A Birthday Blessing for My Twin Brothers

Happy 17th Birthday, Jacob and Joshua!
It has been so wonderful to have you both as brothers.
I pray that you would continue to grow in the grace of our Lord and that you would walk worthy of the calling He has placed on your life.

I love you guys!

Happy Birthday!


Love,
Charity

Resting in Christ

Oh, to rest in Christ! What a sweet reality that is, especially to those of us who lead a busy life.

There is much rest and peace attained when we sit before the Savior like Mary did.

When we find our satisfaction in Christ alone, there is a freedom and a joy in our hearts and lives that cannot be gained by seeking out the things of this world.

Here are some Scriptures for meditation:

Isaiah 26:3,4: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because He trusts in You. Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

Psalm 37:7a: Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.

Matthew 11:28-30: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

Psalm 27:14: Wait on the Lord, be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord!

Ending thought:

Resting in the Lord requires that we have complete trust in Him, and trusting Him results from seeking Him, so let me encourage you to "Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Dear Dad,

Happy Birthday! I thought that your birthday would be an especially appropriate time to say the things that I fail to say on a daily basis. I want to thank you for being my father. I don't say thank you enough for all that you do. Thank you for the way you lead and love your family. You are such a blessing in my life! Thank you for your guidance in my life, for forever pointing me to Christ by the way you live. What an example of Christ you are!
I love you.

Your loving Daughter,
Charity

My Birthday Trip

For my 18th birthday, mom took me to the Chocolate Moose Bed & Breakfast in Stuart, VA for the weekend.

We had a massage, did a raw food class, and had a wonderful mother/daughter time.

Here are pictures of some of the gourmet raw food that we made:

Lasagna

Pumpkin Pie

Green Salad with Cultured Vegetables

Kale Salad with Citrus Dressing

And of course, I had their signature food...Chocolate Mousse! I forgot to take a picture of it, but it was so yummy!

Here is the room that we stayed in:

The Moose Room

Mom and I were only going to stay until Saturday, but we got snowed in and stayed until Sunday afternoon. It was such a fun trip! I really enjoyed being with mom and learning about nutrition while I was there.

I love making memories. This is one that I will never forget.

Carob Pudding

Cooking is a skill that every homemaker in training should master. This is an easy and healthy treat that the whole family will love.

Sorry I don't have a picture, but I will post one the next time I make the pudding.

Don't let the ingredients turn you away, it's really delicious.


Carob Pudding

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil
1/2 Cup Maple Syrup
1 Cup Nut Milk or Milk
2 Cups (about 3) Avocado
1/2 Cup Carob Powder
2 T Vanilla Extract
Dash of Salt

1. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the carob powder. Stir well and set aside to cool.
2. In a food processer, add the avocado, vanilla extract, maple syrup, milk, and salt.
Process until smooth.
3. Add the chocolate and process until fully mixed and smooth.
Chill and enjoy!
Add cinnamon or a peppermint sprig as garnish.

If you have any questions about the ingredients, like substitutions (or what not), leave me a comment and I will hopefully have an answer for you.