The Way I Clean My House--Monthly and Twice A Year

     Today is the last post I'm planning to do on how I clean my house.  I'm sure you're all bored with this series, but it has been an interesting exercise for me.  Until Jessica asked, I had never thought much about how I do things so it has taken me quite awhile to sort it all out.
     As I think about the tasks I only do occasionally I must say that I allow myself quite a bit of leeway.  I try to do them monthly and twice a year, but those are goals I'm shooting for.  If I only get them done every other month--or once a year, my house is still cleaner than it would have been if I had not set some goals.  So here are the tasks I can think of that I only do periodically:


Monthly:  (I combine these with my weekly tasks once a month.)

1. Wipe off ceiling fan blades
2. Vacuum and/or wipe down woodwork, including doors and picture frames
3. Thoroughly clean refrigerator shelves and throw out old food
4. Sweep thoroughly and/or clean the garage.  I sweep around the back door weekly, but I don't get around to cleaning the whole garage except every few weeks.  (If only I could train Country Guy to do the garage regularly--he did sweep it last night for me since we are having guests and I just didn't have time.)

Twice a year:

1. Move furniture to vacuum under and/or re-arrange furniture in room.
2. Wash all windows and wipe down window screens, inside and out.
3. Wash curtains and/or mini-blinds
4. Dust/vacuum ceilings for cobwebs
5. Remove and wash glass in light fixtures
6. Clean closets
7. Clean out kitchen cabinets and drawers

      As I write these out it seems like much to do--I guess it is--but it really is not as difficult or overwhelming as it may seem at first reading.  Try it for a few weeks and see if you don't find yourself with a much cleaner house and some extra time on your hands each day to enjoy doing something you like.

            I hope this exercise in thinking how I clean house has been beneficial to someone besides me.  If any of you have other tips to share please post them under comments.  I know we would all be glad for some new ideas to add variety and make the job a little easier.


Don't forget:

*My Number One Rule:  I find a place for everything and return it to that place as soon as I’m finished with it.  This takes a little discipline but saves so much time in the long run and keeps the house looking so much neater & easier to clean that you’ll be glad you incorporated this rule.

      *If you’re interested, I did a blog post several months ago on "My Favorite Cleaning Products".  You can find it here.

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The Way I Clean My House--Weekly

     This post is a continuation of yesterday's post.  Because I feel "My Number One Rule" is the key to a clean house, I am going to post it again.


*My Number One Rule:  I find a place for everything and return it to that place as soon as I’m finished with it.  This takes a little discipline but saves so much time in the long run and keeps the house looking so much neater & easier to clean that you’ll be glad you incorporated this rule.

      In addition to the daily tasks I mentioned yesterday, I also try to do the following things once a week:

Weekly: 

1. Change bed linens (Wash immediately to put back on the bed, or store in linen closet.)
2. Clean the bathrooms thoroughly including:
1. The shower and/or bathtub to prevent mildew 
2. The stool (I use Lime-away to remove hard water buildup)
3. Wipe down the sink and counter tops.
4. Polish the mirrors and plumbing hardware
5. Mop the floor
3. Dust all furniture and vacuum the entire house, including porches.
4. Wipe down cabinets and mop kitchen floor and other bare floors including laundry room and halls  (depending on use, I may do this every couple of weeks instead of every week.
5. Water houseplants  (Overwatering is one of the biggest problems for new plant owners so it helps to have a specific day and not to water until that day unless the plant is looking thirsty.)
6. Do laundry.  (Because I have sorting bins in my laundry room, I throw the laundry in the washer whenever one, or all, are full so I actually do at least one load of laundry almost daily. 
7. Do the ironing  (Ironing becomes more fun if I have a good movie to watch while I iron.)Think about menus for the week and plan grocery shopping so I will only need to go once a week.  I keep staples in my pantry. e.g.. pasta, rice, sugar, flour, canned soup, beans, tomato products, spaghetti sauce, etc. to combine for quick meals.

       I assign a different day of the week to complete each task if I have limited time, or I set aside one day and combine several tasks. 

    Here is an example of how I incorporate them into my cleaning each week:

     1. Monday: Daily tasks (see yesterday's post), plus I change the bed linens and do all the laundry

     2. Tuesday: Daily tasks, plus I iron and water house plants

     3. Wednesday (or Thursday) is shopping/errand day where I restock my pantry and buy items I need to prepare meals for the week.

     4. Thursday: Daily tasks, plus I clean the bathrooms, wipe down kitchen cabinets, if needed,(I sometimes do this every other week) and mop all floors.

     5. Friday: Daily tasks, plus I dust and vacuum and sometimes prepare food for the weekend.

     6. Saturday: minimal cleaning--at least make the beds

     7. Sunday: minimal cleaning--at least make the beds

*If you decide to try this plan I would suggest that you mark your calendar just as if you have an appointment to do each, and mark it off when completed until this becomes a habit.

       Tomorrow I will list the things I do monthly, or a couple of times a year to keep everything looking good.

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The Way I Clean My House--Daily

       Since our daughter has just moved into a much larger house than the duplex they have lived in for several years she asked me how I stay organized and keep our house clean.  I told her I would try to think through the process and give her a “plan of action”.  We decided it might be a good blog post because it could possibly help others like her who would like to be better organized.  Since the article is rather long it seems best to break it into 3 posts so check back for the complete list of My Rules for Organizing Housekeeping.

     

*My Number One Rule:  I find a place for everything and return it to that place as soon as I’m finished with it.  This takes a little discipline but saves so much time in the long run and keeps the house looking so much neater & easier to clean that you’ll be glad you incorporated this rule.

The following list is what I do daily to keep the house looking nice.  

Every Day:

1. I make the bed as soon as I get up.  This only takes about a minute but reflects much on housekeeping to visitors. 
2. Wipe down the shower and/or bathtub after use.
3. Deal with the mail--sorting and throwing away anything unimportant and organizing it into Bills, Coupons, Magazines, etc. (I have a specific place for each of these.)  
4. Wash the dishes, sink, and counter tops after every meal.
5. Wipe off the stove top and any fingerprints from appliance fronts.
6. Vacuum (or sweep up with a broom) any apparent dirt in the kitchen and the rest of house.
7. If I do laundry daily I fold it as soon as it is removed from the dryer and put it away immediately, (or at least move it to the bed so I will have to deal with it before going to bed. I never allow myself to move it to the floor or dresser from the bed, but instead put it where it belongs.)
8. Pick up and put away anything that is out of place such as laundry, clothes, toys, cleaning products, tools, groceries.                                                                                

 (FYI: If you find you are going to have unexpected guests and don’t have much time to prepare, vacuum the floors because that’s the first thing a guest usually sees.  When they see a freshly vacuumed carpet they are more inclined to think everything else is clean too, and not look too closely.)

Tomorrow's post will list things that I only do weekly to keep my house clean.

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I've Been Missing You

       Sorry I have been unable to post on my blog this week.  Country Guy & I have been in Nebraska helping our daughter’s family move into their new house.  I don’t get cell reception there, and they were not able to get their house phone or Internet hooked up before we left this morning to return to Illinois so I have been very much unconnected from the world.  It is amazing how dependent I am on instant communication.  I felt like I was on a deserted island with no way to get a message to you!  :o)

       It was a fun week, though.  We spent the week carrying boxes, putting things away, re-organizing, re-arranging, ironing, assembling shelving, vacuuming & cleaning, caulking, putting up curtains, playing with the grandchildren, shopping for extras for the house, returning some of the extras, planting daffodils which we brought from our daffodil patch in the woods, repotting houseplants, and anything else we could think of to be useful.  Because of the combined efforts of our daughter and son-in-law, his parents and us, the place was beginning to look as if it had been lived in for a long time when we left this morning.  Even though the process has taken several months, and hundreds of decisions to bring the house to completion, it has been well worth it!  The house is warm and welcoming, and the setting is beautiful!

       We are so happy for their family and so grateful they allowed us to be part of this happy time in their lives.  What a privilege and blessing!

       Hopefully, I will now get back to blogging regularly.  Thanks to all of you for “hanging in there” and not giving up on me.  And thanks to those of you who leave comments and email me.  Please continue to do so. You are great encouragers!

Martinsville MAPPING

   Last night was the last in the series of five meetings for the MAPPING sessions.  These sessions have helped to give much direction and purpose to improving the appearance, function, livelihood, and prosperity of our town.  This last meeting was very productive and inspiring--at least as far as our committee was concerned.  I can't speak for the others but we came away eager to get started on our first project.

   Since the Linn Trust is giving the Linn property, which is across the street from the city park, to the city as an addition to the park, we decided the first project for our Festivals and Events committee would be to begin planning for an amphitheater for the new addition.  It seems to us having an amphitheater could increase the number and quality of events that could be held in the park and would hopefully not only provide entertainment and community spirit to area residents, but would also increase visitors to our town.  There seemed to be much enthusiasm generated for the idea, so our first step is to have the site surveyed and the size and location of the amphitheater determined, and then we will begin discussing plans and costs and ways to fund the project. 

       If you have any ideas, or live in a city that already has an amphitheater in your park, we are open to suggestions and would love to receive photos of other amphitheaters.

      If you live in Martinsville and are interested in being part of this project we would be glad to have you as part of our committee.  Feel free to email me any questions or ideas and I will get back to you with the date of our next meeting.

    I'm looking forward to a new and improved look to our small community through the plans and projects begun through this experiment with MAPPING.

The Tangible Kingdom by Hugh Halter

     I'm reading Hugh Halter's book, The Tangible Kingdom, now.  In it he is helping me to see how different the meaning of church and the effectiveness of the gospel  evolved from the original New Testament experience.  One of his major points is that the method of developing programs, Bible studies, classes, etc. which the majority of churches have used to evangelize the world will no longer work in society today.  His premise is that because of the mindset of the post modern generation the church is going to have to take the gospel to them by living it before them.  This is community life--not an individual life--but a group of people loving one another, caring for one another, sacrificing for one another, putting others needs above their own and including all who want to be part of the community.
      If you are one of those who knows there is much more to life than you have been experiencing but can't figure out what that might look like, I highly recommend The Tangible Kingdom.
     Here is an explanation in Hugh's own words (taken from p. 81) of what this will look like as a community of Jesus' disciples intentionally live out the gospel together.

"The incarnational big-story gospel will require a place of discovery, where people will be able to see the truth before they hear about it.  This place will not be a location but a community of people who are inclusive of everyone.  These people will be making eternity attractive by how they live such selfless lives now, and will be modeling life in a New Kingdom in ways that will make it easy for other people to give it a try.  People like this aren't desperate to convert everyone; they are desperate to be like Christ and to be where Christ is.  Their heartbeat to be transformed into the image of Christ, and to pray and work for little specks of transformation in everyone and everything they touch.  Success is faithfulness. The rest is up to God."

R.W. Schambach's description of the miracle at an A.A. Allen meeting

      A couple of years ago I heard someone else tell the story of the amazing miracle that happened in A. A. Allen's meeting in Birmingham, Al in 1959.  When I received Paul Keith Davis' video blog yesterday and decided to post it I was reminded there was even more to the story than he shared, but didn't have time to research it.  As Paul Harvey used to say, "And now for the rest of the story" in R.W. Schambach's words:

Evangelist R. W. Schambach writes:

       "I'll never forget, the greatest miracle I ever witnessed began with an offering. It happened under the ministry of Brother A. A. Allen. I was with this man of God for about five years in the fifties. . ."

       ". . . . A woman brought her child, who had twenty-six major diseases, to our meeting. I'll never forget this as long as I live. The boy was born blind, deaf and mute. Both arms were crippled and deformed. His elbows protruded up into his little tummy; his knees touched his elbows. Both legs were crippled and deformed; he had club feet. When he was born, his doctors said that boy would never live to see his first birthday, but they were wrong; he was approaching four years of age. Of course, his condition was breaking his mama's heart. She came to our meetings all week, and I got concerned about that boy. In those crusades, we had each person with a need fill out a prayer card, and as the Holy Spirit moved, we would pray for the needs God inspired us to pray for. And the Holy Spirit didn't seem to be moving us to pray for that little boy."

       "The following Sunday, his mother came to me and said, 'Brother Schambach, I'm down to my last twenty dollars. I've paid the hotel bill, but we've been eating in the restaurant, coming to three services a day and giving in every offering. All the money has run out. My baby has not been prayed for.' She was very upset, and she was ready to give up and go home."

        "I said 'Ma'am, I can't apologize for the moving of the Holy Ghost. I know you have to leave tonight, but if you come to the service and, once again, the Holy Spirit leads in another direction, and your son's prayer card is not drawn for prayer, I will personally take your baby to the man of God's trailer house and see that he lays hands on your baby. You will not leave disappointed.' And I meant that from my heart."

        "That night I came out, and I led the singing in that evening service. Then I introduced Brother A. A. Allen, and he came bouncing out on that platform and said 'Tonight we're going to receive an offering of faith.' I had never heard him use that expression before, and I saw eyebrows lift all over the congregation. He went on, 'Now, if you don't know what I mean when I say an 'offering of faith,' I mean for you to give God something you cannot afford to give. That's a good definition, isn't it? If you can afford it, there's no faith connected to it. So give Him something you can't afford to give.'"

         "As soon as Brother Allen said that, I saw that boy's mother leap out into the aisle and come running. Three thousand people were watching her in that Birmingham Fairgrounds Arena as she threw something in that offering bucket. I never saw anybody in such a hurry to give, and, I confess, I was nosy. I came down off that platform to see what she had given. You know what I saw in that bucket? A twenty dollar bill."

         "I knew that was all she had. She had told me that. She had driven from Knoxville, Tennessee, to the meeting in Birmingham, Alabama. She didn't know how she was going to get home or what she was going to use to feed herself and her baby on the way. I went behind the platform and wept. I prayed, 'Lord, I've been trying to teach that woman faith all week. But now I'm asking You to give me faith like she's got!'"

         ". . . Brother Allen went on and collected the offering and launched into his sermon. But about fifteen minutes into his message he stopped and said, 'I'm being carried away in the Spirit.'"

         "I said to myself, 'Here we go again on another trip.' This is how God used him: he said he could see what the Holy Spirit wanted to communicate to him like he was watching it on a television screen. He would describe it as he saw it. That night he said, 'I'm being carried away to a huge white building. Oh, it's a hospital.' Of course, I heard this kind of thing every night that I worked with Brother Allen so I was sitting there unmoved."

          "Then he said, 'I'm inside the hospital, and there's no doubt in my mind where I'm heading because I hear all these babies crying. It's a maternity ward. I see five doctors around a table. A little baby has been born. The baby was born with twelve, no, sixteen, no, twenty-six diseases.'"

         "When he said that, I started getting chill bumps up and down my spine. I said, 'Oh, my God, tonight's that baby's night!"

         "Brother Allen continued, 'Twenty-six diseases. The doctors said he'd never live to see his first birthday, but that's not so. That boy is approaching four. Now I see the mother packing a suitcase. They're going on a trip. Another lady's with her. The baby's in a bassinet. It's in the back seat of an old Ford. They're driving down the highway. I see the Alabama/Tennessee border. That automobile is driving in the parking lot. Lady you're here tonight. Bring me that baby! God's going to give you twenty-six miracles.'"

          "That woman came running again for the second time that night. She put the baby in Brother Allen's arms. I jumped up to stand beside him, and everybody in the audience, 3,000 strong, was standing. Brother Allen must have wanted to be sure that the audience was agreeing in faith for the miracle because he said, 'Everybody, close your eyes.' But I thought, 'Not me, mister. I'm going to be scriptural on this one. I'm going to watch and pray. I've been waiting for this all week.'"

         "That little boy's tongue had been hanging out of his mouth all week. The first thing I saw as Brother Allen prayed was that tongue snapped back in the mouth like a rubber band. For the first time in four years, the little guy's tongue was in his mouth. I saw two little whirlpools in his eyes, just a milky color. You couldn't tell whether he had blue or brown or what color of eyes. But during the prayer, that whirlpool ceased, and I saw two brand new brown eyes! I knew God had opened his eyes, and if God opened the eyes, I knew He had unstopped the deaf ears."

       "Then those little arms began to snap like pieces of wood; and for the first time, they stretched out. The legs cracked like wood popping. All of sudden, I saw God form toes out of those club feet as easily as a child forms something with silly-putty. The crowd was watching by this time going wild! I've never seen any people shout and rejoice so much in all my life."

       "I saw that baby placed on his feet, and he began to run for the first time in his life. He had never seen his mama before, never said a word, but he began running across the platform and I was running right after him to catch him. He leaped into his mama's arms, and I heard him say his first word, 'Mama.'"

         " . . . . The following Saturday after his healing, I received a special delivery letter from his mother. . . She said 'Brother Schambach, I took the baby to the hospital Monday morning, and the doctors won't give him back. They kept him all week. They have called in every doctor from all over the country who has had anything to do with the case. They have pronounced my baby cured of twenty-six major diseases.' Of course, we went on to get the copies of the affidavits from the doctors certifying that boy's life was a genuine miracle."

         "Her letter continued, 'You remember that last Sunday when I told you all I had was twenty dollars? God knows that was the truth. But when that man of God said to give something you can't afford, I leaped into the aisle. The moment I hit that aisle, for the first time in my life I heard the devil talk. The devil told me, 'You can't give that; that's not yours. Fifteen dollars of that goes to the doctor. Five dollars is for gas to get home.' The faster I ran, the faster he talked. But as soon as I turned loose of that money, he stopped talking.'

         "Brother Schambach, all you saw was those twenty-six miracles, but there is one you don't know anything about. After you were gone, people were staying there. They wanted to see the baby and see what God had done. People shook hands with me. When one lady shook my hands, I felt a folded piece of paper between my palms. I opened it up and saw it was a twenty dollar bill. As I shook hands with the people who had lined up, every one of them had a folded paper in their hand. I went into the ladies room and counted $235!'"

THE ABOVE EXCERPT WAS TAKEN FROM

Schambach, R. W. You Can't Beat God Givin': Miracle Testimonies from Ordinary People Serving an Extraordinary God. Tyler, TX: Power Publications, 1994.

        Here is the bio of R. W Schambach, who died on January 17th, taken from his website, if you aren't familiar with his ministry and would like to know a little about him.  

        He declared it for over six decades, “YOU DON’T HAVE ANY TROUBLE. . .ALL YOU NEED IS FAITH IN GOD,” and the message is still the same. The classic gospel message of faith and power continues to make a lasting impact wherever he went. Rev. R.W. Schambach devoted his life to preaching the pure gospel of Jesus Christ, believing that as Jesus Christ is presented as the living Savior of the world, signs and wonders will confirm the Truth. Through the years, Brother Schambach’s ministry has been marked by mass conversions and New Testament miracles- with the lame walking, the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and many captives being set free by the power of God.        
        A commanding voice and the gift of faith have distinguished Brother Schambach’s ministry through multi-media outreaches, including the Voice of Power radio and television programs. In over 200 nations of the world, the gospel of power has been preached in simple, direct fashion. 

    Brother Schambach received his formal training at Central Bible Institute in Springfield, Missouri, in the mid-1940’s, after serving his country in World War II as a navy boiler-maker on a destroyer in the South Pacific and Asia. He apprenticed along the side of A.A. Allen, a well-known miracle evangelist of the 1940’s and 50’s. The five years he served as Brother Allen’s associate evangelist was his “school of the Spirit,” learning how to move in the gift of faith and the working of miracles.

    Perhaps the greatest trademark of R.W. Schambach is the great gospel tent. He has traveled with large and small tents with capacities of 2000-8000 seats into every major city in the United States. Drug addicts, prostitutes, homeless people, alcoholics, backsliders- all are regularly seen finding deliverance through Jesus Christ under the tent. Whenever possible, Brother Schambach, in cooperation with helping agencies, brings truckloads of food into the city for the impoverished. He is known by many as someone who has a special love for and commitment to the people of the inner cities.

    Brother Schambach’s ministry to the hurting has been received in many nations of the world: throughout Europe, Russia, India, Asia, the Philippines, Africa, the West Indies, Central America, and South America. He continues to partner financially with the establishment of churches and Bible schools in Russia and China; with an orphanage in Indonesia and Haiti; with a mega-city outreach in Mexico City; and with urban outreaches in New York City.

    Many view R.W. Schambach as a senior statesman of the Pentecostal community. He and his wife, Mary Schambach, dedicated their lives to helping multitudes come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and poured their lives into raising up a future generation of soul winners who operate in the full power of the Holy Ghost. 

Incredible miracle testimony at an A.A. Allen meeting

       I'm posting Paul Keith Davis' February video blog today because I want you to hear the testimony of an incredible miracle that took place in the ministry of A.A. Allen. (Here is a link to more about A.A. Allen and his ministry if you are interested.)   If you don't want to watch the entire video which is 10 minutes and 52 seconds long, fast forward to 1 minute 15 seconds where Paul Keith talks of interviewing R. W. Shambach who was present when the miracle took place.  The story of the miracle ends at 5:30 on the video.

       How I would have loved to be present at such a meeting!  The nearest I've ever been to such a time was when we went to Brazil on a ministry trip with Randy Clark a few years ago.  Incredible things happened there, too.  I long to see that again.   Many believe we are on the verge of a great awakening when these things will be common.  I say, "Yes, Lord!"

     About Paul Keith Davis (copied from his website):  He has written numerous articles appearing in various Christian publications, including the MorningStar Journal, Charisma and Church Growth International. He has also written four books including “Thrones of Our Soul,” “Engaging The Revelatory Realm of Heaven,” and “Books of Destiny,” all dealing with prophetic mandates placed upon the end-time generation. His newest book, "Angels That Gather," provides a biblical outline for the harvest and insight to help access our end of the age inheritance.
      Paul Keith and his wife, Wanda, reside in Orange Beach, Alabama.  Together they have five children and five grandchildren.

New Recipe

       Today for lunch I made this wonderful Chicken and Wild Rice Recipe which I found in the December issue of Southern Living magazine.  I had bought the ingredients I don't usually have on hand right after I found the recipe, but had not made it yet and then yesterday I discovered the page I had torn from the magazine with the recipe on it in a stack of papers I was trying to dispose of.  I remember being attracted to the article because it was entitled "Get Creative With Make-Aheads.  Since we have lots of guests I'm always looking for delicious recipes I can prepare ahead so that I don't have to spend all my time in the kitchen after the guests arrive.

Let me know if you try the variations.  I would love to hear if you like them.  I am not overly fond of shrimp so I doubt I will try that one unless I have a great recommendation from someone who has, but the Cajun variation sounds interesting so I'll probably try it soon.  I will post the recipes on the Recipes #1 page under Main Dishes, too, so we can find it later.

I cut the recipe in half because it says the full recipe will serve 10-12.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
1 (2.25 oz.) pkg. sliced almonds
2 (6.2 oz.) boxes fast-cooking long-grain and wild rice mix  (Can substitute 2 c. regular        wild rice mix which takes about 50 minutes to cook and cook it while baking the chicken)
1/4 c. butter
4 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
5 c. chopped cooked chicken  (about 16-20 chicken tenders, cooked and cut up)
2 (10 3/4 oz.) can creme of mushroom soup
2 (8 oz.) cans chopped water chestnuts, drained
1 (8 oz.) container sour cream
1 c. milk
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
4 c. (16 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
2 c. soft, fresh breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Bake almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan 4-6 minutes or until toasted and fragrant, stirring halfway through.
2. Prepare rice mixes according to package directions.
3. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add celery and onions.  Saute 10 minutes or till tender.  Stir in chicken, next 6 ingredients, rice and 3 c. cheese.  Spoon mixture into lightly greased 15x10 baking dish or e (11x 7) baking dishes.  Top with breadcrumbs.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining 1 c. cheese, and top with toasted almonds.  Bake 5 minutes more.

To make ahead:  Prepare as directed in steps 2 and 3.  Cover with aluminum foil, and freeze up to 1 month.  Remove from freezer and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.  Toast almonds as directed in Step 1.  Bake casserole, covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake 55 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Sprinkle with 1 c. (4 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese and toasted almonds.  Bake 5 more minutes.

Shrimp and Wild Rice Casserole:  Substitute 2 lbs peeled and deveined, medium-size raw shrimp (41/50 count) for chicken; 2 c. (8 oz.) Monterey Jack cheese and 2 c. grated Parmesan cheese for Cheddar cheese; and 1 c. dry white wine for milk.

Cajun Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole:  Omit salt and pepper.  Reduce chicken to 2 1/2 c.  Prepare as directed, sauteing 1 lb. andouille sausage, chopped, and 1 green bell pepper, diced with celery in Step 3.  Stir 1 (15 oz.) can black-eyed peas, drained and 1 t. Cajun seasoning into rice mixture.  Proceed as directed.

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K-LOVE - Josh Wilson "I Refuse" LIVE

Josh Wilson will also be at Elevate 2012 at the Martinsville Illinois Fairgrounds on July 7.  This will be a concert you won't want to miss.

Anne Elmer: The Enemy Captured the Church

     This article was posted on Elijah List today.  It seems to echo many of the thoughts I have had lately.  The church has become ineffective in influencing society in recent decades, and instead has been content to be a social club for friends, neighbors, and like-minded acquaintances with little notice of, or contact with the unchurched, dying world.
     Many leaders are becoming quite vocal about the change that must come.  They feel the church is about to discover who she really is and the purpose for her existence.  And when she does, a great harvest of souls will come into the body of Christ.
     We are living in exciting times!

Anne Elmer:

The Enemy Captured the Church

       I opened my Bible at 1 Samuel, chapter 4, and my eye was caught by the title: "The Philistines Capture the Ark." I immediately heard the Lord say, "The enemy captured the Church."

       The enemy has made us believe that "the Church" is a building, a place of worship, somewhere that we go to, but that was never intended. Any study of the word "church" in the Bible will show that it refers to a group of Believers and never to a building.

        Jesus called His apostles to change the world, and we have miserably failed. He told us to love Him and to love our neighbors, and we have loved ourselves and our church buildings and let the world go to Hell. Jesus prayed for His followers to be in unity, and we have had division, after division, after division. That is the work of the enemy.

         Daniel 9:3-6 I prayed to the LORD my God and confessed: "O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps His covenant of love with all who love Him and obey His commands, we have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled; we have turned away from Your commands and laws.We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name..."

          Daniel identified with the sin of his nation. All across the world Christians have allowed the enemy to steal the real Church, and it is time for those of us who recognize that to repent and plead for mercy.

There is much we can learn from the Bible story which prompted this message, but briefly this is what I felt was important.                                                                                                      

  Don't Treat the Presence of God in Our Lives as a Superstition

1 Samuel, Chapters 4-7

         The Israelites were having problems with the Philistines, so they took the Ark into battle with them as a sort of mascot or lucky charm. They were living under superstition. The enemy was very perturbed by the renewed enthusiasm among the Israelites and panicked, but quickly their army pulled themselves together and fought to win. The consequence was that the Ark was captured and taken into Philistine territory.

        If the Church feels secure in the Lord as a good luck symbol, or as a superstition, it doesn't work! If we believe that "going to church" will get us through the battle of life and into Heaven, we are wrong. The enemy is strong and seems often to be much more together than the people of God.

        A lot of God's people died, including the sons of Eli who had already been warned about their behavior (see 1 Samuel 3:11-14). What a responsibility it is to be a parent, a physical one and a spiritual one. If we don't parent the next generation, then the enemy will steal them from us.

       When old Eli was told of his sons' deaths and of the Ark being taken, he died by falling off his chair and breaking his neck. The Bible tells us that he was heavy, and was negligent about his responsibilities.

       How many Church leaders and Church members do you know, do I know, who have gotten heavy, well fed, in the house of God, but have not been good parents or good shepherds to their flock? Before I point any fingers, I have to remind myself that I am the Church. The Church is the people, not the building, neither is it the pastor or priest. It is you and me.

       Jesus never asked us to build buildings, to have programmes or to make money, He asked us basically to love Him and to go and tell the nations of His love for us and for them. If we keep on the move, it is not so easy to get fat and heavy! If we don't treat the presence of God in our lives as a superstition, maybe we will win more battles.

Bow the Knee to the One True God

      Whilst in Philistine territory, the Ark knocked the idol Dagon off his perch and rendered him headless and armless.

      In the presence of the One True God, the idols are headless and armless; that means they cannot think and they cannot do anything! Hallelujah! Do we, the Church, live as though the enemy had no power over us?

      How could the Philistines see what happened when they had the Ark (see 1 Samuel 5) and not just bow down and say that the Israelite God was the Sovereign Lord? What is it that stops people from wanting to be a part of the family of the only true God? How many people today have seen the work of our amazing God but refuse to bow the knee to Him? How tragic! There was sickness and oppression in the camp where God lived but He was not worshiped.

Do We Have the Holy Fear of the Lord?

      In 1 Samuel 6 we read of the return of the Ark to it's proper people; what rejoicing there was that day. And what rejoicing there will be in our churches when the Glory returns. But the rejoicing was short lived because of the deaths of those who got too close, who took liberties that were not theirs.

      This verse (v. 19) scares me, and I see too many people who are too familiar with God. Yes, Jesus is our Friend, our Husband, but He is also the King of kings and Lord of lords, and we must never forget that. He is the Holy God and we must worship Him as such. There has to be a holy fear of our God who is an all-consuming fire (see Hebrews 12:29).

What Do We Turn to for Security?

       1 Samuel, chapter 7, begins with the purifying of Israel and God's people throwing away their idols, so that He could bring them victory. Is it time for us, the Church, to throw away our idols and become the holy people that He has been waiting for?

       Please, please do not imagine for a moment that I am talking about churches with statues. God is speaking to me about idols in my life. Remember, I am the Church, and you are the Church. What are our idols? Whatever we turn to for security. Whoever you turn to when things go wrong. Whatever we talk about and think about the most: family, position, sports, finance, health, food, our own particular church or denomination, our pastor, our jobs, the lies we believe.

       Even the Bible can become an idol. Many people read it and can quote it, but don't obey what it says. They continue to read it daily as a religious exercise, almost as a superstition. We think we are safe because we have done that. That's what the Israelites thought when they took the Ark into battle with them! It didn't work because they had not gotten rid of the idols! They were taking God for granted. Do we?

Stop Just Going to Church and Start Being the Church

       The Lord told me that the enemy had captured the Church. If we think about it, we can see it, can't we? We don't think or act like the early disciples did. Do we do much more than Jesus did, as He suggested?

       John 14:12 I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

        Do we have the love of Jesus, the water of life, flowing from our innermost being?

       John 7:38 Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."

       The enemy has persuaded most of the Church that these things are not for today. He has given all of us a fear of man (which is really submission to the enemy), and he has told us that we will get sick, that we don't have supernatural power.

       When I was touring the U.S. last year, the Lord gave me a message that basically said, "Stop just going to church and start being the Church."

       Many Believers do not even go to church because they are hurt or offended by someone or something in the past. These things are a stumbling block to us and to others and need to be dealt with. St. Paul urges us not to stop meeting together!

      Hebrews 10:25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

      Many people believe "the Day is approaching," and it is time to be obedient to everything the Lord is saying. When we are obedient, we will see the victory that the Israelites saw in 1 Samuel 7:10: "While Samuel was sacrificing the burnt offering, the Philistines drew near to engage Israel in battle. But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites."

      When the Lord thunders, the enemy panics! But then so do we if we have not been fully obedient. What happened was that God's people had fasted and repented, and then God did what was necessary. He won the battle for them. Hallelujah!

When the Glory of the Lord Appears, Where Will We Be?

       I believe this whole story is a message for God's people today. Many words are coming forth about the Glory returning to the Church, and we rejoice, but we must have that holy fear, too. A verse from our story reminds us of that:

     "Who can stand in the presence of the LORD, this holy God?" (1 Samuel 6:20).

       Maybe it is time to remember the words of Ezra and of Malachi.

      Ezra 9:15 O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in Your presence."

      Malachi 3:2 But who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand when He appears? For He will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap.

        When the glory appears and the Lord reclaims His Church, where will I be? Where will you be? Will I be rejoicing and know without any doubt that I have done what He has asked me to do? I hope so.

       When the Lord reclaims His Church, where will my neighbors be? Alive or dead? That is my responsibility. I know that we are not all called to be evangelists, but we are all called to pray continually (see 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Do I do that? Do you? When we are in a grocery store, at the checkout, in a traffic jam, on the bus, walking in the park, are we praying for those we can see? If I don't pray for my butcher, baker, bank clerk, taxi driver, cinema manager, then who will?

      I know there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (see Romans 8:1), and I don't want to be a killjoy, but I do believe it is time for much of the Church, that's you and me, to repent of lethargy, to repent of allowing the enemy to rule over us for so long, to allow the Holy Spirit to stir the flame, and to become what Jesus wants.

      He wants His Church back – a beautiful Bride full of passion for her coming Husband. The Church is me, the Church is you, the Church is wherever two or three are gathered in His name. Let's become that beautiful Bride together.

Anne Elmer
Best-selling Author, Transported by the Lion of Judah
Email: anne.elmer@yahoo.com

The Story of the Praying Hands

      A friend sent this touching story to me today by email.  I had never read this so I thought I would share it with you in the chance that you hadn't either.

The Story of the Praying Hands      

        Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children. Eighteen!

        In order merely to keep food on the table for this big family, the father and head of the household, a goldsmith by profession, worked almost eighteen hours a day at his trade and any other paying chore he could find in the neighborhood.

       Despite their seemingly hopeless condition, two of Albrecht Durer the Elder's children had a dream. They both wanted to pursue their talent for art, but they knew full well that their father would never be financially able to send either of them to Nuremberg to study at the Academy.

       After many long discussions at night in their crowded bed, the two boys finally worked out a pact. They would toss a coin. The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother while he attended the academy. Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy, either with sales of his artwork or, if necessary, also by laboring in the mines.

       They tossed a coin on a Sunday morning after church. Albrecht Durer won the toss and went off to Nuremberg.

Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, financed his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation. Albrecht's etchings, his woodcuts, and his oils were far better than those of most of his professors, and by the time he graduated, he was beginning to earn considerable fees for his commissioned works.

      When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner on their lawn to celebrate Albrecht's triumphant homecoming. After a long and memorable meal, punctuated with music and laughter, Albrecht rose from his honoured position at the head of the table to drink a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled Albrecht to fulfil his ambition. His closing words were, "And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn. Now you can go to Nuremberg to pursue your dream, and I will take care of you."

       All heads turned in eager expectation to the far end of the table where Albert sat, tears streaming down his pale face, shaking his lowered head from side to side while he sobbed and repeated, over and over, "No ...no ...no ...no."

Finally, Albert rose and wiped the tears from his cheeks. He glanced down the long table at the faces he loved, and then, holding his hands close to his right cheek, he said softly, "No, brother. I cannot go to Nuremberg. It is too late for me. Look ... look what four years in the mines have done to my hands! The bones in every finger have been smashed at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less make delicate lines on parchment or canvas with a pen or a brush. No, brother ... for me it is too late."

      More than 450 years have passed. By now, Albrecht Durer's hundreds of masterful portraits, pen and silver point sketches, water-colours, charcoals, woodcuts, and copper engravings hang in every great museum in the world, but the odds are great that you, like most people, are familiar with only one of Albrecht Durer's works. More than merely being familiar with it, you very well may have a reproduction hanging in your home or office.

      One day, to pay homage to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother's abused hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward. He called his powerful drawing simply "Hands," but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed his tribute of love "The Praying Hands."

       The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, take a second look. Let it be your reminder, if you still need one, that no one - no one - - ever makes it alone!

George Mueller's Filter for Prayer

      I saved this information about George Mueller's "filter for prayer" in my "Quotes" document years ago and re-discovered it this morning.   For those who are not familiar with George Mueller, God answered his prayers mightily by providing millions of dollars to support his orphanages without George ever telling anyone of his need.  I found this short biography of him on the internet.  (The filter is posted below.)

      "God used George Mueller (1805-1898) wonderfully in an abundance of ministries. Simultaneously he pastored a church of 1,200 members; operated Sunday schools that taught and evangelized thousands of children; housed, fed clothed, taught and evangelized 2,050 orphans annually for decades; supported 187 missionaries; organized the Scriptural Knowledge Institute that distributed vast quantities of Bibles, Scripture portions, and tracts.  Relying solely upon God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and prayer he supported all of these works.
     At the age of seventy he began a series of missionary speaking tours that took him to Europe, Asia, North American, and Australia. Mr. Mueller was an educated man able to preach in English, German and French without the need of an interpreter. He also was well versed in both Greek and Hebrew. Thousands attended the meetings at which he spoke. In addition, he received hundreds of invitations that he was unable to accept.
      Mr. Mueller never accepted a salary for any of these ministries.  Neither did he tell anyone of his personal need nor any of the ministries needs.  He told only God and God honored and anointed him mightily."   http://www.bsmi.org/mueller.htm

George Muller said he always put himself through a filter of purification, dedication, and consecration before every prayer he made to the Father.

Here is the filter as he described it:

First: Separation from all known sin.

That filters out all greed, lust, and deceit. 

Second: Absolute faith in God's promises

That filters out all doubt.

Third: Ask in accordance with His will

That filters out all personal ego and self- will.

Fourth: Entire dependence upon Christ as the mediator

That filters out all stress and strain.

Fifth: Continuity and patient waiting

That filters out all irritation and impatience.

For King & Country "Busted Heart (Hold on to Me)" LIVE

       We are excited about the line-up for Elevate 2012 this year.  Kutless will be headlining the show with Josh Wilson and For King and Country also performing whole sets.  Each of these groups has a unique sound and will appeal to a broad range of audience.  Be sure and mark the date--July 7--on your calendar so that you won't miss this wonderful opportunity to hear some of the countries leading artists.

This song, "Busted Heart" by For King and Country is currently #3 on Billboard Magazine's Top Ten Christian Song Chart.