thought for today...LOVE is the point!

Agape love came to earth in the form of Christ to reconcile us with God. 

It is this love, according to Richard Foster, that “transforms our lives and gives us true spiritual substance as persons.” It is not how much Bible knowledge we have that transforms the world but the quality of love we show to those in our sphere of influence. Foster goes on to state that this is “the test of whether or not we have really gotten the point of the Bible.”

Have we really gotten the point? 

Does the word of Christ dwell in us so richly that it is metabolized in our hearts and souls as love for others? As it is written in Colossians 3:12-14 as God's chosen people we are to clothe ourselves with “compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.” We are to “bear with each other” and “forgive whatever grievances” we have with one another. And finally we are also told that over all these virtues we are “to put on love.”

Love is the point. 

The reason we read and study the word should not be just to collect knowledge but to become like Him. 

And God is love.  

linking up with:

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Gluten Free Pizza Crust

 

I heard that Dominoes Pizza now offers a gluten free crust.  But, there is no Dominoes here.  So we have to make our own crusts that are safe for me to eat.

When we first moved to Russia a good pizza was hard to find.  So I learned how to make it myself.  I made the crusts and the guys chose the toppings.    That was part of our Friday night ritual.  And we were happy with my recipe.  But that was before I went gluten free...so it is time for a new recipe.

Our other issue is that Tom has been trying to avoid tomato based sauces.  That part was easy to fix.  I bought some fresh basil and made a pesto sauce.  

I found several different pizza crust recipes online.  I chose the least complicated one I could find and then I had to modify it based on what I had on hand. 

Almond Flour Pizza Crust

2 cups almond flour

2 eggs

1 cup grated mozzarella cheese

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp spaghetti seasoning

1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

Mix all ingredients together.  The dough will be the consistency of cookie dough.   Place dough on wax paper and put another piece on top to roll out thinly.  Transfer to greased pizza pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes and take out of oven and add the toppings* of your choice.  Return to oven for for another 8-10 minutes.  

*I used pesto sauce as the base, then a thin layer of mozzarella, and finished it off with pepperonis.  

This crust had a soft cracker-like texture.  And we really enjoyed it.  It will not be the same as the pizza crusts you are used to but it is tasty and very filling.   The photo above shows the pizza I made...I took a bite before I remembered that I needed a picture.  Enjoy!

the gift of seeing His fingerprints...

How many times have you heard someone say "this is the worst thing that could ever happen to me"?  Maybe you have been the one to say it.  But is it really true?  I was watching a TV show last night and someone made that comment because they had made a simple mistake.  No one was going to lose their life. They were just inconvenienced and she claimed it was the worst thing in the world.

This past week someone we know found out that they have an invasive carcinoma.  And yet, this person is not claiming it as the worst thing in the world.  They are glorifying God and trusting Him throughout this process no matter where it leads. This is one of their quotes from the week:

I have no doubt that God has a purpose in allowing me to travel this path -

I see His fingerprints everywhere I look!

 I hate cancer.  It does seem like one of the worst things in the world that can happen to someone.  And yet this person is not complaining.  Instead they are praising.  And God is glorified.

As I continue counting God's precious gifts I think of this friend with cancer and all of those facing truly horrible situations.  I commit anew to cherish each day, each moment, and each event God allows me to face.

722.  hearing our friend praise God in the midst of struggle.
723.  our women's Bible study growing to include more Belizean women.
724.  the Wednesday night Bible study at Bethel church growing and going deeper in the Word.
725.  plantains from the trees in our yard
726.  gluten free pizza
727.  posting photos of the supermoon on Facebook at the same time as my oldest brother in Kansas.

728.  enjoying the view from our backyard

729.  reading Stormie Omartian's book The Power of  Praying for Your Adult Children
730.  receiving donations of toys for play therapy at CDF.
731.  cloud cover on hot days.
732.  not seeing over smelling smoke from any fires over the past three days.
733.  watching the finale of the Amazing Race with Tom and Spencer.
734.  seeing Tom enjoy watching the NBA playoffs.

735. seeing God's beauty captured in Tony Rath's photos of Belize

Scarlet Macaws in Early Morning Light by Tony Rath

           

Garifuna Settlement Day by Tony Rath

Eyeing the Lionfish by Tony Rath

Gifts found in the Word:
736.  No matter how many promises God made, they are "Yes" in Christ 2 Cor 1:20
737.  We can make our thoughts obedient to Christ 2 Cor 10:5
738.  We were chosen before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.  Eph 1:4
739.  In Christ we are brought to fullness.  Col 2:10
740.  Reality is found in Christ.  Col 2:17

 joining in with the gratitude community:

where there is smoke...

When we lived in California we used to lament about the four seasons there...mud slide, earthquake, fire and riot.   I guess you can call this is our second fire season here in Belize.

We saw this one burning in the distance as we drove home from Hattieville earlier this week:

As we drew closer this is the view we had of the fire:

This time last year I can remember flames licking at the edge of the asphalt as we drove on the highway bringing Nathan home from the airport.  Some of the fires are set on purpose as people clear their land.  Others are spontaneous...due to the heat.  There have been fires burning not just in Belize but throughout Central America.  


We pray the rainy season comes soon and that the fires here don't get out of control like they did last year.

66 yr old man with a 17 yr old girlfriend...

John McAfee of McAfee Virus Scan had his Tower Hill Estate in the Orange Walk district here in Belize raided by the Gang Suppression Unit (GSU).  The GSU claims there were rumors of illegal activity on the premises.  McAfee contends the raid was a political retaliation for him refusing to donate funds to the political party that is currently in power here in Belize.  As I read the details of this story this line stood out to me:

Present on the premises at the time were John McAfee, his girlfriend who is a 17 year old Belizean minor, and five security guards.

The article goes on about an unlicensed weapon on the premises, evidence of antibiotics being manufactured on the premises without a licence and that only two of McAfee's security guards are licensed to act as security guards.  Three security guards were arrested  and charged with providing security services without a license, McAfee was initially detained for the unlicensed weapon and there is an ongoing investigation into that matter.  And a decision will be made about charges regarding the antibiotics after the forensic analysis becomes available.

Nothing further is mentioned about the 17 year old girlfriend.  I find this appalling.  A man of his age, his wealth, and his prestige with a minor for a girlfriend.  The legal age of consent for sexual activity in Belize for a female is 16.  So "she has her age" as they say here.  But, to me...all I can think of...is sexual exploitation. I wonder if her family is benefiting financially from her relationship with him?  Who introduced them? And what do they have in common? I cannot imagine a 17 year old girl providing any intellectual stimulation for a 66 year old man.

 I cannot stop shaking my head in disbelief...my heart truly hurts for this girl.

thought for today...wake up!

It is time to surrender complacency.

It is time to wake up and fully live for Him.

For the past few weeks I have been asking God to wake me up to the things that I need to change in my life.  

Wake me up to the lessons and the gifts of life He has for me along this journey.

I don't want to miss the lessons.

I want to express gratitude and acknowledge all of the gifts.

I want to live as wise and not unwise, as the following verse says, so that I can make the most of each opportunity that God provides.

As I surrender to doing the things that I need to do for my health I have experienced more energy and more clarity of thought.  This has affected me spiritually as well.  I find myself slowly waking up in Him and taking note of the Light of Christ all around. And it is truly beautiful...

May God wake us up so that the Light of Christ shines on us and glorifies Him!

linking up with:

and

Gluten Free Chocolate Cake

Have you ever had cake that was made without flour?  Until last week I didn't know such a thing was possible.  My friend, Jadine, treated me to a piece of this yummy chocolate cake.  I was so excited to actually have a tasty dessert that is also gluten free.  She emailed her recipe to me and I was able to bake it last night.  All of the ingredients are easy to find here in Belmopan without going to the health food store or needing to drive to Belize City or Spanish Lookout for an item.

The texture is just like a regular cake and the taste was divine!  Next time I will make some frosting but this time:

I topped mine with powdered sugar...

Spencer loves to top brownies or chocolate cake with peanut butter and chocolate syrup...

He was absolutely thrilled with the cake.and had to have seconds...

If Tom and I had not told him that there were black beans in the mix I don't think he would have noticed the difference. He was just happy to have cake.  He even asked me to invite him over the next time I experiment with a new recipe.  I sure am grateful to have two taste testers who are always enthusiastic about trying new things.




Black Bean Chocolate Cake
1 3/4 cups black beans, cooked, drained and rinsed
5 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp coconut oil
3/4 cup brown sugar
6 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. water

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9" cake pan.
Mix together cocoa, baking powder and soda in a small bowl. Set aside.
In a larger bowl, beat the coconut oil (or butter or margarine) until
fluffy.  Add 2 of the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each
addition.
Put the beans, the remaining 3 eggs, vanilla, sugar, and salt into a
blender or food processor and blend/process until the mixture is
smooth.  Add this mixture to the oil/egg mixture and mix well.
Stir in the dry ingredients and water and beat on high for 1 minute or
until smooth.
Pour into pan and bake 30-35 minutes.  The top of the cake should be
rounded and firm to the touch, and the cake should be pulling away
from the sides of the pan.

the gift of connections...

After counseling class on Saturday we drove up to Belize City to attend the last part of a meeting about the 12 steps.  We were able to sit in on the final session of the day and then make some contacts afterward.  We are grateful that we met some new people and are looking forward to the possibility of starting AA and Al-Anon groups here in Belmopan.

Gifts of connection:
701. Attending the meeting with others who are also interested in starting a 12 step group.
702. Connecting with some people from Belmopan.
703. Picking up some literature to help us get started.
704. Seeing the enthusiasm of the attendees.

705. Going into the historic St John's Cathedral for the meeting.

706.  The warmth and beauty of this old Anglican church.

707. The crosses at the end of the pews.

708. After the meeting Tom and I grabbed a bite to eat before the hour long drive back to Belmopan.  Here is the view from our parking space at Birds Isle Restaurant.

Gifts from the week:
708.  Jadine sending me a piece of gluten free chocolate cake!
709.  Thursday prayer times at CDF.
710.  Leading the Ladies' Bible study meeting on Wednesday.
711.  the blessing of being flexible.
712.  seeing couples who are willing to work to save their marriage.
713.  chatting with Nathan via Facebook.
714.  joining the world of Tumblr.
715.  spending time with Spencer.
716.  taking walks with Tom.

Gifts found during my time in the Word:
717.  He is a just ruler and guide Psalm 67:4
718.  He is a refuge and a stronghold Psalm 9:9
719.  He will never forsake those who seek Him Psalm 9:10
720.  He gives power and strength to His people Psalm 68:35
721.  He is with us no matter where we go Joshua 1:9

 joining in with the gratitude community:

Blessed are the flexible, right?!

This saying truly blessed me this week:  "Blessed are the flexible, for they will not get bent out of shape."

Being flexible is a must here in Belize.  We have to be flexible with whether or not the electricity or internet will work today, and we need to flexible with a grocery list and whether or not the store will have the items they had last time, and we must flexible with scheduling and ministry planning...and so on.

The other day I showed up for a meeting with someone.  She and I were just getting back on track after having had a few scheduling problems over the past few weeks.  When I showed up for our appointment she had someone else there with her...waiting for me.  This person was in pain emotionally and she wanted me to talk to her.  I put aside the agenda that I had for our meeting and spent time listening to the other young lady.  And this young woman had enough pain for several lifetimes to weed through.  And yet her story is a common one here in Belize.

Hearing these types of stories bring to mind a passage in Spiritual Moms by Lynn Wilford Scarborough:

In our society of "fatherless children," the focus has been on the need for a father figure in a child's life.  But when you evaluate the number of working moms and the amount of time that children actually spend with their parents, it seems that in truth, we have a "parentless generation."  

There is a great need for spiritual parenting in Belize.  And it is not all about the fathers who have been absent...we must consider the plight of the children who have had to raise themselves.  This is not unique to Belize, and yet, Belize is such a young country that it is sorely affected by this situation.  The country is only 30 years old.  And the majority of people who live here are under the age of 25.   We see children parenting other children in the literal sense of the word and also in the spiritual sense.  

Which means that those of us who are older more mature need to drop our preconceived agendas of how to meet the needs we see around us and be flexible enough to listen to and learn about what the needs truly are.  

I invited this young woman to go to Bible study with me.  I told her that her clothes would not matter and that she would be welcomed by our group no matter what.  And our ladies did not disappoint on that promise.  She felt loved.  She felt like she was finally in the company of women who were not pretending to be holy or perfect but were real and authentic.  She felt accepted and "a part of".  She didn't say more than a few words at the meeting but she talked my ear off on the drive home.  And I was grateful.

Blessed are the flexible indeed...for choosing not to get bent out of shape in this situation showed me more about Him and set me more firmly on His path.  I know that I might not get it right every time, but I am willing to keep learning and to keep listening to the women that I cross paths with and to the One who places them there...so that He will be glorified...and we all grow up in Him.

So are you ready to be blessed or are you feeling bent out of shape by life?

thought for today...carry each other's burdens

At church on Sunday we were each given three sticky notes and a pen.  We were instructed to write down our burdens...the things we wanted to give over to God. The things we cannot carry alone.  

After writing them down we took turns placing them on a large heart at the front of the room.  Once we finished placing them on the heart then we went back up to get three prayer requests to take home with us.  To help share the load by supporting one another in prayer throughout the week.  

Each day I open my Bible and I have three anonymous burdens to pray over, to offer up to God, to help carry the load.  I also know that someone is praying for my requests...my burdens are being shared.  

 My load has felt lighter this week.  And I hope that those I am praying for feel the same way.  

linking up with:

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Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies

Ten days of being gluten free.  What a milestone.  For the most part it is fairly easy.  I just eat real food.  Meat, veggies and fruit.  Every now and again I have to face up to thoughts of "oh I can't eat that" but, thankfully, it has not been a major ordeal.  Tom even checked labels when buying me a candy bar last night...he came home with a plain milk chocolate Hershey bar. And it was perfect!

It is amazing to have energy again.  It is so wonderful to feel less pain...I never would have imagined that wheat would be factor in my dealing with fibromyalgia.

I got an email last night with a recipe for gluten free chocolate chip cookies and I am looking forward to giving them a try.  I realized as I was reading over the recipe that I have actually had gluten free cookies before.  I made them for the first time back in 2005 when we were in Russia and wrote about giving the recipe away to our friend Alexei.

Super Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

1 egg

1 cup of sugar

1 cup of peanut butter

Mix all ingredients together.  Roll into balls and flatten with a fork in a criss cross pattern.

  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.   

You could even put a square of chocolate or a Hershey Kiss on top if you like!

I found the same recipe on AllRecipes.com here.

Enjoy!

the gifts of life in Him...

Have you ever had a week so jammed packed that you don't know where to begin in describing it?

This has been one of those weeks for us.  So let's get started!

The gifts of ministry:

674.  Tom's class at Belize Bible Center started up again this week and we had twelve students return and three new students.  Two more students are scheduled to join us next week...what a blessing to see so many interested in studying Christian Counseling!

675.  getting a referral to our counseling office from a government agency.

676.  seeing clients reach their goals...and move on.

677.  having someone ask me about meeting for discipleship at her house in a village nearby.

678.  seeing someone who had not been to any church for over a year at the service on Sunday.

Gifts of fellowship:

679.  making prayer books at the ladies Bible study.

680.  my friend Liz making me come out from behind the camera!

681.  enjoying learning a new language with friends.

682.  the feeling of community sharing our burdens and requests with one another at church.

683.  the gifts of each of us taking some of those burdens to prayer over during the week.

684.  sharing in communion with such a diverse and beautiful body of believers.

685.  joining in with the worship team to sing songs of praise and worship to Him.

686.  driving through the countryside to meet with some fellow missionaries for lunch.

687.  the beautiful Teak trees growing strong again after suffering hurricane damage in the fall of 2010.

688.  remembering what they looked like after Hurricane Richard and rejoicing in how they look now.

689.  being treated to a meal after church at a place we had never been to before.

690.  a mango growing in our backyard

691.  a tree that can still bear fruit standing in the shadow of a larger tree.

692.  Spencer's foot was only sprained and not broken.

693.  Nathan's new job.

694.  Tom's parents celebrating their 50th anniversary today.

695.  Tom and I getting a donation from Belizean couple to help support our work here.

Gifts found during my time in the Word:

696.  He can sympathize with our weaknesses.  Hebrews 4:15

697.  His oath gives us a hope that anchors our souls.  Hebrews 6:17-19

698.  His compassions never fail and are new every morning.  Lamentations 3:22-23

699.  He does not lie or change His mind.  Numbers 23:19
700.  He has made plans for us.  Jeremiah 29:11

 joining in with the gratitude community:

behind the veil of the sex industry...

The first film in the Nefarious Documentary Trilogy comes out on DVD May 1st... help spread the word!

Synopsis 

“Modern slavery.” It sounds like a paradox. Hasn’t humanity progressed? Didn’t we leave slavery dead on the battlefields of the American Civil War? Didn’t social reformers like Lincoln and Wilberforce legislate against such cruelty over a hundred years ago? So we had thought. But, with over 27 million enslaved people in the world, human trafficking is once again the battlefront of the century.

Regardless of nationality, victims are systematically stripped of their identity, battered into gruesome submission, and made to perform humiliating sexual acts on up to 40 strangers every night. Most are held in dingy apartments and brothels, forced to take heavy doses of illegal drugs, and monitored very closely. Victims are often thrown into such ghastly oppression at 13 years old. Some are abducted outright, while others are lured out of poverty, romantically seduced, or sold by their families.

Nefarious, Merchant of Souls, is a hard-hitting documentary that exposes the disturbing trends in modern sex slavery. From the very first scene, Nefarious ushers you into the nightmare of sex slavery that hundreds of thousands experience daily. You’ll see where slaves are sold (often in developed, affluent countries), where they work, and where they are confined. You’ll hear first-hand interviews with real victims and traffickers, along with expert analysis from international humanitarian leaders.

From initial recruitment to victim liberation—and everything in between—the previously veiled underworld of sex slavery is uncovered in the groundbreaking, tell-all Nefarious, Merchant of Souls.

What's in your pastry box?

No doughnuts or sweet rolls to see here...bananas are the perfect treat for after church!  

thought for today...godly graffiti

We live on a dirt road and we work in an office on a dirt road so our little SUV gets dusty.  It gets washed and then gets dusty again...the cycle is endless.  It is fairly common to see various messages written on car windows around the city.  

This was the message left on our car the other day.

 

There are passages in Matthew, Mark and Luke that say "Love your neighbor as you love yourself".  But our tagger flipped the message. "Love yourself as you love your neighbor."  What great food for thought.  For some of us loving our neighbor is easy but loving ourselves is the challenge.  

Is it like that for you?  

Do you need to cut yourself some grace and begin loving yourself the way you love your neighbor?  

I confess that this is one of my struggles.  I remember being taught this J-O-Y acronym in Sunday School as a child.  

Jesus first.

Others second.

Yourself last.

It is so much easier to have patience with someone in pain, or with the one who has made a mistake, or with that one who takes a little extra tolerance to work with than it is to be kind to and take care of myself.  

I am realizing through this Year of Surrender that I have gotten some of God's words twisted.  And I need to work them out.  Jesus first, yes!  Just like the J-O-Y acronym starts.  But the Bible verse admonishes me to 'Love my neighbor AS myself''.  Not 'instead of' or 'before'...as.  As.   As I begin allowing this to take root in my brain my attitude toward myself begins to change and I surrender another layer of the veneer that covers my heart.  

I know that one day at a time and one issue at a time this season of Surrender will make me, mold me, and fill me with more of Him, more of His Word, and more of His grace.  

May God help us work through the issues standing in the way

and the words that we have twisted in our lives

 so that He may fit us for His service!

linking up with:

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and you can find a post of mine here:Alida: She Rocks
as part of the series:

Going Gluten Free in Belize...

 

Gluten free baking supplies can be found here in Belmopan!  I thought I was going to have to take a trip out to Spanish Lookout to find everything I need.  Thankfully, that was not the case.  

I found the tapioca starch and the rice flour at Fansico, a Chinese owned grocery store, and I found the Xanthan Gum at Ultimate Herbal Health Food Store.   I was shocked to find the Xanthan Gum...totally shocked.  But so relieved that I didn't need to order it online and try to have it sent here.  

Tom is the bread eater in our family not me.  So I thought I could just eat meat, chicken, fish, veggies and fruit and be okay.  And then I remembered how much I love pancakes, pizza and pasta.  That epiphany almost weakened my resolve but I knew I had to soldier on.  

After spending time googling recipes I got overwhelmed.  We live on a modest income and cannot afford to do too much experimenting with expensive ingredients.  I need to make every cent count.  I stumbled on a simple recipe for an all-purpose gluten free flour and knew I was headed in the right direction.

All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour

3/4 cup rice flour

1/4 cup tapioca starch

1 tsp xanthan gum

I started a Gluten Free board on Pinterest to collect recipes and tips.  My quest for ingredients started on Saturday.  I knew where to get the rice flour and 'lo and behold' right next to it was the tapioca starch.  The xanthan gum was harder to find...fortunately, we finished up in the counseling office yesterday early enough for me to head over to the health food store.  I found coconut flour, almond flour and even a gluten free baking mix on the shelf.  I asked about the xanthan gum and the girl found it quickly.  Success!  

Last night I was able to make a batch of 'test biscuits' using the all-purpose gluten free flour mix recipe.  I tried them once before just using rice flour without the tapioca starch or the xanthan gum and they came out dry and heavy.  They were much improved over my previous effort but I will do one more test run before posting that recipe.

My plea for help on Facebook got me connected with a friend of a friend who told me about some other ingredients to look for and is going to pass along some recipes as well.  I was taken aback by how many people know someone who is gluten free.  I didn't want to do this at first.  I didn't want to be difficult to feed when we are away from home, and I just didn't want to be different.  Yet, I have to take care of myself...I have lived with the pain of fibromyalgia for far too long.  I had told myself that there was nothing more I could do or take than what I was already doing.  But, I was wrong. 

After a week of taking some new vitamins and eating gluten free I am already experiencing less pain and more energy.  And I know that it will only get better the longer I stay away from gluten and continue down this path toward better health.  

So, if you have any gluten free recipes or tips to pass along I am open!