Forgiving Grace

"You are my hiding place; you shall preserve me from trouble; you shall surround me with songs of deliverance."  ~Psalm 32:7

God is our hiding place!  How sad that so many feel they must hide from God...even many Christians believe this to be true.

An unbeliever has much to fear if they are defying God and His word.  They will face devastating consequences.

"If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned."  ~John 15:6

However, the believer need not fear God but take refuge in Him instead!

"For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion;  in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me;  He shall set me high upon a rock."  ~Psalm 27: 5    

God is a loving and merciful God to those who don't blatantly disregard Him.  He wants to "preserve us from trouble" and He uses the Holy Spirit to speak warnings and guidance to our hearts.

For those with addictions or struggles that need to be overcome, He wants to surround them with "songs of deliverance."

"Blessed is he who's transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.  Blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit."  ~Psalm 32:1-2

We don't have to live in fear of God's judgments if we have trusted Jesus for salvation and forgiveness of our sins.  Unfortunately, many of us, when faced with the shame of our sin, distance ourselves from God because we're afraid our transgressions have changed God's feelings toward us.

Believing Christian, next time you feel that guilt that tries to push you away from God, I encourage you to come close to Him instead.  Rather than the wrath you're afraid of, you'll find Him singing over you a cleansing song of deliverance!  

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 This post was featured in Issue 98 of The Christian Home Magazine.

Linking with:
Teach Me Tuesday @ Growing Home 
Titus 2sday @ Time Warp Wife 
Tuesday Linkup Party @ Courtship Connection 
Women Helping Women @ Teaching What Is Good 
Wisdom Wednesday @ Simply Helping Him 
Wholehearted Home Wednesday 
Encourage One Another @ Deep Roots at Home 
Wise Woman Linkup @ A Wise Woman Builds Her Home 
Desire to Inspire @ A Royal Daughter 
Legacy Leaver Thursdays 
Essential Friday @ Essential Thing Devotions 
Inspire Me Monday @ Create With Joy 

Making Baby Blankets and Snickerdoodles --- Homemaking Link-Up Weekend

Thanks for stopping by my Homemaking Link-Up weekend today!  Please link up at the end of the post and take a button so your friends can come back and say Hi!

New baby Brenna is one month old today!  She and big sister Kynthia are getting along great!

Since we had her just three days after I finished up my Christmas sewing, I haven't been able to show off my completed projects yet.  So, I decided to do a little belated Christmas post!  Here are the receiving blankets I made for baby Brenna.

This is one side of Brenna's quilt.  The pinks were given to me by my friend Audra at Brenna's baby shower.

Here's the other side.  Isn't it adorable?!

Here's Kynthia's quilt.  The two pink fabrics were scraps from one I made our cousin Sophie last year.  Sophie is just a few months older than Kynthia.

This is the reverse side of Kynthia's.  I also made her a pillowcase from the bear fabric above.

Kynthia's first baby doll got a matching blanket!

So...since I was thinking Christmas anyway, (and since I'm about ready to finally take down all the Christmas decor) I decided to make a little holiday treat.

I'd never made Snickerdoodles before and my friend Kerry gave me a GREAT recipe!

Cocoa with candy canes is a Christmas tradition at our place!

This is one of my new decorations this year.  Isn't this vintage tree just adorable?  The vendor had a couple more at her booth---wish I would have grabbed them!!

I didn't get to use these pink Christmasy napkins that I picked up early last spring on clearance.  I'll save these for something special next season!

Thanks so much to my professional background team---Ha!

Hope In Every Season is on Facebook!  If you like what you've read here, please follow me and keep up with the latest posts.

 


<a href="http://www.bloggingwhilewaiting.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc418/lostinavalon1/Homemakinglinkup.png" border="0" alt="Photobucket" /></a> Also linking with:  Beverly's Pink Saturday
Blue Monday @ Smiling Sally
Tea Time Tuesday @ Rose Chintz Cottage 
Tabletop Tuesday @ A Stroll Through Life

"Mrs. Bradley's" Fruit and Nut Cake from Great Grandma's Kitchen

Last week, I started a series called, Great Grandma's Kitchen, where I share some of the recipes I found in box of my great-grandma's and great-great-grandma's recipes and cookbooks.  I made Banana Date Cookies and have received lots of compliments on them.  My kids LOVE them!

I've made my great-great grandma's Dark Fruit Cake before and everyone loved it, so I thought I'd share that today---with a few changes made.

Mrs. Bradley's Dark Fruit Cake was obviously a hit as you can see from the wear and stains on this card!  I found this in her daughter-in-law Annabelle's recipe box.  Annabelle was my great-grandmother.  I think it's a really neat recipe, but it's also at least 75 years old so there were a few changes I needed to make so it would be more baker-friendly today.  See the little scribbles on the card?  There are a lot more on the back.  Since my grandpa was the only child, I bet those were his scribbles!

The Mrs. Bradley referenced here is Mrs. Cora Jean Lasiter Bradley, my great-great grandmother on my mother's father's side.  I wish I had a photo of her!  I do, however, have a quilt that she made my great-grandpa when he was a little boy.  It's one of my most treasured things!
 

One reason I chose this recipe is because I need to use up this gigantic jar of molasses that my daughter bought at Christmas time!

In fact, it's a great recipe to use up several of the extra ingredients we have lying around from Christmas baking!

"Mrs. Bradley's Fruit and Nut Cake"

1/2 c. butter                             1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. molasses                        3 eggs
1/2 c. coffee (juice or water is fine too)

Mix these ingredients until well blended.  Then add:

2 1/2 c. flour                           1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda                   1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon                      1/4 tsp. cloves
pinch of mace (optional)

Mix well and set aside.  In a large bowl, combine:

4 c. raisins                              8 oz. figs, chopped
8 oz. chopped dates                1/2-1 c. chopped nuts
zest from 1 orange                 
chopped orange sections from zested orange

Pour batter over fruit and nut mixture and stir until well mixed. 

Mmm!  Look at all that fiber! (Ha!)

Pour into greased cake pan, bread pans, muffin cups, whatever.  I used a fluted cake pan.  Bake at 300 for 2-2 1/2 hours or until cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.  (Baking times reduced for smaller pan size...adjust accordingly).  Cool on rack and serve warm or cooled.

The kids are all excited to have some tonight!

Today I'm joining Coloradolady's Vintage Thingie Thursday, as well as Rachel's Heirloom Recipe Blog Hop at Bubbly Nature Creations.  Please visit both ladies and see what other great things are linked up!

Hope In Every Season is on Facebook!  If you like what you've read here, please follow me and keep up with the latest posts.