May 5, 2026

Zucchini Lasagna

September 6, 2013 by

Zucchini Lasagna Resize

 

This recipe came about, as many do, in my house:  I start with an ingredient and brainstorm what in the world I’m going to do with it.  I had a bag of summer squash from the farmer’s market – it was so inexpensive, I couldn’t pass it up.  But aside from making zucchini bread, I couldn’t think of how to use it.  That was when I stumbled upon a recipe for Homemade Ricotta, and it came to me:  Zucchini Lasagna!

The zucchini stands in for traditional noodles in this recipe, so if you are following a low-carb diet, or if you are avoiding gluten, you’re in luck!  If you are making ricotta, drain and squeeze it to keep any extra liquid out of the casserole.  Nobody likes a soggy lasagna!  Feel free to saute and add other veggies or herbs to the lasagna, too – baby spinach, bell peppers, black olives, or fresh basil would all be lovely!

This is a small casserole, so we ate it with a big salad for dinner.  You can easily double or quadruple this recipe to serve more people.  Hope you like it!

Zucchini Lasagna

Ingredients:

  • 1 or 2 zucchinis or other summer squash, about 3/4 pound
  • cooking spray
  • 1/2 pound sausage
  • 1/2 small onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 can diced tomatoes, drained (I used fire-roasted canned tomatoes)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian herbs, or oregano
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 cup Homemade Ricotta, or store-bought
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400*F.  Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.  Chop the zucchini into thin coins – about 1/8″-thick.  Lay out on the baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes.  They don’t need to be cooked through at all – you just want to dry them out a little bit.  Remember, no one likes a soggy lasagna!
  2. While the zucchini is drying out, dice the onion, and mince the clove of garlic.  In a large pan, brown the sausage with the onion and garlic.  Drain any fat that accumulates.  Add in the drained tomatoes, oregano, and salt and pepper, and heat through.
  3. In a casserole dish, spray a little cooking spray so nothing sticks.  Layer half the zucchini slices to cover the bottom of the casserole dish.  Spread half the ricotta over the zucchini, then spread half the sausage mixture over the ricotta.  Repeat with the rest of the zucchini, then ricotta, then sausage.  Cover with the shredded mozzarella.
  4. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove lid and bake for another ten minutes, until the cheese is golden and melty.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana

To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

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

Glorious Living w/ Coach Megan: Surrender

September 6, 2013 by

GL header

Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him.

Psalm 37:7

Surrender isn’t a very popular word in our culture.  Even the first few definitions in the dictionary have some rather negative connotations related to that word.

  • “To declare to an opponent that he or she has won so that fighting or conflict can cease.”
  • “To relinquish possession or control of something because of coercion or force.”
  •  “To yield to a strong emotion, influence or temptation.”
  • “An act of declaring defeat at the hands of the opponent.”

God asks us to surrender our lives and everything we have to Him, but you will never see Him using coercion or force to get us to do so.  God asks, but our response is our choice.  It also doesn’t have anything to do with declaring defeat at the hand of an opponent because as God is always for us, He is NOT our opponent and surrender to God always leads to victory, not defeat.

Surrendering your life means:

  • Following God’s lead without knowing where He’s sending you
  • Waiting for God’s timing without knowing when it will come
  • Expecting a miracle without knowing how God will provide
  • Trusting God’s purpose without understanding the circumstances

Yikes…. Those are some pretty big statements but the good news is that they are ALL possible to proclaim with Christ living and breathing in us.  No, we could never fully surrender on our own with all of our flesh getting in the way; but with God in us, all things are possible…. We merely need to just get out of His way!

With that being said, I think it is also important to note that while it is impossible to only be half surrendered {sort of like you can’t really be half pregnant…}, we must constantly be striving toward full and complete surrender to the will of God.  It IS possible to live a surrendered life and you will know you are there when you rely on God to work things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation.  You let go and let God work.  You don’t have to always be in charge.  Instead of trying harder, you trust more.

You also know you’re surrendered when you don’t react to criticism and rush to defend yourself.

Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships. You are not self-serving, you don’t edge others out, and you don’t demand your rights.

Jesus is the supreme example of self-surrender.  The night before His crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God’s plan.  He prayed, “Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me.  Yet I want your will, not mine” (Mark 14:36).  Jesus surrendered Himself to God’s will.  He prayed, “God, if it is in Your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills Your purpose, that’s what I want, too.”

What does this look like for us?  Genuine surrender says, “Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill Your purpose and glory in my life or in another’s life, please don’t take it away!”  This level of maturity certainly doesn’t come easy. In Jesus’ case, He agonized so much over God’s plan that He sweated drops of blood.  Surrender is hard work.  In our case, it requires intense warfare against our self-centered nature…but it IS possible!

But HOW do I surrender to God, especially when the pull of the world is so strong in my being? Remember that your entire life is run by your thoughts.  Your thoughts are either submitted to satan and the things of this earth, or submitted to God and centered on heavenly things.  When you are in distress about anything, that distress takes place in your mind…in your thoughts. Distressful thoughts are not heavenly thoughts but rather they are thoughts about things on this earth.

Colossians 3:2

“Set your mind on things above, not on the things that are on this earth.”

Philippians 4:6-8

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 shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, whatever is excellent, worthy of praise let your mind dwell on these things.

Whatever is on your mind and in your heart that causes you distress, just say to God:

“I surrender this to You.  Of myself, I can do nothing.  If anything is going to be done about this matter, you will have to do it.”

This process breaks satan’s power over your thought pattern that has held you in bondage to the problem.  To get started in the process of overcoming your difficulty, be SPECIFIC about what I would really like to overcome: {fear, anxiety, relationship difficulties, rage, eating disorders, depression, bad temper, anger, procrastination, job stress, pride, marital strife, drug addiction, smoking, fantasy addiction, etc.}  Now mentally take that situation and put it into the palm of your hands.  Just cup your hands in front of you and imagine that your situation is sitting in your hands.  Now take your cupped hands, lift your situation up and mentally put it into the outstretched hands of your Heavenly Father and pray:

“Our Dear Heavenly Father, I lift this situation up into the palm of Your hands.  I ask You to put a shield of protection around it that no evil can penetrate.  I put this matter solidly in Your hands, and I ask you to take care of it.  Thank You, Father, for taking care of this matter.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.”

(Did you ACTUALLY take the step of putting the situation in the palm of your hands, and then ACTUALLY lift up your hands, and put the situation into the outstretched hands of Jesus?  If not, please take the time RIGHT NOW to take that LIFE-CHANGING step of action.)

God tells us in Psalm 55:22:

“Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you.  He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.”

If this is something you have been dealing with for weeks or months and have not been able to resolve it yourself, then you should feel comfortable with putting it into the hands of your Heavenly Father and leaving it there, giving Him the opportunity to take care of it.

Blessings,

Coach Megan 🙂
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“Esther” – Chapter 1:16-19

September 5, 2013 by

Week1_IfWeDontSubmit_ClellaFox

The party is over! The king is angry, the court officials are appalled, and the queen is realizing that she made a big mistake!

King Xerxes in his anger and frustration turned to his court advisors to figure out what to do considering Queen Vashti’s disobedience. Memucan, one of the advisors, might have stood up and said, “Good king, ‘no man/woman is an island!’ What the queen did affected not just you but your whole kingdom!”

It is true for us as well. What we do or don’t do has an effect on others around us. The Word exhorts us in Romans 13:5, that “everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities….” And in Hebrews 13:17 it says, “Obey your leaders and submit to their authority.” We are also told in I Timothy 4:12 to “set an example for the believers…” and in I Thessalonians 1:7-8 [to be] ”a model to all the believers….”

If we don’t submit to our authorities, why should we expect others to submit? A simple example would be obeying the speed limits. To obey them is to submit to the Transportation Authority that has set those limits for our safety. If we don’t submit to that authority and don’t obey the limits, why should we expect our youth when they start driving to submit to and obey the limits? Others are watching our example and are likely to follow us–even possibly to a greater extent.

Remember the saying, “Actions speak louder than words?” Well, these are the things that Memucan was so concerned about when he said,

For this deed of the queen shall become known to all women, and so shall they despise their husbands…There will be no end of disrespect and discord. (verse 17)

He was greatly concerned that others would follow Vashti’s example to even greater extremes. Therefore, to stop that potential fallout there had to be consequences for her actions. She lost favor with the king, she lost her position of respect, and she lost those precious possessions that go along with the position. The punishment corresponded to the crime: she wouldn’t go before the king–so she was denied access to the king from that point on.

Now remembering that King Xerxes was a foreshadow of a greater King, Jesus, we need to recognize Vashti as a foreshadow of the Jewish people. Time and again the Jews refused to submit to God’s commandments. They chose to “do their own thing.” And thus they lost favor with God and were even separated from Him by exile to foreign lands. As with Vashti, the punishment corresponded to the crime.

When Jesus came, he came to be the Jews’ King. Through His example, His teachings, and His miracles, He tried to draw the Jews to Himself. Matthew 23:37  says, “I longed to gather your children together…and you were not willing”—you would not submit.

Our author, Darlene, writes, “righteousness is conformity to God’s laws,” —submitting to God’s Will and God’s Way. I think of righteousness as “being in right standing with God.” But most of us, like the Jews, like to do things our own way. Surely we are good enough. We do good deeds! Vashti thought her beauty and position were enough to sustain her! We, as Vashti did, try to define our own righteousness by our own rules. “Beauty is only skin deep,” and so is our “goodness” unless we come before God in submission and in faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:22, 4:3-5).

If Vashti had come in submission before the King it would have shown everyone that she trusted him. It would have put her in “right standing” with the king. Perhaps he would have presented her with some lovely gift or a new royal robe! In Matthew 22:1-14 (the parable of the wedding banquet) many were invited to come but most refused to attend. They were doing their “own thing” and didn’t have time for the king’s banquet. Others came and accepted the wedding garment and enjoyed the party. The man in verses 11 and 12 refused to submit to the king and his offer of security and right standing (righteousness) and, like Vashti, he was forever separated from the one who wanted to save him (verse 13).

ALL of us are invited to Christ’s banquet, but only those prepared can come and stay. For us, the garment represents our covering of righteousness provided through our faith in Jesus Christ to make us acceptable in God’s presence. God wants to clothe us with His robe of righteousness. He wants us to sit with Him in His heavenly realms (Ephesians 2:6).  Have you accepted God’s invitation?  Have you submitted to Him and allowed Him to clothe you with His robe of righteousness?  If not, do it today, and join the greatest banquet ever!

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Lord,

Today we are reminded that our submission to You, our King, makes the difference between separation from you or being welcomed into Your presence. Help us, Lord, to also remember that what we do or don’t do does affect others. Thank You, Jesus, for offering through Your shed blood Your robe of righteousness. We cannot earn it and certainly don’t deserve it, but You are offering it to us freely as we have faith in You. We submit our lives to You, and ask You to clothe us with Your robe of righteousness.  Thank You.  In Jesus’ Name.

Amen.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

HOW do I Homeschool?

September 5, 2013 by

The answers to this question are infinite. There are hundreds of ways to educate your children at  home! Curriculum companies and learning resources now abound, unlike the days when the idea of home education was foreign to most parents and educators alike. Today I will tell you just a bit about how we have approached homeschooling in our family.

HOW Do I Homeschool? www.GirlfriendsCoffeeHour.com #homeschool

A View of Homeschooling in my Family

When our family began our homeschooling journey, we were still in a very schoolish place. We were coming straight out of a private school and I expected to do school at home. I did not have anyone telling me that it could or should look any differently. So I began my search for appropriate curriculum for my children on the internet. I ended up going with a workbook type of program for my son and a Charlotte Mason, kind of a *unit study program, for my daughter.

*Click on the link for a thorough explanation of the term unit study, but this is basically studying a particular topic or time period for a specified amount of time before moving on to a different topic or time period.

“A good unit study involves learning about one topic in an interesting and engaging way that will captivate the student and make them want to learn more and continue to think about the things that they are learning.” ~Amanda Bennett

Neither I nor my son enjoyed the workbooks. I did not like the separation that it created and he didn’t either. We both felt that he was missing out on what was happening with my daughter and I. We loved the unit study! I learned alongside my daughter and I was able to see the world that opened up to her through learning to read and in being read to daily by me.

By the end of our first year of homeschooling I knew that we were not a workbook family.

We ended up using another unit study curriculum with both children the following year, and I actually included our youngest child when possible, too. It was a wonderful year! It involved a lot of work, and our home still seemed like a school many days, but we all relished our afternoon reading and Q & A times. There were days when I would choke up from the stories I was reading aloud to them, and I was so proud of my children for their participation. We all learned so much that year!

It was a time of growth for me in particular, as we had moved that year and were living  in an area where we knew absolutely no one. Our reliance on God grew. I was also learning more about what homeschooling could be. Many families love and thrive with school-at-home methods. That is wonderful! For us, it did not work well. It simply was not what I desired for my family, nor did I feel it was what God was calling me to. Near the end of my first year of homeschooling I had acquired a few booklets from Lifestyle of Learning. Little did I know it at the time, but the words within those pages would spark a change in my thinking that has grown and changed over the last 7 years. My thoughts about education are very different from what they were when I first began this journey. And God is still changing me as we continue.

Though we are not a ‘workbook’ family, that is not to say that we never use workbooks or textbooks. We have, and do. It really depends on the child, the season of our lives, and the topic about which we are trying to learn. For example, we moved and added two babies to our family between March of 2009 and October of 2010.  During that time my children did a lot of learning on their own, and used several textbooks to facilitate their learning. I didn’t even always keep up with the grading. You want to know what happened? They still excelled on their end-of-year tests! Big surprise. I can say that now, as I am more ‘seasoned’, but in the earlier years of this journey those were things that I worried about. They are valid concerns to new homechooling parents. I want to encourage you that your children are learning, even on the days when it may not seem that way. There are a multitude of ways to learn and things to learn about. Most of them are not even learned sitting at  desk listening to a lecture! So when you have a day, or even several, that you think “all is lost” and that you need to make it up, do not despair. God redeems the time!

Our family is living proof.

Now that we are entering our 8th year of homeschooling, we are planning and preparing a bit differently for our homeschooling year than we did in years past. For the first time, I asked my children what they wanted to learn about and actually ordered resources based on their answers! We will be watching dvd’s as part of our family learning this year. The topics are as varied as cooking, crafting a great sentence, and nutrition. My older three children are taking art classes each Friday at the local homeschool co-op; my younger daughters will tag along and learn to be patient while we wait on their siblings. My children will also meet new friends, play games, help prepare lunches, take care of younger siblings, continue to help maintain our home, enjoy movies and video games, utilize apps on the iPad, write posts for their own blogs, and participate in field trips and park days planned by one of the other homeschool groups in which we are involved. This is all a part of learning!

It is how we homeschool.

Next week  I will share a bit about various homeschooling methods, curriculum, and other useful resources. I hope you will join me to learn more about HOW to homeschool with Homeschooling Methods, Curriculum, and Resources.

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

Ten Ways to Stick to an Exercise Program #8 – Keep an Exercise Chart

September 4, 2013 by

I know a woman who lost over 20 pounds and increased her exercise from walking .5 miles a day to consistently walking 3 miles a day.  No matter rain or shine, she was up each morning walking.  How did she stay motivated to stick to an exercise program?  One way is that she kept an exercise chart.  Each week, she logged her weight and kept a daily record of her exercise.  What a motivator for the days she did not feel like exercising to look back over her logs and review her progress.

Who else did she motivate?

Me!  As her 11 year old daughter, she inspired me. I remember, rain or shine, my mom was out walking the streets early each morning after she spent daily quiet time with the Lord.  Because most mornings it was still dark in our large neighborhood, her tracks were made by simply walking up and down the street for three miles. After each workout, she logged her exercise including the progress of her weight in a written journal.  My mother did not have to tell me how to develop discipline and perseverance when things got tough.  She modeled them for me.

One of the things I have noticed with my clients, as I work with them to create their personal fitness and food design, is that sometimes their motivation for exercise can dwindle about half way through their program. One of my suggestions is to keep a journal.  It can be done in a notebook but, with today’s technology, it can be done on a smart phone or personal computer as well. I recommend tracking several things after exercise.

  1. Your type of exercise, distance, time and intensity.
  2. Your feelings such as peaceful, confident, fit or energized.
  3. Your weekly weight.

On the days you don’t feel like exercising, it can be motivating to look back and see how far you have come in your fitness.  You can see that you are now walking or running farther, working at a faster pace or at a harder intensity.  You may be reminded of the benefits you receive that can be quickly forgotten whether it is weight loss, a peaceful mind and heart, energy or a new found confidence.   Seeing it in writing can be motivating.

Number eight on our ten ways to stick to an exercise program,

Keep an Exercise Chart

 It might teach you something about yourself and be an example to the lives of those around you.

To download your FREE copy of a Weekly Exercise Chart, click HERE:
WEEKLY EXERCISE CHART

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In Good Health,

Crystal

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My Favorite Fruit Salad Recipe

September 4, 2013 by

Yummy is the best way to describe this dish. It is perfect for the summertime when you have fresh fruit readily available. You can make a meal of it or it is a perfect healthy side dish too.

Boyd1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:
Bag of fresh spinach leaves
Pint of strawberries
2-3 Peaches
Bag of sliced almonds
Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

Directions:

  • Rinse the spinach leaves and the fruit.
  • Cut up the strawberries and peaches in bite size pieces.
  • Combine the spinach leaves, fruits and almonds in a bowl. You can also add fresh blueberries or any other of your favorite fruits. You can use sunflower seeds or pecans instead of almonds.
  • Toss the salad and drizzle with the dressing. Any type of vinaigrette dressing tastes great with this salad. I have also used balsamic vinaigrette and strawberry vinaigrette.

This salad keeps well in a Tupperware container overnight. If you know you will have leftovers, it is best to add the dressing per serving instead of on the entire salad directly. Approximately 6 servings.

Serve and Enjoy! 🙂
Amy

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

“Esther” Chapter 1:10-15

September 4, 2013 by

Week 1_dailysubmission_Caddell

“But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come” (Esther 1:12, NIV).  Here we see the pivotal action that paved the way for Esther to come onto the scene in the next chapter.  Disobedience or a refusal to submit.

I’ll have to admit…for a long time I’ve sided with Queen Vashti!  What was so wrong??  I wouldn’t want to be the only woman in a room full of men that have been drinking for seven days (really, seven days??), would you?  According to some Jewish historians, Vashti was to appear wearing only her crown.  To me, her refusal seemed appropriate, if not a way to protect herself.  I would bet that for any number of women that have read this story, each one would have thought of a reason that the Queen’s actions were justified.  However, Darlene makes a great point, and this is the kicker: “…the scripture doesn’t give us any valid reason she didn’t.  So making excuses for her would be speculation at best” (page 13).  So there it is.  If the Bible wanted the Queen’s actions to be justified, then a valid reason would have been given for her refusal, but we don’t have one.  The simple truth is: Vashti was given a command which she refused.  We see later in the chapter that she is punished – stripped of her role and privileges.

This made me wonder.  How often does God give us a command that we don’t want to obey?  Just like reading about Queen Vashti, we want to justify her disobedience and ours through the filter of our own wishes.  God commands us to submit – to our husbands, to the will of Jesus – and we give reasons (excuses, really) of why we shouldn’t.  I know many of us have difficult husbands! Some of us have husbands that are abusive, indifferent, not in line with the will of God.  Many of us see God as a difficult taskmaster, a commander, one who is angry with us.  It’s hard to willingly allow ourselves to submit to the will of someone who may not have our best interests at heart, isn’t it?  On the other hand, some of us are simply not interested in being submissive!  It feels “archaic,” as if we are supposed to be weak doormats to be walked on, when we are strong, liberated, independent women – right?  I’m my husband’s partner, not his slave.   All justifiable feelings, ladies, but let’s look at the Scripture again.

“But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come.”  The King commanded.  She refused.  We really do treat God the same way.  He gives us commandments.  Some we obey…some we flat out refuse.  Can we be honest with ourselves?   If we don’t want to do what God commands, then we don’t do it.  I’m not trying to be harsh, it’s just the truth!   If we want to improve, if we want to become less so that God can become more within us, then we have to start thinking about submission from God’s perspective, and not from the world’s perspective.  Here’s more truth for you – GOD LOVES YOU!!!  All day, every day.  He wants what is best for you. He wants you to have a beautiful, joyful, powerful, abundant life. When you can really wrap your head around the fact that God loves you, then it makes it much easier to submit to His commands – because they are not burdensome (I John 5:3); they are in your best interest!

Consider the ultimate example of submission, Jesus.  He obeyed, even to the point of death (Philippians 2:8)! Would you consider Him a doormat?  Weak?  A slave?  I would think not. Was His life free from conflict?  No.  Did he have to do things He would have preferred not to do?  Yes.  Jesus lived His life as an example for ALL of us – so that we can pattern our lives after His. Submitting our lives to the will of God does not make us weak, mindless puppets – it’s an act of courage and strength!  In fact, when we submit to God, our submission brings us rewards – here and in heaven!  In James 4:6 and 7; James writes: “‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’ Submit yourselves, then, to God.”  (He also says in verse 7 to resist the devil and he will flee from you, further proof that in submission to God you have the power and authority of God residing in you – I’d say that’s a reward, wouldn’t you?)  A heart obedient to the will of God is beautiful!

Let’s vow today to live lives of daily submission.  In areas where it seems difficult (if not impossible!), let’s ask God for strength, courage, and a willingness to do as He asks. Let’s not sit in the seat of the skeptic.  Let’s not view submission like the world does.  Vashti’s disobedience knocked her out of a place of privilege – let’s not follow her example!  We’ll see in the days and weeks to follow how submission to the King brought honor and reward to Esther and how submission to our King (God) will bring honor and reward to us!  Let’s try it today – when the King summons us, let’s throw on our crown and run to His presence – “Here I am!”

May God reward you for your obedience today!

Let’s Pray:

Holy God, thank You for Your abundant love and provision for us.  Thank You for wanting to have a relationship with us, and that You give us direction out of a desire for our well-being.   Holy Spirit, help us to live our lives in submission.  Help us where we are reluctant to obey.  Help us to love, respect, and follow our husbands – and You even more so.

Lord, open our hearts and our minds to a deeper understanding of You.  Help us to receive the teachings and blessings that You want to bountifully bestow upon us.  Guard our minds, protect our families, heal what is broken, and lift us up when we fall.  I thank You, Lord, for every woman taking part in our study – may she feel Your arms wrapped firmly around her today.

Fill us with Your Spirit, Lord; help us to be salt and light.  In the blessed name of Your Son Jesus.

Amen.

Filed Under: Women's Ministry Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Esther” Chapter 1:1-9

September 3, 2013 by

Great Things_Ellison_Ch1

 

Esther 1:1-9

Now it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, (this is Ahasuerus which reigned, from India even unto Ethiopia, over an hundred and seven and twenty provinces:)

 That in those days, when the king Ahasuerus sat on the throne of his kingdom, which was in Shushan the palace,

In the third year of his reign, he made a feast unto all his princes and his servants; the power of Persia and Media, the nobles and princes of the provinces, being before him:

When he shewed the riches of his glorious kingdom and the honour of his excellent majesty many days, even an hundred and fourscore days.

And when these days were expired, the king made a feast unto all the people that were present in Shushan the palace, both unto great and small, seven days, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace;

Where were white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.

And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance, according to the state of the king.

And the drinking was according to the law; none did compel: for so the king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do according to every man’s pleasure

Also Vashti the queen made a feast for the women in the royal house which belonged to king Ahasuerus.

The story of Esther is one of the shorter books in the Bible, but it is also one of the most beautiful. This book  has always touched my heart because of the details…the historical imagery that the words are able to paint in my mind.  In these first few verses we meet two people. Queen Vashti, (although briefly) and King Ahasuerus the ruler of Susa.  Now this gentleman knows how to throw a party. Not just a party but an after party also, both which lasted 187 days. The king was a powerful man who ruled over many people and places. There were a lot of people to impress at this party and he did what he needed to do to make that impression.

Look at these details:

“white, green, and blue, hangings, fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rings and pillars of marble: the beds were of gold and silver, upon a pavement of red, and blue, and white, and black, marble.

And they gave them drink in vessels of gold, (the vessels being diverse one from another,) and royal wine in abundance.”

Can you imagine the sight of these gardens? Can you picture how beautiful they must have been? And it didn’t stop with the king and his people; it says that the Queen was feasting as well!  I can only imagine what that feast looked like; I would like to think equally as beautiful.

God always has a message to His story, often times more than one.   Darlene touched on a point that I had never thought of before.  How the story of the feast was a foreshadow to the feast with The King. Looking past the drunkenness and desire to impress others, we can have a peace that our King is going to care for us.

Revelation 19:7-10

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.

I often like to look for the flaws in those who God has chosen to do His work. I need to be reminded that sometimes it takes a drunken king; sometimes it takes the niece of a lower palace employee to start something as beautiful as the story we are going to be reading over the next several weeks.  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  We need to remember this about King Ahasuerus, and remember this about ourselves. Everyone can do great things for the kingdom of God.

Every story, every lesson, and every message has a beginning.  The story of Esther begins here, with a feast.

*****

Let’s Pray:

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for using stories like this to teach us.  Thank You for reminding us that every story has a beginning and that it doesn’t take perfect people to help create those stories. Thank You for creating lessons within Your lessons. Lord, through this study, please open our hearts and minds; there is so much to learn from these women and from Your Word.  In Jesus’ Name.

Amen

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Esther: Introduction

September 2, 2013 by

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Shalom!  God’s blessing of peace to you!  May I introduce myself?  My given name is Hadassah, though perhaps you have heard me called ‘Esther.’  (You can call me ‘Esther’, if you would like.)  I am a Hebrew girl, hence my real name. Hadassah means ‘myrtle,’ which is a tree or shrub.  My name signifies peace and thanksgiving.

I would like to share with you a little about my life; do you have a few minutes?  Perhaps as I relate to you the events of my life, you might think “Oh!  My! Not for me!”  But don’t…I have lived a life overshadowed by the hand of the Great I AM!  And I am sure that you have, too.  Perhaps  you will see some similarities between your life and mine.  Perhaps you will be reminded of great and small things that Almighty God has orchestrated in your life…for such a time as this!

Throughout most of our lives, there are usually a few people—loved ones, mostly—who are the major characters in our story.  For me, God placed two wonderful men as the main men in my life and my heart.  The first is my Uncle Mordecai…can I tell you about him?   Oh, please allow me—he was such an honorable, wise, God-fearing man!  You see, my abba-leh (my daddy) died while my ama carried me under her heart.  And my ama <sigh!> died as she labored to birth me.  By God’s grace, I had loving ones who raised me…in particular, my wonderful Uncle Mordecai.  Uncle Mordecai, a member of the tribe of Benjamin, deeply loved the Almighty God, the Great I AM and lived his life to serve Him.  When the Babylonians conquered our land, they took many of our people away as slaves, amongst them my parents and Uncle Mordecai.  Eventually, they settled in what is known as Persia in the capital city of Susa. Uncle Mordecai always had my best interests at heart and raised me according to the Law.

And there is another primary character in my story—my love, the king, Ahasuerus (also known as Xerxes) who made me his queen.  It’s quite a story Esther chapter 2 how this happened…me, one of the captive Hebrews becoming the queen of a most powerful ruler of many lands and peoples.  His domain reached from India to Egypt.  Amazing!  But I was telling you how I, a young Hebrew woman, became the queen of all this…  You see, Ahasuerus DID have a queen; a stunningly gorgeous woman named Vashti.  Oh, he loved her…it was quite apparent.  But Vashti’s heart became proud.  And she turned from lovingly submitting to Ahasuerus to outrightly defying him publicly.  The king turned to his advisors to see how to handle this.

Esther 1:18-22
“This very day the Persian and Median women of the nobility who have heard about the queen’s conduct will respond to all the king’s nobles in the same way. There will be no end of disrespect and discord.   Therefore, if it pleases the king, let him issue a royal decree and let it be written in the laws of Persia and Media, which cannot be repealed, that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes. Also let the king give her royal position to someone else who is better than she.  Then when the king’s edict is proclaimed throughout all his vast realm, all the women will respect their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”  The king and his nobles were pleased with this advice, so the king did as Memukan proposed.  He sent dispatches to all parts of the kingdom to each province in its own script and to each people in their own language proclaiming that every man should be ruler over his own household….

Here’s where Almighty God caused my path to cross with the love of my life, Ahasuerus. After his heart (and anger!) had recovered from Vashti’s deception, he sought a new queen.  Only the Almighty God could have known that, of all the beautiful, lovely young women of the kingdom, I would be the one who would find favor in Ahasuerus’ eyes—and his heart!

Esther 2:17
And the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the maidens, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.

Years went by and all was well…Ahasuerus ruled his kingdom, and let his heart be ruled by our love.  All was very well.  Let’s jump ahead a bit because in the twelfth year of the king’s reign, a dastardly, devilish plot was launched to annihilate my kin, the Hebrews. Esther chapter 3 When Uncle Mordecai heard of this, he was devastated!

Esther 4:1
When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly.

I sent a trusted friend to Uncle Mordecai to find out what was wrong and he sent me the strongest message I had ever heard him speak!

Verses 13 and 14
Then Mordecai told them to return this answer to Esther, Do not flatter yourself that you shall escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews.  For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance shall arise for the Jews from elsewhere, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows but that you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this and for this very occasion?

You see, I had held back…well actually deceived the king.  I had never revealed to him my true heritage—that I was a Hebrew and served the Almighty God.  And so, remorseful, I sent this message back to Uncle Mordecai:

Verses 16 and 17
Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”  So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

I felt the weight and responsibility of not only my role as queen but my identity.  Uncle Mordecai was right!  And if I perished…so be it.

Not much time elapsed and I knew I must speak.  Risking banishment at best, and death at worst, I arrayed myself respectfully and went before my king.  His favor and love for me won out, and he welcomed me before his throne.  I asked only one thing.

Esther 5:3 and 4
Then the king said to her, What will you have, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of the kingdom.  And Esther said, If it seems good to the king, let the king and Haman come this day to the dinner that I have prepared for the king.

He granted my request.  Ahasuerus and <hisssss!> Haman <hisssssss!> came to my home for dinner.  And upon leaving, I asked that they return again the following evening.  Time was running short and the execution of my people was imminent.  When they returned, I spoke plainly and pointedly to Ahasuerus.

Esther 7:3 and 4
If I have found favor in your sight, O king and if it pleases the king, let my life be given me at my petition and my people at my request.   For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, slain, and wiped out of existence!  But if we had been sold for bondmen and bondwomen, I would have held my tongue, for our affliction is not to be compared with the damage this will do to the king.

Upon hearing my distress and fear, my king rose to my defense demanding to know how this happened and who was responsible.  ‘Haman.’ I replied.  Esther 7:5-10

Esther 8:3-5
Esther again pleaded with the king, falling at his feet and weeping. She begged him to put an end to the evil plan of Haman the Agagite, which he had devised against the Jews.  Then the king extended the gold scepter to Esther and she arose and stood before him.  “If it pleases the king,” she said, “and if he regards me with favor and thinks it the right thing to do, and if he is pleased with me, let an order be written overruling the dispatches that Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, devised and wrote to destroy the Jews… For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”

Upon realizing what Haman had been devilishly plotting and hearing my pleas, he immediately revoked the order and saved my people, the Hebrews.  Prior to this, Ahasuerus had had a dream (perhaps that was our Almighty God?) reminding him of the loyalty and devotion to the throne of Ahasuerus that Uncle Mordecai had always had.  As an added blessing, Uncle Mordecai was rewarded for his loyalty to the king.

Verses 10 and 11
Mordecai wrote in the name of King Xerxes, sealed the dispatches with the king’s signet ring, and sent them by mounted couriers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king.  The king’s edict granted the Jews in every city the right to assemble and protect themselves;

Esther 9:20-23
Mordecai recorded these events, and he sent letters to all the Jews throughout the provinces of King Xerxes, near and far,  to have them celebrate annually the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar as the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month when their sorrow was turned into joy and their mourning into a day of celebration. He wrote them to observe the days as days of feasting and joy and giving presents of food to one another and gifts to the poor.   So the Jews agreed to continue the celebration….

Verses 28-32
These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews—nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.  So Queen Esther, daughter of Abihail, along with Mordecai the Jew, wrote with full authority to confirm this second letter concerning Purim.  And Mordecai sent letters to all the Jews in the 127 provinces of Xerxes’ kingdom—words of goodwill and assurance—to establish these days of Purim at their designated times, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther had decreed for them, and as they had established for themselves and their descendants in regard to their times of fasting and lamentation.  Esther’s decree confirmed these regulations about Purim, and it was written down in the records.

Imagine!  A simple, orphaned Hebrew girl raised by her uncle in the midst of slavery brought by the hand of God through hard and evil times—for such a time as this!  My people, the Hebrews, to this day celebrate the Festival of Purim and the joy of God’s deliverance during the reign of my king, Ahasuerus.

At the beginning of our chat, I had said that perhaps you might be reminded of great and small things that Almighty God has orchestrated in your life.  Have you thought on this?  I pray to the Great I Am that He would open your eyes to these things…for such a time as this!

* * * * *

Dear Lord, please help us to recognize Your mighty hand of blessing…Your directing our path as You did the path of Esther’s life.  May we see how You have done this, too, in our lives.  We praise You, Lord, for Your sovereignty!  Please help us to never doubt Your goodness and grace and favor; may we rest in Your care knowing that all is well.  May Your perfect will be done in and through our lives.  In Jesus’ precious name.

Amen.

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Basil Pesto

September 2, 2013 by

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Monday’s are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes. We are continuing our series of summer recipes featuring in-season produce. Our featured ingredient this week is basil!  We can all identify the pungent aroma of basil…mmmm!  Basil has all kinds of health benefits <who knew?!>; check out some info here.  While basil is definitely ‘in-season’ here at the height of the summer growing season, it actually is easily grown as a houseplant.  Consider purchasing a small pot of basil (even in the grocery store) and keeping it in a cute little pot right on your sunniest windowsill.  Easily you could be pinching off a handful of leaves to make into pesto, or scatter some into a Caprese Salad, or slicing them up to finish off your best pot of spaghetti sauce all winter long!  Enjoy!

2013-08-29 22.52.06

Pesto

Ingredients:
2 cups basil2013-08-28 17.06.40
2 cups baby spinach leaves
3 tablespoons (or more!) chopped garlic (I use jarred)
2/3 cup pine nuts
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced
2/3 cup olive oil

Directions:

  • Place the  pine nuts and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and blend for 15 seconds.
  • Add the basil, spinach, salt, and pepper.
  • With the food processor running, slowly pour the olive oil and the lemon juice into the bowl through the feed tube.
  • Process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed.
  • Add the Parmesan and puree ‘til thoroughly incorporated (30-40 seconds).
  • Use immediately. *See below for hints on storing the extra pesto.  Enjoy!

2013-08-28 18.05.05

This is how we enoyed the pesto: Mix 1/4 – 1/3 cup into a pound or so of shrimp sauteed with LOTS of garlic.  Bread on the side.  As you can see, we also enjoyed a delicious Caprese salad (click link above for recipe) as well as spaghetti squash sauteed along with some zucchini.  No complaints were heard!  🙂

Store extra pesto in the refrigerator for up to 1 week in a small container with a very thin film of olive oil on top (to seal out air).  Can also be frozen in an ice cube tray, or (my favorite) in mini-muffin cups.  To do this, wipe the muffin tin compartments with a paper towel dipped in olive oil.  Spoon in a heaping tablespoon of pesto into the compartments.  Place in freezer.  After a couple of hours, remove tin from freezer.  Set gently into a sink with just a little bit of hot water; this should loosen the individual portions of pesto.  Pop them all into a freezer container…you will be so glad you did!

♥  ♥  ♥  ♥  ♥

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

♥  coleen

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