Pumpkin Spice Dessert "Shots"

This is super easy.  Four ingredients.  That's it!

This is also super tasty, and super rich.  A shot or liquor glass make the perfect serving size.

Pumpkin Spice Dessert "Shots"

8 oz mascarpone cheese
8 oz pumpkin spice cream cheese spread*
1 oz sweetened condensed milk
ginger snap cookies**
whipped cream or cool whip, if desired

Combine the cheeses and the condensed milk. The longer you beat this, the fluffier it becomes.  Use a stand mixer and after ingredients are blended, mix on HIGH for about 5 minutes.

Spoon into the dessert glasses.  Refrigerate.  Top with the whipped cream and ginger snaps right before serving. Enjoy!


* I ran across this at Walmart - Great Value brand. One of my friends was not able to find this and substituted plain cream cheese spread and 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.

** Since the shot glasses are small, Bud's Best cookies work great.

Jesus - The Ultimate Life Coach

"There is a God who made you for a reason, and your life has profound meaning! We discover that meaning and purpose only when we make God the reference point of our lives."
Rick Warren


Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for trouble, pain, shame, and grief..."


WAIT WAIT WAIT! DO OVER!!



"For I know the the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."
Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV

Jesus was all about some change.  Heck, He even split time in two! BC/AD.  Before Christ.  Anno Domini - in the year of the Lord.  Can you do that?

He does not change, but He calls us to change to be like Him.

"For I am the Lord, I do not change; therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob" 
Malachi 3:6

He showed us what to do:
Matthew 3:13-17: the baptism of Jesus.  Positive feedback - God was pleased.
Matthew 4 - Jesus was tempted.  40 days.  40 nights.  Fasting.  Tired and weak.  Satan tempted Him.  He resisted. And KEPT resisting.

STAND!

"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might..." Ephesians 6:10-20. Read it, then do it.

Jesus showed us what to do- He stood on the Word.

Jesus.
An encounter with Jesus changed every person He saw
The leper
The centurion and his servant
Peter's mother-in-law
The men with demons
LAZARUS!

Some were healed immediately. Some had to make an effort, a contribution
The man with the withered hand had to reach out
The woman with the issue of blood had to 'fess up
The blind beggar had to tell Jesus he wanted to see
The man born blind had to wash the mud off

Why?

What makes them different?

I don't know, but let's look at it.  The woman with the issue of blood needed restoration of her esteem and for the "locals" to see she was cool as far as Jesus was concerned. The blind beggar didn't know he was talking to Jesus THE CHRIST.  He didn't even know who he was dealing with!

Some of these people were "brain stuck" in their situations.  Jesus' touch was the point that identified their need (the woman at the well)

What about you? Ever done anything stupid? What did you do after? Learn from the experience and never do it again? Get "brain stuck" thinking that mistake now defines who you are?

I can't tell you why you are where you are. I can tell you that Jesus provided a way to wholeness in Him. We have to avoid getting "brain stuck" in the mess and allow change, make change, let Jesus do His work in us.

Do you know why horses in races wear blinders?  So they can't see what's going on around them. So they can focus on what is right in front of them.  So they can't get scared or sidetracked from their goal.

What do YOUR blinders make you focus on? Jesus, or some mistake, injustice, or pain?

What's your goal? Jesus is calling you- do you hear Him? Go ahead, answer the call.  Jesus is the best Life Coach ever!

"Beloved, we are God's children now and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see his as he is.  And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure."
1 John 3:2,3

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  ALL THIS FROM GOD"
2 Corinthians 5:17, 18. Emphasis mine.

Do You Hear What Lucy Hears?

"Lucy woke out of the deepest sleep you can imagine, with the feeling that the voice she liked best in the world had been calling her name."  C. S. Lewis,  Prince Caspian

Lucy heard Aslan calling her name.  The sound made her heart beat faster.  She was even brave enough to leave the safety of her family to go search for him.

"...Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves.  I held him and would not let him go..."  Song of Solomon 3:4

"She rushed to him.  She felt her heart would burst if she lost a moment."  C. S. Lewis,  Prince Caspian

Longing, desire to spend time with One whom she knows and loves.  She recognized his voice.  It starts on page 378.  Go read it.  Lucy had to seek Aslan.  He called her, but she had to find him.  Through the dancing trees (what little girl wouldn't be distracted by dancing trees??), through the dark, into the unknown.

When is the last time you sought Him like that? He will call, He always does.  Do you hear past the television, radio, work load, party, or whatever you have going on to hear Him calling you to spend time with Him? Would you brave the dark and the dancing trees to get to Him?

He's calling....find Him.  It will change your world.

How Big is YOUR God?

C. S. Lewis.

The Chronicles of Narnia.

WHO doesn't love them??

C.S. Lewis used his wonderful story-telling ability to speak Truth to the young, and young-at-heart.  If you haven't read the books (or seen the movies), stop what you're doing and check them out.  Look for Truth in them.  It's there.

"Thus says the LORD: Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest?"  Isaiah 66:1 ESV

When we are children, little children, it is easy to believe in a God who is big enough to hold the world in His hands, most children even know the words to the song (He's got the whole world.....). Why is it so easy to believe when we are so small?  Because we ARE so small! Everything is bigger than we are, except the little brother or sister that mom and dad brought home from the hospital.

As we get taller, supposedly smarter, we can "logic" God into a smaller, easier to digest size.  Some of us get to full height and manage to smush God into a tiny little box we can put on the shelf.  We have logic-ed ourselves into containing God in a way that our brains can wrap around and make sense of.  Because God works that way.  NOT!

Read the quote. It doesn't say "every year you that you get taller".  It says "every year you grow, you will find me bigger".  What's the difference?

When we spend time with God we GROW. When we spend time in His Word and absorb the wonders that ARE who He is, we grow.  And as we grow, we can see Him getting bigger and bigger.  It's all optical illusion- He is all.  God is ALL.  We just have to grow enough to see it, like we did when we were little and loved reading fairy tales.  When we grow into Him like a child.

Anyone up for a children's book?

May 13, 1987

The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.                                                                                         Psalm 34:18



Twenty-six years ago today my brother died.  There are times it seems a lifetime ago.  There are other times that is seems like it just happened.


You know, you never "get over it".



"There is a sacredness in tears.  They are not the mark of weakness, but of power.  They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues.  They are the messengers of overwhelming grief, of deep contrition, and unspeakable love."
Washington Irving

I pray peace to each of you who grieves the loss of a loved one.  May God wrap you in His arms and you feel His overwhelming love and amazing grace.


My brother, you are much loved and very missed.

Getting Wrecked By The Homeless

God settles the solitary in a home; he leads out the prisoners to prosperity, but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.  

Psalm 68:6


"J" at the park. Alone in the corner crying.  She's a beautiful woman.  Another who didn't/couldn't come up at altar time.  Jesus saw her tears. She was/is trying to get home to Mississippi due to some financial problems. Her car was repossessed Friday- she's trying to get home and had a bus ticket to leave this morning and "just happened" to see us at the park.


You can tell she is trying to be strong.



"D" finally got his poem to me. It's about Jesus loving him, dying for him- he was searching for love and ran into Someone who was willing to die for him.  That is huge. In the suburbs, safe at home, can it be as fully understood as it can by someone who lives on the streets, or at least, not in conventional housing? Dying is a very real possibility.  We all will, but we all don't come face to face with it that often. Does "D"s understanding how much Jesus loves him mean he will completely change his life?

Historically, the answer is "no".

I believe all things are possible with God and that can change the man's destiny.  If the man allows it.  God is no respecter of persons, but He is a gentleman and He won't force the man to change.  I don't know if Sunday mornings at the park are the only times people show the man Jesus, but Jesus is talking to the man's heart.  We pray the man heeds the whisper that is calling his name and allows the Lord to have all the control of his life.

A few nights ago I saw one of our homeless men give his coat to another man who didn't have one.  It was an amazing sight, "That was awesome, " I tell him.  "Dude was cold. I can get another coat," he says.

A pre-warmed coat. THAT is Jesus-love.

It's also depending on his needs being met.  Who else would have given up their coat like that?

Another woman we serve brought us three coats she had acquired before service started.  She had gotten them for another lady who either didn't want them or didn't need them.  She wanted to give them to us to make sure they went to someone who needed them.  How cool is that?

Jesus says they know Him.  They don't need us always pounding Jesus at them. They know Jesus and they depend on Him. Some need a release from a rebellious spirit. They need someone to show them how to get out of where they are.  They need the will to change.  Then they need someone willing to teach them.

Who's willing?

It Does Matter What I Think

Leadership.

"Leader."

Many of us spend a great deal of time learning as much as we can so we can be good leaders.  How many leadership books do you have on your shelf?  How many blogs, audiobooks, and podcasts can you cram into a day? Been to any good seminars lately?

Jesus was a great leader. He, however, is perfect, so I suppose that is to be expected.

What does being a "leader" mean?  This is an interactive post today, so I really want to know what you think.

For me, a leader is someone I respect and trust, a wiser-than-I-am person who will impart knowledge and encourage me to be the best that I can be.  Now, this is Yvonne speaking to you, so you know the qualification list in actuality is much longer.

How do we build trust?  Relationship.  How do relationships work? Back and forth communication.  Learning the other person.  Hearing what they have to say.

Did you hear...or read (since this is a blog)...that?

You need to hear what the other person has to say.

What do you have to do to hear?  You have to listen.  Listening means paying attention to the words being spoken without trying to plan your next sentence.  Ask questions.  "What do you mean when you say ____?" "I'm trying to make sure I understood what you said.  I think I heard you say ______, is that right?"

What happens when you don't listen?  You will not connect, you will not grow, the other person will not grow, and there will be no relationship.  In the work place, if you won't listen, please don't dare ask why your employees are not engaged. It goes together.

Today's blog is being brought to you by an interaction I heard earlier today. A leader brought a coworker a specific set of instructions.  They were terribly wrong, mind you, and had those instructions been carried out....well, I don't even want to think about the nightmare that would follow!  Coworker tried to point out the problems.

Leader says,  "It doesn't matter what you think."

Did you read that?

Actually it does matter.  It always matters what someone thinks.  And we need to listen. The thoughts may accurate or they may not be accurate due to a lack of facts or discernment. Active listening by a leader and discussion will clear that up right away.

Was the issue resolved?  Yes.  By way a of a leader who listens.

My question to you, Reader/Leader is: how many people do you think will willingly follow that first "leader"? Would you want to? What do you think the employees think about that leader and his/her abilities to lead them to professional success?

When People Think You've Lost Your Mind

“ if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a herald of righteousness, with seven others, when he brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly…”

2 Peter 2:5

Yes,I know.  No one is more surprised than I am that this didn’t start with scripture from Genesis, but I’m not in charge so we are going with it!

Sometimes God tells us things that make no sense to other people. Sometimes He promises us things that have zero possibilities or sensibilities in the natural. Sometimes He shows favor to someone and tells him (or her) to do things that the surrounding people cannot see as God. Because it cannot be fathomed with the natural eye, it’s often easy to assume the person has missed God and lost their mind completely.

Genesis 6 tells us that Noah lives in a very wicked time. God wasn’t happy with what He saw. Have you ever been mad enough at your kids that you took it out on everyone around them too?  Genesis 6:7 says that God was sorry He had made man on earth and he intended to blot out man, animals, creeping things, birds – all of it (or as the Wicked Witch would say, “I’ll get you and your little dog too!”) How mad was God that he wanted to remove all living creatures from earth??  How bad were the people? Gen 6:5 – “the intentions of the thoughts of his (man) heart was only evil continually.” Evil.  Continually.  That’s ALL THE TIME.

Enter Noah into the story:

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.” Genesis 6:8

Righteous. Blameless. Walked with God. Words used to describe Noah.  Noah found favor with God. How does that turn out? Imagine it for a minute and allow a little creative license:

Noah, I want you to build a boat. A really BIG boat.

Why?

Because it’s going to flood and destroy all living creatures.

What’s “flood”???

Never mind, take these instructions and follow them exactly.

      Can you hear Noah’s family? 

      God wants you to do …what???? Have you lost your mind? What are we going to do with a big boat in the backyard?

      God told me to build it.

      That can’t be God. God doesn’t say stuff like that. That makes no sense. What’s “flood”?

      Agreed, but He said it, so I am going to do it! And I don’t know what “flood” is, so stop asking me!

          Can you hear the neighbors?

            Look at the crazy man! What is he doing?

              Says he “hears from God” – keep the kids away from him.

                 Says it’s going to flood, he says. Hey, what’s “flood”??

People can’t always see that you have favor and they can’t see or hear what you hear God tell you.

If God has given you a dream and a promise – hold on to it.

God told Noah He was going to establish a covenant with him. He told him months before it came to pass. Before the covenant, there was the flood, destruction, captivity, the long days and nights of nothing but…flood, destruction, and captivity.

At what point during this journey do you think Noah realized he had great favor with God? When he got the instructions for the big boat? Before the storm? When he knew people were dying right outside his boat and he could look around and see all his loved ones safe with him? When the dove came back with the olive leaf?

God promised him a covenant BEFORE the storm. It made no sense what God described to Noah as there had been no flooding before – we made through five busy chapters in Genesis with nary a mention of rain. There had been no mention of a covenant before then either!  God promised him the covenant before the destruction.

If God has given you a dream and a promise – hold on to it.

Just because someone else can’t hear what God has whispered in your ear  doesn’t mean that what He’s told you isn’t true…

Just because you’re going through the flood doesn’t mean God doesn’t love you…

Just because it’s storming all around and all you can see for as far as you can see is storm doesn’t mean He isn’t there…

Just because you have a dream that seems unattainable doesn’t mean you don’t get to reach it…

If God has given you a dream and a promise – hold on to it.

He loves you.