In my kitchen...

I've been making dried apple rings in the dehydrator. Yum, and the 'Pampered Chef' apple corer works very nicely. I think MacIntosh are my favorite apple to dry. They are easy to peel and have such a good flavor.

Did you know this little honey-dipper makes a great whisk? I am so glad to have realized this. Its a great 'make life easier' gadget.

Whats happening here are two brand new cookbooks and one second-hand one. (that is new to me) Cookbooks are great inspirational reading. They make you think you really can replicate those wonderful photos of food prepared to perfection. I don't care. I still love them! lol. And I am having such a good time reading and planning and making store lists that I usually lose. Its all good, I have made several new recipes lately with dandy results. I can't think what they are right now, but thats ok. It was fun and there are lots more to try!

The following are my thoughts as I spent a good part of my Saturday studying the Sunday School text. It is so very interesting and thought provoking. A bit of Sunday on a beautiful Saturday. How precious is the written Word of God and how we need it.

Proverbs 3: 5-8

Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding.

verse 6: In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

verse 7: Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.

verse 8: It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

In my Bible study today, I came across this..'Sooner or later, men will be made to see that God and his prophets (referring to the Old Testament prophets) are their best friends'. (Matthew Henry) In I Samuel chapter 13, as God tells the story of King Saul. King Saul had only been King two years and the land had previously been invaded by the Philistines. ( because they turned away from God to idol worship) (God used the enemy to bring punishment in this case) All weapons in Israel had been confiscated and only farming tools allowed, and to sharpen those they had to travel to the appointed place of the Phil. How would we like to go into battle with perhaps slingshots and sticks while the other side had swords and horses and in multitude like the sand of the sea?

Yet, Victories with God are not by man's wisdom or strength. In one of the next battles God causes a great earthquake and the Philistines turned on one another in the confusion. 14:16. v.23 So the Lord saved Israel that day..But I'm getting ahead of myself;

Now a battle is about to take place. King Saul with a scant 3000 men and many of them would desert him out of fear for their lives. King Saul decided not wait for God's servant Samuel to come and offer the sacrifice to God before the battle. He did it himself and when the prophet Samuel got there (within the appointed time period) King Saul gave excuse after excuse to Samuel. He was the King, and was worried about the battle, the men...etc. His thinking was full of what he reasoned to himself to be right under the circumstances, which were bad ones! but!....The scripture does not say or indicate he repented and had remorse. He seemed to hold fast to his own thinking. The result, God judged the King that very day and the verdict was that he would lose his Kingship.

It makes me stop and think how many times I 'reason' things out by my own thinking, instead of dropping to my knees and petitioning God for his counsel. I really found these chapters in I Samuel about the people wanting a 'King' instead of God himself to lead them interesting and instructive...and fascinating. Its a marvellous thing that our God and Creator is so longsuffering and so loving. Amazing grace, how can it be!