Homemade Runzas

Makes 24

1 pkg. 24 Rhoades Texas Frozen Rolls
1.5 lb ground beef
1/2 c. diced onion
1/2 pkg. coleslaw mix or 3 c. finely shredded cabbage
1.5 tsp. salt
1.5 tsp. pepper
24 slices american cheese

1. Spray 2 cookie sheets with non-stick spray and set 1 dozen frozen rolls on each.

2. Spray plastic wrap with non-stick spray and cover rolls. Let rise in warm room until doubled in size (4-5 hrs).

3. Brown ground beef with onion and cabbage. Drain. Add salt and pepper.

4. When rolls are ready take one at a time and stretch it into a rectangle about 5 in wide by 6 in long.
Fill with spoonful of beef mixture and cover filling with a slice of cheese. Fold the top of the dough over and seal edges well with your fingers.

5. When tray is ready, bake at 350 degrees for 10 min. Remove tray from oven. Brush tops with butter and sprinkle with salt. Bake 10 min more or until golden brown.

Can freeze what you don't need for that meal. Just thaw a bit before re-warming.

Thanks to Elizabeth Peshek for this great recipe!

Dwell (part 2)

You may remember my last post about dwelling....resting, abiding, and remaining in Christ. Since that writing, many opportunities (tests, if you will,) have arisen to prove if I believe that, and if I am living it out no matter what the circumstances. A radical shift in my heart and a deep internalization of the goodness of God has since ensued.

A few weeks ago I landed in the hospital for a day with influenza, excruciating lower abdominal pain and contractions so close together I became concerned for the health of our unborn child who was just shy of the gestational age of 25 weeks. While I was there being pumped full of meds and willing my heart to trust in God's plan for us, a conversation with a nurse begged the question in my mind: will I praise Him and rest in Him--Sovereign Creator and Master Planner of my life--no matter what?
The obvious goal was to stop contractions. If they were not able to do so, then we would need to head to Omaha for a potential delivery of a 1.5 pound premature infant, that could survive, yes, but with a long road of possible complications to overcome.


Our pastor, elder and their wives all visited me that day to speak truth to me, encourage me, and pray over me. My pastor said something to me then that I took in like a sucker punch: "Everything God ordains is good." Wow. If I had to deliver a preemie that day would I believe that? I honestly hope that I would have. I asked Pastor to clarify his statement which really helped my heart:

"What God ordains is good in its ultimate sense, bringing God glory and working for our good as well. (Romans 8:28)  Psalm 84:11, 'No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.' He does not withhold children, family, comfort, money, health, etc. if it is ultimately for our good. In the mystery of God's providence, there are times when those things are not for our good, God wants something better for us, such as conformity to Jesus and trusting in Him above our circumstances which He often teaches us through those difficult times."

The truth of the goodness of God does not depend on my circumstances, my emotions, or on my limited definition of "good". He is good because He is good. Did I experience the goodness of God that day? Most certainly. He answered our prayers and brought health to me and kept this little one safely within me! The overwhelming sense of gratefulness and worship I had on our way home was rooted in a faith that my God is my provider and giver of every good thing. I pray that I would have believed that same truth with all my being had the day ended differently. My husband kept reminding me that we would be thankful for any outcome because we knew that God had this one in His hands.

The song that ran in my mind that entire day was this beautiful classic by Twila Paris. It reminds me of Psalm 34:1 "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."

My lips will praise You
For You are holy
My voice will ever rise
Before Your throne
My heart will love You
For You are lovely
And You have called me
To become Your own

I am Your own
And I will worship You alone
I am Your own
I am Your child
I am Your own
And I will worship at Your throne
I am Your own
And I will love You

For a worshipful moment in your day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CucvX8-kn1E

My family: the goodness of God displayed to me daily

May we continue to dwell on the truth of the goodness of God, by sitting at His feet and resting in His divine plan for our lives.


A link to another great post about the goodness of God:
 http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-goodness-of-god-and-the-fear-of-god

Dwell (part 1)

Recently I sent this verse to a friend in need: Psalm 91:1 "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty."

It was only several hours later the same day that I realized that I, too, needed this very same "911" call to my heavenly Father. The word "dwell" from this verse is translated from the Hebrew verb "yashab" (pronounced ya-shav'). It means to dwell, remain, sit, abide.

Verse 2 and 9: "I will say to the Lord, My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust...Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place-the Most High, who is my refuge-no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent."

All of this beautiful Psalm is a picture of the Lord as a secure defense for those who take refuge in Him, for those faithful people that dwell in His shelter. I needed this reminder of dwelling. Where am I dwelling? Because when life is crashing all around me (or so it seems), am I dwelling, remaining, sitting and abiding in His shelter?

No, I tend to flit about like a little sparrow, attempting to make my own dwelling, my own refuge in which to hide. Then the rain of life comes and my little shelter that I've built for myself just crumbles. It's not too pretty. I worked so hard at building it, too. The problem with this is in these words: "I worked". Or really, just one word: "I".

It's really becoming quite obvious that I cannot do anything to protect myself from evil and plagues (in my own terms, hardship and stress), except to dwell in the Most High. I can do nothing without Him. My Father has never moved. He remains there, a refuge for me, ever-abiding and steadfast in His promises. He has already done the work. He already is the dwelling place, ready to keep me from harm. I only need to stop flitting and abide in His shelter that He has always been and always will be when I am faithful to trust in Him, instead of myself.

But if I believe this truth then it means that I must stop. Sit. Remain. Stop moving. This is a hard concept for me with a family and home to take care of, a fourth kiddo on the way (insert a mix of excitement and panic here), and a to-do list longer than my arm. Oh how I long to STOP!

So today, I did. First, I stopped sleeping and rose before the house did. Then I cozied into my comfy QT corner and opened up the Truth, letting it flood my heart and mind and sweep out all the untruth and craziness in there. All day, I have been reminding myself: dwell. Dwell. Dwell. His shelter, not mine. His safety, not mine. Oh how the peace of Christ has filled my heart.

More thoughts on abiding in His dwelling place coming soon.

detour

God is radically changing me.


This morning on my way to the gym, willing my car to warm up,  I saw someone walking in my direction on the sidewalk. In the dark. In minus four degree windchill. I took a second look as I passed the pedestrian, and it was a young African American girl, maybe fifteen or so. Um, no, I thought. No one should be out walking now. At the exact same time that I passed her I was adjusting my rear view mirror and it snapped off the windshield. Nice.


I drove around the block hanging onto my dangling mirror in search of the girl. Where in the world would she be walking this early in the morning, in the dark, in this cold? I spied her crossing the street and rolled down my window. "Good morning!", I said cheerfully so as not to startle her. Through a series of questions I came to find that she was on her way to the high school, which was two miles from the place where I stopped. My heart dropped. I asked if I could give her a ride and she said yes.


We introduced ourselves and I apologized for my dangling mirror. I came to find out that she was walking to the bus only about a block away that would transport her to school. Her name is Futi but she goes by Sondra. I was intrigued and knew I was supposed to take her to school rather than just drop her at the bus.


Sondra moved here from New Mexico six months ago with her mother who needed a job. Her family is originally from Tanzania, Africa, but she was born in the U.S. She told me she has an older sister in college, and of her own plans to finish high school and hopefully land in New York for college.


We chatted a little about Africa...I have two friends who recently adopted children from there, but still I know very little about the continent. Sondra said there are many problems there (in Africa) including how people hurt each other, but that it is a good place.Her tone was warm and reminiscent. I asked about her father and she explained to me that her mom was his second wife and since he couldn't pay the tax on his seven children (I'm assuming...five with his first wife, two with her mom), he divorced her mom. She's only made one friend at school since moving here: but she's from the Congo and speaks French so they practice English together, which we both agreed is a tough language to learn.


She told me thank you and goodbye when I dropped her off. The minute my wheels left the parking lot, I began to weep. I have no idea what life is like outside of my comfortable little warm fuzzy life. I have a warm house, food in the pantry, three amazing kids whose tummies never go hungry, a devoted husband who is working his tail off to support us while living out his ministry dream, amazing friends, and every amenity that I could ever want or need to live this way.


I took a girl to school today and it only cost me ten extra minutes on the treadmill. There isn't much I am doing that actually costs me something. Which is another reason I am being changed. I need to give more and get less. (Stay tuned for future posts regarding this subject. You won't be disappointed.)


I love finding analogies in daily life that God uses to school me about eternal things. That dang(ling) mirror was no exception. The lesson came to me so quietly but firmly: Leave the past behind. Stop looking in the rearview. Don't care so much about what others think. You need to look forward to the things God has for you. Look for the detours He has set up for you and go for it.


I'm thankful for my detour this morning. I'm going to be looking for more of these. And I hope to run into Sondra again soon. I have much more I'd love to share with her.

"Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind, and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14


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