Productive Day

BUSY day - ALL DAY AT HOME TYPE OF BUSY. The best kind of busy there is. 


I took care of a few ministry things - researching an upcoming trip for the end of March, getting ready for a trip tomorrow, SCHOOL, baking, laundry...lots and lots of school. In fact, Zander, Stacia and I got a whole week of school done today. Everything just clicked!  They've even asked if we can bring the school books with us to Tokyo. We will. 


I have discovered it is much harder to arrange the details of a trip when you live this far off base, have an 18 yo that works ON base (but can't drive off base) and a new dog. LOL But I think we have a workable plan now. All the pieces are working together. We had envisioned a family trip to Tokyo - and it won't be...but those of us who go will enjoy the drive time to catch up with each other. 


Rice is steaming, salad and fruit ready to go, Chicken Divan will pop in the over at 6:30 p.m. or when we get notice that Michael is on his way home.....

I just need to pack. Oh yeah.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Cream of....substitute

Make a white sauce and substitute for "condensed cream of  soups" in recipes... (Making Chicken Divan tonight). 

Basic:
3 T Butter 
4 T Flour
*1 C Milk (or 1/2 broth/1/2 milk)
Salt
Pepper


Melt butter
Add flour
Whisk in milk, salt and pepper


Stir until thickens. 


*I think it tastes better with 1/2 chicken broth and 1/2 milk.....(which makes Cream of Chicken soup). 


* I hear you can make big batches and freeze - I've not done so.

*Add sauteed mushrooms, veggies, chicken, bouillon to vary the types of soup.

This will make about 1 C of thickened soup - so I'd use it for a can. Eyeball it. It's an art not a science. The above photo is a double recipe and substituted fairly well for "2 cans of cream of chicken soup".


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

Don't touch my rawhide! 

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Recap

We're back in the swing of life....full force. LOL 


Friday we got an incredible amount of school done. 


Saturday I had a spouse's breakfast - sweet time together. 


Michael had some suspenses he was working on both Saturday and Sunday. So...the kids and I got more school done. I also moved some posts over here that I wanted to have in our family journal. 


Sunday we were back at Sunday School...we'd been off for the Christmas/New Year's Break.  Michael spent the day at chapel and we puttered. 


I moved Asia Region's off-site blog from wordpress to blogspot...not seamless but I've got the majority of things moved or linked. Maybe. 


I'm trying to learn how to do a few new techie tricks....booked some airplane trips. 


LOTS more school today.  We're moving at a rapid clip....trying to make up for the long Christmas break we had as well as get ahead for some spring fun. 


Nothing earth-shattering or a lot of fun....but needful. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

Yuuki really loves her toy

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Secret Place - 2012 Memorial Stone

Nearly every year for quite a few years God has graced me with a word. One word (sometimes a short phrase) which clues me in to the conversations and paths Jesus and I will share in the upcoming season. This has become more meaningful to me than New Year's Resolutions (though I do love me some goals).  I have come to term these Memorial Stones - you can read the list at the tab above. You can read more about this here  as well (no reason to write it all again).

Abba, Daddy God, has already been meeting, encouraging, challenging, motivating me around the word for the year. In theology speak it would be "sanctuary"...in De'Etta speak God has been sharing with me about a "secret place" or "secrecy".....

For an extrovert, who has lived most of life in front of public scrutiny (PK, MK, married a pastor) and has embraced the fish bowl, I was astonished in September of this year to find I was CRAVING solitude. I wanted to find a place where NO ONE knew my NAME, NO ONE knew my POSITION, NO ONE knew my FAMILY, NO ONE NEEDED me or had EXPECTATIONS of me.... I wanted to be anonymous. This became a near driving need.  Those close to me heard me say several times, "I want to go hide in a cave," or "Nov 14th, I'm crawling into the cave."  (Yes, I've heard my hubs speak on Elijah in the cave and THAT is what I craved. I understand Elijah).  I was o.k. with the idea of solitude.  In fact I was counting the days until my leadership position would end and I planned to crawl away to rest - for a good long time. Into this countdown, my wise husband calmly asked, "Have you PRAYED about whether you are to be willing to serve another term?"

No, I hadn't. It took a dear prayer warrior and three weeks before I was ready to say, "OK - show me a verse". I got the water in the desert and my plans aren't your plans verses (as I studied the SERMON ON THE MOUNT with Precept). Those are always trouble. Each verse also had a promise of joy - and going forth with dancing and shouting.  God began to give me glimmers of vision for another couple of year's of service...BUT I was MOVING in 6 months....I couldn't get away from it and submitted an "application" and decided the selection team would hear from God...I just had to obey. I told them we were scheduled to leave in July 2012....but we'd asked for an extension. They selected me. I cried, I really, really , really well.....it was simply hard. I wanted to hide and God was requiring more leadership.  But the verses assured me there would be joy!

I left for 4 weeks of travel in the states....God lovingly began to speak to me...Sweetly...dearly....You can read more about this time in the post -  Hidden Treasures/Rest. There has been so much...but secrets are intimate and confidential...and I'll share as I feel released to do so. The bottom line is that God met me and has lovingly showed me things I've known for years at a deeper level about resting, hiding, the Secret Place.


The following is from Dr. Zodhiates' Complete Dictionary of Word study in Pocket Bible.

"secret/hidden" - Strongs 2927 - Kruptos - hidden, concealed, secret, in secret where one cannot be seen by others, to be covered.  


"sanctuary" -  place set apart and consecrated as holy  - also served as a refuge and asylum....


If I MUST choose one word - it would be sanctuary.  I tend to like "Secret Place" or "Secret Sanctuary" better. LOL 

As I shared in Hidden Treasures/Rest -  "In the midst of a public season, taking time to be hidden with Christ in the secret place is my lifeline, the solace and rest I crave. This is the  "cave" Abba Father lovingly grants  in this public season where I'm not allowed to "go anonymous".  I can be hidden/anonymous every time I enter the "secret place" with Him."

I've gone there often these past two months. My journal pages are full of sweet lessons. He is becoming my secret place, my sanctuary in ever-deeper ways....the great thing is He was before...but His mercies are NEW to us every morning. I'm refreshed. I'm peaceful.


Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Sowing to the Spirit

God  graces me with  an annual  word –a memorial stone – enticing me to follow His unique leading.  I have learned to prayerfully evaluate my life in light of the work God is doing. I wonder if you might care to join me in a few moments of prayerful evaluation as we consider Galatians 6:7-10.

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked ; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to theSpirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. NASB

I’m not a farm gal; God has set me down in the midst of rice patties, wheat fields and cabbage patches these last couple of years.  I’m observant.

Farming  is a lot of work. Hard ground must be plowed up and prepared to receive seed. Planted fields must be cultivated.  Are you willing to allow Abba  free reign to break up hard areas in your life? Will you cooperate with Him in nourishing  the  plantings in your life? Some seasons’ planting seem to painfully require reserves beyond our strength.

Farmers are not easily fooled about what they’ve planted in each field. What is planted will eventually be harvested. Farmers have a distinct plan for each field in which seed is scattered.  Do you?  Will your seeds produce ruin and decay? Or are you following His lead in your daily plantings? If so, you WILL reap a life characterized by the eternal.

There are times when fields seem dormant.  In  the spring green onion shoots are sure to sprout here – I saw the planting. There is no evidence of that harvest this snowy December.  At the right time there will be a harvest!

Don’t lose heart! Rest in Him who IS  our secret dwelling place and He will bring times of refreshing. Are you planting things of the spirit in your home, marriage, PWOC, work place? Are you waiting for a harvest which hasn’t materialized yet.  It WILL – in the proper, due, opportune time! I eagerly anticipate the reports of harvest in Asia Region

Alicia Brit Chole shares, “What grows from painful planting is God’s business. But sowing in faith is ours and our faithfulness is never sown in vain.”

We aim to simply  follow His lead in sowing to the Spirit.  

First shared at pwoc.org on Asia Region's Page

Choosing Joy!
©2011 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...