Bread Machine

I bought a bread machine about a month ago with the intention of making a loaf of bread occasionally for us to have.  Bread is the arch enemy and anti-christ to anyone who is dieting, so I'm not sure what my reasoning was for buying it.  "Well, so and so has one!  My sister has one!  I WANT ONE!!!"  Who needs more reason than that?

So, I bought a bread machine and realized that I didn't have all the ingredients that I needed.  I tried my first loaf with some bread flour that I had and the loaf didn't rise AT ALL.  My bread flour was very old.  I think I bought it when we lived in PA, which was about 20 months ago.

So, I bought all new flour and yeast and tried again.  This time, I tried a whole wheat bread.  I like whole wheat bread and I want my children to like it, too.  Dad is gone to Afghanistan, so he won't have to eat any of it.  :)  It turned out better, but it just wasn't what I was expecting.  I need to try to make it again and give the wheat another chance.

This bread machine does it all.  Makes a loaf in 58 minutes, for heaven's sake.  I've not tried that yet. I have tried the dough/pasta setting and have thoroughly enjoyed the pizza dough that this machine cranks out.  The softest dough I've ever felt.   Let's stop for a moment and thank God for pizza.

Moment's up.

Then I discovered this recipe in my book: Oatmeal Date Bread.  It can be made in 80 minutes.  How hard can that be?  And it's got Oatmeal in it - it has to be healthy.

However, I didn't have dates.  Who keeps dates in their pantry?  I did however, have a bag of cranberries, so I thought I'd give it a try.

Oh my good heavens...is this good bread or what?  Dense, with a touch of sweetness from the cranberries and the 1/4 cup brown sugar.  Beautiful loaf of bread, thank you for baking.

Here's the final product...

It's a good thing this loaf of bread is a gift, or you might not have seen it in this perfect state.  You'd have seen about 1/2 of it gone and half a stick of butter gone. 

 Now, go and run 20 laps because you gained about 15 pounds just by looking at this load of bread.

Blessings,

Missy

My boys...

I can't help it...my sons keep me in stitches the live long day.   Let me show you why...


Here's Asher - 10 months old.  He's recently discovered the dog's water bowl and tries to get in it 50 times a day.  No kidding.  I've had to rig a gate across the doorway so he can't get in there. You should see him fight with that gate.  Too funny...

Here's Timothy, just today.  I've had the booster seat out for when company comes over and we need a toddler seat.  But Asher is almost ready to transition from high chair to booster.  Timothy is capable of getting in the booster and buckling himself in.  He's just not able to UNbuckle himself.  He came down the hall like this...

And proceeded to sit in the floor and play whilst still sitting in the booster...

He's such a scream.

I love my kids...

Blessings,
Missy

Multi-tasking Momma...and God

I have 2 boys - Timothy, who is 2 and Asher, who is 2 months. My boys (including my sweet husband, Todd) are my life. I get up every morning anticipating being mom and wife. I go to bed every night thinking about what we'll be doing the next day. I think about them constantly. I think that my multi-tasking has improved since becoming a mom. It amazes me that I can anticipate what could happen, and I'm usually right! I can think about something that is happening now and think about what will be happening in the future. For example: my husband leaves a glass of water on the coffee table and walks away. I tell him to pick it up because Timothy (and soon Asher) will get it. He says "Timothy is in the other room. He doesn't even know it's there!" (I bet you can see it coming a mile away...) As soon as he turns his back, here comes Timothy reaching for the glass and dumps it all over the floor. Chaos ensues as my darling husband jumps and yells about the water everywhere while I'm standing there trying not to say "I TOLD you so!!" Hee hee! Don't you love it when we're right? :)

Our Father has some pretty good multi-tasking skills, too. As He was creating the earth, He was thinking about how much we would enjoy it. As Adam and Eve were in the garden hiding in their sin, He was anticipating our trying to hide our sin from Him. As He sent his Son to the world, He was thinking about the day that I would come to know Him as my Heavenly Father. As He has already decided when and how Christ will return, He is preparing the world for that day. God is completely able to do all these things and yet He has love enough for me that He plans my steps and leads me where I should go. How amazing is that!? I find that I'm amazed to be able to keep up with my little family...and God takes care of the whole world!

I have sheet music for a song that I've played and sung several times. It's called "As if I Were the Only One to Love." It's a love song about how even though God created everything, He still notices us. Even though we are but just an "incidental speck, a grain of dust..." He loves us. What a precious reminder of how special God thinks we are. He made us just to make Himself happy! He delights in us! He wants the best for us! He has the best laid plans for us...if we'll just follow Him.

Dear Father, thank You for thinking I'm special. Thank You for leading me and showing me how much You love me. You are all I desire. Thank You for loving me "as if I were the only one to love." In Jesus' precious name, Amen.

Here is a link to the song "As if I Were the Only One to Love" on youtube.com. Check it out and listen to the words. Beautiful...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2hsQXhltxw

External fruits

I've had several thoughts to blog about recently, but having a conversation with a friend yesterday about babies brought these thoughts to mind.

My friend asked me yesterday how you could tell if a baby was sick. She's unmarried and has no children of her own, but yet she's great with my kids! :) I told her that you could tell when the baby acts differently than normal. For instance, if the baby usually has good eating patterns and suddenly cries while eating, the baby might have a sore throat. If the baby has a fever, that is a definite sign that something is wrong. If a baby is sick, there will definitely be an outward, external sign that something is amiss and it needs some attention.

As I pondered this conversation, I realized that our Christian walk is the same way. If a person says that they are a believer, but there are no external signs, are we to believe that they are truly a child of God? As Christians, we are to outwardly produce fruit and therefore be known as believers. John 15:8 says "This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples." We have external signs that we are believers when we bear fruit. What kinds of fruit? Honesty, kindness, graciousness, faith, hope, trust, generosity, openness...love.

Of course, we are not to judge a person's heart and the sincerity about their conversion. That is God's job. I have myself to worry about without taking on someone else's Christian walk!

I don't know about you, but my fruit has been scarce recently. My grapes are all dried up, my apples are rotten, my bananas are smushy. I don't even think I have enough fruit to make a fruit salad! However, I do know that I can't produce fruit apart from the Vine. And I know that while the Gardner cuts off vines that are barren and produce zero fruit, He will prune me to produce more fruit for Him. Pruning is hard and it hurts! But in the end, the aroma and taste of sweet fruits will be worth it! Read John 15:1-8.

How are your fruits? Is it time to let God do some cutting and pruning? Do you have enough fruit for fruit salad? Is your bowl big enough just for you or is there enough to share with God?

Dear Father...please help me to be aware when my fruit is going bad; when there aren't any outward, external signs of my walk with You. Show me where branches of selfishness and pride need to be cut off and cast away and where living, thriving branches need to be pruned to bear fruit pleasing to You. Cutting and pruning is hard work, sometimes it causes blisters! But knowing what the end result will be will make it worth the time and effort. Thank You for Jesus. In His name, Amen.

Worth it all...

Missy

To the 4 people who cut me off in traffic last Friday...

Dear Sirs or Madams:

I just wanted to let you know that I'm praying for you. Four of you cut me off in traffic last Friday while I was driving with my 6 week old baby in the car. You cut me off while I was minding my own business and wasn't in your way in the least bit. You cut me off because you were in a hurry, or weren't paying attention, or whatever.

When you cut me off last week, my first thought was to get mad and to lash out at you. However, because I had my baby in the car, and most of the time I have my 2 year old in the car, I restrained myself. I've begun to notice how many times I let things like this get under my skin and I gripe and complain and call you names. My 2 year old is going to repeat some of the things that I have said, and I don't want to hear that coming out of my son's mouth. But I digress...

I heard from a friend that when someone cuts you off in traffic, you should pray for them. So here it goes...

"Dear God...please let there be a cop waiting for this person around the next bend. Please let them get caught speeding or passing someone else illegally and the cop sees it and they get in a bunch of trouble. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Wait a minute...that may not be what my friend was talking about. Let me try again.

"Dear God, please keep the driver of that car safe. They may be trying to get to a loved one who is sick or hurt. Please keep their mind clear so they can make wise decisions while they are driving so they don't cause themselves or someone else to get hurt. In Jesus' name, Amen."

OK. I've prayed for you. But now I think I need to pray for myself as well...

"Dear God...my mouth has been a bit too busy this morning. Please help me to watch my mouth because I've got little ears listening. Please change my heart toward other drivers. Help me not to get angry or bitter because of someone else's actions. The only person I have to worry about is me. Help me to be a safe and careful driver so my family and I can make it to our many destinations safely and securely. In Jesus' name, Amen."

Consider yourself prayed for, other drivers. And for the rest of you on the road with me, if you cut me off, I'll pray for you, too. You have been warned.