My Quaker Spiritual Path

 

Hello Friends, and welcome back to my blog,

Today I wanted to share something that I have not shared on my blog before, but is an important part of my everyday life - my Quaker faith and practice.

Let your lives preach.

- George Fox

To begin, here's a brief history and introduction of the Quakers. The Religious Society of Friends, or Quakers, was founded by George Fox in 17th century England. In 1682, due to religious persecution in England, William Penn established an American Quaker colony in Pennsylvania. Ironically, these Quakers would later be persecuted again by the Puritans. The early Quakers, and conservative Quakers today, believe they are personally guided by the Light of Christ in their largely silent (unprogrammed) meetings. Vocal ministry from individuals in the meeting is given, as the Holy Spirit or Inward Light leads.

 Quakers typically have no paid clergy or require tithing, and children are welcome in their meetings for worship. Although, some meetings today provide a separate First Day (Sunday) School for children, and may have some paid clergy (programmed meetings). But all Quakers today, whether conservative, liberal, or evangelical, strive to live according to the Quaker testimonies of simplicity, peace, integrity, community, equality, and stewardship, which are outward expressions of their inward faith.

 I've been a Quaker for almost 30 years, and for 24 of those years, as an "isolated" or "solitary" Quaker. An isolated Quaker means that I do not live near a local Quaker meeting for worship, so I worship alone, seeking spiritual guidance from the Holy Spirit through prayer, the Bible, and Quaker books and other online resources.

A few favorite Quaker books.

In addition to daily prayer, and reading my Bible and other spiritual books, the online Advices in The Book of Discipline of Ohio Yearly Meeting (Conservative), has been very helpful on my path. Quaker Advices are a directive, and not a set of rules.

 Here are several Advices from The Book of Discipline of Ohio Yearly Meeting, 2008:

- Carefully maintain truthfulness and sincerity in your conduct, and encourage the same in your families. In your style of living, in your dress, and in the furniture of your houses, choose what is simple, useful, and good.

- Be vigilant in reading of the Bible and other spiritually helpful writings. Gather daily in your families for worship. Such times have a special value in bringing little children especially into the experience of united worship, and so preparing them for the larger meetings for worship, as they learn in the silence to bow to the power of God. 

- Follow steadfastly after all that is pure and lovely and of good report. Be prayerful. Be watchful. Be humble. Let no failure discourage you. When temptation comes, make it an opportunity to gain new strength by standing fast, that you may enter into that life of gladness and victory to which all are called.

- Seek for all your children that full development of God's gifts which true education can bring about. Remember that the service to which we are called needs healthy bodies, trained minds, high ideals, and an understanding of the laws and purposes of God. Give your best to the study of the Bible, and the understanding of the Christian faith. Be open-minded, ready constantly to receive new light.

A complete list of Advices can be found at www.OhioYearlyMeeting.org. 

***

Until next time,

 Peace and blessings, 

Kim

Be patterns, be examples, in all countries, places, islands, nations, wherever you come, that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them: then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in every one.

- George Fox, 1656

My Easy-Bake Oven

Are you old enough to remember the classic 1960's turquoise Easy-Bake Oven?  The first toy oven that transformed a little cake batter into a cute, child-size cake using two,100-watt lightbulbs?!

I've been sorting through old family photos, and found this one of my little brother and I playing with my Easy-Bake Oven in our family's 1960's California kitchen, complete with salmon-pink walls, plastic tablecloth, and plastic dining chairs. The eat-in kitchen also featured knotty pine cabinets that were popular at the time.

Remembering the excitement of making those not-quite-cooked, but oh-so-delicious-to-us little cakes with my sweet brother is a beautiful family memory I'll always cherish.

Until next time,

Peace and blessings,

Kim

Children are a Blessing

Children are a blessing

and a gift from God. - Psalm 127:3

❤️

Wishing you a new year filled with peace and love,

Kim

Favorite Autumn Recipes

Today I'm re-sharing a few favorite autumn recipes from my blog. Most of these recipes, and photos, go all the way back to 2014, and carry with them not just flavor, but family history, stories, and love. And in this season especially, I'm reminded that gathering around the table with those we love is a gift as rich as the foods we share.

May your table be filled with the blessings of love, comfort, and warmth always,

Kim

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Pumpkin Crumble Cake

Sweet Potato Fries with Spicy Mayo Sauce

Baby Quilts

Oh, hello!

It's been quite awhile since I've checked into my blog. I've been working on two baby quilts for my youngest granddaughters who are both now almost 3-years old! I had planned to make these quilts long before now, but God had other plans.

I've been quilting for about 17 years now, but I still consider myself a beginner quilter! You can see below that my corners do not line up perfectly, after all these years...

These quilts are just simple, cot-sized, patchwork quilts made up of 6-inch blocks. I machine-quilted both quilts, instead of tying them with embroidery floss. I also added blocks cut from my dear husband's favorite t-shirts in remembrance of him. He would have loved to have met these sweet little granddaughters.

Both granddaughters love pink, so a pink fabric is either on the front, or the back of each quilt...

My Alaska granddaughter's quilt includes my husband's sage green t-shirt, and fabrics with blueberries, flowers, and hearts...

And my Minnesota granddaughter's quilt includes my husband's salmon-colored t-shirt, and fabrics with bunnies, flowers, and hearts...

They're not perfect, but they're soft and cozy, and made with so much love.

Until next time,

Peace and blessings, 

Kim

Balsamic Vinaigrette and Braiding Sweetgrass

Hello, and welcome back to my blog.

I'm currently at my desert home in Nevada enjoying the warm spring weather, and a daily salad topped with my favorite homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette. To make, just whisk all the ingredients in a jar, drizzle over your favorite salad, and enjoy.

Balsamic Vinaigrette

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp stone-ground mustard

***

It's been almost three years since I lost my dear husband, who I still miss very much. But I've been trying to embrace this new chapter of my life, which still seems so foreign to me, and find peace and beauty in every day. Reading a good book in the warm sunshine under a bright blue sky is a favorite pastime.

 Right now I'm reading "Braiding Sweetgrass" by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a gift from my youngest son and daughter-in-law. Braiding Sweetgrass is a beautiful book about the science of plants, and the history and stories of Native Americans and their reverence of the earth. I'm enjoying this book very much.

Until next time, I hope you have a warm and sunny spring,

Kim

***

"Even a wounded world is feeding us.

Even a wounded world holds us,

giving us moments of wonder and joy.

I choose joy over despair. Not because

I have my head in the sand, but because

joy is what the earth gives me daily

and I must return the gift."

- Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass 

Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake

Hello, and welcome back to my blog.

Today I'm blogging from Juneau, Alaska where it's cold and clear, and beautiful. Look at the wind whipping the snow off the mountaintops... brrr!

I've been trying to eat a healthy WFPB vegan diet for several years now, but when an occasion calls for something sweet and special, I have a few go-to vegan recipes that are delicious and a treat.

One of those recipes is a vegan chocolate cake that I like to make for birthday parties. It's so good and chocolatty-rich, that you really can't tell that it's plant-based. There are several steps to making this cake, and it can be made in one day, but I find it simpler to make over two days. I bake the cake one day, then I make the chocolate filling and frosting the next day, or the day of the party.

This year, I made it for my middle son and his little family, who had never had it before. They enjoyed it so much!

My sweet little 2-year old granddaughter loved singing happy birthday to her Dada, and helping him blow out the candles.

Until next time, have a sweet and beautiful winter,

Kim

Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake

Cake Ingredients:

2 cups All-purpose flour

1/2 cup Cocoa powder

2 tsp. Baking powder

1 tsp. Baking soda

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 cup Vegan butter (I used Miyoko's)

1 1/4 Granulated Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla

2 Tbsp. Brewed coffee

1 1/2 cups Plant milk (I used Almond)

1 1/2 tsp. Apple cider vinegar

Chocolate Filling Ingredients:

1 cup Coconut milk - full fat

3 Tbsp. Maple syrup

2 oz. Dark Chocolate

Chocolate Topping Ingredients:

9oz. Tub Vegan Coconut Whipped Topping (I used So Delicious)

1/3 cup Cocoa powder

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, mix together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream together vegan butter and sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and coffee and beat together. Set aside.
4. In a separate small bowl, combine the plant milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir, and let sit for a minute until it slightly thickens.
5. Then begin adding the dry and liquid ingredients into the butter ingredients, alternating between the two until all the ingredients are combined.
6. Pour into a prepared 9x13 inch baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes.
7. While the cake is baking, make the chocolate filling. In a small sauce pan, heat the coconut milk on medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Add the maple syrup and mix together. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes until mixture reduces by almost half. Stir in dark chocolate, and mix until melted. Simmer for a minute or two until mixture thickens a little. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Assembling the Cake

1. Once cake is baked, let cool for 20-30 minutes. Then poke holes in the cake with the handle of a wooden spoon.
2. Pour the chocolate filling mixture over the whole cake filling all the holes. Let cool for at least 2 hours.
3. Once the cake is completely cool, in a mixing bowl, mix the vegan whipped topping and cocoa powder until blended. Spread topping over cake evenly.
4. Sprinkle with chopped dark chocolate (optional).
5. Refrigerate until serving.

Recipe adapted from rabbitandwolves.com