Granola Recipe

I recently found a delicious granola recipe and had a lot of fun making it. So I thought I would share it :-).

Granola

Stir together in a large mixing bowl:

10 cups quick cooking oats

1 cup coconut flakes

1 cup wheat germ

Place in a saucepan and heat just until warmed:

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups safflower oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup*

3/4 cup honey

1/2 tsp. strawberry flavoring

1 1/2 tsp vanilla flavoring

1/4 cup water

Pour liquid mixture over grains and mix with a heavy spoon until combined.

Place granola mixture onto large baking sheets or into a roaster pan. Layer 1 inch thick and bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

Remove from baking sheet and place immediately into a large container. Repeat baking granola until all the granola has been baked and trnasferred into a container. Leave container open to cool completely.

Add into granola mixture**:

1/2 cup banana chips

1 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup dried pineapple dices

1/4 cup dried blueberries

1/2 cup raisins

1/4 cup dried sweetened cranberries

1/2 cup dried apple pieces

Stir well to combine all fruits into granola. Cover with a tight lid. Keeps on pantry shelf for 4-6 weeks. Serve with milk or yogurt. 





* I did not add maple syrup. I just used the 3/4 cup honey and it turned out great.

** I used a mixture of dried blueberries, cranberries, cherries, dates, and pineapple.

Hope you enjoy!





Until I Learned

Until I learned to trust,

I never learned to pray;

I never learned to fully trust

'Till sorrows came my way.

Until I felt my weakness,

His strength I never knew--

Nor dreamed 'till I was stricken

That He would see me through.

Who deepest drinks of sorrow,

Drinks deepest, too, of grace;

He sends the storm, so He Himself

Can be our hiding place.

 His heart that seeks our highest good,

Knows well when things annoy;

We would not long for heaven

If earth held only joy.

- Copied

Reasons For Affliction In The Christian Life

On Sunday evening, I had the privilege of hearing a missionary preach at my church. His sermon title was "Responding to Adversity and Affliction in the Christian Life."  What he had to say through God's Word was so encouraging to me. I thought I'd share a few of the notes I took.

So many times when I go through a difficult time, I wonder why I am having to go through that problem. Here are some answers to my question. :-)

Conformity. God brings trials in our life to conform us to Him.  Romans 8:28,29. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren."

Dependence. Trials bring us to a place of dependence upon God. II Corinthians 12:7-10. "And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore take I pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong."

Patience. Trials make us more patient. Romans 5:3 "And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;"  James 1:2,3 "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

Ministry. God allows affliction to prepare us to minister to others. II Corinthians 1:3-5. "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ."

Restoration. Sometimes God sends us trials to restore us, to 'straighten us out'. Psalm 119:67 "Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word."  Psalm 119:71 "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."

Godliness.  Hebrews 12:6-11. "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. Furthermore, if we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall not we much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peacable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby."

Reward.  Suffering will bring us reward. I Peter 1:6,7 "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"