Think Upon Such Things-part one (in case you missed it)
For the past few months, my kids have been wild about listening to The Jesus Storybook Bible in the car. It’s a paraphrase of scripture for kids by Sally Lloyd-Jones and is read on CD by British actor David Suche. We’ve listened to all 3 CDs at least 10 times through. I have contemplated hiding it for a while to vary our driving experience, but it has changed us. I know it has.
My 4 1/2 year old son (who apparently is an audible learner) has large amounts of it memorized. He’s been quoting it while playing cars and digging in the yard. At night when we read from the same Bible he chimes in right along with me- with a British accent, mind you. I could go on and on about the pearls in this experience, but there is a phrase repeated throughout this storybook that is teaching our hearts such truth. It says, “God loves you with a Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking, Always and Forever Love.”
Deep down in the foundation of their minds, I want my kids to know that God’s love is like that.
Listening to God’s story in the car has been a golden thread for me too. It has taken my mind away from whatever is frustrating me and has focused it on the crazy stuff God does- the loving, redemptive and powerful stuff. And on the days I am really struggling, it has brought me such comfort. This past Christmas morning while eating orange-vanilla monkey bread and watching our squealing kids run around the house, my body began to let go of the baby that had just begun to grow inside. No matter how early or how common it can be, miscarriage is hard.
We hope for another child and trust God for His best, but I get sad sometimes and worry about the future. When the story of Abraham and Sarah comes on The Jesus Storybook Bible CD (about every 4 days) I hear this line and it puts me right where I need to be. “Of course it was as easy for God to give her a baby as it was for him to make all the stars in the sky.” I am reminded that I don’t need to worry if I’m too old to get pregnant again (Sarah was 90!) or if God cares for me and knows best for our family. Especially when the story right before that says, “But all the stars and the mountains and oceans and galaxies and everything were nothing compared to how much God loved His children. He would move heaven and Earth to be near them. Always. Whatever happened, whatever it cost Him, He would always love them.”
That’s all I need to hear.
Sometimes I forget that I can choose the words and images that fill my days. At least some of them. I get bombarded and my circumstances throw me around, but I can control the floodgate to make sure it doesn’t get flung open. Wisdom comes with filtering through the truth and the lies and holding on to what is real.
And I have a strong hand to hold.
BRIGHT SPOT
Orange-Vanilla Monkey Bread
adapted from the Pioneer Woman
Ingredients
- 3 cans (7.5 oz each) Buttermilk Biscuits (not the flaky kind), cold. I can’t always find these small cans so I use 2 of the larger ones instead. Just make sure you have about 15 oz of dough total. OR you can make your own homemade biscuit dough.
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 whole oranges, zested
- 1 dash salt
- 1 & 3/4 sticks salted butter
- 3/4 cups brown sugar
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Make sure dough is really cold, open all the cans of biscuits and cut the biscuits into quarters. If using the larger cans, cut each biscuit into 6 pieces.
*If using homemade biscuit dough, chill for at least 30 min before using, roll out to 1/2″ thick and then cut into large bite-sized pieces.
Fill a large Ziplock bag with the granulated sugar, the orange zest, and the dash of salt. Seal the bag and shake it around until the zest and the sugar are totally combined. Add the biscuit pieces to the bag, seal it and shake/toss it around until all the biscuit pieces are coated in the orange sugar. Pour the pieces into a bundt or tube pan and set it aside.
In a medium pan over medium heat, melt the butter then stir in the brown sugar and vanilla until just barely combined. Pour the mixture all over the biscuit pieces, let it settle for a second, then place the pan in the oven.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top of the biscuits are golden brown. Then remove the pan from the oven and set it on a rack for at least 10 minutes (but no more than 15), then turn it out of the pan onto a cake plate.
Note: When it first comes out of the pan, the melted sugar/caramel will be hot. Wait a few minutes after turning it out before serving.
Golden Threads 
Thank you for the tip of the audiobook. Will be getting that today. We love the Storybook Bible. Secondly, no, it doesn’t matter how early, the pain is still real as is the loss. (Been there too.)
Can I borrow those CDs? 😉 Love when the wording is simplified so we can just let it soak in.
Also, READERS BEWARE: that monkey bread is INSANELY delicious.
Love you and your heart, Steph! You care for people so well.
yes you can borrow!