God's Amazing Provision

God has amazed me once again. Not sure why I'm continually amazed by what He can and does do when He has done it over and over again. He has provided for my family once again. Here's the story:

Bob received an email from his company a couple of months again that informed employees that because of the economic downturn all salaries were being cut starting with the March 31 paycheck. His salary was to be cut by 5%. You never like to hear about a paycut but Bob took the positive view and was happy that he still had a job - they had just finished massive layoffs within his company and he was not cut. Several weeks after the first email about pay cuts employees received another email stating that the 5% cut wasn't going to be enough so there would be an additional 10% pay cut for the two checks in April - for a total of a 15% paycut for both April checks, then in May it would return to the original 5% paycut. Again Bob, completely relying on the Lord, made the statement that there was nothing his company could do to him or his pay that God couldn't handle. Well, when Bob received the email this week that contained his pay statement for the March 31 paycheck he was expecting to see the 5% paycut but instead his paycheck was hundreds more than what it should be!! After examining his statement he noticed that they had payed him for overtime - he is not supposed to get paid for overtime. Through communications with colleagues he found out that it had happened to other people as well - not all employees were paid extra but some were. Knowing that it was a mistake Bob called his manager who checked with the Payroll Dept. and found out that they were aware of the problem and were trying to decide what to do about it. Bob followed up with the Payroll Dept. the next day and they told him the problem was fixed for the next pay period and that they were not going to be collecting the overage - that he would just keep it!!! That's amazing in itself!! God is sooo God, but it doesn't end there. Bob had figured up how much his paycheck would be short for the March 31 paycut of 5% and the two April paycuts of 15% and the amount he got paid over on the March 31 paycheck covered all but $6.10 of that amount. God not only provides, but he provides EXACTLY what you need. Only God can do that and we want him to be given ALL the GLORY in this testimony. AMAZING!!!

Restaurant Review - Basil Asian Bistro

YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY...I picked Basil for Valentine's dinner because I wanted to go someplace different and a good friend told me it was good. Not only was it good, it was PERFECT!! From the atmosphere to the food to the service - IT WAS PERFECT!! I absolutely love Asian food and this was the best I've had. We ordered Crab Wontons and Pan Seared Dumplings as appetizers and Cashew Chicken and Basil's Signature Noodles as our entrees. It was all fabulous. The Dumplings were better than the ones I had in Japan.

The prices were great too. The appetizers were $4 each and the entrees were $9 each. Great pricing for wonderful food, great atmosphere - not real fancy, but really nice - and the service was so good - never had an empty glass and the server was always there when needed, but he didn't "hover" - I hate a hovering server!!

If you haven't gone, go!! I definately give Basil 5 thumbs up!!

A Good Word from a Friend

Bob received this in an email from a friend. I thought it was a great word to share. I am so ready for a change in this nation!!

From Bob's friend Terri C.:

REACHING OUT TO MY FRIENDS AND RELATIVES TO ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHING.

OUR NATION IS/HAS BEEN ON THE SLIPPERY SLOPE FOR A LONG TIME. IF YOU LOOK AROUND YOU WILL FIND CORRUPTION, GREED, MORAL DECAY AND A STEADY MOVE AWAY FROM THE THINGS THAT MADE US GREAT. THE PRINCIPLES UPON WHICH THIS NATION WAS FOUNDED ARE NO LONGER OUR BACKBONE. HOWEVER, WE CAN REVERSE THIS TREND.

IN GOD'S WORD HE STATES,"IF MY PEOPLE WHO ARE CALLED BY MY NAME WILL HUMBLE THEMSELVES, AND PRAY AND SEEK MY FACE, AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, THEN I WILL HEAR FROM HEAVEN, AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN AND HEAL THEIR LAND."

For success, we need to apply EACH part of this verse to OURSELVES. HUMBLE (don't fear ridicule of non-believers but OPENLY claim HIM) PRAY....SEEK HIS FACE (in His Word DAILY) TURN FROM WICKED WAYS... includes cheating IRS, gossiping, overeating, wasting time on the job, stretching the truth, failure to witness, sleeping-in Sundays, watching denigrating tv shows, and other socially acceptable sins. Revival must begin in ME!

I AM CONVINCED THAT WE MUST PRAY FOR OUR NATION AND ITS LEADERS AND ASK FOR FORGIVENESS. SO I ASK YOU TO JOIN ME IN THIS PLEA TO OUR LORD. WOULD YOU PLEASE SEND THIS TO AT LEAST 25 PEOPLE IN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK, (SEND IT TO ALL OF THEM). ASK THEM TO PRAY EVERYDAY. 25 TO THE 5TH POWER IS 9,765,625 PEOPLE. IMAGINE IF EACH PERSON REACHES TEN OTHERS. IF YOU DO AND THEY COMPLY, WE WILL LIFT UP MILLIONS OF PRAYERS A DAY TO OUR CREATOR. HE WILL HEAR US AND IN FAITH HE WILL ANSWER.

Less Behind in 2009

I was watching Fox and Friends one morning last week and they had Richard Simmons on (yes, he is still alive and STILL making videos - how old is that man???). "Less Behind in 2009" was his mantra. For some reason that just cracked me up!!

Now, it didn't lead me to make a New Year's resolution - I gave those up many years ago, but it did make me think. I do want "Less Behind in 2009", but there are soom things I need to do before I can make that commitment. I'm not procrastinating, but I know that I can't do it on my own, and that my first and formost help must be from the Lord. So my first commitment is to get things in line with my relationship with the Lord. I HAVE to have consistent time in prayer and Bible study with Him. This has been a HUGE struggle for me in the last year. I've been off and on all throughout the year. I've had absolutely no consistent time spent praying and reading God's word. So, that is going to be my first and formost commitment - to be consistently obedient to God by spending time with Him in prayer and in reading His Holy Word.

I'd love your prayers and encouragement as I take on this commitment. I started today with prayer and time spent in the Word - I'm going through a devotional written by John MacArthur.

Part of the scripture reading was Ephesians 2:10,
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It was so neat to be reminded that I am God's workmanship and that God already has in place what he wants me to do.

Becky

Wow...It's Been a Long Time...New Recipe

Won't even go in to why I haven't posted since October 11!!! To make up for it I'm posting a new recipe. These are THE.BEST.COOKIES.EVER. Enjoy!!

Molasses Cookies (yes, Molasses, don't be afraid, they are fantastic!!)

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine or butter
1/4 cup light (mild) molasses
1 1/4 cups sugar (1 cup for recipe, 1/4 cup to roll cookies in)
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (you can use allspice if you don't have cloves)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In 3-quart saucepan, melt margarine or butter over low heat. Remove saucepan from heat and, with wire whisk, beat in molasses and 1 cup sugar until blended, whisk in egg. With spoon, stir in flour and remaining ingredients until mixed.
2. Transfer dough to medium bowl and freeze 15 minutes or until firm enough to handle (don't leave out this step). Spread remaining 1/4 cup sugar on waxed paper. Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll balls in sugar to coat.
3. Place balls, 2 1/2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes, until cookies spread and darken. Let cookies remain on cookie sheet on wire rack 1 minute to cool slightly. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 2 weeks.
*Makes 2 dozen

Cake, Cake, Cake...

I made an awesome King Cake for a Cajun themed catering event last weekend. It's made with a yeast dough and has a cream cheese filling. It was soooo good. Here's the link to the recipe - King Cake . This is a cake that has to rise twice, so give yourself some time to make it. The picture isn't the one I made, just an example.

Speaking of cakes, I will take this opportunity to shamelessly plug Southern Comfort Catering. We can do any of your holiday, birthday, or special occasion baking. We don't really do decorated cakes unless it's something very, very simple - we just don't have the time. However, we do make some awesome "Yummy" cakes. Flavors include: Butter Pecan, Strawberry with Strawberry Cream Cheese Icing, Red Velvet, German Chocolate, Chocolate with Sour Cream Chocolate Icing or Cappucino Icing, Coconut, White Almond Sour Cream, Old Fashioned Chocolate Sheet Cake, Carrot Cake, and Pumpkin Rolls, just to name a few. Cakes can be made into any size - including cupcakes. A two-layer 9 in cake or a 9x13 cake or 2 dozen cupcakes are between $25 and $32. We also do other desserts like pies and cobblers. We can help with any other cooking needs as well - from full meals to extra sides for that Holiday Family Get Together. Call either Lynn or I to place an order or get a quote.

Becky - 425-6731 or Lynn - 504-7689 or email

Butter Pecan Cake

Guess What Joshua Wants for Christmas...

We visited friends in East Tennessee over Labor Day and Joshua got to ride the "Warrior". He loved it of course and now wants one. What he really wants is a dirt bike - so he can do jumps and tricks!! Anyone know of a good, used dirt bike out there for sale?