This came from a friend of mine. Please join us in prayer for this little boy.

Please pray for this little boy.

I'm relaying for the parents and just have enough for the prayer warriors to add another on their list, please.

Jonathan just turned 8 years old the 20th of Dec.

Apparently New Years Eve he had a Asthma attack so severe it caused him to die in his mother's arms, he was clinically dead for 45 mins, the rescue workers revived him as his 9 year old brother Taylor looked on and tried to get a flight for him, but had difficulties getting a helicopter near the home, they finally life flighted him to Columbia Hosp (Missouri) (not sure which one), he crashed on the flight and was brought back.

I recently got off the phone from his mother TeAna and at the moment Jonathan is in a coma, not sure if medically or self induced. He still keeps crashing.

Please keep him and family near in prayer. Thank you all.

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year
'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'

And he replied, 'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God
That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!'

So I went forth and finding the Hand of God
Trod gladly into the night
He led me towards the hills
And the breaking of day in the lone east.

So heart be still!
What need our human life to know
If God hath comprehension?

In all the dizzy strife of things
Both high and low,
God hideth his intention."

~Minnie Louise Hoskins.

• I'm canning up the rest of the meat. It won't happen overnight, but I will get it all finished and empty those freezers once and for all.  We are doing ground meat today.
• I'm getting back to once a week baking for our needs.  It's easy to do -- just requires I think ahead and make some plans.  When it's gone, it's gone.  We will learn quick enough that it's better to spread out whatever treats we have than to go totally without.
• Laundry is going to take a hit.  We will start focusing on that hand-washing.  I will do towels, the blankets and thick items, boys pants in the washing machine still as I don't have a suitable way to wring them out well enough to even hang dry.  But they will only be done once a week.  This having something to wash almost daily is ridiculous.  I need to get back to a real schedule here.  And it will be...has to be...carved in solid stone, no more written in pencil.
• I'm going to look for a small wood heat stove instead of worrying about connecting the cookstove up right now.  I'm not set up space-wise to have both operating, and I think the larger need is for some alternative heat right now.  I'd rather put $600 into a heat stove than the electric bill.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp bacon grease or vegetable oil

3 pounds beef brisket, fat trimmed and cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups beef stock (preferably homemade or canned low-sodium broth)

2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped mild green chilies, drained

2 pounds red-skinned potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

1/4 cup fresh cilantro (coriander) or parsley, chopped

1 cup flour

Instructions

In a large flameproof casserole or Dutch oven, heat the bacon grease over medium heat. Season the beef brisket with salt and pepper. Working in batches to avoid crowding, add the brisket and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the brisket to a plate.

Add the onion and garlic to the casserole and cook, stirring often, until the onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the beef stock. Return the brisket to the pot and add the chilies. Bring to a simmer over high heat, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the brisket is tender, about 2-1/2 hours.

During the last 30 minutes, stir in the potatoes, corn, and cilantro. Remove from the heat and let stand 5 minutes. Skim any fat from the top of the stew. (It's easier to remove the fat if the stew is cooled to room temperature, covered and refrigerated overnight. Discard hardened fat from surface. Reheat gently over low heat before proceeding.)

In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup of the cooking liquid with the flour until smooth. Stir into the stew and simmer until the sauce is thickened, about 3 minutes. Season the stew with additional salt and pepper; serve hot. Freezes and reheats well.

Yield: 8 servings

This calls for rice or noodles to serve it over. But I like garlic mashed potatoes under mine!

BEEF MUSHROOM STEW
 
1/4 Cup all-purpose Flour
1 Jar (8 oz) whole Mushrooms, drained 
1 Tea. Salt 1/2 Cup chopped Onion 
1/8 Tea. Pepper
 2 Bay leaves 
2 1/2 to 3 Lbs. Beef Round Steak, cut into cubes
1 Clove Garlic, minced 
2 Tbl. Cooking Oil
1 Tbl. dried Parsley Flakes 
1 Cup Beef broth
 Cooked Rice or Noodles 
3/4 Cup Water
 
Place flour, salt and pepper in a plastic bag; add beef cubes and shake to coat on all sides. Brown beef in oil in a large saucepan. Stir in burgundy wine or broth, water, mushrooms, onion, bay leaves, garlic and parsley; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender. Thicken if desired. Serve over rice or noodles. 8 - 10 servings

BLACK EYED PEAS AND GREENS SOUP

This flavorful soup can be cooked on the stovetop or in the crockpot.
Either way, it makes a great meal with cornbread and a tossed salad.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced sweet bell pepper, red or green
4 to 6 ounces diced ham
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
3 cups cooked black-eyed peas or 2 cans (15 to 16 ounces each) drained
and rinsed
1 1/2 cups frozen chopped turnip greens or spinach, thawed
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) tomatoes, diced, with juice
1/2 teaspoon Creole seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
salt, to taste

Stovetop:In a large Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat, saute
the onion and celery in vegetable oil until tender. Add the ham, bell
pepper, and garlic and saute, stirring, for 2 to 3 mins longer.To the
ham and vegetable mixture add chicken broth, black eyed peas, greens,
tomatoes, ham, Creole seasoning, pepper and oregano. Reduce heat to low,
cover and simmer for 45 mins to 1 hr. Taste and add salt, as needed. 

Slow Cooker:In a skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and celery in
vegetable oil until tender.Add the ham, bell pepper and garlic and
saute,stirring, for 2 to 3 mins longer.Transfer ham and vegetables to
the slow cooker add chicken broth,black-eyed peas, greens,
tomatoes,ham,Creole seasoning, pepper and oregano.Cover and cook on LOW
for 5 to 7 hrs, or HIGH for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hrs. Taste and add salt, as
needed.

Serves 6 to 8

Homemade Beef Bouillon Recipe

Jan 2, 2009
Effective Prayer
Mark 11:24-25

John 14:14 reads, "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." People sometimes interpret this to mean that any request ending with the words "in Jesus' name, amen" will automatically be fulfilled.

Yet basing our entire concept of prayer on one isolated verse would lead to a skewed perspective. It is also important to consider . . .

Our Fellowship With God. For God to hear and answer prayers, we must first be saved from our sin through the redeeming blood of Jesus. Once we have trusted Christ as Savior, God will hear us only when we walk in righteousness before Him. Of course, He understands our weakness and doesn't expect perfection. But if we knowingly continue in sin and fail to repent, He will not listen.

Our Request. For some people, ending prayers with "In Jesus' name, amen" can seem like a magic charm, but nothing can force God's hand. This saying did originate from a good motive, though: the desire to ask only for what is consistent with Jesus' character. When we ask, we should pray with faith, believing that God is able and will do whatever is in His will. And we should willingly submit our desires to Him.

Our Motive. The Lord won't say yes to prayer that will hurt us or His purpose. When we bring supplications before Him, it is important to check our motive. Is our goal to glorify God and let others see Him in us? Or is our motive selfish, greedy, or impure?

Our heavenly Father tells us to pray. And He will answer when our hearts are pure.