Chocolate Banana Loaf

100g butter
100g dark chocolate
50g dark brown soft sugar
50g golden caster sugar
2 eggs
2 big bananas or 4 smaller ones
250g self-raising flour

1. Grease a loaf tin and preheat oven to 180C
2. Mash bananas in a bowl, with a fork.
3. Melt chocolate in another bowl.
4. Cream butter and two types of sugar together in yet another bowl. Beat in the eggs.
5. Pour banana sludge and melted chocolate into the bowl with the butter-sugar-egg mix, and mix thoroughly.
6. Bake at 180C for 20 mins, then reduce oven temperature to 120, continue baking for another half an hour or so (my timing might be off, I cannot remember how long I baked for) until a skewer pushed into the loaf comes out clean. If the top begins to colour too much, cover with foil after 30 minutes.

To The Zoo!

Rhino

Elephant

Zebra

Flowers of the back garden

As for man, his days are like a flower of the field; the wind passes over it, and it is gone, its place knows it no more. (Psalm 103:15&16)

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (Matthew 6:30)

Morning Needs

O God, the author of all good,
I come to Thee for the grace another day will require
                        for its duties and events.
                I step out into a wicked world,
                I carry about with me an evil heart,
                I know that without thee I can do nothing,
                            that everything with which I shall be concerned,
                                                   however harmless in itself,
                                  may prove an occasion of sin or folly,
                                  unless I am kept by thy power.
Hold Thou me up and I shall be safe.
Preserve my understanding from subtilty of error,
                my affections from love of idols,
                my character from stain of vice,
                my profession from every form of evil.
May I engage in nothing in which I cannot implore Thy blessing,
          and in which I cannot invite Thy inspection.
Prosper me in all lawful undertakings,
           or prepare me for disappointments;
Give me neither poverty nor riches;
Feed me with food convenient for me,
           lest I be full and deny Thee
           and say, Who is the Lord?
           or be poor, and steal, and take Thy name in vain.
May every creature be made good to me by prayer and Thy will;
Teach me how to use the world, and not abuse it,
                       to improve my talents,
                       to redeem my time,
                       to walk in wisdom toward those without,
                           and in kindness to those within,
                       to do good to all men,
                       and especially to my fellow Christians.
And to Thee be the glory.

"Morning Needs" from  The Valley of Vision (A collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions) by Arthur Bennett

Look what I got!

For which I am so very grateful and pleased.

The whole haul. That bright sunflower? From the Queen of Sheba.

Close up on the books - a wonderful collection of what my life is (and a bit of what I wish it only was) - God on top, some sewing, some cooking, some knitting and domestic organisation.

And this? This is an AMAZING halterneck apron, covered in Nasturtiums designed and made for me by the Kindred Spirit.

Tea

Among the delights - Devil's food cakes, made to a 1920s recipe that uses only the yolks...

So that I could use the whites for macarons

Cherry cupcakes, to my own recipe, which look like they escaped from the 1970s

"... that newly invented luxury for ladies, so indispensible for their happiness, and so ruinous for their health - a forenoon tea"

Chapter 11 "Tea" from The Victorian Kitchen by Jennifer Davies

Easy Bacon, Pea, And Broccoli Soup

Very easy, ideal for tired post-work brains.

Ingredients:
200g chunky bacon or ham pieces
200g broccoli florets
100g frozen petit pois
50g little pasta shapes
1.5L water
2 teaspoons bouillon powder
1 heaped tablespoon cream cheese 


1. Place all ingredients, except the cream cheese into a saucepan on a medium heat and bring to the boil.
2. Boil for 15-20 minutes.
3. Take off the heat and stir in the cream cheese.
4. Blitz in a food processor or with a handheld blender.
5. Serve.

Now, if this was an artisan food blog, the picture would have an artful swirl of cream on top.

But it's not.

Beauty

"Whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." Philippians 4:8

And God said... " When I bring the clouds over the earth, and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh" Genesis 9:14+15

Dreams Of Silken Half-hours

Two and a half metres of red silk, shot with black

An old trusted McCall's pattern (M4460 for those who want to know)

Two weeks of joyous snatched hours and half hours.

Grey acetate lining, with hand understitching.

When I find someone who can capture the beauty of the finished object I'll show you all of it.

A Knitting Needle Case For Mama

Mummy wanted a knitting needle case for her birthday. After much browsing on Amazon, we both realised I could make one myself, and then she could have a greater choice of colours and fabrics.

So, I used one that I have to give me the outline for the design, but most of it was just a yard-stick and tailor's chalk.

A Gerbera For The Queen Of Sheba

Because, sometimes, you need a little pink reminder of God's good creation.

Meditteranean Vegetable Spaghetti

One day baby courgettes were on offer...

Serves 2

Ingredients:
250g smoked bacon lardons
8 baby courgettes
8 sundried tomato halves
8 quarters/pieces of marinated artichoke hearts (often sold as "artichoke antipasti," in olive oil)
Olive oil
Wholemeal spaghetti to serve 2.

1. Put a large heavy frying pan (which has a lid) on the hob. Add a slug of olive oil (1-2 tbsp), put over a medium heat. Add the bacon lardons.
2. Wash, dry and slice the courgettes (fairly thinly). Put into the frying pan, and fry until just starting to soften and the lardons are beginning to crisp.
3. Put the pasta on to cook
4. Cut the tomatoes and artichoke hearts into smallish pieces. Add to the frying pan with a little of the oil the artichoke hearts are in. Cover and leave to cook on a medium heat.
5. When the pasta is ready, drain and add to the frying pan. Take the frying pan off the heat, and stir the pasta and the vegetables together.
6. Serve.

Bizet the pig

Made for an operatically named friend. From this pattern.

A Skirt Is Made

My first proper foray into making my own clothes, on my own sewing machine, by myself.

No commercial pattern. Merely a little maths, some fabric from Ikea and a cotton lawn lining.

Venison Ragu

I sampled this in Fortnum and Mason back in September. (Dining in Fortum and Mason is not a frequent occurrence, this trip occurred to take my mummy out for lunch to celebrate my first pay packet from a proper job). Since this trip I have been desiring to make it, and when Tesco had two venison steaks for £1.24 instead of £5.99 I thought the time had come. Google gave me several recipe ideas, but they were all so different from each other I just had to go my own way, so here I proudly present my recipe for venison ragu. Beware - this is not a quick recipe, preparation takes around 30 minutes, and then the ragu needs to spend 1.5-2 hours in the oven.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion
2 carrots
3 sticks of celery
About 3-4 inches of Saucisson Sec Superieur a l'ancienne (a good handful of bacon lardons would substitute perfectly, I just happened to have this sausage as it was 99p instead of £4.49)
2 cloves of garlic
10 capers (ish, about what came out on a heaped teaspoon, counting capers is not one of my pastimes)
a sprig of rosemary
2 anchovy fillets

250g venison steaks
3-4 heaped tbsp of plain flour
1tsp dried oregano
1tsp dried rosemary
salt and pepper
half a tube of tomato puree
2 bay leaves

250ml red wine
300ml stock (I cheated and used Marigold bouillon powder since there was no stock in the freezer)

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 160 C.
2. Take an ovenproof and flameproof casserole dish with a lid (a Le Creuset pan is ideal), and slug about 2 tbsp of olive oil in. Place over a low-medium heat.
3. Chop onions, carrots and celery into small dice (<0.5cm square). As each item is chopped, put it in the pan and give it a good stir. (For those who like posh cookery words, this is your mirepoix)

4. Chop saucisson sec and add to pan (if using lardons just put them straight in). Stir. Cook vegetables and sausages for about 10 minutes until the vegetables are translucent and soft.
5. Skin and finely mince the garlic. Add to pan. Stir.
6. Pull the leaves of the fresh rosemary off the stalk. Discard stalk and any woody bits. Chop finely. Add to pan. Stir.
7. Finely chop the anchovy fillets and the capers. Add to pan. Stir and leave to cook gently.
8. Put the flour, dried rosemary, dried oregano, about 1 tsp salt and plenty of freshly ground black pepper into a bowl and stir to combine. Chop the venison into 2-3cm dice, then toss them in the seasoned flour until they are thoroughly coated.
9. Add the venison, and the rest of the seasoned flour to the pan. Brown off the venison.
10. Add the tomato puree, the wine, the stock and the bay leaves to the pan, stir well but gently so as to not break up the bay leaves.
11. Bring the ragu to the boil, then cover and put into the oven. Cook in the oven for one and a half to two hours until the sauce is thick and the meat is tender.

12. Serve with parpadelle, linguine or other long pasta.

Everything's Coming Up Roses

Or carrots,

strawberries,

tomatoes and garlic. Actually.

God in the disappointments

Sometimes life is disappointing. The world seems to be against you. Sometimes you pray for something everyday, with the best motive in the world, with a view to honour God and to serve others, and yet it doesn't happen. It seems like God is just not there.

It doesn't happen, not because God doesn't love you, nor because He doesn't care, nor because He isn't able to make it happen. It doesn't happen because He does love you, because He does care, because He is able to make something better happen.

That's not to say the disappointment is any less disappointing, but it does provide a new perspective on them. To know that God cares so much for you, that He's willing to say "no".

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, in order that He might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom He called He also justified, and those whom He justified He also glorified. (Romans 8 v 28-30)

I prayed for a job to stay in the city, so that I could continue to serve at my church, I could continue to be part of my small group, I could continue to share fellowship amongst friends and I could share God's Good News with those I have relationships with in the area. I wanted to serve Him, to stay with the people He so graciously gave me six and a half years ago. I pleaded, because I wanted to serve the people who kept me Christian during some really rocky times. He said "no". He is moving me to a different town. And He is at work, even in the most bitter of disappointments, to bring about something so much more exciting. Something that I don't know about, something I can't imagine, but something that will conform me to the image of His Son, so that I may be one of many brothers. And that's where God is in the disappointments.

With the fruit of her hand she plants a vineyard...

"From your lofty abode You water the mountains; the earth is satisfied with the fruit of Your work. You cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring forth food from the earth..." Psalm 104 v 13 & 14 (ESV)

Planter, organic top soil and seed compost, and Gardener's Delight tomato plant from Growing Concerns, strawberry from my mummy's back garden. Flowery gardening set a much valued present from an old housemate.

Relaxed Chatty Tea

"This is mainly a fantasy as, in the real world, all the people you would like to get together for tea and cakes and plenty of undisturbed talking one afternoon are all far too busy. You are probably far too busy yourself.

Anyway, in this fantasy, all your favourite friends are gathered together, without a care in the world, all chatting away and eating delicious cakes and drinking tea. You'll have all your best crockery out and there'll be flowers on the table. No one will be on a diet or have a food allergy and no one will have to rush off. If there are any children in the party, they will be sweet and funny and behave beautifully and any babies will sleep peacefully, waking up occasionally to gurgle adorably for a few moments before snoozing off again." From - Tea with Mrs Simkins

Photo credit to Papa

Cheat's pizza

Recently my mummy borrowed Jamie's 30 minute meals from the library. Whilst I didn't want to necessarily have an entire 3 course meal, some of the ideas and tips grabbed me, for example - Cheat's pizza. A proper looking pizza, with no added nasties, but super quick. And it tasted amazing.

Reflecting On God's Sovereignty

A recent church weekend away was on the sovereignty of God. I was asked to write a short reflection on the weekend. This is what I wrote:

If you've been a Christian for any length of time, you'll be used to "debates" about God's sovereignty, and issues of free will, evil and fatalism will be batted back and forth like tennis balls. Sadly in all this, I can very easily lose sight of God. On the weekend away, it was, therefore, the reminders that God is King (sovereign) in His world that struck me most. He alone is the Creator, all else is created and, therefore, under His rule. The reaches of His rule are all-encompassing, from my breakfast cereal to the rain that sends me scurrying back in for an umbrella, from the moment of inspiration when reading my Bible, to exactly which bus I get or miss.

God made each oat sheaf grow, each leaf was formed, and each grain harvested and squashed into my porridge oats, with Him knowing exactly which oats I was going to eat, and which would be eaten by my flatmate, before I even decided which porridge to buy! And every "natural" event, every flurry of snow, ray of sunshine, or sharp north-westerly breeze is sent out from God's hand. Every day is filled with His glorious providence, even when I don't want to acknowledge it, even when I am a "practical Deist" - i.e. when I ignore God's constant rule of the world, and imagine that I'm in charge , and that God just occasionally "intervenes".

This session was a rebuke for the days when I grumble whilst getting the umbrella, reminding me that it's not just that it happened to rain, but that God deliberately sent the rain. It is a wonderful truth to be reminded of. How can I be so ungrateful to the LORD who made me and provides all my needs? How can I consign Him to just "helping out" when I want something? I must rejoice in all His goodness, in His awesome sovereignty. I must be grateful for all the wonderful things that fill my day, and see His perfect hand in all things.

This post was originally posted here.

I recommend...

The Valley of Vision by Arthur Bennett. A collection of Puritan Prayers. The Puritans were great thinkers and had their theology nailed. I've quoted from this book before, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Prayers for when you don't know what to pray, when you are praying in a great Christian truth, prayers to read and ponder. Excellent for when your heart is so overwhelmed (either in joy or in sorrow) that words don't come easily. Also useful for getting into the habit of praying well structured prayers of clarity. As the blurb says, "This book has been prepared not to 'supply' prayers but to prompt and encourage the Christian as he treads the path on which others have gone before."

This is my hymnbook

Just a little notebook given to me as a Christmas gift several years ago, but I would be heart-broken if it disappeared. It contains my favourite hymns and Christian songs. Some hand-written (not very neatly, because I'm not very good at judging how much space each one will take up), others cut from hymn sheets and pasted in. This is my hymnbook. For singing when I need to sing.

The Gift Hamper

A rather belated "House-Warming" present for a couple of my close friends from university. They rather like cheese, so it's a cheese based, and once again everything is made from  Gifts from the Kitchen (definitely my favourite recipe book at the moment). I also added in a small wedge of a mature cheddar.

Contents: Oatmeal Biscuits For Cheese, Chilli, Tomato and Onion Marmalade, Tickler Mature Cheddar (not shown), Coloured Sugar Lumps (alright, not exactly cheese related, but very cute anyway)

Sugar Lumps

Not lumps at all. Beautiful little shapes. "Recipe" from Gifts from the Kitchen. Have I mentioned that I love this book? So many ideas for beautiful homemade foodie gifts.

I used a set of aspic cutters which are on "loan" from my Mother (in case she needs them one day, they can't be "mine") which in turn were passed down by my Grandmother. As was the palette knife used to squash the block of sugar-sand. The palette knife is *mine* however.

Flowers on the Table

Bought for the Queen of Sheba by her young man. Making our living room look lovely in the vase that I possibly paid more for in a charity shop than it would have cost first time round in Ikea.

The Return of the Queen of Sheba

My flatmate has returned from her two and a half week trip home, bringing back some of her sheet music.

Our flat has been filled with strains of Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba" and "Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". An odd combination, but a thoroughly pleasing one too.

Immortal Honours Rest on Jesus' Head

This glorious hymn chokes me up every time I sing it, for it reminds me of my constant dependance on my awesome Saviour Jesus Christ, and how He will supply all that I need. It makes me smile too, for exactly the same reasons.

Immortal honours rest on Jesus’ head;
My God, my portion, and my Living Bread;
In Him I live, upon Him cast my care;
He saves from death, destruction, and despair.

He is my Refuge in each deep distress;
The Lord my strength and glorious righteousness;
Through floods and flames He leads me safely on,
And daily makes His sovereign goodness known.

My every need He richly will supply;
Nor will His mercy ever let me die;
In Him there dwells a treasure all divine,
And matchless grace has made that treasure mine.

O that my soul could love and praise Him more,
His beauties trace, His majesty adore;
Live near His heart, rest in His love each day;
hear His dear voice and all His Will obey.

 --- William Gadsby (1773 - 1844)

We sing it to Eventide, which is also the tune for "Abide with me," which amuses me a little, because my mother *hates* "Abide with me" because it sounds so mournful and dirge-like. Indeed she threatens that if we play it at her funeral she'll pop out of her coffin and tell us to stop it immediately. (I quite like this song to that tune, but shhh, don't tell her!)

One down, five to go

Yes, the stitching could have been much neater. No, the corners aren't mitred properly. Yes, the ruffle is completely uneven. No, I don't care, because I made a big squooshy cover for a cushion, that is just how I imagined it.

Three Quid's Worth of Gospel

"I would like to buy about three quid's worth of gospel, please. Not too much - just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted. I don't want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust; I certainly don't want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial, and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture. I want ecstasy, not repentance; I want transcendence, not transformation. I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving, broad-minded people, but I myself don't want to love those from different races - especially if they smell. I would like enough gospel to make my family secure and my children well behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions redirected, or my giving too greatly enlarged.

I would like about three quid's worth of gospel please.

Of course, none of us is so crass as to put it that way. But most of us have felt the temptation to opt for a domesticated version of the gospel."

D.A. Carson - Basics for Believers

Finished

After three months that tested many aspects of my personality, and my ability to be salt and light, I'm finally rotating on to another area.

I think that deserves Ben and Jerry's for tea. Don't you? Especially since it's "low fat" and was half price.

Time to Sew

All ready to make a new cushion cover for the sofa. Once I have time to sew that is. My friend managed to pick out a perfectly matching shade of thread despite not having the fabric with us, after only seeing it once. The advantage of a contour fashion degree I suppose!

New Term, New Books

This term I'm going to be reading one-to-one with one of the ladies from my weekly Bible study. I let her have free rein over what we would study, and she chose Philippians. Having re-read it over a few times in preparation, I'm pretty excited about it. We're going to use it as an opportunity to hone Bible handling skills too, so I'm also using Dig Deeper by Nigel Beynon and Andrew Sach to see which "tools" we can use to explore the passage.

Chilli, Tomato and Onion Marmalade

Adapted from "Cherry Tomato and Sweet Chilli Jam" from Gifts from the Kitchen by Annie Rigg. Kindly bought for me for Christmas by my brother.

Raja the King of Elephants

From Elefante by Susan B. Anderson

A Hymn by John Newton

Most of the world knows him as the writer of "Amazing Grace", but John Newton, the slave-ship owner turned Pastor and Preacher, by God's grace, was the writer of many, many other hymns, including this one, one of my personal favourites:

Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
He whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for His own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.

See! the streams of living waters,
spring form eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint, when such a river
ever flows their thirst to assuage?
Grace which, like the Lord, the Giver,
never fails from age to age.

Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus they march, their pillar leading,
light by night, and shade by day;
daily on the manna feeding
which he gives them when they pray.

Blest inhabitants of Zion,
washed in the Redeemer's blood!
Jesus, whom their souls rely on,
makes them kings and priests to God.
'Tis his love his people raises
over self to reign as kings:
and as priests, his solemn praises
each for a thank-offering brings.

Saviour, since of Zion's city,
I through grace a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy Name.
Fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.

My favourite verse is the last one, sometimes it reads "Saviour, if of Zion's city..." but I prefer this reading - it speaks more of the wonderful assurance children of the living God have, knowing that they are aliens and strangers in this world, and belonging to another. It reminds me that each day, no matter what the world thinks of me, I am a Christian, saved by grace, glorying in my wonderful Saviour's name. The things of this earth quickly spoil and fade, but I will live for ever, and so will the joys and treasure of the heavenly city where I shall dwell forever.

For the joys and the sorrows...

Preparing a Bible study on Romans 5v1-11 reminded me of a song I rather like by Graham Kendrick:

For the joys and for the sorrows
The best and worst of times
For this moment, for tomorrow
For all that lies behind
Fears that crowd around me
For the failure of my plans
For the dreams of all I hope to be
The truth of what I am

For this I have Jesus
For this I have Jesus
For this I have Jesus, I have Jesus
(Repeat)

For the tears that flow in secret
In the broken times
For the moments of elation
Or the troubled mind
For all the disappointments
Or the sting of old regrets
All my prayers and longings
That seem unanswered yet

For the weakness of my body
The burdens of each day
For the nights of doubt and worry
When sleep has fled away
Needing reassurance
And the will to start again
A steely-eyed endurance
The strength to fight and win

"Since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person - though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die - but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinner, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by His blood, much more shall we be saved by Him from the wrath of God."

So, since we have been justified (the hard work), we can face the future, each day, sufferings or joyfulness, because of what Christ has done. And in each day and each moment, I can look forward, knowing that the future is settled, because Christ has justified me. Hallelujah!

The Dream Kitchen

This hilarious little extract came from a recent (November 2010) copy of the Waitrose Kitchen Magazine that I picked up, it rather sums up my kitchen experience.

"In my mind's eye, I always imagined myself making jam and marmalade in a sunlit kitchen, surrounded by gleaming copper pans and gingham squares. In reality, the making of jam in our house is hot, heavy work; the great bubbling pail of sugar-stew liberally seasoned with swear words, and at least one finger or thumb being held under the cold tap for 20 minutes after a run-in with a scalding splodge of syrup. Which refuses to set. And turns the tea towels purple. But who cares? Rose-tinted spectacles come with the territory... Admiring the serried racks of just-made jams, with their wax-circle stoppers and hand-written labels, is one of life's great little pleasures. It's one of the few boxes I've actually ticked in the larder of my dreams, where I shall have trugs loaded with medlars and damsons, or perhaps sloes, quince and elderberries. There'll be demijohns of single-orchard cider, interestingly flavoured cordials and single-estate teas in fragrant wooden caddies. Ooh, and a truckle of cheddar, plus a wedge of varicose stilton and a salted hock of ham, studded with cloves.

None of this exists, mostly because I am not the chatelaine of an Edwardian mansion. My real larder, which is in fact a pull-out kitchen cupboard, boasts a multipack of Hula Hoops, a sorry tin of coconut milk, some desiccated herbs, a collection of lazily sprouting potatoes and an onion (deceased)" - Mimi Spencer, Waitrose Kitchen November 2010.

How utterly hopeless...

I've been working through Romans 3v9-20, in preparation for a Bible study that I will be leading at church next week. It has served as an incredible reminder of how utterly sinful I am. Thinking on it each evening has thoroughly condemned me, as each evening I realise how I have failed to glorify God's name. Each day I have dragged Christ's beautiful name through the mud. I have willfully and deliberately shown unkindness, malice, envy, lack of love, unadvised speech, hasty temper and a great multitude of more sins which mean that His name is not honoured in my life as it should be. And each night I must whisper my confession and contrition, before the God who holds me accountable.

This I believe is Paul's purpose in writing this part of the passage. Each word another blow that drives right to the heart of my cockiness, my self-surety, my sinful belief that I may be justified in God's sight because of my works. For, none is righteous, no, not one, not even you Beckie, however much you may think you are.

How my heart aches, and I think this is what Paul wants us to be, before he reminds us, with that glorious "But" in verse 21. For if we do not recognise our utter hopelessness to be right with God, then the gospel loses its power. If we can be saved another way, if we can be right with God on our own, then the death of Christ means nothing, it really was, just a carpenter dying for annoying the religious authorities of the day. But knowing that there is no way that mankind can be saved, that there is no way that I can be right with God, then I am desperate, I am alone, I am dependent. 

Thank God for that "but" - that I can be right with God, apart from my works. My works that should condemn me are cast aside, and the pure, spotless, glorious perfection of Christ is seen in all its power. But that's another week, and another study. For now I remember my sinfullness, and look forward to my salvation.

"Evening Renewal"

My Father,
If Thy mercy had bounds, where would be my refuge from just wrath?
But Thy love in Christ is without measure.
Thus, I present myself to thee
      with sins of commission and omission,
              against Thee, my Father,
              against Thee, adorable redeemer,
              against Thee and Thy strivings, O Holy Spirit,
              against the dictates of my conscience,
              against the precepts of Thy Word,
              against my neighbours and myself.
Enter not into judgement with me,
For I plead no righteousness of my own,
    and have no cloak for iniquity.
Pardon my day dark with evil.
This night I renew my penitence.
Every morning I vow to love Thee more fervently,
                       to serve Thee more sincerely,
                       to be more devoted in my life,
                       to be wholly Thine;
Yet I soon stumble, backslide,
      and have to confess my weakness, misery and sin.
But I bless Thee that the finished work of Jesus needs no addition
                                                  from my doings,
                              that His oblation is sufficient satisfaction
                                                  for my sins.
If future days be mine, help me to amend my life,
                                                   to hate and abhor evil,
                                                   to flee the sins I confess.
Make me more resolute, more watchful, more prayerful.
Let no evil fruit spring from evil seeds my hands have sown;
Let no neighbour be hardened in vanity and folly
                  by my want of circumspecion.
If this day I have been ashamed of Christ and His Word,
                   or have shown unkindness, malice, envy, lack of love,
                   unadvised speech, hasty temper,
                   let it be no stumbling block to others,
                   or dishonour to Thy name.
O help me to set an upright example that will ever rebuke vice,
                   allure to goodness,
                    and evidence that lovely are the ways of Christ.

--From "The Valley of Vision -- a collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions -- by Arthur Bennett"

--- I would replace "If this day" with "Since this day"

My New Friends

Yesterday I made a tortoise from a copy of Crochet Today that I picked up in the local market for only 67p. Then feeling all inspired, I designed and made him a giant land snail friend - Swirly the Snail!

Double baked potatoes

Double *baked* is possibly a misnomer, as the first baking is in the microwave!

For each person:
One large baking potato (e.g. Maris Piper)
Two tablespoons of creme fraiche
Two teaspoons of red pesto
A large handful of grated cheddar cheese

Prick the baking potato all over with a fork or other handy sharp implement, and microwave potato for around 8 minutes (for an 800W microwave)

Preheat oven to 230 C

Meanwhile, mix the creme fraiche, red pesto and cheese in a bowl

Remove potato from microwave, carefully scoop flesh from skin, leaving a border of flesh in the skin of around 1/4 - 1/2 cm. Put flesh into the bowl with the cheese mixture.

Mash the potato into the cheese mixture, until fairly smooth.

Replace cheesey potato mixture into the potato skins.

Put potato halves on a baking tray, bake in the oven at 230 C for around 10 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbled and browned.

Eat, with your choice of delicious accompaniments!

A beautiful sunset

Before Christmas I had the wonderful privilege of going up to Fort William for a placement. This sunset across the waterfront at Caol reminded me of the wonder of creation, and the faithfullness of my Father God who wonderfully provided a loving church family for me, and gave me lovely new friends up in Caol.

Tarte au Pomme Normande

A simple, but very tasty little apple tart.

Pastry is a sweet shortcrust from Gary Rhodes "Sweet Dreams" - unusual in that it includes an egg and an egg yolk to make it even richer. He also advises using icing sugar for a nicer texture - I used about half and half of caster and icing sugars. I also dusted the pastry with icing sugar before baking it blind, which gave it a rather nice crispy sugary coated texture.

The filling is a slightly sweetened apple puree - three large bramley apples, peeled, cored and chopped into little pieces, sprinkled with 3 tablespoons of sugar then microwaved in a *large* bowl (watched like a hawk... otherwise it can get bubbly and tricksy and redecorate the inside of your microwave).

All topped off with fine slices of peeled and cored Cox apples (I used two medium sized ones) and finally baked in the oven for a few minutes.

Yummy!

If you wanted your apples a little more coloured you could sprinkle them with sugar or dot with butter before popping under the grill.