Familiar Bible Phrases in Modern Day Culture

Ever notice how many phrases we say that are directly tied to God’s word?

• Woe is me (Job 10:15)
• The writing is on the wall (Daniel 5:5-6)
• A drop in the bucket (Isaiah 40:15)
• I am at my wits end (Psalms 107:27)
•  Bite the dust (Psalm 72)
• Walk the straight and narrow (Mathew 6:24)
• Labor of love (Thes 1:2)
• Go the extra mile (Mathew 5:41)
• As old as the hills (Job 15:7)
• Apple of my eye (Deut. 32:10)
• Turn the other cheek (Mathew 5:39)

If you know one please feel free to share. Let's see how many we can come up with.

Hunting for Salbutes

In 2006 and 2007 I was blessed to take a couple of mission trips to Orange Walk Belize. My husband and I were introduced to missions through a wonderful couple from our church.

Kenneth & Barbra Montgomery

 They are two of my favorite people in the world and I thank God for their ministry. They are true examples of disciple makers. No matter were they go the light of Jesus shines bright. With Christ's leading through Mr. Kenneth and Mrs Barbie I have fallen in love with the people of Belize. I also became pretty fond of the cooking there too! Which brings me to the hunt for Salbutes.

Since my last trip to Belize I have been on the hunt for a great Salbute recipe. This is what I would call a delicious Belizean tostada. 

UNBELIZABLE  I finally found one that I think is close.

Ingredients for masa

ok... I cheated on this one. I used store bought pre made masa tortillas

Ingredients for Baking Chicken

1 sweet onion chopped

2 cups chicken broth
2 balls red racado spice

2 T wrochtishire sauce 

salt and pepper -- to taste  (I used season salt - this is big in Belize)

Bake at 350 for 1 1/2-2 Hours or until done

Let cool shred and store in juices overnight in frig.

Reheating the Chicken

Put chicken and juices in large skillet adding 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1tsp red racado. Heat until juices are evaporated. Do not over cook or it will be dry.

Toppings
1 cup shredded Mexican Style lettuce
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken -- shredded
1 can refried beans

Bunch Grape tomatoes – sliced
Avocado slice for each salbutes -- (optional)

Ingredients for pickled red onions
2 red onions -- peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano -- (optional)
salt and pepper -- to taste

Directions for the pickled red onion: Place onions in a saucepan, add water to cover, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the onions in a glass container with lime juice, dried oregano and salt and pepper. Allow to sit for several hours before serving. They keep up to one week in the refrigerator.

Assemble Salbutes: Top each salbutes with a thin  layer of refried beans, chicken. shredded cheese, lettuce, pickled red onion and sliced tomato. Place a slice of avocado, if desired. Serve immediately.

Top with Belizean hot pepper sauce for a bit of spice!

Well it looks and smells right.... now for the taste test.

The results are in and the hunt is over!

       Now if I could just make those cool pastries! 

     I may just have to  settle for a coca-cola in a bag :)

Enjoy!

Being kind is not always easy

Being kind is not always easy.

I find it very difficult to always be kind to those who have hurt me either intentionally or by being immature or ignorant in their attitudes and actions.  My natural instinct is to retaliate. “Eye for an eye” Right? Wrong! This is one of those bible verses that gets misquoted often. Don't take my word for it listen to what Jesus said in Mathew  “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

This is some hard stuff to grasp! God mandates us to forgive and to be kind in radical ways. So how do we accomplish this? 


Reflecting on His forgiveness for us helps us to show forgiveness ourselves.

First thing I try to do is to reflect on GOD for who HE is and what he has done for us, all  though we hurt Him, God chose to die for us because He loves us that much. The ultimate radical act of kindness! This is something I tend to loose focus of sometimes. Not sure why, because when I sit and truly think about it I am astonished by His mercy and grace!

Once again my word of the year is “Focus”.

We can not do it on our own.
Next ~ Seek God in prayer ask for His guidance after all He has sent us the ultimate guide “HIS SPIRIT” to live inside of us. After asking we need to be willing to listen. By being in His word daily. How can we know HIS instructions if we don't read the manual?

Read His instructions.
B=Basic
I=Instructions
B=Before
L=Leaving
E=Earth

Another thing we should do is begin praying for those who have hurt us. I find it hard to be upset at someone if I am genuinely praying for them.

But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. —Matthew 5:44 

Dear Lord help me to be kind to everyone always filtering my words through your Spirit. Help me to see others as you see them. 
In Jesus Name ~ Amen.

Slave Wars

Did you know 27 million people are trapped in slavery? 

Here is a video I made to help make people aware of  this sad truth. Please feel free to share it with your friends.

Good Friends Good Food & Good Fun!

This past weekend was our last weekend before school starts back so we spent it with good friends. We took a road trip to Madison Indana. It was a very neet town with lots of history, good food and lots of fun with friends.

Old Fire Station

Broadway Fountain

Dr. Hutching's Office

Town Shops

Old Button Factory

Irish Church

Lanier Mansion

Hinkle Burger's

  Clifty Falls

They are not Forgotten!

A restavec (or restavek; from the French reste avec, "one who stays with")
This is a term that describes some 300,000 Haitian children. Children who are sent by their parents to live in host households to serve as domestic servants because they are unable to support them.... Most of them are mistreated and abused.

This is only one form of modern day slavery. Yes slavery still exists…question is How can we stop it?
As I look back at photos taken from my past trips to Haiti, I can not help to wonder how many of those sweet little faces could be slave children or how many may not be now but may end up as one some day? It truely breaks my heart.

Could They Be?

What about them?

or them?

The very first mission house we stayed in had a little girl who was a slave living just outside the gate. We would pass by her every day. I did not learn about her situation untill I returned to the states. Not that I could have done anything at the time (short of getting arrested).  I pray for her often as I do for the many others  in Haiti and around the world trapped in slavery. I simply want to say They are not Forgotten! God has truely given me a burden for these hurting children. I pray one day he will show me what I can do to help. But for now I will continue to pray! Will you join me in prayer for these helpless little ones?

How is Satan Robbing Your Joy?

How is Satan robbing your joy? Lately I have felt so distracted. Hints of deceit had been allowed to creep into my thoughts. I do not know why this was a surprise since Satan is the master of lies. Not to give Satan too much credit…I realized the real problem was with me. I have the choice to listen to the “Voice of Truth”!  I am a child of God and have so much to be joyful about! Yet I allow myself to pay attention to these little deceptive seed plants ~ to get distracted from the plan God has for me.  If Satan can rob our joy and steal our witness, then he makes us useless in the kingdom of God. Why do we allow our flesh to rule us? Are we not slaves to Christ? Why do we feel the need to please people when the only one that matters is God?

I do not want to be the “Christian” that sits on the sidelines so distracted I am useless or even worse harmful to others salvation. There is so much that God wants to teach us if we are just willing to listen, and how exciting it is to hear Him when He speaks! These past few weeks God has spoke to me though many avenues over and over the same truths keep popping up…(I guess I am just like a child I have to be told over and over until it sinks in.) I am so thankful God is patient with me.

Today I will proclaim my JOY in JESUS!!! I pray all my fellow Brothers and Sisters in Christ can do the same.

And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation. Psalms 35:9

link for good resource to help put God back in the right perspective
Just click on the book