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Category: Titus 2 (Page 2 of 36)

Winter Weather in Middle Tennessee

Winter weather here in Middle Tennessee isn’t like winter weather in East or West Tennessee.  We don’t get much snow. So, when we do get it, it’s an exciting event.  Usually though we just get that dreaded ice. We’re right there where the Jet Stream dips down into the south.

When the Jet Stream dips very far into the south, the upper portions of Tennessee can get very cold and, if there is precipitation, we can have snow.

When it dips just a bit, and we have precipitation, we get ice. The colder it is the better because we like snow better than we like ice!

The forecast this coming week is precipitation Tuesday evening for 5 hours and they’re saying that the Jet Stream will dip down into Tennessee and cause it to be snow. I sure hope so. I like some snow. Especially now that I am not going as much as I was. I can stay indoors most of the time and look out at the snow instead of driving in it.

Ice causes so many problems. Not just with driving, but power outages. Power lines break, tree limbs break and fall and cause damage.  Roads are pretty much impassable.

Ice can cause those with animals to have to work extra hard to get them fed and watered.  We’re still pretty agrarian around here, lots of farms all around us even though we live in a city.

We live in an old neighborhood and the power goes out if the wind blows hard so ice will definitely be an issue. Thankfully we had all the big tree limbs cut back this past summer so if we have ice, it isn’t likely that limbs will fall on the house.

In 1994 we had an ice storm and limbs on trees were cracking and falling constantly for days. We were out of power for 11 days with 3 children at home and me very pregnant.  The scars on the landscape were evident for years in the neighborhoods and up and down the interstate.

We’re not expecting anything like that this week but I’ve been working on getting our act together for the cold weather. The gas tank on the cooker is filled, the Jeep is full of gas, we have plenty of blankets and clothes and we’re heading out today to get more kerosene for the heaters in case the power goes out.

I’ve got plenty of bread baked, lots of fruit, cans of soup and my ice chests are clean and ready to hold food out on the deck in case the power goes out and stays out very long, though our refrigerator stays cold a long time.

I’ve pulled out my big thermos. Did you know that you can cook in a thermos? Search for it here on my blog I have done it for years. I cook rice, pasta and keep coffee or tea hot for days.

I hope you’re prepared for cold weather and the possibility that your electricity will go out. Probably ought to make some plans.

One thing I’m not looking forward to is taking the short-legged dog out in the snow and I don’t think he is looking forward to it either.

 

It’s Been A While

I haven’t dropped off the ends of the earth. I’ve just been super busy. I don’t know when I won’t be busy so I made time today to come in here and write a bit.

Fall has arrived here in middle Tennessee. The mornings are cool and misty and the colors are gradually changing from greens to yellow, red and oranges.

Fall is my favorite season and it always has been, since I was a child. Even though school started and summer ended, I was that child who reveled in fall.

We started school the second week of September so it wasn’t long before the leaves started changing and the weather lost it’s hot temper.

I was the child who was ready for sweaters and boots, for walks in the woods and collecting leaves that I would put in albums. I drew pictures and painted pictures of the leaves and trees.

Later I acquired a camera and took most of my favorite pictures in the fall. I enjoyed visiting and talking to relatives and cooking something with Mother. I liked fuzzy hats and mittens.

Though my freckled face, brown skin and blonde hair told the story that I stayed out in the sun all day long, I didn’t miss summer at all. I waved goodbye to it over my shoulder and had my eyes set on fall.

Looking out my office doors today, I see a beautiful orange leaved tree and several that are red and different shades of yellow. Those colors make me happy and they are the ones I chose for our wedding and also for our first home.

Later, when I was ill, my Mother redecorated my kitchen and dining room with those ubiquitous geese with Cape Cod blue ribbons. And I liked it a lot but eventually I came back to the reds of fall.

And it isn’t too chilly yet to go barefoot, I’m still barefoot most of the day. I do wear my house shoes in the early mornings though.

My husband had a stroke in September, it was not a major stroke but enough that he can’t work right now and is in speech therapy. I knew in my heart it was coming and I told him so. But like so many people, he didn’t listen and didn’t change anything so here we are.

He is improving and I am very thankful for that. He’s sad that he can’t work but he is intent on improving as much as he possibly can.

Fall is a hard time to recover from anything, I think.  The weather often forces you indoors and the sun doesn’t shine with the same intensity. So it’s easier to feel down in the fall. I pray for my husband daily that he’ll stay chipper and focused on recovery and not succumb to the fall and winter doldrums.

Throughout all the events of September and October, God has been my ever present help and I lean on Him minute by minute. His strength and His grace is mine every day.  So much grace. I reach out daily and grab it and hold it to my heart and give thanks.

For now, I am preparing myself to enjoy the fall season with all my whole self.  We took a drive out into the country today and ate at a mom & pop place we like.

The weather was perfect and I drove just a little under the speed limit with the windows down so we could enjoy the air.  The leaves are beautiful out away from the city. However, there are some spots in our town where the leaves and old buildings are a glorious sight! Just look at this one:

My mind is already thinking of crafty items to make for gifts and warm, filling meals for the coming cold weather.

There have been falls and winters of late when I have felt alone and cold, where I mourned friendship and purpose.

I am determined not to mourn this year but to revel again like I did when I was a child, drawing, painting, walking, cooking, baking and talking to loved ones.

My Video Channel

Hi Friends

I have a new Vimeo Channel where you can come and hear me talk about this and that. I share  what’s going on in my life,  sometimes  a Bible teaching for women and what I’ve been studying.

I’d love it if you’d follow me, like and share my videos. I’m trying to get a little bit of a presence so I can continue to teach and encourage women online.

Here’s the link.  Sylvia’s Vimeo Channel

https://vimeo.com/christianhome

Be Kind

Older women likewise are to be reverent in their behavior, not malicious gossips nor enslaved to much wine, teaching what is good, so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be sensible, pure, workers at home, kind, being subject to their own husbands, so that the word of God will not be dishonored. Titus 2:3-5 (NASB95)

This is a familiar passage, especially to most Christian women. It’s the passage that instructs women on how they are to live.

Let’s look at the word kind in this passage. The KJV uses the word good and we’ll consider these two words to have the same meaning.

Adjective: kind; comparative adjective: kinder; superlative adjective: kindest . Showing a friendly, generous, and considerate nature.

Kindness is lacking in our society, would you agree? The intentional showing of generosity and consideration to others is rare online especially.

You’re aware I’m sure that people tend to be rude and vulgar to others online because of the perceived anonymity of  being hidden behind a phone or computer.

Women will talk to each other online as if only they know the truth and must have the last word in a conversation. It seems like whoever can be the wittiest, offer the best one-liner and say the most cutting thing is the perceived “winner” of a conversation. Those who do try to offer up kind, conciliatory words are often virtually shouted down.

This has trickled into our face-to-face interactions as well. Think of how people treat each other in the market place, in offices and in public places. This has definitely changed for the worse.  This worsening disrespect and unkind behavior shows online now more than ever from people who aren’t even attempting to hide their identity.

I regularly read posts on social media from professing Christian women that are decidedly not kind or even civil. Think of places like Twitter where many women and men put their cutting, sometimes shocking or rude thoughts out there to attract attention not caring if their words reflect the kindness they are called to.

Somehow as a whole Christian women have decided that it’s more important to make an impact and cause shock with their thoughts and opinions than to offer up kindness and consideration.

God, on the other hand, has His own plan for how a Christian woman should speak and type out her thoughts.  It can be said that He also has instruction for how we speak and how we think. Specifically, In Titus 2:5, He tells us that older women are to be kind and teach kindness to other women.

If you’re not careful you might skip over the command to be kind. It’s there in the middle of several other adjectives that we’re commanded to be like sensible and pure. Sometimes I wonder if we’re just so accustomed to the word kind that we miss the fact that being kind is a firm command. Just as firm as the command to be pure, sensible and subject to one’s husband.

Kindness is one of the Fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22. This lets us know plainly that we aren’t told to reach down in the depths of our souls to find some vestige of kindness to show others when we’d rather offer up a good lecture filled with biting rhetoric and told-you-sos.

The Holy Spirit in us produces kindness. If you’re not allowing the Holy Spirit to move in you like this what does that say about you? About your relationship with God?

The last sentence of Titus 2:5 should give us pause.   We are to be these things, including being kind,  under the influence of the Holy Spirit and teach these things so, ” ….that the word of God may not be reviled”.  When was the last time you heard the Word of God reviled because of how a Christian was acting or speaking? Yes, me too, just this week in fact.

Kindness eludes us so often. It's as if it is a kindergarten word and something we teach children, not women. We're more kind to animals than we are humans sometimes. Click To Tweet.

Yet kind/kindness is exactly what God expects us to be and to teach. Even when we must be firm and steadfast, we can be kind. It takes more effort than spewing words without thinking. And more prayer.

Such a simple word. Such a simple definition. Seemingly so difficult to show.

My New Routine

When my children were home and I was home educating them, I had a routine that served as my workhorse tool to keep me on track and get the things done that I wanted to get done. Now that it is just me and my husband at home, and… Click To Tweet

I found myself letting routines slide away with the pandemic and all the social upheaval reactions to it. 
Things have calmed down considerably for us now and I find that I need my routines again.

Feel free to copy my routine and change it up to suit yourself. Check out my posts at the end of this one for routine ideas when you’ve got a house full of people or are home educating. 

  • Up around 5 a.m. to feed cats and dog and take care of my duties at CHK. I like to get up to a clean and uncluttered kitchen. It doesn’t always work out that way but I prefer it!
  • Coffee and start breakfast around 6:00 a.m.
  • Granddaughter arrives about 6:30 a.m. and we have breakfast. When it’s nice outside we eat on the deck. 
  • from 7:00 until about 9:00 I work online. I have a job with Traditional Cooking School. Then if I finish up there I work on this blog and the Facebook group. I also hang out clothes that I washed the night before.
  • 9:00 – 11:00  I work on writing, correspondence and Bible study. I usually take time to talk and play with granddaughter at this time. I find that I have to set aside time to write the devotionals I write for other ministries and Bible study or I just don’t do it consistently.
  • 11:00 – 1:00 Usually lunch time and free time where I do whatever I want to do.  Sometimes I do housework, organizing and decluttering and sometimes I read. I usually sweep a few rooms and wash more clothes at this time, too. 
  • 1:00 – 3:00 More online work if needed, house work, laundry, play with the grand baby. Sometimes I sit on the deck and work while she plays.
  • 3:00 – 5:00 I usually play with my granddaughter at this time. All throughout the day I play with her, interact, talk to her and we do little projects together. 
  • 5:00 – 6:00 I take clothes off the line and fold them, start supper, sweep the kitchen and then wash dishes after we eat. I feel like I have to wash the dishes if I want a good start to the next day! 
  • 6:00 – 7:00 Most of the time I shower and do my skin and personal care at this time. Then I might find a book to read until bedtime. 

My school years routine is here:  Do You Have A Routine?

Tips For Rising Early

Work Smarter, Not Harder, Why a routine can help you get things done.

Homekeeping 101 eBook

 

Pumpkin Bars

I know it’s not the usual time to share a pumpkin recipe but I shared it with a friend today and thought, why not? It is perfect for a cold winter day.

I grind wheat berries to make whole wheat flour for this recipe. I think you could use plain flour for this but it won’t have that toothy, chewy delicious texture that you get with whole wheat.

You’ll need 2 cups of whole wheat flour for this recipe which is about 1 1/2 cups of wheat berries.

The Bars
4 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar (or for a richer flavor, use Rapidura)
1 cup vegetable oil or you can use lard
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) I use home-canned pumpkin that is well-drained or  2 cups of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

The Cream Cheese Frosting
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Directions for the Bars

Heat your oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom and sides of 15x10x1-inch pan with shortening or lard or coconut oil. 

Now, most people don’t have a 15x10x1 inch pan, so you can substitute a 9×13 inch pan…. but your bars will be thicker.  That’s not necessarily a bad thing.  I use a 15×10×3 inch half sheet cake pan and it works nicely.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, granulated sugar, oil and pumpkin until smooth. I use a stand mixer on medium speed.

Stir in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, ginger and cloves. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.

Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours.  If you are using a 9×13 pan you can increase the baking time to 30-35 minutes. Use the touch test to see if it’s done. If it springs back when lightly touched in the middle it’s done.

It is important to cool it completely so it won’t melt the cream cheese frosting.

Directions for the Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until smooth and spreadable.

Frost the bars…. Make a double recipe if you’re crazy about cream cheese! 

To give some color to the frosting, dust some nutmeg or even cocoa powder over the top. 

Refrigerate bars til firm, then cut into rectangular bars. Keep refrigerated.  If you want to freeze the bars, do so before you frost them. Allow them to defrost at room temperature, then frost before serving.

Bethel School of Supernatural

If you are a member of the CHK Facebook Group you know I’ve talked about Bethel and their bad theology.

Here are an interesting few videos by Jesse Westwood about his time at the Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry. He talks about applying to the school, his first week and what he was taught there. He has since walked away from Bethel and the charismatic church.

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