fashioned4HisGlory: Blessings

Elisabeth Elliot quotes, "Blessings taken for granted are often forgotten. Yet our Heavenly Father 'daily loadeth us with benefits' (Psalm 68:19). I'm going to be mixing her words with mine and list common things which are nevertheless wonderful:

the simple joys of home - the children's laughter and whimsical remarks, happy times around the table, the love and understanding of husband and wife, and the harmony of voices raised together in praise to God.

the enthusiasm that our children put into helping with baking and canning.

PECAN PEAR MUFFINS

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar - (I only use 1 cup sugar)

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups chopped peeled ripe pears (about 6 medium)

1 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, combine the eggs, oil and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in the pears and pecans.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups tow-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire rack.

Yield: about 2 dozen

the ability of being able to shop for home-grown produce. One of these days, we will only be able to buy and sell if we have the mark. But if we have the mark, we will not make it to heaven, because in receiving the mark we are giving our allegience to the beast instead of God.

the great variety of foods, from the farm, the field, the forest, and the sea, to suit our differing desires and physical needs.

being able to work together using our arms and legs.

having energy to can red beets, red beet jelly, and pears.
babysitting our neices - in case you noticed the baby bottle.

a Mama who has taught me to can things like this lovely grape juice, and teaching us to enjoy our work and whom I've had the blessing of having all the days of my life thus far.

harvesting broccoli from a neighboring farmer's field. This field was going to be disced under and all this broccoli wasted. But we froze over 30 quarts and many friends froze far more. Thank you, farmer.

the refreshment that sleep brings.

the beauties of each day - the morning star and growing light of sunrise, the white clouds of afternoon, the soft tintis of a peaceful sunstet, the glory of the starry heavens, the beauty of flowers that have not yet been touched by Jack Frost.

the seed for next year's flowers.

the atmospheric temperature, varying widely it is true, but never so much as to destroy human, plant and animal life.

the orderly succession of day and night, spring, summer, autumn, and winter, so that, with few exceptions, man can make his plans accordingly.

the symphony of early morning bird songs, ranging from the unmusical trill of the chipping sparrow to the lilting ecstasy of the goldfinch and the calm, rich, bell-like tones of the wood and hermit thrushes.

the intricate, delicate mechanism of the lungs steadily and silently taking in fresh air eighteen to twenty times a minute.

the untiring heart, pumping great quantities of clean blood through the labyrinth of blood vessels.

the constant body temperature, normally varying less than one degree.

All these and many others come from the bountiful hand of Him 'who redeemeth thy life from destructuion; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; who satisfieth thy mouth with good things, so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's' (Psalm 103:4,5).

It's this wonderful passage that the children memorized this year.

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22,23).

The second memory passage for this year.

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High" (Psalm 92:1).