Raise Money Through Your WebSearches!

Is one of your loved ones a minister?  Is there a ministry you love to support?  
Do you search the internet?  

Would you like to raise Money Through Your WebSearches?  

 Then sign up for GoodSearch.com, provided by Yahoo!  
I heard about this on Moody radio.  {By the way, Moody radio is one of my  favorite ministries.}

Since starting in December, I have raised $1.37, for Lighthouse for Recovery Ministries - Prison Fellowship,
just by making that my navigation toolbar search box. 

If 500 people start using goodsearch, they can raise over 500$ for causes.  However, I'm not sure how much of that feeds directly to the cause, and how much goes to sustain the search engine.

Looks like a good read...

  Shane says that this was one of the best books he read at Focus on the Family's Internship.  He says D'nesh D'Sousa's books "What's So Great About Christianity" was similar in content, with the main difference being the content of the former was more scholarly and the latter was more entertaining.

Selfish Midnight Rambling

I woke up tonight and had too many thoughts on my heart to go back to sleep.  Perhaps not so much thoughts, but rather people. I have new and old friends, brothers and sister in Christ, who I find in need.  They are searching, and somehow I know about it.  So, I pray for each of them, and continue to think of how I should respond.  I want to give them answers, but often I am not ready with answers when I am asked. 
My anxiety is unnecessary and silly, since God gives His people the Holy Spirit that enables them to answer.  In a mysterious way, He enables us to choose the right thing to do in all circumstances.  Sometimes the right thing for me to say is nothing, or  admit I don't have the answer.

 Exodus 4:12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

Matthew 10:19   When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour.


That is as far as I got last night, before I thought about these verses:




God builds the house.  We need not be sleep deprived in our efforts.  It brings sorrows.  I can certainly say I have had sorrows from not getting enough sleep.  So I realized I was staying up to toil, to study that I might answer, to mull over issues, when I should just do everything to stay asleep, or at least rest in bed.  Especially given that I'm causing my baby daughter in bed to wake up from the unfamiliar feeling of my absence, which is causing my husband to wake up.  So, rather than serving God by my midnight study, I'm actually only trying to satisfy my desire to do things while not doing what I'm supposed to be doing, taking care of my family by enabling them to sleep.  It's a good feeling to know that I was totally wrong, to confess to selfish actions and needless anxieties, and, placing my hope in the only sure Rock, just go to sleep.

Writing Thank You Cards for Baby Astrid

I wanted to find some Bible verses to add to my belated thank you cards.  Here are some, plus some sites that offer other card inserts/word-wizarding:

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17

Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.
Ecclesiastes 11:5

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from him.
Psalm 127:3

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Matthew 19:14

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 18:10

Not Baby Related:
1 Corinthians 1:4
I thank my God always concerning you, for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus,

Philippians 1:3
I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

Ruth 2:12
"May the LORD reward your work, and your wages be full from the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to seek refuge."


http://www.my-thank-you-site.com/
 

Advice on Sewing Machines

A lady at church meeting was giving advice on what machine to buy.  She highly recommended Viking or Bernina.  She said the main thing she likes is getting a gear driven rather than belt driven machine, that can handle heavier fabrics.  Brother was also recommended. That's what I have. :)

Laundry Day: Cleaning Acrylic Paint From Jeans

My favorite jeans skirt.  Painting Christmas ornaments.  This solution worked pretty well, and the jeans are dark, so I was able to make them work still.

1  Blot with dry paper towel.  Avoid pressing down too hard or you will push it down into the fibers. Rinse the paint stain with running water to remove as much of it as possible.

2

Remove dried acrylic paint from the jeans with a dull butter knife. Scrape the paint carefully to prevent tearing the material.

3

Run warm water over the acrylic paint. Rub the paint off the jeans with your fingers while it runs under the warm water.

4

Place a washcloth or a stack of paper towels under the paint stain. It needs to be placed directly under the stain because the paint can transfer to the other side of the jeans.

5

Dampen a washcloth with rubbing alcohol. Blot the acrylic paint with the damp washcloth. Scrub on the paint stain with an old toothbrush to loosen it from the fibers.

6

Rinse the area with warm running water. Place the jeans into the washing machine.

7

Wash the jeans according to the care label. Repeat the stain removal process if you still notice some remaining paint.

Read more: How to Clean Acrylic Paint From Jeans | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_7791053_clean-acrylic-paint-jeans.html#ixzz2HxGjKiq4

Man Pleasing Chicken

A favorite to all who I've made it for!

• Chicken thighs- 1 package (1.5 lbs)
• Dijon mustard- 1/2 cup
• Maple syrup- 1/4 cup
• Rice (I used red, not rice) wine vinegar- 1 tablespoon
• Fresh rosemary /green onions Or BOTH!

Directions:

1.  Put the package of chicken thighs into a b aking dish. Salt & pepper.

2.  Mix together 1/2 cup dijon mustard, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar. Can add a little bit extra of all so I could have extra sauce. Yummy over rice!! 

3.  Pour the sauce mixture over chicken. Turn the thighs over a couple of times to get them fully coated. [The recipe says to use a foil-lined dish, however, one blogger baked them in a Pampered Chef stoneware baker and did not use foil.] 

You can marinade at this point. 

4.  Bake for 40 minutes at 450F..  Baste halfway through. Broil them for about 5-7 minutes to get the crispiness shown in the photo.

5.  Let the chicken rest for a few minutes but make sure to spoon some sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with herbs&/or green onions.

Note:

I used chicken breasts sliced in half to make thinner.  

Oh, the Rusty Iron Pan

http://jsmatthew.hubpages.com/hub/American-Made-Cast-Iron-Cookware-Cleaning-Tips-Photos

Start the Seasoning Process

• Do Not Preheat the Oven! The Process requires the Cast Iron to expand with the heat, absorb the shortening, and creates the seal as the pan cools down and goes back to original size.
• Put Aluminum Foil or a Drip Pan on the bottom shelve of your oven to catch drippings.
• Put a bit of shortening in the pan and heat it for less than a minute on the stove top to melt the shortening.
• Once shortening is melted, spread it all over all surfaces of the pan including the handle and backside. You may want to use a paper towel to aid with spreading.
• Once the pan is 100% covered in a decent shiny coat, put the pan on the top rack of the oven, upside down.
• Close the oven door and set the oven at 350°F
• Set a Timer for at least an hour and let it be!
• Do Not Open the Oven Door During the Seasoning Process! (You can lose valuable amounts of heat and cause the pan to warp or crack, and the coating may not hold to the pan.)
• Once the timer goes off after an hour, turn off the oven but don't open the door!
• Allow the pan to cool down for a few hours before removing. Taking the pan out too early may cause the pan to become seasoned improperly.

How and Where to Store Cast Iron to Prevent Rust

The very nature of cast iron makes the metal susceptible to rust. If a pan is left unseasoned, it will rust within a matter of hours or days. Storage of your cast iron is very important. A dry environment is the best place. You will want to oil you pans before you store them, which will add an extra level of protection against rust.
If you are storing your cast iron dutch oven for extended amounts of time, it is recommended to add a layer of either cooking oil or cooking spray to the entire surface. This will create an additional level of protection against water and rust. Never store a pan with a cover tightly on it and you should take a few paper towels and put them inside to absorb any moisture. Proper storage will lead to long life for your collection!

Rust

What to do:

• If there is mild rust you can just use a piece of steel wool and scrub under hot water until all the rust is gone. TIP: FREEZE STEEL WOOL til next use. No rust!
• If there is extreme rust all over the pan, you will need to sand down the rusty surfaces using sand paper. Start with a heavy grit and work your way down to a fine grit once most of the rust is sanded off.
• Once all the rust is removed, wash the pan thoroughly with warm water and soap to remove any metal rust and dust particles.
• Immediately dry the pan thoroughly! The best way to do this is to put the pan in the oven for a few minutes at 100 degrees Fahrenheit until it is dry.
• Season as you would a brand new pan from the Seasoning Instructions Above