Good Times

Ecclesiastes 7:14 (NIV)
14 When times are good, be happy;
but when times are bad, consider:
God has made the one
as well as the other.
Therefore, a man cannot discover
anything about his future.

Most of us from the seventies and the eighties think of the show "Good Times" when we hear that spoken, lol. But that phrase was coined thousands of years ago in God's Word. Today we don't hear people say it much anymore. Good times. In fact if we watch TV most of what is reported is bad news representing Bad Times. Myself, I believe it is a matter of a state of the heart and perception. Paul said for us to think on things that are good! My sisters and I often talk and laugh about our childhood, you know we were fed everyday, we had so much fun pretending and playing outside, we had a clean house and loving family. We didn't have much of a perception of Rich or Poor. We just loved being in the moment everyday and enjoying the blessings that we had. Whether we were selling homemade button jewelry on the side of the road with dreams of the quarters flowing in to start our business! Or if we were making mud cakes on my dads metal boat and the top of his tin barn. We were happy. It was Good times. Running outside through the lines of clothes my mom had hanging outside, I can still smell the fresh laundry smell somedays. I think of the afternoons with the sounds of Tree leaves rustling in the wind, and we sitting beneathe them with something cool to drink or a little snack just laughing and talking. Good times. Could it be that when we were kids we didn't focus on a schedule, an itinerary or even on what was going on around us. WE WERE LIVING IN THE MOMENT! When I was a kid, The Vietnam War was all over the news. BUT, as kids we were happy. The Oil industry was crying GAS SHORTAGE and people were lined up as the gas pumps. But as a child we were happy. We were secure. We knew our parents had our best interest at heart and they were there to protect us.[By Faith we know our Heavenly Father has our Best Interest at heart and He will protect us} Today we look back and think "Good Times" Ahhhh! Baseball and football games in the backyard... Is IT that Good times is really not related to money afterall, but is a state of mind or heart. Our perception. Again, Paul says to think on things which are good! Proverbs says, As a man thinketh in His heart so is he!... So could it be our perspective towards our lives and the world around us is keeping us from recognizing or making good times. With that said Should we incase ourselves in a bubble of Glee and forget the World around us? Not at all. But BALANCE is everything. If we do that we become Ego-centric andnot productive in the Kingdom. However; I do think we should slow down just a bit, take time to sit beneathe a tree of rustling leaves and breathe deep and take in the beauty God has all around us. Time is going to pass by fast. Its how we spend those cherished minutes that make Good Times. What a compliment it will be to our hearts one day to hear our children and grandchildren say, Remember the days when we were young, What Good times. Each day we make and set the mood in our atmosphere, we may not be able to control what is going on around us, but with God's help we can control what is going on inside of us. May God's Peace complete you today and comfort you. Enjoy the little moments creating special memories that will be remembered as Good times!


I love the saying you see on Teacher's Walls, "A hundred years from now it will not matter how much I had in my bank account, or what kind of house I lived in, but it will matter if I made the difference in the life of a child." { or another person}

SHARE GOD'S LOVE AND JOY WITH OTHERS.
CELEBRATE AND CHERISH THE SWEET MOMENTS OF LIFE!

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Perfect Pudding

Faith With Effort

Perfect Pudding

Faith? We all know the scripture,"

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof [evidence] of what is not seen." [Hebrews 11:1] That defines what faith is, faith is us placing our hope and life into a Being [GOD] and living out our daily lives which is the evidence of our God at Work. Because Faith by itself is not seen by the natural eye. Our Lives is a living testimony and reflection to the world of a Living God and Him working through us. The way we live out our faith becomes the evidence of an unseen God. The Proof is in the pudding, the ingredients come together to make good pudding, or not. You can tell it is good by its texture and taste, right? No one likes lumpy pudding! The ingredients must be just right! Our testimony should bring Glory to God, by the ingredients we purposely put into action in our hearts and lives. Even though, The Holy Spirit knocked on your hearts door and revealed God's Great Love and Mercy to You, You had to take the next required action to recieve it. Right? Well, living out our faith on a daily basis is a combination of actions that produces the evidence of our Living God! And He living in Us. Perfect pudding don't come together by itself just sitting there. IT's a process, and so is our Faith, it takes cognitive and heart effort on our part to work out our Faith until that day in all areas, it comes together to bring the altermate Glory to God, and we find ourselves walking in a new way that our confidence in God is a way of life for us. It becomes more apart of our nature for us to walk in true Faith after time invested of working out our faith.

　

The Ingredients for Perfect Pudding

　

Ingredients

1/3 cup white sugar

(Our Salvation, introduction to Jesus and new life in Him)

6 tablespoons flour

(Sanctification, The Trials and Tribulations)

1/4 teaspoon salt

(The Work of God's Holy Spirt in and through us and with us)

2 1/2 cups milk

(The Word)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

(Our Testimony bringing sweet Savor to our Lord)

Directions

In a 2 quart saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt. Slowly stir in milk. Bring to a boil, and cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until mixture thickens. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Stir in vanilla.

Pour hot pudding into dessert glasses or molds that have been rinsed in cold water. Chill until firm. Unmold if desired. Serve. Or do as my mom, and serve warm.

　

　

Now this is a real recipe for those who are wondering. Most people are thinking "I thought you just added milk to the powder in the box!" Well, you can, but if you want real pudding like Moma used to make when we were kids, you make it from scratch with Love and much effort. Pudding was always an event at our house growing up. Moma would usually surprise us cause she knew what joy it brought us to have herhomemade Chocolate pudding! And once one kid found out she was making her much loved pudding, the shouts rang out throughout our home. " Moma's making pudding!"

And you could see a little smile cross her face. It brought her Joy to please us and excite us over the little things, like her perfect pudding. Mom would take her time with each step of the recipe, she hated lumpy pudding, it had to be creamy and warm to suit her expectations and ours! Of course we were kids we would of eaten it lumpy. But our Mom took pride in making it just right for her kids. Every ingredient being it's best that she could afford, and slowly adding each one enjoying the process, and completing the process at its perfection. Then serving up the sweet pudding in special desert pudding bowls she earned through selling Tupperware.

Then there was a special place for us all to eat too! We would gather around in the front yard on our little slab of concrete, we called our porch and talk and savor ourpudding. Every bite was delightfully sweet. The smell tantalizing our senses, and the warm bowl sitting in our little hands had a straight connection to our hearts. If she made it at night, we all sat around the coffee table in front of the television as if we were having a picnic. It was an event, not just a dessert. Mom delighted in seeing our smiles and tummys full. We delighted in cleaning out the bowls and asking for more not realizing at the time the effort that went into the whole process of making it!

Now, you are thinking by now, what does this have to do with our Faith with Effort topic, well, God provides all the ingredients for us to apply effort in our Faith to be pleasing to Him for the Gospel of Christ. The Word tells us Faith without Works is Dead. We should be motivated by Love to press on in Faith, and make that Cognitive effort to Glorify God in all we do. Even making pudding for loved ones. Moma put her best in serving us. We should put our best in Serving God. And When we are faced with Difficult times, We must make that Active Effort in Faith To push through, applying God's word where we need too, Praying without ceasing and Worshiping Him, our Lord God, in Truth and Spirit. And When we are able to apply effort in Faith, we are even able to enter into the Throne Room of Grace with boldness! With Joy and With Peace. When we have Peace and confidence in God in all situations, well thats when we can see that the proof is in the pudding!
I am sorry if you hungry by now for pudding, and I don't blame you if you go make some! I think I would too. lol.

　

　

Love in Christ; Angel