WHEN CHANGE COMES
(Recipe: Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Cake)


I have been teaching through the book of Ruth in my home Bible study. I love this little book. Although very little of God is mentioned in the book, God is vividly portrayed throughout its pages.

A few years ago when Paul retired from District ministry, I also left my post as the DS wife. I remember sharing with the other pastors’ wives a devotional from this book. I used the acronym CHANGE for my message. Ruth was the perfect book for this as there were certainly many changes that took place in her and Naomi’s life. Let me share these thoughts with you.

C – Contentment. In the beginning of Naomi’s life (as well as Ruth) they were women who enjoyed contentment. They were content in their surroundings, their family, their relationships and where God had placed them. Life seemed to be good.

H – Heartache. Then they were asked to endure some heartache. First Naomi’s husband died. Then the husbands of Ruth and Orpah died; who were Naomi’s only sons. None of these women were prepared for this kind of heartache. Not only did they lose the love of their lives, they lost the men who provided them security.

A – Accepting a new plan. Alone and frightened these women had to make a choice that would drastically change their circumstances. Naomi was returning to her homeland. She encouraged Ruth & Orpah to return to their homeland as well. Naomi was insistent they do this. Orpah agreed; Ruth did not. She accepted a new plan for her life. Rather than return to Moab and the land of idols, she returned with Naomi to Bethlehem.

N – Nothing but God. Ruth had come from a very idolatrous country. Having lived with Naomi and Elimelech; being married to their son Mahlon, and being taught about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Ruth fell in love with their God. She had come to depend on him. Trust him. Love him. And when heartache entered her life, she confessed she wanted to follow him no matter where he took her. She said to Naomi, “Your God will be my God.” If God was enough for Naomi, God was enough for her and her future was safely in His hands.

E – Enjoying God’s blessings. Truly, with God in your life you have no need for anything else, and with God in your life, he keeps pouring out blessing upon blessing. This was true for Ruth. Within God’s plan for her life, she found the right field to glean barley in. When the owner saw Ruth working, he was taken with her character and showed her kindness. The field she chose was owned by a near relative (although Ruth did not know this). When confronted with the possibility of becoming her Kingsman-Redeemer, he did not hesitate. Ultimately Ruth and Boaz were married. A son was born to them. Naomi was overjoyed. God’s blessings continued throughout many generations. It was through their son Obed and the lineage to follow that our Savior, Jesus was born.

Does God have some changes taking place in your life today? You can trust him. Through heartache or joy, let God be at the center and He will see you through. Don’t run from CHANGE in your life; embrace it as an exciting adventure you and God will go on together.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER ICE CREAM CAKE

4 cups rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
6 oz. semisweet Chocolate, chopped
¾ cup creamy peanut butter (not natural)
3 pints chocolate chip or other ice cream

Place cereal in bowl. In small pan, combine the chocolate and peanut butter. Cook over low heat, stirring until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth (about 2 minutes). Add the chocolate-peanut butter mixture to the cereal and mix to coat. Spread into the bottom and 1-1/2 inches up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Freeze until set, about 10 minutes.

Let the ice cream soften at room temperature just until spreadable, about 10 minutes. Spread ice cream evenly into the chilled crust and freeze until firm – 4 hours and up to 2 days.

INDEPENDENCE DAY
(Mamie Eisenhower’s Million Dollar Fudge)

As I stand at my kitchen window I can see the fireworks display coming from a local park. I love the noise, the beauty in the shower of lights, the excitement – all to celebrate July 4th – our Independence Day, which has been celebrated every year on July 4 since l776 – 215 years ago.

Independence Day honors the birthday of the United States of America and the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. It's a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks, and a reason to fly the American flag.

In July 1776, the estimated number of people living in the newly independent nation was 2.5 million.

Today, the nation's estimated population on this July Fourth is 311.7 million.

We claim our Nation is ‘The Land of the Free’ – and it is. Yet I’m afraid we take our freedom for granted. Yet this should not be. Freedom always comes with a cost. Many men and women have given their lives so this country might remain free. We are deeply indebted to each one of them. Without their sacrifice, this Nation and our lives would be very different.

To be “free” is defined this way - “enjoying personal rights or liberty, as a person who is not in slavery; a land of free people”.

Every day we enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness because we are not enslaved to bondage or slavery. We are a free people.

As Christians, we are indebted to the One who was willing to sacrifice His life so that we could be free from slavery to sin. Jesus went to the cross and died for you and me. If he had not done this, where would we be? Still living a life enslaved in our sin. Still living a life which offers no joy or peace. We would have no hope, and no assurance of eternal life. But Jesus did die. He willingly gave his life. He became our sacrifice for freedom; just as men and women have done in the past.

On this Fourth of July, I want to thank these brave young people who sacrificially gave their lives so this Nation might remain free. Thank you.

I want to thank God’s Son, Jesus, who sacrificially gave His life on the Cross at Calvary so this sinner might be free from slavery to sin. Because of Jesus I can enjoy freedom from the bondage of sin and have assurance and hope of eternal life.

Are you enjoying this same freedom? I truly hope so. If not, ask Jesus to show you how you can experience the joy of being free from the bondage of sin.

Romans 5:6-8 – “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this, While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Romans 10:9-10 – “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.”


Mamie’s (Eisenhower) Million Dollar Fudge

4 1/2 cups sugar pinch of salt 2 tablespoons butter 1 tall can evaporated milk 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate bits 12 ounces German-sweet chocolate 1 pint marshmallow cream 2 cups nutmeats

Boil the sugar, salt, butter, evaporated milk together for six minutes.

Put chocolate bits and German chocolate, marshmallow cream and nutmeats in a bowl. Pour the boiling syrup over the ingredients. Beat until chocolate is all melted, then pour in pan.

Let stand a few hours before cutting. Remember it is better the second day. Store in tin box.