This week I tried two Ethiopian cookie recipes. One had 3 Tablespoons (that's not a typo) of Cheyenne pepper, but it was inedible, so I do think the people who originally typed the recipe goofed. The second had only 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and they were "different" as Josh said. Not bad, a little kick, and different. I have a bread recipe to try next (no pepper).

We were so happy to have friends over this week. The baby girl was asleep for this picture though. Sam kept counting the girls and then saying, "Why is there only one boy here with five girls?" He loved teasing the girls with his plastic bugs and dinos though! We need Eli soon;)


Pastor Jim and I were recently discussing the various children’s ministries at our church. There are some changes being made, and he is good about praying them through. We are a young church with many children, which is wonderful. The responsibility to teach the children is taken very seriously, but sometimes it seems there aren’t enough helpers to go around.

Children are very good discerners of character. They know when a teacher cares for them verses one who is just putting in their time. They know if we have prepared for the lesson. They sum us up, and then they act accordingly. I’ve seen this to be true in church classes as well as when I was a school teacher.

Pastor shared something very insightful with me, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. He reminded me of the times in the Bible that Jesus spent with children, how the children came to him, sat with him. Children don’t do that with grouchy people or people who ignore them. They do that with loving people, people who get down on their level and listen, not just talk at them. Pastor rightly said that those instances teach us as much about Jesus character as the rest of the Gospels.

This has challenged me in the classes we teach at church. I love the kids dearly and love to teach them about Jesus, but sometimes I let other things come first. I want to show those kids love every time I am with them because they will know my heart, just as my own children at home are watching me.

Thank you Lord for the privilege of teaching children about You. Help me point them towards You through love, as Jesus did.