You are currently browsing the monthly archive for August 2010.
Not only am I moving, I’m changing my blog name. Again! I know, it’s crazy, and I promise not to do it again. But evidently this blog name is in use outside the world of WordPress and I can’t take it with me when I leave. Trying to come up with a new name is definitely a trial and error endeavor, so I finally settled on something nobody else wants. Hence, Rosemary At Home. Come on over, please, and I hope you want to update your subscriptions. You can even bring your friends…
You’ll be there with a mere touch of a button! Rosemary At Home
Communion with Christ is a certain cure for every ill. Whether it be the woodworm of sadness or the smothering impact of earthly treasure, close fellowship with the Lord Jesus will take bitterness from the one and excess from the other. Live near to Jesus, Christian, and it is a matter of secondary importance whether you live on the mountain of honor or in the valley of humiliation. Living near to Jesus, you are covered with the wings of God, and underneath you are the everlasting arms. Let nothing keep you from that hallowed communion that is the unique privilege of a life hidden in Christ . Do not be content with the occasional meeting, but always seek to retain His company, for only in His presence will you find either comfort or safety. Jesus should not be for us a friend who calls us now and then, but one with whom we are in constant touch. You have a difficult road before you; Make sure, pilgrim, that you do not go without your guide. You have to pass through the fiery furnace, do not enter unless, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you have the Son of God to be your companion. You have to storm the walls of your corrupt heart; Do not attempt it until, like Joshua, you have seen the Captain of the Lord’s host, with His sword drawn in His hand. -Charles Spurgeon
May God bestow on us His grace,
With blessings rich provide us,
And may the brightness of His face
To life eternal guide us
That we His saving health may know,
His gracious will and pleasure,
And also to the heathen show
Christ’s riches without measure
And unto God convert them.
Thine over all shall be the praise
And thanks of every nation,
And all the world with joy shall raise
The voice of exultation;
For Thou shalt judge the earth, O Lord,
Nor suffer sin to flourish;
Thy people’s pasture is Thy Word
Their souls to feed and nourish,
In righteous paths to keep them.
Oh, let the people praise Thy worth,
In all good works increasing;
The land shall plenteous fruit bring forth,
Thy Word is rich in blessing,
May God the Father, God the Son,
And God the Spirit bless us!
Let all the world praise Him alone,
Let solemn awe possess us,
Now let our hearts say, Amen.
-Martin Luther, 1524
The days are getting cooler and evenings coming on earlier, which tells me that Fall is on its way. It makes my mind turn toward soups and warm muffins, so in case yours does the same I give you this recipe for Pumpkin Muffins. They’re from Dorie Greenspan’s wonderful cookbook, Baking From My Home to Yours, and you won’t be sorry if you run into your kitchen and make them right now. Go on, get to baking!
Pumpkin Muffins
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
pinch of ground allspice
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup canned unsweetened pumpkin puree
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup moist, plump golden raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
About 1/3 cup unsalted raw sunflower seeds, for topping.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a regular-size muffin pan or line with paper muffin cups.
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. With a stand or hand mixer with a large bowl, beat butter at medium speed until soft. Add sugars and continue to beat until light and smooth. One by one, add the eggs, beating for a minute after the eggs are incorporated, then beat in vanilla. Lower the mixer speed and mix in pumpkin and buttermilk. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients in a stead stream, mixing only until they disappear. To avoid over-mixing, you can stop the machine early and stir any remaining dry ingredients into the batter using a rubber spatula. Stir in raisins and nuts. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups. Sprinkle a few sunflower seeds over the top of each muffin.
Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove muffins.
Dorie Greenspan notes: While they’re luscious on their own, they’re even better with a little butter and a lot of orange marmalade or apricot jam.
I agree.
We should say with every morsel of bread, ‘This is God’s gift to me’; of every night’s sleep, ‘This is the Lord’s goodness.’ God is pleased when we acknowledge these outward signs. -Thomas Manton
The older I get and the more rare a really good night of sleep, the more thankful I am for God’s goodness in the form of sleep!
I’m thankful for His provision of daily bread and the Daily Bread of His Word.
A more constant recognition that all that comes to me—things that I like and things that I don’t—is from God’s hand brings with it deeper contentment in whatever the circumstance. This is very much an indication of God’s faithful work in my heart. I praise Him for such mercy.
Every Thursday of this year, I’m joining Kim and other friends in expressing thanks to God because He is so good! Have you thanked Him today? We want to hear about it!
The great thing with unhappy times is to take them bit by bit, hour by hour, like an illness. It is seldom the present, the exact present, that is unbearable. Remember one is given strength to bear what happens to one, but not the 100 and 1 different things that might happen. -C.S. Lewis, Letter to An American Lady
By faith in Christ I walk with God,
With Heav’n, my journey’s end, in view;
Supported by His staff and rod,
My road is safe and pleasant too.
I travel through a desert wide
Where many round me blindly stray;
But He vouchsafes to be my Guide,
And will not let me miss my way.
Though snares and dangers throng my path,
And earth and hell my course withstand;
I triumph over all by faith,
Guarded by His almighty hand.
The wilderness affords no food,
But God for my support prepares;
Provides me every needful good,
And frees my soul from wants and cares.
With Him sweet converse I maintain,
Great as He is I dare be free;
I tell Him all my grief and pain,
And He reveals His love to me.
Some cordial from His Word He brings,
Whene’er my feeble spirit faints;
At once my soul revives and sings,
And yields no more to sad complaints.
I pity all that worldlings talk
Of pleasures that will quickly end;
Be this my choice, O Lord, to walk
With Thee, my Guide, my Guard, my Friend.
-John Newton, 1779
As you can see, Molly (left) and Toby are thriving and growing larger. They’re absolutely hilarious, jumping all over everything in the garage and chasing each other. They have no fear of us left; they go straight for my shoelaces and ankles the moment I walk in the door, then jump up on an old deck chair to be petted.
I had forgotten how much fun kittens are. When we lived on the farm when I was a kid, we started out with 5 kittens and ended up with 27. Shocking, eh? They had 16 acres to roam and were never in the house, but we play with them constantly. We dressed them in doll clothes, fed them milk with doll bottles, and rolled them around in doll carriages. Virtual babies. When I sent my sister these pictures, she responded by saying, “Wouldn’t they look cute in bonnets? 
Well of course they would!
I have big plans for this recipe that will hopefully come to pass next week. Colorado peaches are available now, and I’m gonna crank up my canning kettle and make some jam! My sister says the peach-raspberry combo is delicious, and beings as she’s a great cook that’s all the encouragement I need to make a couple of batches myself. And, since my mama taught me to share, here’s your own copy of the recipe! If you’re unfamiliar with the jam-making process, refer to the instruction sheet in your pectin package for complete instructions. If you make the jam, I’d love to know about it!
Peach-Raspberry Jam
Makes about 7 half-pint jars
3 1/2 cups chopped peeled peaches
2 cups raspberries (I’m going to use frozen, because it’s cheaper!)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
7 cups granulated sugar
2 (3 oz.) pouches liquid fruit pectin
In a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pan, mix together the peaches, raspberries, and lemon juice.
Stir in sugar; bring to full boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Boil hard for one minute.
Remove from heat; immediately stir in pectin. Skim off any foam. Stir for five minutes (this will prevent floating fruit).
Ladle into sterilized jars to within 1/4 inch of rim; wipe rim clean. Apply prepared lids and rings; tighten rings just until fingertip tight.
Process jars in boiling water canner for five minutes. (If you’re at high altitude like I am, add an extra 15 minutes.)
Remove from canner and let rest at room temperature until set. Check seals; refrigerate any unsealed jars for up to three weeks.
This recipe can be found in The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Jams, Jellies, and Preserves. I think it’s out of print now, unfortunately, but you may be able to buy a used copy or find it in your local library.
This was part of my reading this morning and I’m still chewing on it:
Question: ‘If God’s providence ordains all things that come to pass according to the immutable law of his purpose, then what necessity is there for prayer? We cannot by our most fervent prayers alter God’s decrees. Our prayers cannot hasten or ripen his blessings before their time, or prevent or prolong the time fixed to bring afflictions to pass upon us.’ Divine providence does not only ordain what effects shall come to pass, but also by what means, what causes, and in what order they shall flow. God has appointed not only the effect itself, but the means to accomplish it. Prayer is a means to bring to pass that which God has determined shall be. We do not pray out of hope to alter God’s eternal purposes; but we pray to obtain that which God has ordained to be received by our prayers. We ask, that we may be fit to receive what God has from all eternity determined to give by prayer, and not otherwise. Therefore, when we lie under any affliction, or if we are pinched by poverty, prayer is necessary because, as God by his providence has brought these things upon us, so likewise possibly the same providence has also determined not to remove them until we earnestly and fervently pray for our deliverance. Prayer does not incline God to bestow that which before he was not resolved to give, but prepares us to receive that which God will not give otherwise. -Ezekiel Hopkins
TRUTH IN JESUS
Life-Giving God,
Quicken me to call upon thy name,
for my mind is ignorant,
my thoughts vagrant,
my affections earthly,
my heart unbelieving,
and only thy Spirit can help my infirmities.
I approach thee as Father and Friend,
my portion for ever,
my exceeding joy,
my strength of heart.
I believe in thee as the God of nature,
the ordainer of providence,
the sender of Jesus my Saviour.
My guilty fears discourage an approach to thee,
but I praise thee for the blessed news
that Jesus reconciles thee to me.
May the truth that is in him
illuminate me in all that is dark,
establish in me all that is wavering,
comfort in me all that is wretched,
accomplish in me all that is of thy goodness,
and glorify in me the name of Jesus.
I pass through a vale of tears
but bless thee for the opening gate of glory at its end.
Enable me to realize as mine the better, heavenly country.
Prepare me for every part of my pilgrimage.
Uphold my steps by thy Word.
Let no iniquity dominate me.
Teach me that Christ cannot be the way
if I am the end,
that he cannot be my Redeemer
if I am my own saviour,
that there can be no true union with him
while the creature has my heart,
that faith accepts him as Redeemer and Lord
or not at all.
from The Valley of Vision
