Nolan's First Batch of Cookies

Yesterday Nolan asked if we could make oatmeal cookies and the old me who used to have a "no face" most of the time would have just said no, I don't think so. Instead, I'm trying to have much more of a "yes face" to try to make requests work and I said well now is not a good time but let's make them tomorrow! He was so excited, the first thing he said when he woke up this morning was I want oatmeal cookies! (By the way, the "yes face" and "no face" analogies are from Chuck Swindoll's book "The Grace Awakening" which is all about grace in our hour by hour lives instead of so much legalism - I've been reading it and it is AWESOME!)

He helped me add ingredients and mix them and they came out great! There are many permutations of oatmeal cookies but these are bar none the best taste and texture. Here's the recipe:

Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1/2 tsp orange extract (the most important ingredient - DO NOT SKIP)

1 Tbsp water

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 3/4 cups quick oats

12 oz package butterscotch chips (may use chocolate which is what we did today)

Combine butter, brown sugar, eggs, water, and extract; beat until creamy. Combine in another bowl flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture. Stir in oats and chips. Bake at 375 degrees for 9-11 minutes.

Fall Festival

We had SO MUCH FUN at our church's Fall Festival! Nolan went as Mater from Cars movie. He's never seen it although we have it but he loves playing all the cars characters. Although we aren't keen on Halloween we are thrilled to have a function that redeems the day, as an outreach to the community families, and frankly all kids love playing dress up. They love to pretend and it was just so much fun to see the wonder on Nolan's face. When we first got there he wanted his costume off but he really got into how much fun all the kids were having all dressed up and he loved it! There is totally a way to have a fun day without celebrating the scary, evil parts. Mark and I talk about how Easter and Christmas started out as pagan holidays but gracious Christians figured out a way to minister to others by not being killers of joy but rather turning idolatry around. Our hearts were bursting at seeing so many folks we didn't recognize at the festival and these folks may have never set foot on church soil but we are hoping that they will remember FBC, where it is, and how loving the church is. That is my prayer!