- a poem by Loyd C. Taylor, North Carolina

My, what a lovely country,
Americans, we are blessed!
Any direction one turns,
Her great beauty takes your breath.

The tall majestic mountains
With glistening snow crowned heads,
Blue mysterious oceans
Waves of sparkling water spread.

Beautiful grassy meadows
Cool refreshing mountain springs,
The gorgeous golden sunsets,
The wild untamed rolling plains.

Kingly trees with arms reaching
To offer their treasures rare,
Gorgeous flowered decor
Of garden palaces fair.

The symphony of raindrops
Pitter pattering the ground,
Choruses of sweet song birds
Serenading where they’re found.

Musicians of small creatures
From crickets to the jar flies,
Lightening bugs wink at us
Illuminates velvet skies.

Beautiful America,
God has shed His grace on thee;
Beautiful America,
Yes, far as the eye can see.

Beautiful America,
Blessed with strength and liberty,
Beautiful America,
Thank God, you are my country!

Looking for the perfect cold dessert – just in time for the 4th? For a limited time only, Dreyer’s™ has just come out with Red, White & No More Blues ice cream with REAL bits of strawberries and blueberries scattered throughout. (No, we don’t get any kick-back from this company. We just want to share ideas for a healthier celebration.) Scoop some ice cream into a small bowl and top with fresh strawberries and a squirt of whipped cream on top. Stick in a little decorative American flag and you’ll have a cool treat!

3/4 cup cherry yogurt
2/3 cup (about 18) maraschino cherries, drained
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 cups chocolate frozen yogurt OR chocolate ice cream, softened

Maraschino cherries, whipped topping and chocolate shavings, for garnish

Put cherry yogurt, cherries and milk in an electric blender; blend well. Add frozen yogurt; blend until smooth. Pour into chilled glasses. May garnish with whipped topping, chocolate shavings and cherries. Makes 2 (8-ounce) servings.

CCF originated as a ministry “by women, for women” (and for the most part, still is). However, we know there are many men who visit, too. Les comes highly qualified as a Genetic Key Certified Nutritionist, Personal Trainer and Current Colorado Natural Bodybuilding Champion 45+ and is joining our team to provide ALL of our CCF family with online nutritional information, helpful advice on body strengthening through exercise, plus so much more. He and his wife, Sharon, have two beautiful children and live in the Denver area. Thanks, Les, for answering God’s call to join us.

“What Every Woman Should Know About the End Times” is now on our SPIRITUAL GROWTH page (left column). Scroll down to Focus On Bible Prophecy and read the first article, These Last Days. If you are interested in the headline world events and want to go deeper into what God’s Word says about the end times, you won’t want to miss any of these thought-provoking articles.

In the left-hand column, we’ve added a “Guest Book” to our list of CCF links. We’d so appreciate it if you could take just a moment and sign it. We want to know all the wonderful women who grace our ministry site. You only need to use your first name, if desired.

We would also appreciate knowing where you live. You can write this in the Comment Box, plus anything else you’d like to share about yourself.

Thanks for being a part of our Coffee Cup Friends family!

We’ve prepared some great recipes and other fun ideas to help make your 4th of July celebrations enjoyable. Below is a recipe to get you started. Then, we’ve also included more delicious, patriotic recipes, and two links: “Anytime Grilling” (hints, tips, and recipes for grilling perfection) and “Celebrating the 4th With Kids” (awesome ideas to keep the little ones entertained).  Enjoy!

FIRECRACKER CHILI DOGS
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1 cup chopped onion
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
a dash of hot pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 – 2 teaspoons brown sugar
8 turkey hot dogs, cooked or grilled
8 hot dog buns split and lightly toasted
Cheddar cheese, shredded

Brown ground beef (or turkey) and onions in a medium skillet over medium heat, Break up the meat as you stir. Drain fat and reduce heat to low. Stir in tomato sauce, Worcestershire and hot pepper sauce, chili powder, pepper and brown sugar. SIMMER for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Place cooked hot dogs in toasted buns. Spoon 1/4-cup cooked sauce over each hot dog. Top with shredded cheese. Makes 8 servings.

MORE RECIPES ||  ANYTIME GRILLING ||  CELEBRATING the 4th with KIDS

Avoid the urge to snack on calorie-laden snacks that only satisfy for a moment and are nutritiously deplete. (Okay, dark chocolate is allowed once in awhile but in small amounts.)

This week we are including HEALTHY SNACK IDEAS. Just pick out your favorites and be sure to keep a good supply on hand. They are nutritious and easy to prepare for those “I need to munch” moments of your day.

In the first book of the New Testament, the author, Matthew, carries a solemn warning to his readers that there is a time coming on earth that will be very much like the days of Noah. A catastrophe of global proportions will bring judgment. But, it also says that at that time, as it was before the flood when people were uninterested, not listening, and caught up with the normal routine, the Son of Man (Jesus) will come.

“For as in those days which were before the flood they were eating and drinking, they were marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and they did not understand (know) until the flood came and took them all away, so shall the coming of the Son of Man be.” Matthew 24:38-39.

There is nothing wrong with eating and drinking. We must do that for survival. Moreover, as far as marrying and giving in marriage is concerned, that is God-ordained and necessary for the survival of the structure of the family. However, if these are the things we spend time thinking about and are in a world of our own, where undue concern lies, we will not comprehend what is going on right under our noses. We won’t be heeding the signs God always sends. We will be quite unaware of the big picture.

So, what were the days of Noah like? The Bible reference tells us the condemned people were without understanding of the times until the flood came and took them all away. There was only one way to get into the ark and at an appointed time, God Himself closed the door. Up until the closing of the door all who passed by Noah’s daily routine of building the ark had a choice. However, once that door was closed, there was no more choice. When the rains began to fall and the flood waters began to suck their breath away, they were left with their knowledge and imminent death.

H. Norman Wright states in his book, Always Daddy’s Girl, “Tell me about your father… I’m sure many thoughts and feelings about your father rise to the surface. Many may be pleasant; some may be unpleasant. What influence has your father been on your life to date? Whether he was close or distant, present or absent, cold or warm, loving or abusive, your father has left his mark on you.”

One of the issues becomes how you view God. Many times people place on God the burdens of their earthly father. It is crucial that you know who God is, described to us through His Word. A few examples of His qualities as a father are:

• He is the loving, concerned Father who is interested in the intimate details of our lives. Matthew 6:25-34
• He is the Father who never gives up on us. Luke 15:3-32
• He is always available to us through prayer. John 14:13-14
• He values us. Luke 12:24
• He is for us. Romans 8:31

There are many more. Unconditional love is one of the most important to remember. When we fail, when we don’t live up to His expectations, when we sin, He is not there to reject us, but to accept us. He is waiting with open arms if we’ll turn to Him.

We now know we (especially dads) are a reflection of a child’s view of God. So, this is a Father’s Day challenge to all fathers, young and old, or in between. What do you need to be doing to reflect God’s love and acceptance to your children? What are the action steps to achieve this goal? I suggest that you write down the action steps and refer to them often so that you may become the father that your Heavenly Father wants you to be.

by Kris Hungerford, Director of Grace Counseling Services, Denver, CO.
CCF Guest Contributor