Sunday, August 31, 2014

More Love to Thee

More Love to Thee
by Elizabeth Prentiss

More love to Thee, O Christ, more love to Thee!
Hear Thou the prayer I make on bended knee.
This is my earnest plea: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Once earthly joy I craved, sought peace and rest;
Now Thee alone I seek, give what is best.
This all my prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Let sorrow do its work, come grief or pain;
Sweet are Thy messengers, sweet their refrain,
When they can sing with me: More love, O Christ, to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!

Then shall my latest breath whisper Thy praise;
This be the parting cry my heart shall raise;
This still its prayer shall be: More love, O Christ to Thee;
More love to Thee, more love to Thee!


***

Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
Ephesians 6:24

Friday, August 29, 2014

Photo Friday: Games

Last Friday I had the evening off so I hosted a game party. Five friends were able to come and we had a wonderful time playing Apples to Apples and Dutch Blitz!



Kati's Little Corner of the World

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Owen's Fudge

The other day, my nephew Owen said he wanted to try to make fudge. I told him I'd be glad to help him out for his first time. Since we were going to be together on Monday we planned on making some.

I was there in case he needed help but he did most of the work himself. His first fudge was perfect! 


Monday, August 25, 2014

Miracle in a Dry Season {Book Review}

*** I was given a copy of this book by Bethany House Publishers in exchange for my honest review of the book. 


Cover Art
source
When I got the Bethany House August books email I didn't know either of the authors featured. I'm sad to say that I'd usually just skip that month and not take a chance on reading a book I might not like, but this month, I decided to give it a try.

I requested the book Miracle in a Dry Season by Sarah Loudin Thomas. I had seen a few things about it on the Bethany House Facebook page and I was drawn to the pretty cover. 

Though I enjoyed the story, I don't know if I would read more by this author. I am glad I chose to read this book, though. I liked the characters and their stories. The main female character, Perla, was a sweet, gentle, kind person and her daughter is just like her. The main male character, Casewell, is a strong Christian man. I think the writing style wasn't quite my taste. I didn't have a hard time getting through this book but it also didn't inspire me like other Christian fiction books do. I also didn't think about the story for days after I finished it like others. I didn't find anything objectionable in this book so I would still recommend this book to other people. 

Sunday, August 24, 2014

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing
words by Charles Wesley

O for a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of His grace!

My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honors of Thy name.

Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace.

He breaks the power of canceled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

Hear Him, ye deaf; His praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Savior come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy.


:: :: :: :: :: :: ::

“I…heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands.”
~Revelation 5:11

Friday, August 22, 2014

Photo Friday: Cicada

This cicada must have just molted because the shell was only a few inches away. I snapped a few shots before it flew away. 



Kati's Little Corner of the World

Sunday, August 17, 2014

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

I Sing the Mighty Power of God
Isaac Watts

I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise,
That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.
I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at God’s command, and all the stars obey.

I sing the goodness of the Lord, who filled the earth with food,
Who formed the creatures through the Word, and then pronounced them good.
Lord, how Thy wonders are displayed, where’er I turn my eye,
If I survey the ground I tread, or gaze upon the sky.

There’s not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known,
And clouds arise, and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne;
While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care;
And everywhere that we can be, Thou, God art present there.


* * *

God made the earth by His power. ~ Jeremiah 10:12-13

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Coffee Bark

I have made peppermint bark around Christmas for years. It's a favorite treat for several people in our family. Then, a few years ago, I experimented with the recipe and make orange bark.

Then came coffee bark. My sister-in-law Sarah invented this variation. She asked for the peppermint and orange bark recipes and while we were emailing back and forth we came up with all kinds of bark ideas. But the one that stuck with us the most was coffee bark. Sarah tried it first and sent me the amounts she used of each ingredient. 

It. was. fabulous! 



All of us coffee lovers were thrilled with how it turned out. This isn't just a Christmas treat, either. It's great for any time of year!



Tuesday, August 12, 2014

A New Car and Keychain

I bought a car on Saturday! 


My old car (a hand-me-down from my dad) wasn't doing too well. I would only go to work and back and even then I was worried if it would make it.

My new car is reliable, has air conditioning, and a cd player. Now to come up with a name for my new car...

:: :: :: :: ::

A new car gave me the incentive to make a new keychain. I got the pattern for the felt bird from Craft-a-Day and added the loop for the keychain. It took me less than an hour to complete and makes my keys and pink Swiss Army knife look so much cuter. :)


Sunday, August 10, 2014

He Hideth My Soul

He Hideth My Soul
words by Fanny Crosby

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Savior to me;
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.

A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away;
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.

With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And filled with His fullness divine,
I sing in my rapture, oh, glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!

When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect salvation, His wonderful love
I’ll shout with the millions on high.

Refrain:
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life with the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.

:: :: :: :: ::

“I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.” 
Exodus 33:22

Friday, August 8, 2014

Photo Friday: Being Home

I like this quote about books by Louisa May Alcott. The book in the background is Some Wildflower in my Heart by Jamie Langston Turner. It's one of my favorite books! 



Kati's Little Corner of the World

Thursday, August 7, 2014

Crock Pot Rice Pudding

This was originally a guest post I wrote for Mom's Slow Cooker series. You can see that post ~here~.

~ ~ ~

I love making desserts of all varieties. One thing I hadn't tried making was rice pudding. Mom makes the stove top kind almost every year for Dad's birthday (which is tomorrow) but I've never tried it myself. I've come across several recipes for crock pot rice pudding on Pinterest so I decided to give it a try. It was easy to put together and not time consuming at all. I took this recipe as my inspiration but I changed a lot of things to fit our tastes. 


1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup half and half
2 cups milk
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup uncooked rice
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

1. Combine whipping cream, half and half, milk, sugar, rice, and vanilla in a slow cooker.
2. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours or until creamy, stirring once or twice.
3. Stir in cinnamon and raisins.


I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

The Midnight Fox



With this book, I've completed half of the books Kristin has given me to read for the challenge. Five was the minimum we had to read so any others are for fun, though I will still blog about them. Last year, I had read the five by the middle of May but this year, I was a little slower.

I've been reading the challenge books in spurts... the first three within a few weeks of each other. Then the next two also within a short amount of time.

I'm planning on reading all of the books on this list sometime this year. That was my goal last year though I missed it by one (which I'm reading right now).






Sisters Book Challenge
Book 5
The Midnight Fox by Betsy Byars



Tom doesn't want to stay at his aunt's farm for the summer while his parents go to Europe. He is having a tough time adjusting to his new surroundings until he stumbles upon a black fox in the woods. In the weeks after his discovery, he keeps seeing the fox and even finds her den. Instead of being the worst summer of Tom's life, it turns out to be one of the best. 

I was expecting a depressing story (as many animal stories are) but this book wasn't that at all. This was an easy read with short chapters, which I like. I would be interested in reading other books by this author in the future. 

Sunday, August 3, 2014

Now I Belong to Jesus

Last week, I was cleaning out my email inbox. Way down I found an email I sent to myself with a youtube link. I have no idea why I sent myself that email but I'm glad I did because I enjoyed listening to the medley of Now I Belong to Jesus and Jesus is All the World to Me.





Now I Belong to Jesus
words by Norman Clayton

Jesus, my Lord will love me forever,
From Him no pow'r of evil can sever,
He gave His life to ransom my soul;
Now I belong to Him;

Chorus:
Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

Once I was lost in sin's degradation,
Jesus came down to bring me salvation,
Lifted me up from sorrow and shame,
Now I belong to Him;

Chorus:
Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

Joy floods my soul for Jesus has saved me,
Freed me from sin that long had enslaved me
His precious blood, He came to redeem,
Now I belong to Him;

Chorus:
Now I belong to Jesus,
Jesus belongs to me,
Not for the years of time alone,
But for eternity.

Friday, August 1, 2014

Photo Friday: Cicada Shell

It looks like this cicada shell has been on our front porch for a while since it's covered in spider webs. I think these things are kind of neat, don't you?



Kati's Little Corner of the World