Follow Thou Me - by Annie Johnson Flint

This is one of my favorite poems by Annie Johnson Flint, although I admit it is sometimes hard for me to choose favorites. But, this particular poem is so well written and clear, and it speaks so well what I need to hear and remember.

John 21:20-22  Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me.

It is easy to be distracted with where other people's lives are taking them in the first place, but with all the access to the thoughts, journeys, and lives of others that we have through social media, blogging, and the internet in general, we can get very distracted from the precise path in which we are supposed to be following Christ. While we may be encouraged, strengthened, challenged, or saddened in reading or hearing other's experiences, we must not let this keep us from following the path where the Lord is leading each of us personally. It is so easy to get all caught up in watching what is happening to others instead of keeping our eyes on the Lord!

We are called, as Peter was, to follow Jesus, not to be looking around wondering what will happen to everyone else. Let's make a conscious effort to stay focused on where He is taking us - each in our own journey with Him. Yes, we need to minister to others, we need to be good friends and fellow saints, but we each need to follow Christ's steps in the place He is leading us. We need to follow HIM.

1 Peter 2:21  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:
[Looks like he remembered that lesson, doesn't it?]

Follow Thou Me

Follow - not go ahead at thine own pleasure,
Nor turn aside at thine own wayward will,
Nor stray afar in search of other treasure,
But close at hand, where I can aid thee still...

Continue Reading.

Evening Song - Holy, Holy, Holy

Revelation 4:8-11  And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.  And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever, The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.

A Psalm of Praise and Thanksgiving

Psalms 100:1-5

A Psalm of praise.

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness:
come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:
it is he that hath made us,
and not we ourselves; we are his people,
and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,
and into his courts with praise:
be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good;
his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations.

Evening Song - O, Worship the King

For the best listening experience, you may need to turn up the volume on this one.

Psalms 29:2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Sew Happy Friday - A Remix of the 9-Patch Block (Tutorial Link)

Photo property of Nicole Neblett at Mama Love Quilts.

Here is a tutorial for a nine patch block that lets us use up those little bits of fabric that are so hard to throw away, but sometimes harder still to use!  :-)  Thanks to Nicole at Mama Love Quilts, we can now make good use of them.

Tutorial: Remixed 9-Patch Block

The Thousand Word Project - Chrysanthemums

Psalms 104:24  O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

Sweet with a freshening fragrance, all their own,
    In which a faint, dim breath of bitter lies,
    Like wholesome breath mid honeyed flatteries;
When other blooms are dead, and birds have flown,
      You stand alone.

Fronting the winter with a fearless grace,
    Flavoring the odorless gray autumn chill,
    Nipped by the furtive frosts, but cheery still,
Lifting to heaven from the bare garden place
      A smiling face.

- Susan Coolidge
Excerpt from "My White Chrysanthemum"

Hominy Ham Dish

I first published this recipe in May of 2010.  I invented it for a recipe contest which my Aussie sister-in-law was then having on her blog (since discontinued). It was in her top three but it didn’t win (probably because they couldn't make it since hominy is not readily available there), but my husband and I enjoyed it, so I thought I would post it here. :-)  I hope it’s a winner at someone’s house!

Personally, I love the color combination in this dish!  It is a very cheerful dish for dark autumn and winter days.  Sadly, I am no longer able to eat ham.  Made with fully-cooked, chicken it would lack a little color, but still probably taste quite good. :-)

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2 Tbl. olive oil
4 med. garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 C. yellow hominy (or white), drained
1/2 C. sliced carrots
1/2 C. frozen peas
1 C. ham chunks (fully cooked)
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 C. sour cream
Black pepper
Ground red pepper (capsicum) (mild, med. or hot according to your taste)

Heat a medium sized, non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add oil and garlic. Cook garlic just till done but not browned. 

Add hominy and cook, covered, till heated, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with onion powder. Add carrots and continue to cook over medium-high heat till hominy begins to "dry" but not brown, about 3-5 minutes. Stir occasionally. (Note: You may need to add a bit more oil or a tablespoon of water at some point during this process to keep the hominy from sticking. I used water when I added the carrots.)

Mix in ham. Sprinkle with frozen peas. Cover and cook over medium-low heat till ham and peas are heated through, stirring occasionally. Add black pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low. Add the sour cream and mix in thoroughly. Sprinkle very lightly with the red pepper. Cook over low just till the mixture is hot again. For best results, remove from heat and allow the dish to stand for about 5-10 minutes at this point to allow the flavors to blend well. Mix in the red pepper.

Serve with a leafy, green salad and your favorite salad dressing.

About 4 servings.