just scroll down a few pages to Day #1!
Well, this is Natalie again, picking up after "Experiencing His Presence in the Pews". From now on my posts will be red and Steve's will be blue so you will easily be able to tell the difference. (After a while our lives and faith stories will combine... I guess that means we'll have to change to purple!) ;o)
After that day (see Day#2) life went on as usual. It was a good life. In the evenings my dad would kneel beside our beds to pray with us, and throughout each day my mom taught us what it meant to live a life that pleased God. When I was in first grade my parents made a decision to start attending a Baptist church in a nearby town. The following year, when I was in second grade, I had another defining moment in my journey of faith.
It was a bright spring morning and pastor Randy happened to be giving a sermon about the reality of Hell. I had heard about Hell before, but I hadn't put too much thought into what Hell was really like, or the fact that I deserved to go there. I listened as if hearing it for the first time, while Pastor Randy explained that every person is a sinner. No matter how hard we might try, we cannot be perfect or earn our way to Heaven. As sinners, Hell is what we all deserve. I was startled by just how horrible Hell would be. Pain, sorrow, loneliness, and torment. With relief, I listened as Randy explained that a sinless Jesus had paid the penalty for us when he died on the cross over two thousand years ago. Instead of an eternity in Hell, I could be with Jesus in Heaven forever. All I needed to do was accept the gift of salvation Jesus was offering me.
My family went home from church that Sunday, and there my thoughts turned to other things. My siblings and I enjoyed the rest of our afternoon off and before we knew it, evening had come and we were tucked into bed. That night my mind returned to the message about Heaven and Hell. Tears began to stream down my cheeks as I realized that I had a decision to make. I knew that I wanted to be in Heaven after I died. So, as I lay there under my pink comforter, I prayed to God. I asked him to forgive my sins and come into my heart. Relief flooded over me and I felt peace.
(Stay tuned this week to find out what happens next for Steve and me!)
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Here's a recipe that a couple people have asked about! We wanted to try something fun and different for our Christmas Eve supper, so Steve decided to make Asian Ribs! They cook in a crock pot, so it worked perfectly for us as we were out of the house right until supper time!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger, or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
3 to 4 pounds boneless country style pork ribs
1 medium onion, sliced
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup chopped green onion, with greens
Preparation: In large bowl, combine, the first nine ingredients. Add ribs and turn to coat. Place the onion in bottom of slow cooker; arrange ribs on top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours. Place ribs on serving platter and sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion. Makes 6 servings.
Hope you like it as much as we do!
(recipe found at http://www.southernfood.about.com)
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