cole slaw, church & confessions

Hey, everybody!  It’s been another great weekend, hasn’t it!  Saturday sure was fun in the sun over here.  We worked and played all day–Mom and the lil ones didn’t even slow down for a nap!  (That is like very unusual!) 

To end the day, I suggested to Mom that we grill.  She thought it was a great idea.  Of course, I love to grill–dogs and burgers, yum!–but I really just wanted an excuse to try out another Jamie Oliver recipe.  He made cole slaw on Saturday morning’s show, which was a coincidence because I had just been reading the recipe (or a similar one) in his book Cook with Jamie.  I just chopped up a head of cabbage (thin strips, please!) half a med red onion and grated a carrot.  (Actually, my lil bro EJ grated the carrot–made the dish perfect, EJ!)  I tossed all this together in a large bowl with about 3 tblsp. Helman’s mayonnaise (Jamie used plain yogurt and olive oil, probably more healthy) and the juice of 1/2 a lemon.  A little garlic salt and black pepper made it perfect.  It made a lot, and I had some for lunch today, too!  Good stuff, though!

Today, me and TK went to the Calvary Chapel church our family has started attending once a month.  The sermon was really good, and they’ve got a neat worship team going.  Very uplifting and empowering.  Two families we really love were there, and we were very encourage by fellowshipping with them! 

The point from the sermon that I brought home was being willing to let God stretch us.  Like the wineskin in Luke 5:37-39, we as Christians must be willing to allow God to take us beyond who we are and into what He wants us to become.  This was challenging to me, because I have felt God asking me to stretch lately.  It seems funny how little the things often are that trip us up, at least when compared to the grand scheme God has in mind.  This knowledge does not make it any less painful to stretch, but I think it will help me to keep the right focus!

I posted pics of the new truck on the fam blog, check em out!  McTeachers’ night was a blast!  My family came out and filled up as many seats as three of the school families! : D  Totally cool to have them there…it was really something for my 3-year old bro to see me behind the counter!  He was so excited! : )

Anyways, long week ahead!  God bless you all!

stephen

persevering

“When you need Him, wherever in your life you need Him, however you need Him, in the place that you need Him, at any time that you need Him, He will be there!” -Dennis Chamberland

step out in faith

“But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’

“Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him.  ‘You of little faith…why did you doubt?’ ” -Matt 14:31

Part of Peter’s doubt problem here was directly tied into his lack of faith in Christ’s saving power.  God quite often asks us to do hard things.  For me, those hard things are often about big, life-changing decisions.  He calls me to step out onto the water, so to speak.

 I am learning that we should never doubt and hang back, but always step forth in perfect faith (easier said than done, I know!).  And our faith should be resting in the simple truth that Christ is always before us, ready to catch us should we fall.  We need not fear the waves, wind or how firm the ground is below.  As long as Christ is before us, we have no need to fear.

 Walk in faith this day.