April Fool's Day "Cake"

I got this recipe from "cookingvillage.com" and tought I would share with my friends. Visit their website, they have lots of great recipes.

April Fool's Cake

Ingredients:
For the Meat Loaf
. 2 pounds lean ground meat
. 3 large eggs
. 1 cup bread crumbs
. 2/3 cup sliced green onions
. 1/2 cup milk
. 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
. 2 large garlic gloves, minced
. 2 tablespoons Wercestershire sauce
. 1 teaspoon salt
. 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Decoration:
. 1 jar roasted red pepper, drained and patted dry
. 3 1/2 cups of mashed potatoes
. 8 cherry tomatoes, stems removed

Directions
Preparing the Meat Loaf
1. Preheat over to 375. In a large bowl, combine meat, eggs, crumbs, onions, milk, parsley, garlic, Wescestershire sauce, salt and pepper until blended.
2. Divide mixture between 2 8-inch round cake pans, patting to cover pan evenly and make level.
3. Bake meat loaves until juices run clear when meat is pierced witha fork, or meat loaves register 170F on a meat thermometer, 20-25 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover loose with foil and let it stand for 10 minutes.

Decorating the Meat Loaf
1. Pour off juices from pans. Inverte meat loaf into a flat servinf plate. Using a small sharp knife, trim red peppers so that they lie flat. Cover top of meat loaf with a single level of roastes red peppers.
2. Top with other meat loaf. Spread most of the mashed potatoes (leave 2/3 cups aside) over top and sides of meat loaf. Spoon remaining potatoes into a pastry bad fitted with a large star tip. Pipe swirls around top edges of cake. Pipe stars aaround bottom of cake.
3. Place cherry tomatoes, stem-ends down, in a ring around top of meat loaf "cake" to resemble cherries. Cu meat loaf into wedges, serve immediately.

Enjoy it! I thought it was such a cute idea!

Mara

Testify to Love, Avalon

Dear Friends,

Just wanted to share the lyrics of a song which has become one of my favorites in this season of my life. No matter where I am in this world, the truth is that for as long as I shal live I will testily to love.

God's wonderful creation tell us of His love for you and me. Why sometimes we cannot see it? Maybe because we are blinded by things around us that are taking the place where God should be. This song is a call for us to look at the world with new eyes and note the works of this loving God ... each day, each moment.

Avalon - Testify To Love Lyrics

All the colors of the rainbow
All the voices of the wind
Every dream that reaches out
That reaches out to find where love begins
Every word of every story
Every star in every sky
Every corner of creation lives to testify

(Chorus:)
For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love
I'll be a witness in the silences when words are not enough
With every breath I take
I will give thanks to God above
For as long as I shall live
I will testify to love

From the mountains to the valleys
From the rivers to the sea
Every hand that reaches out
Every hand that reaches out to offer peace
Every simple act of mercy
Every step to kingdom come
All the hope in every heart will speak what love has done

Whenever you have a chance, listen to Avalon. Besides being of an incredible quality, their perfomance shows more than just talent. I had the priviledge of seing and listening to them, it was awesome!

God's Creative Work! Me!

Dear Friends,

Muy husband shared this verse he read on "The Message" Bible. If you are not familiar with it, it a version of the Bible in a language that most of us could understand without taking from its truth and integrity.

The verse goes like this: “Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” -- Galatians 6

I have been asking these questions to myself lately. We just had a major move in our lives. When we find ourselves in a new enviroment, we are faced with so many pressures that the real "you" surfaces. I find myself going back to the very beginning: Who am I in God's perspective? Who did he intend for me to be? What does he want me to perform in this season of my life? His will and desires for us change as we move on with life, and hopefully, mature.

God encourages us to look at ourselves and observe what He has laid before us to do. Nothing more ... nothing less. We should not think of ourselves more than we really are, but we should not think less either. We are unique and exist to contribute to the world in a way that just we individually can.

I pray I can get there: not comparing myself to others, unless it is to imitate good habits and attittudes - not to feel I do not measure up to them. What is important for us is to measure up to what God expects from us!

I also pray I can find fun in discovering all the good things God has planned for me. Do not forget: His will for us is "perfect and pleasant". That means that a wonderful adventure is ahead of us trying to find our perfect place in this world!

Have fun in your jorney!

Mara

Do you hear voices?

I am back to a kind of normal life again and would like to start sharing some things I hear and think it to be thought provoking.

Do you hear voices? I do! I hear people, circunstances and my past telling me things. In one side I hear these voices but in the other, I hear the "Voice of Truth". You can choose who you will listen to. I choose to listen to the one who knows me best, who created me!

May I share with you the words of this song by Casting Crowns? Enjoy it and think about it!

"Voice of Truth"

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of faith it takes
To climb out of this boat
I'm inon to the crashing waves
To step out of my comfort zone
Into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is
And He's holding out His hand
But the waves are calling out my name
And they laugh at me
Reminding me of all the times I've tried before and failed
The waves they keep on telling meTime and time again.
"Boy, you'll never win!""You'll never win!"

Chorus:
But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

Oh what I would do to have
The kind of strength it takes
to stand before a giant
With just a sling and a stone
Surrounded by the sound of a thousand warriors
Shaking in their armor
Wishing they'd have had the strength to stand
But the giant's calling out my name
And he laughs at me
Reminding me of all the times
I've tried before and failed
The giant keeps on telling me
Time and time again. "Boy you'll never win!""You'll never win!"

Chorus:
But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me
I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth

But the stone was just the right size
To put the giant on the ground
And the waves they don't seem so high
On top of them lookin' down
I will soar with the wings of eagles
When I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus
Singing over me

Chorus:
But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story
The Voice of Truth says, "Do not be afraid!"
And the Voice of Truth says, "This is for My glory"
Out of all the voices calling out to me (calling out to me)
I will choose to listen and believe-I will choose to listen and believe the Voice of Truth
I will listen and believeI will listen and believe the Voice of truth
I will listen and believeCause Jesus you are the voice of truth
And I will listen to you, you are-