Rerun, Live Forgiven

This was first posted on my blog on September 25, 2020

 

God is teaching me to live like I’m forgiven.

 

I recently read a book by Max Lucado in which he said because of Calvary, we can make choices. He reminded me that I can choose to live forgiven.

 

I struggle to leave behind the things I did in the past. I sorrow over them. How can I share with others the joy of god’s mercy this way?

 

I have begged for forgiveness, and God promises to forgive. This is a promise I can accept.

 

1 John 1:9:

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 

 

God’s Word commands us to forget the past so He can do something new and wonderful in our lives.

 

Isaiah 43:18-19:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

 

Philippians 3:13-14:

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

 

I can’t forget my sins, but God promises that He has.

 

Isaiah 43:25:

“I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.”

 

Psalm 103: 12: 

as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.

 

This is a battle against Satan which God yearns to help me win.

 

1 Peter 5:8:

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

 

Psalm 51 is such a comfort to me.

 

David committed adultery, then tried to cover it up by committing murder. He and his wife had to suffer the loss of a child through all of this.

 

But David didn’t give up. In Psalm 51, he writhes over sin he has committed. He pleads for God’s help, His forgiveness, and to have the joy of his salvation restored.

 

Psalm 51:1, 12-13, 17:

 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

 

David knew that God would accept the plea of a truly repentant heart. And he knew that forgiveness was the best motivation for him to share God’s love with others.

 

And what wonderful grace God shows David.

 

Acts 13:22:

After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’

 

Father, I pray for the trust of David. Help me to accept Your mercy and joyfully share Your love with those around me.     

Lip Smackin' Banana Bread From Murray's Kitchen

My husband Murray has always cooked. When we were first married, I worked and he was a student, so Murray took on most of the cooking duties. He said he wanted our food to be interesting.

 

I was never the main cook until I was a stay-at-home mom in the 90s. When I went back to work fulltime, Murray took over the kitchen again. When I stopped working outside the home, I told people that we’d liked it so much when Murray was the cook, we just decided to keep it that way.

 

So, Murray’s always cooked. Over the last several years, though, he seems to have worked even harder to keep meals interesting, searching for and trying new recipes. Our Thanksgiving tradition now is crockpot lasagna—so yummy and cheesy and good. A few months ago, Murray bought an air fryer. Fried potatoes, meats—we’re just learning about all it can do.

 

And then, there’s baking. Murray has taken on baking—from scratch, no box mixes. The recipe below is definitely one of my favorites.

 

Lip Smackin’ Banana Bread (Kathy’s Title)

 

Murray didn’t add pecans, and I’m sure he probably tweaked other ingredients, too, but mostly, he added this note: “Recommend this recipe, but, just combined it all at once and stirred, don't bother with the steps, 70 min at 350 degrees.”

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted unsalted butter or vegetable oil, plus more for greasing pan

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (see Cook's Note)

1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup buttermilk, sour cream or yogurt

1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

4 soft, very ripe, darkly speckled medium bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly butter one 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.

Whisk together the flour, pecans, granulated sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Whisk together the eggs, melted butter, buttermilk, brown sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl; stir in the mashed bananas. Fold the banana mixture into the flour mixture until just combined (it's OK if there are some lumps).

Pour the batter into the buttered pan and lightly tap the pan on the counter to evenly distribute the batter. Bake until browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out completely clean, about 1 hour. Let the bread cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

 

Cook’s Note:

To make this banana bread nut-free, just leave out the pecans and follow the rest of the recipe as written. When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping     directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked good 

Psalm 26, God's Unfailing Love

Of David.

Vindicate me, Lord, for I have led a blameless life;

I have trusted in the Lord and have not faltered.

Test me, Lord, and try me,

examine my heart and my mind;

for I have always been mindful of your unfailing love and have lived in reliance on your faithfulness.

I do not sit with the deceitful, nor do I associate with hypocrites.

I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked.

I wash my hands in innocence, and go about your altar, Lord,

proclaiming aloud your praise and telling of all your wonderful deeds.

Lord, I love the house where you live, the place where your glory dwells.

Do not take away my soul along with sinners, my life with those who are bloodthirsty,

in whose hands are wicked schemes, whose right hands are full of bribes.

I lead a blameless life; deliver me and be merciful to me.

My feet stand on level ground; in the great congregation I will praise the Lord.

 

Father God, in this prayer, David was in a high point of his life. He felt secure in his obedience to you. He had joy in his praise for you. He was confident to ask for your protection. Lord, thank you     for these bright moments in our lives. 

Sweet Memories From Memoir Notes

After what seems like a lot of years, I am almost finished writing the memoir about our family when our children were young. I have collected material which I did not use in the book and saved it in a file named “Memoir Notes Leavings.” That doesn’t sound very appetizing, but I’ll share some with you.

 

February 23, 1999: Last night, Sarah was with me in my room, and I was lying on the bed. She asked, "Why do you lay around all the time? I think you're the lazy one." Then she redeemed herself by saying, "But I guess you're just tired from doing all that housework."

 

Rebecca just read me a story about a slave girl. The girl was washing potatoes, and it said that she washed them as carefully as if she were washing a newborn baby. Then it said that she cut out the eyes with a knife, and Rebecca said, "But you wouldn't do that with a newborn."

 

March 11, 1999: Last night, Sarah stopped Murray as he was walking through the house and said, "Hug me! You never stop to hug me!" So he did.

 

March 15, 1999: This evening Murray was talking to Sarah about the (artificial) flowers she gave her long-term substitute teacher. He asked if she liked them, and Sarah said yes. "She said she'll keep them forever. Maybe they'll be some of the flowers they put on her grave."

 

March 16, 1999: The other day Sarah looked out the back door and saw one of the shoes we have out on the deck. "That must be a shoe," she said, "but it sure looks like a frog."

 

March 18, 1999: I was reading to the kids this morning, and we came across the word lunatic. They asked what that meant, and I said it meant someone who's crazy. Caleb said, "I thought it meant someone who's in the government."

 

March 26, 1999: We have told Benjie not to throw down his cup or to throw his toys out of his bed so much that any time we ask him where anything is, he says, "No, no, no." Yesterday morning I couldn't find Sarah, so I asked, "Benjie, where's big Sissy?" He answered, "No, no, no." I wondered what he'd done with her.

 

The other day we were eating lunch at Grandma Mumberger's house when suddenly Sarah said, "I wish we could turn our brain off sometimes; it hurts to think all the time."

 

We passed by some statues made of junk by the road the other day that we've passed before, a tin man, a dinosaur, and so-on. Murray said written on the dinosaur was: "I love people." One of the children, probably Sarah, asked, "To eat, or visit?"

 

April 12, 1999: Murray took some of the kids to Walmart the other day. When they'd been gone a long time Sarah asked if she could sit outside and wait for them. "I have a mind that keeps me from being bored, so don't worry," she told me.

 

April 16, 1999: The other day I told Ping-Hwei we were buying bagels from the bread store, not Walmart. He said, "Walmart is too expensive."

 

Sarah was eating something the other day, and she said, "When we eat something, does Jesus taste it too? And if we don't like it, does He think it tastes bad, and if we do like it, does He think it tastes good?"

 

Last week, Ping-Hwei saw a golf equipment commercial on TV, and he asked if there would be golf in Heaven.  Murray told him to ask Nick, so we did. (Nick is a golf enthusiast at church.) 

Ezekiel 18, God's Love and Justice

Verses 20-23,32:

The one who sins is the one who will die. The child will not share the guilt of the parent, nor will the parent share the guilt of the child. The righteousness of the righteous will be credited to them, and the wickedness of the wicked will be charged against them.

“But if a wicked person turns away from all the sins they have committed and keeps all my decrees and does what is just and right, that person will surely live; they will not die.

None of the offenses they have committed will be remembered against them. Because of the righteous things they have done, they will live.

Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign Lord. Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live?

For I take no pleasure in the death of anyone, declares the Sovereign Lord. Repent and live!

 

Read through all of Ezekiel 18. Such an account of god’s justice and punishment and love. All sin must be punished, but God takes no pleasure in this. So, through agonizing tears, he sent his son Jesus to take our punishment.

 

Romans 3:23-24:

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.         

Blackberry Cobbler From Kathy's Kitchen

My daughter Sarah likes to get blackberries sometimes to take in her lunch for work. She’ll usually share some with me, and I’m likely to say, “These are good, but they’re nothing like the wild ones Grandma used to pick when I was a kid.” Warm, sweet, juicy. Fresh from the sunshine. Oh yeah!

 

My husband Murray brought home some blackberries the other day. I got hungry for blackberry cobbler and found a recipe.

 

It was a simple recipe; looked easy.

 

Except I forgot to put in the baking powder. I even got it out and set it on the counter. I still forgot it.

 

It was edible; kind of chewy; just not right. You never know what surprises you’ll find in Kathy’s kitchen.

 

I tried it again a few days later with blueberries. It was pretty good, especially when warmed up again. I want to try it again with blackberries.

 

Old Fashioned Blackberry Cobbler – A Blackberry Cobbler from Scratch

Prep Time10minutesCook Time45minutesTotal Time55minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter or margarine

• 2 cups fresh blackberries

• 1/3 cup sugar (for blackberries)

• 1 cup flour all-purpose

• 1 cup sugar (additional for batter)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (Don’t forget!)

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Melt butter in 13 x 9-inch baking dish; remove from oven when melted.

3. Mix blackberries with 1/3 cup sugar; set aside.

4. Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, baking powder and salt; add milk and vanilla and mix to form a batter.

5. Pour batter directly into melted butter.

6. Pour sweetened blackberries into the center of the batter. Try not to allow berries to touch the edge of the pan.

7. Bake for 40-45 minutes.

8. Eat warm as is, topped with milk, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

Notes

• Taste your blackberries before adding sugar.  If they are super sweet, you may be able to use a little less, and if they are super tart, you may want to add a touch more.

• FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS:  Only add the sweetened blackberries to the center of the batter, not around the edges if you can avoid it.  The sugar from the blackberries will cause the edge of the homemade blackberry cobbler to get dark and hard from the sugar burning.

          

guest Author and Musician Kelly Wickham

        I have made a wonderful new friend. Kelly is a talented lady. She offers a variety of music, from toe-tapping, put a smile on your face praise, to slower soothing promises of the love and comfort of Jesus. Plus, she has written a devotional filled with firmly scripture-based truth. I hope you’ll get to know my new friend.

 

Hi, everyone!  My name is Kelly Wickham.  I was taught about Jesus from birth but it wasn't until after my 23rd birthday that I finally gave my life to Him for real.  That was over 30 years ago.

He has given me a purpose.  He gives me songs and I am glad to sing wherever He leads.

From about 2001 to 2012, I made 11 CDs with a great producer who did a great job recording and producing my music.  Then after I married my husband, Jeff, a friend got me an Olympus LS14 digital recorder as a wedding present.  So it wasn't the most professional way to do it, but I was then able to produce my own music, and I made 16 other CD's.

My husband had a lot of health problems and he is with Jesus now.  I miss him every day, but I know I will see him again.  My life is living proof that the Holy Spirit is truly the greatest Comforter there is.

I used to go out more and sing at other churches or events.  Now, I sing at my church and lead its evening Bible studies.  I also love to sing at nursing homes.  Knowing that I am encouraging someone is a blessing to me.

In 2002, the Lord put on my heart to write a devotional book.  So I took verses that stood out to me and wrote about a paragraph for each one.  It was finally released in print in early 2003, but there are no copies left.

In order to hear it, those eligible can get it from

 

www.brailleaudio.org

 

or contact me.

Another thing that I've been doing:  Besides the whole COVID mess starting in 2020, I had to get all my teeth taken out.  So I didn't know if I would be able to sing.  During the long lull, I began to read a lot more than usual.  In signing up for authors' newsletters, I noticed that many of them gave me the opportunity to read their books in advance and review them.  I saw it as a win-win.  I usually got the book for free and I was able to encourage authors and recommend their books to others.  I still do that quite often and very much enjoy it.  I pick authors who are among my favorites because they give a Christ-centered message and a good story.

My whole purpose in life is to tell everyone that Jesus loves you.  He really does.  If He could change my life, He could change everyone's.  I remember when I finally came to Him, I felt that He couldn't possibly love me.  I learned that it's not about anything I've done, but about what Jesus has done.  I echo the prayer that Paul prayed in Ephesians 3:17-19, which says:

that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height-- to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

If you are interested in purchasing or receiving my music or my book, the best way would be to email me at

 

kjw810@gmail.com

 

I have a few songs on YouTube, but not many.  Here is one of them:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-USNr1_rfXk

 

Anyway, I pray that God will bless you all abundantly.

 

Kelly shares on Facebook the stories behind the songs God has given her:

 http://www.facebook.com/kjw810