What Does the World Need?

 

Since the pandemic began back in March, I have found much of online world to be a place of discontent and angst and even anger. My response has been to pull back. Blog less frequently . . . read fewer blogs . . . engage less.
 

But what the world needs is not more complaining, more politics, or more temporary and worldly solutions. 

What we need is an eternal perspective. We need words of eternal truth. We need hope. We need Christ. 

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 

II Corinthians 4:16-18

Those words from II Corinthians? They are truth. Truth that does not change, no matter what is happening in our world, no matter what the political climate, no matter how you feel or how I feel. 

Did you notice the words light affliction and but for a moment? Oh, our troubles don't feel "light" or "momentary" when they are happening. But in the light of eternity . . . everything else is infinitesimally small. 

This poem by Amy Carmichael challenges my "silken self." Maybe it will speak to you too. 

FLAME OF GOD

From prayer that asks that I may be

Sheltered from winds that beat on Thee,

From fearing when I should aspire, 

From faltering when I should climb higher,

From silken self, O Captain, free

Thy soldier who would follow Thee.

From subtle love of softening things,

From easy choices, weakenings,

(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified.)
From all that dims Thy Calvary,

O Lamb of God, deliver me. 

Give me the love that leads the way,

The faith that nothing can dismay

The hope no disappointments tire,

The passion that will burn like fire,

Let me not sink to be a clod

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

 

Have I posted a pumpkin recipe every fall since I began blogging? Maybe not, but I have posted quite a few over the years. I am a pumpkin spice girl! 

So when we decided to make ice cream for our Anne of Green Gables movie marathon day, I hunted for a pumpkin ice cream recipe and this is what I found. If you're a pumpkin spice girl too, I think you'll enjoy it! (And it only takes a few minutes from start to the freezer!) 

PUMPKIN PIE ICE CREAM 

original recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups heavy whipping cream

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

1/4 cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

dash of ground cloves

Directions:

Beat whipping cream with electric mixer on high until stiff peaks form.

Turn mixer to low; drizzle in sweetened condensed milk.

Fold in remaining ingredients.

Pour into freezer-safe container and freeze for at least four hours or overnight.

For more pumpkin goodness, check out these recipes! 

Five on Friday | Sweetness

Yes, it was a sweet Friday. There was sweetness of all kinds! 

{one} a sweet treat

Sarah and the children arrived bright and early with . . . 

These are all seasonal donuts at Dunkin' right now: spiders, pumpkin, and the brand new ghost pepper donuts! We had had a long conversation about the new donuts on our family group chat, so those of us here today were willing to sample them . . . for research purposes, of course. 

We each braved a small bite of the ghost pepper donut. And we survived! Yes, it was hot, but it was balanced by the sweet strawberry icing. I wouldn't eat a whole one, but it was a fun flavor experiment. 

And, although I observe Halloween not one little bit, I can definitely eat a spider made of a glazed donut and a chocolate Munchkin. 

{two} a sweet story

Today was the day of our Anne of Green Gables marathon. Could there be a sweeter story? I have seen this series so many times, and I never tire of this wholesome, inspiring, well-told story. 

I have so many favorite scenes. When Matthew and Anne make their first drive to Green Gables, Anne chattering away, and then is overcome with the beauty of her surroundings. When Matthew has a heart-to-heart with Anne and persuades her to apologize to Mrs. Lynde. Anne's tender farewell to Marilla and Rachel as she leaves to take a teaching job at Kingsport Ladies' College. 

This is another one, at the train station as Anne has just left for a year at Queens Academy: 

Marilla: I'm afraid for her, Matthew. She'll be gone so long. She'll get terrible lonesome.
Matthew: You mean, we'll get terrible lonesome.
Marilla: I can't help wishing that she'd stayed a little girl.
Matthew: Mrs. Spencer made a lucky mistake, I guess.
Marilla: It wasn't luck; it was Providence. He knew we needed her.
Matthew: Even with her queer little ways.
Marilla: I loved her for them.

{three} a houseful of sweet faces

{four} sweet photos from afar

Kati send a few pictures of our five-month-old grandson Caleb. He is starting to sit up, and as of today, he has two tiny teeth poking through his gums!

{five} another sweet treat!

For our Anne of Green Gables Day lunch, we had chicken salad sandwiches, fruit, and chips, with ice cream for dessert. 

Diana Barry: "I wish I were rich, and I could spend the whole summer at a hotel, eating ice cream and chicken salad." 

I decided to put an autumn spin on our ice cream and I found a recipe for pumpkin pie ice cream. If you are one of those "pumpkin spice in the fall" people (I am), then you'll probably like this sweet treat! I'll share the recipe on my blog next week.