Are You a Know it All?

Things are great and happening here in Korat, Thailand. God is and has been soooo faithful and so good to us!! The children are all well, homeschooling is more fun than I ever imagined, and last, but definitely not least, John and I are continuing to grow closer and closer to one another.

Hanging out with my best friend, Jesus, the other day, I began meditating on 1 Cor. 8:2. These are just a few of my thoughts.

1 Cor. 8:2

'The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know."

I began to just ask the Lord to help me to always remain open and teachable. Help us to not think that 'our' way is the only way and the only 'right' way. That our hearts would remain soft and we would be ever ready to hear His voice, and His prodding. Let us not be so content in the ways that we have been 'conditioned' to live by, by society---Let us only be conditioned by the Lord!! Let not the world say 'sit boo-boo sit...good dog' and we--out of habit-- do as society or as tradition says. Let us always be willing and wanting what the Lord says.

Oh my goodness...as I am writing this I am reminded of the scripture He took me to today.

1 Col. 8:2

'See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ'.

How cool is that...it all goes together. What is God teaching? Do we even care? Are we too busy with our own 'Sunday, happy-Christian routine' to step out and ask God for ourselves? Don't always let the preacher teach you how to live...let the preacher encourage you to live as God has quietly instructed you in your private time.

Are we too busy running from our 9-5, to soccer practice, then to the fast food chain? Can we even hear Him? Allow God to be your role model, our private teacher concerning ALL aspects of life. Don't just 'go with the flow, with tradition'. Lord, teach us about marriage, child-rearing, gardening, entertainment, hobbies, etc...be our Teacher. We have given Him our all, you know, 'surrender all', but have we? We try not to sin, try to live a 1 Cor. 13 lifestyle, a Pro. 31 woman is our goal, but have we asked Him to teach us about day to day living. We will go to college and spend thousands of dollars to get our 'degree', but are we studying how to be a good marriage partner, a good mother, a good nuturer for our family? These are careers that NEVER end, and guess what? God wants to teach us the BEST way. Is the way our forefathers handled things the 'best'? There are more broken homes today than ever, more obesity and cancer than ever, more depression than ever, and this list continues.

Let's ask God how He wants us to handle the small things in life and not just the big things.

There you go...now for a recipe

We have had this for breakfast several mornings in the past two weeks and the children like it

Blueberry and Banana Cereal

cut up some bananas

a handful of blueberries

young coconut water and meat (blend this to make the milk and pour over your bananas and blueberries)

Yummy!!

We also did this today with mango and it was delicious!!!!

Green Smoothie (or in our house, the 'army' drink, or 'princess' smoothie)

handful of greens (in America--i used spinach, Thailand--well, some 'dee jai' green)

banana or 2

handful of ice

coconut water and/or meat if you like

some honey(optional)

whiz, whiz...and there you go! Your greens for the day, and the children like this too(Gabe and Moriah LOVE it, Madaline and Lake--say pass the carrot juice please)

AS WE SPEAK, THE FAM JUST CAME IN AND SAID, 'MORIAH IS WALKING'!!

OKAY, one more picture...this is yummy, yummy tamarind!! So healthy for women, consistency of caramel, grows on a tree...thinking of raw pie crust...do you think it would work? Maybe replacing the dates?? I will let you know.

TAMARIND

EXPECTATIONS/HOMESCHOOL/BREAD

I haven't posted since October...it doesn't seem that long ago. Sometimes, I begin going through things that I believe most wouldn't want to hear. So, I know it is sad to say, but as a missionary, I feel that 'ministry' stuff is what a lot of people had rather hear. Ministry is great and especially fun to hear about when God is visibly moving in that area. As a baby on the field, I choose NOT to write when times are difficult. If, in the future, you don't hear from me...email me :).

God has brought us through an extremely difficult season!! I have posted about some of the difficult times in the past, even eluding to the fact that things were better, and, I honestly, at that time, was given a breath of fresh air. Overall, the testing has lasted for more than a year. The lesson that I have learned is to lower your expectations of man and continue to expect the greatest from the Lord. On December 28th, the Lord took me to Deuteronomy 8:2

"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands...to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

Wow!! That is so powerful to me!! To know what is in my heart!! Are we going to split and run when the going gets tough? No, just hold on by the strength of the Lord! New Year's Eve was like a breakthrough for us. Since that night the Lord has opened so many doors for ministry and has released us to walk through them!

I will share very soon about these awesome opportunities that have opened for us to minister the gospel with Thailand!!

Right now, the weather is soooo sweet!! It is 'fallish'.

The children are in bed, I have downloaded a free e-book called 'Smooth and Easy Days' with Charlotte Mason(I hope I get to read it soon :)). If any of you are homeschooling and appreciate the works of Charlotte Mason, please visit simplycharlottemason.com, I am sure you will be blessed. This site really helps organize this method.

I am really missing craft time with my children, if any of you out there have any great craft ideas that somehow fit in with your study, please send me a link or an email. When Madaline was small she did so many crafts, now with 4 children, crafts are limited, and I miss experiencing the fun with crafts.

great and easy WHOLE WHEAT BREAD (without a machine, since i fried mine)

Grind your wheat (or buy it already ground)

4 cups warm water

1 1/2- 2 T yeast

1/3 cup honey

Mix and let sit about 10 minutes. Add enough flour to make a sponge (kind of thick, until it slowly pours off wooden spoon). Stir with spoon 200 strokes. Let sit until rises about double.

Add 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 T salt. Stir.

Add enough flour to knead. My best loaves are a little sticky, but firm enough to bounce back when you poke it. (You can also add a little white bread flour if you want to get some gluten in there, which helps with texture, or all whole wheat and add straight gluten--up to you:)

Then, let it sit until double its size. Break in to two halves. You will be making two loaves.

Forcefully throw onto counter and knead well, to remove all air bubbles. Shape into loaves, put in two, well greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

You can make many different variations. Last week we had one plain whole wheat and one cranberry walnut. Just throw the additives in at the end. Tomorrow I will try cinnamon sugar!! Yummy...I am hungry!!!

Recipe---Special thanks the Carolyn Shafer!!! You and your family are my role models :)

Inspired from A.B.---let's eat more RAW today!! Whew, it sure is a challenge, but so beneficial!!! Lord, help me to benefit myself and my family this week.

Continue to let Jesus rock your world!!! He is the most amazing!! In Paul's troubles he was always encouraged by JOY!!! Let's be full of JOY!!!!

Prophecy from Bethel:

2010 is the year of birthing the vision!!!

2010 if the year of incredible intimacy with the Lord!!!!

This is the year of going into the unknown!!!

AMEN!!!!

love you all

sl