Independence Day

 

God Bless America!

 

No Bake Summer Berry Icebox Cake

I ran across this brilliant idea while visiting cakescottage.com and thought it was a lovely idea with July 4th coming up soon!

No Bake Summer Berry Icebox Cake

 

CREDIT

This is a beautiful cake that would grace any table for a Patriotic holiday!

Author: CakesCottage

Recipe type: Dessert

Serves: 12-16

Ingredients

• 19 oz graham crackers
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 2 (3.4 oz) packages Vanilla Instant Pudding
• 2-1/2 cups cold milk
• 12 oz Cool whip (or homemade whipped cream)
• 3 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 oz white chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Beat cream cheese and dry pudding mixes in large bowl with mixer until blended.
2. Gradually beat in milk.
3. Gently stir in Cool Whip or homemade whipped cream, reserving ½ cup.
4. Spread a thin layer of cool whip in a 9x13 pan just to coat the bottom.
5. Layer 5 graham crackers across the center of the pan, then 2 more, breaking them as needed to fit around the top and bottom edges.
6. Spread a layer of pudding mixture over grahams and top with a layer of blueberries and sliced strawberries.
7. Place graham crackers on top of berries, then pudding mixture, then layer of berries again.
8. Repeat the graham-pudding-berries layers 1 more time (3 times total) and you should reach the top of the pan.
9. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight until the graham crackers have softened completely.
10. When ready to serve, melt white chocolate chips in a bowl as directed on package and drizzle over dessert.
11. You can use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops of the berries or you can put it into a small zip-top bag and snip of the corner for an easy "piping bag."

You could easily make this gluten free by using gluten free graham crackers, and making sure your white chocolate chips are gluten free!

Fourth of July (Easy) Recipes

Fun Fourth Ideas!
Some are healthy and gluten free (or could
be adjusted to be gluten free)


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How cute are these little flag cookies??  Our easy short-cut version:
Take a tube of store-bought sugar cookie dough and press it into a
foil lined 8×8 pan.  When it’s cooled, remove from pan, cut into
rectangles and spread a layer of frosting over the top.  Recruit 
some helpers to start making flags!  (You could make
your fav sugar cookie recipe, and could even make a 
gluten-free version)

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Filling could be whipped cream, or creme fraiche, cool whip
and cream cheese mixture...



The Pink Hammer Credit


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Independence Day

 

 

Happy 4th of JULY!

 

Today is Independence Day here in the USA.

 

Each year when we celebrate this holiday,

I always hope that America will turn back to God...

but it hasn't happened yet.

Maybe next year?

 

This year I am sending up prayers for America to fall to her knees

and worship the One who made this nation possible...

 

He was the reason that this nation was great....

and now we are abandoning Him and His Ways.

As you celebrate the freedom we enjoy in this country today,

please take a moment to pray for God to convict our country and

for her to turn to Him once again....

 

Happy Independence Day

 

 

 

 

Happy Independence Day!

Our family had the privilege of attending a revival service last night, and one of the speakers was an ex-Marine.

He reminded us that July 4th is not just about "hamburgers and hot dogs"

It's about the many, many soldiers who have sacrificed for us, giving their

lives to protect our freedom.

My heartfelt thanks to those who have served, and currently serve our country!

Monday's dinner...Independence Day

July 4th was a hot one-so, we ate indoors

What do you think about this Patriotic Trifle?

This bowl weighed about 4 or 5 lbs! lol

What a blessing to have each of these smiling faces around

the table!

We hope that your 4th was a fun family time together too!

Thanks to Taste of Home for the recipe:

 Patriotic Trifle Recipe

Directions

• In two small bowls, combine each gelatin flavor with 1 cup boiling water. Stir 1/2 cup cold water into each. Pour each into an ungreased 9-in. square pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until set.
• In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Fold in 2 cups whipped topping.
• Set aside 1/4 cup blueberries and 1/2 cup strawberries for garnish. Cut the gelatin into 1-in. cubes. In a 3-qt. trifle bowl or serving dish, layer the strawberry gelatin, half of the cake cubes, the remaining blueberries and half of the pudding mixture.
• Top with blue gelatin and remaining cake cubes, strawberries and pudding mixture. Garnish with reserved berries and remaining whipped topping. Serve immediately. Yield: 16-20 servings.

Ingredients

• 1 package (3 ounces) berry blue gelatin
• 1 package (3 ounces) strawberry gelatin
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 cup cold water
• 2 cups cold whole milk
• 2 packages (3.4 ounces each) instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 quart fresh strawberries, quartered
• 1 prepared angel food cake (8 to 10 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes

Independence Day thoughts...

How many more posts will we get to do on independence and freedom?

Sadly, it sure seems like they are slipping away here in the USA...

Only here in America do we celebrate Independence Day...on July 4th

Here in the Land of the Free and the Home of the Brave, we should be thanking God

daily for His bountiful gifts provided in this country.

Thanks to our Founding Fathers, and our servicemen we enjoy more freedoms than any other country.

I don't know how long that will be true, but it has been true during my entire lifetime.

"It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here."
- Patrick Henry

America no longer honors God, or His principles put forth in His Word, and so I believe that judgement has begun in our land.

But, we shouldn't give up! We should speak up! We should unite and fight for the principles that this country was founded on! (As others before us have done)

We should drop on our knees in prayer for

this land.

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

So today, I want to thank God for His blessings on this country, and, I am praying that this country's leaders  will drop to their knees and acknowledge Him.

I hope America realizes Who has been responsible for the freedom we've enjoyed, and thanks Him for it by obeying and honoring Him. And, I hope that this happens soon, for the sake of my children and grandchildren.

This year as I celebrate Independence Day, I am going to be especially thankful to God for this country...

Long may she wave!

What Does It Mean?

July 4th....is it about fireworks, picnics, swimming, parties, bbq?

Oh, it's so much more than that. And I know that in the past, I barely stopped to think about it much. But I think of it ever so much more now that the political climate in our country has changed and deteriorated.
Isn't that typical? You don't appreciate what you have until it's gone...
hopefully ours isn't gone forever. Maybe Americans will wake up and take back what this country was founded on!?
I thought this definition of what the Declaration of Independence means from wiki was good:

It says that all people naturally and equally have certain basic rights which come from God, including Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. It says that the most important function of government is to protect these rights. That government has to have the consent of the people being governed and that those people have the right to set up their government in whatever form they think will best protect their rights. That the king of Great Britain and his government were nopt protecting the colonists rights but were taking them away. It then gives a long list of things the British had done to take away the colonists rights, including taxing them without their consent, closing down the colonial governments and sending the army to govern instead, taking away the right to trial by jury, waging war against the colonies and many other things.

Bottom line...America needs to turn back to God.
If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
2 Chron. 7:14
I leave you today with words from the Star Spangle Banner...

Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?
***********************************************************
Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Our founding fathers knew that worshiping God was crucial to America. May our current leaders find this truth as well.
May American bless God--so that God can bless America!

The above statement is true...but for how much longer?

There are those in this country that tell the world that we, the U S of A, are not a Christian nation. But just because someone says something, doesn't make it so.

We are indeed a Christian nation, and no matter how loud he shouts, he cannot change it!

He cannot change us!

They can change the history books, but they cannot change the truth.

And so, today, I am reminded that we should cherish our freedom.

It seems to slowly be slipping away...

Let's be united in standing firm in our faith.

In protecting our freedom, and the freedom of our children to worship the One True God, in this Christian Nation!

John Adams and John Hancock: We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus! [April 18, 1775]

John Adams:“ The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”• “[July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”–John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress

Benjamin Franklin: “ God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel”

–Constitutional Convention of 1787 original manuscript of this speech

Samuel Adams: “ He who made all men hath made the truths necessary to human happiness obvious to all… Our forefathers opened the Bible to all.”

[ "American Independence," August 1, 1776. Speech delivered at the State House in Philadelphia]

John Quincy Adams:• “Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]?" “Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity"?--1837, at the age of 69, when he delivered a Fourth of July speech at Newburyport, Massachusetts.

And, was this prophecy?

Samuel Johnston:• “It is apprehended that ... Mahometans (Muslims), pagans, etc., may be elected to high offices under the government of the United States. Those who are Mahometans, or any others who are not professors of the Christian religion, can never be elected to the office of President or other high office, [unless] first the people of America lay aside the Christian religion altogether, it may happen. Should this unfortunately take place, the people will choose such men as think as they do themselves.

[Elliot’s Debates, Vol. IV, pp 198-199, Governor Samuel Johnston, July 30, 1788 at the North Carolina Ratifying Convention]

Wake up America, if there is still time!