In Christ Alone

The other day my husband called me and said I HAD to hear this song. I sat down and listened to it. While I was doing so I wished the song would stop each line so I could "diggest" the truths I found in it. It is a beautiful song with so much depth!

I recommend you to sit down and listen carefully to the words of this song. It will bless you!

Listen to a sample of the song at http://www.wordmusic.com/easter/book.cfm?upc=080689517273 -- click on LISTEN!

IN CHRIST ALONE

In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
This Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone! – who took on flesh,
Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save:
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died,
The wrath of God was satisfied –
For every sin on Him was laid;
Here in the death of Christ I live.

There in the ground His body lay,
Light of the world by darkness slain:
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me,
For I am His and He is mine –
Bought with the precious blood of Christ.

No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life’s first cry to final breath,
Jesus commands my destiny.
No power of hell, no scheme of man,
Can ever pluck me from His hand;
‘Til He returns or calls me home,
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand!

RECIPE: Russian Carrot Dip

I am already moved! Got some travelling done and now kids are in school! So, ... I have some time to get back to my blog. During one of our trips, visiting some friends in Atlanta, I tried this wonderful dip and highly recommend it! My friends learned it from a Russian friend. Enjoy it!

Russian Carrot Dip

Ingredients:
1 lb. carrots (steamed till tender, not mushy! Grate or chop it.
1 8 oz. package of parmesan cheese, grate
3 gloves of garlic, chopped fine
Mayonaise till right - start with 1/2 cup

Mix it all!! Serve with any kind of chips. I loved it with multi grain chips!

We are moving ...

I will be back after July 5th! I am busy, busy, busy ...

All Kinds of Prayers

UNANSWERED PRAYER?

The preacher's 5 year-old daughter noticed that her father always paused and bowed his head, for a moment, before starting his sermon.

One day, she asked him why.

"Well, Honey," he began, proud that his daughter was so observant of his messages, "I'm asking the Lord to help me preach a good sermon."

"How come He doesn't do it?" she asked.


BEING THANKFUL

A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy, "So your mother says your prayers for you each night? Very commendable. What does she say?"

The little boy replied, "Thank God he's in bed!"


EXPRESS PRAYER

Our son had only heard his grandfather pray at Thanksgiving, Easter, and other special occasions; when he, typically, said a long prayer over the food. One night, after a fun camp-out and fishing trip, grandfather (to our son's surprise) asked a very brief blessing on the food. With a gleam in his eye, our son grinned at his Grandfather and said, "You don't pray so long when you're hungry, do you Grandpa?"


UNTIMELY ANSWERED PRAYER

During the minister's prayer, one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of the back pews. Gary's mother was horrified. She pinched him into silence and, after church, asked, "Gary, whatever made you do such a thing?"

Gary answered, soberly, "I asked God to teach me to whistle . and He just then did!"


TIME TO PRAY

A pastor asked a little boy if he said his prayers every night.

"Yes sir," the boy replied.

"And, do you always say them in the morning, too?" the pastor asked.

"No sir," the boy replied. "I ain't scared in the daytime."


THE BLESSING

My wife invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to our six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" "I wouldn't know what to say," she replied. "Just say what you hear Mommy say," my wife said.

Our daughter bowed her head and said, "Dear Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"


BEWARE OF TRASH

One particular four-year old prayed, "And forgive us our 'trash baskets' as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."


ALL MEN / ALL GIRLS?

When my daughter, Kelli, was 3, she and my son, Cody, would say their nightly prayers, together. As most children do, we have to bless every family member, every friend, and every animal (current and past).

For several weeks, after we had finished the nightly prayer, Kelli would say, "And all girls."

As this soon became part of her nightly routine, to include this at the end, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked her, "Kelli, why do you always add the part about all girls?"

Her response, "Because we always finish our prayers by saying 'All Men'!"

SAY A PRAYER

Little Johnny and his family were having Sunday dinner at his Grandmother's house. Everyone was seated around the table as the food was being served. When little Johnny received his plate, he started eating right away.

"Johnny wait until we say our prayer." "I don't have to," The boy replied.

"Of course, you do," his mother insisted. "We say a prayer, before eating, at our house."

"That's our house," Johnny explained. "But this is Grandma's house and she knows how to cook!

Scrapbooking: it is Biblical!

Hello,

You might be wondering where I got this idea. The thing is that I always loved art work and that was why I started scrapbooking.

With time, I have realized how much potential there is in this hobby:
1) it is a beautiful art work
2) you can save inportant data
3) you can save moments and memories

Then it came to me!! Reading the Bible this morning, I was in Joshua, chapter 4. The story goes with Joshua as he decides to put 12 stones as a reminder for future generations of what God did among the Israelites. I am sure if they had a camera at the time, he would have taken a picture!!

We all have been through mountain top or valley experiences in our life's journey. These experiences, with God's help, can be markers that makes us better persons and hopefully better followers of Christ. I am not sure where you are, my reader, but with Christ, both good and bad experiences, can bring growth and a positive outcome.

Those markers can be expressed in your scrapbook so your future generation can praise God for His wonders and miracles! God spoke to me this morning through these verses in the Bible:

Joshua 4:6: "... when your children ask ... tell them ..."

Joshua 4:21: " ... in your future when your descendents ask ... tell them ... "

Joshua 4: 24: "He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know what the hand of the Lord is powerfull and so that you might always fear the Lord your God."

What a great resource we have nowadays through Scrapbooking. We can leave records of all the works of the Lord in our lives and "they will know that the hand of the Lord is powerfull and will fear the Lord your God".

God bless!

RECIPE: Fruit Pancakes that Kids Can Help Make

I got this recipe from a favorite web site. I really think it is a fun one for kids to be part of it. Enjoy it!

Fruit Pancakes That Kids Can Help Make

INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

2 eggs

2 cups milk

3 tbsp. vegetable oil

Butter

About 1 cup of fruit, such as blueberries, raspberries, Sliced strawberries, apples, peaches or bananas

Maple syrup

Step 1 Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Show the chef how to measure accurately, using dry measuring cups and leveling off the flour. And be sure to have him check for any remaining lumps in the bottom of the sifter.

Step 2 Whisk the eggs and milk in a separate bowl, then whisk in the oil. Pour the egg mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a spoon, but do not beat. The batter will be a little bit lumpy, but that's okay. For fluffier pancakes, substitute buttermilk for the milk and use 2 teaspoons baking soda instead of the baking powder.

Step 3 Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a griddle or an electric skillet on medium high. Then, being careful not to splatter the hot butter, drop about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake (a job for older kids and parents only). Be sure to leave enough room between the cakes for them to grow. For fun, you can drizzle the batter into shapes. Pour it into a plastic bag, snip a small hole in one corner, and squeeze the batter into hearts, teddy bears, numbers or your child's initials on the hot griddle.

Step 4 Ask your kids what fruits they want to add to their pancakes, then gently press blueberries, raspberries, or apple or banana slices into the batter. To help the kids pick their favorite fillings, set out bowls of the prepared fruits. Six-year-old Tom picked five blueberries and one raspberry, whereas his sister, four-year-old Ruth, said "I don't want to put anything in it, just on it."

Step 5 Cook until the pancakes bubble on the top and brown on the bottom. Flip, then cook until brown on the other side. For successful cooking, use a griddle that heats evenly. Keep it on medium high--if it's too hot, the pancakes will burn on the outside and remain gooey on the inside; if it's not hot enough, the crust will turn hard and the inside will be dry. Cook a test pancake in the beginning, then adjust your heat accordingly.

Step 6 Serve the pancakes hot with butter and maple syrup, if you like. Or, stockpile them on an oven-proof dish set in a warm oven for any late sleepers. Makes 20 pancakes.

RECIPE: Summer Brocoli Salad

Great recipe for a cookout or a picnic!!! It is SO good!

1 medium bunch broccoli
1 lb. Bacon crisp cooked
1/1/2 cup small shell shaped pasta
1 medium red onion chopped
8 oz. Cheddar cheese cut in small cubes
1 ½ cup shredded carrots
1 cup dark raisins
1 ½ -2 cups mayonnaise
½ cup honey
1 tsp. Salt or to taste
½ tsp. Pepper or to taste

Cook pasta until tender, drain and rinse well. Cook bacon until crisp, drain and crumble. Chop broccoli in small pieces. In large bowel combine broccoli, bacon, pasta, onion, cheese, onions and raisins, toss to mix. In small bowl combine mayonnaise, honey, salt, and pepper. Pour over broccoli, pasta mix and stir well. Chill about 2 hours.

Funny Stories for Moms

An exasperated mother, whose son was always getting into mischief, finally asked him, "How do you expect to get into Heaven?"

The boy thought it over and said, "Well, I'll just run in and out and in and out and keep slamming the door until St. Peter says, 'For Heaven's sake, Jimmy, come in or stay out!'"

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My son Zachary, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell me he'd dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the garbage. Zachary stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush. He held it up and said with a charming little smile, "We better throw this one out too then, 'cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago."

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A Sunday School teacher asked her pupils, "Now, children, do you all say your prayers at night?"

A little boy answered: "My MUMMY says my prayers."

"I see," said the teacher, "and what does your Mummy SAY?"

Replied the little boy: "THANK GOD HE'S IN BED!"

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One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out, in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Mommy, why are some of your hairs white?"

Her mother replied, "Well, every time you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white."

The little girl was silent for a while, and then said, "Poor Grandma. You must have been a very, very bad girl."

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The child was a typical four-year-old girl -- cute, inquisitive, bright as a new penny. When she expressed difficulty in grasping the concept of marriage, her father decided to pull out his wedding photo album, thinking visual images would help. One page after another, he pointed out the bride arriving at the church, the entrance, the wedding ceremony, the recessional, the reception, etc.

"Now do you understand?" he asked.

"I think so," she said, "is that when mommy came to work for us?"

Finding Joy in Your Work

Work should always be associated with joy ...
The story is told of three women washing clothes. A passerby asked each what she was doing.
"Washing clothes" was the first answer.
"A bit of household drudgery" was the second.
"I am mothering three young children who someday will fill important and useful spheres in life, and wash-day is a part of my grand task in caring for these souls who shall live forever" was the third.
Ordinary work, which is what most of us do most of the time, is ordained by God every bit as much as is the extraordinary. All work done for God is spiritual work and therefore not merely a duty but a holy privelege.
By Elisabeth Elliot

RECIPE: Tortilla Española (Spanish Potato Omelet)

I got this recipe from Tere. She has been one of my best friends in Madrid, where I live. Our daughters go to school and dance together and we spend many hours over coffee or doing Scrapbooking (a new found passion for her!)

Tortilla Española

It is a favorite dish in about every household in Spain. I have found it becomes a favorite to many Americans who visit Spain as well. It can be served as a first or second plate in a main traditional meal in Spain. It can also be served as "tapas" on a street cafe. Some will have it for a midmorning snack. Americans will even have it for breakfast! It can be served hot or at room temperature.

Ingredients:
4 big potatoes
6 eggs
Olive Oil
1/2 large onion (optional - I love it with onion!)

Steps:
Peal the potatoes and slice them in transparent pieces. Rinse it. Chop the onions as well. Put abundant olive oil in a frying pan and fry potatoes and onions together. Stir the mixture often cutting it the potatoes in even smaller pieces as it gets cooked. They will be done when they are tender and golden. Remove it from pan and set is aside. Put the eggs in a bowl and beat them with a fork until well mixed. Add the potato mixture to it. Add salt to taste. Greese another smaller frying pan with olive oil and put it on low burner. Add the mixture to it and let it cook slowly. When sides are done, make sure the "tortilla" is loose from the pan. Turn the "tortilla" into a plate and slide it back to cook the other side, without loosing the shape. Allow time to cook inside. Turn it in to a plate again and it is ready to serve.
You can add many things to enhance%2

Spring is here!!

Spring has arrived - Here are some ideas for your garden!

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING ...

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:
1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:
1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness

PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:
1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another

NO GARDEN WITHOUT TURNIPS:
1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another

TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:
1. Thyme for each other
2. Thyme for family
3. Thyme for friends

Water freely with patience and cultivate with love. There will be much fruit in your garden because you reap what you sow.

I Can Only Imagine

Have you heard this song?

I love it! I was glad to receive this link with this song: http://www.andiesisle.com/imagine.html

I hear this song as I write. The purpose of my life is to see as many friends and family there that day ... before Jesus ... in His presence.

Do you know Jesus?

Mara

Welcome!!

Check often to have some great recipes. They will mostly from Spain & Brazil but there will be some from other places as well.

If you speak Spanish check my other blog: http://elrincondemara.blogspot.com

Now, if you prefer Portuguese, go to: http://ocantinhodamara.blogspot.com

I hope to also pass on inspirational thoughts I gather and ideas related to crafts and homelife.

More later!

Mara