Simply Delicious Amish Cooking by Sherry Gore

The Amish are known for living a simple life that honors God. Their life revolves primarily around family, church, and the community.  Many of these events often include food!  This cookbook, Simply Delicious Amish Cooking, by Sherry Gore, is a collection of recipes gathered primarily from ladies from the little Amish community of Pinecraft, Florida, as well as from other Amish communities across the country.  This book contains more than three hundred recipes, and true to the Amish tradition, are made up of "simple" ingredients which most people will have in their pantry or can easily find in their local grocery store.
 

 

This cookbook reminds me of some of my own favorite cookbooks -- copulations of tried and true recipes from "real people". In fact, I found recipes in Simply Delicious Amish Cooking that I have made before and have loved, along with many new recipes that I plan to try.

The cookbook is divided into the traditional categories, such as Breads and Rolls, Appetizers, Beverages, Soups & Salads, Vegetables & Side Dishes, Meats & Main Dishes, Cookies, Cakes, Desserts, etc.  A very helpful index, organized by category, is also included in the back of the book for easy access to a specific recipe. Each section of this cookbook is introduced with a black and white photo of Amish life. There are also two sections of color photographs of some of the prepared recipes.  Interspersed throughout the cookbook are some cooking tips and excerpts from The Budget newspaper, which author Sherry Gore explains is a newspaper that provides "its Amish and Mennonite readers with a place where the good news reported in its pages routinely outweighs the bad." These little snippets show us a glimpse into the everyday lives of the people in this community. Some of these stories made me long for that "simpler small-town life."

The only slightly negative thing I found was the cover. It is a spiral-bound book and yet the front of the cover is not included in the binding. This makes it look like a regularly bound book if you put it on your shelf (which is nice), but it makes handling it a little ackward. You are still able to fold it completely back, which is convenient.

 

When I first saw the title I guess I anticipated finding "stranger" recipes, (although I did find one for Alligator Stew) but what I discovered was, Amish Cooking is simply down-home cooking -- comfort food. Food cooked with basic ingredients and a lot of love.  It will definitely be a cookbook that I will use. In fact, maybe I'll whip up a batch of Whoppie Pies this week! And if I'm ever in Florida, I just might swing by Sarasota, and visit the little Amish community of Pinecraft.

 

 

I received a complementary copy of this book from the BookSneeze Blogger program in exchange for my honest review.  I was in no way obligated to write a positive review.

Walking Barefoot in the Grass

When I was a child, I enjoyed walking barefoot in the grass. There was just something about it on a warm sunny day. Somehow, the grass stayed cool and it felt almost velvety under foot. Even to this day, I love the feel of a lush green lawn under my bare feet.

When we first moved into our home here in Ft. Worth, we had that kind of lawn. It had just been sodded and the hottest part of summer had not yet hit. I walked out into the backyard and thought, "we finally have a soft lawn!"  Well, over the years things have changed. Not all at once, but slowly, weeds have invaded the lawn, and have become the "healthiest" part of it. It was sad when we realized that now, almost nine years later, the only really green parts of the lawn were the weeds.

Over the last couple of weeks, my husband has been diligently trying to deal with the weeds that have overtaken our front and back yards. Instead of mowing them down like he had been doing to "hide" them, he decided it was time to take action and UPROOT them and KILL them. He even contacted a lawn care company to help identify the problem, spray the weeds, and he will soon fertilize. Since these weeds had no business being in the lawn, action had to be taken, and the time was NOW. Was it easy? No. Will it be worth it? Yes!

This past Sunday my husband preached about those "weeds." In his sermon he went on to make the analogy that sin in our lives can actually be like weeds in our lawn. If we do not deal with sin, it will eventually take over and destroy the lawn of our lives. We can try to "hide" it by mowing the sin down every so often, or we might choose to call it something else (dandelions could be called "flowers").  We may even compare our lawn to our neighbor's and decide that at least our lawn doesn't have as many weeds as theirs does, but the fact of the matter is, we all are susceptible to weeds (sin) and we must be vigilant to get rid of them as soon as they appear. It may even be beneficial to enlist some help as we identify the problem.

In addition to destroying the weeds we also have to cultivate a healthy lawn. As the lawn is well fertilized and watered, it becomes thicker and stronger and more able to choke out the weeds that so desperately want to reappear. In a similar fashion, a close walk with the Lord and choosing to do things as He prescribes, helps us to not allow sin to take root and spread.

My husband used Colossians 3:5-10 to illustrate the things that need to be removed from our lives (things like sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires, greed, anger, malice, slander, etc.) and then Colossians 3:12-13 to suggest those things that need to be cultivated into our lives (heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, acceptance, and forgiveness). Of course these are not exhaustive lists, but they can give us a starting point.

As I thought more on the subject of "weeds/sin" this morning, I wondered if we truly understand the impact sin has in our lives and the lives of those around us. When we lived in Bluegrove, my husband was playing a game of softball with the youth of our church, in the field behind our house. I was busy in the kitchen when my little daughter ran in the house to say "Daddy is hurt!" Without thinking twice, I ran out barefoot into the field. Before long I realized there were "stickers" on the way to that field, and most of them were now in my feet! (I don't know the technical term for those "stickers", but for those of you who don't live in rural Texas, they are a weed that have little burrs that are sharp and stick into or onto anything they come in contact with!) They hurt too!! Sin can be like that. Sin brings pain into our lives and can also cause pain to those we come in contact with.

When we tolerate sin in our life, we may never fully realize the hurt and damage it causes in our own life and in the lives of others until it's too late. When you think about your life, can you say that people can walk "barefoot" on the lawn of your life without the fear of discovering "stickers" hidden in the field?  The end result of sin is never good. We must be diligent to keep our lawn weed-free!

 

This week our church was challenged to ask God to reveal those weeds in our life that need to be uprooted. We may be surprised that what we thought were little flowers were really undercover weeds. We were also asked to prayerfully cultivate one of the seven positive characteristics of the Colossians 3:12-13 list each day for the next seven days. Will you also take up that challenge? When God shows you what needs to be removed, uproot it!! And when your lawn is weed free, be diligent to keep it that way. Oh there will be seeds of sin that will try to take root again, but don't let them linger. They are easier to dig out when they're small.

 

May the lawn of our lives be lush and green.

And may you enjoy a barefoot stroll through the grass this summer!

An Abundant Harvest

 

The last couple of years I've attempted to have a vegetable garden. When I was a child, I admired my grandmother's garden.  She grew some vegetables, strawberries, and peach and apple trees in her little backyard. She definitely had a "green thumb"! We often thought that if she stuck a dead stick in the ground, it would sprout leaves!   My sisters and I would survey her garden almost every time we visited, and couldn't wait until it was the right time of year for us to enjoy an apple or peach pie as a result of her harvest!

 

I don't know if it's the Texas heat (instead of the more moderate summers of Michigan), or if I haven't quite inherited the "green thumb" of my grandmother, but my garden has been hit or miss these last couple of years. It usually starts off pretty good, but by July, the plants have seen better days! I get some produce, but I wouldn't say it was abundant!

 

This year has been even more of a struggle. I've been doing square foot gardening, and decided we would build another box and expand the amount of gardening space. I purchased the seed, some tomato and pepper plants, and embarked on the great adventure. I had great expectations!  This would be the year of a great harvest!  Then it happened -- a frost!  I knew it was coming, so I tried to prepare for it by covering the plants.  I lost one pepper plant, but the rest of the peppers, and the tomatoes survived.  Phew!!  Then it happened again --  a couple days later, another frost!  This time I wasn't so lucky.  Even though they were covered, the tomatoes and remaining pepper plants didn't look like they were going to make it.  Well, at least my green beans, cucumbers and squash were safe.  They were just seeds and protected from the harsh weather. Or so I thought!

 

I replanted my tomato and pepper plants and waited for my seeds to sprout.  The germination time was supposed to be about a week to 10 days, and I assumed since we had the cold weather, they just needed a little more time.  Every day I would check the garden to see if I saw even a bulge in the dirt that would give me hope that something was growing.  Nothing!  After 3 weeks, I decided it was a lost cause and I needed to replant the seeds. I dug up the dirt, still anticipating I would find something starting to sprout, but to my disappointment there was NOTHING!  I diligently planted the seeds again, wondering if it was even worth it.  For the money I have invested in the garden this year, I could have bought baskets of fresh veggies from the Farmer's Market!! Nevertheless, I planted the seeds and then began to wait again.

 

Well, that was five days ago, and when I went out to my garden this morning I was encouraged! There were about four cucumber seeds sprouting, and though I don't see them yet, there are a few little bulges in the soil where the green bean seeds were planted.  My squash have sprouted, and I have renewed hope. There are still times of heat to come, along with the threat of bugs and the need for water and fertilizer, but there is hope.

 

Isn't that like life?  We think we're planted, maybe even a fairly "established" plant, and then a frost comes, or maybe it's the heat. If the weather doesn't get us, we feel like we've been eaten up by the bugs, or feel so malnourished or thirsty, we don't think we'll survive, let alone produce any fruit.  I have good news.  There is still hope.  We have a "Master Gardener" who tends to us. He knows exactly what He's doing.  He knows when we need water or fertilizer.  He knows when we need to be pruned.  He longs for us to produce an abundant harvest. John 15:1-8 describes Jesus as the vine and His Father as the vineyard keeper. We become fruitful when we abide in Him.

 

I was further encouraged by a passage I recently read in Luke 13:6-9.  There was a fig tree that hadn't produced fruit in three years.  The man told the vineyard worker to cut it down! He said, "why should it even waste the soil?" The vineyard worker requested one more year to dig around it and fertilize it. He had hope, he was not willing to give up. Perhaps you've been unfruitful for years.  You think you are just "wasting the soil" you stand on. You wonder if God has just given up on you. The answer is NO!  He continues to work the soil of your life and provide the spiritual nourishment you need.  He may have to prune you or kill off a few "bugs," but the result will be an abundant harvest if you're willing to submit to His tending.

 

Perhaps you have felt the Lord leading you to do something new, or to try something you've been too fearful to try before. You've planted some "seed" but haven't seen anything "sprout" yet.  Don't give up! Even if the seed needs to be replanted, there is hope! Trust in the Lord of the Harvest!

The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the LORD, They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green.

                                                                                Psalm 92:12-14

 

Get ready!  The harvest is coming!

Unglued Devotional by Lysa Terkeurst

How quickly do you become "unglued" when trying circumstances and situations arise? Are you trapped in an emotional cycle? Through this devotional, Lysa Terkeurst gives insight and wisdom into how to handle "life" through personal stories and examples of how God has taught her to handle these circumstances without becoming unglued!

Lysa wrote a best-selling book, Unglued, to encourage women to experience greater peace and calm in relationships.  The Unglued Devotional is a companion book that takes the reader on a 60-day journey toward emotional stability, which can be seen in everyday actions and in healthier personal relationships.

Each day includes a daily Scripture, thought for the day, the devotion (a "personal story" related to the topic), and a closing prayer.  Unlike other devotionals I've read, Lysa does not necessarily expound on Scripture, but rather, her devotional uses situational examples for the reader to identify with.  The "Thought for the Day" was a concise statement that encouraged the reader to step back and realize who she is or can be with the Lord's help. These daily readings enable the reader to pause, look at the problem clearly, and then evaluate what your response should be, rather than reacting as you always have.

To me, the book could be helpful, but it was not what I expected as a typical "devotional".  It was more of a collection of stories (perhaps even taken directly from the book, Unglued) with the thought, verse, and prayer tagged on. I think most women will identify with these stories and will benefit from the encouragement to be more in control of their emotions and reactions in order to live their lives in the way God intended, but perhaps just reading the book could do that.

I received this book from BookSneeze in exchange for my honest review.

Choices, Choices, Choices!!

Life is full of choices. In fact, if you think about it, each day is a continual chain of choices.  Some choices are easy and become automatic, like brushing your teeth and putting on deodorant in the morning. (Yes, even those are choices!) Other choices may take more thought and deliberation as you decide what you will do. Whether big or small, your choices will determine the outcome of your day, week, year, and ultimately your life and eternity! 

 

With my three year old grandson, Ben, here this week, I've been reminded of this. You see, lately Ben has been learning the importance of making "good" choices. Since all choices have consequences, his mom is trying to teach him to make good choices. She reminds him that when he makes "good" choices, good things will happen -- he gets to do things, earns treats, and life in general is better for him and those around him. When he makes "bad" choices, then bad things will happen -- he will have time outs, loose his leap pad or some other privilege for the day, and life in general is hard and unhappy.  He even has a "Good Choices Chart," to encourage him to make good choices. He's beginning to get the idea, but then there are days when he doesn't seem to care about the stickers at all.  On one of those days, when his mom was telling him he needed to make better choices.  He replied, "I'll make good choices tomorrow.  Today I want to make bad choices." 

 

When I think about it, some days I feel the same way, but I just don't say it out loud. I know I should make good choices, but today, I just want to make bad choices.  I want to eat the wrong things.  I don't want to exercise. I want to get angry at that rude person. I don't want to admit I was wrong. I want to nurse a hurt and hold a grudge. I want to be selfish and get my way. I want to act like a three year old!!  I will make good choices tomorrow, but today I want to make bad choices!  What we need to remember though is ALL choices have consequences. Some are more serious than others, but each choice you make can have an effect on you and those around you.

 

The Bible says a lot about choosing and making choices. From the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were given a choice.  They could enjoy the daily fellowship with God and each other, or they could choose to disobey.  Their bad choice reaped consequences that we are still experiencing today. Their choice introduced sin into the world and brought about death.

God offered the Israelites a choice in Deuteronomy 30:19.

"I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants."

We continue to have the opportunity to choose life over death, blessing over the curse.  God offers us life, abundant life, even in the little things. When we choose to do things God's way, we put ourselves in a position to experience His help, blessing, and most importantly His presence.

 

I am so thankful that Jesus chose to do the Father's will and die on the cross for all my bad choices -- my sin. Unlike the first Adam's choice, which brought about death, His choice brings life.  His forgiveness is available and He offers it to you today. Will you make the best and most important choice of your life today -- to trust in Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?  This Easter, will you "choose life in order that you may live?"  If you do, then God will enable you, through the Holy Spirit, to continue to make the "good choices" in life that will allow you to enjoy all that He has in store for you now and for eternity!

What will you choose today?

 

A Spring Wardrobe

 

March has arrived and Spring is just around the corner. With Spring comes a change of wardrobe. That dark colored, heavy clothing will soon be replaced with colorful, lightweight fabric. Boots will be replaced with sandals, and coats and winter scarves will be no more! (Not that we really needed those coats and scarves much in Texas this winter!)

Our spiritual lives can also have "seasons". Regretfully, for the past few years, I've found myself "slipping" into winter. Various events and situations over these years have brought a sense of sadness to my heart. I've struggled with the pain of rejection, with insecurity, even with feelings of hopelessness at times. I've experienced uncertainty about my eyesight and had three eye surgeries. I've watched my mom begin to loose her memory and hear the struggles my dad has coping with that. I've witnessed pain and hurt in my extended family. I've seen the poverty of India - twice.  And to top it off, I've experienced the "joys" of hot flashes and hormonal imbalances which go along with this stage of my life. To make matters worse, I'm a pastor's wife, who in the eyes of most, think I have (or should have) it all together.

Now, not every part of the last five years has been painful or sad. I've had happy times. Times when the "Son" would shine and life would be good, but overall, underneath, there was still a sense of sadness. I didn't actually realize what had been happening until this past week while listening online to Beth Moore on a livestream via her Living Proof Blog. When she quoted a portion of Isaiah 61:3, something resonated in my heart.

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes,

 the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;

that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD,

that he might be glorified."

A garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness! That's what hit me. The Lord showed me that what I had been doing, without even realizing it, was slowly adding one more layer of heavy clothing to my already weighed down spirit. Each disappointment, each situation that brought pain, each fear I had, created a heavier spirit. Oh, I'd put on a smile, but I'd also add one more layer of heavy clothing. (And when you have hot flashes, that is the LAST thing you need to do!) I'd adjust the load and go on with "life".

As I was listening to Beth, I realized what I really needed was a change of wardrobe!! I needed to take off that heavy winter garment and exchange it for a garment of praise. Just the word "praise" seems lighter, more colorful, doesn't it? The rest of the verse also offered me beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning. I had a decision to make. And right there in the privacy of my living room, with tears in my eyes, (Ok, there were many tears that escaped down my cheeks), I took off that spirit of heaviness and put on the garment of praise. Was it easy? No! Did I feel lighter? YES!  I was amazed that physically I felt a weight actually lift from my spirit.

Will life from now on be completely perfect? Will the sadness be gone forever? Will praising protect me from the pain of this broken world? Absolutely NOT! But I do have a choice! The problem is that sometimes "old clothes" are comfortable. Even though they are ugly, unstylish, and worn out, somehow I find comfort in them. When those "cold winds" blow through my life, my first inclination will be to put those heavy clothes on again. But I need to remember that the Son shines in and through a garment of praise, and His Spirit will bring the warmth to my soul that is needed. Each morning I must decide which garment I will wear that day. I know some days may even require frequent wardrobe "exchanges". One thing I do know though  - praising God will lighten the heaviness of my spirit.

My heart's desire is that I would become that tree of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, so that He would be glorified. Will you join me in getting ready for Spring? -- 'cause Summer will be here before we know it!

 

Humble Heart: A Book of Virtues by Amy Meyer Allen

Humble Heart: a book of virtues is a collection of nine stories that introduce the child to the virtues of Humility, Love, Thoughtfulness, Faithfulness, Mercy, Encouragement, Comfort, Courage, and Joy through the Humble Bumble characters developed by Amy Meyer Allen. Each animal character learns about one of the virtues in a situational story which is colorfully illustrated.

Each story begins with a simple definition of the virtue which will help the child understand the concept from the start. Each story ends with a question that allows the child to apply that virtue to his or her own life. There is also a Bible verse at the end of the story that reinforces these biblical virtues.

The illustrations were simple and vibrant in color. Each page spread contained a full page picture on one page with the words of the story on the opposite page. I believe this is helpful in retaining a younger child's attention as the book is read.  It is a square book with a slightly padded front cover which gives the book a nice "feel".

I do like that this book allows parent/child interaction. These life lessons may be expressed in various ways in the family, with friends, at church, or anywhere the child interacts with others. I also like the interjection of Scripture with each virtue so the parent can stress that these characteristics are based on God's Word. Overall I think it is a wonderful and attractive book for children ages preschool to seven.

I received a complementary copy of this book from the Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my personal views.