Happy Independence Day!

 We MATCH!

 You know me, I have to post about my food! These are homemade white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. I got the White Chocolate from Whole Foods, so it was that gourmet stuff! They were so delicious, I ate them all myself.

 Rotel, classic party dip!

 We have burgers and hot dogs, baked beans (thank you S & C), grilled corn with chili butter and fresca cheese, chips and dip, brownies with banana cream cheese icing, and BBQ Chicken Wings!

 Kel holding the babies!

 Kim, Shelly, and Hannah!

 Me, Shelly, and Hannah!

 Charlie is doing my grilling! haha! Thanks Charlie!

 Tommy is helping out with the grilling too!

 Pretty pics of Stacia and Charlie!

 What beautiful girls, I dare say? haha!

 Kim and I!

 David got to eat green beans! Poor little guy, no cheeseburgers for you just yet!

 The Taylor clan came and Heather's mom was in town! This is Mrs. Pat and Paige.

 Heather and two or her three children! Nathan and Natalie!

 JoJo and Nathan!

 Paige with her Grandmother.

 Joanna holding baby David! She has three of her own kids.

 This was July 3rd. David and I are dressed up for church.

I had a great fourth of July weekend that included friends, family, and pool time! I am SOOO blessed to have wonderful people in my life who love me and care for me and my family! We are  blessed to Independence in our country (even if it's slowly being taken away) to worship Christ and worship freely. I'm constantly reminded of the real freedom I have in Christ. This world can anything they want to me, including kill me, but they can't take away my faith in Jesus nor my eternal life!

Vacation Bible School

 Just because it's soooo funny!

 David playing in the nursery at his very first VBS at FBCJoelton! He's so happy!

 Hannah and I organized and worked in the Teacher's Snack Room! All the workers come here for food and refreshment. It was a BUSY job, completely nonstop, but I can't complain! We got to eat and work with FOOD! Surprisingly enough, I didn't gain any weight that week, but I didn't lose anymore either. Ha. I enjoyed working with Hannah! We are both very loud and outgoing, but we both love Christ.

 D in the nursery.

 I don't know what day this was, but we decorated the room and played swing music and wore aprons! The VBS theme was the Big Apple. So we tried to think of things that went with New York!

 David and Sarah are for sure getting to be close friends! David gets so excited when he sees Sarah, and he loves her! Hannah and I love to listen to their hilarious conversations with each other.

 I don't know, just playing in the nursery I guess.

If I was lucky I got to come visit David in the nursery for a few minutes! It was nice to see my boy!

Matthew 22

I was reading Matthew 22 this morning and found that Jesus' words spoke straight to my soul. The photo above isn't anyone I know, it's just called, "Bride Waiting." Verses 1 - 14 talk about the parable of the wedding banquet. There's a man who wants to celebrate his son's wedding and throw a party so he sends his servants to invite the guests who refuse to come. He does so a second time, but they are too busy, and some even persecute the servants and kill them. The man, enraged, commands his leftover servants to go into the streets and invite anyone: the good, the bad, and the ugly. They all come. 

Now, I would think that the parable would end here. The man represents God, his son is Jesus, and the celebration is the marriage of Christ and the his Bride (the church). The servants are us Christians who go forth to spread the Good News that Jesus is coming again for his Bride (the church) and we can go to heaven and be forgiven of our sin in His name when we believe. The people who refuse the gospel represent the world who rejects Christ and persecute the church. The good, bad, and ugly represent the widows, orphans, poor, and rejected people who find Christ. As you know, God always chooses the "weak" or "lesser" things of this world to shame the wise, strong, and powerful.

But the parable didn't end... There's more.

The king came in to see a man there NOT wearing wedding clothes. He asked how the man got in the banquet and the man was speechless. He had apparently snuck in. The king had him thrown out into the "darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Verse 14 ends with, "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

At first glance at the second half of the parable I think of a "wolf in sheep's clothing." Someone, who, goes out of there way to look, act, talk, walk, and breathe like a Christian but really wants to cause dissension and lead people astray. I'll be honest, while I don't want to cause strife or harm among the brethren, part of me was scared and I asked myself: Is this me? Am I a fake? Do I dress, talk, walk, and act like a Christian only to not know the true power of the living God in my heart? 

I can tell you that although I sin and mess up drastically, and have a bit of a rebellious spirit at times, I know in whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I've committed to Himself for that day! Sometimes, I wish I had more of a black and white conversion. Crazy, huh? Couldn't I have had just a small addiction to drugs or something? Something to where I could see a dramatic change of heart and just KNOW by my heart change what Christ did for me? I got saved as a kid, so outwardly, there's some gray. Don't get me wrong, I've let my heart get to the point where it was so black and calloused that when I finally was brought out of the pit I KNEW it was Christ in Me who redeemed me and set me on a rock! But I don't wanna' always live in past experiences. I want Christ now! I want to WEAR the wedding clothes: robes of righteousness, garments of praise, etc, etc! I think when we read scripture we should always question our motives and who we are. Probe ourselves until it hurts. Find sin and allow Christ to tear it out of our lives!

My prayer today is that I continue to press forth like the servants did. No matter what the cost, sharing God's grace with others and learning how to better except it for myself (not by earning it or trying to achieve it). May God's grace be with you today.

Wow! I've been abusing God's Grace for so long...

 

So, I have a heavy heart. I've been really struggling in my relationship with God for months (since becoming a Mommy and not having so much time to HAVE a relationship with God). I was listening to this sermon in the car today, while driving to Sam's with David babbling in the backseat. The sermon was on Romans 6, the part that says,  "Why should we keep on sinning, so that Christ's grace can abound more and more? If we have died to sin, we should no longer continue to live in it." I thought about the fact that, while I still feel chastisement and guilt and remorse for sin, I've been abusing God's grace over and over. THEN I went on facebook and found this old note I wrote that spoke EXACTLY to the issue that was on my heart. So I thought I'd "republish" the note here. I can't believe I wrote this: it must have been Christ writing it, because I do not write eloquently nor do I complete thoughts very well. Here's the note from a couple of years ago! God used it to speak to me again today.

Hello All (whoever chooses to read this note of mine):

So, I've been thinking alot lately about this verse: Hebrews 12:4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood.

At first, I didn't get it. What does it mean resisted to the point of shedding blood? Then it hit me like a light bulb (actually, someone just explained it to me, no revelation here). It means that in my daily walk with Christ, I struggle with sin. By "struggle" I mean, I try not to sin against God in doing things that are sinful but that nonetheless I WANT to do. I struggle with my shopping addiction - YES, it's an addiction - I struggle with overeating (SO TABOO, I know!) and I struggle with making sure I am respectful to my husband and others. I have anger issues, too - (Me?!?! Yes.) I struggle with not complaining - I really want to be a positive person. But in all my struggles to NOT sin, have I said NO to myself and my flesh to the point where it made me BLEED?! How HARD am I actually TRYING?! I know the Christian life is NOT in any form or fashion lived out of my own effort - it's totally CHRIST in me. But Christ lives in me, and Christ has power over sin, therefore I have Christ's power over sin within me. Romans says, "Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?" Other scriptures help me know, that it is my WILL that chooses to obey God. For instance, in Ephesians chapter 4 over and over Paul says, "Put away" or "Put on" ...other scriptures include, "Take every thought captive." "Run with endurance" "Clothe yourselves"...I could go on and on.

Do you know what I am saying? 1 John 2:3-6 says, "How can we be sure we belong to Him? By obeying God's commands. If someone says, 'I belong to God', but does not obey His commands, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. Those who obey God's commands really do love Him and that is the way to know whether or not we live in Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did."

My heart's desire is first and foremost to have Faith in the Living God. I'm realizing more and more and more, the OBEDIENCE is a product of Faith. If I believe God will do what He says he'll do, and I have Faith that He is going to provide - then Obedience (which causes the FAVOR of God , Gen. 50:19-21 and Rom. 8:28-29) will be a product of my Faith. For example, if I have faith that CHRIST is the ultimate fulfillment NOT A COACH HANDBAG - then my obedience to God by not buying the handbag will follow. Another example, Do I really believe that God will justify me in every situation? Think about all the times you've been WRONGED, or I've been hurt and victimized over issues that made me angry. If my FAITH is in the fact that GOD justifies me (WE KNOW HIS WORD SAYS THIS), then the product of my faith will be the obedience in forgiving those who trespass against me and hurt me.


In my struggle against sin, I have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood. I get this really funny image of my trying to head out the door - money in hand - to go shopping and someone holding my by the wrists while I struggle towards the door and actual blood seeping from the grip in my wrists. Maybe that's kinda gross? Maybe kinda funny? I dunno. I don't have an answer to anything I am talking about - other than what scripture says. I'm just thinking out loud, on facebook.

What do you guys think of this? In your struggles against sin - how hard do you really try? Have you gone to painstaking efforts to keep sin away from you and your family? Internet filters, banning certain tv and movies from your kids, watching what you eat, read, and talk about? Gossip about? Think about?

Thought it would be cool to get your thoughts. I'd love to hear your comments!


In Christ Holy, awesome, POWERFUL Name,

Brittany

Scripture references:
1 John 3:9
Colossians 3:12
Romans 6:1
1 John 5:4-5
1 John 5:18

Gorgonzola - recipe # 2

This recipe I can't take credit for at all! I got it from my friend Windee who got it from allrecipes.com! So here's the link: 

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Orange-Walnut-Gorgonzola-and-Mixed-Greens-Salad-with-Fresh-Citrus-Vinaigrette/Detail.asp

   Arugula

 I used pecans instead of walnuts, because walnuts are gross! OH, and you DEFINITELY need red onion. I was out, but it MAKES the salad! So, to make the vinaigrette, I just followed the directions on the recipe! Really easy, and I keep it around now and I can throw the salad together really quickly!

 Toast your pecans!

 It's gorgeous, but like I said, missing the pretty and delicious red onion!

 Tastes FABULOUS with the bruschetta from the previous post!

• 3/4 cup walnut halves
• 10 ounces mixed salad greens with arugula
• 2 large navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
• 1/2 cup sliced red onion
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2/3 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese 

Gorgonzola - a GREAT ingredient!

  

This recipe is for Bruschetta! I guess I'm spelling that correctly. I dunno. All I know, is that this will knock your socks off because it is absolutely amazing! The ingredients are as follows (really hard to put measurements on a recipe I just guess at, but I'll try). 

1 large onion or 2 medium onions, julienned

2 cups or so of chopped, fresh tomato (use whatever looks best in your grocery store that week)

Chopped, fresh parsley

EVOO, s and p

a nice crusty loaf of bread, cut on the diagonal

Gorgonzola

I start off by caramelizing the onions as shown above!

Diced tomatoes and fresh parsley, evoo, and s and p need to hang out with each other in a bowl. They need to love on each other for a little while until their flavors all meld together!

 This is what it looks like! Then I bake my bread (or if I'm feeling skinny that day I fry it in butter and get it all nice and crispy). The important thing is that the bread is crispy so that it holds up to the juicy tomatoes.

 Start assembling these wonderful appetizers! I load them up with caramelized onions and the tomato mixture.

 Then I pile on gorgonzola cheese, bake at 450 for five or ten minutes, finish with a broil to melt the cheese and eat!

     Pretty Bruschetta! Tastes great too!

Pool Pics - No need for words. I got thousands right here!