The Lord is Good!!

The Lord is good, HIs mercy endureth forever and ever to all generations, so I'll just stand up! and sing Praise, Hallalujah for I KNOW the Lord is GOOD!!!!!!!

Surry County Youth Rally

This past week we were able to be a part of The Surry County Youth Rally. It was held at the Blue Ridge Baptist Campmeeting Grounds for three nights. Our Surry County Youth choir sang every night and it was a blessing. There were two preachers each night and special singing. We were asked to sing on Saturday night for the special singing. And our song leader sang the last song with us. It was a very good week, God was there. It's exciting to think of what God can do next year!!

Camp!!

This year we went to a Bible camp and our brothers and several of our friends came, too. We had a blast!! From the pool (boys and girls swam at different times) to all the sports and skits, camp was GREAT!!
But, what was even better than all the activities, was the preaching services and the devotions held each day. We were blessed by the preaching and the different singing that they had. We had a chance to sing twice during the services. On Tuesday morning just us, ''The Hawks Trio'' sang, and on the next day we had a mini choir! (Well...not really. Haha) We had 4 girls and about 6 boys. We sang ''He Touched Me!'' the second time. (What a wonderful song!) Rebekah played the piano both times and we really enjoyed it. What a blessing to be around other teen-agers who are serving the Lord. One of our friends in our group gave a devotion on Tuesday night in our cabin, and it was wonderful. She did a great job!
 We made lots of new friends and got even closer to some people we'd known for a while. We didn't want to go home on the last day. I truly believe we could have stayed another week and not have cared a bit! We loved it that much! We got to celebrate the 4th of July there, too. It was an amazing week...teens made new commitments and changes, and had so much fun all in one week!
 You can have fun while going to church and serving God! Bible camp is not boring, actually, it is LOTS of fun!!!

Praise His Holy Name!!!!

God has been so good!!! We've had some amazing oppertunities to sing in several places this year. The Lord is truly blessing us and our singing group. We are so unworthy of His amazing grace and His love! We could NEVER thank Him enough for everything that He has done for us. PRAISE HIS HOLY NAME!!!

Psalm 40:16-17 ''Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. But I am poor and needy; yet the Lord thinketh upon me: thou art my help and my deliverer; make no tarrying, O my God.''

Psalm 118:24

''This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.''
Rejoice in the Lord, He makes NO mistakes!!!

Ladies' Conference

Last Friday we went with our grandma and some other women to a 2-day Ladies' Conference at Liberty Baptist Church in Durham, NC.  We had the opportunity to be in a singing competition before the conference began.  The winning group was to participate in their main service (teen or adult).  But since there were only two teen groups, both trios got to sing at the meeting, and the winner was announced the second day of the conference.  We sang "There You Are" on Friday night, and the other trio sang "He Knows My Name" Saturday morning.  When the winner was announced, we were shocked to learn we had won!

Ron Hamilton (Patch the Pirate) spoke to us the second day before closing.  Jaclynn Weber was the special guest speaker for the teens.  She taught us Psalm 139:17, 18, 23, & 24 in a song.  We have gone to the ladies' conference for several years, and we always look forward to it!  

~Wherever I go, there You are, guiding my way, both near and far.  There is no place my heart can escape your loving embrace. From the mountains so high, the the ocean below, there is no place You can't go.  It's so good to know, wherever I go, there you are~

Revelation 22:12 & 13

''And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.''

Blessed Assurance

...nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
2 Timothy 1:12

 One of my favorite hymns is Blessed Assurance. I'm so glad that we can know that Jesus lives in our hearts and that we can have assurance of our salvation.

 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine! Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of His Spirit, washed in His blood!
 This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long.
 Perfect submission, perfect delight! Visions of rapture now burst at my sight! Angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
 Perfect submission, all us at rest. I in my Savior am happy and blest; Watching and waiting, looking above, filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
 This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long. This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long!

Fanny J. Crosby

Candied Sweet Potatoes

from: Grandma Shelby

Fast and delicious!

• two 15-oz cans of sweet potatoes
• 1 c. brown sugar
• 2 Tbs. self-rising flour

Pour the liquid into a 4 quart microwavable dish.  Add sugar and flour and whisk thoroughly.
Add the sweet potatoes and mix it up.  Cover with a lid.
Heat 5 minutes in the microwave, then stir gently.  Heat 5 more minutes.  Mixture will thicken.
Optional:  Spread mini marshmallows over the top between heatings.

Nutty Blonde Brownies

From ''Southern Living'' Cookbook

1/3 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 to 1 c.semisweet chocolate morsels(Optional. They are very good without the chocolate)
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Cream butter; gradually add brown sugar, beating well. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.
Combine flour, soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture, and mix well. Stir in chocolate morsels and pecans. Spread mixture in a greased 12 by 7 1/2 by 1 1/2 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool and cut into squares. Yield: about 3 dozen (1 1/2- inch) squares.

Ranch Roll-Ups

• flour tortillas
• 1 packet of dry ranch dip
• 1 8-oz block of cream cheese - softened
• ½ of a green pepper
• small onion
• meats of your choice (pepperonis, ham, or turkey with lettuce)

Mix together cream cheese, ranch dip, green pepper, and onion. Spread it on the tortillas.
Add slices of meat.
Roll them up.
Put them in the fridge for about an hour.
Cut them into round bite sizes and serve.

Proverbs 31:30, 31

''Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.''

The Sweet By and By

Healthy Ginger Cookies

1/2 c. soft butter
1 c. honey
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c. molasses
2 tsp. vinegar
3 tsp. ground ginger
3 3/4 c. wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves

Cream butter and honey together. Stir in eggs, molasses and vinegar. Sift and add dry ingredients. Drop by teaspoons onto greased cookie sheets. Flatten by dipping a glass into water and pressing cookie.
350 degrees. Don't let them get hard.

Baked Beans in the Dutch Oven

By Charity Hawks
Feeds 8 people.

Cook over a fire.
Drizzle some oil in the bottom of your pot (dutch oven). Sautee` one whole diced onion until lightly tender. Add diced smoked sausage to the pot and cook until lightly brown. Add four 16 ounce cans of pork and beans. 1 cup of ketchup. 1/3 cup brown sugar. About a 1/3 cup of molasses. Cook for about 15 minutes stirring frequently.
-They will have a smoky flavor.-

Chocolate Chip Cookies

From ''Betty Crocker's Cookbook''

2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups flour*
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 package (6 ounces) of chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix thoroughly shortening, butter, sugars, eggs and vanilla. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown. Cool slightly before removing from baking sheet.
ABOUT 7 DOZEN COOKIES.
*If using self-rising flour, omit soda and salt.

Homemade Mints

We spent the night at our Mamaw's house, and she showed us how to make mints!

Ingredients:
3 cups of powdered sugar
3 T. of milk, evaporated milk, buttermilk, or cream cheese
1 tsp. of flavoring (any kind will do)
a few drops of food coloring

Directions:
Mix powered sugar and milk until very thick and hard. Add flavoring and food coloring. Mix until you've got the color you want. Then make it into a ball and roll it out. Cut into squares, carefully separate, and leave out to dry for a couple hours.

Tip:
Put in an air tight container (or baggie) to keep from getting too hard.

Psalm 23

	The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
	He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
	He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
	Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
	Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
	Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.