A Bit of Encouragement: Happy St. Patrick's Week!

Hello Ladies! Did you have an enjoyable Community Service Day? Our team went to the childrens section and washed toys. It is WAY more fun to clean when you are with others. At home? Not so much. We also went out for a yummy lunch after we were done. It's fun chatting and laughing and serving with your gal pals.

If you got to Church on time then you probably remembered to set your clocks ahead. Yeah this is not my favorite either, but I enjoy the extra daylight at the end of the day. Spring is coming, thank goodness! However, as I write this on a dreary Monday, it seems like it's taking its sweet time. There were even some snowflakes today. I guess it's a perfect day to stay in and blog. I hope you are enjoying your rainy day - no matter what you are doing.

The marvelous richness of human experience would lose something of rewarding joy if there were no limitations to overcome. (Helen Keller)

Often your tasks will be many,
And more than you think you can do.
Often the road will be rugged
And the hills insurmountable, too.
But always remember,
The hills ahead
Are never as steep as they seem,
And with Faith in your heart
Start upward
And climb 'til you reach your dream.
For nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve
If you have the courage to try it,
And you have the faith to believe.
For faith is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill,
And many defeats turn to triumph
If you trust in God's wisdom and will.
For faith is a mover of mountains,
There's nothing that God cannot do,
So, start out today with faith in your heart,
And climb 'til your dream comes true! ~ Helen Steiner Rice

Yummy Recipe of the week with a bit of history thrown in:

Irish Soda Bread

Ingredients

4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 pint sour cream
1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
Mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs, sour cream and raisins and mix until just combined. Distribute batter evenly between the two pans.
Bake loaves at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 1 hour.

In the early and mid 1800’s, rural Ireland did not have a strong tradition of yeast bread making. Baking was done in the home and, in addition to having limited supplies, time was often at a premium. The use of baking soda as a leavening agent was quick, effective and it produced a much more consistent result than yeast did. It caught on quickly and made soda breads a staple of the Irish diet until commercial bread production began in earnest, though it is still popular in Ireland and many other parts of the world.

The original soda breads contained nothing more than flour, buttermilk, baking soda and salt. The buttermilk was leftover from the butter making process and the bread was almost always served with freshly churned butter. Today, the breads often contain additional ingredients, like sugar, butter, currants or caraway seeds to enhance the flavor of the bread. Soda bread is heartier than most yeast breads and pairs very well with soups, stews and meat dishes. It also makes outstanding toast.

This particular recipe is a more modern one. It doesn't use buttermilk but it was given very good reviews. If you'd like to try the more traditional variety just search for Irish Soda Bread recipes and you will get a lot to choose from. This one comes from Allrecipes.com (one of my favorite sites).

The Shipwreck (from Inspireme.net)

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions. But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky.

The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. "God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him. "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground--it just may be a smoke signal that summons The Grace of God.