Fresh Apple Cake from the Kitchen of Ruth Graham

Celebrate Autumn

with

Fresh Apple Cake from the Kitchen of Ruth Graham

Set the oven at 300 degrees and bake for one hour.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooking oil

2 cups sugar (or perhaps 11/2 cups)

3 cups plain flour

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup chopped nuts

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp vanilla

½ tsp salt

3 cups fresh apples, chopped

Instructions:

Combine oil, sugar, and well-beaten eggs, and vanilla. Measure and sift flour, salt, and baking soda — and add to the first mixture.

Stir apples and nuts, and mix well. (Batter will be very stiff)

Pour in a long baking pan (about 13 x 9 size).

Bake.

Glaze:

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup margarine

1 tsp vanilla

¼ cup evaporated mild

Place margarine and sugar in a double boiler. Allow to melt. Add milk. Bring to a full boil. Cool. Add vanilla, Pour over the cake.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

Given the chance to sit around a table with Ruth Graham, wife of global evangelist Billy Graham, mother of five, and author of 14 books, to enjoy a piece of her Fresh Apple Cake, what would have been a question you would have wanted to ask her?

Why?

Photo credit: Internet, The Archive Collection, Billy Graham Library, billygrahamlibrary.org

Recycling Revisited

When our family lived in Germany, recycling ruled society. In the early 1980’s, this nation took the lead and established itself on the cutting edge of the global recycling movement. Successfully, they trained an entire nation in the nuances of recycling. Red bins for this, yellow bins for that, and green bins for the other. In schools, in malls, in villages, on autobahns, on ski slopes, on hiking trails, recycling controlled the environment.

As domestic-in-chief, I bought in. Our household cooperated, and we learned to march to the recycling beat.

But not all recycling is profitable. Follow me here.

“But not all recycling is profitable.”

Spiritually speaking, when a disproportionate portion of our spiritual diet comes to us recycled through another, we marginalize our growth. Seminars, devotional books, and online courses meet a valid need in our spiritual formation. But genuine life transformation occurs in our ongoing one-on-one times alone with Jesus. Here we find relational intimacy and life-giving Words.

Granted, the recycling approach for spiritual nutrition is tempting since it serves up fast and convenient. But our souls are starving for fresh, for the set apart time when we sit still and listen firsthand to God and learn firsthand from God. (Psalm 46:10)

 Aspects of Fresh

·      Fresh requires time and planning: a time, a plan, a place, be it a desk, a table, a coffee shop, or a library.

·      Fresh brings real life, a Bible, a hot cup of coffee, and a warm muffin.

·      Fresh keeps showing up.

·      Fresh expects Jesus to be there.

·      And He always is.

Fresh from The Word, we read in Psalm 1: 1-3:

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers,

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night.

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,
Which yields its fruit in its season
And its leaf does not wither;
And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Living with eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

What is your best suggestion for keeping your relationship with God fresh?

Why do you think fresh is such a desirable quality in one’s time alone with Jesus?

“Eternity is in your heart because God wanted you to live with that perspective. Step into His Story in every area of your life and live as though everything has meaning. Because it does.” - Chris Tiegreen

The Hill, a Movie Review

Friday night changed on a dime when our generous daughter phoned to say that she was treating us to a night out at the movies. After making our way to seats one and two on row J, Larry and I settled back with popcorn and drinks for a heartwarming, gut-wrenching film of sports world drama. Two hours later, we left those seats overwhelmed with the timeless power of a dream and the supernatural impact of perseverance to pursue it.

The Hill portrays the true story of a young Texas boy, Rickey Hill, who desperately wants to play baseball. His most formidable enemies are not just the cruel bullies on the baseball diamond, but also the cruel ideas of his legalistic pastor father.

The talent of Colin Ford, Dennis Quaid, Joelle Carter, Bonnie Bedelia, and Randy Houser bring to life the narrative which takes place in the 1960’s. Dilapidated houses and broken-down cars stand aside to make way for a boy who has God on his side and fire in his bones.

“In his perfection He handed me two gifts — preaching with fire and playing by the power of his hand. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” - Rickey Hill

Thank you, Rickey Hill.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

“God has put eternity in the human heart — not just the thought of the everlasting, but the things of eternity. Our truest desires are deep and lasting. Our purpose is centered in the eternal King. Our future is integrally tied into the story He is writing. And our hearts are constantly looking for connections with that story.” - Chris Tiegreen