The Cooks Encyclopedia of Baking

The Cooks Encyclopedia of Baking by Carole Clements is one of my absolute favorite cookbook!! I have checked it out of the library numerous times and was so excited when I received it as a gift from a dear friend. (thank you so much Ruth Ann!!. :)

It has simple instructions and step by step photos as well as pictures of the finished food. Almost all the recipes use very basic ingredients that most people have on hand, which is a big plus with me. :) One thing that I don't like is looking though a recipe book only to find that the recipe I want to make requires one or more items that we normally don't have in the cabinet and would mean a trip to the store.

There is plenty of great recipes to choose from cookies & bars to muffins & yeast breads, cakes, pies and more. It includes such favorites as Shoo fly Pie, and Shortbread. Some of the recipes that I have posted in the past have come from this cookbook including: Chocolate Chip Walnut Loaf, and Chocolate Frosted Butter Cake :) There are still plenty of recipes that I'm looking forward to making! This season of the year just puts me in a mood for baking! :)

The Great I Am

God reveals Himself as the great "I Am", and the Lord Jesus, again and again, during the time of His ministry on earth, spake of Himself as "I Am". Now, people almost always tell us what they are and how they feel. Some say, "I am so ignorant!"; some. "I am so sinful"; some," I am so stupid"; or "I am so timid." But when the Holy Spirit takes possession of us, He shuts up all the "I am" of our nature, and turns us to the one great "I Am", and in which we take our place by the side of Paul, and say, "I am nothing"; or go down even lower to Him Who was "meek and lowly in heart", and say, "I can of mine own self do nothing" (John 5:30).

Yield yourself unreservedly to Him. You say, " I am weak"; and you are; but the true "I Am" joins on to that name of His, "the Almighty God". Where is He Almighty? Where He dwells. Just let the Holy Spirit come into you and dwell within you, then His Almightiness walks about with you wherever you go. If Satan tempts you to the old sin, there is Almightiness dwelling in Him Who dwells in you, and surely you need not doubt whether the temptation shall be overcome or not. God is equal to it, though you are not. Shall the "I am" or our self-life be that of Paul, "I am crucified with Christ"? There is an end of me, and end of all my complaining of myself, an end of that old song of what I am-"I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live.".

~E. Baxter

God Moves in Mysterious Ways

God moves in mysterious ways:
His wonders to perform:
he plants His footsteps in the sea,
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs,
And works His Sovereign will.

Ye fearful Saint, fresh courage take,
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purpose will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
And see His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter
And He will make it plain.

-Willliam Crowper

Bible Quiz

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15

Some time ago at our Wednesday night Bible study, we did this Bible quiz, which was fun and interesting. You are not supposed to use your Bible while taking the quiz, just do it from memory. Of course some the questions are very simple while others are a little more difficult. I thought I would share it on here since we had a good time with it. :) If you print it out it would make a nice Sunday afternoon or evening activity. :) I will try to post the answers in a couple of weeks. :)

1. What is the longest book in the Bible?
2. Who wrote the Acts of the Apostles?
3. Which book says, “The wages of sin is death”
4. How many people were on Noah’s Ark?
5. What is the Golden Rule?
6. Put in chronological order: Daniel, Noah, Paul, Moses and David.
7. How many books are there in the Bible?
9. Who were the first two people?
10. Name the Ten Commandments.
11. Who was the brother of Jacob?
12. Who wrote Psalm 23?
13. Name three of Jesus’ Parables.
14. How many epistles were written by John?
15. Was Luke: a fisherman , an apostle, a doctor or a shepherd?
16. Which tribe did Moses belong to?
17. Is Daniel in the Old or the New Testament?
18. In what language was the New Testament written?
19. Who said, “It is more blessed to give than to receive”?
20. True or false: James and John were brothers.
21. Who were the three patriarchs?
22. Put in chronological order: Temple, Church, Tower of Babel, Tabernacle.
23. What did Jesus say were the two greatest commandments?
24. Name the first three kings of Israel.
25. Give the name of at least one angel.
26. Who wrote the Book of Deuteronomy?
27. Did Jesus feed 4,000 or 5,000 people with loaves and fishes?
28. How many Minor Prophets are there?
29. Which book says, “I am the resurrection and the life”?
30. Was Matthew: a carpenter, a centurion, a tax collector, or a priest?
31. Which Gospel records Jesus turning the water into wine?
32. Is the Book Hezekiah in the Old or the New Testament?
33. Was David: a prophet, a shepherd, a soldier, a musician, or a king?
34. What are the three divisions of the Old Testament?
35. Put in chronological order: Jeremiah, Elijah, Samuel, Peter, Isaiah.
36. Which is the greatest: hope, love or faith?
37. Which Gospel has the Parable of the Good Samaritan?
38. Put in chronological order: Sarah, Lydia, Ruth, Mary, Eve, and Esther.
39. Which book says, “I am the Good Shepherd”?
40. Who could enter the Holy of Holies: Moses, a priest, an apostle, the High Priest.
41. We are saved by faith, good works, or faith and good works?
42. What is the Pentateuch?
43. Which Gospel records the Parable of the Prodigal Son?
44. Which book says, “Wives, submit to your husbands. Husband, love your wives”?
45. Who was Jesus’ mother?
46. Which book says: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved”?
47. Who was the strongest man to ever live: Hercules, Samson, or Goliath?
48. Who baptized Jesus?
49. Give a verse that teaches the doctrine of the Trinity.
50. Name the twelve tribes of Israel.
51. Who was the oldest person in the Bible?
52. What is the longest chapter in the Bible?
53. Name the five Books of Moses.
54. Who wrote the Book of Revelation?
55. Give three names or titles for Satan.
56. What kind of meat was eaten at the Passover?
57. Which book tells us the life of Samson?
58. What was the first language the Bible was translated into?
59. What is the shortest verse in the Bible?
60. Name the twelve apostles.
61. Put in chronological order: the Dispersion, the Crucifixion, the Flood the Babylonian
Captivity, and the Exodus.
62. Name someone who went to Heaven without dying.
63. Who will be raised from the dead: all men, Christians only or angels?
64. True or false: We are saved by being baptized in water.
65. Name the Books of the New Testament.
66. Name three of Christ’s miracles.
67. Which book says, “Spare the rod and spoil the child”?
68. In what language was the Old Testament written?
69. Is the Book of Hebrews in the Old or the New Testament?
70. Put in chronological order the nations that held Israel captive: Greece, Egypt, Babylon,
Rome, Assyria, and Persia.
71. Christ means: Master, High Priest, Anointed, Savior, Lord, or Redeemer?
72. Where are the 10 Commandments located in the Bible?
73. Who wrote the Book of Ecclesiastes?
74. Which book says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the Earth”?
75. Which tribe of Israel did Jesus belong to?
76. Name 3 of Israel’s feasts or festivals.
77. Who was the greatest man before Jesus: David, Abraham, Solomon, John the Baptist,
Moses or Adam?
78. Which book mentions the handwriting on the wall?
79. Who was Caesar when Jesus was born: Herod, Caesar Augustus, Pilate, Nero, or Julius
Caesar?
80. True or false: Moses led Israel into the Promised Land.
81. Give a Bible verse that explicitly says that Jesus is God.
82. Which Gospel mentions the Star of Bethlehem?
83. Name the four Gospels.

Colors of the Season

Inspired by my good friend Lydia and her advice on: "Beautifying Our Homes With Flowers," I decided to give her suggestion a try and bring some color indoors! :) Since we have plenty of wild flowers growing behind the house right now I had no problem with getting enough for all my arrangements with some left over to dry. I have never done very much with flower arranging, so these efforts were more of an experiment, but it was fun trying out different ways of putting the flowers together. :) Thanks for the inspiration Lydia! :)

All the flowers :)

Various Containers for arrangements.

The pitcher arrangement.

Purple and Green

Nothing fancy, but at least it's nice and bright it's now on

my desk helping to make my room more colorful. :)

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." Psalm 68:19