Thankful Thursday

by rosemary. April 19th, 2012. Posted in Giving Thanks. 6 Comments.

Howbeit your faith seeth but the black side of Providence, yet it hath a better side, and God shall let you see it. We know that all things work together for good to them that love God; hence I infer that losses, disappointments, ill tongues, loss of friends, houses or country, are God’s workmen, set on work to work out good to you, out of everything that befalleth you.  –Samuel Rutherford

My thoughts this morning are of the providence of God, and I’m thankful that “everything that befalleth” me is “set on work to work out good” to me. Including this very annoying, ongoing, uncomfortable, labyrinthitis.

Tuesday, right?

by rosemary. April 17th, 2012. Posted in Ordinary things. 4 Comments.

My days have been dizzily running into each other and I’ve still had trouble keeping up with what day it really is! I’m thankful that I’m feeling a lot better today and was even able to go with my husband to buy a few groceries. It was nice to get out of the house after a week and a half of being house bound.

I’ve begun working my way through the Together for the Gospel conference messages. They were geared to an audience of pastors, but I have no problem ‘getting’ what they’re saying and find them helpful for my life too. I’m thankful that the audios/videos have been made available to us. When I read bloggers’ reports about attending the conference, I fluctuate between wanting to go in 2014 and being glad I can listen to the messages without having to deal with thousands of other people.

Gas prices have dropped down to $3.89—so much better than the $4.29/gallon we had for a while. Such ridiculous prices.

It’s a beautiful sunny day—I hope yours is too.

Sunday Hymn: O Love That Will Not Let Me Go

by rosemary. April 15th, 2012. Posted in Hymns. 1 Comment.

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in thee;
I give thee back the life I owe,
That in thine ocean depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in thy sunshine’s blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain,
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from thee;
I lay in dust life’s glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

-George Matheson, 1882

Oh.

by rosemary. April 12th, 2012. Posted in Ordinary things. 5 Comments.

So today is Thursday. Told you I was dizzy; see yesterday’s post. I really thought it was Thursday, yesterday.

Still dizzy, but at least I figured it out when I saw your posts today. Am having trouble typing, so will save comments for another day.

Thankful Thursday

by rosemary. April 11th, 2012. Posted in Giving Thanks. 7 Comments.

There’s a crazy virus going around that apparently I reached out and grabbed with both hands. Since Saturday morning I’ve been light-headed, losing balance and pretty achy. I went to the doctor on Monday to find out what’s going on and was surprised to be told that I have a virus that will last a week or two. I’m thankful to be feeling a little better, especially when I’m sitting.

I’m thankful for the son who cooked our Easter dinner. I managed to make the pie on Saturday, but he took over from there and cooked the ham dinner by himself and did a fabulous job. It’s mighty nice to have a son who can cook.

I’m thankful that “…[T]oday in your life, Jesus can go where no one else can go. He can go where no counselor can go. He can go where no doctor can go. He can go where no lover can go. He can reach you, and reach into you, anywhere and any time. There is no place where you are, and no depths of personhood that you are which Jesus can’t penetrate. Jesus’ resurrection from the dead fits him to do what no one else can do. There is no one else like him in all the universe. He is alive, and he is the one and only God-Man. What he is capable of you cannot imagine. And it is a healing wonder to contemplate that all the complex layers of your life, which neither you nor anyone else can understand, are familiar territory to him.” -John Piper, in this sermon, which ministered to me deeply this morning. It’s well worth your listening time.

Christ the Lord Is Risen Today! Alleluia!

by rosemary. April 8th, 2012. Posted in Hymns. 4 Comments.

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Lo! the Sun’s eclipse is o’er, Alleluia!
Lo! He sets in blood no more, Alleluia!

Vain the stone, the watch, the seal, Alleluia!
Christ hath burst the gates of hell, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Him rise, Alleluia!
Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!

Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Hail, the Lord of earth and Heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to Thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the resurrection, thou, Alleluia!

King of glory, Soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, Thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!

Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

But the pains that He endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured, Alleluia!
Now above the sky He’s King, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

-Charles Wesley, 1739
Stanzas 8-10 author unknown

Thankful Thursday

by rosemary. April 5th, 2012. Posted in Giving Thanks, Hymns. 4 Comments.

I’m so thankful today for our Savior, Jesus Christ.

 Hallelujah, What a Savior!

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Guilty, vile, and helpless we;
Spotless Lamb of God was He;
“Full atonement!” can it be?
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Lifted up was He to die;
“It is finished!” was His cry;
Now in Heav’n exalted high.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew His song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

–Philip P. Bliss, 1875

Sunday Hymn: Rejoice, the Lord Is King

by rosemary. April 1st, 2012. Posted in Hymns. 3 Comments.

Rejoice, the Lord is king! Your Lord and king adore;
Mortals give thanks and sing, and triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Jesus, the Savior, reigns, the God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains He took His seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail, He rules o’er earth and Heav’n,
The keys of death and hell are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

He sits at God’s right hand till all His foes submit,
And bow to His command, and fall beneath His feet:
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

He all His foes shall quell, shall all our sins destroy,
And every bosom swell with pure seraphic joy;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice,
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope! Jesus the Judge shall come,
And take His servants up to their eternal home.
We soon shall hear th’archangel’s voice;
The trump of God shall sound, rejoice!

-Charles Wesley, 1744

Thankful Thursday

by rosemary. March 29th, 2012. Posted in Giving Thanks. 5 Comments.

Today I thank God…

for his continued mercies to my sister-in-law who is to be discharged from the hospital tomorrow! She and my brother have been at an out-of-state hospital for the past month, and they are so, so glad to be coming home.

that the colds Aaron and I have had all week are so much better, and I’m thankful that Harry didn’t get it from us.

for music. It adds so much to every day. I was thinking today about our singing in heaven—can you imagine?

for daffodils, green buds on shrubs that are the promise of summer flowers.

for his sovereign care for his people all over the world. For missionaries who are in distant lands for the specific purpose of spreading the gospel to unreached peoples.

 

Soup, delicious soup.

by rosemary. March 28th, 2012. Posted in Recipes. 1 Comment.

“Do you have a kinder, more adaptable friend in the food world than soup? Who soothes you when you are ill? Who refuses to leave you when you are impoverished and stretches its resources to give a hearty sustenance and cheer? Who warms you in the winter and cools you in the summer? Yet who also is capable of doing honor to your richest table and impressing your most demanding guests? Soup does its loyal best, no matter what undignified conditions are imposed upon it. You don’t catch steak hanging around when you’re poor and sick, do you?”   -Judith Martin (Miss Manners)

Love that quote! The days have gotten downright cold again, and I’ve hauled out my soup pot again. The first time I made a soup with butternut squash it wasn’t very flavorful, so I fiddled with the recipe until I got the desired mmmm on the first spoonful. I buy the squash already peeled and cubed at Costco. Sometimes roast the squash ahead of time, put it in a zip bag and toss it in the freezer. It doesn’t matter if it mushes up because you’re going to puree it anyway. Just thaw and add it to the soup when you’re ready to make it. Please enjoy!

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash, roasted
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 large rib celery, sliced
1 onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
½ tsp dried marjoram
¼ to 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken stock (or more, depending on your desired thickness of soup)
3 bouillon cubes
4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup half and half

To roast squash cubes, spread in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, then salt and pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until tender and caramelized.

To make soup:

Put olive oil in soup pot. Add celery, onion and carrot; sauté until tender.

Stir in roasted squash, marjoram, cayenne, chicken stock and bouillon cubes. Cook for 10 minutes.

Add cream cheese, breaking into bits, and stir into soup until warm. With immersion blender, purée soup until smooth. Taste, and add salt or pepper if needed. (The bouillon adds salt, so I usually don’t need to add extra.)

Add half and half, stirring to blend. Heat soup gently, but don’t bring to boil after adding half and half or it will curdle and separate. Ish.

 

 

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