HAPPY BIRTHDAY TERRY

So I got up this morning and checked the blogs and discovered that today is Sister Terry's Birthday!! Happy Birthday to our sisterhood's favorite encourager! It is early, I haven't got any makeup on, heck I haven't even combed my hair yet but I DO have my coffee. At any rate Terry, this is for you!!

ITS PARTY TIME !!!

I added a song this morning 8/25/2010....Happy Birthday Terry

 

We have a special day coming up 

for a special someone......

August 25th to be exact 

 
 

and with advance notice...

we can surely celebrate in 

GRAND fashion

If you would like to contribute   

bake a cake, 

(no strawberries please)

select a gift, 

 

 send a special card 

sing a favorite song....

 

For all the beautiful and thoughtful

greetings our dear sweet Terry

blesses US with....

may they be returned to her

a thousand times over

H A P P Y     B I R T H D A Y    

T E R R Y

The Three Bs-Day 3

Pyari Beheno (Dear Sisters)Day 3 brought me face to face with the Bs (thank goodness they were not bees) BAEL, BITTER GOURD, and BEEF STEW.
To cool off on a hot and humid day
Amrita made a glass of Bael drink.
One can buy Bael powder in stores.
Just add a tablespoon of the powder to
a glass of chilled water,
and sugar according to your taste and give it
a good stir and
its ready.
We used Natura, Sugar Free or Splenda
This is what the Bael fruit looks like.
Its called wood apple or quince in English.Beal is very nutritious.Its full of minerals and vitamins.Good for the heart and stomach.It also builds up the immune system against viruses.You can also buy fresh fruit and extract the pulp for the drink.The powder is cheaper.Amrita bought this jar at a discount Farmer 's Fair.During some festivals Hindusoffer the Bael fruit and leaves to the gods in the temples.
Amrita got some Karela or Bitter Gourd
from the monsoon garden.
This vegetable is extremely bitter
and folks with 'mature ' tastes prefer it.
Children and others make
a face when offered karela sabzi.
Amrita did not like it as a child she says.
But now she loves it and
her sister Anju likes karela sandwich,
which she invented.
Karela has many medicinal properties.
And if you don 't want to imbibe it
as food, you can have it in capsule form.
It is said to prevent diabetes and treat it too.
It also detoxifies the immune system.
Karela sabzi does not spoil easily,
so if you are travelling , you can
take it in your lunch box
and it can be eaten on a journey.
Amrita 's Mom sliced the karela thinly.
Then Amrita scalded it in hot water and drained it.
You can even marinate it in salt
for 15 to 30 minutes. It will release its bitter juices which can be squeezed out
and the salt washed away.
Here is the dish Amrita made.
Although Westerners might not like
the slightly bitter vegetable,
Amrita would like to share a recipe.You can make stuffed karelas
and spicy ones too.
This is an easy one

CRISPY KARELA
Crunchy fried bitter gourds (karela) tossed with jaggery, poppy seeds and cashewnuts. This recipe tastes superb when served immediately after it is made. It is a great accompaniment for kadhi-chawal. Cooking Time : 30 mins.Preparation Time : 20 mins.Serves 4.Ingredients2½ cups karela (bitter gourd), sliced¼ cup jaggery (gur), grated½ teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi)2 tablespoons broken cashewnuts1½ teaspoons poppy seeds (khus-khus)½ teaspoon sesame seeds (til)1 tablespoon raisins (kismis)1 tablespoon oilsalt to tasteOther ingredientsoil for deep fryingMethod1.Peel and slice the karelas and apply salt over them. Cover and allow them to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Drain out the liquid and discard.2.Dissolve the jaggery in 3 to 4 tablespoons of water and keep aside.3.Deep fry the karela slices in hot oil till they are crisp and golden brown. Drain and keep aside.4.Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida and the turmeric powder.5.Add the cashewnuts and fry till they are lightly browned. Then add the poppy seeds, sesame seeds and raisins.6.Add the jaggery solution and allow it to cook for 4 to 5 minutes till it thickens. Lower the flame, mix the fried karela slices into the jaggery mixture and cook until the karlea slices are dry.7.Transfer onto a plate and allow to cool slightly. Serve when the karela slices are crisp.

You can eat it with rice and dal or chapatis.

______________________________

Another notable apron of the Bible was worn
by Ruth the Moabitess.
We are all familiar with the portrayal of pure love
in this story- the devoted love of Ruth to her Hebrew mother-in-law Naomi
the romantic love between Ruth and Boaz
and the redemptive love of God.
Ruth wore three aprons.
The first one was made in Moab, her native place.
But when she made a decision to follow her mother-in-law
back to Bethlehem, she exchanged her old apron for a
Hebrew one and she said to her MIL.


16 But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me." 18 When Naomi realized that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her.

Later on while gleaning barley in the fields of kind Boaz
she spread out her apron
for him to fill with barley.



A gentle loving warmth sprang up
between Ruth and Boaz
and her sensitive MIL also noticed it.
So she suggested that Ruth participate
in the Harvest Feast with Boaz and his workers
and stay in close proximity to him
Very symbolic of the Hebrew concept of
protection, redemption and marriage.
So at the conclusion of the feast
Ruth covers herself with the edge of Boaz ' mantle , the Chudda
(in India we call it Chadar),
thus asking him to be her
kinsman redeemer.

7 When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. 8 In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet.
9 "Who are you?" he asked. "I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer.

To cut the story short, Ruth request for protective covering was granted when \Boaz carefully fulfilled all the legal requirements for a kinsman redeemer and later on marries her.

The rest is history- leading to the birth of King David.

In closing let me say that Christ is our kinsman redeemer. The one who spreads His mantle/apron over us when we submit ourselves to Him.

Plain Lunch and Egg Curry - Day 2

Hello Beheno (sisters). If want I could blog here for the rest of my life because kind Mrs Mac has gifted me to Amrita. So India has become my land of abode and retirement. No, no I am just joking I will share a few days of my life here.

Amrita says a big thank you to Mrs Mac and all the sisters. When she touches me she feels the warmth and glow of all the saints who have worn me sisters and brothers ( their husbands). She calls me a holy sacred apron because I have sojourned in the International Family of God and graced their sumptuous tables. My, my I feel so proud to hear that and Amrita too.

We had simple home cooked meals today.

Here is Mama cleaning rice and dal (lentils)

sitting on the veranda.

I will ask her to wear me

next time she does that.

Amrita got a basket full of greens

called chaw-la-ee from her garden.

Chawlai is a poor man 's or rural folk food, but city

people also eat it- the ones

with the more simpler tastes.

Chawlai is very nutritious full of'

vitamins and iron.

Its similar to spinach.
It is cooked with onions, dried red chillies

salt and chopped garlic.

(Indian onions are white in color and sharp to taste.)

Chawlai is slightly tangy or sour.

Boiled rice and dal is the traditional

Indian lunch.

It is accompanied with one or two vegetables

depending on what the family

can afford.

Poor people only have rice and dal.

You can have chapatis, salad, yogurt,

chutney, pickle etc. with it.
Westerners like dal and rice too

Amrita knows 2 missionary families

who always had dal and rice for lunch

and western food for dinner.

We decided to make egg curry

for dinner


Amrita boiled some eggs, shelled and fried them in oil instill brown.

Then a mixture of minced onions ,ginger garlic paste

and spices was nicely browned in the

same oil.
afterwards peeled and diced potatoes

were added together with water,

enough to make a gravy,

along with salt and some tomato puree.

When the potatoes were soft,

the browned eggs were introduced

to the potatoes and gravy.

Everything simmered for a few minutes

And here you are!

A nice dish of egg curry.

Which can be eaten with rice or bread.
Here is a recipe fro it

EGG CURRY

Ingredients:
Boiled eggs
4
Onion
1
Tomato
1
Ginger paste
1 tsp.
Garlic paste
1 tsp.
Green chilli
1
Red chilli powder

1 tsp.
Turmeric Powder
3/4 tsp.
Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp.
Bay leaves
2
Cloves

2-3
Black pepper
4-5
Vegetable oil
5 tbsp.
Salt to taste

Coriander leaves

Method:
1.
Cut onion, tomato and green chilli into small pieces. Grind it in a mixer to make paste.
2.
Cut the eggs into half.
3.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce the heat and fry eggs with egg yolk facing the top. Then slowly make the eggs upside down and fry the other side till light golden brown in color.
4.
Remove the fried eggs from pan and keep aside.
5.
Add bay leaves, cloves, black pepper and fry for 30 sec.
6.
Add onion tomato paste. Add ginger-garlic paste. Fry until oil starts separating.
7.
Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt. Heat for a few seconds and then add 3 cups of water to make gravy. Bring the gravy to boil and let it cook for 10 minute on low heat.
8.
When the gravy becomes thick, switch off the gas.
9.
Place the fried eggs (with egg yolk facing the top) in a dish and pour this gravy over the eggs.
Serve hot. Garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves.

The first apron or protective garment was

unsuccessful as we said on Day 1.

Adam and Eve felt vulnerable and exposed

after God pronounced His first judgement on them

for breaking His command.

When God planted the Garden of Eden He

put two trees in the center of it

The meaning of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil

can be understood by the serpent 's promise,"By eating from this tree you will

be making your own decision. You will be

like God, determining for yourself what is right and wrong."

The fall of man was all about women and men

assuming the posture

that they don 't need anyone to tell them

what to do. They would decide for themselves

what 's good and what 's bad.

They would be self -sufficient and

self-determining..

Of course, what was ignored in that whole discussion

is the tree of life.

God wanted humans to eat from the tree of life.

Eating from the tree of life meant receiving the

uncreated life of God into oneself.

The tree of life was God' s own life

made accessible to human beings.Today the tree of life is

the Lord Jesus Christ.

"Jesus said,"I am the true vine".

God had to banish the guilty pair before they

could eat of the Tree of life

and become sinful immortals on earth.

But to protect their shaking shivering bodies

from the blasts of The Curse or Judgement,

He provided aprons or clothing for them.

God slew an animal and gave

Adam and Eve its skins to don.

These coverings were strong, and protective.

We don 't know what animal it was ,

but the Bible calls Jesus Christ the Lamb

of God slain before the foundation of the earth.

When we accept Christ as our Saviour from sin

His blood cleanses us from all unrighteousness

and we are robed in His righteousness, the Bible tells us.
Beloved, Romans 13:14 says ,But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

I wear not my own righteousness because

I have none. My best deeds are like

soiled rags before God.

The apron I wear is the righteousness of Christ.

Sneak Peek

...... getting in gear to begin a new year ... watch for more information coming soon!

PRAYING FOR SUZI & THE BOYS

Most of you know about the sudden death of a dear brother in Christ, Bart Phillips last week. Bart is the younger brother of some good friends of ours and along with his wife Suzi, was one of the original 12 families that started our church-Cross Timbers. I wrote how this 41 year old Godly man was taken from his gentle wife and their 3 young sons suddenly and unexpectedly from a brain aneurysm. Today in Colorado Springs the families gathered together to say goodbye to Bart. On Friday at 2PM we'll be celebrating Bart's life at our church here in Argyle, Texas with Suzi and her boys.
Bart, Suzi, Gabe, Luke and Nate.

Bart worked for Dr. Dobson at Focus On The family. Here Dr. Dobson stoops down to pray for Bart's mother Gay Nell.


Bart's job at Focus On The Family put him in contact with famous Christian people. Bart & Suzi with Michael W. Smith.


Who gets flowers at their funeral from Michael W Smith? Bart does!

Suzi with her boys.



Gabe giving Suzi a hug at the cemetery.



Can you imagine being so grounded, so intimate with God, that you can worship even when your heart is broken? THAT is FAITH in ACTION!

Swagatam Miss Apron - Day 1

Namaste friends,

I arrived this afternoon at Amrita 's front door

all safe and sound,having crossed 2 continents by air.

I am quite a globetrotter am I not!

I' ve had such enjoyable and exotic visits in

the United States, Canada, Norway, the Philippines and

now its the land of the Taj Mahal- India.

I received a very warm (in every sense of

the word) Swagatam or welcome here in Allahabad,

a fairly large city in North India.

Amrita created a special seat ,

spreading a silk saree for me, as

her red carpet is all rolled up for

the summer.

In India guests are served a hot or cold

drink with a lite snack, followed

by whatever refreshments the hosts

have in the house.
It helped me get over my jet lag.

She was about to make a stir fry dish

with a vegetable called koond-roo(kundru)

and potatoes.

While she worked in the
kitchen, Mama and I heard
listened to Christian Internet Radio
on the veranda.

Amrita cut up the potatoes and kundru.
And stir fried with with sliced onions and chopped garlic, powdered turmeric ,
roasted cumin seeds and dried red chillies

This was eaten with wholewheat
bread called chapatis.
India is land of multi ethnic cuisines.
You can get lost in this
Amazon (or amazing) forest of food.
Indian food preferences are
influenced by religion, caste, ethnicity,
state, agriculture, language and economic status.
And of course health is another consideration.
*********
As additions to her posts
Amrita wants to talk about my ancestors,
aprons or protective garments
from the Bible.

The world 's first apron was hastily woven together
by Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden,
after they had eaten the forbidden fruit.,
thus committing sin.
The knowledge of good and evil dawned upon
them and their eyes were opened
towards their own nakedness.
Their bodies became vessels of
guilt and shame instead of
glory and grace.
So to cover the nudity of their mind
and body they stitched together garments made with
fig leaves.
These leafy vestments would be complete failures
because fig leaves irritate the skin and would soon
whither and fall off., or the wind would
blow them away.
Our first parents needed a strong,
trustworthy, durable
and hard wearing raiment.
We shall talk about that in our next post.