I voted!

America is waiting in suspense. The election count is rolling!

We all need to remember, that whatever the outcome from the election is; is that it won't fix our country. No Republican or Democrat, or whoever is in control of the House or Senate; can fix anything. The only person that can, is our LORD & Savior Jesus Christ, through the men of His choosing. Our country has lived in gross defiance of God, murdering innocent children, openly practicing sodomy, & blatantly saying that God does not exist. He does exist, & He is watching our every move! We need to run back to Christ, & fling ourselves at His feet & pray for mercy; that America would be judged to repentance & not to destruction. All of the economic disfunction & the erosion of national pride & identity in America, is a direct result of living in defiance of God. Right now the polls aren't looking too good. Obama is winning. (The scumbag!) Since we don't have tv, I've been near the computer all evening… waiting, watching, trusting. I do not want Obama to win. But I could not in good conscious vote for Romney. (In my opinion, they are basically the same thing, but I would prefer a Republican to win anytime, over a Democrat.) For many Americans, sadly it was the choice of choosing between two evils: the hypocrite or the heretic. Then for many other Americans, it was simply the matter of choosing between the Elephant & the Donkey. Heehaww.

A donkey dressed in a lion's skin, scaring all the other animals away. Drawing by Thomas Nast

"It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God & the Bible."

 ~George Washington  (I like this quote. It is so true!)

When Obama got elected in 2008, I was only 16 years old. So, this was my first presidential vote. First of all, I am not a very politically inclined person, but I enjoy following along in my own little way. I voted Ron Paul for president, because I know that there isn't that much difference between most GOP candidates & Democratic candidates, especially in this election. I'm a Christian & 100% pro-life. I strongly believe in upholding & the pursuing the Constitution. I believe that following the Constitution; something rooted in Judeo-Christian ethics, is the only way to get America out of the woods & back on the right path. We can't take what we've had for the past 4 years much longer. Ron Paul is good, consistent & he's an honorable man. And he took on the Federal Reserve, MSM, Military Industrial Complex, Federal Government, pro-American foreign policy & the GOP! So I voted for him, even though I know he doesn't have a chance, in fact, there never was one. But he was the only person that I could vote for. Here's to the next 4 years, no matter the outcome of the election: May God have mercy on us all. 

And here is a short youtube vid, please take the time to watch it. 

Soli Deo gloria-

-GB

"There comes a time when nations fall. When nations flee from the God they loved. Once trusted and feared, once served and sought. There comes a time when men become weak. They falter they fail, they stumble, they fall. The time is now, the nation is us. Yet the path to freedom and life, lies open before us, unchanging forever. Let us rise from the ashes, and return to the guide by which we must live... Our King reigns over all His creation. His words never change. His commands are ever pure. Let us seek His face and fear His name… For now is the time to return." ~From the vid above^

Original Poem

Feelings Unforgotten—  

Silently he sits, and waits with tired eyes,

    With cross'ed arms, he rises and sighs— 

His love is gone, and so is the night;

    Lonesome in want, lost in morns' pale light.

Eternally asleep, love unknown,

    His feelings for her, he wished' shown— 

Eyes darkened evermore, blind to all wrong;

    Forgotten moments, he sees' in memory strong.

Silent and cold, the day begun;

    Feelings unchangeable, ne'er to be undone— 

Sorrows unrest him, tho' few know;  

    Lone in splendor, she was whiter then snow.

Elixir of life, for her he wanted,

    Heart stopped abruptly, paths forever parted—

Summer now gone, winter draws-nigh; 

    Reflections distant, he whispers goodbye.

She sleeps softly, whist' he weeps,

    Underneath' silver trees, her love he seeks— 

Rest awhile, blessings be upon her;

    His heart steadfast, love ne'er demur.

Her dreams forgotten, by all 'save him, 

   His hopes now shattered, everything dim— 

Seasons go by, yet he stands lone; 

    Snow covers earth, heart's voice bemoan.

Okay, so this is a poem  I wrote. I know it's sappy, but oh well. I wrote it a while ago, after watching a movie on John Keats. It was a sad movie. Writing poetry doesn't come super naturally to me, I have to take time & think about getting the rhymes & wording things just so. But I enjoy it greatly. -GB

Virginia Creeper Trail

Virginia Creeper Trail - a great bike ride I did 28 miles of mostly downhill through the forest! 

Mmm. So beautiful! 

Triple Layer Stout Cake

Ingredients: 2 cups stout beer (I used Guinness) ⦁ 2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter ⦁
1 ½ cups unsweetened cocoa powder ⦁ 4 cups all purpose unbleached flour ⦁
4 cups sugar ⦁ 1 Tbsp. baking soda ⦁ 1½ tsp. salt ⦁ 4 eggs ⦁ 1½ cups sour cream  

First: preheat oven to 350℉. Grease three 9x9 cake pans. Simmer butter in beer on
low heat, until butter is just melted. Add cocoa, & mix well.  Cool slightly. 

Beat eggs, vanilla  & sour cream. Then add melted butter mixture. In a separate bowl, mix all remaining dry goods, then slowly add dry ingredients to the wets. 

The batter was bubbling & fizzy. Tasted really good. ;)_  

Bake for about 35 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Let cakes cool on rack for about 20 minuets, or until completely cooled. 

I made chocolate icing. Ingredients: 9 Tbsp. butter, softened ⦁ ¾cup cocoa powder ⦁ 3 or 4 cups powdered sugar-(depending on how thick ya want your icing to be) ⦁ 6 tablespoons milk ⦁ 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract ⦁ sift sugar & cocoa slowly into mixed wet goods. Beat well. You know the drill. 

It serves 16. The pieces are big & tall. Very rich, but not too sweet.
Could taste the beer in it. 

A Quote by Martin Luther

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)   

‘Yet not I.’ That is to say, not in mine own person, nor in mine own substance. Here he plainly showeth by what means he liveth; and he teacheth what true Christian righteousness is, namely, that righteousness whereby Christ liveth in us, and not that which is in our own person.

And here Christ and my conscience must become one body, so that nothing remain in my sight but Christ crucified, and raised from the dead.

But if I behold myself only, and set Christ aside, I am gone. For Christ being lost, there is no counsel nor succour, but certain desperation and destruction must follow.”

— Martin Luther

Galatians has been rocking my world. That book is SO good, it's truly the living word. I found this quote by Martin Luther. Thought that it was worth sharing. :)

AXED: A film project—

Okay folks. Check it out: AXED: The End of Green

Filmmaker J.D. King is creating a documentary that will tell the truth about the green movement. Axed will reveal the dark side of the green movement, the agendas behind it, as well as the consequences  from it. The film will be built upon one simple, proven historical fact: Liberty works! But, in the name of "being green," our liberties, our private property rights, & our standards of living are constantly being chopped at  & splintered away. Axed is going to document the stories of individual Americans & natural resource based companies who are being sacrificed on a green altar. The truth needs to be told! Please back this project  & help us spread the word! It's worth your time & money. But hurry, the kickstarter campaign ends in November!

On a side note, my bother, Thomas, is a musician & composer. (A few of his early works can be found here.) He composed the score for the Kickstarter trailer of Axed. Thomas also composed the cinematic score for King's first Jubilee award winning film. Crying Wolf.  Be sure to check it out!

Here's the music for Axed:

Walk on the Riprap

We took a walk down to the river, on a late autumn day. 

The sky was cobalt blue, the clouds were low & grey. . . 

It is He who made the earth by His power, who established the world by
His wisdom, & by His understanding stretched out the heavens. ~Jeremiah 15:51

Bestest littlest brother in the world. :) 

Mud Boots. Yes.

Hope you have had/are having a wonderful autumn! Get out there, & enjoy the small things! Take a walk.  Smell the dead leaves. Watch the birds fly south. Feel the warm air blowing away…… 

When Memory Fades…

Psalm 62:6-8

There are beautiful memories you want to hold on to. Memories of people. Fleeting moments. Feelings. These memories will play through your mind like a flickering movie. Off & on. Off & on. The memory fades. Over the past 5 years, several people I've known have passed away. Two dear mothers & friends, Deaun and Theresa were killed in a car accident. Another friend Denise, mother & beautiful example, was taken by cancer. A childhood friend fell victim to homicide. A precious baby boy named Isacc, was triumphantly taken to Heaven, after only spending several short days here on earth. A Godly father & husband left this world suddenly at Christ's bidding. Another Christian woman, succumbed to cancer. My grandfather & grandmother both passed away. A beautiful girl of 15 years, was swept up to Heaven, called home to sing & dance for the first time before her Savior, free from all her earthly disabilities. It's strange to think about, we are all here for such a short time, but when we feel our time ends too soon, often we are troubled. We need to remember everything happens as God justly preordained. Remember, EVERYTHING is all about God's glory! I rejoice in knowing that all those people I mentioned above, truly loved the Lord. & that the Lord loved them enough to call them home, in HIS perfect timing. They are now free from Death's grasp, & are in a far better place then we could ever imagine; they are truly home, resting in Jesus' arms with all the other saints who have come & gone before us. 

When we feel like we are losing perspective & forgetting the details, we should continually go back & read God's word. It's so important, we need to trust in HIS promises... I also enjoy looking at old photos. They are my memory keepers. & smells too. The smell of railroad tracks always takes me back to Virginia, & reminds me of my dear Pappaw. What are your memory keepers? How do you keep beautiful memories alive?

We've all had bad experiences. You will welcome the fading of these unpleasant memories, so you can keep on going with your life. But you should never forget. To forget is to say, it didn't happen. When hardship comes, I believe it's our calling as Christians, to be Jesus visible. Sometimes it's hard. People will try to pull you down or speak out against you. We need to stand out, be a light to the world in the midst of everything. Let others see that Christ is our Rock. People tell you that the unpleasantness of the moment will dissipate. It will. The jagged edges will soften in time. Some very profound & comforting words spoken to me, during a hard time in my life, were: There will be a new normal. Everything will be okay. -It is so true. Everything is okay. 

God works all things for the good of his people, to bring glory to Himself, in ways we often don't understand. Who hasn’t had their heart broken, watched a friendship fade or lost someone dear to them? I remember feeling relief when I unknowingly came to the place when painful memories weren't forefront in my mind. Sometimes from time to time they will still wander through my mind. But whenever they do, it doesn't hurt anymore. I rejoice & thank God for what I have now & had then. I try to remember the happy memories & moments of people now gone, the beauty of their lives & remember the good times we had together. I've been gratefully living the dream; the new normal, for the past 4 years. I'm now surrounded by amazing people, 2,000 miles away from where the old normal used to be. I'm so grateful for the grace of God in my family's life! How has God worked in your life? 

-GB

The garden in October

Today, I'm thinking of Fall.

Of all smells. 

The scents dead leaves yield, 

Dry corn stalks, and the farmer's crop,

The golden grasses in the field.

The smoke's smell, too,

Flowing from where a wildfire burns,

The dead, the green, all in its path,

Everything to ash it turns. 

Today I'm thinking of Fall. 

Of all sights.

The sight of loosened leaves as they blow,

Pale sky, high clouds, of summer's end,

The autumn foliage set aglow. 

The frosts' beauty, too,

Settling over earths' fading verdure,

Leaves bronzed, garden gone, all things silent,

Glistering hoarfrost covers all in white splendor.

Today, I'm thinking of Fall.

Of all tastes.

The flavors hot teas yield,

Warm maple custards, and zucchini bread,

The ripened apples freshly peeled.

The pie's flavor, too, 

Orange pumpkins picked and carved, 

The sugar, the cinnamon, all things delicious,

 In the oven everything waits, soon to be served. 

-GB

All LIFE is sacred —

For you formed my inward parts;
    you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
   I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
    my soul knows it very well.
Psalm 138:13-14

please join me in prayer for 40 DAYS FOR LIFE

The world spins madly on…

Ah, the life.. It's Saturday. These late summer days are fleeting. Golden & dusty. It's one of those warm lazy afternoons. I'm sitting at the kitchen table, doin' nothing, (well, I'm typing), but mostly just sitting & listening to Saticoy, & the crickets chirping through open windows. The sound of my younger brother's crayons coloring steadily on a Spongebob-Square-Pants themed coloring book, tickles my ears. It's a beautiful day. A light breeze is blowing through the house, it unsettles the flies that have evaded my flyswatter for the past hour... 

Lately, I've been trying to embrace each moment that God has given us. Trying not to let time slip by & having regrets later, but simply celebrating the present time & making memories to hold on to for later. I  am so thankful for the life I have been given. I'm so glad to be me, to live where I live, to do what I do... What a blessing the simplicity of life is. Fighting the good fight from home. Building the kingdom. We should always do what we do, not for man, but for the glory of our Heavenly Father. When we work each day, or teach, study, drive, wash dishes; everything we do, God has ordained. Thank you Lord for life. For family. For friends. For work. For seasons. For change. 

Here's a C.S. Lewis quote:

"God intends to give us what we need, not what we now think we want." So as busy or uneventful as your life is, remember, that everything happens for a purpose, & that all things ultimately work for the good of those who love Him. (Rom. 8:28)

So often, we tend to lose ourselves & Christ in the busyness of life. We are so prone to forget, doubt, & distraction. When was the last time you turned your phone or computer off to study scripture? Or took a walk in the crisp morning air? Or didn't go anywhere? Sat on your front porch to watch the sun set? Enjoy the ordinary blessings & miracles of life, that are so often overlooked. We are so blessed, as people, & as a nation. But we have lived in gross defiance of God & His law & are now seeing our liberties disappear like a mist before the morning sun. We need to run back to Jesus. We need to repent, & pray that God will judge us not to destruction, but to repentance. We still have so much freedom that is taken for granted. There are times when we should step back from our busy lives & let the world spin madly on. The world won't even notice. We must step back to be still & meditate on our God. As we assess the sins & the strugles of our lives, we must confess them to God & rely solely on Him for deliverance. Praying for ourselves & our leaders... Drawing close to God in meditation is an important part of the Christian life & should be precious time for us! When Jesus walked the earth 2,000+ years ago, he would spend long hours withdrawn from the crowds, in communion, prayer & meditation with HIS Heavenly Father. When life gets hectic, (I know from experience) sometimes it's hard to find the time to read. You just have to strap on the seatbelt & hang on for the ride. But all throughout the day, no matter where you are, or what you may be doing, you can fight for Christ. You can talk to God. He will listen to you. You can pray. 

-GB

Zucchini-Carrott Bars:

Hi there! Here's an amazing recipe, taken from a fun cookbook called Fat Witch Brownies.
If you have a garden & are overrun with giant zucchinis - this recipe is for you!

Ingredients: 1¼ cups shredded carrots, boiling water,  1¼ shredded zucchini, 1 stick unsalted softened butter, 1 cup natural cane sugar, 2 eggs, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract, 1½ cups unbleached flour, 1 tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. salt, 2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon. 

Preheat oven to 350℉ & heat up a small pot of water.  
When it's boiling, pour into a colander, over shredded carrots.
 Let everything sit for a while, to cook/tenderize the carrots. Drain well. 

Mix the shredded (& drained) zucchini throughly with all other ingredients. 
 I added ½ cup chopped walnuts,  a few raisons, & chocolate chips,  for good measure.  

Blend everything well; batter will be thickish. Pour into a greased 9 by 9 dish. 
(Sometimes my batter is thiner, but it doesn't make a difference when baking. )

Bake for 30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in dish. Your house will smell like autumn, while it bakes.  Mhmm…  I whipped up a cream-cheese frosting & spread it over the cake, just before serving. It was really good, & turned the flat bread into more of a dessert. I like eating dessert for breakfast. Or really any time of the day.

Cream Cheese Frosting:  

☙ 4 oz. cream cheese,  room temperature
☙ 3 Tsb. unsalted butter,  room temperature
☙ 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
☙ 1¼ cups confectioner's sugar
☙ 1 tsp lemon zest (optional) Beat cream cheese & butter until smooth. Add vanilla,  sift sugar directly into the bowl, mix until smooth. Add zest. Spread on cool brownies or bars. Store in refrigerator. 

notes: When I make zucchini bread, I usually quadruple the recipe - the bread is so good that it all gets eaten quickly. It freezes great too.  

Taste the goodness.

 -GB

How to eat (oversized) Zucchini:

I enjoy cooking, & I love eating. Don't you? Food is just amazing. All the different smells & flavors. The gift of taste is such a blessing. God didn't have to give us taste buds, but He did. God likes us to enjoy the different textures & flavors He created.  Just imagine life without taste buds. It would be rather bland.  (haha) Making healthy decisions with what we consume is really important.  Whenever able, go organic & whole grain.  In a sense, we are what we eat. Mhmm… I could go on & on about FOOD.  It's just so awesome. A friend shared an idea with me for cooking zucchini, & I decided to try it. I've been getting monster-sized (10lbs) zucchinis from the garden all season long.  Having fresh food is fantastic, but you have to eat it up fast.

Here's the idea, it's for veggie pizza; it's fairly fast to make, tastes realllly good & different, & its low-carb since there isn't any bread crust. My "zucchini pizza" fed five, with two large pieces leftover. 

I sliced the zucchini in halves, & removed the seeds. I pan seared the 

zucchini in olive oil, garlic & pepper, for about 5 minutes on each side. 

Fried some bacon. 

Picked some sweat corn from my garden! (I wrapped in saran wrap, 
& cooked it in the microwave. Probably really unhealthy.)

Mozzarella, tomato sauce, bacon, sweet peppers, & fresh basil were the toppings
 I chose. Then I baked 'em at 375℉ for 15 minutes, or until the cheese was golden. 

Ta-da! Everything was quite satisfactory.  :)_

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!" -Psalm 34:8 

Here is a link for zucchini carrot bread - my favorite way to use those oversized zucchinis. Check it out! :) 

180 Documentary —

Wow. You've gotta watch this short film.  It makes you think. 

It could save your life or save the life of another.

How to eat Eggplant:

  

For supper tonight I fried freshly picked Eggplants. Dipped 'em in beaten egg, added a dash of pepper & battered them in panko breadcrumbs.  Once they were cooked, golden & crispy, I dunked them in finely grated parmesan cheese. 

DELICIOUS.

They melt in your mouth! 

pickin' veggies

This evening I picked 10lbs of green beans, a large spaghetti squash, 
HOT salsa peppers, sweet corn & a couple large zucchinis. 

Okay, so I had a little fun  editing this picture.  :)

These dry & dusty summer months have flown by too quickly! Oh dear, where has time gone? Can you believe it's September? My summer was filled with spice, adventure, family & friends. A beautiful summer haze, with memories that are golden… 

I planted a garden, but it sadly got neglected. As morning-glory infested as it is, I've gotten, (& am still getting), lots of produce from it. It's been such a blessing. Take the beans for instance: Ordered from Burpee Organics, a pack of bush bean seeds cost $3.95. That pack of seeds (with a little TLC, water, sunshine & hard work), so far has yielded 25lbs of plump & tasty beans!
 Here's my favorite homemade recipe for cookin' green beans:
Crunchy Vinegar Green Beans & Bacon ❧

■ A heaping pan full of washed & snapped green beans
■ One pack bacon; fried flat & crispy, chopped into large pieces
■ One medium red onion; thinly sliced, slightly sautéed in butter 
■ Apple cider vinegar 
■ Sugar, salt, pepper 

Set aside cooked bacon & sautéed onion. 
Add a little water to beans, cook until just tinder, or still slightly chewy, with lid on pan, stirring occasionally. Cooked al dente is best! 

Once the beans are tinder, add enough apple cider vinegar to cover the bottom of saucepan. Simmer on low for a bit, adding more vinegar if desired. Cook by smell. You want it to smell strong. 

Then add salt/pepper to taste & sprinkle sugar over beans. (Be generous with the sugar!) Lastly add sautéed onion slices & stir in bacon pieces, just before serving. Enjoy! 

It's the best way to eat green beans in my opinion. If by chance you try it, leave a comment for me to see! I'd love to hear from you!!