Warm Cookies and Cold Milk

I love warm cookies and cold milk. 

 

I mean I love all cookies.  

 

Warm

Cold

Soft

Hard

Peanut butter

Sugar

Snicker doodle

Really any cookie makes me happy.  I don't much care for Oatmeal Raisin.  I always feel tricked.  I think it's chocolate and then, BAM, they throw in a raisin.  But don't get me wrong.  I will eat them.  I don't discriminate against any cookie.

With my love of cookies I am always on the hunt for a good cookie recipe.  I found the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe.  So I have named the cookie The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie.  I know, how creative!!  :) I have made it three times and each time I am amazed at how soft the cookies turn out.  It's the secret ingredient that does the trick.  {just knowing that I make something with a secret ingredient makes me want to rub my hands together and laugh like a crazy scientist.  Mwahahahaha!}

So here is the recipe and a few pictures of these amazing cookies.

 

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

Makes 3 dozen cookies

1 cup butter soften
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp hot water
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Preheat over to 350* (175c).  Cream butter and both sugars. 

 

 

 Beat in eggs one at a time.  Then add vanilla.

 

 

SECRET INGREDIENT 

 dissolve baking soda in the hot water!!  Add to the batter with salt.

 

 

Stir in the flour and chocolate chips. 

Drop by spoonfuls onto cookie sheet. 

 

 

 Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. 

 

Pour yourself a glass of cold milk and enjoy your

warm Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

 

 

***A very special Thank You goes out to my wonderful assistant Miss Rachal.

She made the cookies while I cleaned house and took the photos!!

 

 

 

I have a confession . . . .

I am a People Pleaser!

I am glad to finally admit it and get that off my chest.

 

I am sure you are thinking, "What's the big deal?"  Well, it is a big deal.  It's hard work.  It's never ending work.  It can sometimes be too much.  Too much for me to handle. 

 

A few things about me . . . .

• I want everyone to be happy.
• I would rather do without something than to see someone upset or unhappy.
• I never, not ever, want to be a problem to anyone. Because of that, I have a hard time letting people do things for me.
• The worst thing that could ever happen to me is to find out I have disappointed someone - especially someone I care about.
• Why?
• I am people pleaser.
• It's who I am.  

Have you ever been to the circus and seen the clown that juggles the bright colored balls.? Then he calls for someone to throw in something else, maybe another ball.  Then finally, someone throws in the chainsaw.  And he just keeps on juggling.  Just keeps all the balls in the air going around so smooth.  Even the chainsaw that could cut his arm off.  That clown is me.  I try to so hard to keep all the balls in the air.  Even when I have been given a chainsaw, I just keep on juggling.  Keep on smiling.  Keep on please'n the people.

I want the world to be a happy place.  A stress-free place.  A place of pink balloons and rainbows.  I place where unicorns feed right outside my bedroom window and the bluebird always sings.  Alas, after 36 years on this earth I am still learning the hard lessons of life . . .

 

 

I can not please all people, all the time.
 

 

This makes me sad.  This makes me feel like I have failed in some way.  I know that at sometime, somewhere, I have let someone down.  I have not done everything I could to keep them happy.  But no matter how bad I feel, how much work this is, I will keep on being a people pleaser.  I will keep on trying to keep everyone happy all the time.  I will read my Bible.  I will pray more and talk to God.  I will be reminded again that this world is not perfect.  Sin is in this world.  Sin makes this world dirty and sometimes hard to live in.  Jesus is the only one who can make everyone happy.  He is the only one who can make things perfect.  So I will lean on Him and trust Him.

He is the Rock, his work is perfect. . .

Deuteronomy 32:4a

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

2 Samuel 22:31

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Isaiah 26:3

17. And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (because He made me) 23. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartly, as to the Lord, and not unto men (I don't need their approval, I have God's), 24.  Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ (not myself and not others or what they think).

Colossians 3:17; 23 & 24

with Cristy's remarks in parentheses

 

 I will always go back to being a people pleaser because that is who I am. 

How about you?  Are you a people pleaser?  Do you try to keep everyone happy or do just let the chips fall where they may? 

 

 

Back to school

It's that time of year again.  Everyone is talking about Back to School.  Facebook has been covered with post about heading back to the classroom.  Some are happy,

"The kids are going back to school and we will finally have a routine again!!  6 more days :) " 

posted one friend. Most of my teacher post are like this,

"Ready for a new school year and ready to meet my students."  

 Some post are filled with sadness as we see our babies are growing up. 

"I can't believe it's Sally's first day of kindergarten.  Where has all the time gone?  How can she be old enough."  Or "I can't believe it's Tommy's LAST first day of school.  How can he be old enough to be a senior in high school?" 

Or maybe it's the child that is sad,

"Summer vacation is over and I am heading back to school.  No more sleeping in, no more swimming all day!!  School work here I come. :( " 

First Day of School 2008

No matter how you feel about school, I have learned that we are always in school.  Always learning something, always being taught, always being tested, always sitting in the classroom of life. 

I find that I am much like the Israelite children.  I sometimes complain about where I am. "Why are my kids always arguing with each other?"  Complain about the water being too bitter. "Oh, I can't believe that this happened." Complain about the manna I have been given. "I wish I had a car, a better bike, a bigger kitchen . . . "  Sometimes I think back to "Egypt" and wish I could just go back, even though I was not happy in "Egypt". 

 I don't always pass my test that God gives me.  I don't always listen to the lessons.  Sometimes my heart and eyes wonder off.  I take my attention off the Instructor and focus on something else.  Then, uh oh, it's a pop quiz.  Something comes up in life, kids get sick, I have a bad day, husband has a bad day, dinner gets burned, laundry does not get dry and now smells sour.  How do I handle this?  Do I take it to God?  Do I tell my Jesus about it and let him fix it?  Most of the time, NO!  Most of the time I take my mess and I work on it.  I try to fix it.  I yell at the kids for arguing over Lego's, I blame others for my mistakes. 

After a while, once I have made a bigger mess, I take it to God.  I hand over all the broken pieces of the day and say, "Jesus, can you help me please?"  And each and every time He does.  He take the pieces and begins to work on them.  Sometimes this means I have to go tell my kids, "I'm sorry, I didn't handle today very well."  Sometimes it may take a while for God to fix the damage that has been done. 

But again, I pull myself back up to the desk.  Grab a pen, a notebook and my Bible.  I turn my eyes back toward the Instructor and listen to what He has to say.  I try very hard to pay attention and be ready for the pop quizzes of life.  I try to be ready for the big test too.  I know that God has a plan and a purpose for me.  I am trying to be less of me and more of Him.  This is what Jesus meant when he said,

And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

 let him deny himself, and

 take up his cross daily,

and follow me.Luke 9:23

Are you currently in the middle of a pop quiz?  A big test?  Are you giving it over to God to handle or are you taking care of things yourself?  Today my goal is to give it all over to God.  Every thing that comes up, big or small. 

God guild me in your ways. 

Parachutes, water balloons and sight seeing

Over the last two week we have been super busy.  There was a missions team from New Hampshire that came to help with Vacation Bible School.  They were here for 12 days. 

We started off with an International Children's Day at the town community center.  We had a good turn out of parents and kids.  We played games, sang songs and had a Bible story.  It was a good chance to meet many people from our town. 

Playing the Waddle Walk game.  She was so excited.

Playing a game with the parachute.

We then took a few days to take the team sight seeing.  Over two days we visited Karatsu, Arita, Nagasaki and Beppu Japan.  We had a chance to tour a castle, visit a pottery village, see Peace Park and the Peace Museum, play with the monkeys on Monkey Mountain, and see the 7 jigoku (translated hell) hot springs. 

Armor from the castle in Karatsu

The pottery village in Arita - made to look like Europe.

A monument in the location of the bomb drop in Nagasaki, Japan

1000 folded paper cranes for prayers of Peace.

Makes me think -

No God, No Peace.  Know God, Know Peace.

A monkey in Beppu, Japan

Soaking our feet in water from the hot springs!

Then we had a two day Vacation Bible School, called Summer Splash!!  With our church building being so small we had to break the VBS into age groups.  This way we could have more kids attending all day long.  ::This also meant we were at the church for 12 hours each day putting on the VBS::  So we started the day with ages 3-7 for 2 hours, then 8-12 for 2 hours and then 12-14 for 2 hours.  It made for a long day but the kids had fun and were able to hear about Jesus. 

Even in the rain the kids wanted to play with the parachute!!

The older (and last) group of kids had fun with the water games too!

One thing that made a huge impression with the Japanese kids was the parachutes the missions team brought with them.  Most of the kids and parents had never played with a parachute before.  They loved it!!  It was almost as big a hit as the water balloons.  Mike and I are looking to get one now.  There are so many games that can be played with the parachute!!  This would be awesome to use with the park ministry.  The kids would love it!! 

A few from inside the parachute.

Here is a video of some of our high lights from the last two weeks.  Thanks so much to those of you who help to support our ministry here in Japan.  This is why we are here.  Because of those who have never heard of Jesus. 

 Thank you!!

PS - the story of the little girl in the video is of me!! 

Have you ever had one of those days?

Where nothing seems to go as planned?

rained all day

laundry didn't dry

kids not in the mood to clean house

"Don't touch me!"

"She keeps looking at me!"

"Why do we have to clean the toilet EVERY day?"

fighting over Legos

playing together with the Legos

"Lets dump all the Legos out and build the most amazing building!!"

bored with Legos after 10 minutes

forgot to start the rice for lunch

lunch is served at 1:30

two boys playing sumo wrestling

 "Stop!  Someone is going to get hurt!"

bloody nose for 10 minutes

time for supper

clean the kitchen

start baths

iron clothes for church in the morning

sew on a button

kids in bed

mom gets in the shower

mom drops a brand new pack of powder on the floor!

"I give up.  I am going to bed"

Yeah, me neither.  My days always go as planned.

So how was your day?

And that's all I know about that . . . .

Hello friends! 

Over the next 6 weeks I will have a few ladies that

I admire and adore helping me with the blog. 

I want to take this time to share with you how

God uses many different people

in many different places

 to accomplish a common goal -

 seeing lives changed because of God. 

This week it will be me writing.  I want to talk about being a "new missionary". Although I don't know much, here is what I do know.

Let's start from the beginning . . . .
I was raised in a pastors home.  I am a PK {Preachers Kid}.  I always hated that term.  I hated how people assumed I was either really good or really bad.  I never understood why we had to be the first ones at church and the last to leave.  How come we never could skip church on Super Bowl Sunday?  Why did all the good TV shows come on Sunday nights or Wednesday nights?  But anyways, back to the point of the blog.  So I grew up in and around church, from as far back as I could remember we have always been in church.  As a teen I remember telling God at church camp one year - "I sure hope you don't want me to do anything in ministry because I have done my time."  I wanted to be an artist. 

a piece of the puzzle

Jump ahead about 7 years and I am married, two kids, home owner, living in the Holy Land Texas and just about as happy as can be.  My husbands says to me . . . "I think God is calling me into ministry.  I think we should go to Bible College."  So in a matter of two months we both had quit our jobs, sold our home and loaded a moving van and was heading to Springfield, MO again.  {in the 7 year gap Mike and I had met and married at Baptist Bible College in Springfield and then moved back to Texas}

a piece of the puzzle

We had another baby.  
Mike graduated college.  
We moved to the Detroit area.
We worked in a church for a little over a year. 
We made some friends. 
We had another baby.
We moved back to Texas. 
We worked in a church for almost 4 years. 
We built some friendships and learned a lot about ministry.  

a few more pieces to the puzzle

Over all this time Mike would bring up missions.  We would talk about different countries.  I was always negative. I always tried to find an out, an excuses, a reason we could not go. 

"Why another country?  America is full of heathens!  Just look around." 

 But always, we would come back to missions on the foreign field.  And each time I would think back to church camp - "I sure hope you don't want me to do anything in ministry because I have done my time."  I would cry and beg God to change Mike's mind.  One day God changed my mind. One day,  I saw a group of Japanese people and I didn't just see people, I saw souls.  Lost souls.  {This will be a story for another blog.}

a piece of the puzzle

So here I am, a new missionary in Japan.  We have been in Japan for 6 months. WOW - 6 months. We are doing well. We are all learning the language - some of us better than others!! The kids are making friends. Mike is helping to start an English ministry at the church this week. I have made a friend and we are having a Bible study once a week. I have plans to start park ministry in the fall {if I can read the Bible stories by then}. I really am excited to see how God is going to use our little family from Texas in this country, this city, this neighborhood. I feel that we are on the brink of something big here. 

God has done some amazing things in my life.  God has grown my faith by leaps and bounds.  I have a real relationship with God.  Not just Sunday morning, "bless this food", only when I am in trouble, kind of relationship but the real, can't live without Him kind.  And because of this relationship with God all my other relationships have fallen into place too. {not that they were really out of line to begin with} 


You see God took each of these little pieces of the puzzle to start a masterpiece in the Wyatt family, in me.  Each time something happened I questioned God just like the Israelites wandering around for 40 years - Why now?  What are You doing?  How come we have to move again?  Why missions?  Why Japan?  One day I will learn to have complete faith and trust in what God is doing.  One day I will understand in my heart as well as my head that God will not leave me nor forsake me.  I am ready, for the first time in my life, to be completely used by God ~ however He sees fit. 

And that's all I know about that . . . .

"For I know the plans I have for you,”

declares the Lord,

“plans to prosper you and not to harm you,

 plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11

A letter to Mike

*please see the note at the bottom

To my best friend,

I can not believe that we have been married for 15 years.  I can't be old enough to be married that long!! 

It's funny how somethings stick in your mind so clearly.  I can't tell you what we had for dinner last week but I remember this story like it was yesterday.  It was early July 1997, I was working at Toy R Us in Springfield, MO.  I worked at the returns counter.  I was talking to a co-worker about married life (I had been married over a month and was an expert for sure).  A lady and her two children walked up to the counter to return a toy.  As she filled out the form, I was finishing my conversation.  The lady asked, "How long have you been married?  You look so young."  I happily replied "34 days" or something like that, I don't remember the exact number of days now.  She smiled and said, "I have been happily married for 15 years and let me tell you, it only gets better!  Just remember, he is your best friend, make him always feel like he is."  I handed her the money for returning the toy.  She smiled and walked off with her kids.  I stood there for while and watched her walk away.  Two thing were going through my mind - 1.  Am I going to look that old when we have been married 15 years?  2.  How am I supposed to make Mike feel like my best friend?

Every year around our anniversary I tend think back to this and ask myself two questions -  "Do I look old yet?" And, "Did I make Mike feel like my best friend?"  For years, I have to admit, I was very consumed with diapers and bottles and laundry and kids that I don't know if I was a very good best friend.  But let me tell you, Mike, you have been always been an awesome best friend.  You have listened to me tell my stories about the kids, about work, about the lady in front of me at the store in the express line with 12 items. (don't get me started about this one) You have gone shoe shopping or purse shopping more than any husband should have too.  And you don't get mad when I can't decide which ones I want.  We have laughed - oh how we have laughed!!  I could remind you of many stories about us laughing so hard we were crying about grapes, tennise courts and cleaning the shower. Since this is on the Internet for the world to read, I will not tell the whole story!!  Date night for us has not always been going out.  One of our best date nights was sitting around the computer listening to music on itunes and remembering the 80's and early 90's.  I love how you know the words to almost every 80's tune!!  You never cease to amaze me with your useless knowledge. (and this is why I never win at Trivial Pursuit)  I could keep going on and on about why I fall more and more in love with you.  I just hope that after all these years that I have been as good a best friend to you as you have to me!  I am excited to see what God has in store for us in Japan.  I can't wait to see what the next 15 years will hold. - Oh and I don't think we look old enough to have been married for 15 years!! 

This song sums up our life -

Everything is great,

Everything is grand,

 I've got the whole wide world in the palm of my hand.
Everything is perfect,

It's falling into place,

 I can't seem to wipe this smile off my face
Life's a happy song when there's someone by your side to sing along.

I love you  . . . . forever,
Cristy

* I was not able to bring my photo albums and scrapbooks with me to Japan.  My mother took a picture of our wedding photo and emailed it to me.  Thanks Mom!!