Author: Valerierumfelt

Do you have a biscuit maker in your home? The ones in the picture are made with white flour, but my husband also makes palate pleasing ones using whole wheat flour.

For the most part, our trajectory in terms of eating is a healthy one.  I know white flour biscuits don’t fit into that category, but, life is short, and breakfast is eaten early in the day. The negatives that one white flour biscuit may bring are processed throughout a long, active day. They aren’t eaten every morning.  I’m proud to have a sweet husband who is my biscuit maker.

Did you grow up eating biscuits? It was one of the few things that my mother could make homemade. Her white gravy was thick, and creamy with just enough pepper tossed in; perfect with her hot biscuits.

This may sound outrageous to some, but most of the time, if I had to choose between bread or dessert, I’d choose bread.  However, I don’t mind saying, dark chocolate has become a favorite.

But, back to bread.

Do you have a bread making machine? We bought one a few years back and we used it.  I’ve heard people say they gained so much weight once they got a bread machine. We always sliced it once cooled, and placed waxed paper between each slice to freeze for later. One slice at a time and no weight issues. It was a delight to enjoy, truly, homemade bread!

Bread gets a bad rap so often. Rarely do you hear such condemnation over apple pie, chocolate cake, or ice cream, but bread…my goodness, it doesn’t get good reviews.

Jesus must have had a high view of bread. After all, He claimed He was the Bread of Life(John chapter 6). Surely bread is one of the many wonderful foods that God gives us to enjoy. Even the healthy plate that the government recommends has whole grain as a requirement. The whole wheat biscuit would certainly qualify. So, I eat my biscuit(white or wheat) a few mornings a week and I enjoy it. Eat them early and remember what John Wayne said,

“Slap some bacon on a biscuit and let’s go! We’re burnin’ daylight!”

©Valerie Rumfelt

It was a number of years ago when making a Pinterest board when “it’s all about the R” came to be. There are a number of fanciful and creative ways any letter is written. My board for R’s is filled regularly. With all the choices of fonts now, you too may love the way your initials look in certain script. Years later when thinking of a name for this blog, that title for the Pinterest board came to mind. Starting this blog seems like the time to tell you about the first R.

By the time of my birth, both my parents had accepted Christ. By that I do mean that both parents had come to saving faith in Christ Jesus. They prayed their children would know Him one day too.

My day came at 7 years old. It’s a dim but notable memory. The memory has me at home. It seemed suddenly, (but more time may have crept by), when my mind began to think about dying. Then it began to think about my family. My sisters had already accepted Jesus and the thought of dying caused a desperation and urgency to enter in my soul. An awareness gripped me that in my present state, Heaven wasn’t where I’d go if I’d died. Worse than that thought was the one of me going to Hell!

I began to understand being with my family and Jesus in heaven was my desire. This led me to go tell my mother of my desire of wanting to accept Jesus into my heart. She moved very quickly finishing what she was doing. Soon, she, and my dad and I were hovered in front of the living room sofa all on our knees. I would repeat after them and ask Jesus to come live in my heart.

I don’t remember my baptism. That alone makes me grateful that baptism, although important, does not save you. That salvation day, my Redeemer came to live inside my heart.

To this day my understanding of that transaction leaves me in awe and is baffling to me at times.

Regretfully, it is sad that although I joined Him on my life journey that day, at some point in college, I chose a road that He didn’t choose for me. That fact also makes me grateful that my salvation was secure that day at the age of 7, and my name was and is written in the palm of His hand. We can say “no daddy” and walk off, but He never leaves us. Since my return back to Him, I’ve never let go.

Redeemer is a word that implies taking my place and in the dictionary the name Jesus Christ is actually the example given. How wonderful! He purchased my salvation, my deliverance from sin, and my freedom by dying on the cross for me.

So, do you have a spiritual birthday? In John 3:4, Nicodemus is talking to Jesus, “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit.”

There’s an old hymn by Fanny Crosby entitled, Redeemed. Some of its lyrics so lovely…

Redeemed, how I love to proclaim it!
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Redeemed through His infinite mercy,
His child and forever I am.

Nicole C. Mullen wrote the song Redeemer where she fervently claims her Redeemer lives and that she talked with Him this morning.

That’s the Redeemer I know and He is my most important R.

(c)Valerie Rumfelt