Black Bottom Cheesecake

Courtesy of: Mennonite Girls Can Cook  

 

Cake Base: 

One double chocolate cake mix (makes two flans). Mix as directed on package. Pour into well greased and floured flan pans. Bake at 350 for 15-20 or until top springs back and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes and invert onto a cooling rack to cool completely.  

 

Cream Cheese Filling: 

1-8oz pkg of cream cheese 

3/4 cup icing sugar 

4 cups of whipped cream or whipped topping 

 

Directions: Mix the cream cheese with the icing sugar and beat together til light and fluffy. Mix in 3 cups of whipped cream or whipped topping Use the one cup of reserved cream to decorate top with crushed toffee candy bar, like sk*r bar.

Alone in the Gap

by Charles R. Swindoll Read 1 Kings 16:29--17:1

 

We're first introduced to him as "Elijah the Tishbite" (1 Kings 17:1). 

 

Talk about stepping out of nowhere! Elijah came out of this insignificant place---out of nowhere---to make such a significant contribution to God's plan for His people that he became one of Israel's most famous heroes. He became what we often call today a legend. 

 

The first thing that commands our attention is Elijah's name. The Hebrew word for "God" in the Old Testament is Elohim, which is occasionally abbreviated El. The word jah is the word for "Jehovah." Thus, in Elijah's name we find the word for "God" and the word for "Jehovah." 

 

Between them is the small letter I, which in Hebrew has reference to the personal pronoun "my" or "mine." Putting the three together, then, we find that Elijah's name means "My God is Jehovah" or "The Lord is my God." 

 

No one had a reason to doubt that! Ahab and Jezebel were in control of the northern kingdom of Israel, and Baal was the god they worshiped. But when Elijah burst on the scene, his very name proclaimed, "I have one God. His name is Jehovah. He is the One I serve, before whom I stand."

 

By now, the spiritual chasm between God and His people had reached its widest breadth. Elijah stood alone in that gap. Today there are still those who stand alone in the gap, those who still strive to shake us awake. A handful of brave students at Columbine High School come immediately to mind. Loaded guns and the threat of death couldn't silence them. I think of them as modern-day Elijahs, whom God uses to deliver a life-changing message. Men and women of courage, ready to stand and deliver. Authentic heroes. 

 

Our Lord is still searching for people who will make a difference. Christians dare not be mediocre. We dare not dissolve into the background or blend into the neutral scenery of this world. Sometimes you have to look awfully close and talk awfully long before an individual will declare his allegiance to God . . . someone with the courage to stand alone for God. Is that what we have created today in this age of tolerance and compromise? Elijah's life teaches us what the Lord requires.

Giving is Godlike

By Charles R. Swindoll John 3:16 

Shortly after World War II, the saddest sight for American soldiers who were picking up the pieces in ravaged Europe, was that of little orphaned children starving in the streets of those war-torn cities. 

One soldier driving along in his jeep spotted a little lad with his nose pressed to the window of a pastry shop. Inside the cook was kneading dough for a fresh batch of doughnuts. The hungry boy stared in silence, watching every move. The soldier pulled his jeep to the curb and got out to slip over to the boy's side. Through the steamed-up window he could see the mouth-watering morsels as they were being pulled from the oven, piping hot. The boy salivated and released a slight groan. 

The soldier's heart went out to the orphan. "Son . . . would you like some of those?" The boy was startled. "Oh, yes, would I!" The American stepped into the shop, bought a dozen, put them in a bag and walked back to where the lad was standing in the foggy cold of the London morning. He smiled, held out the bag, and said simply: "Here you are." 

As he turned to walk away, he felt a tug on his coat. The soldier looked back and heard the child ask quietly: "Mister . . . are you God?" We are never more like God than when we give.

 Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers). All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission.

The Anchor Holds

By Ray Boltz

I have journeyed through the long, dark night 

Out on the open sea,

By faith alone, sight unknown, 

And yet His eyes were watching me.
 

Chorus:

The Anchor holds, though the ship is battered.

The Anchor holds, though the sails are torn.

Well I have fallen on my knees, as I faced the raging sea,

But the Anchor holds, in spite of the storm.

I've had visions and I've had dreams; 

Well I've even held them in my hands,

But I never knew those dreams could slip right through 

Like they were only grains of sand.



Now I have been young, but I am older now.

O and there has been beauty these eyes have seen;

But it was in the night, when I faced the storms of my life.

Oh, that's where God proved His love to me.

The Haven of Rest

By Henry L. Gilmour  

My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea, 

So burdened with sin and distressed, 

Till I heard a sweet voice, saying,

 “Make Me your choice”;

 And I entered the “Haven of Rest”! 

 

 I’ve anchored my soul in the “Haven of Rest,” 

I’ll sail the wide seas no more; 

The tempest may sweep over wild, stormy, deep, 

In Jesus I’m safe evermore. 

 

I yielded myself to His tender embrace, 

In faith taking hold of the Word, 

My fetters fell off, and I anchored my soul; 

The “Haven of Rest” is my Lord. 

 

 The song of my soul, since the Lord made me whole, 

Has been the old story so blest, 

Of Jesus, who’ll save whosoever will have 

A home in the “Haven of Rest.” 

 

How precious the thought that we all may recline, 

Like John, the beloved so blest, 

On Jesus’ strong arm, where no tempest can harm, 

Secure in the “Haven of Rest.” 

 

Oh, come to the Savior, He patiently waits 

To save by His power divine; 

Come, anchor your soul in the “Haven of Rest,” 

And say, “My Beloved is mine."

We Have An Anchor

by Charles R. Swindoll Hebrews 6:19

The word picture of an anchor is used often in ancient literature, but it's used only once in the New Testament in picturing hope as an anchor for our soul. Lots of hymns and gospel songs make use of this anchor metaphor. Every one of them comes back to Hebrews 6:19: "This hope we have as an anchor of the soul . . ." 

 

There's something beautiful in this word picture that I would have missed without the insight of one very capable scholar: 

 

The picture is that of an ancient sailing vessel finding its way through the narrow entrance to a harbor. This was one of the trickiest maneuvers the captain of a ship had to make. As his ship moved through the opening, he had to guard against a gust of wind running it onto a reef or a sandbar. The skeleton of many a ship could be seen on the rocks, giving testimony to the fact that its captain had failed his navigation test. 

 

To minimize the risk, the olden-day skipper would lower the ship's anchor into a smaller boat, which would then be rowed through the narrow entrance of the harbor. The anchor would then be dropped and this ship, with sails down, would be pulled past the obstacles, through the narrow opening and into the safety of the harbor.¹ 

 

The point of all of this, of course, is not anchors and skippers, ships and harbors. The point is this: That is exactly what Jesus Christ does when the bottom of life drops out. Look closely at the verse:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil. (v. 19) 

 

The imagery of that verse may not be clear at first glance. Let me put it in today's terms. In the days of the Tabernacle, the Hebrews gathered around it and within it as a place of worship. Within the Tabernacle were veils; behind the innermost veil was the holiest place on earth, the place we might call the "God-room." In this God-room, the light (it was actually called the shekinah) of God resided. It's my understanding that the light of God was a brilliant, blazing radiance that shone down into the God-room. Within that room was an ark, or a small chest, much lower and smaller than most pulpits. On top of that chest was a grail, with golden cherubim on either end (angel-like creatures with their wings folded in front of them). That entire piece of unique furniture was too holy for words. 

 

Once a year, the high priest of the Israelites would enter that God-room with a small pan of blood which, precisely as God required it in the Law, he poured out on the grail (which was called the "mercy seat") there between the golden cherubim. God, witnessing the spilling of the blood and pleased with the sacrifice that had been made correctly by the priest, graciously forgave the Hebrew people for their sin. It was an annual event, the most sacred of all events. The Hebrews must have held their breath as the high priest went in with the pan, poured the blood, and came out of this room where God dwelled. The first-century Jews who read this word veil in Hebrews 6 understood all that. Look closely:

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (vv. 19-20) 

 

In other words, our Savior has gone through life, has taken all of life's beatings and buffetings, and has gone before us. And now? Now He pulls us toward Himself! He invites His followers within the veil. He says, "Come in. Find healing for your stress fractures. Find here the rest that you need, the relief from the burdens and buffetings of doubt." 

 

Doubt, you see, will always try to convince you, You are all alone. No one else knows. Or cares. No one else really can enter in and help you with this. In Hebrews, however, the writer says that Christ is a constant priest---not once a year, but forever. He lives in the God-room. He is there, sitting alongside the Father, representing your needs to Him. And, child of God, there is nothing so great for you to endure that He does not feel touched by it and stay by you through it. 

 

 1. Walter A. Henrichsen, After the Sacrifice (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1979), 83.

Excerpted from Stress Fractures, copyright © 1990 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide

October

O hushed October morning mild, 

Thy leaves have ripened to the fall; 

Tomorrow's wind, if it be wild, 

Should waste them all. 

The crows above the forest call; 

Tomorrow they may form and go. 

O hushed October morning mild, 

Begin the hours of this day slow. 

Make the day seem to us less brief. 

Hearts not averse to being beguiled, 

Beguile us in the way you know. 

Release one leaf at break of day; 

At noon release another leaf; 

One from our trees, one far away." 

 - Robert Frost

Short and Sweet

by Charles R. Swindoll James 4:13-17 

 Average life spans are shorter than most of us realize. For instance, a face-lift lasts only six to ten years; a dollar bill lasts for only eighteen months; a painted line on the road remains only three to four months; and a tornado seldom lasts more than ten minutes.

There are differences of opinion, but most agree that the human life span averages somewhere between seventy-five and eighty years. That may sound encouraging to the young and disturbing to those in their sixties, seventies, and eighties. The simple fact is, however, nobody knows for sure how long he or she may live. 

When we read and believe the warnings in Scripture, there is little doubt that life is short. James pulls no punches when he writes, "You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away" (4:14). 

The average life span may be seventy-five to eighty years, but who can say you or I have that long? We may have less than two years or, for that matter, less than two weeks. 

Vanishing vapors aren't known for longevity. Since this is true, let's do our best to make the time we have count. Rather than live with reluctance, let's live with exuberance. Instead of fearing what's ahead, let's face it head-on with enthusiasm. 

And because life is so terribly short, let's do everything we can to make it sweet. How? Three thoughts come to mind. 

First, act on your impulse. Don't wait for the perfect moment. A woman in my former church took these words to heart and contacted a person she hadn't talked to for a long time. The person was surprised and thrilled. "You have no idea how much your call has meant to me," she said. Later the woman who had received the call admitted she had planned to take her life that very afternoon. The call had changed her mind. 

Second, focus on the positive. Merchants of negativism may be strong and sound convincing, but their message is debilitating. Life's too short for that. Spread germs of cheer. Joy is contagious. 

Third, traffic in the truth. Refuse to stake your claim on hearsay. Check out the facts. Be discerning. If you are a conduit of communication, speak only the truth. If you're not absolutely sure, keep quiet. Lies can outlive lives, unfortunately. 

 Short and sweet. That's the only way to go. Have you been putting off something you really want or need to do? You don't have forever. Get at it! Excerpted from Day by Day with Charles Swindoll, Copyright © 2000 by Charles R. Swindoll, Inc. (Thomas Nelson Publishers).

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Pecans

"This recipe was inspired by a favorite dish served at the former Sweetbriar restaurant in Gadsden, Alabama," says reader Linda Banning. Serve it with assorted crackers and grapes for a filling lunch or a delicious brunch contribution.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
1/2 cup light or regular mayonnaise
1/2 cup light or regular sour cream
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 pounds skinned and boned chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
3 cups red and white seedless grapes, halved
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Lettuce leaves (optional)

Preparation
1. Stir together 1/2 cup mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Add chopped chicken and grapes, tossing gently to coat. Cover and chill at least 1 hour. Stir in pecans just before serving. Serve in stemware lined with lettuce leaves, if desired.

Linda Banning, Decatur, Alabama, Southern Living, AUGUST 2006

Cream Cheese Brownies

Courtesy of Cooking Light Magazine

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1 brownie)

Ingredients
Filling:
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup (3 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white

Brownies:
Cooking spray
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, melted
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
3 tablespoons raspberry preserves

Preparation: Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare the filling, beat the first 5 ingredients at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended, and set aside.

To prepare the brownies, coat the bottom of an 8-inch baking pan with cooking spray (do not coat the sides of the pan). Lightly spoon 3/4 cup flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine 1 cup sugar and the next 6 ingredients (1 cup sugar through the 2 egg whites), stirring well with a whisk. Add to the flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Spread two-thirds of batter in bottom of prepared pan.

Pour filling over batter, spreading evenly. Carefully drop the remaining batter and preserves by spoonfuls over filling; swirl together using the tip of a knife to marble. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool on a wire rack.