Using up the Old and a Gentle Reminder...

Good Afternoon to one and all...

It is a beautiful sunny day here today but I am trying to do the dreaded taxes:)  I work for an hour or two and then work at something else... I don't want my brain to clog... smile..

I have been trying for the last few weeks to work on eating up some of our put up food.... frozen and canned...

So, this morning I made a couple of batches of cooked strawberry jam... I decided to buy a few packages of fresh ones that were on sale and mix them..  I find the jam is much fresher tasting..

I really washed the fresh ones well, though and just mixed them with the frozen...  

As you can see there were quite a few bottles and it tastes really good...

After; I worked a bit more on the papers and then decided to make a pan of my Dad's favorite treat...

I used to love making these for him when he would visit .. It is hard to believe that he has gone Home now for over 22 years.

Whenever I make strawberry jam I remember these squares and how Dad loved them...

I thought you might like the recipe...

ENGLISH TEA SQUARES...

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar  (I use splenda)

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups sifted flour

1/4 tsp. allspice

1 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup strawberry jam ( I use 3/4 cup)

3 T. confectioners sugar (I forgot)

Beat butter and sugar until fluffy and then add egg and vanilla.. 

Stir well...Add flour, allspice and almonds and blend well.. 

Spoon half of mixture into lightly greased 9 inch pan.. 

Carefully spread strawberry jam over top and then add rest of crumb mixture.. Pat down.

Bake in 350 degrees oven for 40 minutes...

Remove to cooking rack and sift confectioners sugar on the top... 

Makes 3 dozen... 

Lovely with a nice hot cup of tea... 

I was reading a book last night after I had gone to bed... It is a book about a family who lived in  Ireland many years ago..

It is not one of the best books I have ever read by far but as I was reading it a paragraph that was written made me pause..

The writer was talking about the love of God...

He compared God`s love to a cloak that we wrap around us...

He stated that no matter what we go through in life that God`s love surrounds us and shields us like a cloak...

Isn`t that a wonderful comparison....  

Nothing happens to us as His child unless He allows it to.. He will not let us go through anything alone and everything that happens to us is approved by Him... He holds us in the palm of His hand. 

I had to lay the book down and ask His forgiveness for the many times that I have feared instead of trusting Him.. I needed to  thank Him for His love... I am a mother who needs to remember this daily...The book stated that the opposite of love is actually fear... How true... Perfect love casteth out all fear...  I realize that I need to put my trust in His Hands that my children are in His palm.... Whatever happens in my life is blessed by Him because I am His child... I love Him and I need to trust Him always...When troubles come He places us in the cleft of the rock and covers us with His Hand... We are safe... He protects...

I am thankful that I read that.. Sometimes, even though we are His child we need a gentle reminder to put not just ourselves but our families or whatever circumstances we are in right back into His care...

What an awesome God:)

Thanks again for dropping by... 

Blessings...