Dessert Of The Month Club ~ "Your Favorite" Cream Pie

As I've mentioned before, my hubby loves banana pudding, but you know what he loves even more than banana pudding? Banana Cream Pie!

When I asked him what dessert he wanted for Father's Day, he said he really wanted a banana cream pie. To be honest, I didn't really like his answer.
Why?
1. I hate banana cream pie.
2. The thought of making a cream pie of any sort scared me to death.

Don't cream pies sound complicated? Well, they certainly did to me, but I decided to turn to my favorite cook book {The Joy of Cooking, 1997 edition} and see what I could come up with.
What I found there was the easiest and most delicious all-purpose recipe for every cream pie you can imagine!
That pie was so good that my hubby ate it for dessert Friday night, breakfast Saturday morning, and lunch Saturday afternoon. I'd say the proof is in the pie!

Whatever cream pie you like, be it vanilla, banana, coconut,  butterscotch, or chocolate, this recipe is for you!

"Your Favorite" Cream Pie

*Notes before beginning ~ Before preparing your filling, please prepare your favorite flaky pie crust and bake it until golden. These pies can be topped with your favorite meringue recipe or whipped cream or nothing at all!*

1. Basic/Vanilla Cream Pie
     2/3 c. sugar
     1/4 c. cornstarch
     1/4 tsp. salt
     2 1/2 c. whole milk
     5 large egg yolks
     2-3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
     1 Tbsp. vanilla

Whisk in a medium, heavy saucepan until well blended, sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
Gradually whisk in milk.
Vigorously whisk in egg yolks until no yellow streaks remain.
Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, bring the mixture to a bare simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat, scrape the corners of the saucepan with the spoon and whisk until smooth. Return to the heat and, whisking constantly, bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute. Off the heat, whisk in butter and vanilla.
Spoon filling into the prepared crust and press plastic wrap onto surface.
Refrigerate for 3 hours, if topping with whipped cream.
                                   OR
If topping with your favorite meringue recipe, top and bake immediately, let cool, and then refrigerate.

2. Banana Cream Variation

Prepare crust and filling for Basic Cream Pie, above.
Thinly slice 2-4 ripe bananas, enough to measure 1 1/2-2 cups.
Spoon a third of the filling into the pie shell and scatter half of the bananas over the top.
Cover with another third of the filling and then the rest of the bananas.
Spread the remaining filling over the top.

3. Coconut Cream Variation

Spread 1 -1/3 c. shredded sweetened dried coconut in a 9-inch cake pan and toast, stirring occasionally, in a 300 degree oven until golden brown, 2-30 minutes.
Prepare Basic Cream Pie, above, adding the coconut to the filling along with the butter.
If topping the pie with whipped cream, you can reserve 2-3 tbsp. of the coconut for sprinkling on the top.
Can also be served drizzled with chocolate or caramel sauce.

4. Chocolate Cream Variation

Prepare Basic Cream Pie, above, but increase the sugar to 1 cup and
decrease the cornstarch to 3 Tbsp.
Finely chop 4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, add it with the butter, and stir until the chocolate melts.
If topping with whipped cream, it can be decorated with grated semisweet chocolate.

5. Butterscotch Cream Variation

*This can be made with a pecan nut crust, if you prefer.*
Cook 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter and 1 packed cup light brown sugar in a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and bubbly, 3-5 minutes.
Gradually stir in 1/2 c. heavy cream OR evaporated milk. (Do not use regular milk, it may curdle.).
If necessary, return briefly to the heat to melt the butterscotch.
Let cool slightly.
Prepare the filling for Basic Cream Pie, above, but omit the sugar, decrease the milk to 2 cups, add the brown sugar mixture along with the milk, and omit the butter.

Enjoy!

Homeschooling Children for Ministry - Part Two

Setting Goals

Count the Cost

A Biblical principle that applies to any undertaking of great significance is counting the cost.  One way to do this in your homeschool journey is by establishing goals for your children’s education and developing a plan to achieve those goals.  At the outset, pray about what you want to accomplish academically and spiritually throughout their schooling, and then write down your ideas.  A Christian parent’s main priority is to rear their children according to Deuteronomy 6:5-7.  “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.  And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.”  The first priority for you as a parent is teaching your children to love the Lord with all their hearts.  Academics come after that.  My personal goals for my children include having godly character, being an effective communicator both in speech and writing, having proficiency in math, and being well-read. Armed with goals, you can develop a plan that will keep you on track for the duration of your homeschooling years.

 

Long-Term Goals

From the beginning, I felt called to homeschool my children through high school.  This may vary for different families, but having this settled in my heart ahead of time has helped me to focus and to think long-term.  There is no wavering in my heart saying, "Can I do it?"  If God calls you to do it, He will equip you.  If there is a subject down the road that appears difficult to teach, then you can find a video, computer course, or a tutor who can teach it.  Do not allow fear to limit your planning.  One of my long-term goals is that my children attend a Christian college, so this has influenced my choices of curriculum for their high school years.  My kids have already visited and become familiar with some good Bible colleges and are excited about attending one of those schools.  My eldest is especially self-motivated because she plans to attend a specific college with her best friend.  A motivated child is very easy to homeschool.  Knowing what I expect of them has given my children a framework within which to establish their own goals and a target for which to strive.  You may experience a greater sense of purpose if you determine in your heart to homeschool through high school.  God may still open other doors of educational opportunities, but you will find that you will work harder if you teach your children with a long-range plan.

 

Goals for your children should not be set in stone.  Over the years I have observed the strengths and interests of my children take form, and I have adjusted my goals for them accordingly. A methodical, logical child will focus on different subjects in high school than his artistic sister.  Leave room for flexibility and God’s leading in your children’s lives.  As they get older, allow them to have more input into the classes that they want to take as well.  Instead of being driven by your goals, allow them to be guidelines that help map out an educational path.  For example, I began teaching my children Latin as part of our classical curriculum.  When we moved to Indonesia, however, it seemed to make much more sense to switch to studying bahasa Indonesia since that was the language that they needed to know in order to communicate.  I did not get caught up in my previous goal, but rather changed according to what would best serve my family.  Use goals as tools to help guide and not limit your choices.  

            

Annual Goals

In addition to long term goals, you may also make annual goals based on your children’s strengths and weaknesses. They can be both in the areas of character and academics.  For example, this year one of my goals for my seventh grader was for her to learn to speak and communicate in Indonesian. I wanted my fourth grader to learn the fundamentals of English grammar.  As for my second grader, he needed to get his reading up to grade level.  I am pleased with our progress on all of those points.  So, even though we did not finish our history curriculum for the year, I still feel as though we had a successful school year.  The goals I had set were part of a learning process and not a curriculum checklist.  Annual goals can help you to keep the big picture in mind.

 

In closing, I want to share Luke 14:28.  “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”  As you set goals in homeschooling, you are essentially counting the cost.  What will the end result look like and how do you plan to achieve it?  Both long-term and annual goals can give you the confidence and direction that you need to have a successful homeschool.

 

 

 

Part One

 

 

 

Happy Father's Day!

In many places, today is Father's Day;

so Happy Father's Day!

In Australia, Father's Day is the first Sunday in September.

When is Father's Day celebrated where you live?

A Small World - Part 2

When we were on deputation, one day during a missions conference, we had a free afternoon. We went to lunch with one of the other missionary couples. They were friends of ours from Bible college. My husband told them we would pay for lunch. As we were eating, the waitress came up to our table and asked my husband if he was a missionary. He told her that he was. A few minutes later, she asked if he was a missionary to a French-speaking country. He told her that he was. We were not sure where she was coming up with all of these questions. Her next question was if the French-speaking country was Ivory Coast. When he told her “Yes,” a man sitting across the room groaned and exclaimed that he felt that he was being hustled. The man he was eating with was his employee, and the employee had been in a church where we had presented our ministry several months earlier. We did not even remember the employee, but he remembered us. The employee had told his boss that he thought we were missionaries to a French-speaking country in Africa. The boss did not believe him and said if that were true, then he would pay for lunch. The boss not only paid for that man’s lunch, he paid for ours as well. Our friends who were eating with us said that they would have to go out to eat with us more often!

Sally Stensaas, who is a missionary in Uganda with her husband Keith and their six children, sent a small world story. Her husband recently took their oldest son back to the States for Bible college. As her husband was waiting to board the plane in London to go to Uganda, he saw a couple that seemed very familiar to him, but he could not quite place them. Although Keith did not know it, the other man was also looking curiously at him trying to place him. As they both got up to board the plane, they approached each other. The other man said, "You are Keith, right?" To which Keith said, "You are Karl." Karl and his wife are Canadians who also work in Masaka, Uganda. While out of Uganda, both men had shaved their mustaches off, thus altering their looks.

If you have a “small world” experience that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at loconsford@gmail.com. Please include the name of each family member, your field of service, and a picture of your family if possible.

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

Homeschooling Children for Ministry - Part One

Preparation for Ministry

Our family defines ministry as being the channel through which God meets the needs of others by His grace. When I homeschool my children, my purpose is to prepare them for ministry. The best way that I have found to do this for our family is by using Classical Christian Education. Classical Academic Press summarizes classical education as "a traditional approach to education that employs the historic curriculum and pedagogy of the seven liberal arts in order to cultivate students characterized by wisdom, virtue, and eloquence." (Emphasis mine)  These are my main goals for my children: to possess godly wisdom, to have excellent character, and to be able to effectively communicate Biblical truth. In essence, to be prepared for whatever ministry God may call them to in their future.

Not Just the Curriculum

After nine years of homeschooling, I have observed moms who successfully use a variety of curricula and educational philosophies, and their children have turned out well. I have also seen moms who have used classical education materials without good results. What makes the difference?  My conclusion is the effort and involvement put forth by the mom combined with children who are cooperative and willing to learn. Both of these aspects require a constant dependence on and submission to the Lord, and cannot be achieved outside of His divine help and guidance. Homeschooling is a continual process, and as you grow and gain wisdom through the Scriptures, your school methods will develop proportionately.

Labor of Love

Homeschooling is work. I am not referring to work such as writing lesson plans or grading papers. In order to truly inspire a child to love learning, effort is required. I am burdened for my children to have a high level of academics, yet I am even more passionate about their having godly character and a love for ministry. How is this accomplished? It is achieved by using a quality curriculum that includes great literature and by modeling Biblical character in addition to studying Scripture.  The teacher must interact as a participator and not just an instructor. Children's interest in a topic will rarely exceed that of their teacher's, so the bar must be set high by personal involvement from the homeschool parent. If I do not have that wide-eyed wonder of learning, how can I expect it from my children?  This type of homeschooling requires more energy and labor from the parent, but children who are inspired will delight in learning and will seek to please the Lord.

Results of Sacrifice

One of the toughest parts of educating children for ministry is the sacrifice involved.  My children have yet to participate on a soccer team or play little league. We plan to start extracurricular sports this year, but in the early years it was an extra that we chose to do without because it did not fit well into our homeschool and ministry schedule. At times I have given up personal hobbies for a season. I am an artist, and although I have not permanently given up drawing and painting, some of my artistic pursuits have had to be put on hold. I have said "no" to many things in my personal life in order to provide the best homeschool for my children. It has required constant denial of the flesh. The result, however, is having children who have a greater appreciation for those activities once they can participate in them, and who also have learned a balance in ministering to other people.

Next Time

In upcoming posts, I will transparently share with you more of my journey of preparing my children for ministry. I have homeschooled as a busy pastor's wife, during two years of deputation on the road, through the loss of a loved one to cancer, and during my first year on a foreign mission field.  I will write about the process of getting started with homeschooling, the main ingredient to a successful homeschool, and tips for homeschooling on the road.  I will also include a generous list of books that have helped me. Homeschooling my children to prepare them for ministry is the highest purpose to which God has called me, and I hope that what I share can be useful for your homeschool as well.

 

Written by Kristine Lien,

missionary wife and homeschooling mom serving the Lord in Indonesia.

By the way, it's also Kristine's birthday today (June 10),
so I know it would make her day if you would leave a comment wishing her a happy birthday!

A Small World

Have you heard people say, “It's a small world!”? We have had many “small world” experiences through the years, but there is one that takes the cake!

While we were in language school in France for eleven months, we got to do some traveling to other countries in Europe during our breaks. We would have six weeks of intense study followed by a two-week break. The school recommended that we not spend the breaks studying; our brains needed a rest!

When the first break came around, we did not go anywhere out of town because we did not have a vehicle. Shortly after that, we were able to get a little Peugeot 205. My husband named her “Eleanor.” We got to go a lot of places in good old Eleanor. We had missionary friends in Germany. We went to visit them on the next break that we had.

During one of our breaks, my sister Emily came for a visit. She arrived just before our exam week. We were able to take a couple days off to go to Switzerland to meet up with my dad's parents and my dad's brother and his wife. My grandparents immigrated from Holland to America in 1949. They had come to visit relatives in Holland. It worked out for us to meet them in Switzerland.

Meeting up with them was interesting. We had printed out a map; we were supposed to meet them in Matten, Switzerland. Around 10:00 P.M., we thought we had arrived at our final destination. We were at the end of the road at the top of a mountain. We found the restaurant that they had told us to look for; the only problem was if we turned where they told us to turn, we would drive off the side of the mountain. Joe was talking to the lady from the bed and breakfast on the phone; she was speaking in broken Enlgish. Joe accidentally threw a French word in there. She said in French, “You speak French?! Well then,...” She took off talking in French. We soon found out that there are three Mattens in Switzerland, and we were at the wrong Matten! We did get to see some beautiful scenery though! The Matten where we should have been was two hours away from where we were; it did not look that far on the map; the only small obstacle was the Swiss Alps!

The next day, my grandparents (Opa and Oma) wanted to take a train up a mountain. Joe had talked to the lady at the bed and breakfast and asked her where the best place to go would be. She recommended that we go to Jungfrau. So, we headed that way. My aunt and uncle had my grandparents in their rental vehicle, and we were following in Eleanor. As we were driving along, there were two people on the side of the road who were hiking; they had walking sticks in hand. As my uncle's vehicle passed by them, they started waving their walking sticks in the air. Emily and I looked at the people who were waving their walking sticks. Emily said, “I think that is Oma's brother and his wife.” Oma's siblings (who all still live in Holland) had come to America to visit at different times. We had met some of them. We drove a little farther, and my uncle turned around. So, we followed him. He accidentally passed the place where the people were standing. So, we pulled up next to them first. Emily and I were both still discussing if it might be Oma's brother. We were not bold enough to get out of the car and ask. My husband has never met a stranger. So, Joe got out of the vehicle and asked them if they knew Tony Van Manen (Opa's name). They did not speak much English at all, and they did not understand his Texas accent. They pointed, and in very broken English said, “The town is that way.” Joe tried again. He said Opa's name like Opa would say it. When they understood that he was saying “Tony Van Manen,” they started talking in rapid-fire Dutch. At that point, Emily and I stepped out of the car. As soon as the aunt saw me, she said, “Laura!” It had been at least ten years since we had seen them. They just happened to be vacationing in Switzerland in the same area where we were. What a small world!

If you have a “small world” experience that you would like to share with us, please e-mail it to me at loconsford@gmail.com. Please include the name of each family member, your field of service, and a picture of your family if possible.

Until next week, keep your sunny side up!

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