Memorial Day & Homemade Granola

A cherry hello to you, friend!

I wanted to post yesterday but just didn't get a chance to.  I hope you were able to celebrate Memorial Day yesterday by remembering and thanking the Lord for those patriots who gave their lives in defense of this land. Did you know that in December of 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act became a law? At 3:00 p.m. wherever you're at on Memorial Day, Americans everywhere are encouraged to pause for one minute of silence to remember the men and women who died in service to our country.   

O beautiful for heroes proved in liberating strife,

Who more than self their country loved, and mercy more than life.

America! America! May God thy gold refine

Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine. 

O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years,

Thine alabaster cities gleam, undimmed by human tears. 

America! America! God shed his grace on thee,

And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

Also, Memorial Day marks the official beginning of summer, so happy summer. 😃

Now, I have a new recipe for you to try. If you like granola, I recommend making this. It is much healthier than buying it at the store and it's super easy to make. 

The ingredients you need are: 

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup almonds

Instructions: Add everything together in a bowl and mix except for the raisins. Add a sprinkle of cloves and/or flax seed. If the mixture is still a little wet, add more oats. Grease your pan well so the granola doesn't stick. Spread out the mixture on the pan and bake in the oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Take the pan out, add raisins to the mixture, stir around, and bake again for 15 minutes. Then take it out and let cool completely before putting it in a jar. Scrape it up when you first take it out of the oven while it's still on the pan so it doesn't stick while cooling.   

This recipe is versatile. You can leave out the almonds or the raisins if you don't like them. You could add another nut or chocolate chips, depending on what you like. 

Enjoy! 

If you make this, I'd love to know how you like it. 

Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. ~Romans 15:13

Values are a Part of Life

Values. I've been pondering this topic lately since we discussed it in my favorite class. First, here's a couple questions to think about: 

What do you hold most dear? What (or who) is your authority? 

I see more and more Christians living a detached life from the Bible. Do you hold God's word as the dearest thing? Is the Scripture your authority for all decisions you make? 

Lately I've been noticing more and more how vital it is that Christians be constantly in the Word. The devil is out to destroy. This is no time to be passive in your Christian walk. Recently I've heard some young people say, "I don't feel like that was right..." or "I feel like this should be allowed." Why are Christians basing their decisions on their feelings? That is dangerous. Proverbs 28:26 says "He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool." In all kindness, it doesn't really matter what you feel is right. What do you know to be right based on what God has said? He has given us a guidebook for how to live life - it's all in the Bible. Psalm 119:105 ~ "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Being a Christian is something you should not take lightly. It is not something you can take off one day and put on the next. It is part of who you are. You cannot choose to be a Christian only when it's convenient. Do not back down in those moments when you have to make a difficult decision, when you know people will be angry with you and disagree with what you've chosen. Don't let what other people think rule you. Choose what you know is right biblically and do it, even if it's not popular. You'll always be in the majority because God is on your side. 

You CAN NOT separate your work/life from your values. I know probably most of you are not writing books, but I'm just going to use it as an example since I'm a writer and it's a topic that's near and dear to my heart. 😊 Writers should reflect Christ in their books. Even if the book does not necessarily contain "Christian" themes, it should still be wholesome and good, reflective of your right values that are rooted in Scripture. Words are precious. They're powerful. Especially in writing, they can be used to lift up the name of Christ or they can be used to bring harm to him. No matter a writer's motive for writing, every book a Christian writes should never contain vulgarity, disgusting descriptive scenes, or cursing and blasphemous words. Real life can be depicted without including these things. Hard topics can be discussed in a Christ-honoring way. When a Christian has the vocation of writer, welder, or pilot, he is a Christian writer, a Christian welder, and a Christian pilot. Others are watching and learning from your example. If a Christian acts in a way contrary to principles in Scripture, he may bring more harm to Christ's name. 

Here are some valuable Scriptural reminders:

Proverbs 4:23: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." 

1 Corinthians 10:31: "Whether therefore ye eat, or dink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

Matthew 12:35: "A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."

Titus 2:7-8: "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, Sound speech that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you."

Stay faithful.

~Ashley