Swinging in the Rain

What's this? Clear blue skies!!

When walking before dinner last night it was wonderful to see the sun going down on the horizon. The clear blue skies you see above are how it looks at this very moment. We have another 4 days forecast so............yipee! There is still ice on the rose beds which were flooded again over the weekend but what do I care - the sun is shining.

Why all the excitement well December/January/February have been the coldest for more than 30 years with average temperatures struggling to stay above freezing. Here in the South East where we are known for being a dry county we have had more rain than I can remember in this part of the world.

Saturday found us spending the day with Janie and the Grandchildren. We drove past flooded fields and rivers that had burst their banks which altered the look of the countryside in places. During the afternoon we decided to go for a walk even though it was raining, for children the rain adds to the fun, especially when there are puddles to jump in and mud galore to trample through.

Bekah swinging in the rain with a waterproof jacket over a snow suit, over another hooded jacket making 4 hats to keep her warm and dry. All the clothes went straight into the washing machine when they got home as Bekah had mud up to her knees and Oliver much more having fallen flat in the muddy woodland.

Returning From the Hunt

Not a scene that we see these days, the local Hunt returning. Fox Hunting has been banned for a few years now. This was the traditional English scene that we met while out walking in our local countryside a few years ago. Without getting into the politics of this sport, it was always good for a photo opportunity, especially when caught galloping across the fields.

Torah Study Days

Interesting driving out to Pilgrims Hall on our first study day last Tuesday. We had so much rain (torrential for almost 24 hours) that the water was running off the fields and across the road like rivers. When we came to dips in the road at the bottom of hills we were driving through deep water and there were flooded fields everywhere. The rose beds in my garden are sheets of ice where the rain has flooded and then frozen over night. This is proving to be one long winter. With that off my chest, let's get back to the subject in hand.

As last year we were so thrilled with our study days again. We got so much out of it and it would be difficult to relate here just how much without resorting to an essay. I guess in a nutshell, I find it amazing to see that whatever story line one follows in these first 5 books of the Bible (Torah), they all lead to the same destination. That is bringing us to the place where we were created to be before the beginning of time - in complete union with God, seeing as he sees and manifesting His life on earth

Before creation God put man inside Himself (even before He created Adam and Eve physically) and repentance returns us to that place. The whole of these scriptures is to bring us to dwelling here on earth but 'in the garden of delight '(Eden - Himself). We are seated in heavenly places in Him and he in us.

I had only ever before seen these truths through Paul's writings in the New Testament, but there they are right at the beginning. Searching these passages through the original Hebrew makes such a difference.

Even the words I use in everyday language take on new meaning, for example 'blessing'. To be blessed is to receive His Word into our life.

I find it fascinating and rewarding to study under Godly Christian men who are also learned scholars in Biblical text, who speak original Hebrew and can dig into these scriptures knowing the background physically, politically and spiritually.

I have therefore decided to dig into some of these depths myself by studying at home with the same course that is used in the Torah Bible College in Israel.

The website for anyone interrested is: http://www.torahresoucesinternational.info/
It seems that for some reason the above link is not working! Try Google instead with just torah resources international.

Seen here my notes on the book of Genesis. I shall work through this before buying the study in Exodus. This will help to spread the cost.

More Local Sunsets

I am going to a number of Seminars this week at Pilgrims Hall where we will be studying some more of The Torah so will leave you with some more pictures of wonderful skies from both my house and the park at the top of my road.

Furious Love on Valentine's Day

On Valentine's Day this year, many churches around the world are showing this movie Furious Love. It is being premiered around the world.



On the back of the above card it says:

Furious Love, sequel to Finger of God, is the story of one man's quest to test the limits of God's love in the darkest spiritual climates on earth. Join his journey and discover God's response to the persecuted church in India, the heroine addicts of Madrid, and witches in Salem, Massachusetts. See this love in relentless persuit of the demon possessed in Africa and the oppressed victims of sex trafficking in Thailand. This journey of LOVE will leave you undone and must be experienced to be believed.



"minutes into the film I was hooked and what followed was one of the best experiences I have ever had watching a film. I LOVE THIS FILM! It says things I have felt for years, wanted to say but never could get it right, and here I see it acted out. Most of the stories are incredibly compelling and anointed witht he Truth of Christ" Ken Bailey,Houston,Texas

www.furiouslovethemovie.com

One of the endorsements from the website:

"Furious Love is a glimpse into the actual message that Jesus lived. This film captures the message in such a way that it is sure to stir the hearts of millions, releasing them into the great harvest fields with an authentic gospel of power, purity and love. For that reason I highly recomend Furious Love to everyone. It will strengthen the local church and increase our impact on the world"
Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor, Bethel Church, Redding, California

This film is not easy viewing but the timing certainly fits in with the vision of so many churches today (particularly amongst young people) to take the gospel and the love of Christ to the most hurting and broken lives in the most darkest of places.

Artist of the Skies

As Blogger won't let me move this at the moment I will have to show it first before the skies. Ten minutes before this picture was taken yesterday we had blue sky and sunshine( a rarity at the moment)and here it is snowing again. Woke up to a covering this morning and it was icy for walking, but out came the sun again and 'dried up all the snow'. Here at any rate, some places have it bad but nothing compared with what we are seeing in Washington DC on the TV news.

I love the ever changing skies and look for them wherever I am. Looking here at some taken from an upstairs bedroom at the back of my house through different months of the year. What beauty to behold.

Sheer Indulgence

The clock in my kitchen where the goodies materialise






Before moving on to the sheer indulgence below I thought I would share this dessert with you. The above is a Lemon Cake which is served with a Hot Lemon Sauce poured over. I serve it with Vanilla ice-cream and the hot and the cold is an interesting combination.

Lemon Squares with Hot Lemon Sauce
For the sponge: 10 oz butter , softened 10 oz caster sugar 5 medium eggs
10 oz self raising flour
For the sauce: grated rind and juice of 3 medium lemons
1 oz cornflour 2 oz sugar 1 oz butter 1/2 pint of water
Method: Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease and line 8" square deep cake tin.
Beat butter and sugar together until pale and light. Gradually beat in eggs, fold in flour, lemon rind and lemon juice. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface.
Bake in oven for 50 - 60 minutes or until well risen and springy to touch. Leave to cool for 15 minutes before turning out onto rack.
To make sauce: (I do this immediately before serving) In a small sauce pan, mix lemon rind and juice with cornflour and sugar. Gradually add water, bring to boil stirring continuously. Stir in butter.
Cut cake into squares and serve sauce at table (don't forget the vanilla ice-cream)

Now for the sheer indulgence for the sweet toothed chocoholics. I have tried a number of recipes for Rocky Road Squares. This was a treat I first tasted about 20 years ago in the States when one never heard of it over here. This is the one I like best.

Double Chocolate Rocky Road Squares

4 tbsp. spreadable butter 3 tbsp. golden syrup

400gram milk chocolate or 200 each of milk and dark broken pieces

150 gram chocolate chip cookies, broken into small pieces

Handful of mini marshmallows 4 tbsp. raisins 10 Glace cherries, chopped

An 18 cm squared tin or dish, lightly oiled and the base and sides lined with a sheet of cling film

so it overlays the edges.

Method: In a medium sized pan, melt the butter with the syrup until smooth, then remove from the heat. Meanwhile melt the chocolate separately in the microwave.

Add the melted chocolate and the rest of the ingredients to the mixture in the pan and stir together.

Tip the mixture into the tin and smooth down into the corners, leveling the top as y ou do so.

When cool cover and chill in fridge for at least 3 hours.

This one had whole Maltesers instead of the raisins but I prefer the above