Nevertheless.......

Joel has already put over 100 miles on his recumbent bike.  He is riding 10 to 15 miles at a time, working his way out of the winter slack and lack, and getting his legs back into the groove of his favorite past time.  He loves biking in nature and with the arrival of Spring he is on his way!

It is great to have this long winter finally behind us.  I love having the doors open, listening to the sounds outside......birds singing.......kids playing.....adults talking.  No longer cooped up in our houses we greet our neighbors and catch up on porch sitting.  Yards are being raked and fertilized, hostas and flowers nurtured.  Baskets and pots of flowers are brightening up the neighborhood.  We have not yet purchased any plants, but I'm hoping to find a black-eyed Susan vine.  I love their happy faces!

When winter lingered this year it was hard to remember that Spring was coming.  Snow piled high......nevertheless, we knew it would eventually melt...it would warm up....Spring would arrive.  And it did.

This morning I listened to Joel Osteen preach on TBN.  He is a bit of a dessert preacher....certainly not one that gives me much meat and potatoes, but he does bring truth to what he speaks.  Today he was talking about having a "nevertheless" attitude.  The doctor's report is not good.........nevertheless God's Word says_______.   Struggling with my finances.......nevertheless God will provide.  Things will improve.    Relationships are strained......nevertheless God's love heals.  We persist because we stand in the "nevertheless" of knowing God and His promises.

This winter season was tough and long.  In nature and in life.  It was hard to not dwell on the snow and cold still gracing us in the middle of April.  It has also been hard to not dwell on the health issues that have persisted for me. 

So what to do?  I'm thinking we add "nevertheless" to our vocabulary and to our attitude.  Nevertheless the snow will melt and Spring will come!  Nevertheless, God is walks with us through circumstances.....We are able to rest in this knowledge and persist in our belief.  We embrace the nevertheless.

Nevertheless shifts the atmosphere.  Nevertheless shifts our belief.  Nevertheless puts our focus back on Papa God and His promises.  Nevertheless helps us to remember.......God is faithful.  God is with us.  His Word is truth.  No matter what the seasons bring, nevertheless there is God.  Only God.  So grateful.

Don't Give Up!

In the past two weeks much has been happening to take our eyes off of the One who gives us life.  In our corner of the world,  the larger community, the country, and oh so much across the oceans.  We seem to be burdened with a season of winter, .of confusion and struggle...a season of hatred and violence...of suffering and grief....a season of sickness and pain....of broken relationships.   We may not be seeing the victory yet, but God says, "Just stay calm....I will fight for you."  We may not be feeling the warmth of the Light, but the Word of God says, "You are my Light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid?" We may not understand or get answers to our why questions, but we stand firm...."It is for freedom that Christ set us free, so I will stand firm then......"  Stand firm in THE Truth, and as I did with friends last week, ask others to hold up your arms like Hur and Aaron did for Moses when necessary.  Another blogger friend Sharon shared her own story HERE about the same need.  We hold up the arms of those we love and care about, our community, our country, our world ---through prayer!

Observing the seasons of struggle in others and within, I asked Holy Spirit yesterday to speak to me through the most recent teaching presented by Havilah Cunnington at Bethel Church.  He did not disappoint. 

As Havilah spoke, one word erupted like lava into the atmosphere.  Persevere.   P.e.r.s.e.v.e.r.e.  Don't givc up.  I heard these words nearly a year ago from evangelist Michael Koulianos as he relayed to me words of knowledge from God.  I read it today in Joel Osteen's daily devotional and I share it with you who need to hear it today or will need it tomorrow. Persevere.  Don't give up. Be steady.  Be consistent, not ruled by emotions or what goes on around you.    It  is part of your God given DNA to persevere, even when it is hard, or everything seems to be in chaos around us.

Hebrews 10:23 speaks to this message. 

"Let us hold tightly without wavering

 to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted

to keep His promises."

And there it lies, the reason we persevere.......God can be trusted.  He will keep His promises.  God sees everything and He is faithful!  He is our Protector, our Provider, our Healer, our Peace.  Keep your eyes on Jesus. This is where our strength comes from to persevere and proclaim Christ!   Don't give up!

"I will be in perfect peace

when my mind is focused on you,

because I trust in you."

Isaiah 26:3

What Does Tenacity Have To Do With Pancakes?

I have been told by several people that I have tenacity....another term for mule-headedness according to Lucy!  It has gotten me through my whole life....one of the tools I keep in my toolbox.   I. don't. give. up.  It's not in my DNA and yes, sometimes it gets in the way of God's plans for me...but that is another story.

So, how do pancakes play into my tenacious spirit?  I can't help but giggle as I think about it.  Yesterday I decided to fix pancakes for supper.  We had fresh strawberries and blueberries that would look colorful and taste great on some pancakes, of coursed topped with coconut milk whipping cream.  Delish! 

I decided to use a recipe that The Pioneer Woman had been ranting about. Her recipe called for sour cream, but she suggested Greek yogurt for an alternative, and that sounded better to me.  She used white flour, but I would need to substitute almond and rice flour.  No problem.  I would use maple syrup instead of sugar.  She forgot to mention she uses a Teflon griddle and ours is not.  No problem.  I heated up our cast iron griddle while putting the "quick" recipe together. 

Then came those problems I was saying "no problem" to. 

I am not used to our new stove yet and when I put the coconut oil on the griddle smoke rose to new heights and the fire alarm went off.  Seems I had the heat too high, and it also took me awhile to put together this "simple" recipe.  I ran outside and yelled for Joel to come in right away ~ telling him the alarm was going off.....again.  He is sorta used to it.  (This is the part of me cooking again that he probably would like to eliminate.  The chaos in the kitchen :-)  He came in, climbed on a stool and turned off the alarm while I moved the griddle off the hot burners and did a lot of talking under my breath. 

Eventually when the griddle heat lessened, I started over with more coconut oil and then the batter....which promptly ran all over the griddle.  A problem.  Then I tried to turn it over when the bubbles starting appearing and it stuck.  Another problem.  I added more flour to make them thicker, but it still ran and still stuck.  I am not one to give up.

By now Plan B or C went into action.  I turned off the burners heating the cast iron griddle and took out our only Teflon coated pan....a Wok.  Yep.  I made one pancake at a time with the Wok.  And it worked just fine.  Well, after adding more rice flour to the batter again and again.  So much for the 14 T. of flour the doubled recipe called for! 

So over an hour later, with batter everywhere, a dirty cast iron griddle and Wok, and enough flour in the recipe to bake three cakes, we sat down to delicious moist pancakes with almond butter, strawberries right from the farm....well farmer's market anyway...a few blueberries and a generous dollop or three of whipping cream.  Sigh..... It was nearly picture perfect and mighty tasty!

Sometimes my mule-headed determination is a good thing.  Well, actually, most of the time tenacity is really beneficial.  It has gotten me through some very tough challenges.  Like, ummmm, making pancakes with the Wok.  (giggle)  Anyone else blessed with tenacity?