Self denial

(Mar 8.34) “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

What Jesus calls for here is thus a radical abandonment of one’s own identity and self-determination, and a call to join the march to the place of execution follows appropriately from this. Such ‘self-denial’ is on a different level altogether from giving up chocolates for Lent. It is not the denial of something to the self, but the denial of the self itself. –R.T. France,

Good one!

[B]elieving in something doesn’t make it true. Hoping that something is true doesn’t make it true. The existence of God is not subjective. He either exists or he doesn’t. It’s not a matter of opinion. You can have your own opinions. But you can’t have your own facts.

Yum!

This recipe is delish! I couldn't keep my hands of these yummers! They are exactly what they claim to be! Thick & Chewy! Yum!
(I did not follow the tinfoil bit)

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

2 1/8 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
1 cup (7 ounces) light brown sugar
1/2 (3 1/2 ounces) cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position.
Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch so you can grab those edges and pull the brownies from the pan after they have baked. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined; do not overmix. Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.
Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 24-28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.
Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

You Missed Your Calling

Mom,
Seriously, you missed your calling. Who can make a loaf of bread like this?! It is the most giant loaf of bread I ever did see! It is too beautiful to eat! So shiny and gargantuan! I wish I had a breakfast potluck to go to. I had to cut it in half and freeze half. Ridiculous! It looks like what they serve at the table of a king. Thanks! I had a morsel of it already. I can't wait to have a giant wedge doused in butter tomorrow morning! Yum! Thanks Mom!

Easy Bake Crumbles

Libs and I finally got to use her easy bake oven the other day. What an experience that was! Ok, the oven works great but the ingredients make a bite size cake. It smelled like yellow cake in the kitchen (with a bit of a hot light bulbish smell) but the picture on the box (a delicious double decker Duncan Hines gourmet number) was nothing like our crumb cake that came out of it. First you stir up this teaspoon full of ingredients and SCRAPE-there's no pouring this "batter" into a petri dish. See pics below. Then you push it into the light bulb chamber, which by the way mom had to buy at a hardware store in Danbury because our government doesn't allow us such things anymore. Although, to bake with a lightbulb? Is that normal? It baked for about 15 minutes before I pushed it through to the cooling chamber which it got stuck sideways in and I ended up shaking, pushing, prodding, clamping, laying hands on, etc to rescue our cake for 1. One bite that is. Libs looked at it and said, "I don't want frosting," popped it in her mouth and left the whole baking experience before I could even click a picture! She did have fun with it and wants to bake some more tic tac sized cakes and cookies. Mom found a website that actually bakes human size portions instead of portions for rats. I think we'll try some of those. She wants to make the cookies next. Can't wait to see those.....She did say with utter excitement, "I can't believe I have my own oven!"

Pull!

Ya, Libs is on the winning tug-o-war team at AWANA. Rope burn and all. She's tough.

Mad Skilz!

Libs is so cute on skis! The tow rope whips her right off her feet almost. She went down the hill a thousand times. She loved it and she learned really fast. Her instructor told me she did an awesome job. She stayed on the bunny hill the whole day but next time she'll be ready for some jumps she said. She looks so darn adorable out there just like a frosted pink cupcake!
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Funny comics

And you thought flutes were gay.....

Persevering

Even true Christians may wonder at times if they are truly among God's children, and one of many ways to find assurance of one's salvation is to look for evidence of perseverance in one's life. Do you fund yourself continually asking the Father for forgiveness for the sake of Jesus? Are you endeavoring to put into practice the commandments of Christ in His Word? As we do these things, we persevere and find assurance of faith.
 "If indeed you continue in the faith firmly, established and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel that you have heard, which was proclaimed in all creation under heaven."
Colossians 1:23

*by perseverance the snail reached the ark"
-Charles Spurgeon
;0)