Monday, June 25, 2012

Three Sweet Treats to Make on a Cool Summer Day

Hey girlfriends,

Last week this time we were wilting in the heat and humidity.  Today, cool and comfortable.  I love it. Did I mention our new house does not have air conditioning?  You read it right.  I thank God for cold fronts and dry air.  Often.  Psalm 121:5 says, "The Lord watches over you - the Lord is your shade at your right hand...".  What a beautiful verse.  This is why today is such an awesome day.  I wasted no time getting in the kitchen and doing some baking.  I mentioned it on facebook and several asked for the recipes.  So here you go!

This is strawberry rhubarb cobbler.  I doubled the recipe to fit a 13x9 pan.  And I also used 1/2 whole wheat flour - I just had to add something else with some nutritional value. :)  Recipe is at link below:
I recommend eating warm w/ice cream or whipped cream
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Strawberry-Rhubarb-Cobbler

Next I tried a pinterest recipe for Individual Baked Oatmeal - to grab and go.  I love this idea as I am usually not ready for breakfast as early as I leave for work.  So I'll be putting these in my freezer and grabbing them when I need a little something to go.  Made in muffin tins....genius!  They are so good.  I made several different kinds:  raisin and nut, fruit, mini chocolate chips, etc.  You can go wild with your imagination - and they are so healthy and very tasty!  Hope you love them too.



http://www.sugarfreemom.com/recipes/personal-sized-baked-oatmeal-with-individual-toppings-gluten-free-diabetic-friendly/

And the last....homemade granola.  Perfect for fruit and/or yogurt.  I can't remember where I got this recipe, but have been using it for a long time now.


Angela's Granola

5 c. quick oats (been known to use old fashioned)
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. apple juice (or whatever juice you have)
1/2 c. dry milk
1/3 c. honey
2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
dried fruit and nuts as you desire*

Mix sugar, juice, dry milk and honey in saucepan and heat until sugar dissolves.  Combine other dry ingredients and mix well.

Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 20-30 min, stirring every 10 minutes.  *add fruits and nuts after baking.  Cool on waxed paper.

Hope you've found something to do today that  brings you joy.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

The Story of Your Life....How's it Reading?

I love Matthew West.  He is one of my favorite artists/singers/songwriters.  He goes deep.  I am either worshiping right along with him or pondering deep truths and making some adjustments.  Today was one of those days.

I was out for a very sweaty walk this morning and my ipod was shuffling away.  A little Mark Schultz, a little 4HIM, a little Steven Curtis Chapman, a lot of MercyMe and the last song of the day from Matthew West.  I like to end the walk on a high note with a song that will hang with me for the rest of the day.  Today was no exception.  Have you ever heard "The Story of Your Life"?  I love this song.

I love the idea that our life is like a book - a story - and we have a lot to say as how it is written.  We can't control everything that happens to us, that's where God's Authorship comes in, but we can control how we respond to it.  And we can make wise choices that lead to skillful living.  Anybody out there need a second chance? Or are ready to start a new chapter?  Eager to stop letting life happen to you and want to start redefining your legacy?  Me too - Read these lyrics.

Is this the end?
Or only the beginning?
The second chance
You never thought you'd get

The question is
Will you do something with it
Or spend your days
Lost in your regret?

This is the story of your life
You decide
How the rest is gonna read
This is your chance between the lines
To redefine what kind of legacy you leave
This is the story of your life
And it's a story worth telling

This is the joy
This is the pain
And all the pages in between
Your finest hour
Your weakest moment
Its where you've been
It's where you are
It's where you're going

This is the story of your life
Go tell the story of your life
Cause it's a story worth telling

Talk about motivation.  I just love so many of these concepts and this isn't even the whole song!  How is your story reading these days?  I'm sure the pages are filled with chapters from your past - the joy and pain, your finest hour and your weakest moments.  Stuff your proud of and stuff you wish you could strike from the record.  But what about the present chapter(s)?  Are you lost in regret?  Stuck in some of those early chapters? Defeated?  Not progressing?  Living less than your calling?  Or are you living your story - which IS worth telling?  Every day is a new beginning. You don't have to be what you were.  2 Cor. 5:17 says, "...old things are passed away, all things are becoming new." 

If you haven't already, it's time to make peace with where you've been, accept where you are and take some initiative toward where you're going.  How do you want your story to read from this point on until it's end?  What's the legacy you want to leave for all those coming alongside or behind who will read your story?  Well, it's time to start working on that.

Receive this truth - that you are loved by the Most High God, you are created in His image and He has great plans for your life!  It really doesn't matter how it has read up to this point as far as what you've done or haven't done. The main theme of your story is God's faithfulness.  He's had His eye on you all of your days and He's not going anywhere.  So start living by His Book, the Bible, and focusing all your attention on giving Him glory with all that you've been given from this moment on.  One of my regular prayers for me and my family is that we "walk in a manner worth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ."  That's the story I want to read.  And it's the story I want to write.  'Cause it's a story worth telling!

I hope by now you are thinking, "I want to hear that song!"  Well, I'm not about to leave you without an opportunity to be blessed....click below or copy and paste it into your browser.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DR7KfFfse3k




Thursday, June 14, 2012

God's Faithfulness....for You and for Me...Always

Happy day, friends!

It is a beauty out there.  I hope you can get out and enjoy it.  I'm in the office today thinking about you and wanting to share a bit about what God has been teaching me.  A week ago I went with three women from our church to the Ladies LYFE Conference at Baptist Bible College in Clarks Summit, PA.  It was a really good few days away.

First of all, I enjoyed time on the campus where my son will be spending his next two years come August.  Now I have some visual images - every mom likes that.

The women I was with were very fun too.  I especially enjoyed rooming with one who is in her 7th month of pregnancy.  She eats fun.  And she says things like, "I think we should go to Starbucks and get a frappuccino" in the middle of the afternoon.  Very cool.

However, the best part was spending two days with focused attention on God and His Word. 
Worshiping. Sitting and listening. Receiving. The highlight for me were general sessions with Liz Curtis Higgs.  She spoke about three different women in the Bible, Hagar, Sarah and Leah.  We laughed (she is super funny) and were loved and taught much.

I'm so thankful that God loves women as much as He loves men and included them in His story.   Genesis 16 is where her story is found.  Maybe you remember it?  Hagar was the maidservant of Abram and Sarai and was used (by them) to hurry God's promise along.  It was in no way God's plan for any of them but that's how it is written.  I think if we are honest, we can all remember a time when we took matters into our own hands to make something happen that we got tired of waiting on God for.  Ugh.

Liz's personal impressions spoke such tenderness to my heart as she illustrated how this story showcases God's love for those who are alone, rejected, dealt a bad hand, and have not trusted Him when they should have known better, etc.  We might all be able to find ourselves in one of these categories from time to time as well.

Here's some of the story details:
  • God promised Abram and Sarai a son.  
  • They got tired of waiting and came up with their own plan using Hagar to conceive and carry the baby.
  • Sarai wasn't dependent on God.  She abused Hagar violently.
  • Abram let his wife, who clearly was not walking closely to God, do with Hagar whatever she felt was best.  YIKES!  
  • Hagar despised Sarai and fled.
  • God sent an angel of the Lord (1st time in Scripture) to Hagar.
  • He ministered and talked to Hagar and sent her back with a promise of her own.
  • Hagar was so moved, she gave God a Name "El Roi: The God Who Sees Me".
I learned so much in this session about God and His faithfulness.

1.  I want to be the kind of wife my husband is proud of.  I don't want to be one who advises Scott from my own desires - especially when they are of the flesh and not demonstrating any trust in God.  I wonder if Abram was a little afraid of Sarai.  Why would he give her permission to deal with Hagar as she saw fit?  God forbid, Scott give me that kind of power when I'm in such a state of sinfulness.  How much  better we would be if we shared an accountability with our spouse that speaks truth and/or correction when necessary. More than once in our marriage, Scott has said to me, "Stop, that's enough.  You have a bad attitude here.".  I've never liked it, but always later appreciated it because he has shown that he has my best interest at heart and isn't willing to pick up an offense of mine or justify my unspirit-filled behavior and attitude. Does your husband have that freedom/your permission to call you on the carpet when necessary?

2.  The angel asked Hagar two questions:
"Where have you come from?" and "Where are you going?" (Not "Where are you?".)  Think about it:  Where has God brought you from?  And where do you want to go with Him? Is "where we are" going to get us there?  If we are running from something and are confronted with those questions, I wonder if answer ing these aloud before God, might realign us.

3.  God didn't rescue Hagar from the situation she was put in.  Honestly, I don't love this part of the story.  He sent her back.  Too often I want God to remove the uncomfortable situation/relationship I'm in but He doesn't always.  I especially struggle with this when a friend is suffering at the hand of another.  I want to say "RUN!", but that may not be God's plan.  He wants us to endure, be content and give Him glory in everything we experience (see James).  And He promises to be with us every step of the way.  That's the best part!!

4.  Later in the story (Genesis 21), Hagar gets the shaft again.  Abraham sends her away with her son (at Sarah's insistence).  Again, the angel of the Lord showed up. He had heard Hagar's son crying as they were near death in the desert.  He gave her yet another promise and fortified her to keep going.  He continually met her needs.  He is so good!  Don't miss the fact that Hagar has done nothing to merit God's favor (we don't either).

5.  Throughout these chapters, there is another story being told.  God continually was gracious to Sarah.  Doesn't that just go against everything we naturally feel regarding good guys vs. bad guys?  We want justice.  It's not fair.  Why does God keep blessing Sarah in her state of selfishness and sin?  The fact is, just like Hagar, Sarah doesn't do anything to merit God's favor either.  He gives it as He wills.  He makes the promises and He is writing history.  He will bring forth His plans regardless of what "the players" do that might seem to wreck or hinder them.  The lesson for me here is simply that God is going to be faithful to me always.  He knows we are weak and that we live in the flesh sometimes.  He doesn't expect perfection.  He pours out His goodness because that is who He is.  Isn't that incredible?

I needed that.  The rest of the weekend I kept rehearsing the following over and over in my mind:

God sees me.  He hears me. He knows me.  He loves me.  He is aware of my need and is ahead of me meeting it.
God forgives me.  He always takes me back when I've strayed.  He has brought me a far distance now from who I was when He found me.  He chose me.  He won't be quitting on me.  He still chooses me.  No matter how badly I mess up or who I hurt deliberately or otherwise, He will restore.  Can you feel the love??

Of course, this is no license to sin (see Romans 6).  But it is good news for those of us who may be discouraged because we drifted or we've been listening to the enemy's lies that we are no good - never were and never will be.  God's arm is never too short to save.  Get back on track today.  How often I pray for me and my family - "God please save us from sin and save us from ourselves."  He will.

I came home from the conference with a sweet contentment that God is in charge of everything that concerns me. Still, I want to be a good steward of what I've learned, so what's my "take away"?  Because I am so loved and want to return that love to Him, I resolve to be obedient to His Word.  To not take any matters into my own hand (not lean on my own understanding).  To not quench or grieve the Holy Spirit by letting the flesh control my heart, thoughts and actions (this part will take some work!).  Instead, the love I receive is the love I will give to others.  So look out, you may be getting a huge hug from me the next time our paths cross. :)

I hope that whatever state you are in as you read this offering, you will receive all this goodness too.  I pray you find yourself loved.  Reminded.  Repentant (if necessary).  Rejoicing as I am.  And for fun, think about this:  Based on what you know at this point in your journey with God - what name would you give Him?  I'd love it if you feel like sharing it with me.

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Burtis Summer Challenge 2012...I Dare You To Join Us

So yesterday I promised to share with you our family challenge for this year.  Let me back up a little.

I read a book last Spring that I loved.  It was a book about gratitude and the pursuit of God.  The author took a dare from a friend to make a list.  I started my own list in May 2011.  For a year, I've been naming on paper things that I love, things that make me smile, that bring joy.  Things that I am thankful to God for.  This individual naming of blessings has changed my life.  I didn't realize the depth of change until right around the year anniversary of first reading it.  Fear and thanksgiving can't abide together.  Neither can complaining and giving thanks.  Worry and gratitude duke it out until one wins.  Gratitude is winning.  The sheer joy of giving thanks has decreased the influence of fear, complaining, worry and so much more from my life.

The last six months have brought more change to our family than I can remember in a concentrated period of time.  We moved from our home of fourteen years and our church of seventeen.  We left behind family and close friends.  We moved our kids, two of which are in their last years of high school.  We've left our comfortable, somewhat predictable but happy ministries.  Our lives have reeked of change.  I've wondered over the past few months why all this change has been a joy to me.  Why have I not been fearful, complaining or worried?

I believe it has to do with my list which is now numbering over 6,000 items.  Has to be. Every morning I begin my quiet time adding to the list in my journal.  "Is there any other way to enter His courts but with thanksgiving?" (Psalm 100:4)*  I'm not necessarily talking just about deep, spiritual things but also the  simple things.  Like seeing my children get along, a new colorful flower springing up in my yard, rain boots, when a friend thinks of me out of the blue, how my husband looks at me across a crowded room. When a heart is grateful for so many little things, its trust in God grows to a place that is less penetrable to the discouraging tactics of the enemy.  Living proof, right here.  Surely this is why there are so many verses imploring us to give thanks in all circumstances. (1 Thess. 5:18,  Eph. 5:20) When we give thanks, we communicate to God that we trust Him.

All this giving thanks takes practice. "Sweeping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life." * That doesn't change a life.  No, the repetition and daily practice is what grows deep roots of trust in our heavenly Father.  And changes us. Strengthens our faith.  Deepens our commitment and intimacy with Him. "The daily practice of the discipline of gratitude is the way to daily practice the delight of God."*   Sign me up!

Can you see where I'm going with this?  The other night I bought each of my children a journal and encouraged them to start their own list. To just write down 3 things a day.  Noticing all the ways God is blessing and loving them.  I am praying to see the same sorts of fruit in their lives as they become more aware of how God is in the big and the little stuff.

"What makes God so dear to us is not so much His big blessings to us, but the tiny things, because they show His amazing intimacy with us - He knows every detail of each of our individual lives."**  Maybe we should spend a season not just looking for the BIG things we want God to do for us, but rather spend some time noticing the little and enjoying that amazing intimacy that He wants with us.  I just LOVE that!

"If we are obsessed by God, nothing else can get into our lives - not concerns, nor tribulation, nor worries. And now we understand why our Lord so emphasized the sin of worrying."**

Once you get started, you'll see how much fun it is.  But to be honest, the harder part is to give thanks for the things we don't want.  I am forever reminding myself to add those to the list too.  Eventually we realize that this list we have created is actually a list of all the ways God loves US.  By the time I finished the book, I knew I wanted a list of my own. So now that you've read this far, I'm throwing down the dare to you - name all the ways God loves you!   I hope you'll create your own list and this summer will be the beginning of  a spiritual benchmark in your life where fruit which lasts forever will be harvested....and continue to grow in every season.

Please send me a message if you're "in".  We can share our thanks together.  So fun!

*One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
**My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

A Letter I Wrote Last Year....Maybe It Still Has Value?

The last few summers, I have thrown out a spiritual challenge to my family.  You might know by now that I get excited about intentional living. I love asking God to do a new work in my life.  Even if it means I need correction and discipline.  Who wants to stay in a place of sin, mediocrity or disobedience?  Not me.  I love setting goals.  I get re-energized by a fresh start.  I never think we have to save this only for New Years' time.  Every season is an opportunity to start fresh.  (Actually, every day is!)

Last summer I wrote a letter to some kids I love (a few of mine and a few others) who were spending their summer serving God at camp.  Eventually, I shared it with the women who read my offerings.  I wondered if it would be worth sharing here this year.  You can be the judge. I've posted it below in hopes that maybe you'd be interested.  Be encouraged to know that each of the kids agreed to the challenge and I know God blessed them for it.  Maybe it will energize you?  Give you something new to strive for?

Tomorrow I will post the new challenge for this summer which we started this week.  Feel free to join us in it.  If you do, would you let me know -so I can pray with you through it?  That would make my day!

Here goes:



"Dear (insert your name here),
So, I was thinking about you this morning on my walk and praying for you and your summer adventure at camp.  I was also thanking God for some changes He’s made in my life recently that I didn’t think possible, or at least probable.  Yet, I find myself changed, grateful and energized.



Do you ever look at things in your life that cause you regret or defeat and wonder if you’ll ever stop doing that thing or if you’ll ever mature past it or if it will never be “an issue” again?  I certainly have.  Then somehow I forget about it and continue in the same pattern of “lesser living” not really believing I will ever be free of it.  But sometimes, I take action and really seek God about it. 

I always seem surprised when sometime after that I see it in my past, no longer an issue and I thank God.  But it makes me wonder if we just open ourselves up to a bigger picture of God and His abilities and dreams for us, if He would accomplish so much more than we are currently expecting or imagining?

I know you have been challenged and likely have given God your summer already, but what if you made it a daily practice to believe God for “more than you can imagine” Him doing in your life?  What if you got to the end of the summer and one or more of those things I mentioned above were in your distant past and you emerged changed?  And what if you got to the end of the summer and found yourself walking closer to God than you ever have?  Now that would be reason to celebrate!

One of my favorite ways to be proactive is to write these intentions out and look at them often, praying them back to God.  Little by little, God does the work of renewing my mind through this practice.  I thought I’d throw a challenge out to you to do the same.

These verses come to mind:
“Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.  Behold, I am doing a new thing: now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?  I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”  Isa. 43:18-19 (wilderness and desert perhaps being the things we want to shake but may be obstacles)

OT: “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for Him.” Isa. 64:4

Or if you like the NT version better:

NT: “But, as it is written, “..no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him.”  1 Cor. 2:9

If you want the kind of life change and experience with God this summer, why  not read these verses everyday during your quiet time or before you go to sleep (or both!) and believe Him for the outcome He has in mind?  Let your imagination run wild remembering that He imagines so much more!

If it’s o.k. with you, I’m going to pray these verses for you (and for me too!) and look forward to an amazing harvest for us all this summer. Living for Christ truly is the only thing satisfying in this life, so why not crank it up a notch? One thing I know for sure, God never leaves any effort to get closer to Him on our part to go unnoticed or un-blessed.  So, be aware and be looking for Him, "Do you not perceive it?"  Believe and perceive!

With deep love,
Mom

Friends, consider yourself invited to join in.  I hope you take it on.  Why not?  Let’s be farmers this summer…plant the seed of the Word early in the summer (and throughout) and then wait for the harvest.  Don’t forget about it – believe and perceive – always looking for what God is doing in your life.  Don’t forget to praise Him along the way."

Monday, June 4, 2012

A New Way of Looking at Life and the Value of an Inspiring Friend

Hey everyone, I hope you had a great weekend.  I wanted to tell you about something that blessed me last week.  God gave me a special treat.  Do you have someone in your life who inspires you?  Someone who makes you want to live your life better. Someone who both laughs at the silly and ponders the deep. Someone you know won't judge you, but instead will commit to pray for you.  I am thankful that God has blessed me with several of these kinds of friends and when I can spend time with them, I jump at the chance. One in particular, I don't get to see face to face very often.  Once or twice a year, in a good year. Recently, we got  to share a long (but not long enough) dinner and visit together. 

As we wrapped up an evening of filling each other in on our lives since our last visit, I asked a question:  "Are you excited about your new adventure?"  She is heading into a new but somewhat familiar season of life that requires major change for her and her whole family.  She paused before she answered.  Then she said, "Whenever people ask me that, I wonder why they want me to be excited.  Who said that everything we do for God will excite us?  Sometimes we choose obedience whether we are super happy about it or not simply because He's asked us to do it."  You can imagine I wasn't expecting that answer.  I admit it, I want everyone to be happy and excited all the time.  I really do not like it when friends suffer or go through difficulties that I presume will rob them of joy.

We discussed this further while we finished our dessert and coffee. As usual, I walked away so proud of her and inspired to walk that deep life of faith.  Later I thought about it some more.  I considered all the Bible characters that were asked to do something that they probably didn't tell all their friends they were excited to begin.
  • God asked Abraham to leave his country, home, extended family and friends to go to a new land where he knew no one and had no idea what was waiting for him. (Genesis)
  •  
  • God asked Moses to fight a lengthy, costly battle with Pharaoh opening the door for obstacles from his complicated past to be opened up like a can of worms. (Exodus)

  • God asked Jonah to go preach the Good News to a people he despised. (Jonah)
  •  
  • God asked Mary to lay aside her reputation and somewhat predictable life to give birth to and raise His Son, the Messiah of the World.  (Luke)
  •  
  • God asked Ananias to go reach out to Saul, who persecuted and killed Christians. (Acts)

  • God asked Jesus to leave perfect heaven, come to sin-filled Earth to be misunderstood, betrayed, beaten, to suffer and die for a fickle people, and secure eternal life for generations untold.
Of course, what we know now is that not only were each of those men blessed, but their obedience and surrender secured our blessing as well.  The truth is, I don't think we can fulfill the destiny God has for us if we continually position ourselves for happiness and stress or problem-free living.  We have to trust God for what He is doing that is beyond our current comprehension.  In other words, He knows what He's doing with our lives!  We can trust Him, girlfriends.  Don't be afraid.  Just say yes.  He is for us. He is working everything together for good according to His purposes. Who knows what He could be doing through you in the lives of those who are watching your life.

I think it's exciting.  I want to be one who God can ask to do something hard because He knows I will say yes - whether I'm excited and ready to have a party over it....or not.  That I will always choose obedience looking at each opportunity He presents to me as an opportunity to grow closer to Him and deeper in the knowledge of Him. Just like my very special friend does. Why would I want to live any other way?  This is the way to ensure you don't get to the end of your life and only have self-gratification to show for it.  Instead, your obedient, God-centered life will be inspiring to others just like my friend always is to me.

Let me repeat how I started this post:  do you have someone in your life who inspires you?  Someone who makes you want to live your life better. Someone who both laughs at the silly and ponders the deep. Someone you know won't judge you, but instead will commit to pray for you.  I sincerely hope you do.  Why not schedule some time with her if it's long overdue?  If you don't, GET ONE.  Pray and ask God to lead you to this kind of woman.  Watch and observe the godly women in your life and then strike up a friendship.

Hey, one more question.  Who are you inspiring?  There is no time like today to take a good hard look inside and evaluate your spiritual life.  I guarantee, lots of people are watching you.....be inspiring!!