1 cup whole pecans 1 tsp vinegar 3 egg whites pinch salt 1 cup sugar zipper baggie wooden spoon tape Bible
Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important, don't wait till you're half done with the recipe!)
Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was Beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.
Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1tsp vinegar into mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross, He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30.
Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sin. Read Luke 23:27.
So far, the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.
Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12 to 15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.
Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax paper covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66. (I like to put a chair in front of the oven instead of using tape. I think it's more symbolic of the tomb being rolled away on Easter Sunday.. AND I'm not so crazy about the residue that tape might leave behind) O=-)
GO TO BED! Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
On Easter morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie. Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9.
I've done this with the boys a few times.. it is a GREAT way for them to visualize what our LORD went through for us.. MOST importantly - it's WONDERFUL that they can see that the GRAVE WAS/IS EMPTY!☺
I thought I'd make myself sit still tonight and FINALLY post those pics that I promised from a LOOONNNGGG time ago! O=-) I'm such a slacker, I know..
Anyway.. I'll stop with the yacking and move on to sharing these sweet memories! =-)
The first photo is from the giveaway I did on Brent's birthday... I promised WAY BACK at the end of OCTOBER to share it.. I'm SO, SO SORRY! (I'm planning a SPRING giveaway too.. stay tuned for THAT!) In this box of goodies was a bottle of Bath & Body Works lotion and spray, a Bath & Body Works Scentport, Brent's FAVORITE (Sweet Potato Bread), a Lunch for Life Cookbook, and another book. (I can't remember what it was.. sorry. Perhaps there was another thing or two, my brain is mud.. I can hardly remember ANYTHING! (The whole point of the giveaway was to celebrate Brent's life by doing what he loved - BLESSING OTHERS!)
This shot was made back when the Horrocks family visited.. this is a picture of the kids riding on our boys homemade "Hillbilly bob-sled"! HA!!!
This is a shot of Gabe after they'd been mud-riding...
Oh, get this.. we actually got a LITTLE snow this year! It happened the night before Link's birthday.. You'll see why I shared that detail in just a sec... ha!
(See, now it'll make sense.. hehehe)
Of course I've made a quite a few pics of Allie Grace (I've not done any editing.. just sharing what I uploaded from my camera.. not learned the settings yet.. again, I'm a slacker) O=-) Oh yeah, if any of you are new here, Allie is my niece. She's ADORABLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Okay, Sweet Friends.. I'd love to stay and keep adding on, but it's getting way past my bedtime.. LOL! I plan to take the kiddos out soon and try to get more pics. (They change SO MUCH from one photo session to the next) =-)
I'm signing on with a request for prayer from you. We befriended a family through caringbridge while Brent was sick. Their names are Bo & Lindy Oswalt. Their baby (Carter) was born with Hypo Plastic Left Heart Syndrome (or "half a heart"). He's been a very sick little man off and on throughout his short life and was hospitalized today with a fever of 104.2. As best I can tell, the family isn't sure what's going on with him right now. If you'd like to meet his family you can click HERE or on his picture below. I'd also like to invite you to post with requests for prayer from your blogs as well. (If you'd like) Just grab the code below and post it in your posting area. (Or add it to your sidebar.... if you'd like) ☺ I know his family would appreciate ALL the prayer they can get!
Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Carter's mom, Lindy, was in Memphis for the Redemption 2009 conference that I went to last weekend. She's an AWESOME lady and I've REALLY ENJOYED getting to know her personally. (As opposed to writing back and forth on our caringbridge sites) ☺Lindy is expecting right now.. TWINS! She's had some bleeding... let me quote Bo here so I don't get this wrong...
"Please also be in prayer for Lindy. We found out that Baby A (the closest to the cervix) has a marginal abruption(small tear) in its placenta (the twins have separate placentas). This is why she has been bleeding, so please pray that this will be nothing more than an annoyance and no danger to the baby."
I ran across this video this morning.. I'm such the airhead, I honestly can't remember if I've shared it before? It's an AWESOME illustration of how BIG, how LOVING, how MIGHTY, and how PERSONAL our GOD is!
I'm SO SORRY I didn't make it to update on Sunday (or even earlier today) as I had said I would. It seems that I got a bit of food poisoning on Sunday. I was up most of the night last night (Sunday night) and have not completely shaken it today. (I'm SOOOO TIRED!) Enough whining, though! On with the news, eh? ☺
So my big secret was that I went out of town this weekend. Our sweet friends from Habitat for Hope pulled together a retreat for a few mom's they've worked with from St. Jude and from Lebonneher. (sp?) Mrs. Priscilla Shirer was in Memphis and we all gathered together to attend this event! (Have you heard of Pastor Tony Evans? Priscilla is his daughter... he's one of my ALL TIME FAVORITE preachers! He doesn't "sugarcoat" the word, he just puts it OUT THERE!) It was a wonderful, WONDERFUL event! She was speaking on racial unity. I think it was Priscilla who suggested we look around, "because THIS is what HEAVEN is gonna look like"! (It was AWESOME!)
Oh, and don't let me forget to mention that Mrs. Shirer's brother, Anthony Evans lead the singing... I found a video of him on YouTube. (Nothing like being there of course.. but OUTSTANDING nonetheless!) ☺
My mind is still racing with thoughts and I truly don't know where to begin. =-)
I suppose I could start with the fact that this trip almost didn't happen for me. See, I let FEAR take root... I couldn't stand the thought of going to Memphis without Link. (For any of you that might be new to my blog.. Memphis is where our son went HOME to be with JESUS) It's his TRUE "birthplace" of sorts.. amen?
Memphis holds COUNTLESS HAPPY memories for me.. it's where Brent LOVED to be. (He ABSOLUTELY LOVED St. Jude and couldn't be happier than when he was in that hospital!) I thought to myself the day we made the very first trip home without him, that I'd NEVER be able to go to Memphis again, much less step foot back in that hospital. (This trip was my second time to do both)... I'll share more on that in a bit.
THANKFULLY, Mylissa didn't give up on me. She called and texted and even offered to have Link & the boys stay at their home while we were at the retreat. My SWEET HUBBY agreed because he knew how BADLY I wanted to be reunited with my sisters - my St. Jude sisters!
I REALLY NEEDED this trip. I've felt SO ALONE in recent days... I have LOTS of people here that love me, and I don't doubt that... but when it comes to "heart friends"... well, that's a different story. See, I want so badly to be able to talk freely about Brent... I mean, if what I'm wanting to say is relevant to the conversation. However, I don't always feel free to do that. I can tell that it makes some people uncomfortable. (At times I feel like some feel I should be "over it") Well, for those reasons alone this weekend was JUST WHAT I NEEDED!
I realized that GOD has me in the season I'm in so that I will draw nearer to HIM.
HE should be my EVERYTHING.... and honestly, I'm a bit stubborn... sometimes it takes being in a place that I don't want to be for me to TRULY CLING to HIM.
As you can see.. I did some "letting go" and surrendered my feelings to the LORD. I asked HIM to FILL my HEART with HIMSELF. I asked HIM to let me be CONTENT with where I am... and most of all, I asked HIM to use me. I said over and over again that I wanted what Brent went though to matter. Because of Romans 8:28, I know that his life, and what he suffered DID matter! ("And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.") I know that GOD has brought us through what I believe to be the one of the most painful things a person can experience in this world. (Honestly, the only thing that I can imagine that would be worse, would be for my son to have left this world without JESUS) Because of where I've been, and how the LORD has carried me.. I KNOW that I can be used to help others... and I sure don't want to miss it because my eyes aren't FOCUSED on our LORD!
Yes, it was AWESOME to be able to talk about Brent FREELY to other ladies, I mean, SISTERS that have walked in my shoes. (There were ladies there that have lost children and some who are still in the fight) It truly was JUST what I needed!
Now, I couldn't stand the thought of being so close to our beloved hospital without going by to see some of our nurses. We were able to see Mrs. JoAnn (she was Brent's Nurse Practitioner). He ABSOLUTELY ADORED her! We also saw Mrs. Nancy, who would've adopted Brent as her own... ☺ Then of course we saw Sara. She was there the morning Brent went home to be with JESUS. She stood in the room with us just before we left. Link told Sara and Joni not to EVER feel like what they do doesn't matter, because we LOVED them and they made ALL THE DIFFERENCE in the world to Brent and to us!
As I mentioned earlier, my mind is still racing from it all.. the whole thing was bittersweet. SO MUCH FUN and SO REFRESHING to be with my sisters.. and yet so hard to be back in Memphis. (It WAS MUCH EASIER this time though.. PRAISE GOD!!!)
I'd like to say a HUGE "THANK YOU" to those of you who prayed for us. See, the journey up Hwy 55 was in itself, a MOUNTAIN for us. Through GOD'S grace we had an AMAZING weekend! I'd also like to say THANKS to HFH for hosting us, and for continuing to stand beside us. They truly go ABOVE AND BEYOND in their ministry to our family and so many others.
Okay, my friends.. it's late and I'm REALLY tired. I'll try to check in again soon and get those pictures I'd promised posted. O=-)
I didn't realize it'd been so long since I posted... YIKES! I mean, where DOES the time go??? For us, it's been just the normal day to day stuff. We've REALLY been ENJOYING the spring-type weather! Mr. Sam (my hubby's dad) has already been hard at work breaking up my garden. (You may know the drill - breaking the ground and letting the grass die.. THEN we can start PLANTING! I'm REALLY EXCITED about adding some new veggies this year along with several different types of fruit! Hopefully the boys will enjoy watching things grow and become a little more adventurous in trying new foods... YEAH, RIGHT!) Ha!!!
Okay, as much as I'd like to stay and talk.. I really better turn in for the night. I just truly didn't want to let another day pass without checking in. (I REALLY MISS you guys when I'm not able to visit with you!) I'll have some really FUN news to share with you by the first of the week.. maybe even as early as Sunday. I'll try to get pictures up to share as well. (I know, I'm TERRIBLY BEHIND on posting pics) O;-)
Alrighty.. I'll check back with you soon. Thanks SOOOOOO MUCH for checking in with us here! (Hey, while I've got you for a moment.. would you lift a prayer every time you think of our family this weekend? The need for the your prayers, and the prayer request, will be part of the news I'll share)
I've let another whole day pass without posting.. so once again I'm sharing a video. (I DO hope you're not getting tired of these) O:-)
This video was emailed to me by a friend and it brought out a TON of emotions! (The video is of some men singing "Amazing Grace" in the Coliseum in Rome)
See, any Christian can easily be brought to tears hearing this song.. but it hits me on another level. It wasn't long after we'd brought Brent back to Memphis (to let him "go HOME") that Link was awakened one night by the sound of our PRECIOUS Little Man singing his heart out. Yes, he was singing, "Amazing Grace"! (Brent spent his last days in almost constant conversation with the LORD, praying, talking about JESUS, or singing songs to his LORD)
Another part of this BEAUTIFUL old hymn that "gets" me is the very last verse..
"Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me.... I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now, I see."
I can only imagine what our Little Man is doing up there.. besides the most AWESOME of all things.. sitting in the presence of our JESUS.. he's also HEALED. No more sickness, no more pain, no more sorrow. I can't WAIT to get my arms around my PRECIOUS BOY again!
Here's the video...
Signing off with this passage...
Revelation 7:15-17 (New American Standard Bible)
15"For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them.
16"They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat;
17for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes."
We have SO MUCH to be thankful for.. and to look forward to.. AMEN??? ☺
I've fallen behind in my posts again.. always wanting to do more.. always meaning to.. just not getting it done. O:-) I seem to take the easy way out more often than not.. (posting videos) Today will be no different. LOL!! My friend Greg shared this with me and after watching it I couldn't wait to share it with you! (I laughed SO HARD I was CRYING!!) I suppose I should warn my bloggy sisters that if you're wearing mascara you might wanna grab a napkin BEFORE watching it! I kid you not, it's THAT funny! ☺
3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, all whose thoughts are fixed on You! 4 Trust in the Lordalways, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
Our Sweet Brent (at 11)
10/28/1995 - 01/02/07
Brent's Story...
Our son Brent suddenly started to complain with back pain in the fall of 2004. He was playing flag football with the town league and loved to roughhouse with his two younger brothers so the pain was dismissed at first. After having him tested for kidney and bladder infections and finding him clear we finally asked for an MRI of his back. A couple of weeks later (the very day of the MRI) we received a phone call from his doctor saying that a tumor was found in his pelvic area. We were asked how quickly we could get him to St. Jude Children's Hospital - we left IMMEDIATELY. Later that same week we got the diagnosis. It was one that we would NEVER, EVER forget. It was Stage IV Neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system. His chances of survival when diagnosed were 1/4 - 1/3. When he relapsed we were reminded there was NO CURE. There was basically no hope of survival... none outside the HOPE we had in JESUS.
Brent fought long and hard. He was a Christian and LOVED his SAVIOR. He NEVER asked "why" or complained. He took each day as it was - a gift from GOD. Brent went HOME to be with the LORD on January 2, 2007. He was 11 years old. If I've EVER had a "hero" in this world.... it would be him.
7I will bless the LORD who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night. 8I have set the LORD continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely.
Some of My Friends
bandofparents.org - Funding Neuroblastoma Research
FIGHT Neuroblastoma while you SHOP!
This is a cookbook has a recipe of Brent's FAVORITE bread! (Sweet Potato Bread) There's also a picture of him inside with his recipe.
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