A Man of Sorrows

OK, I thought this was worth blogging about... A friend posted this Mark Driscoll sermon "Christ on the Cross," on FB and I thought I'd also share it. (You can directly listen to it by clicking on it.) Also, here's a favorite verse about our Savior's deep love for us. Have a blessed and joyous Easter celebrating our King's conquering of death and resurrection! Isaiah 53

1Who has believed our message

and to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

2He grew up before him like a tender shoot,

and like a root out of dry ground.

He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him,

nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.

3He was despised and rejected by men,

a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.

Like one from whom men hide their faces

he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4Surely he took up our infirmities

and carried our sorrows,

yet we considered him stricken by God,

smitten by him, and afflicted.

5But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his wounds we are healed.

6We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him

the iniquity of us all.

7He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

8By oppression and judgment he was taken away.

And who can speak of his descendants?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

9He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death,

though he had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in his mouth.

10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,

and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,

he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

11After the suffering of his soul,

he will see the light [of life] and be satisfied;

by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,

and he will bear their iniquities.

12Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,

and he will divide the spoils with the strong,

because he poured out his life unto death,

and was numbered with the transgressors.

For he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors.

Everything's Sacred

I keep thinking I'm going to quit blogging. There's way too many pictures I haven't posted, thoughts I haven't shared, and recipes I'd love to give you-but so not enough time in my day to justify doing it!! Well, here's a quick little post for for now...I found my Caedmon's Call Overdressed CD in my car the other day. Popped it in this morning (denying Blaise's undying request for "Raffi please!" :) and was reminded how much I enjoy it! This song is especially meaningful and encouraged me today:

Sacred

Words and Music by Randall Goodgame and Andrew Osenga
(c) 2007 House of Mirrors Music (ASCAP) admin. by Simpleville Music, Inc. / 2007 Mighty Molecule Music. (ASCAP) admin by Music Services

this house is a good mess
it’s the proof of life
no way would I trade jobs
but it don’t pay overtime

I’ll get to the laundry
I don’t know when
I’m saying a prayer tonight
cause tomorrow it starts again

could it be that everything is sacred?
and all this time
everything I’ve dreamed of
has been right before my eyes

the children are sleeping
but they’re running through my mind
the sun makes them happy
and the music makes them unwind

my cup runneth over
and I worry about the stain
teach me to run to You
like they run to me for every little thing

when I forget to drink from you
I can feel the banks harden
Lord, make me like a stream
to feed the garden

wake up, little sleeper
the Lord, God Almighty
made your Mama keeper
so rise and shine,rise and shine
rise and shine cause

everything is sacred
and all this time
everything I’ve dreamed of
has been right before my eyes

Lasagna Soup!

I love love love lasagna so I was ecstatic to discover this incredible lasagna soup recipe! It really is oh- so- tasty and I'm sure you'll love it too! (If you actually make it that is :) I found the mini lasagna noodles (aka mafalda noodles) at our local Schnucks on the Hill in the Italian section. (I did not, however, find them in whole wheat! Maybe Becky or Antonia could make me some?!;)

Lasagna Soup

Ingredients

1 lb bulk Italian sausage

2 cups onions, chopped

1 cup carrot, diced

2 cups mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

4 cups chicken broth

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes, chopped 


1 (10 3/4 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 cup mafalda pasta or campenelle pasta

2 cups fresh spinach, chopped

1 cup provolone cheese or fresh mozzarella cheese, diced

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded (for garnish)

4 teaspoons thinly sliced fresh basil (for garnish)

Directions

1.
Brown sausage in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions and carrots; saute 3 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic, and saute another 3 minutes.

2.
Add broth, stewed tomatoes, and tomato sauce, and bring to a boil. Drop in pasta and simmer until cooked, about 10 minutes, or according to package directions. Stir in spinach and cook until wilted.

3.
Place 1/4 cup cheese into serving bowls and pour soup on top. Garnish with Parmesan and basil.

From my Cusine at Home Splendid Soups & Spectacular Sides magazine/also found on recipezarr.com

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The last time (and first time!) I made this soup was on David's Birthday. Since I haven't shared any pics from November or December, here's a couple from the big 2-8 celebration!

We had a small little celebration for the birthday boy this year. (The poor guy always gets overlooked with the "big" holiday and all.) I now realize why I don't usually have a party though-whew! It was a little hectic trying to pull everything off. (Thankfully it was on a Wednesday and my wonderful mother helped me out a ton!! )

Daddy with his ever favorite mint oreo ice cream cake!

Celebrating at g'mas!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Sing His Love

by Caedmon's Call

Father, long before creation

Thou hadst chosen us in love

And that love so deep, so moving

Draws us close to Christ above

Still it keeps us, still it keeps us

Firmly fixed in Christ alone

Chorus:

And the world will sing His love

Yes, the world will sign His love

And we'll all join hands

Every woman, every man

And sing His love

We'll sing His love

Though the world may change its fashion

Yet our God is ever the same

His compassion and His covenant

Through all ages will remain

God's own children, God's own children

Must forever praise His name

God so love us, God so loved us

That His only Son He game

God's compassion is my story

It is my boasting all the day

Mercy free and never failing

Moves my will, directs my way

Super Easy Valentine Craft

The Zoo's Imagination Station had these fun crayon's at their art table-it took me back to my childhood! All you do is collect your old crayons, peel off the paper, break them up into small pieces and place them in sprayed mini tins (I used heart shaped ones). Bake them at 250 for about 15 minutes, until the wax melts, then remove and let them cool and harden in the pan. To get them out of the pan, I stuck the tin in the freezer for about 10 min then popped them out. Perfect for a toddler's chubby little hand. ;) You can read on official "recipe" on Family Fun's website.

Scheduled Births & Birthing Centers

This well written article on the risks of scheduled births was featured in the St. Louis Post Dispatch several weeks ago. Being a natural birth aficionado (surprise, surprise;) I thought I'd share it.

While we're on the topic, another friend also shared with me that St. Charles, MO is going to have a birthing center! Hooray! Now, if we can only get insurance providers to cover more (don't they know it would save them millions!! unmedicated births are cheap! :)

Why a birthing center and not a hospital? This is their philosophy:

We Believe...

• Women have the right to care that is safe, satisfying, and respectful of their individual needs.
• Wellness encompasses emotional and spiritual well-being together with physical health.
• Birth is a healthy, natural, and normal process for which a woman's body is brilliantly designed.
• Human touch and technology each have their place, and can coexist.
• Women and families have the right and responsibility to assume an active role in their own wellness.

Therefore...

• Education is an essential part of quality health care. When women and their families have real access to information and their choices are respected they are best equipped to meet the challenges of parenthood and personal wellness.
• Each woman has the right to informed consent or refusal in the use of medical tests, recommendations and interventions.
• Midwives are experts in normal birth, and their role is to support and promote the normal process, while monitoring the mother and baby's safety, intervening only when necessary.
• The ideal healthcare environment is one of collaboration between all professionals with specialized knowledge and skills.
• Every woman has the right to give birth where she feels most safe and comfortable.
• Medical interventions, drugs and surgery are appropriately indicated for only a small number of women during birth. They should not be used routinely.
• Because women's health and childbearing affect more than just mothers and babies, our care should support and promote the well-being of the entire family.
• Human beings at all stages of development and in all life circumstances deserve respect, compassion, and the opportunity to live life to their greatest potential.

Our commitment....

• We foster authentic caring relationships with our clients and utilize the best practices based on current research evidence. This care is woman-focused, and encourages women to take an active role in wellness through education and communication.
• We offer healthy women experiencing normal pregnancies the option of birthing in a calm, safe and beautiful setting with care provided by well trained, experienced and credentialed practitioners.
• We care for people using holistic principles - recognizing that each individual encompasses physical, emotional, social and spiritual elements that work synergistically to create a whole.
• We foster a sense of community among women, families, and providers.
• We educate the general public about the midwifery model of care and build bridges within the medical community to promote professional, collaborative relationships.
• We use healthcare resources wisely by providing cost-effective out-of-hospital birth options and promoting wellness in the community.

There's so much out there on this topic! Two other fabulous resources are The Business of Being Born or Ina May's Guide to Childbirth.

Answered Prayer!

This is a follow up email to the previous post...Praise the Lord!! Be sure to read the part in italics, a personal account from relief director of Food For the Hungry in Haiti.

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Hello again:I want to express deep appreciation collectively for your heart to serve the people of Haiti and extend the merciful hand of God to those in need. Thanks so much. Here are some updates:

1. ALL STAFF ACCOUNTED FOR. Let us give thanks to the Lord for the preservation of our staff. First off, we actually have 26 staff in Haiti. All of them are alive; only one has minor injuries to his legs. Amazing. Most of the staff have lost their homes entirely -- or in part. Most staff have lost loved ones and friends. They are grieving, even as they are serving to rescue and help others.

2. ARRIVAL OF ADDITIONAL STAFF. Internationally and U.S.-based Food for the Hungry staff have arrived in Port au Prince thru a variety of means, via land from the Dominican Republic, via chartered aircraft and two staff members even arrived by hitching a ride on the coast guard aircraft that transported Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to the scene.

3. AT WORK. We continue to distribute needed supplies such as water filtration/purification systems, tarps for temporary shelter, water purification tablets, solar-powered flashlights, kitchen kits for cooking of food, etc. We are working hand-in glove as partners with an alliance of relief organizations such as Samaritan's Purse and International Medical Teams.

4. VOICES FROM PORT AU PRINCE. Here is a note from our relief director, Sara. She writes, "My first morning in Port Au Prince I woke up to the sounds of worship….I couldn’t see their faces, but I could hear their voices, joined in unison to worship and bless the One who offered hope and strength in the midst of devastation and tragedy. “Onward Christian soldiers” they sung….I couldn’t tell if they were singing in English or Creole but the tune was clear…. “with the cross of Jesus going on before.” The congregation was reminding themselves and the rest of us who could hear their hopeful song that the battle was the Lord’s and not ours to bring restoration to a land devastated by a horrifying earthquake. One can’t help but be overwhelmed by all that is seen and heard in Port Au Prince. The collapsed buildings…the people crowding the streets, their faces covered in masks to block the dust and stench of decaying bodies buried under the rubble…people camping outside even if there homes are still in tact, afraid of another deadly tremor striking…the stories of lost loved ones…relief efforts hampered by poor road access and shortage of fuel…It is easy to focus on the devastation and all the failures of relief efforts in Haiti, and yet, there is restoration that is already taking place. Even before the first relief responder set foot in Port Au Prince, the Haitian people themselves were in action, digging out family members, neighbors and friends buried under the rubble and bringing comfort to each other in their time of loss…roads have begun to open up and much needed medical care and aid is starting to reach communities hardest hit by the earthquake…people are still being rescued alive from under the rubble…some merchants have resumed selling their wares on the streets and small markets are opening up, returning some semblance of normalcy…The Haitian congregation reminded me my first morning in Port Au Prince that the battle is the Lords and not ours. “With the cross of Jesus going on before,” there is certainly hope and restoration for a devastated land."

5. AUDIO: You can listen to a brief update (less than one minute) from Sara here: http://chir.ps/2XN

Grateful that you are there to care and help, Ben

Benjamin K. Homan,
President
Food for the Hungry, Inc. / www.fh.org

God called and we responded until physical and spiritual hungers ended worldwide.

Please Pray! (As I'm sure many of you are!!)

The earthquake in Haiti was so extremely catastrophic, the devastation is beyond comprehensible to me. But, I know at least by praying, we can all do something! The following is an email we received today from Ben Homan, the director of Food for the Hungry. David knew Ben from CPC and we've enjoyed connecting with him several times in the past few years (including while we were in Uganda.) If you haven't yet donated money, FH is a wonderful gospel centered organization and will use the funds wisely.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Greetings,

Please forgive me for sending a non-personalized e-mail, yet perhaps you can appreciate the urgency to get the word out on Haiti. Food for the Hungry's relief team is on the ground in Port-au-Prince responding to the devastating quake (note, however, that 12 of our 19 staff members who servein Port-au-Prince are still missing). I would ask you to respond in prayer. And, if God leads, please consider contributing financially (see e-mail pasted below) -- or, if you are in a church or ministry, please consider directing your congregation or group toward Food for the Hungry. If you follow this web-link ( www.fh.org/haiti ), you can also find resources like downloadable video to share with others and even a downloadable church bulletin insert. In the next paragraph, one of our staff members (Marlene is her name) offers a firsthand account of the devastation:

"We are in a situation of disaster and we are ALL left by ourselves because the UN HQ as been completely destroyed and the complete head team has been killed after the building housing them ( a huge hotel of more than 8 floor and as many at lower level) was completed smashed down…the direct consequence is that all effort (loader, tractors ,helicopters , etc ) are concentrated to help the UN first and the whole population is left to her "own sake" as they reply when they are called for Help. People that are under the destroyed building and still alive are not being rescued by the institutional help ,we are seeing instead solidarity effort and enthusiastic and spontaneous helper rescuing people. In my neighborhood we were able to rescue alive a 98 blind YO lady after 16 hrs. Her house smashed down over her head ,she is not well with her left arm broken and bruised she might end up amputated . 7 hospital have been destroyed including 2 of MSF and the results that the only remaining hospital were overloaded after 45 min following the event and after the first day they ran out of all elementary medical material like IV fluid or just Gauze. Thousands of people (3000 they say) are wounded and cannot receive help or care as a result many have died because of lack of care .Since help from the government or the UN has been totally absent the population is fighting alone and the dead people are just abandoned on the sidewalk we cannot count them). Many school, Hotels (like Montana: hosting at the time 200 visitors was completely destroyed) and universities while they were having the afternoon group working. My family was miraculously save alive, the house where I lived is completely destroyed although the roof is still standing. Next door ,where I grew up my parents house is completely smashed down with my father. He died I think and hope immediately we were able to remove him under the roof from after 2 hres of effort and I have buried him in the front yard of our his home."

As you respond to the crumbling impact of this earthquake, be reminded that God graciously strengthens the foundations and pillars of the Church even as many forces would seek to shake and destroy it.

God be with you, Ben

Benjamin K. Homan, President
Food for the Hungry
God called and we responded until physical and spiritual hungers ended worldwide.

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Thousands feared dead amidst the rubble and ruins

A powerful earthquake, believed to be between 7.0 and 7.3 magnitude, has struck off the coast of Haiti, hitting in the highly populated capital of Port-au-Prince. Food for the Hungry Haiti staff members are on the ground and our Emergency Response Unit and nearby Dominican Republic staff are mobilizing to help Haitians in need.

Night has fallen, leaving thousands of people stranded and possibly trapped under the rubble. Many public buildings, including a hospital, have collapsed. In a country already poor and vulnerable, this catastrophe threatens the lives of countless Haitians.

Please help Food for the Hungry bring hope to the people reeling from this catastrophe.

Pray: Please pray for the safety of our staff in Haiti, many of whom we have not been able to contact. Also, pray for the thousands of Haitians struggling to survive, that help would reach them in time.

Give now: Your faithful support allows our Emergency Response Unit to reach people immediately with the supplies they need – food, water, shelter – to survive.Give now to help bring hope to Haiti.

I never cease to be amazed at your faithful partnership with Food for the Hungry as we go to the hard places around the world. Please prayerfully consider a generous gift to help Haitians in their time of need.

Co-responders to God's call,

Benjamin K. Homan

President

P.S. Thank you for joining us to help the poor and disadvantaged. Your gift today will be shine the love of Christ to the hurting people of Haiti.

Killer Cookies!

Um, these are the BEST cookies ever!! Seriously, try them and tell me what you think! Or you can just come over, I have some at my house right now:) They are from the latest Cooking Light magazine, January 2010. They won first place in the Ultimate Reader Recipe Contest for dessert, and I completely understand why!

"I love chocolate and cherry flavors together, and I found great dried cherries from Maine for this recipe. I also used bittersweet instead of milk chocolate: Not only does it have less sugar, but it has a deeper flavor, too." —Marcie Dixon, Arlington Heights, Ill.

Yield: 30 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)

Cherry-Chocolate Heart Smart Cookies

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1.5 ounces whole-wheat flour (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup dried cherries
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flours and next 3 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.

3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes. Cool on pans 3 minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

94

Fat:

3.2g (sat 1.6g,mono 0.6g,poly 0.2g)

Protein:

1.5g

Carbohydrate:

15.7g

Fiber:

1.3g

Cholesterol:

10mg

Iron:

0.6mg

Sodium:

88mg

Calcium:

15mg

Marcie Dixon, Arlington Heights, Illinois, Cooking Light, JANUARY 2010