Baked buns with vanilla cream filling

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This is the day that the my spirit lead me to baking. And since I have been baking cakes for quite a while, this time I will try another variant. I found a recipe in one of my collections " baked buns with vanilla filling".

It is called " sømmer boller" in norwegian. This has no fillings in it. I just used the recipe for the dough and put vanilla cream fillings in it. For a change:)

These are the ingredients for the dough: 4 eggs, 200 g butter, 2 dl sugar, 6 dl fresh milk, flour and yeast. And a little bit salt. I doubled the portion since I am going to served this to the elderly in our service with them  tomorrow.

                                          I combined the dried ingredients....

                     Melted butter and put the milk in it and added to the eggs in the bowl.......

and the rest og the ingredients.

This is the dough after my food proccesor did the work for me:) 

The dough after one hour in a warm place!

Now time to make my buns!

This is the vanilla cream that I used. It is creamy, but not so sweet.

I took a small portion of the dough, flattened it with a rolling pin and put one spoon of  vanilla cream on it. 

folded the dough sideup

and put in a muffins form upside down!

And now after I lined them up in two baking pans.

 This lining up reminds me of my elementary years when we (students)  must line up in straight lines every morning to sing our national anthem. Rain or shine. As you can see in the picture, the other pan was not totally full. Well, not all the students were present either during my school years:)

And now they are in the oven and my reflection.

And my mind drifted again during my school years where I felt the pressure of being  a student. Try to fit inn, to be liked, to attain good characters, to be a nice girl and so on. And I changed school three times during those years. Very tough!

 During my adulthood, more pressures to survived. But like this dough that is now in the oven, the heat in the oven makes this pastry perfect. And so with my life,  I think. I became stronger by the heat or the pressure of life. 

And the result!

And the best part. To taste the finished product:) I put powdered sugar on top .

This is how it looks inside after baking. I suppose I can say " bon appetitt"

I hope the elders will like my " baked buns with vanilla filling. Coz after eating, I can say nam nam!

JOY

God whispers........

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I was about to take a shower one day when I heard God whisper something in my ear. " I can wash you clean with my words" What? You don't mean to say that I can use your words as soap and water to make me clean? "Soap and water can make you clean outside, but not inside. My words can clean even the deepest area of your soul." And He reminded me of this verse:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's eyes. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrew: 4-12-13

Wow! It means that God's words is sharper than the wok knives of the chinese people!

Is that what they call to be online with God 24/7?




Like this lightning, it just struck anywhere it wants to.  I can hear His promtings in most unthinkable places, like in the bathroom! Now, I have something to think about while I am taking a shower. I began to mull over how this shampoo makes my hair clean, how balsam can change my hair into a soft to touch hair and how soap and scrub make my body clean. And sure enough, when I am done, I will be feeling good and smelling nice. Ready to face the world.  Really?
And then a thought comes into my mind ... is it  enough to face the world looking clean outside, but not inside? And I am sure you will agree with me that the answer is no! Because no matter how we hide what we feel inside and how we really are, it will show by how we behave and from the looks on our faces. And probably, our eyes will expose us.
Well, if God can make me clean inside with his words, then I should take his words  like shampoo, balsam, soap, scrub and water to make me clean inside.

So now I have to grab my bible to know how:)

                                        And God leadeth me to this verse:  ( Isaiah 18-19)

 Isn't it exciting to talk to God our creator? To reason together with Him? Not to be condemed, but to be made white as snow and to be like wool. Have you seen how white the snow in the picture? How about that? We don't need bleaching agent to be clean. We only need God and His words.
But He said something that we can be like wool! And how it is to be like wool? What are the characterestic of the wool?

                                                 I searched and I found these:
* Wool has the capability to keep the body  at even temperature because it does not trap heat. This means that in hot weather it keeps the animal (or you) cool and in cold weather it keeps them (or you) warm.

Think of that! As a wool, we can keep ourselves from being affected negatively by the inviroment. We are protected.


*Wool clothing does not cling to the skin.
This allows for air circulation next to your skin and is part of the insulation properties and comfort of wearing wool.

Means comfort to me! 

*Readily absorbs water and can also release it.

The ability to give and receive.

*Naturally fire resistant meaning it does not readily burn. 

As a wool persons we can be resistant from the fiery darts of the enemy. Not easily tempted.

*Strands of wool are crimped . Has the ability to stretch and then return to it's natural length.  

For me it means that although we can be stretched beyond we can bear,  we can be renewed again.

* Wool is very strong and durable partly due to it's felting feature. The fibers are strong and will hold together through much twisting and turning, much like a lock of hair. This feature is what creates such long lasting garment.

Like wool, the more we get twisted and turned, the more we get stronger. Then we can be persons who does not give up no matter what!


What a revelation from God's words. Think about that!


God's words can make not only me but you too clean and white as snow and like a wool: protective, comfortable, can both give and take, resistant, stronger and durable. Who would not want to be like that? 


That is why I love God's words. Never ending wisdom:)


How about you!  Do you hear God whisper?

JOY

Linking to : " Spiritual Sundays"http://bloggerspirit.blogspot.com/

Brainstorming tags!

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Wondering what I mean with my title? Well, a sweet lady Mhie Lee from " travelentz.com" tagged me. At first I was also confused because I did not know what she meant, until I read her post " Facts about Travelentz and 11 questions.

And this is how it goes:

To those who are tagged, please do the following rules:


* Post 11 random info/ things about you.
* Post answers to the questions being tagged to you.
* Make 11 questions for the people you tag to answer.

Well, I really need brainstorming to answer her questions  and to know what questions I should ask to those I will tag.
Instead of seeing this as a difficult task, I can look positively about it. Why?


1. It gives me an idea about what to post in my blog...hi hi
2. We can get to know more of each other.
3. And for the first time I can formulate questions to ask.
4. It enhance my brain cells:)

I will first  begin in answering her questions .

1. What is your greatest achievement in life?
Getting my college degree in my old age. It was not easy, when one has to work, study in another language and takes care of my family at the same time.

2. What could you do to help your parents?
Well, I am helping my mother by giving her monthly support. My father passed away in 1992.

3. Are you a family person?
Yes, I love being with my family. Sad thing is I don't have the possibility to be with them all the time because of the distance and my husband is a sailor. But I love being at home.

4. What is your top priority in life?
My relationship with God and with my family.

5. Do you regret anything you've done in the past?
Yes, many things, but I do learned a lesson from them:)

6. What kind of travel do you like?
Everything: city tour, beach, country. But not being in a museum.

7.What is the best gift that you recieved?
God's gift of salvation.

8. What would you sacrifice for your family?
Myself!

9. What is your favourite dish?
Actually, I don't have no favourites, coz I love meat, fish and vegetables .

10. Why do you blog?
It makes my life richer, more meaningful and I get to know a lot of nice people. Can travel places through other blogs . And it is educational. Can be a part of other people's lives in a positive way. Blogging inspires me and hope I can also inspire someone.

11. What do you want to learn as a hobby?
Photography.

And then my questions to those I will tag. Hope they find it interesting too:)


1. Define God...
2. What makes you happy?
3. What makes you sad?
4. Who inspires you?
5. If you can do something to change the world, what would it be?
6. What makes you afraid?
7.  Do you have a dream/ dreams that are not yet fulfilled?
8. What is the greatest lesson that you have learned in life?
9. Define love....
10. What /who is the most important for you in life?
11. Why do you blog?

And I am tagging these questions to:


1. Kalokang buhay ng isang Pinay
2. BelovedBomber
3. Mitchi Photostory
4. Blog ni ako
5. Spanish Pinay
6. Karla
7. Daisy girl
8. JOYFUL REFLECTIONS
9. No Spam, No virus, No Kiddin'!
10. Spiritual Sundays
11. Pinay Travel Snapshots


I tagged  11 bloggers since we started in that number. I hope its ok for everybody:)

Wow! I am in the last part now. 11 things about myself........

1. I love creating things with my hands, read and write.
2. Love to make other people laugh.
3. Afraid of dogs, snakes and horses.
4. I prefer to read a book than to walk and exercise.
5. I am always on time and don't like waiting.
6. I just have to do something every minute of my time.
7. I am a believer and really depending on God in every area of my life.
8. I am easily hurt, but also quick to forgive.
9. I am a talkative person, not a very good listener. But I am trying:)
10. Not fond of driving a car.
11. I am still learning how to swim.




That's for now:) Good luck to those I tagged. Looking forward to read your post then!


JOY

A sweet gift from Italy!

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In  one of my post " Act of gratefulness"  I told about an old lady who  went to the store, walked one kilometer with a walker and in a cold weather just to buy me a bouquet of roses as a gift for my 50th birthday. And in the card she said that I will get more later, I just have to wait patiently. And I said that she does not need to buy me a gift coz she is already a gift from God to me.

                                   This is the flower that she gave me.


Anyway this sweet lady won a free trip to Italy and when she came back, she gave me this mask as a gift and souvenier from Italy!

In the card she wrote Italian greetings to me which I don't understand. Hi, hi. But the thought was there.

And then I have to try the mask to show her how I look like with the mask.

Do I look like  a cat woman to you?

 Anyway the elders suggested that I should wear the mask when I welcome my husband home from ombord the ship. Problem is I don't know what kind of attire will go with the mask...but they have a lots of suggestions :)

And not only that, before she leave I asked her if she can take some pictures so that I can see her trip to Italy. She had no camera, but I said that we have one that she can borrow. Sadly, I forgot to give the camera to her before she leaves.

But this sweet lady really touched my heart. There was a photographer there and also a person who was videotaping the trip. And she bought a film of the trip so that I can see her/them and places they visited in Italy.  And today, we watched the film together with the other elders and traveled to Italy with her. We admired her for what she had done, coz it was not easy for her to do that, coz she can't go without a help from a walker.

This is a walker!

I really appreaciate this lady. She is only 64 years old, but a stroke made her less movable. It was really tough for her because before she got the stroke, she worked as a diplomat and had travelled  many countries and speaks many languages. That made me think how fragile a human life is.  Anyway, she comes out of it and take life as it is. Because anything can happen, but we must live one day at a time.

It reminds me of God's words: Don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own. ( Matthew 6: 34)

I am so  thankful for all the people who God sends into my path to show that although life can be tough, there is also joy. These sweet tokens of gifts made me very happy and thankful and feel loved. 

So my goal in life: Be a blessing and you will be blessed!

                Me and my homemade clown say hello to everybody.

 

Todays homemade cards!

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In between my ought to do, must do, should do list, I try to make cards which I love doing, but have not much time.  So here they are:

 

I wish the pictures were more clear, but when I get my new camera, it will be better. But for the meantime.....patience. There  is a saying that " those who wait for something good, do not wait in vain"

                                                               " Thought for the day"

                                                                 Always get up after a fall

       The greatest glory in living lives is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. 

                                                                     Nelson Mandela

Time to get wet!

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Last part of our visit to the Philippines!

Vacation in the Philipines will not be complete without getting wet. I mean swimming in the pool and at the beach. So we packed our swimwear and brought with us food. The filipinos don't go swimming  without ( baon) food.
And my beloved mother who cooks delicious meals made macaroni soup.

 My youngest daughter haven't tasted that kind of soup before, but she said that it was very delicious. Then after we went home to Norway, I tried to make the same soup, but she told me that Grandma's soup was better. :) Well, I can just agree with her, coz it was true.

Since we lived in Makati area, we had chosen a resort in Laguna. Takes only more than two hours drive.

And here we are, young and old soaking ourselves in water. 

If you are wondering why the water was not deep, we had chosen the childrens swimming pool coz the water was hot there. And only a few of us can swim.

My three beloved daughters and the baby is Candice, my second grandchild.

My son with his wife and daughter!

I love this picture coz I can see the love looks in their eyes. Candice, the baby is 7 years old now. 

Candice first swimming lesson!

And that was the last bonding day for my family in Norway and Philipines coz,  my mother-in-law, my husband and my youngest daughter went home earlier , so that I could spend more time with my family in the Philippines. 

And then at the beach together with the rest of relatives:) 

But before we did anything else, we have to eat first. That was the first command from our stomachs:)

With me are my two daughters and granddaughter Candice.

My son and his wife with my first grandchild Andrei! He is ten years old now. And to the right is my brother-in-law!

My older sister just arrived from Germany! Happy to have her with us:)

My youngest sister taking picture of her youngest daughter. Her first swimming at the beach:)

Four sisters! Two others were not in the picture. One was in Norway and the other was taking a shower.

Four generation: my mother, me, my son and his two children. Now he has three and we are now older, but looking better. hi, hi

My grandson Andrei and my nephews really enjoyed the beach.

But Ariel, my second daughter's fiance that time seeked comfort under the sand:)

And picture taking before we leave the beach! 

And before me and my sister Lourdes leave our homecountry again.... Those were the days when we were young:)

Memories from 2004 that I cherished in my heart. 

Until next blog!

JOY