Tuesday, 31 March 2009

I got so many things accomplished yesterday! 

I baked bread,
cooked a big pot of black-eyed peas, made 2 dessert cookies and cut up
veggies to store in the frig for this week's salads.  I find that I am
very motivated in the mornings these days; and I can get so much
accomplished if I just get right at it.

Today, I was just not craving a salad.  My doctor said that would occasionally happen.  
So I did what he suggested.  I made a nice fruit salad:  bananas,
pears, grapes and oranges from our tree.  I also put in chopped pecans
and a sprinkle of coconut.

It was delicious!

For my dessert, I included some Pecan Spice Delight Cookies
that I made yesterday.  These are raw, but so yummy.  My mom tasted
them and said, "It tastes like Christmas!"  What more could you ask for
from a raw cookie? 

(Please
keep in mind that when I link to these recipes, it doesn't mean that I
endorse everything on the website.  I have only read the recipes.  I
really have no idea what the "philosophy" may be on a particular site.)

My tummy is full and my appetite is satiated.  Mmmm…mmm…mmm!

Tonight we plan to eat leftover black eyed peas over brown rice, along with a nice salad.

We
were blessed by our state again this spring, just like last year, and
they are sending Isaac some diapers, wipes and washable pads.  That is
such a HUGE blessing to us!  We are very grateful!

Today we were able to get a dehydrator.  I am excited to see what kinds of new treats I can make with it. 

<<<More experimenting in my la-bor-a-tory!!!  Mwha-ha-ha-ha!!!>>>

We also picked up these cute little Ball jars (remember I ran out of jars when I was organizing?)  That baby holds a whole pint!

Well, I guess that's it for today.  I pray you have a great evening (or morning, Laura!).

Blessings to you,
Alesha

Monday, 30 March 2009

Absolutely Delightful!

 

back row:  unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, rye flour, corn meal, vinegar, carob, baking soda
middle row:  almonds, coconut, pecans, pine nuts, golden flax seed, brown flax seed, sesame seeds, baking powder, vanilla, honey
front row:  raisins, sunflower seeds (I ran out of jars and lids! )

All of this now resides in the cabinets right above this counter, handy for when I am blending and processing and mixing.

After
shopping, cleaning out the cabinet, and repackaging everything…I was
exhausted!  But I was so ecstatic to have in all done. 

I LOVE being organized!!!

(and in my kitchen, that is such a novel occurrence that I had to share it with you!)

 

Happy Monday to you all!
Alesha

Thursday, 26 March 2009

Here's something I never thought I'd be saying to you:

Look at these beautiful black bean burgers!!!

I served them with fresh portabello mushrooms!

They were delicious!  Doug and I both liked them very much.

Hmmm…I guess old dogs can learn new tricks!

Alesha

Thursday, 26 March 2009


  • Roasting sunflower seeds – yummy!!!

    Our new compost bin at the back of the property.

    Our 2 new tomato plants!  So exciting!

    These, on our tree, are finally ripe and ready to eat!

    This gorgeous pineapple is ripening a bit before I slice it up.  On sale at Wally World yesterday!

    Another absolutely gorgeous day here in central Florida.

    I pray your day is abundantly blessed!
    Alesha

Hope in Today’s Obedience

Now when the turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her for his daughter, was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed. And Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her.

So Esther was taken unto king Ahasuerus into his house royal in the tenth month, which [is] the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.

And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti.
Esther 2:15-17

You know, our God is so good to us. He brings blessings into our lives that we might not even recognize today. But next year, one day you'll realize how He blessed you in a specific way that makes your way easier at that time.

Think about Esther. She might have felt that her life was being wasted in that palace. Maybe she had a sweetheart that she had to leave behind. You know she must have had dreams of being a Jewish mama and carrying out the traditions of her people and her God.

She had to leave all that behind, and joyfully do the job that God had entrusted to her: being the wife of a heathen king!

She made great sacrifices to do God's will. Remember she had gone to the palace as a virgin. But at the appointed time, she was in position, and had apparently been a very good wife to the king; because God knew the king would grant her whatever petition she asked of him.

She was able to save her entire race, because she was faithful and obedient to the task God gave her.

We have no idea what God will bring into our life this very day that may mean the difference between life and death next month…or next year!

Let's be faithful to the tasks God gives us today. Who knows, we may receive a blessing today due to our faithfulness in the past! Wouldn't that encouraging?

There is hope in obedience – even when it doesn't make sense today!

Hope in Good Health


Often when we are in the depths emotionally, there has been a physical trigger to start that spiral.

If we were quite healthy when we entered into difficulties, they can quickly take a toll on our physical well being.

Be sure to monitor your health. Is it suffering? Sometimes all it takes is a look at our diet and nutrition to find the cause of our lack of energy and interest.

Or perhaps there is some physical condition that you have been ignoring, waiting to visit your doctor at a more convenient time.

Don't put off that visit any longer. See your doctor.

If you don't care for your physician, then by all means, ask around. Find out who others are seeing. Ask if they would recommend their doctor to you. I have done this each time we have moved to a new town, and without fail, I have found good doctors each time.

So, I hope to be back soon with regular posts about our Door of Hope, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Until then, I encourage you to take stock of your physical condition; and do whatever it takes to bring your body back into good health.

I also encourage you to be reading your Bible daily. You can find your own Hope there in its pages.

Hope in Praying for Myself

I believe there are times when we need to pray for ourselves, specifically for protection from our enemies.

This has been hard for me, at times, because I think to myself,

"But I don't have any enemies! I can't think of anyone that I hate, or that hates me (that I know of anyway!), and I don't know of anyone who is trying to harm me."

How easily we forget that we all have a common enemy, Satan.

We do have to guard against him and his minions!

You may feel that you are
just not important enough for Satan to bother with you.

Oh, but you are very wrong!

As a child of God, you bear the likeness of Christ.
You will always be a target of the enemy.

May we be bold in praying protection for ourselves, as David was in the following Psalm:

Psalm 140~

1 Deliver me, O LORD, from the evil man: preserve me from the violent man;

2 Which imagine mischiefs in their heart; continually are they gathered together for war.

3 They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders' poison is under their lips. Selah.

4 Keep me, O LORD, from the hands of the wicked; preserve me from the violent man; who have purposed to overthrow my goings.

5 The proud have hid a snare for me, and cords; they have spread a net by the wayside; they have set gins for me. Selah.

6 I said unto the LORD, Thou art my God: hear the voice of my supplications, O LORD.

7 O GOD the Lord, the strength of my salvation, thou hast covered my head in the day of battle.

8 Grant not, O LORD, the desires of the wicked: further not his wicked device; lest they exalt themselves. Selah.

9 As for the head of those that compass me about, let the mischief of their own lips cover them.

10 Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again.

11 Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth: evil shall hunt the violent man to overthrow him.

12 I know that the LORD will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and the right of the poor.

13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks unto thy name: the upright shall dwell in thy presence.

There is hope in praying for deliverance from the enemy!