treasures...

This week has been a WEEK!

It began on Saturday night when my computer decided to die. Technically it was the hard drive that died but it might as well have been the entire computer. My dad (our resident computer expert) worked on it for two very long evenings with no avail. Now this is an expensive problem and an inconvenient problem but it wasn't that big of a deal until the news that my hard drive being dead meant the possibility of loosing everything on it...including my pictures. That is when I broke. I never thought I would cry about pictures but cry I did.

Then on Thursday night I was studying Matthew 6 with some precious ladies and we read this:

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21

While we were reading this it was like the Lord was asking me where my treasure is. Have I been storing up treasure on a hard drive where it can be erased? Is my treasure in things of this earth that only fade away?

I had a lot of pictures of very precious memories. I should have had them backed up somewhere else but I didn't and now it looks like they may be gone for good. But the treasures behind those pictures; the places I followed Jesus, the people I followed Him with, the lives I saw Him touch, those are eternal treasures that will never be erased.

God is so gracious and gentle in the way He deals with my heart. Even though it's hard loosing the pictures, He used it to refocus my heart on what is most important. I want my treasures to be the things of eternity because I want my heart to be set on the things of eternity. As I prepare to spend my summer serving in Mozambique it's easy to get worried about the little details. But God used this to remind me of the big picture which is lives being touched for eternity. So as the week ends, my heart is encouraged.

God is so good and He does good things.

soup again...

I really do other things with my life besides making soup. I was left to find my own dinner on the Friday night before Saint Patrick's Day so I got creative.

I am a wee bit Irish after all...on my Dad's side of the family. Some of my ancestors came to America in the 1700's from Ireland, Scotland and England.

I also really enjoy the holiday because of a biography about Saint Patrick my mom made me read for school when I was a kid. Saint Patrick was actually British but he was taken to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. Later after he returned home, the Lord called him back to Ireland as a missionary. That is probably why I liked his story so much.

So in honor of my slightly Irish heritage and Saint Patrick...here is my potato soup and soda bread.

The Soda Bread came out a bit hard but it worked for dipping in soup.

Potato Soup to which I added leeks and spinach.

A delightful dinner!

a rainy March morning

It's a rainy March morning. I woke up at 5am to a regular rainstorm. That makes me happy because it means S.P.R.I.N.G. is coming!! I know I live in Michigan and shouldn't get too excited yet...it could be snowing by the end of the day. But I have H.O.P.E. and that is a joyous thing!

On this rainy March morning, I made dinner for my family to eat tonight. We try to take turns with the cooking at our house and I actually went the extra step and planned this meal. I'm just not going to be around for dinner tonight so I spent the morning sharpening my "house-wife" skills :)

.Thursday Dinner at the Hall House.

I made Tuscan White Bean and Tomato Soup with Spinach and Feta Bread.

{Click for the Recipes}

This is my second attempt at this recipe. This time I had the fresh rosemary it calls for - my brother said the kitchen smells like Thanksgiving dinner.

It was also my second time making the spinach bread. My dear friend Bethany discovered it and we made it together last week with an Italian Cheese blend (which was also good).

.yum.

Since I won't be here for dinner, I had mine for lunch. Perfect for a rainy S.P.R.I.N.G. day.

.stop.for.the.one.

I was reminded of this video as I was reading Mark 10 this morning. In verse 13 people were bringing children to Jesus so He could touch them; but the disciples told them to go away. But when Jesus saw what was going on, it says He was indignant. He told them to let the children come to Him. Then He really shook things up when He said this: "...the kingdom of God belongs to such as these."

A little later in Mark 10:46 there was a blind beggar named Bartimaeus sitting by the road. When he heard that Jesus is going by he started saying "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!". People in the crowd were telling him to be quiet but he wouldn't give up. "And Jesus stopped and said, "call him here." (Mark 10:49) After finding out what he wanted, Jesus told Bartimaeus, "Go; your faith has made you well." And he was healed.

This video is about the child sponsorship program at Iris ministries but in it Heidi Baker shares a story about the heart of Jesus to stop for .the one., to find out what they need, and to do something. It is about putting love into action, not just words. That is what Jesus did. He had time for the children with their runny noses and silly questions. He even said we all need to be like them to receive the kingdom of God. Jesus stopped for the beggar that was annoying everyone else and gave him back his sight.

This is why I want to go to Mozambique this summer. I want eyes to see .the one. like Jesus does. I want my heart expanded to contain this kind of love. I want to learn how to put that love into action not just words.

Sinking In

Even though I have been planning on going to MOZAMBIQUE for over a month now, the fact hasn't totally sunk in.

I was driving home from the gym today thinking about the coming summer and realized this is really happening! The Lord really is opening this door wide for me. He really is calling me to spend my summer experiencing His love and learning about giving it.

Three {short} months from now these feet will be on MOZAMBICAN soil bringing the Kingdom of Love!

That makes this little heart excited!

I just don't want to be so busy doing things to prepare that I miss anything the Father wants to do in my heart now to make me ready for this adventure. I have a feeling that I have no idea even close to how much He has planned for this summer. He is faithful to lead us and prepare us, I want to make it my priority to listen to Him. Jesus has lead me this far, I don't want to go any further without Him.