Cora: Monthly Calendar

Hello ladies!

Just to help you out a little, we have decided to post a monthly calendar to help you keep track of upcoming events.

Here it is for October:
October 9 - Titus Study 1 - Church Office at 6:30
October 23 - Titus Study 2 - Church Office at 6:30

Keep in mind that our annual mini-retreat to the Lights of Christmas is November 30 through December 1. I will be posting more details for this on our November calendar.

Looking forward to a wonderful year together!

Laurie: Pretzel Turtles

For all you busy moms, I found this recipe in a magazine and thought, Christmas is just around the corner. It seems like it would be an easy, good gift for family and friends. Wrapped up with love and a little colored cellophane, tied with a ribbon and gift card and it's all ready to give.

Pretzel Turtles

Makes 24

24 small pretzels
24 Rolo candies
(caramel-covered chocolates)
24 pecan halves

1 Preheat oven to 300 degrees
2 Arrange the pretzels in a single layer
on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Place one Rolo on each pretzel.
3 Bake for 4 minutes. While candy is
warm, press a pecan half onto each candy-covered pretzel. Cool completely,
then enjoy or store in an airtight
container.

Laurie: Quick-Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

This is really good and so easy. Sue Wendt gave it to me.
Beef burritos reinvented.

Quick-Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

Prep: 10 min. Total 35 min.

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1 1/4 oz.) Taco seasoning mix
1 can (19 oz.) kidney beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup salsa
1 cup water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1 1/2-inch squares
1 cup Mexican style shredded four cheese
1/3 cup sour cream
1/3 cup chopped green onions (about 1 large)

Brown meat in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain.

Add seasoning mix, beans, salsa and water; stir. Bring
to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 5 min.

Stir in tortillas; top with cheese. Cover; let stand
5 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour
cream and onions.

Makes 4 servings, 1 1/2 cups each.

Jazz it up: Top with your favorite mexican-style
toppings just before serving, such as shredded
lettuce, chopped tomatoes and/or chopped avocados.

Sue said she liked taco chips with it instead of the
flour tortillas as well. It Gives it crunch.

Sylvia: Contentment

As a stay-at-home mommy this late in my life, I find myself being tempted from time to time to be discontent. Truth be known, I'm probably not the only one. It is so easy to find ourselves wishing for a better this or different that, isn't it? The world around us is saturated in discontent and it's so easy to be influenced and drawn into it. All we have to do is watch a few TV commercials and soon we can want what we can't afford and desire to be who we cannot be.

Any time I find myself in this state for whatever reason, mommyitis or restlessness, I have to come back to the place where I know that the deepest longing of my heart is for a closer relationship with Jesus. He is the true longing of my soul. Nothing or no one else will ever fill the yearning and desires of our hearts. Not works, power, position, food, men, drugs, booze, jewelry, clothes, cars or mansions. And the list goes on.

The apostle Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11 that he learned to be content in any situation, whether in plenty or not enough, humbled or exalted. He knew his strength to endure and overcome came from the Lord. In Hebrews 13:5 we are challenged to be content and given the reason why ... because Jesus said that He would never leave us nor forsake us. My desire is to be content in Jesus, in the life that He has given me and the calling that He has placed on that life. I desire that for you too because that is where peace and joy are found--in contentment.

I read a poem the other morning that so touched my heart that I really wanted to share it with you. Whoever wrote this poem seems like a Godly woman. She just wanted to serve her King not realizing that she was doing just that, right in the place where he had her. Discontentment had come in and robbed her of her peace and joy. It was only when she accepted His will for her life that she became still.

I longed to walk along an easy road,

And leave behind the dull routine of home,

Thinking in other fields to serve my God;

But Jesus said, "My time has not yet come."

I longed to sow the seed in other soil,

To be unfettered in the work and free,

To join in other laborers in their toil;

But Jesus said, " 'Tis not My choice for thee."

I longed to leave the desert, and be led

To work where souls were sunk in sin and shame,

That I might win them; but the Master said,

"I have not called thee, publish here my name."

I longed to fight the battles of my King,

Lift high His standards in the thickest strife;

But my great Captain bade me wait and sing

Songs of His conquest in my quiet life.

I longed to leave the uncongenial sphere,

Where all alone I seemed to stand and wait,

To feel I had some human helper near,

But Jesus bade me guard one lonely gate.

I longed to leave the round of daily toil,

Where no one seemed to understand or care;

But Jesus said, "I choose for thee this soil,

That thou might'st raise for me some blossoms rare."

And now I have no longing but to do

At home, or else afar, His blessed will,

To work amid the many or the few;

Thus, "choosing not to choose," my heart is still.

-Selected.

God bless you, dearest ladies.

Shannon: Blue Letter Bible links

Tonight at our women's ministry kick-off, I'll be referring to the Blue Letter Bible site and specifically, to this first link--a lexicon page, where you can type in an English word and it will tell you the various Greek or Hebrew meanings to that word, as well as all the occurrences in Scripture.

Rather than trying to spell out the addresses, I'll link to them here and refer the women to our site.

Blue Letter Bible--Lexicon (for when you don't know the Strong's number--just the English word)

Blue Letter Bible--Strong's (for when you do know the Strong's number)

Blue Letter Bible--Word Search (type in a word at the top of the right-hand menu and it will search the dictionary information from Nave's, Vines, Torrey's, Hitchcock's, Easton's Dictionaries, and the Thematic Subject Guide)

I hope you're all planning to be there! I'm looking forward to another wonderful year with our ladies.