Ending Well

I love to read through the bible because I love stories and even though I have read this BIG story book quite a number of times since I became a Christian about 30 years ago, I still find the stories in there new and very interesting (because I could not remember what I read most of the time.) But this time round, it is getting better because I am using the Precept method of circling, underlining and colouring. In this way, I read through the chapter at least 2-3 times and the story gets registered better in my mind.

Still, I like to read the bible at my own pace, which means I may take 2-3 years to finish reading from Genesis to Revelations. At the beginning of this year I was at I Chronicles and am now at the middle of II Chronicles. The message that GOD gave me thus far is "ENDING WELL".


I Chronicles 1-9 started with the genealogies of the nation of Israel -it is so boring. Aiyoh, so many chapters of who became the father of who and who is the son of who. What more it is not easy to pronounce those names :0 (frankly, if you ask me now, I cannot remember any of the sons.) Nevermind, life goes on... :)

Haha! finally, in chapter 10, the story starts... Saul and his 3 sons plus his household died in the hands of the Philistines. Vs 13-14 read "so Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep, and also because he asked counsel of a medium, ... and did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David, the son of Jesse."

I like chapter 10 v 9 "David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him." If GOD is for you, who can be against you.

In chapter 13 David consulted with every leader to bring back the ark of GOD and then we have the story of how Uzza died just because he put out his hand to hold the ark and the anger of the LORD burned against him for his irreverence. Don't play, play with GOD. Even David was afraid of GOD that day. Our GOD is Holy and yet He loves us so much, so gracious, merciful, forgiving, etc. Where to find such a Wonderful GOD like Him?

Chapter 14 David realized that the LORD had established him as king over Israel.... for His people Israel and when David faces issues in life, he inquired of the LORD. I must learn to realize why the LORD allows certain things in my life and to go to Him first to inquire of Him for counsel.

I shall not go through the rest of the books as there's really so much to write about the lessons we can learn from GOD's Word. Coming back to why I said that GOD's message to me thus far is "ENDING WELL"... We all know in II Chronicles King Solomon started well, asking for wisdom and knowledge that he may rule GOD's people well. GOD being a generous GOD added riches, wealth and honour on top of what Solomon asked for. Then we have the building and dedication of GOD's temple, etc.

After Solomon passed away, his descendants took over the rule of Israel. Some of them started well in their rule, "did good and right in the sight of the LORD" but most of them did not end well in their reign. This was where the LORD highlighted to me that yes, everyone has ups and downs in life, certain period of our lives we may not be up to par but if we confess our sins, GOD is faithful and just to forgive our sins and we start all over again. Life goes on. Let's run the race, looking unto JESUS, the Author and Finisher of our faith and end well. So that when we face JESUS at the judgment day, we can look forward to hear Him say "thou good and faithful servant."

Clone of a Cinnabon with Glaze

If you like Cinnamon Buns but find those selling outside too expensive, you may wish to consider making your own. I use the bread machine to knead the dough thus it is quite simple to make. If you do not have a bread machine, you can also do the normal kneading by hand or use the mixing machine with the dough hook.

Here's the recipe for the dough:
1 cup of warm milk
2 eggs at room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast

Do not spread the softened butter on the whole dough. Leave a small portion to seal up the roll.

Filling ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 cup softened butter

Glaze (optional)

125gm softened cream cheese

30gm softened butter

50gm icing sugar

A pinch of vanilla

2 tablespoons of Lemon or Lime or Orange Juice

Method :

1. Place all the dough ingredients into the pan of your bread machine, select "Dough" and press start.

2. After the dough cycle has been completed, punch the dough to let out the gas created by the yeast. Cover dough and let it rest for about 10 mins.

3. In the meantime, prepare your filling. Combine the sugar and cinnamon.

4. Cut your dough into smaller portion so that it is easier to work with. Roll out the dough, spread some softened butter and then sprinkle evenly the cinnamon sugar mixture. Cut evenly the rolled dough, cover and let them rest for about 30 minutes.

5. Preheat your oven to 200 degrees C for about 10-15 minutes before baking your buns at 15 minutes or till they are done.

6. Remove from tray and place them on a rack to cool.

7. Now you can prepare your glaze. Cream together the glaze ingredients.

8. Drizzle the glaze over the baked buns and enjoy :)

No Knead Ciabatta and Croutons

I baked the above No-Knead Ciabatta Bread this morning and gave half to a friend. It's crispy on the outside and chewy inside. I used to be a bit intimidated when handling bread dough, especially those wet and gluey ones. After many attempts of breadmaking, am more confident and am now enjoying kneading, punching and shaping them :)

This recipe has only 5 ingredients - so simple too : 4 cups of bread flour, 2 cups of warm water, 1.5 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp yeast and some rolled oats. That's all :) The only thing you need is patience - time. I mixed the ingredients last night at 10pm and covered it in a pot till 7am this morning. Baked it at 250 degrees C for about 1/2 hour let it cool on the rack before slicing it.

I had some left over french bread which I bought from the bakery shop. So I cut them into small pieces, sprinkled some pepper, salt and olive oil. Baked it together with the No Knead Ciabatta bread and there I have my home-made croutons for Peter's salad :)

I ate some of these with my plate of Tuna Salad - crunchy and yummy :)

Cherry n Blueberry Mini Tarts

We have been eating bread for breakfast for the past few days so I made these Cherry and Blueberry Mini Tarts for tomorrow's breakfast. Baked 12 pieces but now only left with 8 (Renfred and myself had 2 each just now :))

Fresh Cherries and Blueberries cooked with half a stick of vanilla pod, some sugar and a teaspoon of corn flour to thicken the filling.

These are the empty cases blind baked for about 8 minutes.

Tarts filled with the yummy fruit fillings.

Strips of dough to be placed on top of the filled tarts. I baked the tarts with the fruit fillings and trimmings for another 8-10 minutes. Removed them from the oven, let them cool on a rack and then enjoy :)

Loaf Bread

I did it, I did it, I did it! My first perfect loaf of bread! :)

This is exactly a milk loaf recipe. Instead of water, the recipe calls for milk. The texture is very soft. Baked this last night.

This loaf of Rolled Oats Bread just came out of the oven. I preheated the oven too early and was impatient so I did not wait till it rise to the height of the loaf tin ;(

But, it is still very soft and while writing this post, the smell of the bread is so inviting. This loaf is baked especially for Pete as he wanted to go on a diet starting beginning of this year. For the past couple of days I have prepared fruit salad and tuna salad for his lunch. Thought for a change, I make him a healthy sandwich for lunch tomorrow :)

Psalm 119 - Qoph - Tav

Finally, we had our last lesson on Psalm 119 yesterday and we ended our BS with a makan celebration with the families involved. We had Oxtail stew with homemade rolls, Roasted Meat, Baked Rice, Quiche, Grilled Chicken Salad, Brownies, Apple Strudels, etc :)

Qoph (Sound in Hebrew) - I cry You hear. Here the psalmist cried out to the LORD with all his heart; even rose before dawn and redeemed the night watches. He observed, kept, meditated and waited for GOD's WORD because wickedness drew near. His crying out to GOD is simultaneous to his keeping GOD's Word because he knows GOD is near -vs 151.

Resh (Sight in Hebrew) - Revive me. In this stanza he looked to the LORD for revival according to GOD's promises and lovingkindness; Who GOD is to him. To revive means to bring back something that is dead (ref Ezk 37) and GOD is able to breathe life into dry bones.

Shin - "My heart stands in aweof Your Word. What a contrast compared to v 145 where the psalmist cried his heart out to the LORD because of his afflictions, persecutions, etc. Once he got his perspective right and focused on Who GOD is and what His Word can do rather than on his life's circumstances, he was able to rejoice, love, praise, hope, have great peace and not stumble. Life as a Christian is not a bed of roses. II Tim 3:12 says "In fact anyone who wants to life a godly life in CHRIST JESUS will be persecuted."

Tav - GOD, I need You. This last stanza of Psalm 119 ends with a very interesting last verse "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments." How true that we humans have so many distractions in life that we keep wandering away from the LORD; sometimes on purpose too. This sentence reminds me of the hymn "Come Thou Font of many blessings." One of the stanzas goes like this:

"O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I’m constrained to be!

Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,

Bind my wandering heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,

Prone to leave the God I love;

Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,

Seal it for Thy courts above."

Yes LORD, we echo what the psalmist says in vs 176. GOD, we need You.

Orange Grapefruit Jam

One of our pastors and his wife made first grade jams as Christmas gifts for the past 2 years and we have been blessed to receive their delicious homemade preserves. This year it was Kiwi and Pear with Ginger. It inspired me to try making jams too :)

I bought some Pink Grapefruits from the supermarket the other day, peeled them and cut away the inner white part of the peel.

I forgot that I had to keep the rind of the grapefruits to add volume to the jam (I threw them away happily.) So I had to buy some oranges, removed the rind, boiled them for 10 minutes and rinsed away the bitter water. Then I cut the rind into thin strips and added them to the grapefruit mixture, together with seeds of one whole vanilla pod, sugar, some lemon and orange juices.

Am quite happy with the result. After this, I shall try making other jam preserves... maybe Blueberries? Or Cherries? Or Raspberries? Or Blackberries? Let's see :)