Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
This verse is on a tattered index card taped behind the sugar bowl. I saw it again this morning as I scooped mine into coffee. Yesterday I had fever and aches and cough - like all the other people in my county - so I sat on the couch. My children schooled themselves and fed themselves and we waited for Daddy to finally come home from school to take care of us. He texted me to say "don't watch the news, don't let the kids see." As the cold chill struck me, I answered "uh, we're doing science not news, what??"
So, after Daddy came home and sent me to nap, I got to pray and think. We're safe. The same safe we've been. We live in the same wretched world that we did last week. There has never been any security for us in the guns Daddy keeps near or the country home or the Ohio address. Our security comes from a Sovereign God. He is our secure fortress.
Last week our Voice of the Martyrs magazine came and before I could tuck it away from little eyes, my 3-yr-old asked why the little girl had a hurt arm - and why was it short - and was she sad? Oh yes, I told her, she is very sad. But look, she's a precious girl just like you! Little and soft and see her pretty brown eyes, do they look like Mommy's brown eyes? And that satisfied my Anna. But not my 8-yr-old Ruby.
For Ruby there must be answers. And the answer is that sin and evil live in the hearts of men, in each of our hearts. Without the Christ, to clean our hearts, the sin and the evil rule - and this precious little girl in the picture lives in a village where bad people came - they came to hurt the people there because they didn't want to be Muslims. So we prayed for the little girl to be healed and not afraid and to have a strong heart. And we prayed for all the children in the world who have fear and hurt.
And later last night, while dinner cooked (oh thank you, dear husband), we 6 cuddled on the couch. Daddy gave the terrible report and my kiddos eyes got very wide. They have almost no school experience - except that every day their Daddy goes there to "teach the kids". Schools, to them, are dinner conversation and a fun place to visit Daddy.
We had the conversation again - sin and evil rule in the hearts of men - but there is hope. Where horror and fear rise up, the hope is still greater. Here is the question I ask my children when they tell me their terrible fears: "what if that did happen, then what?" And the answer is Jesus. Jesus would take me to heaven. Jesus would take you to heaven. Jesus would give me courage. Jesus loves me and so if I was hurt, he would help me not be too afraid. I asked Jesus to clean my heart, so I know He did, so I know I could be brave and I would not be a bad guy.
That is our secure fortress, for surely the sin and evil are real, but our King has a fortress in which we can hide. We have a future with Him, no matter what horror today brings. And we have hope for tomorrow - there is always, always redemption. What is meant for evil, is turned miraculously into good. We are safe.
When my kids are afraid, they cuddle closer. They whisper, I love you, Mommy. And that is what I do with my King, in His fortress, I cuddle closer, I whisper "I love you, I need to be closer, thank you for tucking me in" and I draw my children close into His fortress.
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Saturday, December 8, 2012
Egg Nog and Turkey
Two things my family has been talking about. 1) that yummy turkey, wish there was still some left. 2) when are you buying more egg nog? don't make it, the home-made is gross and lumpy.
So, for number one. The turkey really is awesome. And since my friend Betsy asked for it, I'm sharing!
Best Turkey Ever
Collect these supplies:
2 big bags (I use kitchen garbage bags, tried others, they broke)
Ice Packs
5-gallon bucket or medium-sized cooler
One Turkey - I've used up to 19 pounds
Combine these brining ingredients in a large kettle - bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2 quarts unsweetened apple juice
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
4 ounces fresh gingerroot, peeled and thinly sliced
15 whole cloves
6 garlic cloves, crushes
3 bay leaves
Stir in 3 oranges, quartered and squeezed
Turn off heat.
Pour in 3 quarts cold water and let your brine cool so you can handle it.
Prepare turkey (rinse and inspect), then carefully double-bag it and set into your vessel (5-gallon bucket or cooler). Find some children who can hold the bag open while you pour the brine over the turkey - without dropping the bag and losing any!!
Tie the bag tightly and either put in a cool place or pack with ice-packs. I work hard to get the turkey submerged in liquid so I don't have to touch it for 18-24 hours. If it isn't submerged, you'll want to flop it over mid-way so all that turkey gets good contact.
18-24 hours later, gather your volunteers so that you can haul the bird into your sink for a good rinse. Discard all brining ingredients. Pat dry, rub with oil (mine got a coconut oil massage), place in favorite baking vessel. Cover for first half of the baking. Brined birds cook faster - so expect that and check the internal temperature about 2/3 thru your cooking time.
Let bird rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Try not to ruin your appetite by eating all the turkey as you slice it. Oh yum.
As for eggnog. We are eggnog lovers. We buy it thick and dilute with whole milk - b/c that makes it last longer and deludes us into thinking it's healthier. I tried to make my own last year. Yuck. Lumpy - something to do with the egg-cooking. Raw is too thin and frothy - also yuck.
But we had victory this week. Yum. Not quite as sweet as store-bought, but that can be remedied.
4 cups of milk (save 1/2 C to dilute egg yolks)
4 egg yolks, well beaten, stirred into saved 1/2 C milk (save whites)
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat on medium, stirring well until it thickens to coat back of spoon.
Remove from heat to cool.
When cool, whip egg whites to soft-peaks. Fold whites into cooled eggnog (adds great thickness).
Add vanilla and nutmeg to taste. Add half/half or whole milk get desired thickness (I used raw cream - oh my!) Refrigerate until serving!
So, for number one. The turkey really is awesome. And since my friend Betsy asked for it, I'm sharing!
Best Turkey Ever
Collect these supplies:
2 big bags (I use kitchen garbage bags, tried others, they broke)
Ice Packs
5-gallon bucket or medium-sized cooler
One Turkey - I've used up to 19 pounds
Combine these brining ingredients in a large kettle - bring to boil, stirring until sugar dissolves.
2 quarts unsweetened apple juice
2 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 cup kosher salt
4 ounces fresh gingerroot, peeled and thinly sliced
15 whole cloves
6 garlic cloves, crushes
3 bay leaves
Stir in 3 oranges, quartered and squeezed
Turn off heat.
Pour in 3 quarts cold water and let your brine cool so you can handle it.
Prepare turkey (rinse and inspect), then carefully double-bag it and set into your vessel (5-gallon bucket or cooler). Find some children who can hold the bag open while you pour the brine over the turkey - without dropping the bag and losing any!!
Tie the bag tightly and either put in a cool place or pack with ice-packs. I work hard to get the turkey submerged in liquid so I don't have to touch it for 18-24 hours. If it isn't submerged, you'll want to flop it over mid-way so all that turkey gets good contact.
18-24 hours later, gather your volunteers so that you can haul the bird into your sink for a good rinse. Discard all brining ingredients. Pat dry, rub with oil (mine got a coconut oil massage), place in favorite baking vessel. Cover for first half of the baking. Brined birds cook faster - so expect that and check the internal temperature about 2/3 thru your cooking time.
Let bird rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing. Try not to ruin your appetite by eating all the turkey as you slice it. Oh yum.
As for eggnog. We are eggnog lovers. We buy it thick and dilute with whole milk - b/c that makes it last longer and deludes us into thinking it's healthier. I tried to make my own last year. Yuck. Lumpy - something to do with the egg-cooking. Raw is too thin and frothy - also yuck.
But we had victory this week. Yum. Not quite as sweet as store-bought, but that can be remedied.
4 cups of milk (save 1/2 C to dilute egg yolks)
4 egg yolks, well beaten, stirred into saved 1/2 C milk (save whites)
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Heat on medium, stirring well until it thickens to coat back of spoon.
Remove from heat to cool.
When cool, whip egg whites to soft-peaks. Fold whites into cooled eggnog (adds great thickness).
Add vanilla and nutmeg to taste. Add half/half or whole milk get desired thickness (I used raw cream - oh my!) Refrigerate until serving!
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