csimonson

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When I’m Ready to Boil

“To you, O my strength, will I sing: for God is my defense,and the God of my mercy.” (Psalm 18:1) The next time you feel your blood begin to boil, remember the pressure cooker. Release your pent-up frustrations through song. As difficult as it may be, squeak out a few feeble notes and make a joyful noise. It’s your secret weapon! Take confidence in the One who knows how much pressure you can…

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All Kinds of Homemade No-Salt Seasonings

Taste of Home’s Recipe – 5 teaspoons onion powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder 1 tablespoon paprika 1 tablespoon ground mustard 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1/2 teaspoon pepper 1/2 teaspoon celery seed Ingredients 1 tbsp. garlic powder 2 tsp. dried thyme leaves 2 tsp. onion powder 2 tsp. paprika 2 tsp. celery seed 1-1/2 tsp. ground white pepper 1 tbsp. dry mustard powder 1 tsp.…

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Dried Beef Gravy on Toast

Quite a simple recipe – handed down from my mother.  Serves 1-2 people. Add 1/2-1 cup milk and whisk into the pan.  Keep stirring to eliminate any lumps.  Salt and pepper to taste. Serve over hot buttered toast. Cut up 1/4 stick of margarine in a frying pan.  Cut the dried beef into chunks into the butter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of flour over the meat and stir to mix well.   EGG-A-LA-GOLDENROD The…

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Craving the Simple

I didn’t think we were poor.  We had meat every Sunday and a bath every Saturday night.  I looked forward to Easter and Christmas because that meant I would get a new dress and shoes. My dad owned one of two gas stations on town. I had a large playhouse and a tire swing in a big yard. What more could a girl want? My father made a decent income and provided all we needed. He paid everything by…

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Redbuds -More than a Pretty Tree

The Eastern Redbud tree grows in the eastern half of the United States from Texas up through Iowa and east. It can reach 20-30 feet tall and in the spring bursts forth with redbuds on every branch. The Eastern Redbud is in the legume or pea family. Just about every part of the redbud tree is edible and useful, and many parts are also medicinal.  The flowers are 25% protein, extremely high in…

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If you've noticed a sea of purple on your lawn or in the fields this spring, it's probably henbit. Don't destroy it - eat it!

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Homemade Cranberry Juice

I may never drink store-bought cranberry juice again. I’m in love. Finding a simple recipe for homemade cranberry juice, I had to try it. I’m a sucker for playing with – I mean ‘experimenting’ with food! And now that cranberries are in season (and some on sale) I tried a couple of jars. So Easy Recipe! Ingredients: 1 bag of cranberries Sugar Water Sanitize quart canning jars by putting…

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Before my Miracle, I would not have risked this hike with my family. It would have been too dangerous. If I had a seizure out here, it would have been difficult to bring me back to safety. Going to Utah to celebrate our 25th anniversary was the highlight of our lives and I’ll never forget the blessing of being alive again! A Guest Post by David Rice Six years ago this month, perhaps to the day, I nearly died from lack of care by medical professionals who missed that I was dying of a pulmonary embolism. On the 23rd of November, 2017, I was struggling to breathe, and my body wouldn’t heal. I think one of the blood clots, or a group of them, broke free from my lungs and made it to the back of my brain. As they lodged there and starved my brain of oxygen, they sent my body into a crisis, which led to full-body seizures. But in a twist of fate, God’s mercy or plan, or an attack by Satan, the seizures never led to loss of consciousness. My ability to maintain awareness, diminished as it was, during the seizures would bring another type of damage to my life.  I continued to work for another four years until I lost my job at Burrell. As good a teacher as I was, my seizures were flaring up and causing my clients to be traumatized by them. I was angry at God, the sovereign ruler of this world. Like a fool, I was angry at a God who could create me and then unravel me utterly. God, my savior, abandoned me to be sifted like Peter and tormented like Job.  Blame In previous moments, I could accept some blame for what had happened to me in my life. When I lost my job, some of the blame could be mine. Sometimes, all the blame could be mine. Yet, with the pulmonary embolism and seizures, none of the blame could be mine. I had done nothing to bring them on, nor had I foreseen that the healthiest moment of my life could turn so quickly.  Yet, I still blamed myself. The Enemy filled me up with words of self-loathing. I was determined to punish myself and others. I was angry at God and took it out on myself. My anger gave the Enemy a place in my life and allowed him and his demons to torment me.  God loved me, though. He told me that I was his child and patiently called me home. He had carried me long enough through these last six years that I finally recognized His presence. And once I did, I could no longer deny Him or His work.  Resigned to Pain Forever I’ve been receiving relief slowly from my seizures and back pain over this summer from the medical community, but I had resigned myself to always having them. After all, people died from Cancer, and people lived with Down Syndrome. God worked through them, and he could work through me. And part of me still believed I deserved it, as if it was my fault. I saw in my future a slow decline into dementia where my mind left me.  Last night, a profound miracle occurred through God’s hands. It upset the narrative I had in my mind and heart that I deserved my suffering. As I was speaking with my Bible study, the emotions of my pain overwhelmed me. And Then Something Happened…. READ THE REST OF DAVID’S MIRACULOUS STORY David Rice is a prolific writer, author, and blogger at hickchristian.substack.com. He is an active member of the Springfield Writers Guild and the Ozarks Chapter of American Christian Writers. Read more of David’s blogs Do you have a miracle to share? Let me know – casimonson@casimonson.com

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The Chosen One Receives Gold Award

Every Jewish girl dreamed of being the Messiah's mother. Mary was young and betrothed to be married when the angel visited her disrupting her whole life. Would her parents believe her? More importantly, what would she tell Joseph?

Read for free on Kindle Unlimited I am so thankful and blessed to receive a 5-star gold award from Literary Titan and to be interviewed by them! In paperback or digital WHAT LITERARY TITAN SAID: Throughout the book, Simonson skillfully weaves in modern-day language, which breathes new life into the ancient narrative, making it accessible and compelling to a contemporary audience. The author…

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More Dandelion Recipes

Yes, I eat dandelions. More Vitamin A and beta carotene than carrots. The blossoms make wonderful cookies and bread! A miracle food in your own yard!

Dandelion Oatmeal Cookies 1/2 cup oil 1/2 cup honey 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup unbleached flour 1 cup dry oatmeal 1/2 cup dandelion flowers Instructions Preheat oven to 375°F. Blend oil and honey and beat in the two eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, oatmeal, and dandelion flowers. Drop the batter by teaspoonfuls onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes. Easier…

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CHRISTMAS IN JULY!

GET YOUR FREE EBOOK! RUNAWAY, a novel that portrays the plight of children all over the world. Are they runaways or throwaways? Trafficked or abandoned? This is the fictional story of Rose, a pre-teen who is scarred and crippled. No one wants her, so it seems, until two elderly ladies find her in a ditch. Detective Flanders has his work cut out as he puts together the puzzling pieces to discover…

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Guest Post by Susie Kinslow Adams, Author of The Rebel and Preacher Man and My Mother, My Child. The day was unseasonably warm and sunny; made-to-order for a girl’s day out. When Judy and I opted for a leisurely lunch instead of a quick sandwich, we could not envision the chaos that lay ahead. Within thirty minutes of our arrival, Applebee’s would be ushering people from the restaurant, with several of us on the way to the hospital.         The beautiful morning had flown by as we hopped in and out of small shops and thrift stores. We had barely made a dent in our long shopping list and were intent on staying into the evening if necessary.         Like a couple of giddy teens, we mapped out our afternoon, and were ready to delve into our warm, delicious meal. As I was about to take a bite, something crashed into the building without warning directly below the window where we were seated. Broken glass, wood, brick and debris flew across the dining room. Judy, still seated, was  shoved about four yards away from me. My seat, with me still on it, was pushed about three feet away from the window. To my right, I saw the bumper and grill of a Ford Ranger inside the restaurant where the window had been. A pile of glass, brick and debris covered the floor reaching the seat of my bench. Blood streamed down my right arm. The lady seated behind me was on the floor, covered in food, broken glass, and debris. My mouth dropped open as I looked down at the cushion where I had been seated. A thick splinter of wood had embedded deep into the seat cushion where my leg had been minutes earlier. The impact (or was it God’s angels?) had scooted me far enough to protect me from the crash. Emotions ran rampant between disbelief and awe at God’s protection. Judy was shaken up but unharmed, so she drove me to the hospital. My right arm was sprained and bleeding from a few small wounds. I was sent home with a sling, pain pills, and a thankful heart. I thanked the Lord for helping me to drive the 40-some miles home; I was not allowed to drive after the accident for almost two weeks. Before we left the hospital, Judy and I held hands and spent some time together in prayer. Although our hearts were shaken, we were so extremely aware of God’s protection and care. We prayed for all involved in the restaurant and hospital. We asked God to comfort the precious elderly lady who, thinking her foot was on the brake, had pushed hard on the accelerator instead and driven headlong into the side of Applebee’s.  God’s mercies are new every day. I praise Him for His miracle of protection that day, and many times since. I can proclaim with the Psalmist David, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1) ____________ Susie Kinslow Adams has a support blog to give encouragement to caregivers and for the weary. Sign up for a free gift and read more at susiekinslowadams.com

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Did the Pilgrims Eat Pumpkin Pie?

Turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, yams, corn, cranberries, and pumpkin pie – the great American Thanksgiving feast is based on New England fall harvests.  Do you think that is what the pilgrims and Native American Indians ate at their first Thanksgiving feast? But did they have pumpkin pie? What Did the Pilgrims Eat? Edward Winslow, one of the founders of the Plymouth colony, befriended the…

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Recipe for New Life

A way to real life and freedom starts with two words....

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30 Ways to Dispose of Zucchini

So much zucchini - what do I do with it all? You'll be amazed at all the recipes - especially the last three!

Summertime is filled with…zucchini. People scrambling to give it away, leaving it on porches or handing it out to strangers. Zucchini is so versatile, it can be used in many ways, and it’s so good for you. You’re not going to believe the last three!

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FOUR-STAR REVIEW!

Four-star review received! #YAmystery #Christianthriller #christianfiction #crimeaction

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