Altrogge Family

This morning I woke up, and before I drank my cup of coffee, had a clear thought in my head or opened my eyes the whole way, dinner was already cooking. Oh the joys of a slow cooker. Whoever invented it, deserves a high five.

I am curious to know what's going on in your lives outside of the blog-world. I thought I'd pass along the recipe for what we're having for dinner tonight . . . on one condition: you have to tell me what's on your menu. Will you use a recipe, make it up, order take-out or serve up a bowl of cereal? Leave a comment and your recipe, if you'd like. I could always use some new dinner ideas to change things up.

Barbecued Beef Sandwiches

• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 (4 pound) boneless chuck roast
• buns
  

Directions

1. In slow cooker dish, combine ketchup, brown sugar, red wine vinegar, Dijon-style mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and liquid smoke. Stir in salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Place chuck roast in the slow cooker. Cover with sauce, and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours.
3. Remove chuck roast from slow cooker, shred with a fork, and return to the slow cooker. Stir meat to evenly coat with sauce. Continue cooking approximately 1 hour.

(From Allrecipes.com)

Note: It's hard to go wrong with this one. I normally just estimate amounts and throw the stuff in. We don't have liquid smoke, so I just put in a pinch of cayenne pepper.

This is one of our favorites. Enjoy!

Micah 7:19, "You will . . . hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea."

"The picture is of God vigorously disposing of our sings by hurling them overboard. He doesn't just drop them over the side or even pitch them overboard. He hurls them as something to be rid of and forgotten" (Jerry Bridges, The Gospel for Real Life).

Corrie ten Boom said, "And then God put up a sign saying, 'No fishing allowed.'" Why would He do this?

"Because she knew that we tend to drag up our old sins, that we tend to live under a vague sense of guilt. She knew that we are not nearly as vigorous in appropriating God's forgiveness as He is in extending it" (J.B.)

Let's run to the cross and find forgiveness!

For those of you whom we have not had a chance to tell personally, Stephen has "officially" been accepted into the Sovereign Grace Pastors' College class of 2008-09. His classes will begin August 26 and last for ten months. As you know, we were headed there last fall, but we had a little surprise named Charis. Huge blessing. Now our little family is ready to go. We are in the midst of lining up our housing at this point and all the other details will soon follow. I'll keep you posted.