A Taste of Pumpkin…

So I LOVE when Fall comes around!  Which means...all things pumpkin start to come back. Yay!  From Pumpkin Spice Latte's, Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cookies, and many more wonderful food to make with pumpkin.

Anyway,  the other day I tried a recipe for Pumpkin Spice no-bake cookies. They were amazing!  Just the right hint of pumpkin spice for great flavor.

They were super easy and fun to make and before I knew it I had nearly 3 dozen cookies made to share. 

Once I placed them on the cookie sheet they were nearly set up and ready in 5 minutes, and I don’t think I even waited the entire 5 minutes to try one.

These are a great afternoon snack or evening dessert treat.

They can be stored in a freezer bag for the freezer to keep on hand for later as well. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup milk
1 large box instant vanilla pudding or ((2) small boxes) 

   AND add 1 TBSP pumpkin pie spice
3.5 cups quick cooking oats
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

In a saucepan, combine sugars, butter and milk.  Bring to boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add in pudding mix(with pumpkin pie spice), stir to combine completely.  Add in vanilla and oats.  Stir to combine and let stand for 5 minutes.  Drop by rounded tablespoonful’s onto waxed paper.  Allow to cool completely.  Store in air tight container.

Makes 2-3 dozen cookies!

ENJOY!!! 

What’s your favorite thing about Fall?

Blessings!

 

In a single moment…

As we reflect on this day; 13 years ago, we are reminded that we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  The past is in the past, the future is unknown and the present is a gift.  Appreciate the gift that is given to you and love on those that you have to share it with.  Never miss the opportunity to show love to someone close to you and around you. 
Everyone out there in this world is fighting a battle of some kind.  Whether it may seem large or small, it is significant to the person engaged in it.  Sometimes all we can do is offer our time to spend with someone.  A hug, a smile or simply ‘I’m thinking about you and I’m praying for you,’ can ease the heart and mind of someone who is hurting. 

Romans 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Hope.  One single word can bring forth so much joy  and peace in our life.  The fact that we do know that we have hope through our faith in Jesus, that God is on our side and He is always with us. 
In a single moment, everything in our world can be flipped upside down. Even knowing that, we can rest in knowing that with Christ in our life, the best is yet to come.  God gave us His Word.  His love letter to us. To study, to live, to love and to share.  We have that very truth written down right in front of us.  It’s available to us, freely, through-out our country.  Sometimes we tend to take advantage of the freedom we have to worship Our God, Our Father.  Then I stop to think about those in other countries who have been persecuted daily just for carrying a Bible with them.

We have so much available to us, how can we put our resources and capability to use in our life to share with those around us? 
Christ came to Earth not to be served but to serve, our hearts and attitudes need to be reflecting that of Christ.   Christ came so that we may have eternal life by entering into a personal relationship with Him.  That we could be united as one.  Philippians 2:1-5 says that, “If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose.  Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves,  Each of you should look not only to your own interest, but also to the interest of others.  Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus.”

Our attitude.  Those two words are huge right there.  How do we have the attitude of Christ? One, by spending time in the Word of God.  The more we are in the Word, the more we are susceptible to hear God speak to us in our life.  Two, by being around other Christians that can build you up.  Get involved in a Bible believing church, a small group and surround yourself with those who are there for you to build you up, pray for you, answer questions you have.  Be united with those around you so that you can be one as you share the love of Christ to this world.  When we are united with each other, we show the world that we stand strong together in our faith and in all we do.  When one of us hurt, we all hurt.  We are there for each other, because we are apart of a family, an eternal family, a family of God.
Three, Prayer.  Prayer is powerful.  It’s that quiet time that we have one-on-one with Our God.   Prayer is a significant part to our attitude to be like Christ in everything we do.  Being in God’s Word, being apart of a united body of believers and having a dedicated prayer life are essential parts to who we are in Christ and can give us the strength to share with those we meet along our journey. 
Christ showed us His love for us as He laid down His life for us on the cross that day many years ago.  There is no greater love than laying down your life for someone else.  It’s putting others first, it’s sharing, it’s being united as one.  How can you motivate others? How can we motivate the people in this world to know and believe what we hold so tightly to in our heart and soul?

Even though terrible tragedies happen, just as with the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, as well as many others.  We will always remember the ones who lost their lives, and even the ones who came to Christ in the midst of all the tragedies in the world.  We must continue to share the good news of Christ.  You never know who you will come into contact with and who needs to know that there is a life greater than this one when you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. 

Have a blessed day! Be thankful, be grateful and have an attitude of Christ in everything you do.

Blessings,

Green Bean Summer Salad

Green Bean Summer Salad

So I found this recipe through Instagram.  It was posted by Candace Cameron Bure on instagram.  This is from the food network. So  I decided to look it up and try it. So here it is, the recipe for:  Green Bean Summer Salad.  

I've included the food network link above, but here is what I adapted to make it here as well.

Ingredients:

Salt

1 bag Fresh or Frozen Green Beans

1 cup Feta Cheese

1 cup Cherry Tomato's, sliced in half

2 tablespoons chopped Red Onion

1/2 cup Slivered Almonds

3 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Red Wine Vinegar

2 tablespoons Chopped Fresh Basil (I used dried basil)

1 Large Clove Garlic, minced

Ground Black Pepper

Enjoy!

Created for a purpose!

Psalms 139:13-14You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

One of my favorite passages in the Bible, is Psalms 139.  One that I can can turn to quite often for comfort and assurance.

You were designed, created and filled with plenty of purpose and promises for your life.  As much as you may not believe it at times… you were made with a purpose. 
There are many Bible verses that we can turn to to know that we are loved and chosen for a purpose in our life.  Although sometimes we may not fully see or understand these verses until we come and sit down quietly; open up the God’s Word and listen to that still yet small voice that is telling us that we are important, strong, precious and forgiven. 

I have been blessed to be able to work with children through out the week at my job.  Many of these children have autism, down syndrome or cerebral palsy.  Some have epilepsy and are susceptible to seizures.  One thing that they all have in common with other children as well, is that they were all created for a unique purpose.  They were all chosen to have a powerful impact on the world through each and every one of their gifts that they have.  I am blessed to be able to learn so much from  these children everyday I am with them.
Although; at times, their attention spans may be short, when you can catch their attention for just a short moment to teach them something or share a story with them, it’s incredible at the feedback they have to share back with you.  They all have something to say. Some will communicate very well, while others are non-verbal.  That doesn’t mean that each child doesn’t get their point across and are heard.
Every day is different for these kids.  I’ve come to learn that a variety of teaching methods are incredibly great to have on hand.  What may work one time may not necessarily work another time or it might.  Sometime you never know until that day.  It all depends on the type of day that they are having as to what teaching method we are using that day.  We love challenges, we love the kids and love to learn as we go. 

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”

I love working with the children and have discovered a greater passion for teaching more than ever. 
I am so thankful for the chance and the opportunity to be able to work in a Christian environment and grow in faith and spirituality more and more each day.  

Psalms 139:1-24 – O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.  You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!  I can never escape from your Spirit!  I can never get away from your presence! If I go up to heaven, you are there; if I go down to the grave, you are there. If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there your hand will guide me, and your strength will support me. I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night—but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.  To you the night shines as bright as day. Darkness and light are the same to you.  You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!  Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.  You saw me before I was born.  Every day of my life was recorded in your book.Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.  How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.  They cannot be numbered!  I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!  And when I wake up, you are still with me! O God, if only you would destroy the wicked!  Get out of my life, you murderers!  They blaspheme you; your enemies misuse your name. O Lord, shouldn’t I hate those who hate you?  Shouldn’t I despise those who oppose you?
Yes, I hate them with total hatred, for your enemies are my enemies.  Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Blessings,