Love

Love is everything. It is the making of dreams and of promises to keep.Love is having stars in your eyes.Tomorrows in your heart. It is the giving of songs and of silences and the holding of memories only the heart can see. Love can be the sudden magic of a moment. Though frequently its as subtle as a glance from across a room. It can be felt in the soft squeezing of hands, a gentle hug or the sharing of whispers from within the hearts. Without love in our hearts, our lives would be as empty as a tomorrow without a dream.

Jesus: The Son Of Man

JESUS; THE SON OF MAN

He lived among us. He donned he costliest of robes; a human body. He made a throne out of a manger and a royal court out of some cows. He took a common name--Jesus--and made it holy. He took common people and made them the same. He could have lived over us or away from us. But he didn't. He lived among us.

He became a friend of the sinner and brother of the poor. He touched their sores and felt their tears and paid for their mistakes. He entered a tomb and came out and pledged that we'd do the same. And to us all, and to all the frightened Freds of the world, he shared the same message. "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust in me...I will come back and take you to be with me so that you may be where I am" (John 14: 1,3).

And how do we respond?

Some pretend he doesn't exist. They occupy themselves with a study of the piano and ask no questions about the Maestro.

Others hear him, but don't believe him. It's not easy to believe that God would go so far to take us home.

But then, a few decide to give it a try. They venture out of their corners and peek up through the opening. Each day they look toward the sky. They, like Simeon, "wait for" and "look forward to" the day Christ comes (2 Peter 3:11). They know there is more to life than the belly of a piano, and they want to be ready when Christ comes. (From When Christ Comes by Max Lucado)

Thank you again Jesus for becoming one of us. Thank you for dwelling among us. Help us be one of those that are looking forward to you coming. We thank you for your promise of resurrection. We know that we have that hope of being with you some day. Help us to be ready and watching. Amen

West Virginny Green Maters: Fried or as Pie

Fried Green Tomatoes

The ultimate comfort food...fried green tomatoes, greasy and crunchy! In other states folks may throw away those last tomatoes clinging to the vine after the first frost. They're still green on the outside but slightly pink inside. There's no hope of them becoming completely ripe. Us folks in West Virginia slice 'em up and fry them! Perfect as a side dish or an appetizer.

There's multiple ways to coat and fry your tomatoes; use bread crumbs, cracker crumbs, cornmeal, or flour. Most folks dip them in beaten eggs before dredging, while other folks just dredge then fry. Salt and pepper as frying. Bacon grease can be add for an even zestier flavor. A pinch of baking soda in the flour will cause them to puff up a bit. Personally, I prefer them simply dredged through flour, salt, peppered and fried in veg oil.

You can be fancy and dip them in Ranch dressing or drag them through Ketchup, hillbilly style!

I found this Pie Recipe on allrecipes.com and thought it may be fun to try!

Green Tomato Pie

INGREDIENTS
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
4 cups sliced green tomatoes
1 1/4 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons butter

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll pastry and line a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate.
In a large bowl, combine sliced tomatoes, sugar, lemon juice, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Toss lightly to mix. Pour into pastry lined deep-dish pie plate.
Put little dabs of butter in about 4 or 5 places around the top of pie then cover with pastry. Make slits wherever you please.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 10 minutes then reduce heat to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until golden and bubbly.

The Author Corrine says it taste like pumpkin pie!

Jesus: Authority and Power; Faith

Try as I might I'm afraid that I would have been cowering in Jesus' robes during the storm._ Mark 4:39-40. I like to think I'm full of faith but when I think of the persecution that Christians have endured from the beginning to present, I'm so thankful that my faith has never been tested to the extreme.
JESUS: AUTHORITY AND POWER

There are many examples of Jesus' authority, but I'll just mention one of my favorites. Jesus and the disciples are in a boat crossing the sea of Galilee. A storm arises suddenly and what was placid becomes violent--monstrous waves rise out of the sea and slap the boat...

...The very storm which made the disciples panic made him drowsy. What put fear in their eyes put him to sleep. The boat was a tomb to the followers and a cradle to Christ. How could he sleep through the storm? Simple, he was in charge of it.

"Jesus stood up and commanded the wind and said to the waves, 'Quiet! Be still!' Then the wind stopped, and it became completely calm. Jesus said to his followers, 'Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?'" (Mark 4:39-40).

Incredible. He doesn't chant a mantra or wave a wand. No angels are called, no help is needed. The raging water becomes a stilled sea, instantly. Immediate calm. Not a ripple. Not a drop. Not a gust. In a moment the sea goes from a churning torrent to a peaceful pond. The reaction of the disciples? Read it in verse 41: "The followers were very afraid and asked each other, 'Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!' " (From The Great House of God by Max Lucado)

Most mighty God who is so powerful that even the wind and waves obey your voice. Help us not to be afraid when the storms of life toss us about like a ship upon water. Help us to call out to you and be confident in you power to still our storms. Bring us peace so as you rest in your presence. Amen