More Valentine Goodness!!!

Dear friends,

What would Valentine's Day be without chocolate chip cookies? Umm...It would be a very sad day, that's all I have to say about that :) 

My friend Carla and I made mini-cookie cakes in the shape of hearts in honor of the Day of Love. Oh, and they wouldn't be perfect without the heart sprinkles on top!

They were super yummy, because the outside was crispy and the inside was o' so gooey (just the way I like them).

So, Valentine's Day is tomorrow...don't forget that even something as simple as a chocolate chip cookie can speak love to those you are around.
Until next time...

Best Peanut Butter Cookies!!!

Dear friends,

Valentine's day is sneaking up on me this year. Valentine's day of course reminds me of love. And one thing that I LOVE is chocolate! Who doesn't love chocolate? The only thing that is better than chocolate is peanut butter and chocolate together. As you could probably guess any candy that belongs to the Reese's family is my candy of choice. Is anyone with me?

So, in honor of Valentine's day I am sharing the recipe for my favorite peanut butter cookies. Simply add the chocolate kisses right when the cookies come out of the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes. Then you have Valentine goodness wrapped up in the best peanut butter cookies with chocolate :)

Joy's Peanut Butter Cookies

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 cups peanut butter (smooth works better)

Preheat oven to 350. Put the sugar and eggs in a medium bowl. Mix with an electric mixer until the sugar and eggs are combined well. Then add the peanut butter. The mixture will be hard to stir, so use a wooden spoon or clean hands. Mix until well combined. Using your hands, roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. (If adding chocolate later, leave in a ball.) Flatten using a fork and make criss-cross marks with the fork. Bake for about 7 minutes or until lightly brown. Enjoy!!!
Until next time...

Friend of God

Dear friends,
I wasn't going to post anything today, but these devotions have really been speaking to my heart and I thought I would share with you: http://www.freechapel.org/category/daily_devotion/

These devotions are about being a friend of God. He is the greatest friend that there ever was and is. If you don't have a personal relationship with Him, I would love to share with you about my relationship. He is my beloved and I am so filled with joy because of my relationship with Him. If you have a relationship with Him, then please enjoy the devotions entitled "Become Gods Friend". They will knock your socks off :)
Happy Today! More Valentine goodies to come tomorrow :)
Until then...

Valentine Cuteness!!!

Hey friends,

Valentine's Day is right around the corner and I recently had a valentine making party which was the perfect opportunity to make these cute Valentine sweets.

Hang with me, the cuteness is coming... These are a few of the ingredients that I used. Not pictured is the dark chocolate wafers and almond bark (white chocolate), these types of chocolate melt and coat the marshmallows much better than regular chocolate chips.

Put the mallows on the sticks and pull the mini muffin cup up to "dress" the marshmallow :)

Key to cuteness...sugar!!! Who would have guessed?!? The more colors the better!

Finished and dressed for cuteness!

Don't they just yell...eat me 'cause I am soooo cute?!?

These yummy pillows of cuteness were served up in a leftover Christmas box that I put some florist foam in and stuffed with tissue paper. The most beautiful treat at the party, don't you think?

I got the idea from this blog:

http://yardtofork.wordpress.com/2010/02/09/valentines-fun/
More Valentine yumminess to come soon.

Poem

Happy Today!

I have something to share that has really spoken to my heart. As you may gather from my posts, I am wholeheartedly in love with Jesus and have been learning many things about Him.

I was recently given Deep Unto Deep by Dana Candler. She is a wonderful author and speaker. Check out her website for more info: http://www.danacandler.com/

Anyway, this is a poem that she shares in Deep Unto Deep that is taken from her journals:

"My heart aches. I love Him, yes, but faintly.

I desire Him, yes, but weakly.

I want Him, true, but weaveringly.

Even in the pain that lies within

I recognize to be such faint pain,

A mere discomfort next to the heart-wrenching anguish

That grips true lovers

My knowledge is nothing. My wisdom, infancy.

I see nothing as it truely is.

Eternity what is light. This life of earth what is dark.

Stories remain stories. Not sinking deep within my soul,

And scarring me with Divine invasion

Your cross is a picture, Your Heaven a fantasy.

Tears are sweet emotions, moved by Your sufferings.

I say Your name so sweetly but do not know its Face.

All I am is far. So distant, so removed.

But You beckon me come.

Yet, my Lord, I am nothing. I have nothing. I know nothing.

When I thought I had something,

It dissolved before Your beauty,

And I was left naked. Possessing nothing.

Poor for words. Empty of all. Needy and alone.

Even so, my Love, call me.

Yes, do not leave me here but beckon me come.

Though I have nothing, though I am only poor,

I cast myself on your unfailing love

Where else would I go?

Whom have I but You?" (Candler 2)

Maybe this will speak to your heart like it spoke to mine. I am simply on a journey and am joyful that I may share it with you :)

Until next time...

Valentines with a Purpose

Hey dear friends,

Beware...this may rock your world!

For quite some time I have been aware of a gross and horrible trade going on all over the world. It is the human trafficking trade.

Today, an estimated 27 million people are held in slavery, with statistics estimating that 99% of these victims are never rescued. Trafficking in women is the second largest global organized crime, and in some cases girls are forced to service as many as 40 men a day.

Does this blow your mind like it does mine? Not just that, but it breaks my heart! I am overwhelmed by those numbers, as I am sure you are. How can one person make a difference against something so big?

One person can make a difference and I saw that today. A group of precious friends took a few hours to make valentines for girls who have never been told that they are loved by a human much less our heavenly Father.

The beautiful girls who will receive these cards live in Greece in a safe house. These girls have come out of the sex trade organization and are on the road to restoration.

As I looked at these cards and thought about the care that was put into them, I started to cry. ONE person can make a difference!!! Six girls (and a few that made cards later) took the time to share their love and the love of their Father with over 30 girls on the other side of the world. I am proud to say that these girls are my friends. They are putting their words into actions.
Take just a moment and think of what you can do. One person can make a difference. You can make a difference. Together we can't do everything, but we can certainly do something!

Until next time...

Old Movies and Orphans

Hello!
I love, I mean I love old movies!!! I have always enjoyed old movies. I think it's because they are about real things that real people go through. Also, there is an innocence about the characters that is seriously lacking in movies that are made now. Ok, I won't go down a rabbit trail about movies today and the lack of morals. What I really wanted to share was this:
My friend and I had an old movie night. (Side note: It's so fun to be a girl and enjoy girly things with friends.) Anyway, back to the story. We didn't really know what we wanted to watch, but finally decided to watch Jane Eyre.
I enjoyed the movie very much, but what really spoke to my heart was what happened at the beginning of the film. At the beginning, Jane Eyre is taken to Lowood Institution, which is very much like an orphanage. The girls there are treated with contempt. Jane Eyre describes the living conditions as having no heat in the cold of the winter, no warm water to bathe in, being served food that is not eatable, and generally being ignored if possible. Jane is even there with her friend as her little friend dies in Lowood. These descriptions broke my heart. Not because these horrors were in a movie, but because of the realization that there are boys and girls all over the world that still live in the same conditions.
Hello world, wake up! There is suffering and pain in childrens lives all over the world, EVERY day! Suffering and pain is not just in Africa, Europe, or China, but right here in the USA.
You may think, great I see the pain and suffering, but what can only one person do? I have been learning this past year that one person can't do everything, but one person can do something.
The first step to doing something is knowledge. Do a google search on human trafficking or at-risk kids and you will find so much information.
The next step is to become involved in an organization that is already making a difference. (We are to seek where the Lord is at work and join Him there, right?) Here are a few organizations that I know are making a serious difference:
http://www.dreamcenter.org/
http://www.philip-cameron.org/
http://www.hopechest.org/
http://www.compassion.com/
Who would have known that a simple old movie night would turn into the Lord touching my heart?!? I guess God can use anything if our hearts are prepared to hear His voice.
Blessings until next time...