Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Pumpkin Pie

Since October is almost over and November is knocking at the door,
I figured it was about time to share some Fall recipes.
Fall is my absolute favorite season, but since we don't have it in Ghana,
I just pretend.
I decorate my house with colored leaves and scarecrows and acorns and pine cones and pumpkins, and then I cook anything and everything that makes me think of Fall!
If it smells of cinnamon or apples or pumpkins, it is in!
What shouts Fall better than pumpkin pie?
I'm sure you have a recipe, but trust me when I tell you that this is the best one there is.
Everybody who eats it asks for the recipe.
And not only is it delicious, it is super easy!
My mom swears her mother got it off the back of a can of pumpkin puree.
I've also heard it is the recipe that Martha uses.
Can Martha and my Nina both be wrong???
I don't think so!

Pumpkin Pie

3/4 c. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 large eggs
2 c. pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix!)
      {this can be either homemade or canned}
1 1/2 c. evaporated milk

 1 raw pie shell (your recipe)

 Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients together.
Mix wet ingredients together.
Mix both together.
Pour into shell.
Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30-50 minutes (depending on your oven),
or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

You may want to cover the edges with tin foil if they start to darken too quickly.

Enjoy with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Missionary Monday ~ Preparing for the Holidays

 
This week's theme - How do you prepare for the holidays?
Do you celebrate thanksgiving?  Do you have family ship favorite Thanksgiving foods?
Have you already started shopping for Chirstmas?
 
 
Next week's theme - Thanksgiving
What are you thankful for?
We will keep this theme throughout the month of November.
 
 

Friday, October 26, 2012

Fellowship Fridays - Deputation

Deputation

Packing


I questioned the missionary ladies on our Facebook group page about this subject and several of them gave some great tips for packing on deputation or furlough!  PLease feel free to leave any suggestion you may have in the comments below!

We, 3 women and 2 guys have found taking a brown skirt/ suit and a black skirt/ suit and pairing everything with them works well. We also make sure we travel with casual/town clothes because a person never knows what we will get into during the day. Comfy shoes and clothes are always a welcome.  (The Arctic of Canada)

I try to pack for no more than 5 days. When we were in the states on furlough I just began going to the good will stores if I found I needed something. And then I purchased extra and left clothes at our daughter's house for when we return. Hoping just to take a carry on. If one has kids I am sure that is rather difficult because they are always changing in sizes, but I also figured I would just have to wash more often. It gets very tiresome hauling around a lot of luggage. I also took an extra suitcase so if we wanted to bring some things back with us. It is all in how one can plan if there is family that has room to help like with us leaving things to wear behind so we don't have to pack too much it aughta work out great. This is the first time we are trying this but it sounds like it might have possibilities. (Guatemala)

 If you have a one night stay on the way to somewhere..pack a carry-on type suitcase with everyone's change of clothes..and one bag with toiletries..make sure these bags are easily accessible..it's easier to take out one or two bags instead of 10..and then needing to repack the whole van, if it's just a one night stay. One other thing I thought of..if possible, try not to pack your vehicle too tight when you leave to go on the road for a few weeks or months. A lot of churches/individuals will bless you by giving clothes..food..other misc. gifts and you will need some room to pack the extras that you pick up on the way. (India)

My family of 4 travelled in a VW Golf (small car) for the first part of deputation and later a Subaru Impreza (medium size car), so we didn't have a lot of room. I had one bag for all toiletry items and I had one small suitcase that contained pjs, undergarments, one set of clothing for each of us, etc, then when we stayed at a hotel we could just grab the toiletry bag and small suitcase. My kids each had one small suitcase and my husband and I shared a larger suitcase. The kids each had a small crate next to their seats, in it they kept their toys. We also carried clorox wipes and baby wipes. :) All our items for our display table were kept in another small suitcase, and we also had a large wooden display for our table. It was quite cramped, but we made such fond memories in those cars. (Australia)

That sounds like how we packed! And we STILL do the 'one night on the way' both of us in one small suitcase thing when back in the States. One other thing I do yet is roll up one set of socks, tshirt and underwear together so that it is easy to just grab one each a.m. to put on and a bag to fill up as we go for laundry. (Japan)

1. I normally take one black skirt, one white skirt, and one or two denim skirts and multiple shirts and accessories (enough for 5-6 days). 2. If you have room in your vehicle, it can be quite nice to have a hanging bar and put your dress clothes on that rather than folding then in a suitcase and then having to iron them all the time  (Vanuatu)

The longer we were on deputation the fewer bags we ended up taking. You can live without a lot of things when you need to. Our biggest thing was having a small bag for short trips and a larger bag for longer trips. I also prepared an overnight toiletry bag and an extended stay toiletry bag. Flying always messed up our routine because we would cram stuff in our van for extra things. I would only ask my husband how long the next trip would be and what climate. It's best if you can hang you're clothes up and just pick out what you need. There is no way around having a lot of stuff with kids. We usually bought diapers wherever we went to save on room. Somehow everything finds a place or gets taken out. We also had extra plastic bags for trash, then threw it away when we got to our destination. Kept the car so much cleaner. We also had a box just for snacks. My son still thinks your supposed to eat when you get in the car. It will also keep your husband awake! Enjoy the journey and do fun things along the way. (Japan)

Monday, October 22, 2012

Missionary Monday ~ Your Choice

 
This week's theme - Your Choice
That's right, it's your choice!  Link up your favorite post,
or simply link up your blog.  This is a great time to let us know you're here!
 
 
Next Week's Theme - How do you prepare for the holidays?
Share your tips on how you prepare for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
 
 
Have an idea for a weekly theme?  Please leave a comment!
 
 
 
 

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Breakfast Time: Breakfast Casserole



Good Morning (Afternoon or Evening)!
Today's breakfast dish is from Joy Gibson who lives in {my favorite city!} New York where her family shares Christ with the Jews.
I've not tried this dish, but it sounds delicious!


BREAKFAST CASSEROLE
1 lb sausage*
6 slices bread, cubed (white works best)
1 cup grated cheese

6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dry mustard (or 1/2 tsp mustard)

DIRECTIONS:
Brown sausage and drain.  Beat eggs, milk, salt and mustard until frothy and set aside.  Grease a 9x13 pan.  Cover bottom of pan with bread cubes.  Layer sausage (or other meat/veggies of your choice) next.  Top off with grated cheese.  Lastly, pour the egg mixture evenly over the dish, making sure all sections are moistened.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, or until set and lightly browned.

ALTERNATIVES:
Instead of (or along with) the sausage, use 1 lb. of anything you might imagine in an omelet:  Ham, crispy bacon, peppers, mushrooms, green onion, caramelized onions (yum), zucchini, tomatoes, spinach and feta cheese, etc.

Fresh or frozen vegetables work wonderfully, but adjust the seasonings accordingly (there is a lot of sodium in sausage, so the recommended salt above may need a boost if you skip the meat).  I toss fresh veggies with a bit olive oil and Fajita style seasonings—salt, black or cayenne pepper, lemon and  garlic powder.  For brunch,  I’ve even done it with fresh broccoli, and it turned out very quiche-like.  Frozen veggies can go on straight from the freezer (do season, though) and reduce milk to 1 ¾ cup. (I don’t recommend frozen broccoli unless you like it soft.)

SO…pick your favorite fillers, sprinkle on top of the diced bread, cover with cheese, and pour egg mixture on top.  Refrigerate overnight, and pop it in the oven while you get ready for your day.  (Just don’t take too long in the shower!)   Enjoy!!

Thank you, Joy!

Monday, October 15, 2012

Missionary Monday ~ Your Fall Decorations!

 
This week's Theme - Your Fall Decorations!
Do you decorate for the fall? 
Do you have ideas how to decorate on a budget?
Please share!
 Here are a few of my decorations that I brought from America.
 
 
Next week's theme - Your Choice
Link up your favorite post, or just simply link up your blog.

Do you have a theme idea for our Missionary Monday?
Please leave a comment!
 
 
 
 

Monday, October 8, 2012

Missionary Monday ~ It's Autumn Time!

 
This Week's Theme - It's Autumn Time!
 
What does this season look like for you where you live?
I live in Australia, and currently it's the beginning of the wet season.
This beautiful tree greets me when I'm out and about.
You'd think it's yellow leaves, but it's not!  Those are little yellow flowers!
 
 
 
Next Week's Theme - Your Fall Decorations!
Do you decorate for fall?  Share your photos!
(Keep in mind we'll soon have our Christmas Blog Hop!)
 
 
 
 
 
 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Fellowship Fridays - Deputation Part II


Deputation Tips Part II

Staying Tips

Some enjoy it, some endure it.  Some love it, some hate it, but most missionaries do it!  It's called deputation.  Deputation is a time of visiting churches in order to present your call and burden while making churches aware of the need for the Gospel to your particular mission field.

Below are a few tips or suggestions for how to be a blessing at each place and church you stay!

Clorox Wipes - Portable, handy and quick.  You never quite know where you will be staying and sometimes the places (motels or otherwise) may need a little cleaning before you want your babies roaming free.  With these wipes you know you'll kill any germs before little hands come in contact with them.  Also, they are great for cleaning bathrooms, etc… before you leave. 

Allergies - Be up front about any allergies you may have.  Let the Pastor know ahead of time before he places you in a home with animals to which you may be allergic.

Baby Powder and many plastic bags for diapers - Not every home that houses missionaries has children.  In which cases they may not appreciate stinky diapers in their trash!  A handy trick I learned was to use baby powder (or baking soda) and plastic diaper bags (you can find these at dollar stores), place the diaper in the bag, give a few puffs of the baby powder an/or baking soda (kills the odor) and tie the bag shut.  Unless the family housing us had children OR specified what to do with the diapers, we would place them in our trash bag in the car and dispose of them later at a gas station.  Some families really don't mind if you throw diapers in their trash, but others don't appreciate the extra, smelly garbage.  It's best to err on the side of caution to prevent offending anyone.

Always make your bed - It's always a good testimony to leave your room neat and clean.  Also, when leaving a home it's always a good idea to strip the beds and leave the room in clean condition.  Ask for a vacuum cleaner, and dusting supplies.  Be a blessing to your hosts and try not to make too much extra work for them after you leave!

Leave the house as nice or nicer as when you arrived - Leave your room, Prophet's Chamber or Guest House in as good or better condition than when you found it.  If you have time before leaving wash the bedding and remake the beds, or fold bedding and put it away.  Remember to Be a Blessing!

If you break something replace it - One Prophet's Chamber we stayed in had a full length mirror leaning against the wall.  In the early morning as we were preparing to leave the mirror was bumped, fell over and broke into at least a hundred pieces!  Thankfully, it was the type that is easily found at Wal-Mart and was easy to replace.  If something doesn't work mention it to the Pastor.  You want to make sure he knows you didn't break it and you want to make him aware if something needs replaced, fixed, etc…

Hostess Gift - If you can leave a hostess gift, do so.  It's a way to show appreciation to the host family for opening their home and taking in complete strangers for the night or week!

Thank You Notes - I'm sure every missionary knows the ins and outs of writing thank you notes!  Always remember to send one to the family who hosted you as well as to the church.  Be sure to mention the ladies who cooked for the missionaries, the love gifts, etc...

Thanking Ladies for Meals - Many times the ladies cooking the food are over looked.  The food is delicious and they work hard, but because they are "behind the scenes" many times it's easy to forget to say a special "thank you" to them.  I know that they always appreciate the missionary taking the time to thank them personally for all the hard work they do.  

Help As You Can -  If you see something that needs done, go ahead and do it.  As a young girl I remember a missionary family that stayed in our Prophet's Chamber.  The day they were supposed to leave my parents and I stopped by to collect the bedding, towels, etc. from the room.  As we entered the parking lot we noticed their car was still there.  As we walked into the church we saw the whole family hard at work, vacuuming, dusting, etc. the whole church!  That made an impression on my parents and on me as a child. They said that was their way of saying "Thank You" for the place to stay… by cleaning the church building.

Be A Blessing - It's easy to become stressed and tired with all the traveling and packing, unpacking, staying in different places every night, etc… However, we need to remember that each church sees us that one time and the impression we leave with them is the one they remember!  Try to be a blessing at each place you are.  Remember, you are doing this for the Lord!  It can be awkward at times to stay with complete strangers.  Everyone's personality is different and you may "click" better with some people than with others.  People are People, some seem friendly, some seem rude. some seem shy and others are outgoing.  However, make the best of each situation and don't take anything personal!  
My siblings and I used to love to visit with missionaries and hear their stories over the dinner table.  You never know whose life you may affect with what you say and how you act!  Be a Blessing and I'm sure you will receive one in return!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Missionary Monday - A Day in the Life of...

Please meet Laura Consford and her family...
 
 
 
Is there such a thing as a "typical" day on the mission field? It seems there is always something unexpected that comes up, but we just learn to go with the flow.

We are the Consford family, currently serving in Ghana, West Africa. Joe and I first arrived in Africa in 2004. At that time, we did not have any children. We now have three children, Gilbert (7), Danny (5), and Bonnie (4). Each addition to the family has brought a little more excitement. There never seems to be a dull moment around our house. Our children say some of the funniest things. I do not know where they come up with some of their great ideas.

Here in Takoradi, Ghana, we have the unusual opportunity of being able to put our children in a Christian school. Another Baptist missionary started a school several years ago. They use the A Beka DVDs and have a teacher and a monitor in each class. Last year was the first year that our children attended there. They were a little overwhelmed at first since they were the only white children in a school of 250 students. They have just started their second year. They were all excited for school to start again. The school is only four miles from our house, but it sometimes takes almost an hour to get there due to traffic and road conditions.

When school is in session, a "typical" day begins at 5:30 for me. I get up, make breakfast, and get lunches packed to send to school. After I get Joe and the kids out the door for school by 6:45, I have time for my devotions and computer time. Then, I get started on my chores for the day - dishes, laundry, cleaning, baking, etc. Filtering water is also a daily occurrence. We have well water and rain water as our main water sources. So, the water has to be filtered before using it for cooking or drinking. At one point, we all got sick from the water. Since that time, we have stepped up our filtering system. Our water goes through a chlorination process and then four different filters before we drink it, and it takes constant care to keep the water moving along to the next step.

When the children are out of school, they are still up early, usually around 6:00. I still have all of the same basic things to do. They are old enough now that they can help out around the house. They clear the table, wash the dishes, sweep the floor, etc.

As is the case on many mission fields, there are not many "quick fix" type things available. So, meal preparation takes a little longer sometimes - making your own tortillas, soups, pizza dough, etc.

When the children get home from school, they usually swim or play outside for a while to get some of their energy out. They do not play much during school. They also like to help me make supper.

After supper, we like to play a game as a family. I grew up playing board games, and I still enjoy playing games. The main thing we are working on right now is not getting upset when we lose; it seems that someone always ends up in tears.

We have had "load shedding" recently. The idea is for the power to be off in different areas at different times, but the power in our area seems to be the first one to go off. We live up on a hill. Sometimes at night, the power is off in our area, but we can see lights all around us. We do have a generator, which is a necessity to keep food from spoiling and to keep the fans turning. It is a little frustrating at times because we never know when we will have "load shedding" or how long the power will be off. We do have a gas stove; at least the food keeps cooking when the power goes off. The other night, the power went off during supper. Bonnie said, "I guess we are having a candle breakfast." We sometimes get behind on the laundry because the generator will not run the washing machine. If the power is on, the washing machine is in constant use. That is better than doing it by hand. I know that I have it much easier than missionaries did years ago or than modern-day missionaries who are in very remote places.

Joe stays busy with sermon preparation, visiting, and transporting the children to and from school during the week. On Saturday mornings, he goes visiting. We also have Bible Clubs on Saturday mornings in different neighborhoods.

On Sunday mornings, I work with the children seven years old and under. I usually have around twenty-five in my class. Most of the children who have not been to school yet do not speak English. I usually have a Fante-speaking helper in my class. On Sunday nights and Wednesday nights, I play my clarinet as accompaniment during the services.

I usually go into town with Joe one day during the week to go grocery shopping. We have a couple small stores that carry refrigerated items. There is also a large market area that has a variety of items - fruits, vegetables, fabric, etc. We also buy some things in bulk at the market - flour, sugar, powdered milk. After we get our shopping done, we usually eat lunch somewhere before heading home. We do not have any fast food restaurants in our town, but there are some good places to eat; it just takes a while before the food comes.

My next goal is to learn Fante, the tribal language in our area. We have had difficulty finding a teacher. My husband studied Fante for six months when we were in Ghana a few years ago. (We started out in Ivory Coast but had to leave several times due to civil war.) So, he knows a lot more than I do. We learned French before going to Ivory Coast, but I have never studied a tribal language before.

Thank you for the opportunity to share our daily happenings here in West Africa. We have a blog which started out as a daily e-mail to family and friends to let them know what happens each day. You are welcome to follow along at http://consfords.blogspot.com/.
 
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Thank you, Laura, for giving us a peak into your life.  Did you enjoy reading this?  We would love to hear about a "typical" day in your life.  Please email us at baptistmissionarywomen @ hotmail . com (no spaces).