Lasagna

Ingredients:

8 ounces lasagna noodles
1 pound lean ground beef
2/3 (28 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
2 pounds ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano Cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup dried basil
1 clove garlic pressed
1 (8 ounce) package sliced pepperoni sausage
8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain
3.  In large skillet over medium-high heat, cook beef until brown; drain.  In small saucepan, heat spaghetti sauce.

4.  In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, Romano, egg, basil, and garlic.

5. Coat the bottom of a 9 x 13 baking dish with a thin layer of spaghetti sauce.  Place 3 or 4 noodles, overlapping edges, over sauce.  Spread half of ricotta mixture over noodles.  Cover ricotta with half of browned beef, half of pepperoni slices, and 1/4 of moxxarella cheese.  Repeat sauce, noodle, ricotta, meat and cheese layers.  Layer sauce and noodles again, and pour remaining sauce over all, being sure to cover the edges.  Top with remaining mozzarella.

6. Cover pan with foil and pierce foil 3 or 4 times with fork to ventilate.  Bake 45 minutes, remove foil, and bake 15 minutes more to brown the top.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Peanut Butter Delights

Ingredients


1/2 cup butter 

4 cups confectioners' sugar 

2 cups creamy peanut butter 

3 cups crisp rice cereal 

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 

4 tablespoons shortening

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, mix butter, sugar, peanut butter and crisp rice cereal together thoroughly. 

Roll into small balls and set aside. 

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Coat the small balls with the chocolate mixture. Refrigerate for several hours. 

Scripture For The Day

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;

Thought Of The Day

You have been fearfully and wonderfully made!

Scripture For The Day

For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and is able to discern the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

He Will Quiet You With His Love

"In You, O Lord, do I put my trust and confidently take refuge: let me never be put to shame or confusion." Psalm 71:1

Sometimes it is so hard for us to trust in God.  We face day to day problems and issues and find ourselves needing clarity.  We need that reassurance that we are on the right path, His path.  We get so caught up in our day to day tasks that we tend to lose that peace we so desperately need.  We finally slow down and realize, "I'm lost."  We cry out in prayer asking for guidance and then slowly but surely, His Grace and Mercy blankets us.  However, in order for us to be blanketed, we must surrender.  We must be willing to totally let go and totally let God.  We must be willing to totally surrender all to Him.

That's where most of us struggle the most.  The thought of letting go of the control that we THINK we need to get through our daily life is sometimes more than we can fathom.  I know for me, the thought of letting go of the control is at times overwhelming but then I realize, His plan and His way is so much more better than mine.  His plan for me and His way of life brings so much more peace than my ways could ever bring.  

"Evil people are trapped by their own sin, but good people can sing and be happy."  Proverbs 29:6

Evil people, huh?  Am I evil?  What defines evil?  What defines sin?  For a long time I went through life blindly thinking that the BIG sins were the only things that made people evil.  The closer I have become to God, the more I realize how much sin and filth I carry on a day to day basis.  We all do with our sins that we think are small but trust me, sometimes the "smallest sin" can carry the biggest and most dangerous repercussions. 

I have finally come to terms with anger and an unforgiving heart being a HUGE sin.  I say finally, because I knew I carried anger, bitterness, and an unforgiving heart like an overfilled backpack hitting people as I walked around but I didn't want to admit how WRONG this was.  I carried this load of filth in my heart and it even though I tried to tuck it away and hide it, it was BOLDLY seen.  It was seen in the way I carried myself, my heavy eyes, my lifestyle, but most of all and worst of all, my spirit.  My spirit was so heavy and so filled with turmoil from this sin that I held on to for dear life.  I thought holding on to this was protection.  Holding on to these things protected my heart from pain or from being hurt again.  Not true.  It only made things worse.  It only made the pain more piercing to my spirit.

"The Lord your God is with you,  He is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love."  Zephaniah 3:17

"He will quiet you with His love....." I love that part of that verse.  He will quiet us with His love, all we have to do is ask.  Sit still in His presence for just a moment and ask for that blanket of peace, for that quietness and He will come through with this promise.  

He will quiet you with His love.  Indeed, He will. 

Thought Of The Day

When we can accept that everything we see, listen to, and do reaps a harvest we will be able to make wiser desicions. Are you sowing to your flesh or the Spirit?

Set My Heart On Fire As We Set The World On Fire

I spent the majority of this morning talking back and forth with my sissy about the greatness of our God and it got me to start looking through old blog posts.  I wanted to go back and just really review what all God has brought me through.  As I was looking through old blogs, I ran across this one from October 2011 and my heart completely filled with so much thanksgiving.  Wow......so many people said I was TOO PICKY in my dating life.  Thank You Jesus for making sure I was!  I.AM.LOVED.

October 11, 2011 - Old Blog Entry

I went on a jog with my good friend Anant today and we were discussing relationships. He asked me the big question....the question I have been asked so much since being single. Anant's exact words were, "Crystal, you seem to find something wrong with every guy you date....you haven't been dating for a while so what DO you want in a man?" This has been a very popular question for me over the past few months. Friends are shocked when I say "no thank you" to very eligible and handsome bachelors who seem to have it all. I have yet to answer this question fully. I simply just shrug my shoulders and say "he isn't the one", "just not interested", "he goes out too much", "he doesn't love Jesus", "his breath stinks and God does not want me with a stinky guy", "he doesn't like dogs", "he has yet to call me and ask me out on a proper date", "he believes a relationship is based on text messaging", "his idea of a first date is a movie at his place and I know that that means," and my list goes on and on and on!

So, here it is, all wrapped up in one. :)

Most importantly, I want a man who loves Jesus and prays every day! Somebody who's whole faith is in Him. I want somebody who seeks God in all. Somebody who will travel the world with me and make it a goal in life to set the world on fire for Him! Somebody who actually prays for me and for the relationship. Somebody whom I can trust to lead my home and the relationship because I KNOW that he is led by the spirit and who yes I know will make mistakes from time to time but who will always lead with the right intentions. The trust I will have for him to spiritually lead and lead in every way will be because I KNOW that he is selfless and decisions are based on God's guidance and not what is just best for himself. 

I want somebody who takes the time out to get to know something about me every single day for the rest of our lives. Somebody who seeks my heart and wants to know every detail of my life. Somebody who is truly curious how my day went or how my tennis lesson went or how much I adore spending time with my big sister. Somebody who spends time nourishing the relationship and spends quality time with me and who makes this a priority.  Somebody who adores the fact that I love the color pink and that I have a button nose and that I don't wear make up and I like having my hair up in a ponytail more than anything. Somebody who allows me to love them with all that I have with no fears and not just because they want to be loved but because they want to be loved by ME. Somebody who enjoys life and has fun and can laugh at the little things. Somebody who can be goofy and who can just get up and go and enjoy life. Somebody who will adore Daisy like I do and even will comment on her outfits. HA! I just want somebody who doesn't take life seriously BUT who does take the love of the Lord seriously. Somebody who can communicate and love and can be romantic when it's least expected. Somebody who will send me flowers just because and ok, I do like flowers on special occasions too. Somebody who will text me when they think of me just to let me know. Somebody who calls me beautiful even when I'm not looking good at all, which rarely happens.....ok, fine, it happens a lot! Somebody who encourages me in my walk, with my career, with my friendships, just with life in general. Somebody who will make the effort to get to know my family and friends and not just get to know them but who will love them! 

Do I think this is too much to ask for? Nope, not one bit. I know that I am capable of all this and more; therefore I know it is possible and I know that with God and with love, anything is possible! I also know that ultimately God will choose the one for me. God is and will be the author of my love story. I believe that! 

Ladies, place your heart in the hands of God and He will place it in the hands of a man who He believes deserves it. :)

Is This What Marriage Will Be?

I told my husband-to-be that I needed to get some new contacts. 30 min later he called me with an appointment time with an optometrist. If this is what husbands do, why didn't I get married sooner!!!?? #swoon #spoiled #hetakescareofme

You Have To Release To Be Set Free

"You will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:12-13 

Over the last week, I have really felt the Power of His Holy Spirit work in my heart and in my life. I knew there was something strong brewing in my heart that wasn't allowing me to feel the peace I craved so much and no matter how much I prayed for this to be revealed to me, I felt His silence. I was growing more and more impatient but I kept on praying. I knew that if I kept praying and seeking, He would honor my prayers. 

As I diligently prayed for a God encounter, I continued to engulf myself in His word and in worship music. Even though I was feeling His absence, I was going to continue to seek Him, I wouldn't give up.

"I trust in Your unfailing love. I will rejoice because You have rescued me. I will sing to the Lord because He has been so good to me." Psalm 13:5-6 

Finally, this past weekend, God graced me so boldly with His peace and restoration!  I felt His presence stronger than I ever have in my life and I knew He was revealing to me all that I had been praying for. He was bringing to light all of the things that were causing my heart to not feel peace. I realized that the hindrance to my peaceful soul was unforgiveness.

I won't sit here and go through all that I have been through in life because we all have our story. We all have a testimony and we all have our journey that got us to where we are. However, I will tell you that a lot of my past and a lot of family issues had been causing me to allow unforgiving feelings to take reign in my heart. This unforgiving attitude I had deep down drove a fear and a darkness that wouldn't leave my side. It was always there taunting me and making me feel so weighed down in life. For months I didn't know what had such a strong hold of me but there it was, all laid out piece by piece, each moment in my life that I had not let go of; each devastating moment of pain . I held on to it with an unforgiving heart that refused to be set free. I made up my mind right then and there that I was done. I had had it! I wanted it no more!  I wanted to finally hand it over to Him and the moment that I finally handed it all over.....He spoke.  His love pierced my heart and I realized He had been waiting on me to release it all to Him.

For the first time in a long time, I feel totally free. I feel God's presence so strongly and I know that I have just experienced the God encounter that I have been praying for. He has finally pieced together for me all the brokenness that was causing me so much pain. He is putting me together and I am finally allowing Him to do this for me.  Over the past few years; I have had broken friendships and broken relationships that have broken my spirit but I have finally released all that brokenness to Him.  Restoration has been key over the past few months and I have seen God work amazing things in friendships I thought were broken forever.  I have experienced recently what happens when we truly hand relationships over to Him.  He is a God of love and grace and He wants to share that with us so much!

God is SO amazing with how He works.  I have been in complete awe of Him and how He always shows up at the perfect timing. I realize now that when we feel His absence, He isn't really absent. He's still there, setting up the scene for his divine encounter with us. He is preparing our hearts to accept what He needs us to accept.....and sometimes, that takes time and silence.  

Thank you Jesus so much for all that you do for us.  We go day by day sometimes ignoring the simple fact that you are FOR us; no matter what.  We can make mistake after mistake but YOU know our hearts and YOU know what is broken and how to repair it.  Sometimes we rely on family or friends or our jobs to fix what's broken but that's just unrealistic.  Those things can patch it up momentarily but only YOU, Jesus, can be our ultimate healer!  

If you are feeling uneasiness in your life, I encourage you to seek Him and not just seek Him by going to Church on Sunday but by really really seeking Him.  Seek all of His goodness and ask Him to come into your life and cleanse your whole soul.  Ask Him to show you the ways in which He wants you to live!   Jesus loves us and does forgive us but there is also a responsibility we must take up when we make the choice to be Christ followers and it is so important that we take heed and remember that He took us seriously when He died on the cross for us; therefore, we should take Him and our walk seriously!  Release it all to Him and allow Him to come in and fill your whole spirit with Him!