Make My Way Blameless

For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God, the God who girds me with strength and makes my way blameless? He makes my feet like hinds' feet, and sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You have also given me the shield of Your salvation, and Your right hand upholds me; and Your gentleness makes me great. You enlarge my steps under me, and my feet have not slipped. Psalms 18:31-36 and 2 Samuel 22:32-37 

And David spoke the words of this song to the LORD in the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said, I love You, O Lord, my strength. It is recorded both in Psalms 18 2 Samuel 22. Read either passage in its entirety for an uplifting praise to the Lord, for He is worthy of our praise—and David wrote it well. It is God’s training that prepares us for spiritual battle…and that is part of the world that God created—the spiritual realm. See what promises you can claim or training ideas you can gain from those passages.

Training Tip – Are you tired of dealing with whining children? So call upon the Lord (Psalms 18:8).  Have you kept His ways as David did (Psalms 18:21-23)? Children may be exasperating…but remember the gentleness of the Lord (Psalms 18:35) and be gentle with your children—it may surprise them when they are expecting you to lose your cool and fly off the handle at them. The best defense is a strong offense—and a plan. If you have your day planned out, then make a spreadsheet plan so that they can see what is happening that day—hour by hour if necessary. When there is a plan, there is no time for them to whine and try to get you to turn on the TV for them to watch their shows. There should be a time for school, sports/activities, reading storybooks, TV shows, and free playtime or outside playtime included in the Plan of the Day. Here’s an example.

Plan of the Day

Time	Family Member	Activity	Notes
7 AM	Dad/kids	School/work	Rise earlier for shower & breakfast
8-10 AM	Mom/kids	Laundry (M-W-F) /Reading	Children can help with laundry or housework tasks- vacuum/wash walls /windows/clean bathroom sinks.
10- 12AM	Mom/kids	Shop (M & F)/Crafts (T & Th)	Wed – Play date with friends
12 -12:30	Mom/kids	Lunch
12:30 – 1:30	Mom/kids	Rest/Read/Quiet time
1:30 – 2	Mom/kids	Play time (outside weather permitting)
2 – 2:30	Mom/kids	Pick up school age kids
2:30 – 3:30	Mom/kids	Snack/Homework	Give non school children homework style pages to do—work on colors / numbers / letters
3:30-4:00	Kids	Free play time – outside if possible
4:00- 4:30	Kids	Set table and assist with dinner preparation
4:30 – 5:00	Kids	TV time
5:00	Family	Dinner	No whining-TV off promptly at 5PM
6:00	Family	Clean-up
6:30	Family	Devotions – Reading
7 PM	Kids	Bath and Bedtime

 Lord , show us how to be flexible, but organized, with our time that we can honor You. 

Friday’s Feast at the Lord’s Table

Thai Chicken Soup with Coconut Milk (Tom Ka Gai) Our favorite soup that Lisa makes (adapted from About.com Thai Food) is this simple Thai chicken soup has that distinctive Thai flavor - a balance of spicy, salty, sweet and sour. This soup can also provide added health benefits, helping to ward off or treat colds or flu during the fall or winter. Tom Ka Gai can either be served as an appetizer or as the main event (noodles can be added if you're planning to make this soup as a main entree). It is a quick and easy meal that takes less than 20 minutes to prepare. So sip, slurp, and enjoy!

Prep Time: 8 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 6 cups good-quality chicken stock (Serves 2 as the main entree, or 4-6 as an appetizer)
• 1-2 chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces, OR 1-2 cups roasted chicken or turkey
• 1 lemongrass stalk, OR 3 Tbsp. frozen prepared lemongrass
• 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced
• 1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger, grated
• 1-3 fresh red chilies, minced (optional, to taste), OR substitute 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. dried crushed chili
• 1/2 to 1 can good-quality coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2+ Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 tsp. brown sugar (optional, according to taste)
• handful fresh cilantro leaves
• handful fresh basil leaves
• 3 spring (green) onions, sliced
• optional: other vegetables, like sliced bell pepper or cherry tomatoes
• optional: rice or wheat noodles, if serving as the main course – cook separately and serve.

Preparation:

1. Slice and mince the lower portion of the lemongrass stalk. Retain the upper stalk for the soup pot.
2. Place chicken broth in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. If you have leftover chicken or turkey bones, add those too. Bring to a boil.
3. Add fresh chicken (or leftover chicken or turkey) and mushrooms. Also add the prepared lemongrass (including upper stalk pieces), plus fresh chili. Boil 5-8 minutes, or until chicken is cooked.
4. Turn heat down to medium. Add the ginger, 1/2 can coconut milk, the fish sauce, and extra vegetables (if using). Stir well. Simmer gently 1-2 minutes.
5. Turn heat down to minimum. Add lime juice and stir.
6. Do a taste test. Look for a balance between spicy, sour, salty, and sweet flavors. Start with salty, adding more fish sauce if not salty or flavorful enough (1 Tbsp. at a time). If too sour, add the sugar plus a little more if you need it. If too spicy, or if you'd like it creamier, add more coconut milk. If not spicy enough, add more chili.
7. Ladle soup into serving bowls. Sprinkle a little fresh cilantro, basil, and spring onion over each bowl. For an extra kick of flavor, add a dollop of chili sauce.

Happy Birthday, Lisa.

Our sweet Lisa-chan!

May God give you the desires of your heart.

We Love You!

All scripture quoted from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted.

© 2013 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.