THIS ISN'T THE REAL STORY

 

October 9, 2023 photo by Bobbi

As I sit at my computer in our office, and gaze at the view from my window, I marvel at the peace and tranquility I observe.  We are safe and serene here in our new condo; but around the world wars wage.  The Russian invasion of Ukraine continues. Now we have Hamas terrorists yelling "Allahu akbar" as they invade Israel.  There are fears that Hezbollah may also attack Israel.  Under Iran's influence they fight a proxy war to wipe the Jews off the map. We pray for peace each day.  We pray for comfort and safety for the innocent. We pray for healing for those who have lost loved ones.  We pray for wisdom for the leaders who want peace. We pray for first responders. 

God tells us in His word to pray about everything.  He also tells us to go and make disciples.  So as wars wage we bring comfort to those we can and tell them that this isn't the real story.  Jesus will return soon to rule-- we will have true peace then.  Man cannot bring peace-- only Jesus can and He will. 

I believe that all the prophecies in the Bible have been fulfilled--  except for the prophecy about Damascus.  I trust that when Damascus is destroyed Jesus will return. 

Isaiah 17 An oracle concerning Damascus.1 Behold, Damascus will cease to be a city and will become a heap of ruins.

THE BEAVER AND GOD

 

Ten years ago it was acceptable to talk about God on TV. Here is a clip from the situation comedy "Leave it to Beaver."  June Cleaver tells Beaver that God knows when he is lying.  The Beaver lied about a dog bite, but he wants to know why it was OK for Dad to tell Mr. Rutherford that he couldn't come to his house because of another engagement (which was a lie.)  

Parenting is a difficult job!

Proverbs 19:5 Even a child makes himself known by his acts by whether his conduct is pure and upright.

PEACH CREAM CHEESE PIE

 

Pie by Rita.  Photo by Chris.

August and September is peach season in Washington State. There is still time to try this pie recipe from Rita's cookbook-- "The Able Cookbook: Cooking Without Cane."

10 inch pie crust baked

6oz package cream cheese

1/4 cup fructose + 2 tbsp (may find at health food store)

2 1/4 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups whipping cream

2 large peaches (peaches canned in their own juice may be used 16 oz)

2 tsp lemon juice

Blend softened cream cheese with fructose and vanilla in a medium bowl.  Whip cream in another medium bowl until stiff and fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate.  Slice peaches and toss with lemon juice. Arrange fruit on top of pie.  If using canned peaches eliminate lemon juice. 

Make glaze: 

Combine 1 cup unsweetened apple juice with one tbsp corn starch in a saucepan. Cook over low heat stirring constantly until thickened and clear. Stir in 3 or 4 tbsp fructose or to taste. Cool. Spoon over pie. Chill.

We haven't tried it with any other sugar substitute but I'm sure it would be possible if you would like to try it.  

I Corinthians 15: 38 But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body.

BREATHING EASIER

 

Prayers went up for the victims, firefighters, and disaster workers here in eastern Washington when areas west and north of Spokane experienced wildfires.  See You Tube above. We are east of Spokane so only dealt with the unhealthy air.  The rain coming up from California helped clear the smoke and we are breathing easier now.  As far as we can tell the maternal grandparent's farm in Four Lakes is safe. 

Years ago in the 1960's Chris had a job on a pick up crew for fighting forest fires in this area. I will add his memories of this intense job later. Do you have any survival experiences with destructive fire? 

 

Isaiah 43:1 But now thus says the Lord he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel:“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.

 

 

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE JUSTICE SYSTEM?

 

Grace Marie. 2011 Photo by Wayne

We need criminal justice reform.  Why was the pet goat of a 9 year old girl slaughtered against her will?   Here is the story.  Maybe you have experienced injustice in your life.  Apparently this is the human condition as "all have sinned."  We need guidelines and those in authority to uphold justice.  In our country we are assumed innocent until proven guilty.  In many other countries Roman law is used-- you are guilty until you are proven innocent.  

In American history many ways of law enforcement have been used. This is from the Britannica.  Then in 1974 Chuck Colson as a new Christian, voluntarily pled guilty to obstruction of justice and served seven months in Alabama’s Maxwell Prison for his part in the Watergate scandal.In 1976, he founded Prison Fellowship, which is now the nation’s largest Christian nonprofit serving prisoners, former prisoners, and their families, and a leading advocate for criminal justice reform. 

For years many have been working and praying for prison reform. One program in Rhode Island has met with success.  Eric Johnson in his report "Seattle is Dying" informed us about MAT.  While successful in Rhode Island, there are obstacles in implementing MAT inmate programs nationwide. First, MAT for inmates programs need widespread political support. In Rhode Island, the state government has approved $2 million in funds annually for medication-assisted therapy programs in prisons.

Secondly, MAT inmate programs can be problematic to implement in states with complex correction systems. Rhode Island has a corrections system which is compact and has no county jails. All inmates are brought to one center , and the state prisons are located on the same campus.

Dogs would not be left to their own on the streets.  Why do we leave the mentally ill and drug addicted on the streets?  Why do we leave criminals on the streets? Government should be held accountable to enforce the laws or if the laws are not working they should be changed. 

Will men and women of integrity apply and serve in law enforcement or will we continue to collapse into anarchy?  

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Edmund Burke

TEACHER APPRECIATION

 

Photo by me

Each Thanksgiving the Moms in Prayer groups in Monroe, WA would prepare baskets of goodies for each school for which we prayed. Years ago, when I was teaching, I would have appreciated the attractive basket pictured above, left for the teachers in the break room.  Of course I could have used about 5 assistants to help me with all the duties teachers had-- lesson prep for all subjects, inventory, bulletin boards, lesson plans, parent conferences, lunch room duty, play ground duty, parent- teacher meetings, decorating, displays--(Dean of Women at EWU  gifted me with pots of geraniums, and squares of towels for the children to erase their dry erase marking boards),  etc., etc. Now of course there are not only fire drills but also active shooter drills.  I left teaching after 3 years.  I like children as individuals but not as a group. I preferred working at the public library. 

So now I either start a Moms in Prayer group or I join one.  It is just 1 hour a week and it is come as you are.  This year I will be praying again for the school for which our church volunteers as mentors. 

Matthew 19:14 but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”

DESSERT BY RITA

 

Photo by Chris

Meringue desserts may have originated in France but several times on trips to Canada for the Change of Watch for the Vancouver B.C. Power Squadron we were served meringue desserts.   Now I wonder if Chris's family, who settled in Canada at first, learned their Kiss Pie recipe from those they met in Canada?  The only meringue recipe I remember as a kid was my mom's delicious lemon meringue pie. I assume she learned it from her mom who was British!

So here is the prized Kiss Pie recipe we inherited from Rita, Chris's mom.  Chris enjoys making these. 

1 cup egg whites (6 or 7)

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon white vinegar

2 cups strawberries (sweeten lightly)

(frozen may be used, thaw first)

Beat egg whites until frothy. Add sugar gradually, beating constantly.  Add vinegar and beat 10 minutes more. Spread in two cake pans with slides. Bake at 275 degrees for 1 hour.  Cool.  Place one layer on plate with top side up. Spread strawberries over.  Top with second layer. Frost all over with whipped cream.  Refrigerate 10 hours or overnight. 

Genesis 1:29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.