Mission Minded

 

Just how mission minded are you?  For that matter how mission minded am I?  Could I leave the comfort of home and family and go to. . . .India or Africa?  Could I stay 3 years, 8 years or, or, or forever?  IDK  It’s something to think about.  Then again do I have to?  Can I be mission minded at home?  Well, I could be but am I?

I made soup on Friday and had several couples over to enjoy soup,  blueberry muffins, ice cream with chocolate crackle (all of these recipes you can find on this blog.  Just click on recipes in the side bar).  Back to my story.  We were discussing baptisms and one person said, “I never see any baptisms from women’s ministries or a lot of the other ministries we do in the church.”  GULP  I had to say something but what?  My answer was, “sometimes we sow the seeds and someone else does the harvesting.”  Was that a good answer or was it a cop-out?  Why are we so afraid to plain say would you like some Bible studies?  It’s something to pray about that’s for sure.

Here is one of the soup recipes I made Friday.  We really liked it a lot I would use a little less garlic next time and I use McKay’s Chicken Seasoning in place of chicken stock because it is vegetarian. This is from www.ourbestbites.com.  I love this site it is just plain fun to see what the ladies are cooking up.   I poked holes in my squash and put it in the microwave for about 10 minutes and then peeled it and took the seeds out.

Butternut Squash Soup
Recipe by Our Best Bites

1/2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1/2 C sliced carrots (abt 1 med carrot or 12 baby ones)
2 stalks celery, diced
1 C diced onion
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium butternut squash, (abt 4 cups peeled and diced)
1 medium potato, diced (about 2 C diced)
32 oz chicken broth (that’s one box/carton)
1 T brown sugar
1 1/2 t kosher salt
3/4 t dried sage
1 pinch cayenne pepper or a douse of hot sauce

In a large stock pot, heat olive oil and butter. When butter is melted add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic saute for about 4 minutes.  Add everything else and simmer until veggies are done.  I added the brown sugar after the veggies had cooked.  Put all of this in a blender and blend.  I like to sprinkle a little parsley on each bowl before serving.
 

finished product

Women in Touch, Again

The November Women in Touch was a big hit!  Why wouldn’t it be when we visited Africa from our chairs.  325 ladies gathered to hear Terry and Dina Schwartz tell about their mission trips to Africa.

The children from Africa really tell the story, and yet they don’t.  Their happy faces and sweet smiles would make you think they didn’t have a care in the world.  The truth is they go to bed hungry most every night, they sometimes drink water just to make their tummies feel full. 

Some of them can’t even get enough water to drink and live on about one cup of water a day.  They mostly go barefoot and some have never seen their picture, they have no idea what they look like.

When I think of  the STUFF I have and what they don’t have it makes me sick.  This life is so short, why not give to others? 

In the last two years, Terry and Dina have spent more time away from home doing mission work than they have spent

Terry with Sharon Schwartz

 at home.  They are going again in January.

17 months ago Terry was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given 3-6 months to live.  He has done what he needed to do for treatment and yet continues to go do what he loves best