Retreating...

I am heading to a retreat this weekend with my dear friend, Sunny! I am very excited to be getting away alone (by alone I mean without anyone else I am directly responsible to or for) since these times are few and far between! The theme for the weekend is...

Isaiah 58:11 ~

The LORD will guide you always;

he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land

and will strengthen your frame.

You will be like a well-watered garden,

like a spring whose waters never fail.

Makes me sigh contentedly just reading it! We'll be up in the mountains which thrills my heart AND it is supposed to cool down starting Sunday! Sounds perfect in just about every way. I even have my own room which, for this girl who recharges best all by herself, is very exciting!

See you next week!!

You Know You Depend on Your Library When...

Our youngest son, Caleb (aka "KK"), is engaged. Last year, in IN, on the 4th of July, sitting on a dock during the fireworks, he asked Gracie (our friend's daughter) to marry him and she said, "YES!" They talk on the phone, write letters and are unswervingly devoted to each other.

Today I had to run in the library to pick up some books. When I got back in the car KK informed me he would need to go to the library on the day he got married. I assured him that I doubted he would be giving the library a second thought on his wedding day to which he replied...

"Yes, I am going to have to go to the library! I'm gonna need to get a book called, "How to Act When You Get Married", because I haven't got a clue!"

I almost backed into another car I was laughing so hard!

The happy couple!!!

Roller Coasters!

I have never been a fan of physical roller coasters! I don't like what they do to my stomach and the feeling of being totally out of control! It would be safe to say then that I do not like emotional roller coasters either!

I have been praying through some things lately and feel that this is just the sensation I am experiencing...a roller coaster full of twists, turns and lots of loops! Some days I am on the straightaway and feel semi in control and then before I know I am whizzing upside down feeling my stomach flip-flopping around! How does a girl get off this ride?

I searched on the Bible Gateway program for the word "trust" the other night and began to read verse after verse after verse that deal with our ability to trust the Lord because of His trustworthiness. Wow! There are a lot of verses that talk about trusting HIM and not our own abilities to understand or control things.

I sense the Lord stretching me in ways I have never been stretched lately. New opportunities that are fun and exciting, but still have the ability to make my stomach lurch at any given moment. I keep reminding myself, though, that He is able even when I feel so inadequate! Praise Him for that!

Lord, I trust you to guide, equip, calm and cover me with your peace! Thank you that feeling "out of control" myself translates into needing to rely on You in new and different ways. I guess maybe that is why you stretch us and take us out of our comfort zone so that we can't rely on our own abilities or giftings! So I will thank you for the place you have me and make sure I stretch my harness tightly across me and get ready for the next loop-de-loop! Bring it on!!

It's That Time of Year!!

It's that time of year for all things apple! This weekend we had our first apple pies of the season and yesterday the first apple cake of the season! They are both so yummy, but Benji and I agreed the apple cake is our favourite! Wanna give it a try?

Barb's Apple Chip Cake

1 1/4 c. oil (I use olive oil)
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3 c. flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. chopped nuts
3 c. peeled, chopped apples

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In mixing bowl combine oil, sugar and eggs. Beat until smooth. Sift together flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and beat into the wet ingredients to form a stiff batter. Add vanilla, chopped nuts and chopped apples and stir to blend. Spoon the batter into a greased 9x13 pan and bake 1 hour.

Glaze:
To 1 c brown sugar, add 4Tbsp cream. Cook unil sugar is melted. Add 1/8 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Pour over top of still warm cake!

Just Maybe...

I think, just maybe, I may have felt the promise of fall in the air this morning! I opened up my bedroom door to the porch and I felt it...an underlying cool to what promises to be a very warm day! I rushed and opened a few more doors and a window to welcome the coolishness in and I have invited it to stay! It may take a few more weeks for it to take me up on my offer, but I have hope that it is almost ready to settle in for a long visit.

I have even seen a few trees with a hint of colour...a foretaste of what's to come! I can feel myself getting excited already!