Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Recipe for German Lemonade Cake

This cake has been a family favorite for at least four generations. It was the traditional birthday cake we had growing up, and it is what I make for my own kids now.

When I say 'Lemonade Cake' it really should more accurately be called 'Orangeade Cake,' but that just doesn't have the same nice ring to it. 

You see, in German, 'Limonade' means any type of soda. Most sodas are made from fruit juice plus carbonated water, and orange juice is the most common choice among those. The closest thing I can compare it to is Pellegrino orange or blood orange soda. In fact, both are great choices for this cake. 




Then there is the chocolate frosting. There is no way to accurately describe this frosting without doing it injustice. It is, at its core, the most delectable frosting in the universe. Period. The magic in transforming its simple ingredients into perfection is to follow the directions exactly, or it will not whip up smooth and creamy but clumpy and flat. Easy directions, but they must be followed to a T. 

Also, to warn American sensibilities, the frosting contains an egg. A raw egg. You may think it is only by the grace of God and many miracles that after hundreds of instances of my grandma, her six kids and all their descendants, and now myself and my family eating this cake we have not ever fallen ill or died from eating it, but it's true. I lived to tell about it! Raw eggs are not inherently dangerous! Chickens that live in squalid unnatural conditions might fall sick with E. coli, which could end up on the outside of the egg, which could end up in your frosting and go downhill from there, but rather than rejecting the raw egg, just buy from a reputable source of pasture-fed chickens. Or choose a pasteurized egg (only in America, lol!). Or take your life into your own hands and use a regular ol' cheap egg. The chances of getting sick from it are near zero because all eggs in stores are washed, washed, and washed again. You could even give it one more rinse yourself before using it. 

Who knew a recipe could get this political just in the intro??!? Without further ado, here is the recipe:




German Lemonade Cake

Ingredients

For the cake:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup sunflower oil or melted butter
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup (blood) orange soda or orange juice mixed 50:50 with carbonated water

For the frosting: 
2 sticks + 2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 eggs


Directions

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 10x13 baking dish.

2. Mix together eggs and sugar. While the mixer is running, add the oil/melted butter and vanilla. Turn the mixer off, dump the flour and baking powder into the bowl, and slowly start mixing again while pouring the soda into the cake batter. Turn mixer off as soon as the batter is well combined. 

3. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until the edges are turning golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

4. Completely cool cake in the pan before frosting.

For the frosting: 

1. Melt the butter completely and pour into a small bowl. Allow to cool down to room temperature or a little warmer. This is critical! The recipe will not work with just softened butter - the butter has to be melted and warm, but not hot (that would make the egg curdle).

2. Add powdered sugar and cocoa to the bowl, and beat with electric egg beaters or an immersion (stick) blender until well combined. 

3. Add eggs to frosting and continue to beat. You will see the frosting become smooth and creamy immediately. 

To finish:

1. Frost the cooled cake while the frosting is still soft. 

2. Add colored sprinkles (we love these).

3. Enjoy! The cake tastes best at room temperature. If you have to store it for an extended period of time, do so tightly covered in the fridge, but allow the cake to come to room temperature again before serving.


Friday, May 5, 2017

15 ways to be a blessing to your Pastor's wife (and a real-life application)

I have been thinking about writing this post for over two years, but have always shied away from it. By necessity, this post will be candid. Being a pastor's wife (PW) myself, I do not want to come across as directing points at anyone in particular, nor do I want to give the impression that being a pastor's wife is a burden. My husband and I are blessed by a church that has always made us feel loved, appreciated, and has held us in high regard. Thus, many of the points below do not apply to me in the first place.

But - the majority of my readers do not go to our church, therefore I am not their pastor's wife. These readers may be interested in and benefit from the "behind-the-scenes" points I and other PW's have gleaned without feeling like I am grinding some sort of personal ax.

Some time ago, I asked in a Facebook group for independent Baptist pastor's wives for ideas on 'how to be a blessing to your pastor's wife'. I was surprised how this topic was immediately picked up and eagerly commented on. It was obvious it had struck a chord with many of my fellow PWs.

In I Timothy 5, verse 2 the Bible advises us to treat "elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity." Without trying to be offensive or belittling, the closest thing I can compare pastoring to is that of raising a family. Some of the family members are more mature, and others are "babes in Christ". The pastor is the shepherd of this flock. In accordance with I Timothy 3, he is not even qualified to hold this position unless he is married to a godly Christian and has children that are in subjection. Ready or not, people look to the wife of the pastor for guidance and an example.

Yet, even as the Bible outlines specific requirements for deacons' wives (a deacon would be our modern-day assistant pastor) and for Christian women in general, it never lists any specific requirements or roles for the pastors' wives. I am sure they still apply - grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things - but I have to wonder if God did not make specific mention of them because He knew people would have high and sometimes unattainable expectations of their pastor's wife even without them being outlined in the Bible.

A pastor's wife, is, first and foremost a wife. Her first duty besides God is the same as that of all other wives - her husband, then the children, her household, and only after that outside obligations, which any work for church would fall under.

I am thankful that my husband does not expect me to do any work for church - zero - and never has. And while it is true that I do work for church every week, and did so even more in the past when my family was smaller and we did not have any staff to help, my contributions are voluntary. I am giving of my time and efforts just like other people in the church are, of their own free will as an offering unto the Lord, because we believe that doing so will benefit others, not because we 'have to.'

If you have a church that you love, and a pastor that preaches the truth and upholds the Bible whether it's popular or not, rest assured that they are fighting battles you will never see nor hear about. You can be an asset and a blessing, or a burden to your pastor, depending on your actions. One very effective way to be a blessing to him is by being a blessing to his wife and children. You can fill the cups of those who fill his cup, as it were, so that they in turn can pour out unto him and he back to the congregation by way of preaching, teaching, and his work in the church.

On that note, here are 15 ways  to be a blessing to your pastor's wife:


1. Pray for her and her family

One of the best ways to be a blessing to your pastor and his family is to pray for them, even if it is only a short prayer for protection and blessing. As a family, they face many trials that they will never talk about outside the home, but rest assured that pretty much at any given moment, they are facing a battle on some front.  Just knowing that other are always praying for them is a huge comfort.


2. Respect her husband

Don't make jokes or complain about her husband to her. If you loved the sermon, let her know. Don't criticize him or her kids to her or to others. If you have a legitimate concern, go to them first and give them a chance to give their side on an issue. If someone says hurtful things about their husbands or kids, it hurts PWs just like anyone else. Do not try to drive a wedge between her and her husband. In the same vein, do not put her in an awkward position by complaining about your husband/wife or kids to her, or airing your dirty laundry for shock value.

3. Send her notes of encouragement

You could let her know if you think she is doing a great job or otherwise encourage her. Text her every now and then just to tell her your praying for her. Don't expect a reply, but rest assured your message will put a smile on her face and brighten her day.

4. Don't expect her to be your BFF

As much as you may enjoy feeling like you are your PW's best friend, imagine how you would feel if you knew you weren't, and that someone else was. Even among a moderately-sized congregation, the PW would not have time to cultivate deep, exclusive friendships with some people without compromising her care and concern for others. For the benefit of all involved, you should not expect your PW to give you or anyone else "best friend" status. If you love spending time with her, the best way to be able to be around her is to offer to help her with the work around the church or her home, whether that's cleaning, decorating, or just showing up for a ladies’ event.
  

5. Realize she goes through different seasons in life

Like all of us, the wife of the pastor might go through seasons that are more challenging than others, especially if she is in her childbearing years. This could be due to sickness, pregnancy, financial stress, certain trials in the ministry, her children's ever-changing needs, marital strains, or a host of other reasons. She may be less available to help and counsel during these times than during others when she can give more freely of her time. Please do not take personal offense if your PW seems to be taking less of an interest during this time, or compare what she does for you to what she did for someone else at another time. 


6. Realize her time is limited

Even in a perfect world, when everything is going smoothly, your PW like all of us only has a certain amount of time each day. Respect her time. She's a mom and wife first and foremost. Don't expect that she can or wants to meet every need that you have. If everyone in the church called her every time they had a problem, she wouldn't be able to minister to her own family. Be respectful of their family time. They give so much time to the church - allow them to have their own family day (unless there is a major emergency). Most pastors try to take it easy on Mondays, as they are extra busy with church work on weekends and understandably exhausted.


7. Participate in activities she plans

If you can't or don't want to go, don't announce it loudly in an attempt to discourage others. If you have RSVP'ed for an activity, unless you have a truly compelling emergency, please be sure to show up, especially if it is one that costs money for each attendee like a field trip or tea party.


8. Do not stab her in the back

Go to her when you have a problem with her (or better yet, just get over it) - in either case don't just stand in the back and talk about her. Be her bulldog and stand up for her when others criticize her. Refuse to participate in trash-talking her or any of the other church members. Do not engage in drama. Always be the biggest cheerleader for the church, pastor and family. Lift them up rather than tear them down. Be friendly but respectful. Teach your children to call her Mrs. _______.


9. Find out her love language and show her love that way.

Remember her birthday and her children's birthdays, their wedding anniversary, and the church anniversary. Tell her if you think she is doing a good job. Thank her for things she does. Your PW might be one that likes to get hugs now and then, or she may really enjoy going out for a cup of coffee with you. On the other hand, she might be much too introverted for either of those ideas. You could find out what her favorite restaurants, grocery stores, or shops are and give gift cards. You could find out what her hobbies are and get her something she enjoys, like books, supplies, etc.This may seem carnal, but it might be the only time your PW can enjoy those things. 
 

10. Volunteer to help

Be zealous about volunteering when help is needed. Be the first to raise your hand. One huge area there are never enough volunteers for is cleaning.  If you see something in the church that needs done, maybe ask if you can do it. Help with all the small stuff without being asked - empty a trash can, wipe down a sink, replenish the coffee station. Share your ideas and be ready to work on projects together.


11. Make a meal for the family on a busy week

Remember they are church members too. Death, sickness, and surgeries come to the pastor's home too.  Understand that they are human and go through the same struggles as everyone else does. Even just unexpectely getting pizza delivered is a huge blessing!


12. Respect their family finances

Don't go to the pastor for a loan. He cannot legally give church money that came in the offering plate to private people to help them out in a pinch with their rent money, bills, etc. If your pastor does give you money, realize it is coming out of his wallet just as if you asked anyone else. Please think twice about asking for money from your pastor who may be supporting more people on his income than most others in the church are. Do not try to police how and on what the pastor's family spends their money. Different people have different priorities. They might buy used clothes all year round but splurge for new holiday clothes. They may prefer to spend their money on trips rather than toys. They may want to drive an old clunker to save money, or a new vehicle to save headaches. Bottom line, it's not anyone's business but their own how the pastor spends his paycheck.


13. Be respectful of her and her family's personal space

Don't move into a house so close to theirs that they see you every day and their kids share the park with your kids now. The pastor and his wife might want to take a walk around the neighborhood in the evening without being watched or overhead talking to each other. They need their own space and already feel like they live in a glass house with everyone watching every move they make. Don't move within sight of them. And please don't follow the PW into the bathroom at church to talk to her - she already gets that from her kids at home ;)  


14. Be kind to her children

Love them and treat her children as you do the other children in the church. Don't give them special treatment because they are the pastors kids, but don't make things harder for them because they are the pastors kids. Don't expect her children to not act like children. Don't expect her kids to be your kids' best friends.

15. Remember that she is human

Your PW does not have it in for you. She loves you and prays for you. She serves your pastor so he can better serve you. Be quick to forgive as she is not faultless. Do not have unrealistic expectations of her. Don't compare her to any other pastor's wives. Let her be human and have fun too. Ministry can be one of the loneliest places to be. Sometimes ladies are afraid to invite the PW to different activities that aren't church related. We do enjoy being with others and having adult conversations about things other than the Bible, children, and other people's problems! It's nice to be treated as a "normal" lady at times. Talk to her like you would talk to other ladies at church.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~


And now for a real-life application, I am excited to share with you all that I am putting together gift baskets / care packages for the following pastor's wives: Mrs. Berzins, Mrs. Jimenez, Mrs. Perry, and Mrs. Romero.

My goal is to be an encouragement and a blessing to them. You may have guessed that being married to the men on the front lines of the spiritual/cultural war is not always stress-free and fun. We know our labor is not in vain in the Lord, but having tangible reminders that we are not alone in this is both encouraging as well as plain helpful. 

If there is anything you would like to contribute to put into these baskets, please mail them to me at:

Faithful Word Baptist Church
c/o Mrs. Anderson
2741 W Southern Ave. Suite 14
Tempe, AZ 85282

You could include anything from a heartfelt note to a gift. These baskets will be presented to the pastor's wives in person. The ladies will be traveling home by plane so please bear that in mind (no liquids over 3.4 oz, nothing overly heavy or bulky, etc.). The 'deadline' to send cards or gifts to the address above is the first week of August.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Your turn - how do you like to be a blessing to your pastor's wife? What is the best way others have encouraged and built you up?

  

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Losing the (baby) weight

I have not mentioned this before, but I have been working to shed the baby weight from my pregnancy with Chloe since September 2016 when she was 4 months old.

I am currently 30 lbs down from when I started going to Weight Watchers again 7 months ago. I did THM between birth and going back to WW, but had stalled.



 


I followed "Trim Healthy Mama" while pregnant to keep the weight gain healthy without having to count calories or keep track of how much I ate, so I got back to my pre-pregnancy weight pretty quickly, but that still left me with extra weight from previous pregnancies when I wasn't so diligent. I don't think I have made it all the way back down to my 'happy, healthy weight' since after Miriam (ten years ago!), but I am happy to report that I am now less than 10 lbs from being back down to my Weight Watchers lifetime goal weight, which means two things: I can almost go to meetings free again, and I am likely to get pregnant any day now, ha!




Even after I get back to my WW lifetime goal weight, that is the highest healthy weight for someone my height, and I should really go on to lose a few more lbs beyond that. My plan is to keep losing until I get pregnant again, and then to once again be careful in my food choices while pregnant to make sure I don't use pregnancy as a carte blanche to gain unnecessary weight.


Being pregnant is certainly not for the faint of heart! As I like to say, while children are a blessing, pregnancy might be part of the curse. If I could have babies without being pregnant I would sign up in a heartbeat! Over the course of 9 full-term pregnancies, I have literally gained and lost hundreds of pounds. The gaining comes easy and fast, but the losing takes concerted, active effort, especially in a house full of hungry growing kids and a physically fit husband who can eat the fridge every day and stay lean as they do so, while I have to make careful decisions about every bite I take or live with the consequences. 


There is an idea out there that if we eat healthy, nutritious, balanced foods it is impossible to become overweight. Let me cue you in on a secret: that's not true. At least not for me, and most childbearing moms. The human body is designed to make pregnant moms pack on extra pounds, to make sure that should mom fall on hard times while breastfeeding, there is enough in store to keep baby fed even during lean times. Those same hormones that like clockwork lead to ovulation and pregnancy, grow a baby, bring on labor and birth, stimulate milk production etc. are also busy at work putting extra fat on mom for times of food shortage that we do not experience in 21st century America.


For me, whatever I weigh the day after I give birth is what I would weigh indefinitely if I did not actively work to lose the baby weight. And so, since I thankfully live in the land of plenty and don't HAVE to suffer hunger, I am responsible for making myself go without in order to use up those pesky stores in all the wrong places. And yes, that includes going hungry in order to lose the excess weight!

I really appreciated this sermon my husband preached:




There is a very strong correlation in the Bible between drunkenness and gluttony. I guess it only makes sense since both feed the flesh and cater to our literal appetites.

(Deuteronomy 21:20)  And they shall say unto the elders of his city, This our son is stubborn and rebellious, he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton, and a drunkard.

(Proverbs 23:20)  Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:


(Proverbs 23:21)  For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags.
(Ecclesiastes 10:17)  Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness!


Recently, I stumbled across some of the questions Alcoholics Anonymous uses to determine whether someone is an alcoholic, and was shocked to find how many of these could equally apply to habitual overeating and/or binge-eating, or what the Bible calls 'gluttony':

Have you ever decided to stop drinking overeating for a week or so, but only lasted
for a couple of days?

Do you wish people would mind their own business about your drinking weight — stop telling you what to do?

Do you envy people who can drink eat without getting into trouble?

Have you had problems connected with drinking your weight during the past year?

Has your drinking weight caused trouble at home?

Do you ever try to get "extra" drinks foods at a party because you do not get enough?

Do you tell yourself you can stop drinking overeating any time you want to, even though you keep getting drunk overeating when you don’t mean to?

Have you ever felt that your life would be better if you did not drink overeat?

Have you ever felt remorse after drinking bingeing?

Have you gotten into financial difficulties as a result of your drinking eating habits?

Has your ambition decreased since drinking overeating?

Does drinking your weight cause you to have difficulty in sleeping?

Has your efficiency decreased since drinking overeating?

Do you drink binge to escape from worries or troubles?

Do you hide how much you drink eat?

Has your physician ever treated you for drinking your weight?

Have you ever been in a hospital or institution on account of drinking your weight?


Being a food addict is real. It is a sin. As with other substances, addicts want to shift the blame to anything and anyone but themselves: cost of healthy eating, metabolism, age, physical limitations, lack of support, medical conditions, hormones... the list is endless. Unlike other addictions like drugs and alcohol, we must eat multiple times each day and thus cannot cut out food altogether, making it that much harder to gain control over food rather than letting it control us.


The truth is, we need to take responsibility for our own actions. There is a lot of freedom in realizing that each of us has the power to take our lives in whichever direction we want. As the saying goes, "You can have anything, but you can't have everything." It's all about choices.



When we choose to eat our fill at every meal every day, go back for seconds more often than not, have dessert at every opportunity, gorge ourselves at every party or meal out, choose pizza over salad every time, drink our calories rather than water, sit on the couch rather than go for a walk, and go out to eat for a date rather than ride a bike, we are choosing those things over others we can no longer have, whether that be feeling and looking healthy, being happy with ourselves, being able to have babies, or staying active with our loved ones instead of tiring out just from being alive and breathing.

When we choose the negative consequences of overeating over the effort it takes to keep or attain a healthy weight, we are also making this choice for our loved ones. Parents worry for their morbidly obese children on their way to a heart attack. Husbands and wives often feel ripped off when their spouse is letting themselves go, or making it impossible for both of them to have (more) children. Kids are learning poor eating and exercise habits from childhood, setting them on a path to lifelong obesity. There are too many negative consequences to list them all here, but as with all sins, they go beyond just one person - they affect everyone around us, too.

Food is like money - once we spend it on one thing it's gone and we no longer can use it on something else. To make a big purchase (eat extra), we will need to skimp in another area (have modest meals the rest of the day). Of course, we can choose to go into debt (gain excess weight), but in the long run to recover from that we will need to spend less than we make (eat less than we need) to create a surplus (caloric deficit) and pay off our debt (lose the extra pounds).  The more in debt (overweight) we are, the longer it will take to get out of it.



Losing weight is hard. 

Being overweight is hard. 

Choose your hard. 


Tuesday, May 2, 2017

Funny time capsule video of the big boys

A couple of years ago, when the boys were 13 (Solomon), 12 (Isaac), and 10 (John) years old, a friend of ours who is a college professor was thinking about changing careers and making a business out of recording time capsule videos. He did one of our big boys to use as a possible promo.

He did not end up going into business with this, but we still got this cool video. :)





It's funny to see what has changed since this was recorded two years ago, and what has stayed the same. Solomon's voice and face are much more adult-like now. Isaac still loves being outdoors, working with animals, and working with his hands. John is still a sweet goofball. And they all still love Legos!

I also thought it was funny how when asked about his family, Solomon listed us parents after his siblings, but before his pets, twice. It goes to show that those who think that kids in large families suffer because the parents cannot give their undivided attention to each child all the time are mistaken - the kids have siblings instead, which they'd usually much rather hang out and be close with.

Now I want to have a video like this made of the three big girls! In fact, I think making these video time capsules might be a great business start-up idea for one of my big boys, they all enjoy videography and editing. I will have to ask Solomon if he wants to take on the project with his younger siblings.

I'm going to make some of those peppermint swirl cookies now just to put a smile on their (now teen) faces! :)