Have you heard?

BBC has a brand new version of Emma out!!

When it comes to Jane Austen, they can make as many versions as they want, as long as at least ONE of them:

1. Is well-acted

2. Follows the book reasonably

3. Is as long as possible :)

This version has great actors

I've HEARD it does a good job following the book...still to be seen.

And is FOUR hours long!!

I'm popping some popcorn...

Trust Him

"The moment has come when you must get off the perch of distrust, out of the nest of seeming safety, and onto the wings of faith; just such a time as comes to the bird when it must begin to try the air. It may seem as though you must drop to the earth; so it may seem to the fledgling. It, too, may feel very like falling; but it does not fall--it's pinions give it support, or, if they fail, the parent birds sweeps under and bears it upon its wings. Even so will God bear you. Only trust Him; "thou shalt be holden up." "Well, but," you say, "am I to cast myself upon nothing?" That is what the bird seems to have to do; but we know the air is there, and the air is not so unsubstantial as it seems. And you know the promises of God are there, and they are not unsubstantial at all. "But it seems an unlikely thing to come about that my poor weak soul should be girded with such strength." Has God said it shall? "That my tempted, yielding nature shall be victor in the strife." Has God said it shall? "That my timorous, trembling heart shall find peace?" Has God said it shall? for, if He has, you surely do not mean to give Him the lie! Hath he spoken, and shall He not do it? If you have gotten a word --"a sure word" of promise--take it implicitly, trust it absolutely. And this sure word you have; nay, you have more--you have Him who speaks the word confidently. "Yea, I say unto you," trust Him."

 --J. B. Figgis, M. A.

The One Ring...

...to rule them all!!

Broccoli Ham Ring

2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent roll dough

1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded Swiss cheese

1/4 pound boneless fully cooked ham, cubed

2-1/4 cups chopped fresh broccoli

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Unroll crescent roll dough and place triangles on a 12-in. pizza pan, forming a ring with pointed ends facing outer edge of pan and wide ends overlapping. Lightly press wide ends together.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; spoon over wide ends of rolls. Fold points over filling and tuck under wide ends (filling will be visible).

Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Yield: 6-8 servings.

And I imagine you could use your own biscuit dough, as well, and do a similar thing. :) Yum yum! Marvelous served with a fruit salad. 

And a big fudgy brownie. ;)

I love little sisters...

This evening we made broccoli-cheese-ham "wreaths" for dinner.  Hope really really liked them, so I told her she ought to remember and order it for her birthday later this year.

"But I might forget!"

"You should put it in your recipe book then!"

*eyes the sandwich wreath*

"But it wouldn't FIT!!!!"

She's got a point.

Blessed Hope

"For the grace of God has appeared,

 bringing salvation for all people,

 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldy passions,

and to live self-contolled,

 upright

 and godly lives

 in the present age,

waiting for our blessed hope,

the appearing of the glory
of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ,

who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness

and to purify for himself a people for his own possession

who are zealous for good works."

Titus 2:11-14

My most favorite run-on sentence!!

 It took Grace two breaths first try, but second try she got all the way through...though it sounded mighty strained. :)

January 1, 2010

Streams In the Desert

January 1

The land you are ... to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. (Deuteronomy 11:11-12)

Today we stand at the threshold of the unknown. Before us lies a new year, and we are going forward to take possession of it. Who knows what we will find? What new experiences or changes will come our way? What new needs will arise? In spite of the uncertainty before us, we have a cheerful and comforting message from our heavenly Father: "The Lord your God cares for [it]; the eyes of the Lord ... are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end."

The Lord is to be our Source of supply. In Him are springs, fountains, and streams that will never be cut off or run dry. To those who are anxious comes the gracious promise of our heavenly Father: If He is the Source of our mercies, mercy will never fail us. No heat or drought can dry the "river whose streams make glad the city of God" (Ps. 46:4).

Yet the land we are to possess is a land of valleys and hills. It is not all flat or downhill. If life were always smooth and level, the boring sameness would weigh us down. We need the valleys and the hills. The hills collect the rain for hundreds of fruitful valleys. And so it is with us! It is the difficulty encountered on the hills that drives us to the throne of grace and brings the showers of blessing. Yes, it is the hills, the cold and seemingly barren hills of life that we question and complain about, that bring down the showers. How many people have perished in the wilderness valley, buried under its golden sand, who would have thrived in the hills? And how many would have been killed by the cold, destroyed or swept desolate of their fruitfulness by the wind, if not for the hills-stern, hard, rugged, and so steep to climb? God's hills are a gracious protection for His people against their foes!

We cannot see what loss, sorrow, and trials are accomplishing. We need only to trust. The Father comes near to take our hand and lead us on our way today. It will be a good and blessed New Year!

He leads us on by paths we did not know;

Upward He leads us, though our steps be slow,

Though oft we faint and falter on the way,

Though storms and darkness oft obscure the day;
Yet when the clouds are gone,
We know He leads us on.

He leads us on through all the unquiet years;

Past all our dreamland hopes, and doubts and fears,

He guides our steps, through all the tangled maze

Of losses, sorrows, and o'er clouded days;
We know His will is done;
And still He leads us on.

--Nicholaus Ludwig Zinzendorf