"Is it winter today?"

Last week it FINALLY snowed. We have been seriously lacking in the snow department this winter. While I was walking Faith into preschool she asked me, "Is it winter today?" I laughed and tried to explain that winter was a season and when we are in that season its always winter even when there is no snow. Sounds confusing even to me. Who can blame her for being confused when this winter has felt more like early Spring a lot of the time. We even have bulbs coming up in our flower bed.

And as I was pondering my child's innocent and somewhat amusing question the Lord brought to mind how true this is in my spiritual life. He is always there constant & faithful. Like the calendar that doesn't change he is "I AM" yesterday, today, and forever. But, sometimes when there is no "snow" in my life, when I just can't see the evidence of His work it doesn't feel like its winter. Satan confuses me into thinking my faith must be by sight.

Children go to bed hungry while others live in luxury.

Elderly folks sit lonely and abandoned in nursing homes.

Babies die without a chance at life while others cry themselves to sleep with an empty womb.

Busyness keeps me from spending time with the Creator of the universe.

And yet... even though there hasn't been snow this winter there HAS been evidence of winter. If you look up our trees are bare pointing to the fact that Spring is yet to come.

So, when I don't feel God's presence moving in my life when it just doesn't feel like winter what am I to do? Maybe I need to look up. To drink in the truth of what the Bible says to be true about my God instead of relying on my fickle feelings.

"Know therefore, that the Lord your God IS God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."

Deuteronomy 7:8-10

God is faithful even when we can't see or feel or understand. Am I?

White Cheese Dip (Hooray!)

I LOVE the white cheese dip at Mexican restaraunts. So, I've been trying for quite some time to find one you can purchase or a recipe that will make something that tastes similar. So when I saw one on Pinterest that every comment was people raving they'd finally found "the one" I knew I had to try it. I decided to make it for our small group's Super Bowl party. Faith decided she was in the mood to help and spent a very long time helping dice up the cheese.

I love how similar we are holding are hands in this one...not planned. :)

I thought it was very yummy! Definitely something I will make again. But, only for special occasions as otherwise this dip is sure to get me in trouble. If I've made you curious you can find the recipe here. I didn't have whole milk on hand so I used 2% and I didn't add the water to compensate. We thought it worked great. The cans of peppers I bought were more than the recipe called for so I measured out bags and froze them. Next time I made the dip I can just buy the cheese and pull out a bag of it and be done in a snap.