An Irish Meal

I love St. Patrick's Day. Green happens to be one of my favorite colors. Two years ago, my family and I visited Ireland for a family reunion (thanks to my mom).

On this special day, Our traditional meal is corned beef, cabbage and potatoes. The background music is Irish music, of course. Evening entertainment is Irish dancing performed by my daughters. All this in the comfort of my own home.

Oh - let's not forget the Irish soda bread. Since I don't have a cast ironed pan yet, I've resorted to buying it from Sprouts. No, it's not the same, but it will do. Having Barry's tea from Ireland with our soda bread makes a perfect breakfast on this special day. How I love our traditions!

I've put the recipe here so I don't forget.

Irish Soda Bread
(My mother-in-law's recipe)

2 c all purpose white flour (measured out of a coffee 8-10 oz coffee cup ;)
2 cups wheat flour
2-3 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
(Carraway seeds can be added here if you like)

mix dry ingredients well with a fork

(REMOVE WEDDING AND OTHER RINGS NOW :0)

add 2 large eggs
and just less than 1/2 the container of a quart of buttermilk...poured out slowly two or three times during mixing. Mix with large fork in a spiral motion from outside to inside of dough, scraping sides of bowl to ensure all dry and wet ingredients are mixed together. BARELY knead dough ball, just enough to keep it all in one lump. Sprinkle a little extra flour around the bowl/dough ball as needed to ensure it is dry enough to lift out of the bowl.

Place rounded dough in well seasoned cast iron pan (if you have any concerns about bread sticking to pan, line with parment paper). Press dough very gently into circular shape.

Tradition calls for a floured knife to be used to "cut" a cross into the top of the bread from edge to edge (about a 1/4" deep). Then, using knife again, drop knife blade into center of each quadrant created by the cross twice, so as to make knife-blade sized crosses in each quadrant, while blessing the bread and those who eat it, "In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

Bake at 350 to 375 degrees for 35 minutes on a middle rack.

Outer crust will brown and harden, but bread is done when a knife inserted through the bread at highest peak of the crust comes out
free of doughy streaks...

Remove from oven. Turn rounded "loaf" of bread out of the pan and cool upside down for quickest results. If you can, wait till cool before slicing. Cut bread in half down the middle, then turning the bread up on it's flat side, cut 1/4" thick slices down from the rounded top.

Stay the Course, Christian Warrior

“And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:18 NIV).

I cannot live in the past anymore, even if the past was just very recent. The old is gone and the new has come. Scripture says I am a new creation in Christ. Doubt and fear has no power over me because God has empowered me with His Spirit. Holy Spirit, protect my mind and my heart with the promises of God and the remembrance of my Savior, Jesus Christ. To live is Christ, to die is gain. I must live in the power of forgiveness and love, saturating it with intercessory prayer. With my arms wide open, fill me with Your Presence of truth and wisdom.

I am a princess warrior for the King of Kings. I am fighting for my family. The battle belongs to The Lord. Victory is His.

Take my heart, O God. Mend the brokenness and help me move on so I can be effective for Your Kingdom.

To Live Is Christ, To Die Is Gain

Sadness hits hard. The realization that I cannot change my present circumstances brings me to a place of utter despair and isolation. My only consolation is to surrender to the hope that lies within me. The temporary happiness in this world dissolves into a faint memory, leaving me empty once again. The only escape is to worship God, which shifts my focus from self to the Divine. It is still a lonely place to be. It is a place of deeper faith, where no human can bring real comfort. It is my valley of the shadow of death. Sometimes it feels like insanity and other times it is a place of inner peace. It is the battle between the sin nature and the God Spirit that lives in me, yearning to be content no matter what lot has been given me.

I am holding on to my sound mind. I am protecting my ears with worship music. I am giving thanks to God in all things. I am begging for inner strength. I am praying in the spirit realm. I am trusting in my Heavenly Father, the God of Heaven and Earth. My all in all.