In the middle of this past busy week, I was given the opportunity to have a few hours of pampering at a women’s gathering in Okoboji, Iowa. Every year, for many years now, the Okoboji Bible Conference happens for one full week. It is always the first full week of August, beginning on Saturday evening with a concert. The days following are filled with speakers, music, and programming for little people through adults of all ages. Most of the sessions are at no cost, with a free will offering taken each evening to help support this event. The main evening sessions are held just a couple blocks from the Arnolds Park Amusement Park, in the Okoboji Bible Conference pavilion.
This event that I was privileged to attend is held annually just for women. It is a luncheon, along with music and an inspirational speaker. Elegant…relaxing…inspiring…and so needed for all of us who attended. The speaker was from Michigan, and her name was Cindy Bultema. She brought us laughter, tears, and deep thoughts that encouraged us to be better at who we are. One of her books, based on First Corinthians from the Bible, is titled, “ Live Full, Walk Free”. The subtitle states, “ Set Apart in a Sin Soaked World”.
Her talk centered around lemons, representing the sourness in our lives that comes to all of us at some point or another. It is when we are hurt, sad, broken, lonely, or left to go on with only part of what we started our journey with, not by our choice. She chose to talk to us using three points:
1. When life gives you lemons, you have a choice. You can let the events make you better or you can become bitter. We can be pitiful or powerful. Live in despair or joy. Be a victim or have victory.
2. Don’t Forget the Sweet Stuff. Look for the sweet stuff all around us. Examples might be friends and their love toward us, maybe in a meal, a card, a call or any way someone or something supports us in our grief or sadness. Cling to the three F’s…Faith, Family, and Friends. And in that order. We were meant to do life in community!
3. If Life Gives You Lemons, Share the Lemonade With Others. As we heal and move forward, we need to help refresh others out of our experiences. She said that the meaning of the word genius is “a person who takes the lemons that they are handed, and starts a lemonade stand with them”.
Simple but powerful thoughts as we face another sunrise and head into another day. No one knows what we might encounter or endure by the time sunset approaches. May God bless you.
We have been enjoying making meals of garden goodness. I wish it could happen all year around! One day at swimming exercise one of the Water Lilies brought extra cucumbers and zucchini for us to take. The following recipe was given to me by another friend when I asked for a chocolate version of the cake made with this dark green summer squash. Enjoy!!
Chocolate Zucchini Cake
1/2 cup margarine OR butter
1/2 cup oil
1 3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk OR buttermilk
2 1/2 cups flour
4 Tbsp. cocoa
1` tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cups shredded zucchini
Mix all together well, adding the zucchini last. Put in a greased 9 by 13 pan. Top with the following:
1/4 cup chopped nuts
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
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