November 15, 2024

Cradle Me (Patsy’s Lullaby)

March 23, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Cradle me in midnight mercies
Fill me with Your day starlight
Adorn me with thanksgiving
Strengthen me with might
Guide me with Your holy kindness
Into yet another day
Lead me on to glory, Jesus
In Your everlasting way

Through valleys, through darkest night
You guard me, speed my enemy to flight
Be the lifter of my head in sorrow
Mend my broken heart today
and heal up my tomorrow

Pillow me with Your Presence
Comfort me in Your holy rest
Surround me with your angels’ songs
Sleep safe in Your shelter of my Father’s arms

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

~Lyrics by Patsy Clairmont / Melody and Arrangement by Mandisa and Ron Rawls~

Have you listened to this beautiful lullaby yet?  If not…please do; go ahead…we’ll wait right here for you.

So beautiful…so calming…just as a lullaby should do!  A lullaby, by definition, is a song which quiets; and in particular, quiets babies.  This song does just that for me!  And why?  For one, the tune—the melody—is written in such a way that it evokes peaceful feelings.  And the instruments that were chosen to play this peaceful tune…the cello, the piano, violins…all communicate to our sense of hearing in a gentle way.  Along with the instrument of Mandisa’s beautiful voice!  All of a God-inspired design. But mostly I think it is the words that are sung that communicate Truth that calms and settles our minds and hearts.  These are encouraging words, for sure, but not in a compelling or powerful manner. Rather, they encourage in a comforting way that causes one to feel safe and sheltered.

These words bring reminders to me of some of the phrases about sleep and peace that are written in the Book of Psalms.

In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You, Lord, alone
make me dwell in safety and confident trust.
Psalm 4:8

By day the Lord commands His steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.
Psalm 42:8

In the Scriptures, we are told time after time, of the ways in which God guards and protects and blesses us. I love the promises given to us in Psalm 91.  Here are just three of them:

Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place—the Most High, who is my Refuge—
No evil shall be allowed to befall you (1), no plague come near your tent (2).
For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways (3).
Psalms 91:9-11

God’s heart is to care for us now…while we still live in this ever-changing world, on this earth that is diminishing and daily being destroyed by the ways of man.  And He accomplishes this in ways that show us how perfectly He will care for us throughout eternity!  He wants us to be assured that He can be trusted to provide all we need…and that we, ourselves, cannot do this successfully on our own.

It is vain for you to rise up early, to retire late,
To eat the bread of painful labors;
for He gives to His beloved <blessings> even in his sleep.
Psalm 127:2

So learn of His promises, fill your heart and mind with the Truth , and meditate on God and His faithfulness to provide. Praise Him and thank Him and bless Him!

Because Your loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise You.
So will I bless You while I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.
My whole being shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness;
and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips
When I remember You upon my bed and meditate on You in the night watches.
For You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings will I rejoice.
Psalms 63:3-7

Perhaps tonight when you lay your head down, you will remember the words of this beautiful song, and will sing “Pillow me with Your Presence…comfort me in Your holy rest.”  May you “Sleep safe in the shelter of your Father’s arms.”  God bless you and keep you…and give you peace (Numbers 6:24-25).

 

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It Is Well – Matthew 5:4

March 22, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 5—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’   Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 
Matthew 5:4

~  Music and lyrics – Horatio Spafford / Performed by Selah  ~

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Compassion Hymn

March 18, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

There is an everlasting kindness
You lavished on us
When the Radiance of heaven Came to rescue the lost;
You called the sheep without a shepherd
To leave their distress
For your streams of forgiveness
And the shade of Your rest.

And with compassion for the hurting,
You reached out Your hand
As the lame ran to meet You
And the dead breathed again;
You saw behind the eyes of sorrow
And shared in our tears,
Heard the sigh of the weary,
Let the children draw near.

What boundless love, what fathomless grace
You have shown us, O God of compassion
Each day we live an offering of praise
As we show to the world Your compassion.

We stood beneath the cross of Calvary
And gazed on Your face
At the thorns of oppression
And the wounds of disgrace,
For surely You have borne our suffering
And carried our grief
As You pardoned the scoffer
And showed grace to the thief.

How beautiful the feet that carry
This gospel of peace
To the fields of injustice
And the valleys of need—
To be a voice of hope and healing,
To answer the cries
Of the hungry and helpless
With the mercy of Christ. 

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Written and Performed by Keith and Kristyn Getty, and Stuart Townend

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

When you hear the word, compassion, what does it make you think of?  Surely amongst the first things that spring to mind would be how very compassionate is our loving Heavenly Father.  The Scriptures tell us in many places about His compassion toward mankind.  In fact, as part of a word study in the Bible on this attribute of God’s nature—compassion—I found (literally) over 125 individual Scriptures that talk about God’s compassion…His being compassionate…His having compassion.

  • Compassion is a defining characteristic of Who Almighty God is!  For example, in this record (Nehemiah 9), God’s compassion is spoken of seven separate times.

But You are a God of forgiveness, gracious and compassionate,
Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness;
And You did not forsake them.
Nehemiah 9:17

Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes, our God is compassionate.
Psalm 116:5

The Lord is good to all; He has compassion on all He has made.
Psalm 145:9

Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you,
And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.
For the Lord is a God of justice;
How blessed are all those who long for Him.
Isaiah 30:18

But this I recall and therefore have I hope and expectation: It is because of the Lord’s mercy and loving-kindness that we are not consumed, because His [tender] compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great and abundant is Your stability and faithfulness. The Lord is my portion or share, says my living being (my inner self); therefore will I hope in Him and wait expectantly for Him. The Lord is good to those who wait hopefully and expectantly for Him, to those who seek Him. It is good that one should hope in and wait quietly for the salvation (the safety and ease) of the Lord.

Lamentations 3:21-26

  • And, to be assured, there is record after record after record in the Gospel accounts of Jesus and the loving compassion He had for those around Him.

Moved with compassion, Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him,
and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.”
Mark 1:41

And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her and said to her, “Do not weep.”
Luke 7:13

  • We, too, are to live the same.  As the words of this beautiful hymn express, “Each day we live an offering of praise as we show to the world Your compassion.”

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other,
just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians 4:32

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved,
compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience….
Colossians 3:12

Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic,
love one another, be compassionate and humble.
1 Peter 3:8

But if anyone has this world’s goods and sees his brother and fellow believer in need,
yet closes his heart of compassion against him,
how can the love of God live and remain in him?
1 John 3:17

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

May we each today reach out to those around us…loved ones, strangers, the untouchable, the harsh and critical, those who persecute us, who do not understand us, the hurting and the hurters…with this compassion that is ours to freely give by God’s grace.  May we be Christ’s love to them…and show them the love, grace, mercy, compassion, forgiveness given at the Cross.

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

Healthy St. Paddy’s Day Shakes

March 17, 2014 by

Sorry…breaking into our little series on spring veggies ‘cause I just have to share these healthy but-oh-so-yummy! green minty “shakes” with you!  It is tradition to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day in our family…heritage and all, y’know!  (Your name can’t be coleen ann brigit mcelroy hayden…and not recognize your Irish background!)

So, I have to admit to indulging <in the past!> in a Shamrock Shake from a certain fast food place…uh-huh…you know!  But we are working on having a healthier eating lifestyle now…by God’s grace!…and so I took a little peek ‘n see about the nutrition facts (from the manufacturer) for that minty shake of my past.  Can you say “Holy Saint Paddy!”  530 calories, 86 grams of carbs (of which 73 were sugar carbs, mostly corn syrup), and 15 grams of fat in a 16 ounce cup!

healthyshamrockshake

I think you will find this healthy but-oh-so-yummy version equally satisfying and delicious. I would love to hear from you!

Ingredients:
1 scoop protein powder
2 cups almond milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 packet of stevia sweetener
2 hefty tablespoons of vanilla greek yogurt
1 ripe avocado
2 handfuls of raw spinach
2 cut-up frozen bananas
4 or 5 ice cubes

Directions:

  • Start off with all the liquid ingredients, the protein powder and stevia; blend for 10-15 seconds.
  • Layer in the balance of the ingredients. Whirl away ‘til nicely blended!
  • This made more than enough for two big servings; the glasses pictured hold more than 14 ounces each.

** Certainly can be prepared in a standard blender, too. I would suggest doing it in two batches, however, using 1/2 of the ingredients at a time.

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

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What Grace Is Mine

March 16, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

What grace is mine that He who dwells in endless light
Called through the night to find my distant soul
And from His scars poured mercy that would plead for me
That I might live and in His name be known

So I will go wherever He is calling me
I lose my life to find my life in Him
I give my all to gain the hope that never dies
I bow my heart, take up my cross, and follow Him

What grace is mine to know His breath alive in me
Beneath His wings my wak’ned soul may soar
All fear can flee for death’s dark night is overcome
My Savior lives and reigns forevermore

So I will go…

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Traditional melody ‘Londonderry Air;  Arranged by Rob Mathes

Lyrics written and Performed by Mrs. Kristyn Getty

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

If you there was one all-important point that was the focus of Jesus’ teaching it would be salvation, don’t you agree?

Websters’ 1828 Dictionary defines salvation as this:
SALVA’TION, n. [L. salvo, to save.]

1. The act of saving; preservation from destruction, danger or great calamity.
2. Appropriately in theology, the redemption of man from the bondage of sin and liability to eternal death, and the conferring on him everlasting happiness. This is the great salvation.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
John 3:16

Jesus spoke over and over and over again (Matthew 10, Mark 8, Luke 9, Luke 17, John 12) to His disciples on this life-changing, life-giving, life-saving issue—of ‘losing one’s life’ for the benefit of actually saving it.  Perhaps He felt that ‘rubbing it in’ and repetition were needful for them.  Perhaps He just loved them so much that He wanted them to know of the vital importance of salvation.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone desires to be My disciple,
let him deny himself [disregard, lose sight of, and forget himself and his own interests]
and take up his cross and follow Me [cleave steadfastly to Me,
conform wholly to My example in living and, if need be, in dying, also].
For whoever is bent on saving his [temporal] life [his comfort and security here]
shall lose it [eternal life]; and whoever loses his life [his comfort and security here]
for My sake shall find it [life everlasting].
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life
[his blessed life in the kingdom of God]?
Or what would a man give as an exchange for his [blessed] life [in the kingdom of God]?
For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory (majesty, splendor) of His Father
with His angels, and then He will render account and reward every man
in accordance with what he has done.
Matthew 19:24-27 AMP

These words obviously sunk deep into the hearts of His chosen—the apostles who lived and served alongside Jesus.  Immediately prior to His leaving them to return to His Father, He told them,

…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.
Acts 1:8

And so they waited for the promise of the Father—the coming of the Holy Spirit.  Upon receiving ‘power’ they did witness…through the manifestation of speaking in tongues to believers gathered in Jerusalem from “every nation under heaven” (Acts 2:5).  In particular, Peter spoke boldly and confidently with much conviction and admonition to the crowds gathered there in Jerusalem.  Just as Jesus had done, Peter made it clear that salvation is required for eternal life…and that it is only available through Jesus Christ.

…Let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by Him this man is standing before you well.  This Jesus is the Stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.  And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.
Acts 4:10-12

And the Apostle Paul spoke the Gospel message of salvation often, and stridently, to seemingly everyone he encountered.  He admittedly recognized in his own life, the need to lose his life, take up his cross, and follow the Lord Jesus.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel,
because it is the power of God
that brings salvation to everyone who believes:
first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.
Romans 1:16

We, too, have been given this life-changing, life-giving, life-saving opportunity to do the same.  By God’s grace we have received the Gospel message of salvation; and, by His grace, we have believed it.  May we, too, sing our confession, ‘I bow my heart, take up my cross, and follow Him!’

So I will go wherever He is calling me…

  • Jesus has called us (His disciples) into a life of obedience and submission to Him

I lose my life to find my life in Him…

  • Our earthly life, in the end, has no value or worth; but eternal life—oh what worth!

I give my all to gain the hope that never dies…

  • …We might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul… (Hebrews 6:18-20)

I bow my heart, take up my cross, and follow Him  ♥ 

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Blessed Are They — Matthew 5:3

March 15, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

We have now entered the season of Lent.  For many Christians, Lent is taken as a time of preparation for the celebration of Easter where God miraculously redeemed mankind by resurrecting His Son from the dead. It is also a time to consider what Jesus said and did; and how we should be living in light of His Words.  ✞ ♥

During this season, here on the Seeking Him devotional blog, we have chosen to focus our devotionals on Jesus’ instructions and admonition communicated in Matthew chapter 6—the Beatitudes.  Jesus said, “Blessed are…” and He went on to give instruction as to how to be “blessed.”  To be ‘blessed’ is to ‘be happy, or to be envied.’  Truly for the Christian, we ARE blessed—oh, how very blessed we are!  Those who observe our lives should clearly be able to tell that we ARE blessed—and that we KNOW it! ✞ ♥

Please consider Jesus’ instructions along with us.  We pray that our words will encourage you and spur you on to be prepare your hearts for the joyous celebration of His Resurrection!  ✞ ♥

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. 
Matthew 5:3

~ Songwriter: David Haas / Accompanist: Jon Sarta / Vocalist: Janet Flores ~

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He Touched Me

March 13, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjvShackled by a heavy burden ‘neath a load of guilt and shame
Then the hand of Jesus touched me and now I am no longer the same

He touched me, oh! He touched me
And oh, the joy that floods my soul
Something happened and now I know
He touched me and made me whole

Since I met this blessed Savior
Since He cleansed and made me whole
I will never cease to praise Him
I’ll shout it while eternity rolls

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

)

Performed by Elvis Presley and The Jordanaires
Songwriters: Gaither, Youmans, Rose, Eliscu

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Can you even begin to imagine touching Jesus or being touched by Him?  Even now, my eyes well up with tears at the very thought!  “Oh! the joy…”  But here is the Truth: physically touched by or touching Jesus was never the determining factor of healing in any of the Gospel records.  What was needful was faith.  Listen to this record of faith:

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years
came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment;
For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health.
Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter!
Your faith has made you well.
And at once the woman was restored to health.
Matthew 9:20-22

This is such an inspiring account recorded in the Gospels. Picture this for a moment—a day or two in the life of our Lord: He had been teaching the crowds over on the other side of the Galilean Sea.  What He shared that day we know as the Sermon on the Mount.  (Great, incredible, life-changing truths He taught them!)  He came down the mountain, “and great crowds followed Him” (chapter 8, verse 1).  Amongst the people Jesus would encounter this day were folks who were waiting for Jesus’ “touch.”  They had faith that He would and could make them whole…physically, and mentally.

  • A leper (verses 2 and 3)

And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”
Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately his leprosy was cleansed.

  • A centurion (verses 5-13)

A centurion came to Him, imploring Him, and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.”
But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
And Jesus said to the centurion, “Go; it shall be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed that very moment.

  • Peter and his mother-in-law (verses 14 and 15)

And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever; He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and served Him.

  • His disciples (verses 24-26)

And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being covered with the waves; but Jesus Himself was asleep. And they came to Him and woke Him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing!”
He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

  • A paralytic man and his friends (chapter 9, verses 2-7)

And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.”
And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’?
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” And he got up and went home.

  • A synagogue official (verses 18 and 19)

While He was saying these things to them, a synagogue official came and bowed down before Him, and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay Your hand on her, and she will live.” Jesus got up and began to follow him, and so did His disciples.

  • But wait, on their way to the centurion’s home, an ailing woman (verses 20-22)

And behold, a woman who had suffered from a flow of blood for twelve years came up behind Him and touched the fringe of His garment; For she kept saying to herself, If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health. Jesus turned around and, seeing her, He said, Take courage, daughter! Your faith has made you well. And at once the woman was restored to health.

  • Back to the official and his daughter…(verses 23-25)

And when Jesus came to the ruler’s house and saw the flute players and the crowd making an uproar and din, He said, Go away; for the girl is not dead but sleeping. And they laughed and jeered at Him. But when the crowd had been ordered to go outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose.

  • Two blind men (verses 27-30)

As Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed Him, shouting loudly, Have pity and mercy on us, Son of David! When He reached the house and went in, the blind men came to Him, and Jesus said to them, Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him, Yes, Lord.
Then He touched their eyes, saying, According to your faith and trust and reliance [on the power invested in Me] be it done to you; And their eyes were opened.

  • A man unable to speak (verses 32-33)

Behold, a dumb man under the power of a demon was brought to Jesus. And when the demon was driven out, the dumb man spoke;

Each of these people had observed or heard of ‘this Jesus,’ and quite obviously had determined in their minds that they COULD and WOULD receive healing from him.  We know that the woman who suffered from hemorrhages kept encouraging herself by saying, “If I only touch His garment, I shall be restored to health.”  Note that she never voiced this; Jesus never heard her say this. He knew her heart and her need…and He knew her faith.  And when He turned to her, He told her that her “…faith has made you well.”

Jesus is the same today!  He is the same to us!  He knows our need.  He knows when we have faith.  He touches us with His grace, His blessings, His healing.  He touches us when we had given up hope!  He touched us when we were dead in our trespasses and sins.  He touched us when we were lost and in need of a Shepherd.  He touched us when we thought that we were so far gone that nothing and no one would ever want us!  He touched us…and made us whole!

It is just as the song goes, “He touched me…oh, He touched me! And oh! the joy that floods my soul!  Something happened, and now I know—He touched me and made me whole!”  Let’s shout it now…and, when He returns, we will be able to “shout it while Eternity rolls!”  Amen?

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

Garlicky Shrimp and Veggies with Red Quinoa

March 10, 2014 by

Here we are…getting closer and closer to Spring every day!  Today’s recipe continues to celebrate the return of Spring veggies!  In this veggie-licious dish, we have the first of the season (at least here in NY) sweet onions (I like to use the Vidalias).  Along with asparagus, carrots, tiny tomatoes, and sweet bell peppers.  This is a healthy but-oh-so-yummy dish to serve either on a weeknight (comes together rather quickly!) or to serve to guests.

Garlicky Shrimp and Spring Veggies with Red Quinoa

2014-03-09 19.19.19

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small sweet onion (Vidalia), halved and sliced 2014-03-09 18.43.48
1/2 red (or yellow or orange) Bell pepper, sliced
1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 pound asparagus, woody ends removed
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons minced garlic (I use jarred)
1+1/2 tablespoons freshly ground lemon pepper mix
1-2 tablespoons sea salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 small lemon, juiced
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:

  • In a small saucepan, stir chicken broth and quinoa. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; cover. Let simmer ‘til broth is absorbed about 20 minutes. When done, remove from heat; leave in pan ‘til ready to serve.
  • In a large saute pan, heat olive oil and add sliced onions and peppers. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • In the meantime, cut tips off asparagus; set aside. Cut remainder of asparagus stems into 1″ pieces.
  • Then add shredded carrots and cut-up asparagus stems (not tips) into saute pan. Continue to cook for 7-8 minutes ‘til crisp tender.
  • Remove to a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
  • Place tomatoes in saute pan (adding a small amount of olive oil IF needed), cut side down. Let cook for 3-4 minutes to soften.
  • Add in shrimp and asparagus tips. Cook for 4-5 minutes ‘til shrimp are beginning to turn pink. Flip over to cook on other side. Add chopped garlic and cook for just one more minute, stirring gently. Remove just the shrimp to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Pour white wine and lemon juice into saute pan and simmer for about 3-4 minutes. Stir well. Remove from heat.
  • Add back in sauteed shrimp and cooked veggies. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons grated Parm.

Serve on a large platter; pour out the quinoa and top with the shrimp/veggie mixture. Sprinkle with the rest of the Parm. Enjoy!

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

Filed Under: At Home w/ GCH Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Thy Word

March 9, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv
~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path

When I feel afraid, and think I’ve lost my way
Still, You’re there right beside me
Nothing will I fear as long as You are near
Please be near me to the end

I will not forget Your love for me, and yet,
My heart forever is wandering
Jesus by my guide, and hold me to Your side,
And I will love You to the end

Nothing will I fear
As long as you are near
Please be near me to the end.

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
…You’re the light unto my path

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Recently I have been going through a season of circumstances and situations which have been very stressful…which leads to temptation to worry and be anxious.  Truly God’s Word(s) have been a lamp and a light for me. Sometimes, we just are not sure what to do next (TRUE?).  We pray for wisdom and we ask for guidance.  God promises to give wisdom to those who ask (James 1:3) and we know that the Holy Spirit will lead and guide (John 16:13)…but, at times, we must wait.  And this is where the light of God’s Word has shone bright for me.

[What, what would have become of me] had I not believed
that I would see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living!
Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave
and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring.
Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.
Psalms 27:13-14

And as I wait, I know that I must be diligent to seek God and His Word!  By spending time reading the Scriptures and considering and meditating on them, I am keeping myself ‘in the light.’  For me, it is very much like the dreary, cloudy days of winter…it is wearying.  But then we are blessed with a bright, sunshine-y day! And I find myself drawn to the window, numerous times during the day, just standing there…face lifted into that gorgous life-giving sunlight…simply soaking it in!

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes
More to be desired are they than gold…yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey or the honeycomb
Psalms 19:8 and 10

God’s Word is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. To walk in the light, we must know the Scriptures, we must understand the Word, and we must do the Will of God. Then we must walk out in the light and refrain from walking where there is no light.

For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light;
And reproofs for discipline are the way of life
Proverbs 6:23

If we say we have fellowship with Him while we walk in darkness,
we lie and do not live according to the truth; but if we walk in the light,
as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another,
and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:6,7

And so, just like on those few and precious sunny days of winter, we move toward and step into the light. God’s Word is a lamp for our feet so that we don’t fall and can see the truth of the situations we are in. It dispels the darkness and it lights our path.  We then can follow along that path that He has prepared for us!  Going along step by step…knowing that He has promised and will supply!

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Give Thanks — Psalms 106:1-2

March 8, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Hallelujah!
Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good;
His faithful love endures forever.
Who can declare theLord’s mighty acts
or proclaim all the praise due Him?

Psalms 106:1-2 HCSB

 

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