Monday, July 29, 2013

He's calling our names



Daughter of a King
by Jenny Phillips

 

Do you wonder if he knows who you are?


Do you wonder if he knows the secret pleadings of your heart
He has numbered every sand of the sea


And he longs for you to know that he believes in you.
Can you feel the quiet power from above
Can you feel his strength surround you when your own is not enough
He has blessed you with his spirit from on high
And he longs for you to know what lives inside of you
Oh, be true

Daughter of a king


The father's royalty
Heir to his divinity
He's calling your name


To come and take your place before his throne
He has always known
What he created you to be
A daughter of a king


You hold the promises of all eternity
Rise to claim the noble birth right you were sent here to receive


He has loved you since you lived with him before


Let him lead you to the gifts he has in store for you


Oh, be true



Daughters of a king our father's royalty


Heirs to his divinity


He's calling our names


To come and take our place before his throne
He has always known


What he created us to be.....
Daughter of a king.

Crisscross Apple Crowns


Crisscross Apple Crowns

 Ingredients
  • 1-1/3 cups chopped peeled tart apples
  • 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/3 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup sugar, divided
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
  • Dash salt
  • 1 package (16.3 ounces) large refrigerated flaky biscuits
  • 2 teaspoons butter, melted

Directions

  • In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the apples, walnuts, raisins, 3 tablespoons sugar, flour, 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon and salt. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes or until almost tender.
  • Flatten each biscuit into a 5-in. circle. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle a rounded teaspoonful of sugar mixture over each. Top each with 1/4 cup apple mixture. Bring up edges to enclose mixture; pinch edges to seal.
  • Place seam side down in ungreased muffin cups. Brush tops with butter; sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture. With a sharp knife, cut an “X” in the top of each.
  • Bake at 350° for 18-22 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

I was born to be a king



Prince William and his wife, Catherine, have settled on a name for their newborn son: George Alexander Louis.
He will be known as His Royal Highness Prince George of Cambridge


The son of a King
The son of King Louis XVI of France. King Louis had been taken from his throne and imprisoned. His young son, the prince, was taken by those who dethroned the king. They thought that inasmuch as the king’s son was heir to the throne, if they could destroy him morally, he would never realize the great and grand destiny that life had bestowed upon him.
They took him to a community far away, and there they exposed the lad to every filthy and vile thing that life could offer. They exposed him to foods the richness of which would quickly make him a slave to appetite. They used vile language around him constantly. They exposed him to lewd and lusting women. They exposed him to dishonor and distrust. He was surrounded 24 hours a day by everything that could drag the soul of a man as low as one could slip. For over six months he had this treatment but not once did the young lad buckle under pressure. Finally, after intensive temptation, they questioned him. Why had he not submitted himself to these things why had he not partaken? These things would provide pleasure, satisfy his lusts, and were desirable; they were all his.
The boy said, “I cannot do what you ask for I was born to be a king.”
We are all born to be kings in the kingdom of God. Our Father is a king, and just as the king’s son was exposed to every vile and perverted thing in this life, so you will be exposed to much of the filth and degradation of our generation.
The Savior, the King’s Son, the first and Only Begotten of the Father, the Redeemer, the great I Am, truly reflected the noble birthright that each of us has. He never deviated; his loyalty was total; his service was total and unimpaired in any way. He ministered to the weak, to the downtrodden, to the heavy-hearted, to the lame and the halt and the maimed and the blind and the leprous; he had compassion on the multitudes. His love and devotion, his actions, his total life were summed up by our Heavenly King in these words: “Behold my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Would that God could say that of each of us as we fill our assignments in this great work, for truly we are the King’s sons and daughters.
Vaughn J. Featherstone

Pear Bread





Pear Bread

Serves: 2 loaves

Ingredients
3½ cups sifted flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups sugar
½ cup vegetable oil
½ cup butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cans (15 ounces each) pear halves, chopped; or 2 cups fresh pears, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5-inch loaf pans.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, ginger, baking soda, and nutmeg and set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, beat together the sugar, oil, butter, and vanilla until well blended. Add eggs one at a time beating well with each addition. The mixture will begin to thicken and be a light lemon color.
Stir the mixture into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened. Fold in the pears.
Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool in pans for 10 minutes, then turn out loaves and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Wrap each loaf in foil and let stand overnight in a cool dry place before serving.

Notes
I think 1½ teaspoons of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans would also be awesome in this recipe. If you include these items, add the cinnamon into the dry ingredients, and the lemon juice into the wet ingredients. Stir in the walnuts or pecans at the same time you fold in the pears.

Monday, July 22, 2013

Pawprints left by you



“My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.”


Dog Wisdom: Be brave, no matter your size. Have a mind of your own. Make your own fun. Dig life. Be loyal and faithful. Chase after your dreams. Take a nap. Never stop playing. Wag more, bark less. Be quick to forgive. Learn new tricks, no matter your age. Love unconditionally. Make new friends.


A Human’s Prayer  To A Dog

Thank you for your bark
Thank you for welcoming me home with a smile and wagging tail
Thank you for kisses and paws without asking
Thank you for your silly antics
Thank you for lying next to me
Thank you for a cold wet nose
Thank you for accepting me
Thank you for adopting me
Thank you for your patience’s
Thank you for letting me be part of your life
Love FOREVER, Your Human


If I could give you one thing in life, I would give you the ability to see yourself through my eyes.

Only then would you realize how special you are to me.




If I was granted one wish… I would wish that my best friend could live forever





Saturday, July 20, 2013

A single bee to the hive

“It is only when we love God and Christ with all of our hearts, souls, and minds that we are able to share this love with our neighbors through acts of kindness and service the way that the Savior would love and serve all of us if He were among us today. When this pure love of Christ or charity envelops us, we think, feel, and act more like Heavenly Father and Jesus would think, feel, and act.
Our motivation and heartfelt desire are like unto that of the Savior.”
M. Russell Ballard
“Good acts grow upon a person. I have sometimes thought that many men, judging from their utter lack of kindness and of a disposition to aid others, imagined that if they were to say or do a kind thing, it would destroy their capacity to perform a kind act or say a kind word in the future. If you have a granary full of grain, and you give away a sack or two, there remain that many less in your granary, but if you perform a kind act or add words of encouragement to one in distress, who is struggling along in the battle of life, the greater is your capacity to do this in the future. Don’t go through life with your lips sealed against words of kindness and encouragement, nor your hearts sealed against performing labors for another. Make a motto in life: always try and assist someone else to carry his burden.”
Heber J. Grant
“Still, small heavenly voices penetrate the heart with their gentle, convincing declarations… Most often, hope, encouragement, and direction come from a soft, piercing voice. 
 Small voices are heard only by those who are willing to listen.”
Marvin J. Ashton
“Let us follow the Son of God in all ways and in all walks of life. Let us make him our exemplar and our guide. We should at every opportunity ask ourselves, ‘What would Jesus do?’ and then be more courageous to act upon the answer. We must follow Christ, in the best sense of that word.
We must be about his work as he was about his Father’s.”
Howard W. Hunter
“As we place our hands in the hand of God,
we will avoid the pitfalls of life and arrive safely at our heavenly home.”
Thomas S. Monson
“We must remember that to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God.
It is our right and responsibility to accept our gifts and to share them.
God’s gifts and powers are available to all of us.”
Marvin J. Ashton


Your simple, daily acts of service may not seem like much in and of themselves, but when considered collectively they become just like the one-twelfth teaspoon of honey contributed by a single bee to the hive.

M. Russell Ballard

Zucchini, Carrot & Cranberry Muffins


Zucchini, Carrot & Cranberry Muffins
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup canola oil
2 eggs
3/4 cup finely grated carrot
3/4 cup finely grated zucchini
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
1 cup whole fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 12-cup muffin tray.
Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda.
In another bowl, whisk together sugar, oil, eggs, grated carrot & zucchini, and vanilla.
Fold dry ingredients into wet, and mix gently until flour is absorbed. Then gently fold in the cranberries (don't overmix).
Divide the batter into 12 muffin cups.
Bake for approximately 25 minutes - until an inserted cake tester comes out clean.
Cool in the muffin tins on a wire rack.


Cream Cheese Icing

4 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup butter (unsalted), at room temperature
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup icing sugar

Mix all ingredients together until smoothly combined.

Friday, July 12, 2013

Let us be grateful



Trusting God’s plan for your everyday life is equally as important
as trusting God’s plan for your eternal life.

“With our human frailties, we can do what we can do.
But you will never be disappointed by the Almighty. He will work with you.”
Boyd K. Packer
Time passes quickly. Many parents say that it's like yesterday that their children were born. Now those children are grown, perhaps with children of their own. Where did the years go? they ask. We cannot call back time that is past, we cannot stop time that now is, and we cannot experience the future in our present state. Time is a gift, a treasure not to be put aside for the future but to use wisely in the present.
 Thomas S. Monson
A single grateful thought raised to Heaven is the most perfect prayer.
It’s so much friendlier with two.
Winnie the Pooh
do you ever just think about someone and immediately get really happy
because their mere existence is a source of joy to you
A contented Heart is a calm sea in the midst of all storms.
Let us be grateful to people who make us Happy.
They are the Charming Gardeners who make our souls Blossom.



"Nobody is trial-free, but we have a choice…  We can choose to allow our experiences to hold us back, and to not allow us to become great or achieve greatness in this life. Or we can allow our experiences to push us forward, to make us grateful for every day we have and to be all the more thankful for those who are around us."

 Elizabeth Smart


Stresses in our lives come regardless of our circumstances.
We must deal with them the best we can.
But we should not let them get in the way of what is most important and
what is most important almost always involves the people around us.

Thomas S. Monson


Did you ever stop to think, and forget to start again?

Winnie the Pooh

 

Let us remember that after the funeral flowers fade, the well wishes of friends become memories, and the prayers offered and words spoken dim in the corridors of the mind. Those who grieve frequently find themselves alone. Missed is the laughter of children, the commotion of teenagers, and the tender, loving concern of a departed companion. The clock ticks more loudly, time passes more slowly, and four walls do indeed a prison make.

Thomas S. Monson




There are those among us who torture themselves through their inability to show mercy and to forgive others some supposed offense or slight, however small it may be. At times the statement is made, "I never can forgive this or that person." Such an attitude is destructive to an individual's well-being. It can canker the soul and ruin one's life. In other instances, an individual can forgive another but cannot forgive himself.
Such a situation is even more destructive.

 Thomas S. Monson