A dear friend sent this to me recently. It is a beautiful poem and I decided to share it by posting it to my blog today. Author believed to be David Romano

When tomorrow starts without me, And I’m not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes all filled with tears for me,

I wish so much you wouldn’t cry The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things, We didn’t get to say.

I know how much you love me, As much as I love you,
and each time that you think of me, I know you’ll miss me too.

But when tomorrow starts without me, Please try to understand,
That an angel came and called my name, And took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready, In heaven far above,
And that I’d have to leave behind All those I dearly love.

But as I turned to walk away, A tear fell from my eye
For all my life, I’d always thought, I didn’t want to die.

I had so much to live for, So much left yet to do,
It seemed almost impossible, That I was leaving you.

I thought of all the yesterdays The good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared, and all the fun we had

If I could re-live yesterday Just even for a while,
I’d say good-bye and kiss you And maybe see you smile.

But then I fully realized, That this could never be,
For emptiness and memories, would take the place of me.

And when I thought of worldly things, I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did, My heart was filled with sorrow.

But when I walked through heaven’s gates, I felt so much at home
When God looked down and smiled at me, From His great golden throne.

He said, “This is eternity, And all I’ve promised you.”
Today your life on earth is past, But here life starts anew

I promise no tomorrow, But today will always last,
And since each day’s the same way There’s no longing for the past.

You have been so faithful, So trusting and so true.
Though there were times You did some things You knew you shouldn’t do.

But you have been forgiven And now at last you’re free.
So won’t you come and take my hand And share my life with me?

So when tomorrow starts without me, Don’t think we’re far apart,
For every time you think of me, I’m right here, in your heart.

Saturday we went to an auction at JR Collinsville Livestock Sales. We met Karla and Cheri, a couple of our dear friends there. Larry and I have not had a “play” day in a very long time and I guess I’m either a cheap date or very easily entertained because I LOVED every minute of the day. To coin a phrase I used in my younger days….I had a BLAST!!! My only regret, I didn’t think to take my camera with me.

The auction starts at 11:00 sharp and we were about 10 minutes late due to our lack of navigational skills. I’ve mentioned before we almost always get lost when we venture somewhere we haven’t been before. (Dee and Greg will love this bit of information, especially Dee)

Cheri had recently met the owner of the auction through her job and we had the pleasure of meeting him Saturday. His name is James Roderick. He and his family own and operate the Collinsville Sale Barn and they are actively involved in all of the business. His son, James “Bear” Roderick oversees livestock check-in and works the ring and Alicia Roderick, Bear’s wife is their Ring Clerk, she records the sale amount, livestock number and buyer information. Emalee, (James Sr.’s wife) is in the office, while James covers the rest, and I can only imagine what the “rest” is.

Brian Marlin is their professional auctioneer and he is quite good at what he does. Saturday there was an adorable little helper sitting with him, she looked to be 2 or 3 and at one point she turned the microphone all the way down. Brian never skipped a beat; he just turned it back on, had a little smile on his face and kept on watching the bidders and calling the numbers out. Chris George is the office manager. I expect there are others who work and help diligently behind the scenes. From the minute we walked in we were greeted with smiles, hello’s and howdy’s.

We watched the auction for quite sometime and I found it to be fascinating. The auctioneer did a marvelous job, although my ears can’t ‘hear that fast’. We were not there to purchase just to observe and it’s a good thing. By the time my brain caught up with what was going on, anything I would have wanted to bid on was already history. They were auctioning goats when we arrived.

It was so interesting to watch the whole process. Everything ran like a fine tuned machine. We saw some beautiful goats and cattle. Oh, how I wish I had remembered my camera. After watching the bidding for awhile we walked out to the catwalk to view all of the animals to be auctioned that day. It was on the catwalk that I provided the entertainment for Karla, Cheri and Larry. I do not like heights at all, especially when I can look down in any direction to see the ground. I was holding on with both hands, my heart was racing and my stomach had that sick feeling of fear churning around inside. I just kept reminding myself that God would take care of me and pretty soon I relaxed and enjoyed being up there.

Next we ventured into the land of good eats. If you have never eaten at an auction yard you must put it on your list of things to do. It’s down home cooking at its finest, and you get to meet and visit with some very nice people.

 Larry and I were not ready to eat a meal yet. Karla and Cheri both had some great hamburgers and Mr. Roderick graciously treated us to our choice of Homemade Cherry Pie, Apple Pie or Bread Pudding. Cheri and Karla shared a piece of the Cherry Pie and Larry had the apple. I took one bite of the Apple and it was delicious. Y’all remember I’m losing weight, so I was very disciplined… Cheri also mentioned the homemade rolls…big weakness for me, yet I resisted. Mr. Broderick also gave the four of us some very nice baseball caps, yep, that’s one in the picture I posted.

We had so much fun, I felt like a kid on an adventure! Afterwards we went to Bob and Cheri’s and visited a bit, then we went to Karla’s to pick up a cage she gave Larry for the chicken coop. When we got back into Skiatook we ate at Senor Salsa then went to mom’s for a nice visit. We got home after 7pm.

We plan on having more visits to the auction yard. If you haven’t been for a while or have never been, I strongly encourage you to find one in your area. It’s an outing the whole family can enjoy together.

I have baked this cake many times over the years. It’s a great way to use up those over-ripe bananas. It’s good without frosting too. I served it for our small group last night.

BANANA CAKE
½ cup shortening
¾ cup packed brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose or whole wheat flour*
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup nuts (optional)

FROSTING
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter
6 tablespoons milk
2 ½ to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and stir; add to the creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk. Stir in nuts.

Pour into a greased 13x9x2-in. baking pan. Bake a 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, combine brown sugar, butter and milk in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove fro the heat; cool to lukewarm. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar until frosting reaches spreading consistency. Frost the cake.

Yield: 12 servings
* I have made this cake many times. I have used just all purpose flour and half all purpose and half wheat flour. It’s very good both ways. It is  somewhat moister when using only all purpose flour.

For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Eph 5:23-24

Married couples often have things come along which they have different opinions of, but what about when it goes beyond opinion and you want a scriptural answer?

All of you who know me know that I adore my husband and I honor his God given position as stated in the above verse. Yet I struggle with one thing which we have had many discussions about in our almost 30 years of marriage. In this one area we are opposites, so I would love to have some honest feedback from men and women with a scriptural point of view on what I’m going to share with you today. And obviously, I’m not going behind his back since I’m putting it out here in black and white.

Larry has always been excellent with planning and sticking to a budget and he has taught me well the importance of maintaining a budget. This is where we differ though. I guess I am unrealistic when it comes to helping others financially. I tend to want to “give the store away”; while he will ponder and then decide on an amount, usually the amount is on a much smaller scale than I had in mind. Let me be perfectly clear, he doesn’t wrestle with giving and he doesn’t mind helping people out. We just look at it in different numbers. He admits that he is frugal and that is something he has struggled with, although he has made big changes in a positive way. (I too have made great progress in “tightening the belt”)

Change is hard no matter what side of the fence you are on. It would be very difficult for me to be frugal the same way he is and equally difficult for him to be as free as I am willing to be.

Here is my struggle. If I sincerely feel God has laid something on my heart to help someone financially and Larry is not in agreement, what do I do with this? Sometimes I feel like I am disobeying God to submit to  my husband. If I strongly feel a responsibility to help someone out and he doesn’t….what do I do??? I know I am to obey God above any and everyone, yet I don’t think I should go behind Larry’s back either. I want to be the wife God expects me to be.

I have given this to God, he knows my heart and he knows Larry’s heart. During some of our discussions over this I have shared that I trust God and that if we run short on money I completely believe that God will provide for us. He believes this too, but his makeup is to provide for his family, and I understand that too. God has laid the responsibility on a mans heart to provide for his family.

It’s not always easy to share things of a personal nature. If it’s just about me, you know well my life is an open book. I am much more cautious when it involves others. Please let me stress again, I am not putting my husband down at all and pray that it will not be interpreted as so.

I would really appreciate feedback on this delicate situation and perhaps I can be encouraged with a different view than the one I have.

A lawyer asks Jesus “And who is my neighbor?” Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?”  He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.” Luke 10:29-37

I wonder how the priest and the Levite, both religious officials justified going out of their way to ignore the man who had been beaten nearly to death and robbed? Yet a Samaritan stopped to help him, put him on his animal and paid the equivalent of two days salary and more if needed, for a room for him until he was well enough to get back on the road. (Remember, Jews thought it unthinkable to associate with Samaritans).

I am so guilty of being the Priest and the Levite and treating others as “non-neighbors”. Too many times I have seen cars on the side of the road with a flat tire or the hood up and I have kept on driving. I justify my actions in many ways and I will list the most common ones I use. I have also seen “the down and out” and walked on by.

1. I’m afraid to stop
2. I’m running late
3. They probably have a cell phone and have already called for help
4. I don’t know how to change a tire and I’ m not a mechanic
5. I might get robbed or worse

Those of us who “justify” know the list is endless. For the record I have stopped and I have helped on many occasions, still there are many times I haven’t and to be honest with you I wonder if it is something I am going to have to answer for.

I pray that I will come to a point in my Christian walk that someday I will have the attitude that “What I have, God has given to me, so I’ll share it.” I pray also that my faith will be increased and that my fears will be replaced with complete trust.

The entire law is summed up in a single command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Gal 5:14

I have been on pins and needles at various times in my life, waiting with uncontained excitement for the date of a planned event. The birth of a grandchild, a marriage, vacation, new job, even something seemingly small as a hair appointment. It could be anything that is significant to me.

Along with the anticipation came some disappointments. “Life” interfered with my plans, a sickness, injury, death. Any number of things can change well arranged plans in a matter of seconds. Such times remind me of the following verse-I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Rom 8:18

For us to share in that future glory we must also share in suffering. The plus side is the suffering is temporary and the glory will be for eternity. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. Col 3:4

Whenever you find yourself struggling, I pray you will consider these thoughts today and be encouraged.

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Cor 4:17-18

If you are an apple fan you will love this cake! Its comforting taste will take you back to days at grandma’s house. I often grade my recipes with stars from one to four, with four being the best. This cake is definitely deserving of four stars. I found it a few years ago in one of my magazines.

Apple Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 cups chopped peeled tart apples
(I use Granny Smith Apples)

BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well (batter will be stiff). Stir in apples until well combined. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until top is lightly browned and springs back when lightly touched. Cool for 30 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine brown sugar and butter. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted. Gradually add cream. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Serve with cake.

Serves: 12-14

Pleasure is spread through the earth; in stray gifts to be claimed by whoever shall find.
~William Wordsworth, 1806

This week has not been a typical week. It has been a week of sadness and reflection. Four people in our community or related to people in our community have died. One a suicide and two were family members of our friends and one a brother of our insurance agent. All deaths were unexpected in the sense of anyone having extended illnesses.

Our church family is always ready at a moments notice to cook and serve meals for families who have lost loved ones. This is part of the reason why I have been away from blogging for a couple of days.

These events reminded me of the briefness of life and the importance of being prepared spiritually.

Ps 90:12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

I will close this week with an article I’ve had for several years, written by Charles Swindoll. The words he wrote are worthy of reflection.

Walk by Faith, Not by Sight

Charles R. Swindoll
Read Job 1:1-12.

Without Job’s knowing it, a dialogue took place in the invisible world. As the Lord and Satan had their strange encounter, the subject quickly turned to this well-known earthly man. The Lord calls Satan’s attention to Job’s exemplary life, and Satan responds with a sinister sneer. “Of course, who wouldn’t serve You the way You’ve prospered and protected him. Take away all the perks and watch what happens; the man will turn on You in a flash.” God agrees to let the Adversary unload on Job

And so, in today’s terms, the Lord bet Satan that Job would never turn on Him. Philip Yancey refers to that agreement as the “divine wager.” Satan instigates a sudden and hostile removal of all the man’s possessions, leaving him bankrupt. Within a matter of minutes, everything he owned was gone.

This brings us to the first lesson worth remembering: we never know ahead of time the plans God has for us. Job had no prior knowledge or warning. That morning dawned like every other morning. The night had passed like any other night. There was no great angelic manifestation-not even a tap on his window or a note left on the kitchen table.

In one calamity after another, all the buildings on his land are gone, and nothing but lumber and bodies litter the landscape. It occurred so fast, Job’s mind swirled in disbelief. Everything hit broadside . . . his world instantly changed.

You and I must learn from this! We never know what a day will bring, whether good or ill. Our heavenly Father’s plan unfolds apart from our awareness. Ours is a walk of faith, not sight. Trust, not touch. Leaning long and hard, not running away. No one knows ahead of time what the Father’s plan includes. It’s best that way. It may be a treasured blessing; it could be a test that drops us to our knees. He knows ahead of time, but He is not obligated to warn us about it or to remind us it’s on the horizon. We can be certain of this; our God knows what is best.

I am still trying to get my self back in line with the correct day of the week. You wouldn’t think being retired that my days still get mixed up when we have a holiday, but they do. I either think it is one day earlier or one day later than it actually is. Our walking schedule was changed too because of rainy days. There is a chance for more rain today so I am going to be brief so I can get out and walk.

 BTW….for those of you who may be wondering, I am still on my quest to lose weight which began on July 8^th of this year and as of this morning I have lost 12 pounds. I am excited and it hasn’t been as difficult as I anticipated. I don’t know why I didn’t think to take my measurements when I started, perhaps just too scary. I’m “guesstimating” I’ve lost 2-3 inches overall as my clothes are much looser in some places. Of course I wish the extra pounds would “go away” a bit faster and I don’t like the plateaus; however the logical side of me understands that in the scope of things, slower is better.

My schedule is about to get a bit fuller beginning tonight. Russell will be starting a class tonight on “How to Study the Bible.” It should be interesting as he is a great teacher. Our week goes something like this; Sunday morning-worship, Sunday evening-home group, Monday morning, Ladies Bible Class, Wednesday evening-midweek service, Thursday evening home bible study with a group we have been meeting with for, (if my memory is reliable) we are either in our fourth year or close to it. The remainder of the week is probably much like yours, grocery shopping, appointments, spending time with mom, or other family members. Visiting the sick or calling, sending cards etc., and just living.

Life is grand!

Do you have a favorite way for studying the bible?

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 2 Tim 2:15

In 1993 my brother Stan compiled a marvelous cookbook titled Lancaster Family Reunion Cookbook. All of our family was encouraged to send in some of their favorite recipes for the book. He did a remarkable job and sent a copy to every family member who contributed or requested a copy.

Lancaster is my mother’s maiden name. I believe the idea for the cookbook originated after the 1987 reunion when so many of us gathered in Oklahoma City after flying or driving in from various other states. It was a great and memorable reunion. Many of our loved ones have passed on since that time. The tradition carries on, we still get together each year, however the numbers are dwindling.

Today I am sharing a very special recipe from my Aunt Evelyn Lancaster. She was a grand auntie who suffered many losses in her lifetime. She had multiple miscarriages and then lost a six year old son after he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle. Even with a broken heart she always made me feel like a million dollars. I can remember many occasions walking into her living room to see her sitting in the middle of her couch. Her face would break into the biggest smile and she would spread her arms as wide as she could and say “Come over here and give “Anie” a big kiss.” She had so much love to give and she had a tremendous sense of humor, as you will see after reading the recipe she submitted.

Rum Cake
1 cup butter
1 or 2 quarts Rum
2 large eggs
Nuts
1 cup dried fruit
Baking Powder
Lemon juice
Brown sugar

Before you start; sample the rum to check for quality. Good isn’t it?

Now go ahead, select a large bowl, measuring cup etc. To be sure rum is of the highest quality, pour 1 level cup of rum in to a glass and drink it as fast as you can. Repeat…

With an electric mixer beat 1 cup butter in a large fluffy bowl, add 1 seaspoon of thugar and beat again.

Meanwhile, it’s important to make sure the rum is of the finest quality. Try another cup. Open second quart of rum in necessary. Add to arge legs, 2 cups of fried druit and beat until hig. If druit gets stuck on the beaters, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample rum again.

Next, sift 3 cups of pepper or salt, (it really doesn’t matter). Sample rum again. Sift 1 pint of lemon juice, add 1 bafferspoon of brown thugar or what ever color you can find.

Mix mel. Grease oven and turn cake pan to 350 gredeese., now pour the whole mess into the voven and ake. Check rum again and go to ged.

I have one small request. After you try the cake…be sure and let me know how you liked it.