Praises
First of all I would like to let you all no about how great God is. You may recall me talking about a couple who were recently pregnant and the woman wanted to have an abortion, she didn't even want to go to counseling. Well, she did go to counseling, and "postponed" the abortion. Since then though, the abortion seems to be canceled completely and they are excited to find out the sex of their baby! Praise God for the new little life, and the preservation of that life...God is so good!
School
It's crazy!!! Luckily I am officially registered for everything which truly makes this my last semester (this takes one stress off of my shoulders...waiting for add codes and petitions to exceed units really sucks).
Dance rehearsals have started for the Sr. Portfolio concert, and I am really excited. Both pieces that I am dancing in already seem magnificent. I can't wait!! My piece I am excited for too, but I am having trouble placing my concept and ideas onto my dancers, a sort of choreographers block. I have tons of ideas and things I want to do, I just can't seem to materialize them into movement. It will come though, and I have great dancers!!!
With normal classes, dance rehearsals, and teaching for Grace Dance Academy (and finishing choreography for their spring concert in April), I am kept extremely BUSY! At least its all mostly stuff I love (except for the a few classes in school).
Thoughts
For anyone who has read the Sparks novel "Dear John" DO NOT go see the movie!! It will make you upset. They rushed through all of the important parts and took some things out, and yet added things that never happened and changed things. It was a real disappointment! The book however is wonderful, and if you haven't read it please do!
On a more serious an theological note (for Christians): Is there ever a point during our life on earth where we can truly say "I am saved"? If so, can salvation be lost? Additionally, can it be gained back again? This has long been in debate between different theologians and churches, and was the topic of discussion during a meeting I had earlier this week.
Matthew 24:9-13
9"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
9"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. 10At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, 11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.
Hebrews 6:4-6
4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Philippians 2:12
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
4It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, 6if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.
Philippians 2:12
12Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
Most of the verses I found when looking up the term saved, seem to describe salvation as something to come, which suggests that we have the hope of it but don't actually have it have it. The verse from Matthew says it quite clear "those who stand to the end WILL BE saved". The other two verses show that obeying God's will and seeking His forgiveness will lead us to salvation. Additionally, Hebrews suggests that we can even lose the hope of salvation, by committing an unrepentable sin.
I think this is interesting because many Christians and churches hold onto the belief that there is a single moment a persons life where you are "saved" and from that point on you are guaranteed your place in God's heavenly kingdom. This belief is much more comforting to think about, it seems so much more simple. Believe and be saved, and then do your best for God and all is good. If that were the case however, Paul wouldn't be "working out his salvation in fear and trembling". Paul seems to be much more aware of Gods power and mightiness that Christians are today. Today we like to picture God like a Santa Claus, big friendly, jolly, can give great bear hugs, and is there to give us things we ask/pray for. In a way God is those things; I mean he isn't mean, but he is just and just for some people (and probably many people) isn't nice, happy, and jolly, and definitely not something they want. So I think from our human persepctive and relaization of time, salvation is a process. Something that we must currently strive for, but we can be comforted in the fact that we have the HOPE of that salvation.
Now if we think about things 4th dimensionally (which is always a much more interesting and precise way to think about things) we can see that we are either saved or not saved, and it's simple as that. God is outside of time and sees our entire life all at one time. He knows what we did, what we are doing, what we are thinking now...and now....and now, and knows what we will do. becauseHe sees our entire life as one complete piece of fabric He knows whether or not it is something He can use in His Kingdom. To Him we either saved or not saved. We are not almost saved. We are not once saved and then oops.. not saved. We are not unsaved and then suddenly saved. He simply sees the fabric of our entire life and judges whether or not is beautiful enough for His house.
I think this is interesting because many Christians and churches hold onto the belief that there is a single moment a persons life where you are "saved" and from that point on you are guaranteed your place in God's heavenly kingdom. This belief is much more comforting to think about, it seems so much more simple. Believe and be saved, and then do your best for God and all is good. If that were the case however, Paul wouldn't be "working out his salvation in fear and trembling". Paul seems to be much more aware of Gods power and mightiness that Christians are today. Today we like to picture God like a Santa Claus, big friendly, jolly, can give great bear hugs, and is there to give us things we ask/pray for. In a way God is those things; I mean he isn't mean, but he is just and just for some people (and probably many people) isn't nice, happy, and jolly, and definitely not something they want. So I think from our human persepctive and relaization of time, salvation is a process. Something that we must currently strive for, but we can be comforted in the fact that we have the HOPE of that salvation.
Now if we think about things 4th dimensionally (which is always a much more interesting and precise way to think about things) we can see that we are either saved or not saved, and it's simple as that. God is outside of time and sees our entire life all at one time. He knows what we did, what we are doing, what we are thinking now...and now....and now, and knows what we will do. becauseHe sees our entire life as one complete piece of fabric He knows whether or not it is something He can use in His Kingdom. To Him we either saved or not saved. We are not almost saved. We are not once saved and then oops.. not saved. We are not unsaved and then suddenly saved. He simply sees the fabric of our entire life and judges whether or not is beautiful enough for His house.
Recipes
I have done a lot of cooking, and baking. Some were successes, and some were... well, not so much.
Pasta Sauce
One fun new thing I did was jar some of my homemade pasta sauce.
My sauce is delicious if I do say so myself, but tricky and interest part is the jarring process. Actually, it's really not that hard.
Step 1 Make your sauce
Step 2 Once the sauce is finished, keep it hot (boiling temperature), and in a large pot filled with boiling water boil the empty jars and their lid/lid parts for 15 minutes
Step 3 Take the jars out of the water pour water out of the jars, and set on the counter (put a couple of towels underneath them so they don't scorch your counter)
Step 4 Fill the hot empty jars with your hot pasta sauce
Step 5 Place the lids on the jars and screw on tightly
Step 6 Place the sauce filled jars back into boiling water and boil for 35 minutes
Step 7 Take the jars out, place on counter and let cool until cool enough to put away in your cupboard
My sauce is delicious if I do say so myself, but tricky and interest part is the jarring process. Actually, it's really not that hard.Step 1 Make your sauce
Step 2 Once the sauce is finished, keep it hot (boiling temperature), and in a large pot filled with boiling water boil the empty jars and their lid/lid parts for 15 minutes
Step 3 Take the jars out of the water pour water out of the jars, and set on the counter (put a couple of towels underneath them so they don't scorch your counter)
Step 4 Fill the hot empty jars with your hot pasta sauce
Step 5 Place the lids on the jars and screw on tightly
Step 6 Place the sauce filled jars back into boiling water and boil for 35 minutes
Step 7 Take the jars out, place on counter and let cool until cool enough to put away in your cupboard
Lanie's Oatmeal Surprise Cookies
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
- 3 cups Quaker® Oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/2 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup of chopped coconut cashews (they are at Costco)...(chop them by placing in a ziploc bag and smashing until a nice "chopped" consistency)
Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins, craisins, chocolate chips, and cashews; mix well.
Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. ENJOY!! Store tightly covered.
Lemon Recipes
The Lemon recipes below were made because I was given an enormous amount of lemons from my mother-in-law; Myer Lemons from her tree. So yummy, but I was then stuck with the decision "what do I do with 20 lemons?!"
Ingredients:
First we have to boil a large pot of water. Once the water boils, we put in the angel hair pasta. We have to let the pasta cook for about 4-6 minutes till it becomes soft. Once done, drain the water and remove the pasta.
Then we beat (piccata) the chicken broth and 5 teaspoons of the flour together. Then, we have to season the chicken with salt and pepper (as per taste, but generally 1/4th teaspoon of each is used), and dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour. Once dredged, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a non stick skillet. Pan-fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side on a medium heat till the chicken turns brown and then remove it off the skillet and keep it warm.
The last 1 teaspoon of oil is used to pan fry the mushrooms over a medium heat. Once the oil is heated, we add the mushrooms and cook them for 5 minutes, till they brown and start releasing the juice. Next, add garlic and wine to the pan and cook for 1-2 more minutes. We take this mixture and stir it in the flour-broth mix with the lemon juice and another 1/4th teaspoon of salt. Put the gas on a low flame and cook, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes, till the sauce thickens.
Next, add the parsley, capers and remaining mushrooms. Add the pasta into the pan and cook, continuously stirring. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and voilà!! Your easy mushroom chicken piccata recipe is ready!
Lemon Cookies- 6 ounces whole-wheat angel hair pasta
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
- salt, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 4 chicken cutlets (3/4-1 pound total), trimmed
- 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 10-ounce package mushrooms, sliced (use portobella)
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (I added more lemon juice)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed (I added twice as many capers)
- 2 teaspoons butter
First we have to boil a large pot of water. Once the water boils, we put in the angel hair pasta. We have to let the pasta cook for about 4-6 minutes till it becomes soft. Once done, drain the water and remove the pasta.
Then we beat (piccata) the chicken broth and 5 teaspoons of the flour together. Then, we have to season the chicken with salt and pepper (as per taste, but generally 1/4th teaspoon of each is used), and dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour. Once dredged, heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a non stick skillet. Pan-fry the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side on a medium heat till the chicken turns brown and then remove it off the skillet and keep it warm.
The last 1 teaspoon of oil is used to pan fry the mushrooms over a medium heat. Once the oil is heated, we add the mushrooms and cook them for 5 minutes, till they brown and start releasing the juice. Next, add garlic and wine to the pan and cook for 1-2 more minutes. We take this mixture and stir it in the flour-broth mix with the lemon juice and another 1/4th teaspoon of salt. Put the gas on a low flame and cook, stirring continuously, for 5 minutes, till the sauce thickens.
Next, add the parsley, capers and remaining mushrooms. Add the pasta into the pan and cook, continuously stirring. Serve the pasta topped with the chicken and voilà!! Your easy mushroom chicken piccata recipe is ready!
Lemon Merengue pie
Ingredients
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 lemons, juiced and zested
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 4 egg yolks, beaten
- 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
- 4 egg whites
- 6 tablespoons white sugar
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
- To Make Lemon Filling: In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1 cup sugar, flour, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in water, lemon juice and lemon zest. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir in butter. Place egg yolks in a small bowl and gradually whisk in 1/2 cup of hot sugar mixture. Whisk egg yolk mixture back into remaining sugar mixture. Bring to a boil and continue to cook while stirring constantly until thick. Remove from heat. Pour filling into baked pastry shell.
- To Make Meringue: In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites until foamy. Add sugar gradually, and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Spread meringue over pie, sealing the edges at the crust.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, or until meringue is golden brown.
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