Ain't no need to watch where I'm goin'; just need to know where I've been.

Lightning McQueen: Will you stop that?
Mater: Stop what?
Lightning McQueen: That driving backwards. It's creeping me out. You're gonna wreck or something.
Mater: Wreck? Shoot! I'm the world's best backwards driver! Just watch this right here, lover boy.

Mater: Ain't no need to watch where I'm goin'; just need to know where I've been.

With 4 boys under the age of 8 in our home we watch a lot of the Disney Pixar hit movie Cars & to change it up we can now watch Cars2 lol:)  But my boys and their obsession with all things that run, fly, race, smash, blow up, or just simply have wheels is not why I felt like writing today.

I've been reading an Historical Biopic type book lately called "God's Generals: Why They Succeeded and Why some Failed" by Robert Liardon and this week I've been learning about and have been profoundly inspired by the women who despite social, cultural and religious constrictions of their day still impacted not only their generation but the generations that have since followed. 

Three weeks ago I had never heard of Maria (Mar-iah) Woodworth-Etter or Aimee Semple McPhearson, and though the name Kathryn Kuhlman was vaguely familiar I knew nothing of their histories.  Now that I have a snap shot of these women I simply want to learn more.  I am in awe of their perseverance, their grace under persecution and unwavering love, passion, commitment and servant hearts.  I'm not going to re-write what I have read, you can pick up the book, but I will say that even though many decades separate me from these amazing women and I by no means see myself even in the same sphere spiritual maturity and certainly do not have the influence that they had in their time, I still feel so deeply connected to their call.

These deep stirring, churning waters within my soul that never cease is the only way I can begin to put words to this incomprehensible love I feel for my Saviour Jesus that overflows into a love and care for people, all people, to see them healed, restored, delivered, and trained up and released into the things God has planned for them.  It's not complicated, it's just love that transforms lives, and it's not even my love, it's His.

We sometimes get to witness the transformations but we can never take credit for it.  I often tire from the work and the call can seem over whelming, but I refuse to run from it, even when I don't get it right and even when my judgement lapses and I get it wrong.  The vision remains the same even though like the oceans it may change shape but never the less it is always the same and it's power remains....  Love.

I don't want to be the next sister Etter or Semple McPhearson, as great as they were.  I do want to experience the level of intimacy and relationship they had with the Father, and operate within that atmosphere that is so charged with the electricity of the Holy Spirit, where physical and emotional healing just happen because you are in the Presence of the King. 

I have been honoured to have seasons, with many amazing Godly women (My mom, Jean Knox, Shirley Matthews, Brenda Harrison, Tamara Winslow to name a few), who have poured into my life, our lives in and through, prayer & intercession, Godly counsel, teaching and equipping and just hanging in there with us through all the seasons of our lives, I am grateful beyond words.  Though no one may see their names in the newspaper headlines, and they may not fill football stadiums, they are still making and have made a Global impact some on the front lines and others behind the scenes in their prayer closets shaping Nations.  If Elisha can ask for the double portion of the Elijah anointing, yet still begin himself, I want the same of these great women.  (Not to diminish the impact of men in ministry either, we need them!!!!)

I love how the author of God's General's has illustrated the strengths and weaknesses of these incredible men and women not for us to judge but for us to learn, which is why I thought of the starting quote from Tow-Mater the tow truck in Cars, we can embrace all that these people brought to the Charismatic movement and church in their day, they were pioneers they didn't back away because of persecution or criticism, they simply followed the call of God on their lives and when they kept their eyes on Him, amazing things happened.  We don't have to repeat their mistakes, but we do have to recognise them so we don't fall prey to the same old tactics of the enemy.

"...Aimee Semple McPhearson had run from God and was suffering from depression and plagued with illness, then in 1913 her only son was born, and as a mother she began to realise that an emotional maturity and stability was being built within her that would benefit her future....she began to clearly hear the voice of the Lord, especially when she was cleaning the house!...The sensitivity to the voice of God's spirit Aimee developed in those years would eventually shake a sleeping Nation..."

Anyhow I've learnt so much these past few weeks and this is just a mere highlight of some of my ponderings.  I have been so encouraged by their tenacity, courage and grace that maybe just maybe some of that will wear off onto us and we can do this after all.  I can believe that a mere housewife and mother can help shape and change the Nations, beginning with her own family.





 

Adventures in cooking for 7:)

It's not easy cooking for 7 people all the time, no one likes the same thing generally unless it's pizza! But I figure with 7 people I'll at least make 1 person happy at dinner time every day!!!

It's also really difficult getting all the good veggies into the kids all the time and after a busy day sometimes it is easier to make the same old spaghetti or butter noodles!

However today I had 3 large zucchini's that had to be used TODAY!  And I wasn't in the mood for baking zucchini bread.  So my thoughts went to trying Zucchini Lasagna, but I didn't have the right ingredients, then I remembered an old recipe on file for a nice zucchini casserole, only I didn't make sure I had all the ingredients until I was half was through cooking.  So I did what all mother's do, improvise and hope for the best:) 

No one was more surprised than I was when the three eldest kids (9, 8 & 6 years) actually tried it and well liked it!!! They also ALL requested and ate seconds, which is unheard of in our house!!!

It was no surprise that the wee ones (2 & 4 years) didn't even try it, but they equally loved their nutella sandwiches, bologna and cheese slices:) 

So I can say I've created a new recipe that we will definitely make again:)

Zucchini Stuffing Casserole:

Preheat oven to 350F

3-4  Zucchini (approx. 4 cups)
1 onion

2 tbsp. butter (I used Olivina margarine)

salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup skim milk + 1 tbsp corn starch to thicken)
2 large eggs
½ cup grated  low fat cheddar cheese
1 cup grated marble or cheddar cheese for topping

Puree zucchini with onion and 2 tbsp. of water

Cook in deep fry pan or large pot on stove until a lot of the water evaporates (I cooked on medium for about 10min constantly stirring while it bubbled away)

Whisk in the butter, salt and pepper

Then add  the milk/corn starch mix, eggs and cheese, pour into casserole dish and set aside

 

I used the same pot the other was in and boiled  (cause who wants to wash more dishes) 1 1/2 cups water added 1 tbsp butter and added two boxes of turkey Stove Top Stuffing Mix, following the directions on the box, stirred, covered, removed from heat and set aside for 5min, fluffed with a fork then spread out on top of the zucchini mix!!!

 

Then before popping it into the over I added 1 cup of shredded marble cheese

 

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees about 50 minutes
Let stand for 5 min before cutting and serving:)

Again, totally amazed at how much they loved it, waiting for hubby's review when he gets home:)  Now to put the mini's to bed, love that they're exhausted after a fun filled summer day at the beach:)
T

Getting my feet wet

I love to write and I have been asked to write and for a long time I just haven't written anything besides some letters to my babies.  After my MSW degree it was like I had to just stop writing and reading for a while!!!

I'm not even sure what it is I should write about so this is my first "blog" entry just getting my feet wet, well maybe even just my toes today:) 

I often have a lot of things on my mind but for one reason or another I keep it to myself or the thought simply vanishes.  I have difficulty sleeping or at least falling asleep, it seems as though my mind does not have an off switch so  maybe this process will help download all the things up in there!

I can't imagine anyone actually reading my blog to be honest.  Maybe my Mom lol, she's always telling me to write down all the funny things our children say or do, which is true I do need to write more of that stuff down, but I think there are a lot of other things that need to be written, need to be shared.  Topics that I'm passionate about are family, relationships, faith, love, parenting, Jesus, my husband and my children top the list.  I am also an animal lover and mostly a horse fanatic, though I am currently horseless, the first love of my life Ebony Winger went to heaven in 2007 (hey that rhymed, lucky coincidence)

I'm now 36 and first and foremost my most important and beloved role is as wife and mother of 5, yes 5 children, all wanted, all planned and yes I have a lot of thoughts and responses to go with that lol!!! 

I'm in the process of trying to lose all the baby weight that occurs in the process of having 5 babies in 7 years!  And the baby just turned 2, so this Mama has some work to do, though I've lost 3/4 of what I have gained the last leg of this journey has been slow/stalled out frankly - stress:(

My faith and relationship with my Saviour is more important to me than anything, and I know there are many things I want to share with the world who so desperately needs to know Him.

My history is what it is, history, but it is also part of who I am and I love that.  I have embraced my past, I have done a lot of healing work around my past and because I am loved and because He loves me I have an incredible future and I can proudly share those chapters some day to share the story of His love, His grace, His forgiveness, His redemption, His hope, and even more of His love.

I love hard, I live hard, I need balance, I have a wonderful family, so many dear friends, a few really close confidants that have stood by us in all the seasons of life, I am truly blessed.

We are in a season of transition in our lives, returning to full time ministry now that we have established and completed our natural family, there is so much a head and we have so many X factors in our lives, the unknowns that force us out of our comfort zone, out of the natural and propel us into the SuperNatural, there's no place I'd rather be, even though I am far from understanding all that I see around me, I choose to look up rather than around!!!

So there we go entry 1 or maybe 1 or more, but I have a feeling I'll be just diving in!!!
T