HOLY LAND HERE WE COME!

Two weeks from today we will be in Israel! We are getting so excited as we are packing and anticipating our great travel across the world. We will be traveling for appoximately 22 hours before we arrive in Tel Aviv. The first thing we get to do is go and see Kayla in Jerusalem where she is doing her school. We will have Thanksgiving with the kids on campus, so we are really glad our tour guide was able to work out all the details for us to be together. Our first 5 nights will be in Jerusalem and then one night at the Dead Sea , then 3 nights near the Sea of Galilee and then one night in Tel Aviv the day before we fly back home. I hope to be able to blog our daily site seeing. We are going with some good friends whose daughter is friends with Kayla. Oh what joy to be where my KING walked on this earth! The Bible is already becoming so alive to me and I am not even there yet. This will be a once in a life time experience.

My upbringing Adventure Part 2

Well...I should finish what I started ...it is good to have this documented because we lived in so many different places. I left off with Keokuk, Iowa, we then moved on to Butte, Montana where my Dad was convinced to move up and start a church. I remember meeting some very interesting people there, one family we met had a son named John the Baptist. Our family thought that was very funny...I also remember meeting a girl at the age of 13 who was engaged to a 20 year old man....it still gives me the creeps! We didn't stay long...so we moved on to Musula, Montana were a small church met in a Girl Scout building ...it was very difficult for my parents there...no one came to church...my dad ended up washing dishes at a restaurant..just to survive financially. So off we go again to Moline, Illinois were my Grandparents lived. My mom worked for a while and then off we went to Odessa, Texas to live with my other Grandma. I was in 5 th grade by this point. We soon got a call to candidate in a church in Long Beach, California.

This is where I have my most fondest of memories! We lived close to a public pool and went swimming all summer long. Our church was small but very loving to our family. We met in a couple of different YMCA's. The church grew and we were able to lease a huge building with a house attatched, in which we lived. My sister and I would climb out onto the roof and play. I don't think my parents really knew about that! I went to a huge high school , grades 7th-12th. It was very intimidating and scary!! The campus was huge and I literally had to run to some of my classes! The church had difficulty paying the lease...so my parents made a very difficult decision to leave and merge the church with another church start in the area. I never cried so hard...the first time I really didn't want to move! God moved us to Fosterburg, Illinois. This well established large church was quite wealthy and us kids were able to all go to a Christian school. This was also a highlight in my life...I made wonderful friends and loved my classes. This is when my mom found out she was pregnant at age 43! We were all very excited. We finished the school year and the church became difficult for my dad, it was ruled by the deacons and my dad could not lead...it was very frustrating. Now we are in Lynn, Missouri. A very small Catholic town. My parents made $50.00 a week and my dad worked full-time at Johnson and Johnson. Jeremy was born in October...I was 15 years old...many people thought he was mine...you can't imagine the horror I felt when people asked me if he was mine!

There was no progress with this church and no money...again we moved to Ely, Nevada. There was a very small church start that needed a pastor. I remember ...hating the school..I had no friends. We were there only less than a year. The next summer we relocated to Bartlett, Illinois. A small church that met in a YMCA called my dad to come and pastor. I went to a huge high school, and made some wonderful friends. I got my first job at a hot dog/pizza place, then worked at a Burger King my Senior year. I bought my first car, a Volkswagon Bug for $250. I drove it everywhere!! During the middle of my Senior year, the church decided to dissolve. We moved to Mesa, Arizona. So I finished my Senior year in a school where I knew no one. We got to know a really neat family there that had 11 kids...their dad was a pastor also and every Friday night we got together with some other teens and ate pizza , mini golf, go-carts, etc.. it was a blast and a good memory. God blessed me richly with the opportunity to go to college the next Fall. I enrolled at Christian Heritage College in El Cajon, California. This truly was the best year of my life!! I was surrounded by awesome Biblical teaching and wonderful friendships! I learned sooo much that year! Well, my dad's church start didn't prosper in Arizona and so we moved again to Grove, Oklahoma. My dad helped the church out with an evangelistic outreach ministry. I only stayed through the summer and went off to the college my parents went to in Springfield, Missouri. Baptist Bible College turned out to be a huge disappointment to me. I only stayed 3 weeks and went back home. After spending time in Texas , I moved to Orlando, Florida with my folks to help them with another church start and this is where I met Eddie...we only new each other for 6 months and then we got married!! Interestingly enough I married a Navy man...to continue my "adventurous" lifestyle. What a crazy unusual life I had...but it was not like I knew anything different. God in His providence knew exactly how He wanted my life to be orchestrated. We all have a life "story" and God is in control of it. I am so grateful for everything He is doing in and through my life and especially for giving me life abundant through His Son Jesus Christ!
"To the praise of the glory of His grace, wherein He hath made us accepted in the Beloved" Ephesians 1:6

More Summer 2010

After I returned home from Tennessee we were surprised by our neighbor, who offered us his time share for a weeks stay in Lake Chelan!! It was beautiful!! We had to split our family up in order for it to work for all of us to go...so Kay and Kell and a friend went on the weekend and the rest of us went up during the week. Although we couldn't be together as a family...we were all glad to get away.

Summer 2010

Wow, I have not been doing so well with my blog. It has been a busy summer. I started the

summer with a visit to my sisters in Tennessee in May! Kellory wanted to visit her cousin Grace..so we thought we would fly down together. We had so much fun! We ate out , watched movies, drank coffee , played with my new nephew and niece, and had a wonderful time!!

ICEBOX CAKE???

I have been hearing about an old fashioned dessert called "Icebox cake"...made of graham crackers and pudding and I guess it tastes fantastic. So I thought I would hunt down a recipe and give it a try. To be honest it didn't sound like it would be that great...but was I wrong! I made this dessert on Sunday night ( recipe suggested to keep in fridge for 2-3 days) and on Tuesday we had it with everyone..they loved it and so did I!

THELMA'S CHOCOLATE ECLAIR

1/2 box (8 oz.) graham crackers

2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) instant vanilla pudding

3 1/2 cups milk

1 (8oz.) cool whip

2 squares (1 oz. each) semisweet chocolate

2 T. butter

1 tsp. light corn syrup

3 T. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 -1/2 cups confections sugar

Cover bottom of 13x 9 baking pan with whole graham crackers, set aside. Combine pudding mixes and milk. fold in cool whip. Spread over graham crackers. Top with another layer of crackers. In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and add remaining ingredients. Spread over top graham cracker layer. Cover and refrigerate. Dessert is best made 2-3 days ahead of time. Yield: 12-15 servings.

My Upbringing.... quite the Adventure!! Part 1

Several weeks ago I was visiting with my mom and we got on the subject of all the places we moved throughout my childhood. I grabbed a piece of paper and began to scribble down everything she and I could remember about where we started and little details of what we did there.
You see my dad and mom were called into the ministry shortly after I was born. My dad decided to go to Bible College in Springfield , Missouri for 3 years and then the Adventure began!
I thought it would be kind of fun to make a log of where I have lived . You would not believe how many times I moved as a child!! I have a most unique childhood. A lot of my memories are of being in the car traveling to another destination...in our brown paneled Station Wagon.

It all started when I was about five years old...we moved to Vancouver, Washington. My parents were supported by a missionary board to be church starters. We were there about 8 months moved to another small town close by to start another church but could not start one.
So we moved on to Everett, Washington to start a church in Richmond, Canada. We lived in a Big White house but were only there 3-4 months...the people were very non receptive to a new church. At that point my folks moved us to Sunnyside, Washington. It was a small established church and my parents really liked the area...the fresh fruit and vegetables. I have a funny memory of us three kids regularly walking down the block to a local restaurant and inside the lobby taking advantage of their "free" peppermint toothpicks! Apparently we did not have too many snacks at home! Did my mom know we did this??
Anyway, we lived in Sunnyside for about 3 years. The church could barely support us financially at this point so we moved on to Pueblo, Colorado and my dad and mom helped a large church with their childrens ministry along with the bus ministry. I am about 9 years old at this point and one important thing I remember here is I made my first profession of faith during a VBS my parents were leading. So we were here maybe one year and then back in the car we go to.....
Mobile, Alabama. My dad got a lead from a friend of a small church there that needed a Pastor, so we kind of just showed up...the way my mom described. I guess there was another man there also trying to take the church but my dad was able to take possession of the church.
We lived in the actual church building...it was very interesting. My sister and I slept in the nursery in bunk beds, my parents had a room across the auditorium to sleep in as the Master bedroom. Oh, but this is the funny part, we actually made a living room off of the church auditorium and they put a curtain around it to block it off..it consisted of a couch and television.
My parents meet a very dear woman here, Mrs. Bradford. She was very generous to us in the years after we left, God used this woman to meet our needs time and time again. She will receive a very big reward in heaven for her givingness! We only stayed a year. Once again financially could not stay.
On to Keokuk, Iowa. What I remember most about this church was watching the movie "The Burning Hell". Wow, it was scary! How come we don't show movies like that anymore??? They had many people saved on one Sunday. I also remember making another profession of faith...assuring myself that I was making the decision to follow Christ. Well, we were there only a year and then on to....? part 2 coming up!

This was pretty tasty...it isn't too sweet ( so you could really pig out if you want)! Nothing tastes so good as peanut butter and chocolate. It reminded me of a granola bar.

PEANUT BUTTER BARS

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup quick oats
1 bag chocolate chips (2 cups)

Grease a 13X 9 pan. Combine butter, peanut butter, egg, and vanilla. Add in brown sugar, flour, salt and baking soda. Mix in oats. Spread and press down in pan. Bake at 375* for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and pour chocolate chips over the top. Put back in oven for just a minute to soften the chips. Spread the chocolate with spatula. Cool completely before cutting.

My dad...Ward Clemmons

This was taken in Long Beach, California.

Last week was the 18th anniversary of my fathers death. I can't believe it has been that long.

I was pregnant with Kellory when he died from colon cancer. He was 51 years old. He got very sick December of 1991 and was taken to the hospital for internal pain. He was then diagnosed wtih colon cancer, that was so advanced, they gave him 6 months to live. He lived for 4 months after the diagnoses. He was a different man for the those 4 months, I remember him being very at peace with it all. He was so ready to go to heaven. He was a quiet sort of man, and I was so very young when it all happened. The only thing I regret is talking more with him during those last days. I look forward to seeing him again!

My dad was called into the ministry when I was just a baby. He was a pastor for 20 years to many small churches around the United States. I will post more on that later. I had a very interesting childhood!

My dad loved to sing and play his guitar(picture). I have good memories watching old movies or shows with him late at night and snacking on candy (his favorite thing to eat). I particularly remember watching the "Twilight Zone" with him and being scared silly! My dad taught me how to drive stick shift in my first car, a Volkswagon Bug. That was quite the adventure.

I miss my dad very much! I am so thankful for his example of faithfulness to the Lord. Looking back, he didn't have an easy life, but a sacrifical life given for the Lord.

GOODY GOODY GUM DROP!

Have you ever heard that phrase?? Isn't it funny? My mom was one that would say that...when excited about something! It just makes me laugh hearing it. Anyway, I think this is what I will call my once a week dessert post. So here is an easy brownie dessert to dress up a box brownie mix.

Rocky Road Brownies

1 brownie mix (13 X9)

1 c. mini marshmallows ( I used more to cover the entire top)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven 350*. Prepare brownies as directed for fudge-like brownies. Bake 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle marshmallows enenly over surface. Let cool.

In small saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat. Remove from heat and stir in condensed milk. Blend well. Stir in pecans. pour evenly over marshmallows. Let cool for several hours.

Sweet Tuesday!

Okay...this was yummy! but as you will see in the list of ingredients a little fattening. But hey,you only live once and a little indulgence won't hurt. Strawberries are getting cheaper and tastier...you won't be disappointed with this one. It is easy to make too!

Strawberry Cream Pie

Pastry:

1 c. flour

2 T. powdered sugar

1/2 c. butter, cut in pieces

pinch of salt

Filling:

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. heavy cream, whipped until it holds soft peaks

1 T. fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix all ingredients together and pat into a buttered 9 in. pie pan.

Prick crust in several places. Bake 12-15 minutes until light golden brown. cool.

whip together filling until thoroughly combined. Pour into cooled crust and chill 1 hour.

Topping:

1 qt. frsh stawberries, sliced

1/2 c. currant jelly, melted ( I found it at Yoke's)

Arrange berries on filling and carefully paint the berries with the jelly.

Chill 3 hours before serving.

THE INFLUENCE OF BOOKS

Books , books, and more books! I have the horrible habit of starting a book and then I find interest in another book and start it! I am in about 5 different books right now! My favorite books are practical learning books..."How to"... I want to know how to be a better woman for God, and I want to be able to help others. My learning is slow because I do not retain much from my reading. I have tried to right down things that mean much to me and that helps tremendously! Also telling others what I learn from a book can help me remember. I want to share a book that has been such a blessing to me. "Knowing God" by J.I. Packer. This is a book everyone should read. Each chapter focus's on an attribute of God. The first few chapters are just captivating...because he talks about why we should study God and the people who know their God. The difference of knowing about God and knowing of God is clearly stated in the book. Which is so challenging to me in my mind! He states some evidences of knowing God from the book of Daniel.
* Those who know God have great energy for God.
* Those who know God have great thoughts of God.
* Those who know God show great boldness for God.
* Those who know God have great contentment in God.
At the end of each chapter the author gives some wonderful questions to think about personally.
One last quote from the book... "We must learn to measure ourselves, not by our knowledge about God, not by our gifts and responsibilities in the church, but by how we pray and what goes on in our hearts."
What are you all reading lately?

Tuesday Treats!!

Well, I have had the bloggin' blues...I don't have much to blog it seems..plus I have been very busy. I have 2 loves right now...reading and recipes. I will share on some of what I have been reading later. But for now I thought I would post a "goodie" each week. I make dessert every Tuesday night for our Bible Study group. It is an opportunity to try a "new" recipe!! Which I love to do! So today I made Brownie Bottom Cheesecake Bars. And yes they are yummy!

Here is the recipe:

1 chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs, divided

2 (8 oz) pkg. of cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 325*. In large bowl combine cake mix, butter and 1 egg; blend well. Press mixture into bottom of greased 9X13 baking pan.

In med. bowl., combine remaining eggs, cream cheese and sugar. Beat until mixture is smooth and well blended.

Pour mixture over cake mix, and bake for 40-45 minutes. (until edges are very lightly browned). Let cool and ice with Chocolate Frosting.

Chocolate Frosting:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (8oz) container sour cream

In small saucepan. combine chocolate chips and sour cream. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool until just warm to the touch.

Keira Nicole's 6th Birthday Surprise!

Keira had a fun Birthday this year....we decided

to get her a big girl bike and was she surprised!

She loves it!!

What I love about Keira...because all my kids

are sooo unique.

She is....quiet

caring

has the sweetest smile

drawing is her favorite

very careful, not a risk taker

loves to dance and sing

She is a wonderful delight!

Thank you God for entrusting us with her!

Confessions Of A Competitor

Eddie just celebrated his 42nd Birthday a couple of weeks ago and I was faced with the obligation to play his favorite game. Eddie LOVES games, especially strategic games. The kids thought it would be a nice "gift" to him to play a game together as a family on his birthday. They wanted to play a game called "Cities and Knights of Catan" and it is a very long game to play...and very detailed! Well, when I heard about this plan, I took a deep sigh and tried to prepare myself for this trial before me. I know myself all too well. I do not play games with a good attitude UNLESS I am winning and then it is a blast!! I had days to "prepare" my heart for ...well lets say this "trial". I prayed some and thought about what to expect. BUT...to my great disappointment I did not fare well.

Of course I was the big Loser in the game and after...playing for 6 hours...it definately was not fun for me any longer!

It is interesting when God puts us to a "Test". He gives us opportunities to make changes in our lives. I failed...and had to apologize to my kids (and confess to God) for my attitude. One of my kids reminded me of 1 Corinthians 13...Love is patient....Love is Kind.....Love does not seek its own (the next time I play I will have scripture cards in front of me as reminders).

God is good and growing me in this area. Everyone did enjoy it in spite of my moments of frustration. Next time I will definately play with a heart filled with the Spirit!