Letter Writing

Letter writing. The main form of communication that used to be and is used no more. What made people stop writing letters? Impatience and the creation of technology perhaps? Hm.

Do you remember the last time you got a letter? How did you feel when you saw that it was from a special friend and not a bill collector? 

More and more I find myself frustrated with the way things are in this world. As useful as technology can be to me...it is also a burden. I'm determined to start writing letters. Now that I am old enough to appreciate small things like that...I think the people I will write to will also appreciate it. 

A friend of mine posted a letter from a Civil War soldier on Facebook today. As simple as writing a letter can be...this letter holds so much within it. Imagine...a time when the only way someone could get news to a loved one was through paper and pen. How impatient are we today when we call someone, let it ring three times, and if they don't pick up we gripe about it. (guilty)

I'd like to share this soldier's letter with you, if you will take the time to read it. How beautiful it is. How much things have changed in the way people think, speak, and feel. I pray God never lets me lose my emotion and simplicity.

July the 14th, 1861

Washington D.C.

My very dear Sarah:

The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days-perhaps tomorrow. Lest I should not be able to write you again, I feel impelled to write lines that may fall under your eye when I shall be no more.

Our movement may be one of a few days duration and full of pleasure-and it may be one of severe conflict and death to me. Not my will, but thine O God, be done. If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing-perfectly willing-to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt.

But, my dear wife, when I know that with my own joys I lay down nearly all of yours, and replace them in this life with cares and sorrows-when, after having eaten for long years the bitter fruit of orphanage myself, I must offer it as their only sustenance to my dear little children-is it weak or dishonorable, while the banner of my purpose floats calmly and proudly in the breeze, that my unbounded love for you, my darling wife and children, should struggle in fierce, though useless, contest with my love of country?

I cannot describe to you my feelings on this calm summer night, when two thousand men are sleeping around me, many of them enjoying the last, perhaps, before that of death-and I, suspicious that Death is creeping behind me with his fatal dart, am communing with God, my country, and thee.

I have sought most closely and diligently, and often in my breast, for a wrong motive in thus hazarding the happiness of those I loved and I could not find one. A pure love of my country and of the principles have often advocated before the people and “the name of honor that I love more than I fear death” have called upon me, and I have obeyed.

Sarah, my love for you is deathless, it seems to bind me to you with mighty cables that nothing but Omnipotence could break; and yet my love of Country comes over me like a strong wind and bears me irresistibly on with all these chains to the battlefield.

The memories of the blissful moments I have spent with you come creeping over me, and I feel most gratified to God and to you that I have enjoyed them so long. And hard it is for me to give them up and burn to ashes the hopes of future years, when God willing, we might still have lived and loved together and seen our sons grow up to honorable manhood around us. I have, I know, but few and small claims upon Divine Providence, but something whispers to me-perhaps it is the wafted prayer of my little Edgar-that I shall return to my loved ones unharmed. If I do not, my dear Sarah, never forget how much I love you, and when my last breath escapes me on the battlefield, it will whisper your name.

Forgive my many faults, and the many pains I have caused you. How thoughtless and foolish I have often been! How gladly would I wash out with my tears every little spot upon your happiness, and struggle with all the misfortune of this world, to shield you and my children from harm. But I cannot. I must watch you from the spirit land and hover near you, while you buffet the storms with your precious little freight, and wait with sad patience till we meet to part no more.

But, O Sarah! If the dead can come back to this earth and flit unseen around those they loved, I shall always be near you; in the garish day and in the darkest night-amidst your happiest scenes and gloomiest hours-always, always; and if there be a soft breeze upon your cheek, it shall be my breath; or the cool air fans your throbbing temple, it shall be my spirit passing by.

Sarah, do not mourn me dead; think I am gone and wait for thee, for we shall meet again.

As for my little boys, they will grow as I have done, and never know a father’s love and care. Little Willie is too young to remember me long, and my blue-eyed Edgar will keep my frolics with him among the dimmest memories of his childhood. Sarah, I have unlimited confidence in your maternal care and your development of their characters. Tell my two mothers his and hers I call God’s blessing upon them. O Sarah, I wait for you there! Come to me, and lead thither my children.

Sullivan

Summer Project: Phase one

Alas dear readers...today, thanks to my wonderful father, the beginning phase of my vegetable garden came into play. 

I will post more pictures as I go along, but here is the first one!!!

I wasn't really much help because those railroad ties are stinking heavy! But I was there for moral support and had my little crow bar to scoot and straighten the ties out. 

All in all a good evening! A big thanks to my daddy for his big muscles and soon green thumb to get our garden growing!

*happy sigh*

Good morning lovely friends :)

The sun is shining today...

:)

I was sitting at my desk praying before I start this wonderful Friday, and I realized that not only was the sun shining, but the birds were singing. 

That fresh springy feeling bubbled up inside of me as it always does when the weather is perfect...I know, I know...I sound like Polyanna. Can you blame a girl that has the most wonderful Jesus ever? I tend to play the glad game a lot ;)

Anyways, I hope you all have a marvelous weekend! I will be going to spend mine with my wonderful Jenkins family. 

Have a tremendously blessed day! Try playing the glad game once or twice ;)

True Warriors

I was going to start this off by apologizing for making all of my latest posts about God...but I'm not sorry. He deserves the praise and the more I testify and talk about Him, the madder satan gets and the smaller he gets. I just love that :)

Any who...for a while now I have been fighting this odd feeling in the pit of my stomach. I could never find the words to describe it. Sometimes it felt like anxiety, sometimes it felt like restlessness...other times it felt like a hunger or desire for something...and it would result in my frustration of not being able to figure it out.

I would spend countless moments crying out to God to fill it or take it away, or even just show me what it was so I could pray about it....but it never came. 

To set some background here...this weekend I spent my time cooped up in the house trying to get over my cold. I didn't have much to do and I didn't really have anyone to talk to. All of a sudden, old fears, doubts, feelings and memories started flooding in that I had been delivered from...and I was so confused. I fought with satan all weekend knowing that I had been delivered but was confused as to why they were all back. 

This morning before service I sat in my chair praying. "God, I'm so tired of fighting this. I'm tired of being stuck in my old ways that I know I have been delivered from. I'm not willing to go back when I have come so far." 

I prayed for the service to be blessed. I prayed that the Lord would send me my own revival and to make me a dissenter based upon Him alone, not every one around me. 

Song service started and I worshiped Him with all of my heart. I was praying for the rapture haha

Anyways, Brother Richard Hyatt spoke today on being a true warrior and what true manliness and women-hood was....then all of a sudden...he started speaking the words I could never find to describe what I was feeling in the pit of my stomach and in my soul at the same time....

What he was talking about...being a true Godly warrior...being brought into real women-hood...that is what I have been craving. 

Finally Brother Rich used a word that just about took my breath away because it was so perfect....

desperate. 

That was it....that feeling in my soul was me being desperate for more of God. Desperate to be a true Godly woman and warrior. 

That anxiety left me at once. That hunger and desire was filled. My soul was no longer filled with frustration but excitement that God had spoken through a wonderful man of God directly to me. 

How incredible. My heart swells with emotion, praise, thankfulness, and love for God. Where would I be without Him? 

I could not live a day without my God leading me, speaking to me, sending me trials. Yes trials. Anything that takes away my pride, shows me more of God, and brings me closer to Him...yea I'll take it. 

I'm excited and determined to reach my spiritual goal and desire for God to bring me into true Godly woman-hood and to make me a Godly warrior for Him. *sigh*...I feel great. 

I know I have used this picture before but I just love it. 

I love worshiping my God. 

Sorry that this was such a long post...but you didn't have to read the whole thing if you didn't want to ;)

I have to give a special thank you to Brother Richard Hyatt for yielding himself to God. By doing that...God spoke to me in a very special way.

God bless friends. May God move in your life in a special way.

Mini Pavlova Extravaganzaaaaa!

Yay, yay, yay! I'm excited about this post! 

I have been sick four days now, with a cold, and have been cooped up in the house!

So today I bundled up in my eskimo boots and scarf and headed to the store to get the items I was lacking to make mini pavlovas! 

"What is pavlova, author of Girasole," you ask? Well dear readers...I will tell you...I have no idea. I just know that it is a delicious dessert. 

But to give a little background...I'll steal the answer from the blog I took this recipe from...one of my favorite follows, myculinarycanvas.com

No one entirely knows who first created Pavlova, but it was introduced to the food scene after a “Russian prima ballerina named Anna Matveyevna Pavlova (1881-1931), toured both Australia and New Zealand in 1926 and Australia again in 1929. Anna Pavlova was considered the greatest ballerina of her time and her visit to New Zealand has been described as “the chief event of 1926.” It was said “She does not dance; she soars as though on wings.” From this you get the sense that this is a light, airy dessert.” 

So there you are. That is what we know about this dessert. 

Here is one of the mini ones I made today...

hehe! Yummy!

If you want to make this full size, here is what it looks like, compliments to the lovely chef over at myculinarycanvas.com

Oooooooo pretty!

And now friends, here is the recipe! Do not be intimidated. This is a very simple recipe.

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

1 1/4 c. white sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 Tsp. lemon juice (or juice from one fresh lemon)

2 tsp. cornstarch

Topping:

1 c. strawberries, sliced

2 kiwi, sliced and skin peeled

1 Tbs. sugar

For Whipping cream:

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1 tsp almond extract (optional..I don't use it)

3 to 4 tsp of sugar (also optional - this gives the whipped cream a little bit of sweetness)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper(I never have this so I lightly spray the pan with PAM). Draw a 9 inch circle on the parchment paper.

In a large bowl, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually add in the sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat until thick and glossy. Over-beaten egg whites lose volume and deflate when folded into other ingredients. Be absolutely sure not a particle of grease or egg yolk gets into the whites. Gently fold in vanilla extract, lemon juice and cornstarch.

Spoon mixture inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper. Working from the center, spread mixture toward the outside edge, building and piling the edge slightly (I recommend going even thicker of a pile than what is pictured). This should leave a slight depression in the center.

Bake for 1 hour. Turn off oven and leave pavlova undisturbed until completely cooled off. You can leave it there overnight or for another hour or two.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl place the sliced strawberries and sprinkle the 1 Tbsp. sugar over top and mix to coat all the berries. Refrigerate while pavlova is baking. Then in a chilled bowl, beat heavy cream until stiff peaks form; add in the almond extract and powdered sugar if desired and beat additionally until well combined; set aside. Remove the paper, and place meringue on a flat serving plate. Fill the center of the meringue with whipped cream, strawberries, and kiwifruit slices.

I hope you try it! If you do please leave me comments on how it turned out!!!

Have a lovely Saturday friends!

7 Year Anniversary

Today as I was reading my devotional book, A Woman After God's Own Heart, by Elizabeth George, she started the chapter off about her tenth spiritual birthday. This struck a question in my mind..."How old am I spiritually?" 

I immediately went to the first year I had ever been at Winter Youth Retreat. I was 13, and a junior staff. That was when I received the Holy Ghost. 

...seven years. Seven wonderful years serving the Lord on my own. And you know what? I wouldn't trade it for anything.

I can look back and see how God brought me through junior high...how my desires started changing, and how He changed my dad's heart about homeschooling. How He brought my family through the transition of losing everything we owned and gaining a wonderful new home and job for my dad. 

I love that God blessed me with the most amazing missions trip ever, and during that time closed the door to three colleges and opening the door to the one I'm in now...I can now see His tender hand and perfect plan while carrying me through the worst broken heart I've ever experienced. 

He now has me in the position where I feel completely free for the first time in a few years. He is doing things in my life I never thought would happen, and more importantly He is doing things in my soul that I cannot describe with words.

I look back...and all I see is God. 

Do you know what I think of when I think of God?...

A powerful storm...

The raging seas...

Psalm 93:4 The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

A majestic lion...

"He's wild you know. Not like a tame lion." 

The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Warm sun rays breaking through the trees...

I think of His power...and yet of His tenderness. I don't think I could ever fathom how much He really loves me. 

I hope you don't mind that I brag on Him...He deserves it. 

But alas, I have run out of words to describe my almighty savior....so for now, I'll just praise Him quietly in my heart. Where, even when I can't find the words to speak to Him...He hears me.