoy!

2014-07-20 19.09.42

Lime Shrimp Quesadillas

(makes 2 or 3 finished quesadillas; serves 2-3)

Shrimp
ingredients:
12 oz medium to large raw shrimp

lime marinade:2014-07-20 18.45.29
zest of 1/2 large lime
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
juice of 1/2 large lime
2 teaspoons minced garlic (I use jarred)

directions:

  •  in a medium glass bowl, whisk together marinade ingredients
  • add peeled shrimp; set aside for 15 minutes
  • thread onto 2-3 wooden skewers
  • grill over indirect heat for 2-3 minutes per side; don’t overcook!
  • remove from skewers; set aside

Veggies
ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 sweet onion, sliced into halfmoons
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder

directions:

  • saute veggies in olive oil over medium high heat for 7-8 minutes, allowing to brown just a bit
  • remove from heat; set aside

Assembly
12 oz +/- monterey jack cheese, shredded (or similar)
4-6 flour tortillas (I used gluten free)
1 tablespoon butter
directions:

  • in a large nonstick saute pan, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter over low heat; raise temp to medium-high when prepared to start cooking2014-07-20 18.51.06
  • place 1 tortilla shell in bottom of pan
  • layer 2-3 oz shredded cheese, some of the sauteed veggies and some of the shrimp (the amount you use will depend on whether you are making 2 or 3 completed quesadillas)
  • top with a second tortilla shell; pressing down so everything will begin to adhere together
  • allow bottom tortilla to slightly brown; then flip so other side can brown also
  • slide out onto a plate, cut into quarters
  • (if making more than 2 or 3, keep warm in oven)

serve with guacamole, sour cream, mango dipping sauce, salsa…or ? (I would love to hear your ideas, please!)

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

 

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Be Still My Soul (I Rest In You)

July 20, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Be still, my soul; the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul; thy best, thy heavenly, Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul; thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence, let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul; the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

in You i rest
in You i found my hope
in You i trust You never let me go
i place my life within Your hands alone
be still my soul

Be still, my soul; the hour is hastening on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul; when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Lyrics by Katharina von Schlegel, translated by Jane Borthwick
Set to the tune, Finlandia, by Jean Julius Sibelius
Additional Chorus by Kari Jobe & Jason Ingram

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

<sigh!>  How many times have I encouraged…commanded even…my own heart to simply ‘be still.’  (Or perhaps more honestly: “BE STILL!!!!!”)  How about you?  I know that some of you are going through difficult times. There is doubt and uncertainty in your hearts.  There is turmoil and strife in your homes.  There is worry and fear.  There is unrest in the politics of this world.  There are many, many unanswered questions.

Here are a few passages that I call to mind (and heart!) when the struggle to be still is most difficult.  They help me to renew my mind and come back into His Presence.

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.
Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls.
For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.
Matthew 11:28-30

Rest in God alone, my soul, for my hope comes from Him.
He alone is my Rock and my Salvation, my Stronghold; I will not be shaken.
My salvation and glory depend on God, my Strong Rock. My Refuge is in God.
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts before Him.
God is our Refuge. Selah
Psalms 62:5-8

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You,
because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You.
So trust in the Lord (commit yourself to Him, lean on Him, hope confidently in Him) forever;
for the Lord God is an everlasting Rock.
Isaiah 62:3 and 4

But I trust in You, Lord; I say, “You are my God.”
The course of my life is in Your power;
deliver me from the power of my enemies
and from my persecutors.
Show Your favor to Your servant;
save me by Your faithful love.
Psalms 31:14-16

I love this old hymn! Both the lyrics as well as the tune always lead me into His Presence and acknowledging that He IS on my side…and He DOES guide the future and the past…and the hour is coming when we WILL be forever with Him!  Take these promises made to God’s man, Jeremiah, and claim them as yours….

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,
plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will hear you.
You will seek Me and find Me, when you seek Me with all your heart.
I will be found by you, declares the Lord….
Jeremiah 29:11-14

Sing along with me, friends!  Let us choose to be still before our God recognizing all that He has promised to do when we are in humble submission and in quiet rest at His throne.

in You i rest
in You i found my hope
in You i trust, You never let me go
i place my life within Your hands alone
be still my soul

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Psalms 119:1-5

July 18, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
who walk in the law of the Lord!
Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,
who seek Him with their whole heart,
who also do no wrong,
but walk in His ways!
You have commanded Your precepts
to be kept diligently.
Oh that my ways may be steadfast
in keeping Your statutes!
Psalms 119:1-5

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

One Thing

Written by Charlie Hall/ Performed by Jared Jensen

Single-minded, wholehearted, one thing I ask
Single-minded, wholehearted, one thing I ask

That I may gaze upon Your beauty, Oh, Lord
That I may seek Your Holy Face
That I may know You in an intimate way
And follow after You all of my days

All of life comes down to just one thing
and that’s to know You, oh Jesus, and make You known

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Peach Salsa

July 14, 2014 by

2014-07-13 21.33.27Oh…does that not say ‘summer!!!’ to you? Yes, to me, too! Here in the NorthEast, we are smackdab in the middle of the peach harvest…and they are so good! There are so very many sweet things that you can do with peaches; oh let me count the ways: pies, cobblers, crisps, crumbles, muffins, jam, ice cream, sorbet, pancakes, smoothies, popsicles, teas, sangria….  I’d love to hear of your favorite way to eat a peach!

But I do love using peaches in savory foods, too!  Now perhaps there aren’t quite as many options…but equally yummy! How about used as a glaze for chicken? Or chopped fine and added to ground chicken for meatballs? Peaches are FABulous added to the grill when you have fish or chicken going! Try simply topping them with a drizzle of really good balsamic vinegar and some goat cheese; oh yeah!

This week, however, I have a REALLY simple recipe for Peach Salsa. Great served with grilled salmon, or chicken breast, or shrimp kabobs!  This recipe comes together so quickly I did it twice this week…once with a ginger sweet flavor and once with a sort-of-spicy tomatillo salsa mixed in. Equally delicious!

2014-07-13 21.58.44

Peach Salsa (Two Ways)

Gingery Peach Salsa
ingredients:
2 large ripe, yet firm, peaches2014-07-13 21.54.56
handful of yellow and red grape tomatoes
1 tablespoon ginger preserves
2 tablespoons red onion, cut into a small dice
zest and juice of 1/2 of a lime
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

directions:

  • combine ginger preserves and lime juice and zest; mix together
  • remove pit, and cut peaches into bite-size pieces; add to ginger-lime mixture
  • slice grape tomatoes in half; also add these
  • season well; and combine together
  • put to the side for a few minutes and then taste for additional seasoning
  • set aside and let flavors come together while the meat/fish is being cooked

Spicy Peach Salsa
ingredients:
2 large ripe, yet firm, peaches
handful of yellow and red grape tomatoes
2 (or more) tablespoons tomatillo salsa (salsa verde)
2 tablespoons small dice red onion
zest and juice of 1/2 of a lime
sea salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
directions:

  • combine tomatillo salsa and lime juice and zest; mix together
  • remove pit, and cut peaches into bite-size pieces; add to tomatillo mixture
  • slice grape tomatoes in half; also add these
  • season well; and combine together
  • put to the side for a few minutes and then taste for additional seasoning
  • set aside and let flavors come together while the meat/fish is being cooked

(Here are some facts about the nutrition associated with peaches; good stuff! )

♥   ♥   ♥   ♥   ♥

God loves you!  ♥  (Please don’t ever forget that!)

♥  coleen

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Waiting Here For You

July 13, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

If faith can move the mountains
Let the mountains move
We come with expectation
Waiting here for you, I’m waiting here for you

You’re the Lord of all creation
And still You know my heart
The Author of Salvation
You’ve loved us from the start

Waiting here for You
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it’s You we adore
Singing Alleluia

You are everything You’ve promised
Your faithfulness is true
And we’re desperate for Your presence
All we need is You

Waiting here for You
With our hands lifted high in praise
And it’s You we adore
Singing Alleluia
Singing Alleluia

Songwriters: Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves, Martin Smith

Performed by Martin Smith and Jesus Culture

 *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   * 

This song sings of the proper heart-attitude of one who is waiting in expectation of God’s blessing. It sings of quiet confidence in the Creator of the heavens and the earth…and His not being so big to not know the depths of each of our hearts. It tells of desperately needing yet expectantly waiting for God. It speaks the praises of one who is convinced that God is present and faithful and loving.

As I’ve been listening again (and again) to this song, I’ve thought of some folks I know who are currently praying and waiting. Their desires and expectations run quite the gamut as they wait…

  • as a loved one is dying, and expecting God to give them relief and comfort
  • for God’s provision in the area of their finances
  • for God’s blessing and healing of division in their marriage
  • for the safety and return of a loved one serving in the military overseas
  • to see God provide reconciliation amongst family members
  • on God’s timing to move their family cross-country
  • for miraculous healing from cancer
  • for the birth of their first child

Their needs are varied and their needs are great.  These are not small, inconsequential matters.  Yet each one is waiting expectantly and remain convinced that God will provide. Their hope is in Him.

My soul, wait only upon God and silently submit to Him;
for my hope and expectation are from Him.
He only is my Rock and my Salvation;
He is my Defense and my Fortress, I shall not be moved.
With God rests my salvation and my glory;
He is my Rock of unyielding strength and impenetrable hardness, and my refuge is in God!
Trust in, lean on, rely on, and have confidence in Him at all times, you people;
Pour out your hearts before Him.
God is a refuge for us (a fortress and a high tower). Selah
Psalms 62:5-8

And we wait also for the <soon> return of our Lord to the earth to gather the saints.  This is a constant yearning expectation of ours!  Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

…So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time,
not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Hebrews 9:28

Perhaps, there is something that you are waiting for God to do in your life. Just as Jesus will faithfully fulfil His promise to return to the Earth, He will also fulfill His promises for your life. We always base our expectations and our hope on the Truth—God’s Holy Word. God will bring every promise He has ever made to pass. He is faithful.

Yes, in the path of Your judgments, O Lord, we wait [expectantly] for You;
our heartfelt desire is for Your name and for the remembrance of You.
Isaiah 26:8

Just as Isaiah encouraged the people of Israel, so the same Truth applies to our hearts as we endeavor to faithfully walk as we wait on the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Isaiah 40:28-31 says,

Do you not know?  Have you not heard?  The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding no one can fathom.  He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.  Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

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I pray for you that you will have courage and strength as you wait upon the Lord for deliverance and for Him to fulfil His plans and purpose for your life.  No matter where you are today in your waiting for the Lord…if you have been waiting one day or one year…I pray you are filled with expectation!  No matter how large and life-changing your need might be, or perhaps it is very small and intimate—known only to you and your heavenly Father, I pray that You are filled with expectation.  I pray that your expectation is focused solely on the goodness, the grace, the mercy, the lovingkindness of the Great I AM.  I pray that you sing HalleluJAH in worship-filled praise today as you wait…and that you will sing HALLELUJAH! when your expectation is fulfilled by His love and grace.

Filed Under: Psalms Hymns and Spiritual Songs Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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