Dessert of the Month!

I thought you all would love to get a new recipe for the holidays. Pastor Renee and I swapped recipe's yesterday and I went home to try this one she gave me. It was soooo easy and delicious. My kinda cookin!

Renee's Coconut Cake Recipe
Duncan Hines Butter Cake mix (any brand)
1 Can Sweet condensed Milk
1 Can Coconut Cream (Liqueur section of the grocery store, don't know why!)
1 or 2 pgs of Frozen Coconut
Large container of Cool Whip

Bake the cake per box instructions. When cake is done poke holes in it all over.
Pour sweet condensed milk over all the cake let it soak through.
Pour Coconut Cream milk over all the cake let it soak through also.
Cover cake with the Cook whip. Then Pour coconut thawed all over the top of cake.
Refrigerate before serving!

Now maybe ya'll bakers have seen this before or know about it so stop laughing (Now).
But I have not....so....

Now Enjoy!
Happy Thanksgiving to you!

Love, Ruth

Surprises!

I love Fridays! We normally get the grand kids on every other friday and they spend the night, so thats a real treat for us. On this particular Friday we were not going to do anything. It had been such a busy week at work and then I think I had church meetings and things on several evenings that week. So when Friday came, I woke up with a head cold. Then it was an extremely busy day at work, had no time for lunch even. So I was pretty worn. I just wanted to go home get into my PJ's and watch a movie. Well.....that did not happen!

Harold said to me, "why don't you go rest for a little while cause I've made plans to go out" I said "I don't want to go out, I dont feel well and am sooooo tired".
I saw the look of disappointment and he hesitated...

My husband knows I don't like surprises....(he chooses not to believe me cause he loves Surprises and cannot understand that about me).

He had 2 tickets to see Julio Iglesias at the Arena and dinner. O boy! We argued that he should have warned me about it and we went back and forth on going or not going. Well we went afterall....

I chose to feel better and prayed for a burst of energy. When we arrived at the concert we encountered "Latin city" galore. Wow! For those of you that have followed my postings....you know how I feel about White Shoes. Well I am posting an example picture here for you. Lots of white shoes in the arena that day. YUCK!
Sorry if you like white shoes, there are exceptions to the rule but for me the rule is never.

We had a great time. I've always loved Julio Iglesias and his love songs. The concert was good, Julio is still looking handsome and still can sing even though he is older. I sat there and got all teary eyed when he sang songs that reminded me of our courtship years, when we were so young at 17 and 19. Where did the years go....

This was one good surprise! My hubby was so proud of himself afterwards. He did good!

Why you ask I don't like surprises? Well most of the time they are disappointing. Its not really what you wanted or you are mostly caught off guard and can hurt someone's feelings if you don't respond the way that they have envisioned it.

This Surprise was a surprise to me!

Why Worship?

What does worship mean to you? We know that worship means: "worth-ship". Giving worth to something. Worship on occasion may refer to an attitude towards someone (God)! This is what you will find as a definition in a dictionary or some book.

I've spent many years in church and have been serving in the worship department of a church since I was 10 years old. I'm a PK (Pastor's kid) so this means that in our home whether I wanted to or not I was going to be a worship leader. My dad had a beautiful Tenor voice and did not need a microphone. He had a powerful voice! Til this day no one sings "How Great Thou Art" better than he did. I grew up hearing him sing that in our church as well as all over the country in his speaking engagements to various churches. Til this day, I have a hard time singing that without choking up.

So many years of leading worship, being a part of some huge awesome production, singing in churches...recording a worship CD, Directing and Leading worship in a fairly large church etc...YADA< YADA< YADA. So many have done this and you reading this have probably the same experience and even more than me and in the end? SO WHAT! BIG DEAL! None of that means anything if you or I can't answer "What does worship mean to me", truthfully and in a manner that only God knows if we are sincere or not.

It means to me that our worship should always be directed toward God, and not the congretation. Exodus 34:14 God is the audience...

Too many worship teams get frustrated because a song did not come out right....or the song was too fast...or the sound guy did not respond quick enough. The frustration comes when we are focused on performing instead of worshipping. Don't get me wrong, I believe in excellence and we have to always be prepared but once the time of designated worship comes into play in a given church service then the focus should turn toward God! Not the congregation, not the sound guy, not the band, not the main leader, yes, not even the Pastors....

At the end of our worship time....what did God receive from your worship? That's what we need to ask ourselves.

When we focus our worship toward God, then it can only be sincere because His presence will allow nothing less...

He is an awesome God and worthy to be praised! When all is said and done...I wonder what he says of my worship toward him. Does he say..."Wow Ruth, I felt your truth and devotion towards me during your worship today" or does he say...."Wow Ruth, I did not feel you with me today...."

Oh Lord I want you to be touched by my worship towards you always! It troubles me that I fail you yet again, oh but your mercy encourages me so!

What does worship mean to you?

Blessings,

Ruth

Why Facebook?

Is there Facebook etiquette? I'm sure there is an unwritten law somewhere about this. The more and more I view what people post on Facebook the more it makes me twitch! Lately I just keep up with everyone and just read and I try not to post anything....

I think facebook should be about keeping up with your friends and family. Post pictures that you love. Encourage someone, say hi to someone....
All posts should be kept light. Never negative! "If you have nothing nice to say don't write it"!! Personally I'm obstaining going forward... If you don't like something that someone wrote. obstain. read it and move on to the next post. Hopefully if that person doesn't get any comments they will eventually stop writing these negative comments.

As Christians, Facebook, used correctly is a great way of lifting up the name of Jesus! Especially because so many of our friends and family may not be living for the Lord and if we post things that are negative its exactly the excuse they are looking for to remind you that all Christians are fake and have double standards.

Don't forget, what you post - literally hundreds of people view. Posting stuff like (this is just a random example):

"Why are people Loud"? ok so probably you just spoke to someone you thought was Loud so why the need to post it? Does it glorify God? Is it an uplifting comment? Do you post it to hurt someone?

Remember keep it light? Let's not be judgemental....we can hurt others with these one liners and you look like a "negative person" all the time.

I'm sure I've been guilty of this myself....but God put this in my Spirit and so I'm listening to HIM!

If you are having a bad day, say so....then people will pray for you or post an encouraging word.

If you are having a blessed day, say so....give God the glory.

If you need prayer, ask for it....

If you come across something funny...post it. (remember what you think is funny may not be funny for others but even so...abstain from commenting negatively.

If someone posts something that is inappropriate...hide it on the status. Don't try to correct them in a post. If you must, do it privately.

Facebook is not a place to correct someone. These such discussions should be done either by a phone call or in person.

This is just my thoughts on the subject....Let me know what you think?

Ruth