Who is worthy?

"Who is worthy to open the book and to break its seals?"

"And I saw between the throne, with the four living creatures and the elders
              a     Lamb    standing
as if slain...

And He came and took it out of the right hand of Him who sits on the throne,...
and they sang a new song, saying,
             "Worthy are You to take the book, and to break its seals; for You were slain, and did purchase for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation."

So, I'm studying the book of Revelation.

Yowzers.

To say that I have avoided this book like one of its plagues might be an understatement.  I was terrified.  I mean, seriously, its crazy.  Beasts and angels and hell, fire and brimstone.  Uh, no thanks, I'll pass.  Rapture please.

No such luck.  I'm not saying there's no "rapture", I just mean to say that God apparently has something to teach me through this thing.  I'm going to try and listen.

Boy is it hard.

My spiritual ADD is one thing, but this book...  It    is    crazy.   I must say, not only am I not fearful of it anymore,  I am falling in love with it. 

IT IS THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.

Not just to poor old John, but to me.  Why have I avoided it?  Its seriously my kind of book.  God usually has to slap me in the face with something (several times) before I get it.  This book is like a hundred slaps to the face.  It is an in-your-face sort of book. 
I can totally relate.
And I am grateful.

Of all the worries and fears, all the political strife,  all the stresses of being a wife and mom, 
                  there is One who is worthy.

Just this week one of my little ones got the bug.  Twice actually.  Those of you who know me know I hate vomit.... like, loathe it.  I've had to make peace with it recently.  I was chatting with my mom about it, how I couldn't seem to shake the anxiety over it - will she get it again?  will any of us get it?  can I please for the love get new flooring now?....
The next morning I was reading the bible.  I've decided to be nostalgic and go back through the gospels.  Matthew 6 was were my bookmark was.  The word anxious is used at least 5 times.  Whats the remedy for avoiding anxiety?
"But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness.."
Isn't it sweet how He was paying attention?  I wrote it on the mirror in our family room.  I've been meditating on it.  Tonight when we were putting the kids to bed, and Madelyn said she thought she might throw up again, I wondered
WHAT IS THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THAT?  Seek first His kingdom and righteousness...  when I stressed about my kid getting a virus?  How does that apply?

His answer...
"Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.  And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.  And around the throne were twenty four thrones with elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.  And from the throne proceeds flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder.  And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;  and before the throne there was, as it were, a sea of glass like crystal, and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.  .. and day and night they do not cease to say, "Holy Holy Holy is the LORD God, the Almighty, who was and is and who is to come."  And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever, the twenty four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying "worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You did create all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

Slap. in.  the.  face.
Several slaps.

I will go to sleep tonight, hopefully, with visions of cheribum and elders, living creatures and a crystal sea, wings like rushing waters...and hopefully, if my mind can focus enough to muster it, I will fall asleep praying to God   "Holy Holy Holy are You, Lord God Almighty".

Thank you Lord for Your kingdom and righteousness. 
Saturate my brain with it.

Disturbia

I feel like a grandmother saying this, but what kind of world are we living in?  Has everyone gone completely nuts?  Yes, I believe they have.
Bonkers.
Whacked.
Fruit looped.
And dangerous.  Very dangerous.  Last week was the beginning of a terrible "awakening" of sorts for me.  It began with watching the Union riots on the news.  I was watching in a sort of awe at the shear stupidity coming out of the mouths of some seemingly decent people.  "You get holidays and weekends because of what unions have done, and now you just want to free load from our hard work", etc.
What the?
Ok, so unions, at one time, stood their ground and "fought" to gain decent working conditions, weekends off and better pay.  Great!  Thanks.  I definitely appreciate that.  Hey, know what else I appreciate?  Freedom.  Yeah, apparently there are generations of men and women who have (actually) fought for our very lives.  Freedoms like, oh I don't know, say, free speech...vote...protection from violence abroad.  THEY fought, so that we could enjoy the fruits of their labor.  Do they ask us to join the military in order to live freely here?  No.  Because they aren't morons.  Get a clue.  I mean, really, of all the things to get your panties in a wad about.  There are actual atrocities happening in our world.  People starving, children being taken from their families, sex trafficking, sickness, famine, natural disasters.  I was ranting all of this as I watched the tube, and Sarah finally asked me why in the world I was watching those crazy people if they were just going to make me furious.  So I turned it off.

On our way to school a few days later, Sarah was asking me about the Great Depression.  After I explained, she thought about it for a minute, then asked me "mom, what would happen if that happened in America again?"  I asked her to clarify.  "You know, I mean, what would people do?"

Good question.  She's got lots of good questions.

I told her there will be two types of people in that situation.  We are the first type.  WE would be ok, primarily because we know God and know that He is good, and has our best interests in mind.  And also we have each other, and no matter how little money or food we have, we'll always be rich because of love.   The second type will be the ones like those crazies on tv.  They were screaming and pushing and knocking people out because of one small change in a law that they think will effect their income.  When the world goes to pot, your true colors will show, and the crazies will be, well, crazy. Good ole educational tv.

That afternoon I decided to log into twitter.  Always a mistake when I'm already politically frustrated, but I did it anyway.  Amongst the union buzz, there was some discussion about some rapper whose new album cover depicted jesus throwing gang signs and dressed as a member of the "bloods".  Apparently a fox news contributor had pointed out that it was religiously offensive to christians, and that the artists portrayal of women is degrading.  Both of those things are true, and she has every right to vocalize it.  But you should have read the back lash from supporters of this rapper.  It was ridiculously vulgar, ignorant and disgusting.  It was difficult to view.  I mean, I have a problem with profanity from time to time, but this was just repugnant.  It left me... void.   I try to see other people's points of view, try to see where they may be coming from.  Learning from my own past that everyone has a reason for what they do, I really tried.  Nothing.  Void.

Then there was Friday.

I left the house at 10:00, and at that point no deaths or injuries had been reported.   I returned at 2:00 to find 20 sweet little babies were slaughtered.  I was devastated.  I don't know that I have ever been so emotionally wrecked by news coverage like I was Friday.  Even today, as I went to my kids school to attend Christmas parties and watch the Grinch program, I couldn't help but cringe.  It's hard to celebrate when so much has gone    wrong.

So I came home today and decided to put on some Christmas music and wrap some gifts.  I needed to look online for something and, unfortunately, glance at my twitter feed.  This is what caught my eye.

This item sold on December 13, 2010.

Abornament - Crucifetus No. 2

 

The same news contributor who reported the nasty rapper has a website, and there was an article about this.

Someone actually made this.  Sold this.  Someone actually bought this.

You can visit the Etsy online store that makes and sells these and see for yourself.   They are called abornaments.
 
I am sickened.  Sad.  Repulsed.

How do I understand this? 

Lord, how?

"since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.  For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man...therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them.  For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator..."

How do I relate to this?

"for the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so"
"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.  This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed."

How do I live this?

"the Spirit also helps our weakness, for we do not know how to pray as we should ,but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words...And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose"
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...but in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

How do I love this?

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all men will know that you are MY disciples, if you have love for one another."
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.  And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.  And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.  Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not boast and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; love bears all things, believes all things, HOPES all things, endures all things.  Love never fails."

Lord, help me hope.


 

 

So much

Much has happened since my last post.  I haven't been inspired to actually write about something other than politics, and Ive learned from several family member facebook battles that I need to stay away from all of that, for a moment at least.  Here's a list of all the Scarcliff happenings...

* We no longer have our sweet Daisy May.  We had to give her to another family (one without children).  When she literally bit the hand that fed her, we (Steven and the vet) decided that she would be better suited in a home with no small kids.  I quickly realized that I'm not the kind of parent who can hide my own pain in any attempt to avoid pain for my children.  I balled my eyes out.  My girls were so distraught by my tears that they almost didn't notice the dog was gone.  It was not one of my better moments.  Ive since pulled myself together and we're doing alright.

* Steven and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary.  I am so blessed to have a man who loves me the way he does...so much more than I deserve.  He truly shows me the love of Christ every day.  Oh how I love that man of mine.  :) 

* The kids started school.  Which means that John Abraham started kindergarten. Uuuuuhhhhhhhhhh
No really, I'm ok.  He didn't cry, which made it better for me, then made it worse because I wanted him to miss me.  But then I realized (with Steven's encouragement) that this was a sign of a healthy relationship and all will be just fine. 
Ive since pulled myself together and we're doing alright.

 He's confident.  Batman back-pack and a smile, and he's ready to go.

 My sweet babies, walking into school.  I had to watch this from inside the mini, choking back my tears.

 My three.  Heart breaking how much I love them.



* Madelyn turned 7!  Oh my sweet, delicate flower, is a big girl for sure.  We had an awesome party and almost everyone showed up.  It was a Cake Shop theme, so we designed chef hats and aprons, decorated cakes and ate everything sweet you could imagine.  It was a blast.  And by the end of the party, I had to give myself a pat on the back, not for the success, but for opting to NOT have a slumber party.  Sometimes I have strokes of genius.

* We're planning a trip to Chicago.  Business or pleasure.  Well, that depends on who you ask and when.  Steven is taking his final Oral Board exams for his specialty.  I am going along for moral support.  And for food trucks.  I'm super excited to find a food truck.  But mostly for moral support.  He's a little freaked, so depending on how much he has studied that day, he may or may not say its going to be a good trip.  I say it will be.  Especially if we get to go to a Bears game.  Da Beers...  I can't wait!

hot and bothered

Forecast for Birmingham, 106.

Obamacare, ruled constitutional.

Dog, has a tick.

On the bright side... 
We're heading to my brother's house in Florida.  Aside from the luxury of beach side fun in the sun,  the temperature will be lower, I will refuse to watch the news, and we'll be dog free.

WOOHOO! 

cho cho chocolate

I wanted some...looked through my recipes...thought I'd give it a shot...

Something chocolate this way comes...

Molten chocolate nutella pudding cakes.

Just in case you don't understand what that is, let me explain....

!@!&^%$#@*&(*%$##@&*(_(*&^%$#@!@^)!, 

or in english, REALLY GOOD GOOEY MINI CHOCOLATE CAKES.

This is a recipe from an old All You magazine.  You're supposed to use individual ramekins, as shown in the picture above, but I don't have any.  So Sarah suggested we use my giant muffin pan.  

She's a smart one she is.

It worked.  Not as pretty as an individual serving, seeing as I had to dump them all at once on a platter, but yummy just the same. 

That is warm, ooey gooey goodness called nutella peeking out from the center.  It didn't run all over the plate like some molten chocolate cakes do, but frankly my dear, I don't give a darn. 
Delightful.
Here's the recipe.

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

4 oz semisweet chocolate chips

One stick of butter, unsalted

4 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar

1/4 tsp salt 

6tbsp nutella

1.  Preheat to 350.  Coat ramekins with cooking spray.  I used pam for baking.  Fill a roasting pan with some hot water, about an inch.

In a bowl, whisk flour, cocoa and baking powder.

2.  In another bowl, melt the butter and chocolate chips in microwave until melted, about a minute.  Whisk until smooth.

3.  In yet another bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs, vanilla, sugar and salt until pale yellow, about 5 minutes.  Beat in chocolate mixture, then stir in flour mixture.  Spoon half of batter into ramekins.  Drop 1 tbs of nutella into center of each.  Cover with remaining batter.

4.  Transfer ramekins to roasting pan and carefully put them in the oven.  Bake until cakes have risen and tops are cracked, about 30 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes.  

Mmmmm

That is so pinteresting

I     am    obsessed.

I have discovered Pinterest.
I had to create a twitter account just so I could sign up for it... and I'm not a twitter.
I have been on Pinterest everyday this week.
I am pinning everything I see online, and I'm re-pinning everything I see of Pinterest.

I am a junkie. 

Chocolate cookies, pinned
Art work, pinned
Hairstyles, pinned
dinner, pinned
party ideas, pinned
holiday decor, pinned

And the list goes on, and on and on and on and on......

Hi, my name is Kristie,
I'm 32 years old, and I'm a pinnaholic.
 

Egg shells and pancakes

I have found the greatest pancake recipe!!!  It is supposedly Cracker Barrel's recipe, and Im pretty sure I got it from a website like food.com or some such.  Whatever, I don't care.  I was low on groceries and refusing to go to the store, so I searched my recipe card box and found it.  Like a little nugget of gold. 
WHERE HAS IT BEEN ALL MY LIFE? 
Joy....rapture....bbbutter.

I really like pancakes.

2 cups sifted all purpose flour
2tsp baking soda
1 heaping tsp salt
1tbs sugar
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk (seriously, who has buttermilk hanging out in their fridge?  Just use 2 cups o milk      and 2 tbs white vinegar.  5 minutes and voila.)
Butter for the pan, which should be cast iron, and blanketed with the shiny goodness of all the butter you've put in it.
Mix but don't over mix.
mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

This recipe made ten pancakes for me, but I can't seem to make anything except plate size pancakes, so...if you have the gift of making sensible proportions it could make more.

About the eggs...
I can't ever seem to crack an egg on the side of a bowl and not get some of the shell inside.  Along the lines of said failure, I can't open cereal boxes or sealed plastic bags without ripping them beyond repair or spilling the contents all over the floor.  I have a hard time with buttons and zippers and lids on sodas.   I've accepted the disability, but I heard the Barefoot Contessa say the other day that she cracks her eggs on the counter so that she can avoid getting any shells in her recipe.

I tried that.

I suppose an entire half shell is better than the tiny fragments I usually end up fishing out. 

Sigh.

No matter, the pancakes made it all better.
Shell free, butter smothered pancakes.