Thanksgiving is less than six weeks away!

My college roommate came to visit this past weekend. While here she went through some of my recipes and requested one. It was home made cranberry sauce (I mean, lets face it, no one actually likes the stuff out of a can...there's not even cranberries in it!). I thought I would share my recipe. Even though, I do tweek it, I'll give you a bit of insight to what I did. I also thought I had a picture, searched my entire computer, and finally just googled a picture that was close to what mine looked like...in fact, quite close.

1 c. water
1 c. white sugar
1 (12 oz.) package fresh cranberries (I used Ocean Spray, I think)
1 orange peeled, and pureed (I didn't have an orange so I did Orange
Juice 1/2 cup-with lots-of-pulp!)
1 apple peeled, cored, diced
1 pear peeled, cored, diced
1 c. dried fruit mix (I had dried apricots, cranberries, and raisins.
I think any dried fruit combo works) chopped
1 c. chopped pecans (I used walnuts)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (I use more :) )
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Boil water and sugar until sugar dissolves. Reduce to simmer and stir
in all other ingredients. cover and simmer 30 min  stirring
occasionally until cranberries burst. Remove from heat and cool to
room temp.

I had it on simmer for about 2 hours because cranberries didn't burst,
I actually think this was better for the flavors to blend better. Obviously this recipe is subject
to change at cook's choice :)


Since the holidays are just around the corner, I thought I would get you all started on planning. What are some of your favorite recipes?

Sitting on a Rainbow

About a year ago I really felt like God was calling me to do a mission; little did I know He was calling me to the mission field, nor did I realize at the time that there was a difference between doing a mission trip and going to the mission field! In January 2012 I emailed a wonderful friend, "K," who lives in Liberia, Africa, about how I felt God calling me to do some mission work. K emailed me with some encouraging advice and things concerning if I would join him in Africa.
As time passed I felt that Liberia is not right for me; not right now at least.
About a month ago I was having one of my "my life has no purpose" meltdowns to my college roommate "J." In our conversation she told me (again) that maybe I just need to get out of Piqua; stop letting things get in my way and hold me back. Just GO. I think she was maybe talking about moving but the more I thought about it, the more I thought about how I had been called to GO!
I started Google-ing mission organizations. I started looking for a month or two mission trip. I started searching for my place to GO! I found an organization that seemed awesome and the more I read about it the more it seemed fit for me, starting with their opening line:

Have you ever wondered if there's something more out there? If

there's more to life than empty traditions, routines, and working 9-5 

everyday to achieve the impossibility of the American dream?

 YES!!! This is what I had been saying! I was so excited! I called J and she knew people who had been on the trip. I asked a pastor friend to be a reference, he agreed and hooked me up with a girl he knows who had done the trip! So with J I now had my two references; I applied two days after I had found out about THE WORLD RACE. 

This was something God told me to do on my own, not to tell my friends, not to tell my church, not to tell my FAMILY! Whoa! This was big for me! My family knows everything! So, I was obedient. It was hard! A week after applying I had a phone interview that lasted an hour. They got down to the nitty-gritty low times in my life, they heard my entire past, they got to know me better than some of my family and friends know me. A week later, I had a follow-up call just to clarify things and four days later I got the call. They told me I was "a perfect candidate for their team" AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!! My response: "That's So Awesome!" 

Now I had to tell my family. I had to ask my parents if I could move back in with them. I had to commit to moving back in with my parents, selling all my possessions and dedicating my next (at least) year and a half to the mission field! 

The World Race- 11 countries in 11 months!!!! In July I will be leaving for 11 months to Ireland, Ukraine, Romania, India, Napal, South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Thailand, Cambodia, and Taiwan. 

God has definitely opened doors for me. My family has been so supportive! I'm moving back 'home' after nine years of being on my own! I am so excited for the opportunity to bond with my parents before I leave. I am selling my earthly possessions; which is such a freeing opportunity! I am saving and raising money, which is very hard for me. I am a very independent person and have trouble asking for help; financially or otherwise, but I know this is what God has planned for me and I will stop at nothing to achieve His plan for my life. 

I am so excited for the next ten months before I leave. I will be growing in so many ways! God has already started to stretch who I am. I can't even begin to imagine what the following eleven will be like! I will be dirty, stinky, and poor; in return I will be growing immensely, loving the "un-lovable," and sharing God's love in ways some have never seen. I will be witnessing to other religions, rocking babies who are never held, building churches and schools where the Gospel is just being shared, teaching English, doing VBS, and becoming friends with "the least of these." 

Never questions God's plan for your life that does not match your plan! His is so much better!

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans 

to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

Never fear! A concept all through His word, yet the hardest for me to grasp!

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; 

do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9 

Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom. 

 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.

Isaiah 40:28-29  

So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Isaiah 41:10 (Chelsea's favorite!) 

Love God. Love People. Serve God. Serve People.  

God's Handy Work!

As I'm getting into the swing of things with blogging, by looking at friend's blogs and just snooping around, I have decided this post will be some of my photography. I'm not claiming to be an amazing photographer, but I do enjoy taking pictures; particularly of sunrise/sets and nature. I love nature, God's landscape and paintings make my heart flutter :).

 Hoar frost, simply beautiful!

 This is one of my favorites! I got lost one day and stumbled upon this beautiful lake!

 Wild flowers intrigue me!

Trees are my favorite!

 Florida...Palm Trees...Heaven!

 I love this one!

 The place that started the blog..."my temporary farm"

We never know where the path will take us, but guaranteed it has a destination in mind.

cupcakes and birthdays

Birthdays are kinda my thing. I love them! A birthday is the one day of the year that is specifically about one person. I love baking, therefore I love baking for my friend's birthdays. (Keep this in mind if you have a favorite dessert and a birthday.)
Recently my friend S had a birthday, so naturally I made him cupcakes. He won't tell me his favorite dessert but I know chocolate and strawberries are always a good choice.  

Chocolate cup cakes made from the Betty Crocker cook book that I grew up cooking out of. Then I made a strawberry puree for the center. This was a new baking idea for me. I had never tried this, but once I got the hang of it it was pretty easy. The icing is cream cheese icing half chocolate half regular. Another new concept...two icings in one icing bag. I wasn't sure if it would be a smear, but I think it turned out quite beautiful.
My favorite thing is to make something new. I like the challenge. Only once have I had something not turn out (Lemon Meringue...meringue was beautiful, lemon was just too runny to be a pie, any hints would be helpful). It would be more likely to find a snowflake in Mexico than for me to use a boxed recipe; everything has to be from scratch.
I was recently thinking "how many of the things I say I love are actually a passion?" I would have to say that baking is a passion of mine. Giving delight to people through sweets brings me such joy! My dad is diabetic, mom is allergic to artificial sweeteners, therefore making things for family gatherings has been a challenge in itself. My goal is to one day have my own cafe with not only goodies for those who have no allergies, but to also make sugar-free and gluten-free goodies!

Focus

I often write things on my bathroom mirror. Currently it says “Where is your FOCUS today?” I have been meditating on that idea and where it leads me. So I ask you, where is YOUR focus today?

In reading this morning I finished Romans and still felt like my focus was elsewhere. I went back to Ps. 57 to remind me to have a steadfast heart (see prev. post), and still felt like I needed to continue reading. I wound up at the end of Proverbs, a chapter I have read so many times; A Wife of Noble Character. This time it was different. It wasn't a desire to be married and be this wife of noble character, more so to be a noble wife of Christ. I am His bride, you know :). In my bible I found where I had written my own paraphrase from 2007:

Strive to be a virtuous woman. A woman of noble character, of a value not able to be priced. Don't base your life on your charm and beauty, but in its place fear the Lord and His light will be your reward.

Thats it, thats my focus today. I desire so deeply to have His light be my reward! I cannot find it by charming people, but by loving on my Maker and knowing who I am in Him. Knowing that “honor comes through humility and the fear of the Lord” (NIV commentary). It is exciting to me to know that I am His. It is exciting to know that He has made me His daughter, to hold my head high with the knowledge of Christ and know that it brings Him glory.

I Peter 3.3-4 says

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit! It amazes me how 'loud' we can be at times! I think that is why we (I) have such a hard time with things sometimes, I am just to loud.

A Steadfast Heart

My heart is steadfast, O God,

my heart is steadfast;

I will sing and make music.

Awake, my soul!

Awake, harp and lyre!

I will awaken the dawn.

I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations;

I will sing of you among the peoples.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;

your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;

let your glory be over all the earth. ~Psalm 57:7-11

My heart tonight. I want my heart to be fixed and firm on God. I am ready to move. I am ready to receive His heart into my own. This week has been very peaceful for me. I pray that I allow this peace to continue; only I can  remove His peace in my life. 

"I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations" Tonight I pray for my missionary friends. Some who are just beginning a new place in life, some who have been gone from the simple American life for years. I praise my Maker for them and the work they are doing. I desire to one day join them but am thankful for where God has me now; in a place of prayer for them, preparing my own heart for when my time comes.

 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ~Phil. 4:6

 

Thoughts

Tonight is my last night here on the farm. Tomorrow I will get up uber early once more to feed the horses and dogs. I will make sure all is ready to be taken home. And after I finish my shift at work I'll come back, pack my car and clean the stalls once more (because no one wants to come home from vacation and clean stalls :) ). Then I will say goodbye-for-now to this wonderful haven with wonderful (save one) animals.
I've always known I want to live on a farm. I've always said I want a big farm house with horses, cows and goats (notice, no birds of any kind). This week has shown me how much I really do desire it. I love waking up to go 'play' with horses. My horses, however, will wake at 9 rather than 630. I would love to have my own trails in my own woods to walk through. I would love to have a pond to watch the sun set across (and maybe on the occasion, rise). All these are dreams for now. Dreams I hope one day do come true.
Until then, I will await patiently. At times it may not be patient, but in all patiently. I will gain patience through prayer and the peace reciprocated. My Maker knows my heart, my dreams, my passions. He knows what I need and in His time gives it. Just think, if it were all in my time, the sun wouldn't rise until 9AM. I am excited to see God's plan unfold.
Its funny, His plan is unfolding as I write this. Sometimes we just don't think so because life seems so blah; so uneventful. I pray that I am fulfilling His plan, though I don't know what it is, nor what I'm doing. I was talking to my college Roommate "J" the other day saying that I want to be somewhere where I make an impact in someone else's life, not just work in a coffee shop day to day. Her answer was "I'm sure you are making an impact on people's lives, don't discount where you are" (paraphrased). Its true though,
The forest is quite beautiful once you look past the trees.