I rarely share a recipe here, (in fact I dont think I ever have), mainly because there are so many blogs,with great new recipes, but I cooked up something last night that was easy, cheap, delicious, and HEALTHY! So, I wanted to share it. My husband loves eggplant Parmesan. I can make it, but it is a little bit of trouble, and turns a healthy veggie into a high fat meal. I decided to try a healthier version, and I was happy with the outcome.
One eggplant- cut ends off and chop it into pieces
Pour about 2 tablespoons olive oil into a 9*13 pan, sprinkle in some rosemary, oregano, thyme, garlic (fesh chopped or powder, salt, pepper. Stir in the eggplant until it is coated. Add more olive oil if you need to, just to coat all the pieces very lightly.
Add about a half of an onion, sliced.
Put this into the oven, set on 400, cook about 30 minutes.
While that cooks, cook some pasta. I actually used whole wheat spaghetti, but that is not my usual choice.
When the eggplant is a soft and browned, but not mushy, remove it from the oven, add 1/2 can diced tomatoes with garlic, (or Italian spices). Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese, serve over the pasta.
Easy, my husband loved it, and I still feel healthy this morning!
Our purpose is to encourage women to pursue a growing, passionate relationship with Jesus Christ through support, fellowship and discipleship. We strive to provide many opportunities to help women grow in relationship with Christ; to live the abundant life that Jesus promised, a life of joy and freedom, and to have relationships that are healthy and fulfilling.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
New insight from a Troubling Passage
I planned to write this post today, and then a rather strange thing occurred. You see, a friend shared some insight on a passage we studied in our Tuesday morning Bible study which I thought was brilliant. I shared her insight with several people and marveled at it, and planned to blog about it today. Last night I told her that I thought she had the best explanation for a difficult passage that I had heard. She said that she did not come up with the insight,that it came from a Bible study we did years ago, she just remembered it when we got to the passage this week, but that originally I was the person who told her. We both got a good laugh about that. I have often said that Teressa remembers things I say that I do not remember, and apparantly this is one. So, now it is a little strange to post, because I was apparantly the one who first shared it, but, still, I felt that it was helpful, so here goes.
The troublesome passage is Acts 15. The gospel has spread to the Gentiles, many have believed, and churches have been established in many cities. Then, some men from Jerusalem began to tell these new Christians that to follow Jesus, they had to first be circumcised and follow the Jewish laws. This caused a great uproar, and the church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to find out. The leaders had a big conference,where some "Pharisees who were believers" argued that new followers truly must submit to circumcision and obey the law. Peter stood up and reminded the group that God had opened the door to the Gentiles, sending Peter to a Gentile home and showing him that God indeed meant for Gentiles to come to Him without having to be Jewish first. Then Paul and Barnabas shared their experiences of seeing many Gentiles put their faith in Christ, and seeing God perform miracles among them.
NOW we get to the problem. James, the half brother of Jesus, who by this time seems to be the leader of the church in Jerusalem, stands up and says this:
“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.
-Acts 15:19-20
That bothers me. Paul strongly says that we are free from the law, so why does James demand that Gentiles do these things, and the other leaders agree. Our study had a possible explanation, that these would help with unity because Jewish Christians could freely eat with Gentile Christians. That is ok, but what about pork, or all the other unclean animals? I read other commentaries which made sense, but did not quite satisfy me.
On Tuesday, Teressa said that all three of these things were associateed with the worship of idols. In their idol worshipping past, these Gentile Christians would have sacrificed food to an idol, then eaten the food as an act of worship. Sexual activity was a part of idol worship throughout the Roman Rmpire, with temple prostitutes part of the culture. And the use of blood sacrifice was a common part of pagan idol worship, which sometimes included drinking the blood.
These practices would have possibly been a normal part of life for the new Gentile believers, with strong ties to idolatry. It was the thought of James and the other leaders that, because of past of the Gentiles, it would be healthier for them to refrain from these things.
That is the best explanation I have for this passage, that James was concerned for the well being of the new believers, not for the protection of the Jewish law. I feel much better about James now.
The troublesome passage is Acts 15. The gospel has spread to the Gentiles, many have believed, and churches have been established in many cities. Then, some men from Jerusalem began to tell these new Christians that to follow Jesus, they had to first be circumcised and follow the Jewish laws. This caused a great uproar, and the church in Antioch sent Paul and Barnabas to Jerusalem to find out. The leaders had a big conference,where some "Pharisees who were believers" argued that new followers truly must submit to circumcision and obey the law. Peter stood up and reminded the group that God had opened the door to the Gentiles, sending Peter to a Gentile home and showing him that God indeed meant for Gentiles to come to Him without having to be Jewish first. Then Paul and Barnabas shared their experiences of seeing many Gentiles put their faith in Christ, and seeing God perform miracles among them.
NOW we get to the problem. James, the half brother of Jesus, who by this time seems to be the leader of the church in Jerusalem, stands up and says this:
“And so my judgment is that we should not make it difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God. Instead, we should write and tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.
-Acts 15:19-20
That bothers me. Paul strongly says that we are free from the law, so why does James demand that Gentiles do these things, and the other leaders agree. Our study had a possible explanation, that these would help with unity because Jewish Christians could freely eat with Gentile Christians. That is ok, but what about pork, or all the other unclean animals? I read other commentaries which made sense, but did not quite satisfy me.
On Tuesday, Teressa said that all three of these things were associateed with the worship of idols. In their idol worshipping past, these Gentile Christians would have sacrificed food to an idol, then eaten the food as an act of worship. Sexual activity was a part of idol worship throughout the Roman Rmpire, with temple prostitutes part of the culture. And the use of blood sacrifice was a common part of pagan idol worship, which sometimes included drinking the blood.
These practices would have possibly been a normal part of life for the new Gentile believers, with strong ties to idolatry. It was the thought of James and the other leaders that, because of past of the Gentiles, it would be healthier for them to refrain from these things.
That is the best explanation I have for this passage, that James was concerned for the well being of the new believers, not for the protection of the Jewish law. I feel much better about James now.
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Helpful tips
Here are a few helpful tips, some I have used for years, some from other sites, I thought you might enjoy.
Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
"Boil" eggs for salads in the microwave. Crack the eggs into a small dish, puncture them with a fork, microwave for a minute, cut through and move the done edges to the inside (don't actually stir or you end up with scrambled). Microwave another minute or so.
Roast your vegetables for great flavor. Any fresh vegetables, just,toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, roast uncovered on pan in hot (425ish) oven, cook about 20 minutes, until as done as you like them, delicious.
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip to eliminate static cling. It works; you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... Ta DA! ... Static is gone.
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
De-fog your windshield: Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
Re-opening envelopes: If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
Goodbye Fruit Flies: To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup an d gone forever!
Drop a small object on the carpet and can't find it. Place panty hose over the end of the vacuum hose and start vacuuming. The panty hose will trap anything to large to fit through the tiny hose and keep it from getting sucked into the vacuum
Stuffing a dryer sheet in you back pocket will repel mosquitoes.
If you place a wooden spoon over a pot of boiling water, it won't boil over.
Reheat Pizza Heat up leftover pizza in a nonstick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.
"Boil" eggs for salads in the microwave. Crack the eggs into a small dish, puncture them with a fork, microwave for a minute, cut through and move the done edges to the inside (don't actually stir or you end up with scrambled). Microwave another minute or so.
Roast your vegetables for great flavor. Any fresh vegetables, just,toss with olive oil, salt and pepper, roast uncovered on pan in hot (425ish) oven, cook about 20 minutes, until as done as you like them, delicious.
To keep squirrels from eating your plants, sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip to eliminate static cling. It works; you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and ... Ta DA! ... Static is gone.
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.
De-fog your windshield: Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!
Re-opening envelopes: If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair.
Goodbye Fruit Flies: To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass, fill it 1/2' with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dish washing liquid; mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup an d gone forever!
Drop a small object on the carpet and can't find it. Place panty hose over the end of the vacuum hose and start vacuuming. The panty hose will trap anything to large to fit through the tiny hose and keep it from getting sucked into the vacuum
Stuffing a dryer sheet in you back pocket will repel mosquitoes.
If you place a wooden spoon over a pot of boiling water, it won't boil over.
Friday, January 13, 2012
Ten reasons you should come to the Cottonwood Ladies Retreat
Ten reasons you should come to the Cottonwood Ladies Retreat
10. You get to go away for 24 hours to a nice hotel where you don’t have to cook or clean.
9. You can have a LOT of fun; laugh, visit, relax in the indoor, heated pool or hot tub.
8. You can go early in the day and shop before the retreat.
7. You will make new friends.
6. You can invite your mother or your daughter; your sister; or your best friend for a special weekend getaway.
5. You will meet and connect with some wonderful Christian women.
4. You get to hear a godly woman share her testimony of God’s faithfulness.
3. You can participate in exciting, uplifting praise and worship.
2. You can focus on the things of God, without all the distractions of everyday life.
1. You can hear from God.
For all these reasons and more, come be a part of this special weekend
10. You get to go away for 24 hours to a nice hotel where you don’t have to cook or clean.
9. You can have a LOT of fun; laugh, visit, relax in the indoor, heated pool or hot tub.
8. You can go early in the day and shop before the retreat.
7. You will make new friends.
6. You can invite your mother or your daughter; your sister; or your best friend for a special weekend getaway.
5. You will meet and connect with some wonderful Christian women.
4. You get to hear a godly woman share her testimony of God’s faithfulness.
3. You can participate in exciting, uplifting praise and worship.
2. You can focus on the things of God, without all the distractions of everyday life.
1. You can hear from God.
For all these reasons and more, come be a part of this special weekend
Monday, January 9, 2012
Yes, Mercy Triumphs
We started our new Bible Study tonight, James, Mercy Triumphs, by Beth Moore. Really? When I think of the book of James, I don't think of Mercy. I usually think, "faith without works is dead", or "true religion is caring for the widow and orphan". I love that she used that title. James is not really all about legalism and works. Mercy and grace, faith, good works, caring for others, they all work together.
James was the biological half brother of Jesus, same mother, different father of course. Think about it. That in itself would be enough to make you a little up tight. He probably grew up hearing, "James, why can't you be more like Jesus?" When someone said, "Wow, your big brother is perfect", it was really true. That had to be hard. James did not believe in Jesus before His death (Mark 3 and John 4,but sometime after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to James, according to 1Cor. 15:7. Jesus made a special visit to His little brother before He ascended to His Father. THAT is mercy. James believed. THAT is triumph.
James was the biological half brother of Jesus, same mother, different father of course. Think about it. That in itself would be enough to make you a little up tight. He probably grew up hearing, "James, why can't you be more like Jesus?" When someone said, "Wow, your big brother is perfect", it was really true. That had to be hard. James did not believe in Jesus before His death (Mark 3 and John 4,but sometime after His resurrection, Jesus appeared to James, according to 1Cor. 15:7. Jesus made a special visit to His little brother before He ascended to His Father. THAT is mercy. James believed. THAT is triumph.
Thursday, January 5, 2012
New Year's Resolutions? NOT me!
It's the first of January. Many people talk about making resolutions, which, as someone said, are really a to-do list for the fist week of January. I had some ladies over for lunch on Monday. For content, I thought we would discuss "our" resolutions. (by our I obviously meant their, since I don't do resolutions.) Well it turns out they don't either, so the discussion was short. One friend said her resolution was to study the Bible more, another said she was going to pray more, but those things are pretty constant goals, so they just barely count as resolutions.
Maybe it's our age, ranging from 40 something up. Maybe we learned long ago that resolutions don't last long. Still, although I don't do resolutions, I do love the feeling of the clean slate, fresh start that the new year brings. I feel like Im starting a new lap in a race. I want to pick up the pace; pray more, study the Bible more, share my faith more, love God more, love other people better, serve better, spend more time with my grandchildren. I want to live my life fully, with great joy and gusto. I hope to shine this year! I hope that my life will cause someone else to want to follow Jesus.
So, welcome 2012!
Maybe it's our age, ranging from 40 something up. Maybe we learned long ago that resolutions don't last long. Still, although I don't do resolutions, I do love the feeling of the clean slate, fresh start that the new year brings. I feel like Im starting a new lap in a race. I want to pick up the pace; pray more, study the Bible more, share my faith more, love God more, love other people better, serve better, spend more time with my grandchildren. I want to live my life fully, with great joy and gusto. I hope to shine this year! I hope that my life will cause someone else to want to follow Jesus.
So, welcome 2012!
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Happy NEW Year
Dont you love new beginnings? I always look forward to the start of each new year because we have the opportunity to say goodby to the year before and open a new page. When God created our earth, he established a lot of do-overs, because He knew we would need them. Every day is a do -over, we get a new start. Every Sunday brings a new week, every month we can start over, but the first of every year is a really big new beginning.
God has an affinity for things that are new. Look in the Bible. God says that He will make a NEW covenant with us, He will give us a NEW heart, and a New spirit. He provides NEW mercies for us every morning, and He puts a NEW song in our mouths. He makes you a NEW person, with a RENEWED mind, and a NEW life. Jesus provided a NEW and living way to go to the Father. God even says that everyone who comes to Christ is actually a NEW creature!
God will create a NEW heaven and NEW earth, with a NEW Jerusalem. And finally, He says, "Behold, I make all things NEW."
I do believe, however, that when God uses the word new, He means more than we understand. We talk about getting a new car, but the new new car is the same in essence as the old car. It is new In the sense that's it has just been made, but in essence it isn't new at all. A new baby is the same as billions of other babies that came before.
When God makes something new, It is new in it's very essence. When Jesus was born, he was a new baby in every way. Before Jesus, there was God, there was man, and there were angels, and fallen angels. Jesus was a brand new thing. He was fully God, and fully human, NEW.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." When we give our lives to Christ, we are born again. Not just get a fresh start at life with our sins washed away (although we do get that, Hallelujah). We become a NEW creature, New in essence, a human being with God living inside. Before Jesus came,that was some thing never before seen. NEW! Don't Forget, you are a NEW creature, a very special kind of being, not just human, but a human with God mixed in!
God has an affinity for things that are new. Look in the Bible. God says that He will make a NEW covenant with us, He will give us a NEW heart, and a New spirit. He provides NEW mercies for us every morning, and He puts a NEW song in our mouths. He makes you a NEW person, with a RENEWED mind, and a NEW life. Jesus provided a NEW and living way to go to the Father. God even says that everyone who comes to Christ is actually a NEW creature!
God will create a NEW heaven and NEW earth, with a NEW Jerusalem. And finally, He says, "Behold, I make all things NEW."
I do believe, however, that when God uses the word new, He means more than we understand. We talk about getting a new car, but the new new car is the same in essence as the old car. It is new In the sense that's it has just been made, but in essence it isn't new at all. A new baby is the same as billions of other babies that came before.
When God makes something new, It is new in it's very essence. When Jesus was born, he was a new baby in every way. Before Jesus, there was God, there was man, and there were angels, and fallen angels. Jesus was a brand new thing. He was fully God, and fully human, NEW.
2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Wherefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature: the old things are passed away; behold, they are become new." When we give our lives to Christ, we are born again. Not just get a fresh start at life with our sins washed away (although we do get that, Hallelujah). We become a NEW creature, New in essence, a human being with God living inside. Before Jesus came,that was some thing never before seen. NEW! Don't Forget, you are a NEW creature, a very special kind of being, not just human, but a human with God mixed in!
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