Pearls #342-344 (Preparing for Rest and a couple recipes!)

Remember the pearls I promised awhile back?  They're coming!  Only in order to simplify my life I'm going to arbitrarily number them so I don't have to keep track of where I'm at.

Which leads us to today...the first (or 342nd) of many pearls.

Pearl #342 - The Sabbath is for Rest.  There are entire sermon series and books written on the subject so I'm not going to elaborate other than to say there are different types of rest, both physical and spiritual, and as a family we attempt to Sabbath in both senses on Sundays.

On weeks that I am on top of things, almost without fail, we arrive at church with hearts ready to worship, bellies full and a bag and attitude prepared for anything. On weeks I don't prepare, almost without fail, I end up frustrated, running for the car with children tucked under each arm like footballs, hoping I have everything I need (including all three children.)  It can take the entire car ride and sometimes longer, to seek forgiveness for not doing well in the "leading by example," a heart rested and prepared for worship.

For quite some time my knight has gently been prompting me to think ahead and prepare just a tad so we have an even greater potential for rest on Sundays but sometimes getting me to change my ways is a bit like turning a a large ship. However, his kind encouragement has been a little tugboat for my stubborn soul, and well, I'm turning. In order to honor my husband (and because, well, it really is the very best solution) I'm working to be diligent on Saturday to prepare for Sunday.  To do this, I have to remind myself over and over again that when God created the world He did not stop at 5pm on the 5th day and declare "it's the weekend, I'm finished."  He kept working right on through the 6th day.

Many Saturdays I've tried to prepare a few things but left "t's" uncrossed and "i's" not dotted, resulting in not-so-very restful Sundays.  This Saturday I made a short list of Saturday must-do's and actually implemented: 

• Decide what Sunday's meals are on Saturday and cook and or prepare ahead of time.  
• Put together our church bag (snacks, the girls Bibles, diapers, etc)
• Lay out clothes for the girls
• Tidy the house

I am so grateful I didn't stop short; yesterday was truly an altogether restful day.

So there you have it.  Pearl #342 --Prepare for the Sabbath, so you can Sabbath.

Pearls #343-344?...

The recipes I have just deemed Sunday and Monday breakfast.  I got them from this great lady and modified them just a bit for our family.  In a nutshell, I'm steaming steel-cut oats all night Saturday so they are ready Sunday morning.  Make sure there is a cup extra and save it to make delicious steel cut oat scones on Monday.  Yum, yum, yum.  The recipes below feed our family (2 adults 2 children for breakfast Sunday and make 8 large scones for Monday.  For larger families, visit Kendra's site for her quantities and steps)

Saturday night (I did this right before bed so 10pm-ish):

• Measure one cup of steel-cut oats (not rolled) in a glass bowl and add 3-4 cups of water/milk (I use at least 1 cup whole milk but you can use all water if you'd prefer) The discrepancy in water amount is because you'll need to add more water if it will be cooking for more hours. If you actually get to bed early, add a smidgen more milk or water.
• Set the bowl in a slow cooker or roaster and pour water around the bowl- enough so that it reaches about halfway up the outside of the bowl of oats. Turn the slow cooker on low and go to bed. (If you have a slow cooker that cooks "hot" you can use the warm setting and it should work as well.  And yes, you really put the bowl inside your slow cooker.)
• In the morning the oats are ready to eat!  I just add a splash more milk, a dollop or two of real maple syrup, a pinch of brown sugar and maybe some dried fruit...but only if I"m feeling generous.
• Reserve 1 cup of the cooked oats and refrigerate for your scones Monday

Monday Morning Scones:

Oatmeal Scones Jenny Sanders

Serves 8-12

2 T butter
2 T honey
1 cup reserved cooked oats
2/3 cup milk or almond milk (I use 1/3 cup milk and 1/3 cup sour cream)
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
4 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Melt the butter and honey together, and mix into the cool, cooked oatmeal. Mix in the milk, half at a time. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the oatmeal. The mixture is quite moist, but if it can’t hold its shape at all, add more flour. Roll/pat into a circle or scoop into balls and flatten to 1″ with dampened hands. Bake on greased cookie sheets at 350 for 15-20 minutes.

Today I made a glaze with an ounce or two of cream cheese, powdered sugar and a drop of orange oil but you can use any combination of powdered sugar and something- either vanilla, milk, lemon juice, lime juice, cinnamon, maple flavor or orange juice.

On a Monday morning there is nothing quite like warm, nutty, hearty scones, a cup of coffee and a bit more time, resting.

The beautiful thing about the sabbath is that God instituted it as a weekly reminder of two things. One is that all true blessing comes from his grace, not our labor. The other is that we hallow him and honor him and keep the day holy if we seek the fullness of his blessing by giving our special attention to him on that day...So Jesus didn't come to abolish the sabbath but to dig it out from under the mountain of legalistic sediment, and give it to us again as a blessing rather than a burden. It is a day for showing mercy and a day for doing good. It should not be governed rigidly by narrow definitions of what is work and what is not. It is a day to focus on the Lord. And now Jesus is the Lord of the sabbath, so it is a day to focus on Jesus. And it is impossible that a day focused on Jesus should be a burden to the believing heart—"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!" ~John Piper