New Link for ...Pumpkin Biscotti

Pumpkin Biscotti

Pre -heat oven to 350 F

(Soak 1 cup raisins in warm water for 5 minutes & drain)

Place in a large bowl:

½ cup melted (lightly browned) butter

1 cup brown sugar

4 beaten eggs

2 Tablespoons vanilla extract

½ cup mashed canned pumpkin

STIR

Add

4-5 cups Flour

3 Tablespoons Pumpkin Pie spice

1 cup soaked raisins

2 Tablespoons Baking Powder

STIR

Coat hands with Oil and form three long flattened rolls

Place on cookie sheet

Bake 1/2 hour @ 350 F

Let cool 15 minutes

Slice each portion at an angle

Place sliced side down

Bake for 12 minutes to lightly brown

Flip and Bake another 12 minutes to lightly brown

Let cool

Glaze

Glaze

½ cup melted butter

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Mix and add a few tablespoons of regular OR evaporated milk

While mixing till desired consistency is achieved

Drizzle glaze on cooled Biscotti

Store in airtight container after glaze has dried.

© Monika Hardy

Are both your oars in the water?

"It was Lord who put into my mind (I could feel His hand upon me) that fact that it would be possible to sail from here to the Indies. All who heard of my project rejected it with laughter, ridiculing me. There is no question that the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit, because He comforted me with rays of marvelous inspiration from the Holy Scriptures."
.....from HIS journals
~Christopher Columbus

Been ridiculed for your faith lately?
Or do you just blend in and stop others from taking sail?
Start moving and let God direct the outcome.

© Monika Hardy

Romans 12:9-16
The professed love of Christians to each other should be sincere, free from deceit, and unmeaning and deceitful compliments. Depending on Divine grace, they must detest and dread all evil, and love and delight in whatever is kind and useful. We must not only do that which is good, but we must cleave to it. All our duty towards one another is summed up in one word, love. This denotes the love of parents to their children; which is more tender and natural than any other; unforced, unconstrained. And love to God and man, with zeal for the gospel, will make the wise Christian diligent in all his wordly business, and in gaining superior skill. God must be served with the spirit, under the influences of the Holy Spirit. He is honoured by our hope and trust in him, especially when we rejoice in that hope. He is served, not only by working for him, but by sitting still quietly, when he calls us to suffer. Patience for God's sake, is true piety. Those that rejoice in hope, are likely to be patient in tribulation. We should not be cold in the duty of prayer, nor soon weary of it. Not only must there be kindness to friends and brethren, but Christians must not harbour anger against enemies. It is but mock love, which rests in words of kindness, while our brethren need real supplies, and it is in our power to furnish them. Be ready to entertain those who do good: as there is occasion, we must welcome strangers. Bless, and curse not. It means thorough good will; not, bless them when at prayer, and curse them at other times; but bless them always, and curse not at all. True Christian love will make us take part in the sorrows and joys of each other. Labour as much as you can to agree in the same spiritual truths; and when you come short of that, yet agree in affection. Look upon worldly pomp and dignity with holy contempt. Do not mind it; be not in love with it. Be reconciled to the place God in his providence puts you in, whatever it be. Nothing is below us, but sin. We shall never find in our hearts to condescend to others, while we indulge conceit of ourselves; therefore that must be mortified.~ Matthew Henry

© Monika Hardy

There are few joys in life compared to having a grandchild.
Raising sons was wonderful, enjoying Grand daughters is delightful,
and now God has blessed us with a tiny little man child of a Grandson!
Ok, so maybe not so little at 9lbs 11ozs! All in all, the experience is so wonderful.
He brings pride and joy to the family, and it is so precious
to see his older sisters so gently pouring love out on him.
Nathanael Bradford Hardy,
named partly in honor of his Grandfather "Bradford"
is a little man who seems to have been here all along.
Wrapped in any blanket in the home that is NOT pink,
gently napping in the sunshine, and accepting all sorts of hugs and kisses.

Jesus loves you little one, sleep tight.

© Monika Hardy

What if God's People Prayed?

Jesus, I Believe

first published....Jan 31st, 2010

The third track on the New Release…Who Can Mind the Journey is, Jesus I Believe.

There is a time in each of our lives when darkness surrounds, the walls cave in, and we don’t think we can take another step or take another breath because the wind has been knocked out of us. We can wallow in the mire of self pity and waste precious moments of life, or we can believe what the Lord has told us and continue to walk in faith. Life is full of hurt and pain and misery, and misery sure loves company, but what if we trusted our healer to heal the broken heart, to mend the shattered soul? What if we turned to Jesus instead of the newest book, instead of picking up the phone, instead of talk shows? My Jesus wrote the manual for life, He wrote love letters to my soul, and within them are promises that He will keep!

He will never leave me or forsake me.

He is able to handle everything that concerns me.

He loves me with an everlasting love.

I am safe in His hands and always will be, and so are you!

God always keeps His promises!

Listen to the song...Jesus I Believe

© Monika Hardy

Old Fashioned Redwork

The heavens declare the glory of God;
and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psalm 19:1

My handiwork is nowhere near what God has made,
but it does keep my hands from being idle.
Redwork is a handiwork that traveled over to America from Europe
prior to the time of the War between the States.
I love the simplicity of the work.
Even while resting, we can keep our hands busy,
a few stitches at a time and
Voila! you have something to show for your time.
There are many patterns or iron on transfers
to make your Redwork easier,
or draw your own and trace onto Muslin.
I just finished the piece below and will most likely turn it
into a wall hanging and then off to begin
an Herb Rosemary Herb Pattern on a Flour Sack.

For more information check out Rissa Peace Root's
very comprehensive post....
A Redwork Embroidery Primer

© Monika Hardy

Quilting

It has been such a pleasure to be able to make some time to be able to put together a quilt top. I've been taking lessons from a friend who is offering a quilting class to ladies.
I've have sewn many things throughout my years, but never a quilt top. We used a Crazy Quilt Pattern, a variation of a nine patch. I've done just a bit at a time for the past 6 months. I don't like to use my seam ripper at all and wanted to make sure I was doing every step just right,
so I put it together piece by piece over time to insure that
the seam ripper would never need to be used.
We were given wonderful instruction and the choice of using many different fabrics that she has accumulated over the years to construct the quilt. Fellowship among the ladies is also included :)

When the quilt is finished it will be donated to a local Pregnancy center. It has been such a blessing to pray while sewing and asking God to bless and care for the child and family that will receive this Quilt. There is more stitching and praying to be done, but I wanted to share this with you so that you can help me pray for the little one that will receive this blanket. It was made for a little girl in mind as I chose fabrics with a Old Victorian Theme in mind.

Oh, and you might keep me in your prayers too,
to keep the evil seam ripper away :)

God Bless you Debi, and thanks!

© Monika Hardy

100 Years Ago Today

In the year of our Lord 1910
on the twentieth day of the month of July,
one hundred years ago...

The Christian Endeavor Society of Missouri
began a campaign to ban all motion pictures
that depicted kissing between non-relatives.

© Monika Hardy

Happy Birthday America!

Our National Anthem sung by a young girl who couldn't even talk till she was 3 due to autism.

Father may we, Your children, endevour to serve You with all our heart, soul and might!
May You be glorified in all that we do and say.
May You accept our repentance as individuals and as a country,
as we celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the United States of America.
Many have died to make and keep her free,
but only One died set us ALL free to serve You...thank you Jesus!
Happy Independence Day America!
May you know true freedom and independence in Jesus!
When the Son sets you free, you are free indeed!

© Monika Hardy