No Fancy Fare or Wear
Good evening sisters in Christ!
And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Acts 2:46
I love verse how they ate with gladness and singleness of heart. Singleness is like simplicity. I'm sure their meals weren't fancy like the kings or what we see today in the average household. No, I'm not here to bash the way anyone cooks, you can cook however you like and do it heartily as unto the Lord :-) I just share our simple life to encourage others that do so, you're not strange or alone. In a world where there's food on every corner (here in America anyway), plastered all over the highways on billboards, all over the internet etc, I want to be a refreshing light of simplicity in all ways, even food.
This is a big deal because sisters have to cook for their family and it can consume a lot of time. Although it is a very enjoyable task (one that I really like to do), it can be taken too far in that you cause your own stress. I did a post a while ago called Eat This Not That (click the words to read it) and how people get swept away in organics etc, others get swept away in complex dishes and fancy desserts etc. It can all take you away if you're not careful.
I'm blessed because I have only one burner for a stove so I had to simplify and downsize our food choices. Today I thought I'd post something that might make some of you smile.
An old staple meal, super inexpensive, easy to make and a comfort food. Brother Jim asked what I was making for dinner and when I said 'Tuna Casserole', he got really excited and said in a boisterous voice...
I'M A BLESSED MAN!
I thought that was pretty funny considering all my ingredients are generic and I don't even add milk or butter to the macaroni.
We saved the other half for leftovers tomorrow, which we like to eat cold. For lunch we had a salad, that made me smile as I love my veggies but had to give them up raw for a while. Seems I can do them again here and there anyway.
Often we don't use dressing on our salads and just salt them well, or if it's like a mexican type (sorta like this one) I'll put a bit of salsa on it. I also found some awesome freeze dried soup packets the last time we were at the discount food store.
It's a small packet with some freeze dried miso soup base with tofu and seaweed. (No, I don't seek such things out but happened to see a big bag with many packets in it for $2 so I thought I'd try it.) You just put the square in the cup...
Add 6 oz of boiling water and let it sit 5-8 minutes. I like to add a few pinches of freeze dried veggies to add a bit more bulk and then toss in a few oyster crackers which always turn stale on me before we use them up so they are a perfect filler for something like this.
We had some for a snack today in the late afternoon. For breakfasts we usually split a protein bar from the huge box we bought early this summer at the discount store. Or have a slice of peanut butter and jam bread. Nothing fancy and no big fuss, I like that. Anyway, we're just thankful to be servants of the Lord, living a simple life on the road, being available for whoever has 'ears to hear'. The Lord is too good to us saints to allow us to handle His precious, life giving Word. Let's not take that lightly.
Another thing that's not fancy here is our clothing. I just found a shirt at the thrift store and didn't want the long sleeves so I cut it mid length and glued the hem.
That liquid stitch is awesome, well for me it is. It leaves what looks like a water mark on the shirt because of the glue but I could care less, I'm just grateful to have a shirt.
Brother Jim had to do another small project on the inside of the van so I went out and was sitting outside. I saw a few seagulls flying by so I got some bread and tossed it all over the parking lot. It wasn't 5 minutes and a bunch of them were flying around waiting for me to give them some space.
People get really irritated with these birds when there are too many. They can become a nuisance so I might not be appreciated for feeding them. That's okay, we're not really appreciated wherever we go so it really doesn't matter to me.
Some blackbirds came in also. The sun reflecting on them shows their different blue and green colors.
When we pulled into the lot, brother Jim said that maybe some of the (many) beggars in the area might sleep in the sheds there and when I went for a walk (while he was working) I looked inside them to find that it looks like they do.
This one had a white tarp in the corner with a couple pillows in it.
This one had some of their garbage they left there. As we drive through towns that have a lot of beggars we can spot their hangouts from all the trash they leave behind, it's pretty bad.
I saw this empty tent in the lot and thought about how Abraham sat in the door of his tent in the heat of the day, Genesis 18.
Go read Genesis 18, it's one of my favorite passages as it is surely the same today only sometimes we wonder if there will even be 3 to escape!!!
Hebrews 10:30-31
For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people.
It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
People don't fear God. I told brother Jim that I was thinking of going back to using my 'Fear God, Repent' sign on the streets because few do (fear God). (Or virtually none that we find.) It's a serious thing being a servant of the Lord and just as our Savior said, there are few. Sadly, many we come across lack true biblical love of the brethren and will stand before a Holy God for it on judgement day. We warn and warn and warn but to some, no avail. Brother Jim has an article about biblical love of the brethren, HERE.If we were to go before the Lord as Abraham did and ask that He spare the righteous out of just one state in the US, I wonder if any would escape.
Matthew 24:11-12
And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
Yep, we see it all over but the remnant is out there, few and far between as are the workers, so let us be diligent in our duties sisters.
Brother Jim's been merciful to me as I've had a few rough days so we're hanging out in one spot for a bit but planning on heading to our next destination tomorrow. Looks like some sign flying and street preaching coming up on Friday, Lord willing, and we may encounter some angry Amish. They hate the word and truth just as much as the worldly carnal churches but they need to be warned also. It's strange, this life of evangelism because we know the police will be called (as they usually are) and people will be mad (as they usually are) and hate the truth (as they usually do) but we go anyway....the Holy Spirit driving us. Is the Holy Spirit driving you? Or are you driving Him away in disobedience? I pray you all are striving on, pressing through and shining that beacon of hope to those around you!
Praises to God Almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I'm glad to be a humble servant and hope you are too. Press on sisters, strive...
Luke 13:24
Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able.
This isn't a fancy post either:-) but it's done in love to you all sisters, meager as it is.
I pray you all stand strong.
Blessings and peace,
Sister Deb
The biblical gospel...
https://www.dontperish.com/the-gospel.html