Fruitful Living In 2010

It's so hard to think that I don't live a fruitful life. I don't see myself as not willing to take the plunge, or willing to do God's will when he wants. But it's the cyclical cyclone that I often find myself in wondering if I will ever grow. I feel like I am still in the same spot with my relationship with God. It's that daily struggle to get in the word, the lack of prayer, then to result in unsureness, dissatisfaction, unhappiness, and then frustration. It all starts with my lack of time spent with Him. It seems like a simple solution but often times impossible to follow through on.

I have been belting out Who Am I? for the past 2 weeks. "Who am I, that you would love me so gently?, who am I, that you would recognize my name?, Lord who am I, that you would speak to me so softly, conversations with the Lord most high who am I?"

After going to church yesterday Patrick asked us where we were in our lives. What is consuming you and all I could think of was this song. For the past 2 weeks it has consumed my thoughts when cleaning, doing laundry, facebooking...whatever. I think that is my question. Who am I? Who am I in Christ? I know the many roles I play at home as a wife, mother, friend, hostess, daughter...etc. I always over look the role of daughter of the king, friendship with my creator.

For the next week I am going to follow through with Patrick's requests and re-read 2 Peter 1:3-9 and ask God to show me what I need to change, adjust, and mend to live a fruitful 2010.

Amish Friendship Bread

Start The Mix-Combine:

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

1 cup sugar

Mix in a zip-top bag and squeeze it together until mixed in. This is day 1. Continue with the rest of normal instructions.
Note: Do not refrigerate the starter. Keep it at room temperature.

Amish Friendship Bread

Day 1: Receive starter from a friend.
Day 2-5: Mush closed bag twice a day.
Day 6: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. Mush bag.
Day 7-9: Mush bag and release air twice a day.
Day 10: Add 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup milk. This is the day you make your bread.

First measure three 1 cup starters and put them in three separate bags. Save one for yourself and give the other two to friends.

Pour remaining batter into a large bowl and add the following ingredients:
1 cup oil
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 large box instant vanilla pudding

Mix ingredients well. In a bowl, mix together 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Grease two loaf pans. Pour batter into loaf pans, and sprinkle top with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake at 35o degrees for 40-50 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans. This does really well in the freezer.

Contentment

Why do I get bogged down so much with the status quo? After going to another huge house last night for a Christmas party I left feeling unsure as to why God blesses some people with so much and other's with just enough and some with not much at all. Of course I would love the house that is full of granite, hardwood floors, tall ceilings, crown moulding, and cabinet space one could only dream of. But then I was talking with Bill on the way home about how I felt and I was reminded that those people are just in the same situation we are in they just have more money. They all struggle with contentment, they all strive for the higher calling and yet still fail every day, they all want something more. I got up this morning to read this passage from Proverbs 16:18-20 which reads "Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall. Better to live humbly with the poor tan to share plunder with the proud. Those who listen to instruction will proser, those who trust the Lord will be joyful." I was once again reminded that I need to just trust the Lord because that is where my true joy comes from. I need to fix my eyes on Him and not on the beautiful, lavish things of this world. I have a beautiful home, a healthy family, 2 cars that we OWN, a job that is flexible, I get to stay home with my children and not even worry about our finances. We are blessed beyond measure. When I get looking around at everything people have and start paralleling our lives I get so bogged down and unsatisfied with my life. Never once do I feel discontent when my focus is right, when my gaze is fixed on Him.

Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word. Ps 119:37

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith because of the joys awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God's throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people;s then you won't become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin. Hebrews 12:1-4