Bible Study and a few projects today

good morning from my neck of the woods.           we had a sunny day yesterday, but it was a cool one too.          didn't get much done around the house, but I did do a little cooking.        that's always a good thing when I can get some prepped and ready food in the fridge.        I'll be glad when it warms up and I can back out and start working more on the the garden.         but that will come in time.        right now I just need to be happy that it didn't rain today.         and I am thrilled, truly I am.         I don't know what we'll get into today, but hopefully if it's something good or exciting, I can remember to take pics and share with y'all.        I get tired of not having anything to really share and I guess y'all do too.      so, this morning it was 29 degrees!!!!         we got up and donned our winter clothing and went on our walk.      it was good to get that done and out of the way.        we have another night of cold temps and then maybe we'll be out of the woods with the cold weather.       well, let's get on with our day today and me we all have a wonderful day.

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so yesterday, I done a few things and I did remember to take a pic or two.          so let's do a "2 minutes in the kitchen with me" today.

I had made my breakfast jars the other day and ran out of my cranberry powder.          this time I used blended, dehydrated cranberries, my dehydrated stevia and some limes I had dehydrated.

I used the whole jar of dehydrated blended cranberry, the whole jar of dehydrated stevia and half of the jar dehydrated limes.       

all of that only made that pint jar half full.         hahaha          it's delicious, but goshie, that's a lot of dehydrated produce for no more than I got.

but, I'll have to say that it's beautiful.          I just wish it would have made a little more.

next, I got out my insignia electric pressure cooker and made a batch of chili.         the top pis is the before cooking, and the next pic is the after cooking.       

it is delicious!!!            we'll enjoy this a lot this week.           I love having quick and easy, and chili is.

this is the cornbread wedges I made to go with the chili.           the pic above had already been in the oven for just a few minutes and I realized I had not taken a pic.       so I yanked it our right quick and then popped it back in.       hahahaha

this is the cornbread wedges done.        they are so good too.         when they come from the oven, I always lift them from the skillet and rest them on sides of the skillet so they don't sweat and cause all the crispy crunchy that we love so much to go soft.       this was a great meal and we look forward to having more this week.          what is some favorites that you like to keep on hand for a quick meal?

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giggle for the day:

Q - What did the 0 say to the 8?

A - Nice belt!

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

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today we pick up with Ezekiel Chapter 31,            pride and arrogance has no place in the life of a Christian.          pride goes before a fool, scripture says that and pride has been the downfall of many people and nations.        arrogance goes hand in hand with pride.       if you think you're better than someone else just because you may be successful in human eyes, think again.        what does God think about pride and arrogance?          He casts judgement on it.          everything that has to do with anything, God created it and has ultimate power and control over it, so let go of pride and arrogance.        we need to be filled with humility and remember that anything we have accomplished, has been ONLY because God allowed us to do so.       when we disobey God and get filled with pride, there will be consequences.

Chapter 32,         earthly power is temporary at best.        think about earthly power as compared to the divine power of God.         who has the greatest power?         not man!!!!         thinking about the power of God should cause us to repent, seek humility and realize that God has ultimate power over absolutely everything.          as we are going thru the days that taking place on earth right now, today, let's remember that God is in control and His plans are perfect!!!!          the leaders of this world want us to think they are in control, but we know who is, God.         and from what I'm seeing, most of the leaders will have a lot to answer for to God some of these days.        let us build lives that are honoring to God and concentrate of eternal rather than the temporal.         none of us are immune from the judgement of God.

Chapter 33,           take Gods word to heart and tell others about the consequences of living in sin.        years ago, my husband worked with a guy that was raised in church.          his parents were Christians and very active and believed in the word of God.         this guy just walked up to my husband at work one  day  and told  him that  he, my husband, was  only 1 of 2 godly men that he has ever known in his life.         he said that his father was the other one.         my husband asked him why he lived the way he lived.          the guy told my husband that he knows he's going to hell but he wants to live for the here and now and suffer the consequences of hell.         my husband and I both have shed many tears over this man.         so, some people know better, but they still choose to live the sinful life that leads to hell.        I'll keep saying it,  we need to keep seeking after the heart of God.        I do believe that will keep a lot of us out of trouble, if seek God.         there is hope and restoration when we turn back to God.        this man that I just mentioned, can you imagine how happy Jesus would be for this man to come Him!!!!      God calls for all sinners to repent.          we have to be alert to the spiritual dangers that can trip us up.     stay focused on God and study His word.         we should take our responsibility as a Christian seriously and warn others of the dangers of sin in our lives.       respond to God's word with faith and obedience.

Chapter 34,            God desires to have a personal relationship with each and every one of us.       the decision is ours.        this chapter shows us just how much God loves His people.        He alone offers hope, restoration, safety and care for His people.         are the leaders in your church or community selfless or selfish?          that's a question for all of to answer.         now bring it home, am I selfless or selfish?         hopefully we can say we are selfless.          but I see a lot leaders who are selfish.       that's playing our right in my little city as I type.         we just need to remember that when we are neglected and let down by our leaders, God will provide for us.        let us strive to care for others and help others on a daily basis.           not to be seen, but to serve God.

Chapter 35,           no matter the injustice we have been thru, God offers us hope in the hard times.        is there anyone in  your life that you hold a grudge or animosity against?          seek reconciliation and forgiveness.           hatred can lead to a spiritual downfall.        God is a righteous judge and we need to trust Him instead of taking matters into our own hands.         the world and cultures are ever changing, God is unchanging.        let's lives that honor God, knowing that He sees all our actions.

Chapter 36,            God's love, patience, and faithfulness should fill us with hope.         knowing that God has the power to heal, restore and transform us into usable vessels is where out hope is.         God is faithful to fulfill all His promises.           is there areas in your life that you need the transforming power of God to renew your heart and spirit?          if so, tell Him and ask Him to forgive you and restore you and make you new so you can serve Him.          our lives should be testimonies to the power God over our lives, for those who are in our circle of influence.         just like my husband, he was a Christian influence at work.          we pray for that to have made a difference.          God is in control over all circumstances even when our days are filled with uncertainty.

next time we pick up at Chapter 37.

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I guess this is where we will wrap it for the day.         I hope and pray that we all have a great day and remember to thank God for it.          remember to pray for the sick and the ones caring for those who are sick.        sometimes the care givers forget to care for themselves.        pray for them too.        blessings of patience and faithfulness be ours today.

hugs and love, patty   

Bible Study and freezer meals

good morning friends!!!          I hope you're up to having a great day today, because I just think it's gonna be a good one.         I know I already have quite a bit to keep me busy today and if I just get half of it done today, it'll keep me busy all day and I'll sleep like a baby tonight.        that's my hope anyway.  

it looks like there could be  rain in the future.          we can  always use it, so  I'll try to be happy about it.          hubby will probably work outside today tinkering in the garage.          I need to get some of his morning breakfasts made and in the freezer for the next few days.        I need to get my little kitchen composter going and get some more compost made.        I can't wait to add it to the store bought compost or even put a tablespoon or so in each container or pockets on containers.        we'll see how it turns out.        I started a "to do" list yesterday of things I need to get done with my gardening efforts and getting some seeds in my 2 hydroponics  units is at the top of the list.       I should have started this a month ago, but I didn't, now I'm regretting my decision to postpone it.       since I can only start 24 at a time, but I'll see what I can get done.         anyway, it looks like a busy full day.

as we move thru this day, lets remember to give God thanks for it.        every day I wake up is another opportunity to be a part of a day like no other day in history.       this day has never been had before by anyone at any time.       and it will never be back, when it's gone.        so lets make it a most spectacular day and enjoy it and spread the Good News to those around us.        you won't regret it and it just might change someone's life.         who knows, if might even change our own.       so lets make it a great day!!

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you know the drill, follow me to the kitchen for a quick "2 minutes in the kitchen with me".          this week, I found myself with 3 boxes of soup, chili and chowder in the fridge.         I call these our fast food meals.          heat a bowl up and bam, a meal!!          it don't get much better than that.         plus I know what all the ingredients are as opposed the drive thru fast food junk.        this is all real food.    what you're looking at is chili with pork loin on the top (we eat that over a few corn chips, chicken corn chowder in the middle and veggie soup with chicken in the bottom.          it's all so good.        and the boxes was full.         so now there's about 2 meals apiece in each large container.          and if for some reason I see we're not gonna get these eaten within a couple of days, I'll make another small box and put it in the freezer for later.

my main issue is that there was too much.           so much so, that I would lose some of it before we ate it all.        while I love having good and healthy, to heat up quick meals, I do love fixing other stuff when I feel like it.         I keep a fridge stocked with all kinds of good healthy stuff.         salad fixings, sourdough bread and good meats and cheeses for paninis, tortilla wraps meat and cheese that I pop in the air fryer and just stuff like that.      fish and shrimp and potato and sweet potato cubes and the list goes on.         when I do some of the other stuff I just mentioned, the food in the boxes gets ignored and it can go bad.

this morning, I was contemplating that.         I got out the boxes from lunch meat that I've saved, I call it my fancy tupperware, and started putting in each box about what a meal for 2 of us would be.        so, as of this very moment, I have "6 tv dinners" in the freezer for us.         hahaha         they are better than any tv dinner out there. 

I will be doing this more  often and I may do some smaller containers so I can take some to Momma too.          I just have to figure what she will like.        her taste buds have changed and we don't like the same things anymore.        but that's ok, if she don't like and don't want it, it just means more for my husband.         hahaha        

anyway, I hope this gives you some ideas on how to be thrifty and put freezer meals aside for a busy night.         I know for sure, I'll be doing more and looking for more easy one pot meals like these.       if you have a favorite, share it with me in the comments.

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so lets pick up at 2 Samuel Chapter 16.         sin is never good.         Absalom schemes to kill his father David.         good advice is ignored so that in order for the Lord to bring disaster on Absalom.       it's always a bad thing  to turn your  back on good  advice and  Absalom did, which  lead to his ultimate death.          David mourns the death of his son.       David spoke the words of the song to the Lord, about God being his rock and fortress and deliverer.         if you really want a good word study,  search out what each of the words mean in reference to God.       it is awesome!!!        my shield, the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge are other great word studies to do.        it's really eye opening about who God is and what He really means to us and for us.       David sang a beautiful song about who God was to him and He's that same God for us.         Solomon is anointed king.       David told Solomon to be strong and prove himself to be a man, to walk in God's ways and keep His statutes and commandments according to what's written in the Law of Moses.           there was some unfinished business that Solomon took care of.           he had Adonijah and Joab killed.        cleaning house, so to speak.        

can you relate to sin?         sure you can, we all can.         none of us are immune to sin.       we make the choice with every action and or reaction, as to whether we sin or not.       sin always causes chaos.         that's what we can  plainly see in all that we just got thru looking at.        God is not the author of chaos.         when we follow His will, we will be at peace in our lives.      we won't be looking for ways to strike out and hurt others.           it's a struggle at best, but God promises to be with us thru all of our struggles and He will provide for us.          I keep reminding myself this as I see how this country today, has fallen victim to all the heinous crimes by politicians and people in high places and all the evil and wicked stuff that's going on.       we are living in chaotic times and we can be rest assured that God is not the author of chaos!!!        the enemy is!!!!       but we also know that the enemy loses and he's on his way to an eternity in hell right now and he'll take some of the politicians with him.        he's just trying to cause as much turmoil as he can before Jesus comes back again.       but the enemy's days are numbered.       just like some of those who had done harm while David was still king and he told Solomon to exact revenge and Solomon did.      

next time we pick up at 1 Kings Chapter 3.

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is sin worth it?         I think at some point in time, we all have to ask and answer that question.        the answer will determine our future.         we're human and we'll sin as long as we're in these earth suits.    but we don't have wallow in sin.        we don't have to stay in sin.        God has provided a way for us to be in right relationship with Him and that's thru the shed blood of Jesus Christ.         I hope and pray that you know Him as your personal Lord and Savior.        having security thru Christ is the best gift that God could give us or has given us.        if you know Christ as your personal Lord and Savior, you have eternal life!!!        blessings of mercy and grace be yours today.          hugs and love, patty

Bible Study, and a couple more.................

good morning from a cold, frozen blogger today.        hahaha      the coldest I seen it this morning was 9 degrees at 5:30am.           it is now 8:35am and it's 15 degrees.        it's supposed to get up to about 32 degrees, but we'll see.       I hope it does warm up some, we need to get a walk in sometime today, since it will be a day or 3 or more before we can get out and walk again.         it's gonna warm up so it can snow in the morning.         forecast is for  between 4 and 7 inches of heavy wet snow.        we'll see.       I pray against it.       but I also pray that everyone has gotten or is getting as prepared today as they possibly can.       there's not a lot we can do about electricity, but we don't have to be hungry.        so I hope people that only buy food for one week at a time will have enough food to keep them going till they can get out.       we could be in for a long haul.       like I said, I'm praying against it.

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picking up at Exodus 3, where Moses encounters God in the form of a "burning bush".       early on, while studying this at a different time, I learned that where God is, that's holy ground.       if we have Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are holy and should be living holy lives with God's help.    we can't do it on our own.       there is no way we can, but with Christ, all things are possible, even living lives that honor God.       

where God is, is holy ground.        I have to ask myself every once in a while, if where I stand is holy, because I have Holy Spirit within me.       I pray that God will help me on a daily basis to live a holy life according to His word.       

I AM WHO I AM has sent me.         have you ever walked up to someone and said the I AM WHO I AM has sent me?        I sure haven't.       but if we let God be the guiding force in our lives, by Holy Spirit, thru the shed blood of Jesus Christ, then we could very well say that, if led by God to say it.      do you speak eloquently?       neither do I.        and the devil will tongue tie us at ever word.        but if go in the name of the Lord, He will bless our speech and he may even give us a trusted person to go with us.     sometimes we stand before people who have hard hearts.       I have even witnessed some of those hard hearts in people who claim to be Christians.       but when God puts words in our mouth, we have nothing to fear.       I have to remind myself of that often.       

I am always reminded that sin is a hard taskmaster.       one   of the reasons is because it's what we know.       there is a certain amount of comfort in what we know, instead of stepping out in unknown freedom.       we weigh known sin versus unknown freedom.      freedom is hard to get, it comes at a price.        just as rotting fish stinks, so does the sin in our lives.        the stench of rotting fish is similar to the stench that God smells when He looks upon the sin our lives.      too much of anything is bad, even frogs and insects.      

do we appreciate the "known" of sin more than the "unknow" of freedom?       gnats and flies????      another great analogy of the sin that swarms our lives.        we are bombarded on all sides with sin from this world.      again, it's the known sins versus the unknown freedoms that is before us.   how many times do we harden our own hearts towards the freedom that God offers to us?    

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see all the ................ in the title?            well, this is what they're all about.        I have a couple more "2 minutes in the kitchen with me" today.         I hope ya don't get tired of seeing them.         the first one is a snack that we have come to love and it satisfies a sweet tooth like nobody's business.        it's dates cut open and the seed removed and filled with a couple of teaspoons of peanut butter with a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips.         it is absolutely delicious.        and it's a lot healthier than a lot of other snacks we can be eating.     

oh wow, doesn't that look delicious?       well, it really is.        I'll make a couple a piece for us and it's all we need.       those dates are about the size of my thumb, split down the center and the pit taken out and then I open it as much as I can.       then stuff them peanut butter and choc chips and then we stuff them in our faces.       hahahaha

the next thing I want to share is the chili that I was telling y'all about yesterday being made with pace salsa.        it's really good too.        the salsa was mild, but it turned out a little spicier than I was wanting, so I put cheese in it and it did tone it down a little.       it will be good on a some corn chips.        it's not a real healthy meal, but it's comfort food and with the cold weather and snow that on it's way, we will enjoy it!!

wow wee, it's delicious!!!!        so if you want something to bump up the flavor of your chili, pace salsa is the way to do it.        I have to keep a watch out for more pace on sale now.      hopefully I'll find it and can get 3 or 4 jars and have it in waiting for more chili or soups.        I hope you have ways of spicing up your own foods just to give them a little change once in a while.        it keeps meal time fun and interesting.

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well, I guess that's about it for the time being.          I pray you seen something her that you liked, if you did, share it with a friend.        tell someone you know that God is the author and finisher of freedom, salvation in the form and  name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.       blessings of warmth, mercy and grace be upon all of us today.      hugs and love, patty

Bible Study, more dehydrating and a kitchen hack

good morning my beautiful friends.         I pray that you are all doing well and that you're staying warm, if you're in an area that's cold.       for us, in our neck of the woods, it's hanging in there at 25 to 27 degrees.        25 is the lowest I've seen it in about 3 days.        but we do have some weather rolling in here towards the end of the week with the promise of snow.       anywhere between 4 and 7 inches.       of course, it's all in God's hands and what He decides to do.       it does have the potential to become bad.    so if we're not ready, now's the time to get ready.        we need to get out lamps trimmed and keep them trimmed and be as ready as we can be for what may or may not happen.        with the warning comes action.        if we don't take action, then, it's on us and we can't blame anyone other than ourselves for lack of preparation on our part.       my main concern is power outage, and there's nothing that my husband and I can do to prevent that.       but as far as everything else, we've done what we can.       so we'll trust God to help us in our need and we'll trust Him for us to help others when the need arises.        get as prepared as we can for ourselves and then we can help others.       with God's help, that's our plan.        help us all Lord to be prepared for what ever comes our way.

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picking up in Genesis, Chapter 46, this is where Jacob and all the family go to Egypt, where Joseph is.  70 people in all, went to the land of Goshen.         Jacob has seen the face of his beloved son and he was ready close his eyes in death.         the pharaoh at the time was pleased with Joseph and the fact that his family was there close to Joseph.      in chapter 48 we see more deception taking place, similar to how Jacob deceived Issac and Esau.     but there is also God in the mix, showing that God blesses people even if they don't deserve it, from our point of view.        God is good all the time and God always does right.       Jacob prayed for God to bless both of the boys and for them to carry on the names of their forefathers.      Jacob blessed all his sons as God seen fit.      now, after Jacob's death, Joseph's brothers feared him.        and Joseph reminded them  that what they had meant  for evil against him,  God had meant it for good, for  all the generations to come.      now, starting in Exodus, we see a change of power.        Joseph dies and a new pharaoh doesn't recognize the power that Joseph had.       this new leader feared the people of Israel and he put the people in bondage and made slaves of them.        this was prophesied from the mouth of God earlier in Genesis.      one leader will not recognize what another leader valued.       we still see this today.       with a new regime comes fear and a new leadership.        but God was with His people!!!        they grew in number in spite of harsh conditions.         then along came the order to kill every make born to the Hebrews.        sounds kinda like the evil and wicked act of abortion today!!        there will be a price to pay for that too.        God is in the situation, and He alone spares Moses!!        this is where rubber meets the road and we see the rise of a great hero, led by God to do great things.       it make me wonder if there are any great men today that are willing to be led by God to do the hard things that will bring about a change in this country.         with God, all things are possible.      we have to remember that God hears the cries of His people and He will answer those cries.         with God, all things are possible.

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let's do a "2 minutes in the kitchen with me" segment again today.             this may turn into a regular part of my blog, who knows.           hahaha           so, on yesterdays blog post I shared a pic of 2 trays of minced onions.           well, they got done and I got them jarred up, before I realized I should have taken a pic of them dried, and still on the trays.          I've gotten rust to say the least.         but they turned out wonderful.           they smell so good and look so great too.           the color on them is perfect.

don't that look so good?            I can't wait to use this.           I know it will be delicious.     

this is one of those small jars that garlic actually comes in.          and those 4 trays filled this little jar to the brim.           I'm going to do more of both pretty soon.

this is a pan of russet potatoes that I fixed for my husband.          they have avocado oil, my own minced garlic, minced onion, salt and pepper.            these are so good as it.          but what will punch them over the top is when I put some in the air fryer to crisp them up like french fries.         these are far better than french fries any day.  

this is the sweet potatoes and the russet potatoes, done!!!           and they are so delicious!!!           I keep saying, but it's true.    hahahaha

this is them in all their loveliness boxed up and ready to go in the fridge to be devoured over the course of the rest of the week.           these reheat so well in the airfryer.         crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside.         yummy yummy, get in my tummy!!!

don't be afraid to dehydrate your own minced onions and minced garlic.         it will better than anything you can buy.         and if you grow your own garlic and onions, then that's a win win all the way around.

I'm sure you can find all kinds of way to use your homemade minced garlic and minced onions.        just try it, you'll love it and be hooked on dehydrating.

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and let's do another "2 minutes in the kitchen with me" while we're at it.         so, this morning is a perfect morning to make chili.       I had one last bag of a complete chili mix.         most everything in it was from dehydrated goods.        I didn't make it, but it's on my list of things to do.       the recipe on the bag calls for tomato paste and tomato sauce.         well, I have found that I prefer pace salsa instead of those 2 items.         so when I find the 16oz jars of pace salsa on sale, I'll get 2 or 3 just for soups and chili.     it's a wonderful addition to the chili and really gives it more flavor.       and, it also helps tone down some of the chili spices that I'm not so fond of.       I love a milder chili.        I don't mind heat in my chili, it's some of the spices that are off putting to me.        so, the Pace salsa really helps me enjoy chili in more ways than one.          so I hope this is useful to someone.

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I guess that's about it for today.         I pray you have a wonderful day.        just know that God has provided the only way for all of us to be in right relationship with Him, and that's thru the shed blood of His precious Son, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior!!!         that's how much He loves us!!      blessings of mercy and peace be yours today.        hugs and love, patty