Heart Hope by Olga

The glory of the Lord is shining all around these days, it makes me want to break forth in song, so I have taken an old classic and have adapted the words to what I feel as I look at the beauty of the season. I only wish I would sound like Julie Andrews if I were to sing it.   The hills are alive with the golden color With hues they have shown for a thousand years The hills fill my heart with the joy of seasons My heart takes pleasure in what the eyes see. My heart wants to beat like migrating birds that fly down from the north to the south My heart rejoices like a child skipping down a leaf covered lane To laugh like a stream when it trips and falls over stones on its way To sing through the day like a choir honoring their great King. I go to the hills when my heart is joyful I know I will see what I've seen before My heart will be blessed by the golden color And I'll praise my God. Daniel 2:20-21a Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever; wisdom and power a...

Don’t you just love it when you have Divine Appointments? Last weekend, I had several of them while attending Women of Faith and they all revolved around prayer. The first was at the dinner table, when a friend asked for us to pray for a situation with a house that she and her husband were hoping to purchase. Three of us stopped right then and there, held hands and prayed for her situation. The next morning before going into the conference, I was concerned about a medical issue with my daughter and another friend expressed concern about her son, so into the “family-friendly bathroom” we ducked to pray for each other. Later in the day while sitting on the green grass, with the bright blue sky above us eating a picnic lunch, my precious sisters in Christ suggested that we pray for my daughter’s health, so we stood, linked arms and I was bathed by their prayers. The last encounter happened during one of the afternoon sessions. While standing at the back of the room I turned to see a...

Good, light and easy! 6 tilapia fillets, rinsed & patted dry  1/2 cup melted margarine  1/4 teaspoon garlic powder  2 tablespoons lemon juice  1 cup unseasoned panko crumbs 1/2-1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (I suggest 1t) Lemon wedge Directions Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking pan lightly with cooking oil. In a shallow dish, combine melted margarine, garlic powder, and lemon juice. In a separate shallow dish, combine panko crumbs and Old Bay seasoning. Dip each fillet in butter mixture, then roll well in the panko mixture. Place fillets in a single layer onto prepared pan. Press any remaining panko mixture onto tops of fillets Bake 12-14 minutes, until flaky. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 6. www.hearthope.org

This morning I was hearing once again of Lindsay Lohan and her most recent trip to jail for failing her mandatory drug test. This imprisonment was for 12 hours and 10 minutes, since one of her loyal clan paid the $300,000 fine that the judge required. She breaks the law and then someone comes to her rescue and she gets freedom… but doe she really?  She may not be bound by the bars of a prison cell, but she is actually bound by something worse…a drug addiction that has her in its grip and probably a mega dose of self absorption. No amount of financial rescuing will be able to free her. One of the commentators said, “Freedom begins by realizing that you need help”, so maybe they should get harsher with her punishment to make her realize that she needs help. Lindsay has been in the limelight for years and people tend to be fascinated by celebrities, adoring and honoring them with praise, but I must say, I am quite tired of listening to stories about people like her who get into troub...

The Potter took the damaged clay pot and broke it down even more, grinding it into dust then moistening it with water before He put it onto His wheel and began to remake it into a vessel pleasing to Himself. The cracks and chips and broken pieces disappeared as the clay became soft and pliable to the Potter’s touch. He firmly applied pressure on some areas, touched lightly on others, added more clay to a specific spot that needed filling and removed clay that hindered the shape that would make it useful for His ultimate purpose. As He turned the wheel, His loving and gentle hands never left the clay as He molded and made it after His will. He took it off the wheel, added color, placed it in a fiery kiln, keeping His eyes on it and removing it at just the right time. The clay had been radically transformed into an object of strength, of function and beauty. Is the Potter molding or remolding you, using…pressure or problems, stress or suffering, hurt or heartache, illness or injustice?...

Duck on Pon d Soon it will be time for the ducks to fly south for the winter, but for now they are still enjoying their mountain abode before their long journey. While basking beside the river recently, listening to the praise and worship music on my iPod, I was watching the water rush by and observed that in some places it looked peaceful and calm, while in other areas, it was turbulent and white. Then suddenly I spotted an unusual movement in the water. Upon closer observation I found that it was a lone duck swimming upstream, against the strong current. The way I see it the little duck had several choices. It could go with the flow of water and get somewhere really fast using the current of the water to assist in his journey, but he might not get to where he really wanted to go. He could get out of the water altogether and choose to go nowhere. Or he could do what he was doing and paddle against the current which was slower and harder, but he could still make progress in makin...

Need a diferent side dish? This one might be just the one for you. 1 lb fresh green beans 6 T chicken broth 2 T olive oil 4 canned Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped Salt to taste Freshly ground black pepper Pinch dried oregano 2 T finely chopped parsley In a saucepan, combine broth, olive oil, and tomatoes. Bring to boil. Add green beans and salt, pepper and oregano to taste. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue to cook over very low heat until excess moisture has evaporated and beans are tender, but not soft. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.  4 servings. http://www.hearthope.org/

Some of you will probably think I am crazy for what you are about to read and perhaps you are right, but I will share it with you anyway. This summer I attended the She Speaks conference put on by Proverbs 31 Ministries in North Carolina. I left home at 6:45 AM and arrived in Charlotte at 5:55 PM. The last shuttle to the hotel was supposed to leave at 6:00, so I rushed to the boarding spot and was there by 6:03, but the shuttle had already departed. I had previously been told that it could cost from $50-$75 for a cab, and since I had prepaid for the shuttle, I really did not want to spend the money to take a cab, so I began looking for other options. An airport attendant explained that all I had to do was take the city bus to the transportation center and then catch the express bus to Concord where the conference was being held--easy enough right??? At the bus stop a tattooed, pierced, scantily dressed young girl helped me figure out the process—I needed $1.75 in change and of course I...

In the Rocky Mountains we are experiencing a disaster. The pine beetles are attacking not just a few of the pine trees, but three million acres of pine forest have already been destroyed. The black rice-sized insects burrow into the lodgepole pine bark and chew on the wood and get the sugar to help them sustain life during the harsh winter. Trees that are most susceptible to the damage are the older trees, in crowded areas that have poor growing conditions. Also vulnerable are injured trees or ones under stress with too little sap to expel the insects. Young trees are not likely to become destroyed because the diameter of the trees and the general health of the vegetation. The first evidence of attack is shown by sap that is flowing from holes bored in the tree and you might also notice powder at the base of the tree, especially in late summer when the adult insects leave the damaged trees to find new healthy ones to attack. It takes just 2 weeks after the initial migratio...

What do you do when the storms of life come your way? Do you want to run back to bed and pull the covers over your head in hopes that they go away? Do you seek the help of friends, family or counselors who can help you solve the crisis? Do you get angry because after all, you don’t deserve the problems? Or do you go to God, praying and asking Him to show you what He wants you to learn and grow and do in the situation? We all handle difficult circumstances in different ways, according to our personalities, our health, our resources, our stage of life, along with a myriad of other things. I believe that we can learn something from the way two birds handle the storms in their lives. When a turkey senses a storm coming, he will run to the barn, and hide in a corner in hopes that the storm will not discover him. It doesn’t really help, but I guess in a way it makes him feel more secure. The eagle on the other hand feels the storm brewing and gets out of the safety of his nest and soars on...

A great dish that can be served either hot as a main dish or cold as a salad. 4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts  1 T fresh ginger 1 clove garlic, minced 2 T rice vinegar ½ c corn oil 2 ½ T sesame oil 2 T sesame seeds 3 T ground coriander ¾ c soy sauce 1 T hot chili oil 12 oz angel hair pasta, cooked Sliced green onions Snow Peas Marinate chicken that has been cut into bite sized pieces in ginger, garlic and rice vinegar. Stir fry until done; set aside and keep warm. Over medium heat, combine corn oil, sesame oil and sesame seeds. Stir in coriander and soy sauce (Be careful because it will splatter). Add chili oil. Sauté onion and pea pods. Pour sauce over cooked noodles. Add chicken and sautéed vegetables. Toss and serve. 4 servings http://www.hearthope.org/

Roxy's Final Resting Place Roxy, our dog, was always young at heart. People would mistake her for a puppy even after she was well into double digits. Her enthusiasm for life and excitement in receiving guests made her seem much younger than her years. Her veterinarian would often comment on what a healthy dog she was, free from many genetic things that appear in full breed dogs. We never really figured out what mix of breeds Roxy was, but we do know that she had Terrier blood, because of certain features and characteristics. In the last year and a half of her life, we began to see that the inevitable would happen and Roxy would not be with us forever. Her hips became so weak that she could hardly walk, so a painful visit to the doctor was in order to determine a course of action. A shot of steroids was given which provided an amazing transformation to her body and she was given an extra eighteen months of quality life. She did however slow down and although she still wanted ...

Queen Roxy Roxie had a good life. She lived in the city while in Texas and the mountains of Colorado—the best of both worlds. She lived in apartments in Lubbock, condos in Boulder and the family home in Fort Worth. She even got to go to “camp” when we were out of town. She had two doting sisters—Margaret and Lynn, but Roxie pretty much ruled the roost. Roxy was often stuck with me, so we forged a strong bond. Being an “alpha” dog she began to think that she was the master and I was the slave, since I was always there to feed her, walk her and let her in and out at her every whim. I was all right playing that part. As the girls grew up and left home, Roxy remained in the family residence except for brief visits to Texas Tech and Houston. On one visit to see Margaret in Houston, our precious sweet little innocent dog discovered a basket of Valentines Day candy and ate the whole thing. Well, everyone knows that a dog can die if they eat chocolate, never mind the plastic an...

Roxy was our beloved pet for 14 years. We got her for my daughter Lynn’s sixteenth birthday. Lynn had been begging for a dog and in a weak moment we agreed to her request. We decided that a pound puppy would be a good choice, so off to PetsMart we went, since they brought in a selection of puppies for adoption each weekend. Upon surveying the motley crew of dogs and cats, Lynn and I spotted a couple of cute white dogs with black and brown spots—a brother and sister pair, but we weren’t quite sure if one of them might be “the right one.” So back to the car for the next stop, and off to the humane society we went. Anytime you go to a place like that you hurt for the sad little animals just peering through the cages, longing to be grabbed up into your arms to be loved and cared for and you wish that you could take them all home. After checking out the big dogs, the small dogs, the old and the young, the hairy and even scary dogs, it was determined that none of those was meant to go home...

My husband, Tommy and I love to go to the movies on Friday nights. I wouldn’t call it a date night exactly, but more of a decompression night. After a week of work, we usually like to go to a movie that can help us unwind and get into weekend mode. A light comedy, a romance or sometimes an action movie might be our choice of the evening, but sometimes films that are suitable to both of our tastes are difficult to find. Last weekend, both movies that Tommy was contemplating as choices for us to see were R-rated which is usually a no-no for me and should have been the first clue not to attend either viewing. We thought we might gain some insights when we got to the movie, but since we had seen the preview for one of the movies and there was no bad language in the trailer, so we decided on the romantic comedy. We got our “Hot Date Combo” and headed to the theater. Our second clue to the quality of the movie should have been the emptiness of the auditorium. Immediately upon the sta...

Crescent Cream Cheese Treats This is rich and yummy. Ingredients 2 (8 ounce) cans crescent roll dough 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese 1 3/4 cups sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 cup butter 1 teaspoon cinnamon Directions Roll out one can of crescent rolls in bottom of 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Cream together: 2 8oz. cream cheese, 1 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. (If you want additional flavor you can add strawberry jam, pepper jelly, cranberiies or anything else yu like added to taste.) Spread this mixture over crescent rolls. Lay second tube of crescent rolls over mixture. Melt 1/2 cup butter, mix in 3/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and pour over top. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes. http://www.hearthope.org/

Happy Labor Day A day free from work, to honor those who are part of the work force of America. What are your plans for the day? Will you be outside, enjoying the beauty of creation participating in your favorite physical activity? Are you going to be celebrating beside a pool of cool water to try and beat the heat? Do you have a barbeque planned for the neighborhood or for close friends? Or perhaps you are just going to let the day evolve, taking pleasure in the final days of summer before fall sets in. No matter what you have planned, I hope you have a great day. We often complain of work. We dread Monday morning and long for the weekends which seem to fly by so much faster than the weekdays. Contentment with the job that we hold is elusive. It seems that no matter what type of occupation we have, we wish we could do something else. If we work in an office, we wish we worked outside. If we get paid a salary, we think it might be better if we would be able to make overtime. We ...

Precious 3 year old Cora was visiting my house recently. She climbed up on my sofa to get a better look at what was on the table next to it--a lamp, pictures, flowers, a couple of books and a bowl of artificial fruit. Her mother quizzed her on what she was doing and she replied that she wanted some grapes from the bowl of fruit. It was kind of comical that she thought they were real, and she had a difficult time trying to figure out why anyone would put fake fruit out on a table and you know she was right. Fruit is not just something for show that is really good for nothing. God wants the fruit in our lives to be fresh, useful and real. Sometimes we produce fake fruit, when we do things our way instead of letting God show us the fruit that He wants from us. God’s fruit is the good works that He has planned for us to do, but it is also, the attitudes and actions of our heart—love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Is your fruit real o...

Who would have ever thought that two people I know would be crazy enough to “adopt” squirrels, but it is true. Both of the stories sound so similar, I would have guessed that they had gotten together and made it up, but these were strangers who lived miles apart. Back in the spring, two different Texans in two different cities were walking in their yards when they discovered small brown objects curled up. At first thought they presumed they were mice, but after closer observation it was determined that they were actually baby squirrels that had apparently fallen from their nests. Now I think God must have given these people an extra dose of compassion because they actually researched what to do to save the lives of these creatures and learned that they should feed the baby animals with droppers and keep them in a warm spot. So they each made an “apartment” for their new adoptee out of a box with warm cloths and fed them several times a day with some play time mixed in between. Well, bo...

While watching the Today Show a couple of weeks ago, I was fascinated by one of the guests, Michelle Philpots. This young woman lost her short term memory due to a couple of head injuries that she suffered from vehicular accidents and since 1994 has not been able to remember the events of the previous day. She is living in a real life “Groundhog Day” situation with no chance of waking up from it. She can participate in everyday activities, such as driving a car and carrying on a conversation, but she does not recall the social memories--the interactions that she has with other people. This situation must be terribly frustrating for her and her husband, who knew Michelle before the accidents and memory loss, but married her even when he knew she would not be able to remember their life together. Now I would never wish to lose my memory or want it to happen to anyone else, but I do think that there are things we can learn from Michelle’s experience. If we could train ourselves to erase t...