"In the Heart"

Ever since my oldest son Isaac has been putting together sentences, he has used the phrase "I love you in the heart." It is a very sweet phrase that he just seemed to come up with one time. It has been four years now since he coined the term and it is now a phrase that we all use in the family, especially before bed time.

It was just recently that I was illuminated about the more serious undertones of "in the heart." I had just thought it was something sweet my little boy came up with and that it didn't really mean more love, because it was "in the heart." But let's consider a few divine words that deal with "the heart."

That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 This scripture suggests that belief with your mind is not enough, but that the belief in Jesus' divinity is a "heart" thing.

"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart but believes that what he says will happen, it will be done for him." Mark 11:23. This suggests that faith in Jesus that comes from the heart is indeed of the supernatural type.

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Proverbs 3:3. Wow, that is just a beautiful statement.

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." Psalm 14:1a

It has become clear that not only in interpersonal relationships, but also in our relationship with God that there are deep theological undertones to "the heart." As Solomon says, "When you look into water, you see a likeness of your face. When you look into your heart, you see what you are really like."

Lift Jesus Higher

"I believe in justice: but I am not a preacher of the gospel of justice, but the Gospel of Christ who calls us to justice. I believe in love, but I am not a preacher of the gospel of love, but the Gospel of Christ who calls us to love. I am committed to peace, but I am not a preacher of the gospel of peace, but the Gospel of Christ who calls us to peace. I believe in the value of the simple life, but I am not the preacher of the simple life, but of the Gospel of Christ that calls us to the simple life. Let us beware of the ultimate plagiarism of borrowing some great concepts from Jesus then running off proclaiming these concepts and not sharing the Christ that empowers these concepts."

-Myron Augsburger

Pastoring the Family

This is a good article with helps for setting up family Bible and prayer time (aka, the family altar). The guy who wrote this has kids basically the same age as mine and he really offers some nuts and bolts help for getting into this important routine. Although my family prays together before each meal, for special occasions (trips, sickness, etc) and with each child individually at night, we have had a challenge over the years getting into a successful routine of explicit nightly family worship.
Now that we have this as part of our routine, I find it not only a holy time together, but that it helps calm the busyness of the evening. Worship with your family together around a shared meal, work and play together, and have some Bible and prayer time together. As the author says, probably the most important work we will ever do.

http://theresurgence.com/how_i_pastor_my_family

The Delicious Apple Fritter - Kauffman Style

Men, would you like to amaze your wife and children alike with a blast of early morning culinary talent one of these lazy Labor Day Weekend mornings? I hope so. Here is one way how. The Kauffman Flash-Fried then Baked and Double dipped in icing Apple Fritter! Known to laity as the KFFBDDAF.

All the ingredients you need are probably in your cupboard. 2 c unbleached all purpose flour, 1/4 c sugar, 1T baking powder, 1/2 t salt and mix. 2 eggs and 1 1/4 c milk, beat mix and add to dry. Peel, thinly slice and then chop three apples, fold in. All the while be heating your stainless steel frying pan on med high and then add about 1/4 inch oil. Drop in fritter dough in lumps and flash fry on each side for one minute. Complete this then bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Cool for a few minutes and then double dip in icing (powdered sugar, water, splash of vanilla and cinnamon).

What you will have when finished are some delicious apple fritters! Here is how I like to eat mine: For the first one, smack it down with a large glass of ice cold milk. For the second one, savor it with a fresh cup of coffee.

Bon Appetit'!

Gabbert to Moe

Get used to it Tiger fans because it will be music to your ears! Mike Kelley's voice "Gabbert to Moe!"... "Gabbert to Moe!"

I've said it before, I'm saying it again. The final year of the Big 12 is a Tiger year. I think we have the best team at all positions that we have had since I have been a fan. M..I..Z

Yellow Fever

I will admit it, I get in different modes of conduct when it comes to food. At one time I might only give our family foods with whole grain, natural sugars and even organic when possible. One of our regular splurges is to buy Grade B organic maple syrup. We get it thru an online warehouse by the 1/2 gallon! It is good. Then occasionally after all this healthy eating, I will run out and get 8 or 9 stuffed donuts from the grocery store for the family to smack down, or grab a 12 pack of corn dogs from Sonic. They are good too!

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Right now our "mode" is to eat foods with no artificial colors or flavors. We were already a step ahead of the game when we started this because we rarely (if ever) purchase anything with MSG (mono sodium glutamate), also hiddenly listed as "autolyzed yeast extract," as many times artificial colors and MSG are married in the same processed foods. Would you believe that regular Campbell's chicken noodle soup has MSG? How about a jar of peanuts? How about any chips that are flavored except for the plain kind? It is crazy. Thank you Lays plain chips - three ingredients; potatoes, canola oil and salt. I do like you.

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Anyway, what I have learned since we started this was how many other foods also contain artificial food coloring. To my dismay, my favorite jar of jalapenos contain Yellow No 5!

Yellow No 5, also known as Tartrazine, is made from coal tar and is illegal as a food additive in some countries. In a local United States grocery market you will find Yellow number 5 in many foods. This just naming a few: Mountain Dew, certain kid's cereals, pickles, premade pastries, candy of all sorts, ice cream, Kraft Mac N Cheese, mustard, boxed rice and pasta dishes, premade biscuits, many convenience type foods and others. In addition, and I know you can find anything on the internet, but there are many reports that artificials may enhance and even aggravate Attn Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children. One scientific report in Europe states that Yellow No 5 has a "noticeable effect on the behavior of young mice." Great;(

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I should mention that many companies have begun to offer "all natural" products to complement their line. One that shocked me was Oscar Meyer's premium hotdog flavored with celery juice and colored with cherry powder! Way to go, Oscar Meyer! You know what the name of our hot dogs are. Now I just have to perfect a homemade corndog recipe.

"My hot dog has a first name, it's ..........." The bottom line though is this. We should take time to prepare meals at home and eat them together.

Go natural! Here's to a day with foods flavored and colored by God's natural order.