Pray for Ukraine; Pray for our World

Ukraine is under attack. The entire world is standing at a crossroads. I feel a heavy hush as 7,930,063,554 and counting people stand waiting to hear what a small handful of world leaders are going to decide about the future of the world as we know it. Will the Russian attack precipitate World War 3? Does it even make sense for a few people in high places to have the power to change the course of the world forever?

Matthew 24:6

If the world gets embroiled in a war, what then? If you’re looking for answers, Jesus did predict the end of the world as we know it, but He also comforted his disciples with the reminder that God knows everything, and eventually good will triumph over evil! It’s going to be brutal, “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). It may seem like a few evil men can ruin the entire world and make life miserable for the rest of us, but ultimately God reigns, and He counsels us to “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Although we may not have the power to stop a war, God does, and He gives us the privilege of asking Him for what we think is good. If you would like to hear what’s going on in Ukraine and join in praying for peace, please meet with us at 4:00 ET for a brief update from Ivan Rusyn, the President of the Ukraine Evangelical Seminary, who is in Kyiv right now, and for a time of prayer via Aqueduct Project’s Prayer Room Alpha (https://www.aqueductproject.org/prayer-room-alpha). If you want to join us, please email me directly for the passcode to enter the prayer room: kathrynwarmstrong@gmail.com. Blessings~

One passage where Jesus explains what will happen at the end of time as we know it, from Matthew 24:3-51:

³ And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?

⁴ And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.

⁵ For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

⁶ And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

⁷ For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.

⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹ Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.

¹⁰ And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.

¹¹ And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

¹² And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.

¹³ But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.

¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

¹⁵ When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:)

¹⁶ Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:

¹⁷ Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house:

¹⁸ Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.

¹⁹ And woe unto them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days!

²⁰ But pray ye that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the sabbath day:

²¹ For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.

²² And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.

²³ Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not.

²⁴ For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.

²⁵ Behold, I have told you before.

²⁶ Wherefore if they shall say unto you, Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: behold, he is in the secret chambers; believe it not.

²⁷ For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

²⁸ For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together.

²⁹ Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

³⁰ And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

³¹ And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

³² Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:

³³ So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.

³⁴ Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

³⁵ Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.

³⁶ But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

³⁷ But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

³⁸ For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,

³⁹ And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

⁴⁰ Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

⁴¹ Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

⁴² Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

⁴³ But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

⁴⁴ Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

⁴⁵ Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

⁴⁶ Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

⁴⁷ Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

⁴⁸ But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

⁴⁹ And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

⁵⁰ The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,

⁵¹ And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

TWA: NE (22A) Bacon and Egg on an English McMuffin

You’ll have to excuse me, but I’ve had breakfasts on my brain a lot lately, and it’s likely to keep up for a while, because I feel like Americans have given up one of the best moments of the day, which is 15-20 minutes to savor breakfast, hopefully with your loved ones, housemates, or even your pet cats or plush dogs! 🙂 For Alan and me, it’s also a precious time to talk through our plans for the day, and we always end by reading a devotional together. Savoring a sit-down breakfast and brief spiritual reflection is one of the shortest, best practices possible for nourishing body and soul. If you eat on the run or always grab’n’go coffee and a donut . . . think it over, please! There are many ways to make a simple breakfast in under 10 minutes, even when you’re busy (or in our case, when we’re traveling).

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese on an English Muffin

1. Ingredients (per serving):
   1 English muffin
   1 teaspoon butter
   1 slice cooked bacon
   1 fried egg
   1 slice (your favorite) cheese
   Salt and pepper to taste
2. First, I bake a pound of bacon ahead of time, like on a Saturday when I’m not under a lot of pressure. To do this, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two cookie sheets with aluminum foil and lay out the bacon in slices on the two pans. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the bacon is nearly (but not quite) done. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool. Once the bacon has cooled on the sheets, make sure the slices are separated. I put the entire pans in the freezer for about a half an hour until the bacon is lightly frozen, then remove them and put them in a smaller container or ziplock bag that can be frozen. Then, the night before I want to use some, I pull out how-many-ever slices I want and allow them to defrost on the counter in a covered container. If you have to fry meat each time, it does become time-consuming, but if you plan ahead, you can add a touch of tasty protein to many breakfasts with minimal effort. I do the same thing with sausage and ham—fry/bake what I need and freeze individual servings or lots of servings that are all frozen so they can be separated easily.
3. For a Bacon and egg McMuffin (per serving), fry one egg (salted and peppered to taste) and one slice of bacon in a frying pan. While they are frying, split an English muffin, butter the bottom sides and fry them up too, adding a slice of cheese to the topside of one.
4. To assemble, place the fried egg on top of the cheese, the bacon on top of the egg, and finally the top half of the English muffin on top of everything! I like my eggs over-easy usually, but I recommend cooking your egg well for this one, or you might battle egg yolk running down your fingers and dripping on your shirt! 😦

“For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting;
and his truth endureth to all generations” (Psalm 100:5).

TWA: NE (22): The Sound of Music—Truth That’s Sweeter Than Fiction

The Von Trapp Family—whose story is embellished and recounted in The Sound of Music, moved to America in 1942 and settled in Stowe, Vermont.

View of trees and clouds in the valley below the Von Trapp Family Lodge

Today their estate includes 2,500 acres and the Von Trapp Family Lodge, which is a base for skiing in the winter and hiking/mountain biking in the summer.

Von Trapp Family Lodge

They also have a working farm, produce maple syrup and other commodities, and have 3 excellent restaurants, one where we had a delicious German lunch with apple strudel for dessert. We love German cuisine!

Grassy Knoll outside the Von Trapp Family Lodge

It was 46° inside our camper the morning we visited, and even colder outside, with a bone-chilling wind blowing across the hills that were alive with memories from The Sound of Music.

View from the Von Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe Vermont

Alan and I sat huddled outside in a circle of about twenty while enjoying a 45-minute recounting of the true tale behind the family that stars in The Sound of Music, as told by one of the Baron’s own granddaughters. The real story is much less dramatic—but I think even sweeter!

Maria Von Trapp

Thankfully, there was no Elsa Schräder to beguile Captain Von Trapp or further confuse Maria. However, the captain was twenty-five years older than Maria . . . who was just six years older than his oldest child and intent on becoming a nun, so she’d not thought of him romantically! Maria was sent from her convent for one year to tutor the captain’s daughter (also named Meria, although the names of the children were changed for the movie) who was weakened through Diptheria and scarlet fever. (Scarlet fever had killed their mother four years prior.)

Drawing of the Von Trapp Family at their Lodge

At the end of the year, the kids loved Maria and conspired to persuade their father to marry her so she wouldn’t go back to the abbey. Baron Von Trapp was dubious and said, “I don’t even know if she likes me.”

Baron Georg Ludwig Von Trapp (Pubic Domain)

The kids went immediately and asked Maria, “Do you like our father?” She said (to be kind and polite, and because he was kind and good), “Of course I like your father!” The kids conveyed this to their father, who later said, “So, we’re engaged.” Maria was dusting an expensive vase when he made that casual comment and was so shocked she dropped it and broke it into a hundred pieces!

Maria had intended to go back to the abbey, so she asked Georg for permission to return and mull the matter over with her superior, Mother Abbess. He approved, but after consulting with others and praying, Maria was sent back to the Von Trapp Villa and did marry the Baron. Happily, they also had three children together, and I’m guessing she had a much more fulfilling (and busier!) life caring for her family of ten than she might have had at the abbey (where she truly was a problem!).

Although many details were changed for dramatic and humorous effects, the family left Austria in 1938 due to the Baron’s disapproval of the Nazi regime and eventually relocated to America. They settled in Stowe but traveled throughout America and later internationally, singing songs and bringing hope to millions distraught by the horrors of war. In fact, their legacy has continued via some of their grandchildren and even great-grandchildren who recorded albums up until 2016! All this is due to Maria’s selfless commitment to serving God, who directed her to care for a family in need of a mother. Her story makes me think of Ruth, who married an older man—not for passion but for love—and blessed the world by becoming the grandmother of David and progenitor of Jesus!

The Von Trapp Family Singers. Public Domain

Feeling a lack of passion in your marriage? Remember, real love is deeper than passion. Its source is God and its results are enduring goodness. Don’t give up! God will bless you for faithfully loving Him and loving those He’s given you to care for.

Cemetery at the Lodge where the Von Trapps are buried

“You were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only don’t let this freedom be an opportunity to indulge your selfish impulses, but serve each other through love.” (Galatians 5:13, CEB)

An Olympic Challenge

Did you catch any of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing? Captivating, wasn’t it? We don’t watch T.V. per se, but we were fascinated by the incredible skill of the athletes we saw during a brief getaway to celebrate our 49th-anniversary last week.

Aerial ski jumps and snowboarding are over-the-top X-treme, along with skiers flying down mountains at 84 mph and figure skaters performing quadruple Axels.

Shout-out to a fellow Michigan Upper by my brother (Thanks, Wolle!)

Did you know snowboarding all started with an engineer in Muskegon, Michigan (almost next door to us in GR) who made a “snurfer” (snow/surfer) board for his daughter back in 1965? That’s not that long ago! It became an Olympic sport in 1998, and what they can do now in the Snowboard Big Air competition hardly seems humanly possible!

I am inspired by the dedication and training these athletes endure to compete in the Olympics. Some have dedicated their lives to preparing since they were as young as three years old! Some fail to win a prize but continue pursuing excellence so they can enter . . . again and again and again!

They give up so much in the way of normalcy. They can’t do what others do! They keep pushing while their friends relax. They have to severely regulate what they eat, when they sleep, and how they spend their time. They don’t really have “free time.” Their lives are focused on one thing: winning.

And, some few of the world’s most elite who perform almost flawlessly during the competitions actually do win Olympic medals! I stand in awe of their ambition, but I wouldn’t personally trade a normal life for an Olympic gold medal. However, I do have a deep desire to win the approval of my heavenly Father, and that motivates me to give up many things that others enjoy. I remember learning to say to myself: “Others may, but you cannot.” By choice.

In a world filled with opportunities and choices, we each have the privilege of choosing how to invest our personal resources. We can use them to strive for earthly goals, like fame, money, or pleasure. But, we can also choose to give up a life of ease to pursue a heavenly goal. To become a disciplined one. A disciple! When I watch the Olympics, I am inspired, not to become a world-class athlete, but to become a better disciple of Christ: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified” (1 Corinthians 9:24-27).

Figure skaters Anna Shcherbakova and Kamila Valiyeva on NBC

The Olympics also remind me of the importance of obeying the rules: If we disobey, we will not win. Perhaps sometimes people fighting for victory in this world can win by deception, but God—who knows our hearts—will judge perfectly when we all get to heaven! Someday there will be perfect justice. There will be mercy. There will be truth. There will be no question about right and wrong. We will all know the truth, and we will all be painfully aware that we have failed at some point: “Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God” (Romans 3:19).

Even if we never enter the Olympics, God gives each of us an olympic challenge: to live a life of holiness. “Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be ye holy: for I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 20:7). This is an even greater challenge than becoming an Olympic gold medalist! How am I doing? Am I disciplining myself? Am I abiding by the rules?

“And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned,
except he strive lawfully” (2 Timothy 2:4-6).

(Credit: I took all the photos while watching NBC news except the photo of the snowboarding gold-metallists, shared by my brother.)

Portobello Mushroom “Burgers” (Vegan)

Here’s a recipe adapted from my girlfriend, Lizzie, who also has vegans in her family and has collected a wonderful assortment of meals that appeal to just about everybody whether or not you’re vegan. It was 8°F. out the day I made them, so we roasted everything instead of grilling the veggies outside. (Happy Presidents Day Weekend, folks! I love how the government gives military personnel a few long weekends to visit family now and then!!) Possibly everything would have been even better grilled, although only a couple of slices of one onion were left when we cleared the table, so it was a hit, even with the littles.

Portobello Mushroom Burgers for Lunch

Preheat the oven to 400°F. I coated each of the 3 baking sheets very lightly with canola oil just to keep the veggies from sticking (although they did stick a little anyway).

Baking sheet for portobellos: How to prepare them: Liz removes the stems and scoops out the gills, but my kids are mycologists and thought losing any part of the mushrooms would be a waste, so I pulled out the stems but also roasted them on the baking sheet, and I left the gills intact. (This creates more liquid, which you can serve— as we did— or drain. If you’re grilling, the moisture will drain when you flip the mushrooms. Our sandwiches were pretty moist, but nobody seemed to mind.) Arrange on the baking sheet with the gill-side up and add:
*A ring of your favorite mustard around the inside of the cap (I used Dijon)
*A squirt of your favorite balsamic vinegar (I used De Nigris from Modena, which Mike and Grace had given me for Christmas— their favorite that can be easily gotten outside Italy . . . and they’re true connoisseurs from their years of living in Italy. Our local grocery store carries it.)
* A drizzle of olive oil
* Good grind of fresh peppercorns and rock salt (to taste)
* Dash of hot sauce (if you like it; our little ones don’t like stuff too hot yet, so we even had to leave the mustard off a few; they also wanted some vegan cheese melted on top after we were done roasting, and some folks opted for regular cheese)

Onions sliced in rings

Red pepper rings

Roast the mushrooms, onions, and peppers in the oven at 400°F. for 20 minutes

Grill buns to warm them up. We added humus to one side and garlic sauce to the other, but if you’re not vegan, mayonnaise or whatever else you like would also work fine.

Meanwhile, we cut up additional veggies: avocados, tomatoes, red onions, and cucumbers. Like all burgers, you might want to add more ketchup, pickles, relish, mustard, or whatever condiments you enjoy on hamburgers.

Being lunchtime, we served ours with salad, baba ganoush, chips, cantaloupe, and pineapple chunks. Mike and Grace said they’d heard of mushroom burgers but hadn’t tried them yet for fear the kids wouldn’t like them, but a dozen disappeared along with all the fresh fruit! One thing I’ll say for vegan meals, you can eat all you want without gaining weight, or so it seems!

“Prove thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink” (Daniel 1:12; it is possible to live a very healthy life without meat).

TWA: NE (21): Stowe, Vermont— Ships Passing in the Day

I love America, despite all our flaws and failures. I pray earnestly for spiritual and moral revival and awakening, but this is my country and I have a passionate desire to see her recover and walk in the Light. Hopefully, sharing my Travels with Allie adventures will warm your heart and increase your appreciation for America—and Americans too—despite our manifold shortcomings.

Bingham Falls, near Stowe, Vermont

America is beautiful, and the Northeast is especially lovely in the autumn, from her vast mountains to her hidden valley waterfalls and quaint New England villages.

For instance, Stowe is nestled in the heart of Vermont . . . just one of the thousands of tiny towns that are part of the heart of America.

Policeman on horseback patrolling Stowe

It’s a community with fewer than 6,000 inhabitants, but they’ve done an excellent job. The residents have established a peaceful, tidy, pleasant place to live and visit, and I suspect a healthy percentage of Vermont’s 13 million annual visitors make their way north to see this picturesque bit of paradise, just like Alan and I (and a couple of our friends!) did last September.

Mount Mansfield

Stowe has the geographical advantage of being in the right place at the right time. It’s close to Vermont’s highest peak, Mount Mansfield (4,395 feet), which is not only a popular place for skiing in the winter, it’s a rewarding place for hiking in the summer.

We had hoped to take the 4.5-mile toll road from Stowe Base Lodge to near the summit, where there’s a hiking trail to the top for stunning views, but the road is extremely steep and has some deadly hairpin turns, so our 28-ft. RV, Sanctuary, was turned away at the gate.

Gondola ride from Base Lodge up the side of Mount Mansfield

However, if you can’t drive up the mountain, there are other ways to enjoy some grand views!

Sanctuary parked at the Gold Brook Campground; Stowe, VT

We had a splendid day, complete with hikes to a couple of soothing waterfalls and enough challenge to make us feel exhilarated by the day’s end.

Moss Glen Falls, near Stowe, Vermont

What we didn’t know was that some very dear friends were in the same area at nearly the same time! We’d both been to Smuggler’s Notch, Mount Mansfield, and Bingham Falls!

Another view of Bingham Falls

We didn’t see them—didn’t even know to look for them—but it made me sad to realize if we’d only thought to coordinate our trip, we might have enjoyed great fellowship while hiking that day.

Rocky Path to Bingham Falls

A near miss! Ships passing not even in the night but in the broad daylight! I’m sure the rocky trails wouldn’t have seemed nearly so steep had we climbed them while chattering with this very special couple we’ve known for fifty years!

Old cabin on the outskirts of Stowe

Wouldn’t it be awesome if we had some sort of radar to tell us exactly whom we’re seeing or how close we are to someone we care about? I’ll bet there are times when we pass right by someone from our past who is dear in our memories, but we miss the opportunity to get reacquainted because we don’t know to look—or because we haven’t kept in touch and have both changed so much that we no longer recognize one another.

Fresh beaver tooth work near the boardwalk trail into Moss Glen Falls.

One of the craziest misses was the summer my two brothers and their wives, and Alan and I all booked river cruises down the Danube. We chose 3 different cruise lines and 3 different dates, booking our reservations without even thinking to consult with one another. But, what joy we missed by not sharing that experience together!

Sunrise at our campsite. Gold Brook Campground, Stowe, Vermont

Do you know that God is near to us all the time? “In him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). Are you aware of His presence and making plans to enjoy fellowship with Him as you pilgrim on, or have you lost track of Him over the years? Are you like ships passing in the day, not able to recognize Him or know that He is near?

If you can’t sense His presence, please ask God to reveal Himself to you, as He did for Elijah: “Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. And it was so, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entering in of the cave. And, behold, there came a voice unto him, and said, What doest thou here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:11-13). If you’re not interested in experiencing the terror of earthquakes and fire, perhaps if you listen hard enough, you’ll hear him whisper in a still, small voice within your heart. Listen. Can you hear Him?

The Apple of our Eyes

Happy Valentine’s Day! I hope you’re having a wonderful day and feeling very loved! I’ll try to make this short and sweet, but the bottom line is: You ARE greatly loved!

Don’t feel it? Feeling disappointed by what you thought was love? I remember as a young believer sitting in a Sunday school class where an older, wiser teacher pointed out that even the greatest loves on earth will disappoint us at some time. His wife was my spiritual mother, and I thought to myself, “Surely, your wife has never disappointed you!” Truly, from that day to the day of Mrs. Rudd’s death, she never disappointed me, but I didn’t live with her. She was my mentor, not my wife.

The fact is, no human being is so perfect they will not disappoint or fail us sometimes if we live with them day in and day out! Even Abraham, “The Father of our Faith,” more or less threw his wife, Sara, “under the bus” to save his own skin when he feared King Abimelech would kill him in order to take Abraham’s wife by force (Genesis 20). Abraham failed to trust God, and his son Isaac fell into the same trap years later (Genesis 26). God rescued them, but they should have trusted God to protect them in the first place rather than taking matters into their own hands and jeoparding the lives of those they held most dear (next to themselves, as it turned out 😦 ). They failed. And like them, we fail sometimes too.

One of the most common reasons I hear for young people leaving the Church is the failure of those they admire to emulate Christ and live inspiring lives. I am to blame. Church leaders are to blame. Parents are to blame. However, the fact is that people—even the “greats” of the world of faith—do not always measure up to the gold standard we espouse. To our sorrow, “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). We would like to be perfect transmitters of the love of Christ held within us to those around us, but we aren’t. We are muddy clay . . . oh too slowly being transformed into transparent gold . . . a work that will be completed by God Himself, and only after our death (Philippians 1:6).

This Valentine’s Day, if you’re not feeling loved, please don’t think no one loves you. True, no human loves you or me perfectly . . . nor do we love anyone else perfectly, either. Right? But, God loves us perfectly, despite our failures: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, ESV). Christ didn’t love himself more than he loved us; He didn’t throw us under the bus; He died for us! His love for us is perfect, divine, and everlasting: “But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children” (Jeremiah 31:3, ESV).

This Valentine’s Day, let’s embrace the love of the One who loves us more than we even love ourselves— our precious God—the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit! No one else can love us perfectly, but if we’ll open our hearts to His love, we’ll discover an amazing capacity to love others too, not based on how well they love us, but outflowing from our Lord and Savior to those around us. We are the “apple of his eye”— the cherished focus of His affection. Let’s make Him the apple of our eyes too, and keep looking to Him to satisfy our deepest longings for perfect love!

“My beloved is mine, and I am his” (Song of Solomon 2:16).

Snowdrift Cakes

Looking for something a little special for Valentine’s Day? It’s been a very snowy winter here in Michigan, so I was definitely thinking icy thoughts while trying to come up with something yummy to bring for dessert to Larry and Kari’s dinner party. Chocolate cake? Kari said Larry loves chocolate cake. Ben and Jerry’s was on my brain. Maybe an ice cream cake filled with Ben and Jerry’s? That could be good really good, although I’ve already written about hot fudge ice cream cake (my favorite way to combine ice cream and cake), and when it’s super cold out, ice cream isn’t particularly compelling.

There are piles of snow outside our home right now!

Then it struck me: Why not envelop chocolate cake in whipping cream? It would look like a snowdrift! Could it get any better than that?

So, that’s what I did! Super simple but really delicious and not tooooo cold for a winter’s night!

Snowdrift Cakes
12 servings

Four slices of chocolate cake, ready to be turned into snowdrifts!

Bake a chocolate cake in a 13X9″ baking pan and frost it generously with your favorite frosting. (Here’s how I make mine: https://kathrynwarmstrong.wordpress.com/2017/07/08/chocolate-cake-with-chocolate-frosting-on-top/)

Divide the cake into 12 personal-sized portions and set on plates.

Whip 1-quart heavy whipping cream plus 1/4 cup sugar until medium/stiff peaks form.

Spoon the whipped cream over the slices of cake until they are completely covered. Take care not to mix in cake crumbs or you’ll have “dirty” snow!

Serve for dessert after a scrumptious dinner (which Kari and Larry provided)! For best results, whip the cream and cover the cakes just before you serve them!

It was such a hit that we brought more for dessert when our kids had us over for dinner a couple of days later. It met with approval there too! So, now I’m passing it along to you. 🙂 P.S.—I haven’t tried this, but if you want a warmer version, it could also work great to smother individual pieces of warm, frosted cake in meringue and broil them for a few seconds in the oven!

“He giveth snow like wool: he scattereth the hoarfrost like ashes. He casteth forth his ice like morsels: who can stand before his cold?” (Psalm 147:16-17).

TWA: NE (20) Vermont: From Lake Champlain to Ben and Jerry’s

There were many stops throughout New England that were “must-sees” leftover from my lifetime love of American history and geography, but some were simply for the fun of it!

Lake Champlain, bordered by New York, Vermont, and Canada

Lake Champlain could not be missed—for many reasons! Not only is it famed for its beauty and size (sometimes called the “sixth great lake”),

but also because Lake Champlain has historical significance predating the founding of our country.

*Relief Map of New York State
Lake Champlain is the body of water in the upper right-hand quadrant.

However, Lake Champlain also could not be missed literally because it’s 107 miles long and serves as the boundary between the uppermost reaches of New York State and Vermont!

Champlain Bridge in the far distance

On our trip, we chose to take the southern route around Lake Champlain and then head north into Vermont rather than heading north to take a bridge or a ferry to Vermont, which would have been fun but more expensive and perhaps more time-consuming.

Vistas of the Green Mountains of Vermont

Nevertheless, as we say in our family, “You can’t lose.” The soothing blues and greens surrounding the lake on all sides made for a photo-pleasurable passage, and I’m sure no matter how or where someone crosses into Vermont, it’s a memorable trip.

I sighed with contentment as we headed up the eastern side of Lake Champlain toward Burlington. The route was a study in vibrant greens and pastel blues.

We settled in to follow a road that seemed to be disappearing into the mountains. It was long and narrow, and there were hardly any other travelers on this warm September day, but it still seemed the perfect time to pursue adventure! Children were in school; crops were being harvested; all seemed right with the world. Visions of Pilgrim setting off for the Celestial City floated outside my window.

Bodette Farm in Vermont

Green. Green Green! No wonder Vermont is called the “Green Mountain State.” It literally means “green mountain” in French. Have you been to Vermont? It’s beautiful! The countryside is dotted with prosperous dairy farms, and Vermont is famous for maple syrup and dairy products. (We can vouch for all!!)

But, Vermont is also tiny! In fact, it’s the second smallest state in America by population and the sixth smallest by area. The largest city is Burlington, which has the somewhat dubious distinction of being the least populous city to hold the title of the most populous city within a given state! 🙂 Vermont’s capital city is Montpelier, which also wins the prize for the least populous capital city in America.

Views along Vermont State Highway 100

But what it may lack in size, it more than makes up for in beauty, especially in the autumn! And, here’s a scenic first place: Vermont holds the record for the state with the most covered bridges per square mile! More than 100!

Highway 100

Speaking of 100, if you have a spare couple of weeks some year to see autumn leaves of red and gold blazing on the trees rather than drifting by your window, consider taking Highway 100 north through the center of the state for 216 miles of fabulous fall foliage sprinkled with idyllic New England villages and hemmed by mighty mountains. It’s epic!

We only traversed a short, sweet swath of Highway 100 on this trip, but I’d go again in a heartbeat! And, if you go, I definitely recommend a stop at Ben and Jerry’s to check out their factory in Waterbury and indulge in some of their very high-priced ice cream.

We don’t usually indulge, but Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield, who got their heads together to start Ben and Jerry’s back in 1978, were known for being “two real guys” who “built a business with a social conscience and a sense of humor.”** While they owned the business, they put their money where their mouths were, doing things like placing the world’s largest Baked Alaska (900 pounds) on the Capitol Building lawn in protest of drilling on the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

My favorite was their policy of having their highest-paid employee receive no more than five times the wage of entry-level employees. Sadly, this ended in 1994, and the company was bought out in 2000 by the mammoth British consumer company, Unilever. I can’t complain, because it’s possible I might have done the same thing, but I sense the difficulty in following the long, narrow, lonely road of self-discipline and restraint through the mountains for an entire lifetime.

I would love to see a world where the highest-paid executive doesn’t make more than five—or even ten—times the lowest-paid employee, wouldn’t you? I believe things like creativity, intelligence, energy, ambition, basic body build and beauty are largely gifts given to us by God, who intends us to benefit others as well as providing for our own families. Besides, I don’t think anybody works more than 10 times harder than his employees, no matter how much pressure he’s under or how ambitious he is. What do you think?

“Therefore, as you abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that you abound in this grace also. I speak not by commandment, but by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love. For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:7-9). Jesus became poor so that we could become “joint-heirs together with him” (Romans 8:17) of all the riches of spiritual blessings! We may not be worth millions of dollars, but all believers have a wonderful heritage in spiritual blessings to share. Am I sharing my wealth with others? Not as much as I could! 😦

Credits: * Map of New York state: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USA_New_York_relief_location_map.svg

**Quote from Ben & Jerry’s: The Inside Scoop, written by Fred Lager, a former CEO of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

How The Printing Press Changed the Western World

Just as I believe music is the universal language that moves our souls, I think written words are the universal means for instructing our intellects. How did written language expand from labor-intensive handwritten documents to an explosion of mass-produced books, and how did that affect life and thought in the Western World? Please join me to hear “all about it” on the last Sunday of this month, February 27 at 4:00-5:30 ET. My son Jon (Dr. Jonathan Armstrong) will be presenting a free benefit lecture on how the printing press changed the world, using exciting visuals from the Gutenberg Museum in Mainz, Germany.

Johannes Gutenberg and the Printing Revolution

As an intro from Jon: “Johannes Gutenberg (ca. 1400-1468) introduced the printing press to Europe and so initiated one of the most profound revolutions in human history. Gutenberg, a goldsmith, inventor, and pious Roman Catholic, intended his printing press to advance the cause of the Roman Catholic Church, and in fact, the earliest dated document that we have from Gutenberg’s printing press is a papal indulgence. In this lecture, we will explore Gutenberg’s biography, attempt to pinpoint what precisely Gutenberg contributed to the invention of printing, and reflect on how the printing press shaped the subsequent history of modern Europe.”  

The first proof sheet from Gutenberg’s press, 1453.
Hand-colored woodcut of a 19th-century illustration

When? February 27, 2022 (Sunday)

          4:00–5:30pm Eastern Time (UTC-5:00)

          3:00–4:30pm Central Time (UTC-6:00)

          1:00–2:30pm Pacific Time (UTC-8:00)

​

Presenter: Jonathan J. Armstrong, Ph.D.

Where? From the comfort of your own favorite chair via Zoom! Click here to register: https://www.aqueductproject.org/benefit-lectures

Hope to “see” you there soon in Aqueduct’s Zoom classroom!!!

“He that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord. Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:28-30).