Here comes the tunnel

FAITH:
Luke 12:1-59

Thousands of people gathered around Jesus. Yet he spoke to his disciples, letting the crowed overhear.

Believers shouldn't worry about the basic necessities of life. If we keep God first in our lives, He will sustain us. He is in control.

Be honest. Are we glad He says no to what we want and yes to what we need. Not always. If we ask for a new marriage, and he says honor the one you've got, we aren't happy. If we ask for healing, and he says learn through the pain, we aren't happy. If we ask for more money, and he says treasure the unseen, we aren't always happy.

When God doesn't do what we want, it's not easy. Never has been. Never will be. But faith is the conviction that God knows more that we do about this life and He will get us through it.

Remember, disappointment is caused by unmet expectations. Disappointment is cured my revamped expectations.

I like that story about the fellow who went to the pet store in search of a singing parakeet. Seems he was a bachelor and his house was too quiet. The store owner had just the bird for him, so the man bought it. The next day the bachelor came home from work to a house full of music. He went to the cage to feed the bird and noticed for the first time that the parakeet had only one leg.

He felt cheated that he'd been sold a one-legged bird, so he called and complained.

"What do you want," the store owner responded, "a bird who can sing or a bird who can dance?".......

We need to hear that God is still in control. We need to hear that it's not over until He says so. We need to hear that life's mishaps and tragedies are not a reason to bail out. They are simply a reason to sit tight.

Corrie Ten Boom used to say, "When the train goes through a tunnel and the world gets dark do you jump out?" Of course not. You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through."...
Next time you're disappointed, don't panic. Don't jump out. Don't give up. Just be patient and let God remind you he's still in control. I ain't over til it's over. by Max Lucado

Applying it: What worries consume your thoughts. Turn them over to God... than breathe a sigh of relief and live for him. Let God carry your burdens.
Exploring it: Strong Faith---Proverbs 3:6; Matthew 6:33; Mark 8:14-21

FRIENDS:

Father, I know life is unfortunately full of disappointments, but you, Lord have given me a hope that never changes. You have given me a love that will never fade away. Speak to my heart and give me the ability to overcome the struggles that are a part of life. Help me to look beyond my own circumstance and see Your purpose for me. I thank You for the challenges of life that help me walk closer to You..In Jesus' name, Amen.



These are the thoughts of a reader of this blog and with her permission I want to share her heart what's on her heart with everyone:

Each day I read the paper and I find that more people have lost their savings, lives and their souls. I sit here typing wondering why I am so blessed. I have a great job, amazing kids, and I have no cause to complain. Yet , I complain. I am vowing to change that attitude.
I have been bestowed so many blessings I can't even begin to count. Life is what you make it. I could have been any statistic about urban poverty and teenage pregnancy, and yet as I type I am a married woman with two bachelors degree's, an amazing job/career, wonderful kids, the best friends that life could imagine and yet there is this niggle of doubt in my head.
Do I deserve my blessings? Am I living my life the way God has planned for me? Am I the best mother and wife that I could be? Probably not, but what I have come to realize that I do not have to be perfect, I do not even have to be half-way perfect.
What I have realized i that I am a child of GOD and while my actions do not always show it, I am blessed beyond belief and I have only my GOD to thank for it. In reflection I am grateful for my drug addicted parents, the abandonment of my biological father, and the subsequent bad choices that I made as a result. I am not a victim of circumstance, I am a child of the one true king and I have been given so many gifts that to count them would mean the that I would run out of breath before I could name them. I am grateful for this nagging feeling that I have somehow not lived up to the potential that has been bestowed upon me.
I am one of those people who need a reminder of what life is really about.
I will practice an attitude of gratitude because quite frankly what more do we have to believe in?

DAILY BIBLE CHALLENGE
March 18
Matthew 26:57-75; Romans 1:25-36; Psalms 65; Deuteronomy 9-12
March 19
Matthew 27:1-10; Romans 12:1-8 Psalms 66; Deuteronomy 13-17

FOOD:
This so decadent and sooooo good!!!

Breakfast Baklava French Toast (for 2)
4 slices of bread, crusts trimmed off
3 large eggs
splash of orange juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
splash of vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. of honey
splash of milk
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
butter
Maple Syrup

Baklava filling
1 handful of nuts (I used walnuts)
1 tsp. of ground clove
1 tsp. of honey

1. Using your food processor, add the nuts and ground cloves and pulse until you get a granular consistency (like that of coarse salt. Remove contents and add to a bowl and and mix in the honey with a spoon and reserve.
2. In a bowl large enough to hold your slices of bread, add the eggs, orange juice, honey, milk, vanilla and cinnamon and whisk until incorporated.
3. Pre-heat a large, non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Place some baklava filling in between two slices of bread to form a sandwich (reserve some filling for garnish).
5. Carefully dunk the both sides of your "sandwich" into the egg mixture and make sure enough liquid has penetrated the bread (this makes for a moister French toast).
6. Add some butter to your skillet and when it starts to sizzle, place your French toast in the skillet and fry each side for a couple of minutes or until golden-brown. Keep warm and fry off your remaining French toasts in batches.
7. Carefully cut your French toast diagonally in half (this emulates the usual diamond shape of a piece of baklava). Plate your French toast, finish with some reserved baklava filling, good Maple Syrup, a sprinkle of cinnamon and icing sugar and some lemon peel for garnish.

FUN:

A minister waited in line to have his car filled with gas just before a
long holiday weekend. The attendant worked quickly, but there were many
cars ahead of him. Finally, the attendant motioned him toward a vacant
pump. "Reverend," said the young man, "I'm so sorry about the delay. It
seems as if everyone waits until the last minute to get ready for a long
trip.." The minister chuckled, "I know what you mean. It's the same in my
business."