Greetings from Hutcheshausen, Germany

Here is a picture of our two girls, Jennifer and Brittany standing in front of Puerto Niegra, the ancient city gates of the oldest city in Germany. Trier is the homeplace of ancient Romans whose ruins still stand in the city today. It is also the site of the home of Karl Marx. In modern day, it is the host of one of the best Christmas Markets in Germany. During our visit to the city, the temperature hovered in the upper 20's and snow silently but quickly covered everything and everyone. Perhaps, one of the most impressive sites in the city was the cathederal. This ancient building has survived revolutions and wars and still stands as a testament to the dedication and commitment of people through the ages to the worship of their God. The building is made of huge stone blocks and the interior of the auditorium and the altar reflect the craftsmanship and pride of the ancient artists and builders. As I stood in this massive House of God, I thought about the people who built this building and those who have served in it through the years and maybe, even those who took shelter in it while bombs were dropping all around during the great world wars, or perhaps, those who served clandestinely in order to avoid the prosecution from government authorities. I also thought of the allied soldiers who trudged through deep snow very similar to the snow we experienced today in order to protect the way of life I enjoy today.

Such reflection can only lead to one conclusion for me. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the men and women who came before me, serving God, serving others, and serving their country. I owe such a debt that I can never repay it. I also owe a debt of gratitude to my Lord who orchestrated every stone as it was laid upon the previous stone in the building of this beautiful temple, and who placed a shield over this building to protect it from the rain of allied bombs on this German city, and who continues to call His people to serve in this building and many others like it around the world today. Most of all, I am thankful to an all-powerful, all-knowing God who saw fit to allow his only son to die on an old wooden cross in order to save me from an eternity in hell. Thank you, Jesus! Amen!

Wishes for a warm, spirit-filled Christmas

Thanks to all of you who were able to join us for the class Christmas Dinner last night. Cindy and I thoroughly enjoyed having you in our home and we hope that you enjoyed the get-together as much as we did. It is always fun to spend time with our Sunday School brothers and sisters in a different setting that allows us to visit, have fun, and get to know more about each other. I will include a recipe from Laura Brittain for her dessert that she shared last night as well as a recipe for the chili and the tortilla soup that we ate last night at the end of this blog.

This time of year is one of my favorite! The grass is not growing so I don't have to worry about mowing the grass all the time, I can sit on my back porch without getting drenched in perspiration, it's hunting season--enough said, and it is a time when friends and family often get together for visits, fellowship, food, and fun. Our time together last night seemed to be a combination of good food, tremendous desserts, Christian fellowship, laughter, and fun. Cindy and I enjoyed hearing stories of your young families. The stories of how your young children perceive Santa Claus and how you help to perpetuate the myth of Santa in your family were amusing and reminiscent of an earlier time with our own girls. Enjoy these days with your little ones. They are precious and they will pass quickly.

Since we will be out of town--yes, out of the country--for the next three weeks, I wanted to extend best wishes from Cindy and me to each of you for a blessed time with your families. We pray that each of you will enjoy an extra heaping of fun, joy, and fellowship with those whom you love this Christmas. From our house to your's, we wish each of you a warm, spirit-filled, joyous Christmas Holiday.

We will look forward to seeing you again on January 10 as we continue our quest for "Truth" in The Truth Project.

Here are the recipes from last night's dishes:
Take-Along Cake

1 package of chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's food ... which I guess was not appropriate for a Sunday school party!)
1 package (12 ounces) of semisweet chocolate chips (I've used peanut butter chips before too, and it was really good as well)
1 cup of miniature marshmallows (I usually use about a cup and 1/2)
1/4 cup of butter, melted
1/2 cup of brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts (I used a little more than that and I've used both kind of nuts ... equally as good ... used pecans last night because that's what I had on hand)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray cooking spray in a 13x9 pan.

2. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows. Pour into the prepared pan. Drizzle melted butter over the batter. Sprinkle with sugar and top with pecans. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cool completely in the pan. You can serve it warm with Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla for an extra special treat. Serves 12 to 16.

Laura Brittain

Cindy’s Chili:

3 lb Lean Hamburger Meat
1 Onion diced/chopped
Brown Hamburger meat and onions together

Add 1 pkg. of 2 Alarm Chili Mix
CAUTION: Add only “a little bit” of Red Pepper in the Chili Mix—approximately ¾ of TSP.
Do not use MESSA that comes in package.
Add large can of Tomato Juice—approx. 46 oz.
Add 1 can of crushed tomatoes—15 oz.
Done in 30 minutes—


Jennifer’s Tortilla Soup
October, 2005

1 Chicken—Whole Chicken cut-up, boiled and de-boned
1 onion chopped
3 Roma tomatoes chopped
1 bundle of green onions chopped
¾ bundle of cilantro leaves chopped—leaves only
3 cans of chicken broth (approx. 15 oz. each)
1 can whole kernel corn (15 oz.)—not drained
1 can black beans (15 oz.)—not drained
1 can rotel tomatoes and green chilis—not drained
1 can red enchilada sauce (approx. 12-14 oz.)
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ package of chili seasoning mix
1 ¼ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 TBSP Flour
About 10 oz. or ¾ of a 16 oz. cube of Velveeta Mexican Cheese (Mild) cut into small cubes

DIRECTIONS:
Boil and de-bone chicken

Combine chicken broth, onions, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, corn, black beans, canned rotel tomatoes, enchilada sauce, and spices and flour in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir occasionally.

Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add chicken and cheese. Simmer for additional 30 minutes. Stir frequently so cheese doesn’t fall to bottom and scorch.

Ready to eat. Serve with cornbread, crackers, tortilla strips, etc.

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Gig'em Aggies!

Chili Dinner--Parking Suggestions

Our driveway will be clear tomorrow evening when you arrive for our Christmas Dinner. Please feel free to park in the driveway. We can conceivably park nine vehicles in the driveway if folks are not afraid to have someone parked behind them. Since most of these kinds of parties usually break up at the same time, I encourage you to take advantage of this convenient parkings space if it is available when you arrive. Even if you do get pinned in, those behind you will always be willing to let you out if you have to leave before they are ready to leave.

Another option is to park at the dead-end segment of Spring Creek. As you approach the intersection of Spring Creek and Turtle Rock Loop, you will notice that Spring Creek goes straight ahead to a dead end. It is permissible to park on the curb on either side of this T-shaped dead end and walk around the corner to our house.

Finally, if you prefer, you may certainly park on the side of the street. Just please be careful not to block any of the neighbor's driveways.

Give me a call if you get lost. 979-695-1684.

Jimmy

December 13, 2009--Who is God--Part 2

Today in Sunday School, we viewed the second half of the video lesson from The Truth Project in which Dr. Del Tackett addresses the question, "Who is God?" According to the Truth Project, "Knowing God is absolutely central to the meaning of human life, for it is only in the context of intimate, personal relationship with Him that we experience eternal life." (Lesson 4 Leader Guide, p.1)

In the first half of this lesson, Dr. R.C. Sproul describes our era as one in which the knowledge of God has been eclipsed. I think this is a great description of what is happening with God and His Word in our culture and our world. In other words, even though there have been efforts to do so, the truth and the knowledge of God have not been destroyed. However, they have been obscured and shadowed by lies and misconceptions. Dr. Tackett addresses some of the attacks that have been leveled against God's Word during the video segment we watched today. He answered the objections of Voltaire, Robert Ingersoll, and liberal theologians such as Julius Wellhausen and members of the Jesus Seminar. He also demonstrated the Bible's historical accuracy by helping us resolve an apparent scriptural discrepancy concerning the dates of King Jehoram's reign.

R.C. Sproul made the statement that the establishment of two basic points related to God and His Word will make "90%" of the case for God. The two basic points are: 1) The existence of God, and 2) The credibility (accuracy and inerrancy) of His Word. Certainly, it seems reasonable that if we can establish with a non-believer that God does indeed exist and that the Bible is the all-powerful, all-inclusive, inerrant perfect Word of God, we can help that non-believer reach a saving Grace in Jesus Christ.

Much of today's lesson focused on the names of God, specifically, the name "El Qanna." Dr. Tackett made the point that names matter and when God gives himself a name, it describes a fundamental characteristic of God. He describes "El Qanna" as the God who is a consuming fire, jealous for the purity of the covenant relationship. When this knowledge dawns upon us, we can expect a couple of things. One is that the revelation of God's character is likely to reveal things to us about ourselves. Just as the prophet Isaiah declared, "Woe is me, for I am undone!"(Isaiah 6:5), we may be inclined to recognize our failures before God. Even though such a revelation will surely drive us to despair, He raises us and shows us who we can be in Him.

Today's episode helps us to understand that we should all have a thirst for the Word of God. The "thirst" should be so strong that we will not be deterred from spending time and energy in God's Word! Dr. Tackett states, "Knowing God ought to be our passion and our highest goal; for until we look upon His face, we cannot rightly know ourselves or begin to grasp the meaning of our existence in the world." (The Truth Project--Lesson 4 Leader Guide, p. 1).

Next week, the class will begin looking at the question, "What is truth?" This segment is fairly extensive and will address issues of science and the existence of an all-powerful, omnipotent, omni-present, God of the Universe. I hope you will make plans to be present for his intriguing presentation.