Marilyn Simmons' Famous Cinnamon Roll Recipe

This is our favorite cinnamon roll recipe. I never have made the doughnuts since I rarely eat fried foods. Marilyn Simmons was a fellow missionary with us in Peru and she was kind enough to share her recipe with me. She gives the credit to Edna Ruth Bylens. Either way, thanks ladies for sharing it with the world!

Marilyn Simmons' Famous Rolls

Edna Ruth Bylens Potato Dough Baked goods

100 doughnuts or rolls

Dissolve:

3 Tablespoons yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water

Mix in large bowl:

1 quart scalded milk

2 cups mashed potatoes (no milk added)

1 cup margarine or butter

1 cup sugar

Let cool to lukewarm; then add:

yeast mixture and 6 cups flour

Let stand until mixture foams up (about 20 minutes)

Add:

2 eggs beaten

1 Tablespoon salt

11-12 cups flour

A little more flour may be needed, but dough should be soft. Turn out on floured board and knead until satiny. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk.

For doughnuts: Roll out dough, cut doughnuts, place on trays, let rise until not quite double. Fry in hot shortening (375 degrees). When drained, dip in glaze.

For cinnamon rolls: Roll into rectangles. Spread with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. Roll up and cut. Put in greased pans.

This is another sweet roll recipe of hers. I love the first one so much that I have never tried this one.

Sweet Rolls:

Dough- In separate bowl:

1 Tablespoon yeast

2 teaspoons sugar

1 cup warm water

Let yeast grow

In large bowl mix:

2 Tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

22 Tablespoons butter

1 egg

1 cup hot water

1 cup milk

Let cool a bit - then add yeast mixture and flour to desired consistency. Knead well. Let rise, punch down, let rise to double its size again.

Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Spread with softened butter. Cover generously with cinnamon and sugar. Add raisins and nuts if desired. Roll up, cut,place into greased oblong or round pans.

Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Lower heat to 350 and bake for 10 minutes more. DO NOT OVER BAKE. Remove from pans immediately.

Psalm 145 is the perfect Scripture to be my theme for the New Year, 2013. I think I will memorize it.

This is what I will do:

v.1    I will exalt you, my God the King.

         I will praise your name for ever and ever.

v.2    Every day I will praise you

         and (I will) extol your name for ever and ever.

v.5    I will meditate on your wonderful works.

v.6    I will proclaim your great deeds.

v.21   My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.

This is why I will praise Him:

v. 3  Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.

v.8  The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

v.9  The LORD is good to all; He has compassion on all he has made.

v.13  (Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom).

v.13  The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all He has made.

v.14  The LORD upholds all those who fall

         and (the LORD) lifts up all who are bowed down.

v.16  You open your hand

         and (you) satisfy the desires of every living thing.

v.17  The LORD is righteous in all his ways

         and (the LORD is) loving toward all he has made.

v.18  The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

v.19  He fulfills the desires of those who fear him.

         He hears their cry

         and (He) saves them.

v.20  The LORD watches over all who love him.

         but the wicked He will destroy.

Others also praise God:

v.4 One generation

                              will commend your works to another;

      they                  will tell of your mighty acts.

v.5                         will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty

v.6                         will tell of the power of your awesome works

v.7                         will celebrate your abundant goodness

                              and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

v.10 All you have made

                                    will praise you

        your saints

                                    will extol you.

v.11 they                      will tell of the glory of your kingdom

                                     and speak of your might.

v.21 Let every creature

                                     praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Psalm 145

I will exalt you, my God the King;

     I will praise your name for ever and ever.

Every day I will praise you 

     and extol your name for ever and ever.

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;  his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another; 

      they will tell of your mighty acts.

They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, 

     and I will meditate on your wonderful works.

They will tell of the power of your awesome work

     and I will proclaim your great deeds.

They will celebrate your abundant goodness 

     and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.

The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

All you have made will praise you, O LORD; 

     your saints will extol you.

They will tell of the glory of your kingdom 

     and speak of your might,

so that all men may know of your mighty acts 

     and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.

Your kingdom is and everlasting kingdom, 

     and your dominion endures through all generations.

The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.

The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.

The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.

You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.

The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.

The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.

My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD.

Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

2013 New Year's Prayer

"Tell God that you want to share His vision for your life - it will be life-changing."

                                                                                                -David Jeremiah-

From One Day At A Time devotional by William MacDonald for January 1:

"This month shall be unto you the beginning of months: it shall be the first month of the year to you." (Ex.12:2)

New Year's resolutions are good but fragile, that is, easily broken. New Year's prayers are better; they ascend to the throne of God and set answering wheels in motion. As we come tot the beginning of another year, we would do well to make the following prayer requests our own:

Lord Jesus, I rededicate myself afresh to You today. I want You to take my life this coming year and use it for Your glory. "Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee."

I pray that You will keep me from sin, from anything that will bring dishonor to Your Name.

Keep me teachable by the Holy Spirit. I want to move forward for You. Don't let me settle in a rut.

May my motto this year be, "He must increase; I must decrease." The glory must all be Yours. Help me not to touch it.

Teach me to make every decision a matter of prayer. I dread the thought of leaning on my own understanding. "I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23).

May I die to the world and even to the approval or blame of loved ones or friends. Give me a single, pure desire to do the things that please Your heart.

Keep me from gossip and criticism of others. Rather help me to speak what is edifying and profitable.

Lead me to needy souls. May I become a friend of sinners, as You are. Give me tears of compassion for the perishing.

"Let me look on the crowd as my Savior did, till my eyes with tears grow dim.

Let me view with pity the wandering sheep, and love them for love of Him."

Lord Jesus, keep me from becoming cold, bitter or cynical in spite of anything that may happen to me in the Christian life.

Guide me in my stewardship of money. Help me to be a good steward of everything you have entrusted to me.

Help me to remember moment by moment that my body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. May this tremendous truth influence all my behavior.

And, Lord Jesus, I pray that this may be the year of Your return. I long to see Your face and to fall at Your feet in worship. During the coming year, may the blessed hope stay fresh in my heart, disengaging me from anything that would hold me here and keeping me on the tiptoes of expectancy. "Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

Graduation speech

21 year-old Jasmine Sims graduated in May from New Tribes Bible Institute in Waukesha, Wisconsin. This is a portion of her speech.I think it is so good that I am posting it on my blog. I am quoting from the NTM at Work magazine, September 2012 edition, that is published by New Tribes Mission.

"Let no one tell you, you will never make a difference and that your efforts are a drop in the bucket. God is more interested in faithful service than visible results. We are citizens of Christ's kingdom and with this citizenship come privilege and responsibility. We ought to live in a manner that reflects our citizenship. I will not tell you it will be easy, but I will tell you, with the Son in your eyes, it will be worth it.

Please never forget who you are. Let facts always take precedence over your feelings. We are children of the light, so shine bright The victory is already ours through Christ, so be unashamed in this fight. Stand strong against the urge of complacency and reverting back to the past. I challenge you to ruffle feathers and change worlds. I challenge you to be moved not by emotion but compelled by love; not persuaded by fickle passions, but driven by His glory."

Devotional for Bridal Shower

Devotional for the Bridal shower of Mary Beth Wright

August 25,2012

We came here today to honor Mary Beth and shower her with our gifts and love.

As I was thinking what to say, I thought that the best gift we can give her is our continued prayers for her.

Cindy, as a parent, you know that parenting never ends! It doesn't matter how old she is whether, 2,12, 22, or 32, she is still your child. This summer my daughter, Julie, who is 25 years old, was living with us. Her boyfriend was here, also. I asked them,” Do you kids want to go with us out to eat.” or something to that effect. Her boyfriend said, “Kids? You called us kids?” (I think he was worried that we didn't consider him an adult. So I told him how George's mom said to me as I was leaving her home, when I was in my mid thirties or forties, and had 5 children,

“ You kids hurry and come back now.” At that time I realized, we were still kids to her, no matter our age!

So once a parent, always a parent, and we still think like a parent, We think we can still “fix things” for our child. Once our daughter is married, she is no longer under our authority, but rather under the authority and protection of her husband.

I am going to quote Stormie Omartian from her book, The Power of a Praying Parent:

“It's not easy to be the parent of an adult child. That's because it's difficult to know what and what not to do for them. When do you need to step in? When have you done too much? When are your expectations too high or too low?......”  etc. etc.

She goes on to say:

“I have found that only God can give you the wisdom you need about those things. And He will give it to you when you ask for it. But first you have to understand and believe that when you pray about your adult child, God will hear and answer. That's the way He set it up. Prayer is not telling God what to do. Prayer is partnering with God to see that His will is done. You don't have to fully understand what God's will is in order to pray that His will be done.

You also have to believe that while you cannot change anything in your adult child's life, God can change everything.”

Stormie Omartian goes on to say that if we have dedicated our child to God, then when they become adults, we need to release them to God. “We no longer have control over our adult children. We can't make them do what we want. But by praying, we can help them to hear from God so He can lead them to do what He wants.” By prayer, “We can help them stay on the right path so they can rise up to become all they were created to be.”

So let's remember God's promise for your adult child's future.

“What God's Word says about your adult child's future is what He says about your future too. “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:11-13).

Notice the connection between the promise of a peaceful, hope-filled future and prayer. Again it is prayer that appropriates the promise. God is saying that if you seek Him and search for Him with all your heart, you will find Him and the great future He has for you.”

Mary Beth, we would encourage you to be a woman of prayer. You will have the strength you need and the wisdom you need for every situation when you go to God in fervent prayer.

Stormie Omartian's book, The Power of a Praying Wife, is an excellent book to use to help you focus in your prayers for your husband.

I know there is a lot of advice people will want to give you on marriage but as I was thinking about what to say, I really don't want to give you advice but I do want to tell you what I am learning to do in my marriage: Pray, Laugh, and Be Thankful.

We already mentioned prayer so let's talk about “laugh.” Proverbs 17:22 says A merry heart doeth good like medicine.” In the first year of our marriage, George got mad at me and raised his voice. I couldn't keep a straight face. I had grown up with a dad who was a preacher with a booming voice and when he yelled at us girls, it brought fear! I was also trained as a singer to “project” my voice so all could hear. So I started laughing and told him that if he wanted to scare me by yelling he would have to use his diaphragm and I proceeded to show him how! Needless to say, that made him laugh and I can honestly say, that he has never raised his voice to me again in all of the 39 years of marriage.

Having a thankful heart isn't always easy. But the Bible commands us in 1Thessalonians 5:18 to give thanks in all circumstances.

Philippians 4:8 says whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

When we change our”stinkin' thinkin'” and think on these things, we can't help but have a joyful heart.

It is so interesting that the three things that came to my mind that I needed to work on and I wanted to share with you, is summed up in 1Thessalonians 5:16-18 Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

We would now like to pray for you and your marriage.

First your mom will pray a prayer of dedication and release into God's hands:

Lord, I rededicate Mary Beth to You. I pray she will serve You all the days of her life and that she will glorify You in every way. As long as she lives, I pray she will be under Your watchful eye. I again release her into Your hands. In Jesus' name I pray.

Hostesses will pray:
They would be protected
survive tough times
walk into the future God has for them.

God would be their Shield and Protector

God would be their Refuge and Strength, a very present help in trouble.

They would take refuge in the shadow of Your wings

You know the plans for them, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give them a future and a hope.

Run the race in the right way so they will finish strong and receive the prize You have for them.

Fill them with Your joy and and peace so that they will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Baby Shower Devotional

Devotional for Baby Shower for Elisha Smith Fernandez

I remember looking at my first baby and thinking -” I will raise him in my home for at least 18 years!” It seemed like such a loooong time! Meanwhile everyone was saying that the time would go quickly! And how right they were! As the song goes, “Turn around, turn around, turn around and you're a young girl (or boy) going out of the door.”

What do we want our child to be like when he “goes out of the door?”

God has given each of us mothers a special privilege and opportunity to raise and mold our child - our baby.

It is a wonderful opportunity, an awesome privilege, and a grave and great responsibility.

What do we want as the end result?

In our Mary Kay business, and any business for that matter, the company or the business owner, sets goals. What are my goals for this year, quarter, month, week? How much do I want to sell? How many appointments do I need to sell that? Do I want to work for a car? To be a director? Earn a trip?

As a teacher, we think, "what do we want our students to learn by the end of the year, the semester, the month, week, etc." It is called Student Learning Outcomes. (SLO)

Nothing happens by accident. If we don't have a plan, we plan to fail.

Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

Now this isn't a promise. Proverbs are pithy sayings, words of wisdom, general principles to follow.

If you train a child in the direction he should be going - then he will stick with it, even when he is old - a young adult “going out of the door.”

So what is the direction he should be going? What is the end result you want? I am sure it is the same as mine was - to have my child grow into an adult who “loves the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his mind, and who loves his neighbor as himself. (Mtt. 22:37-39) Jesus said those were the greatest commandments.

I wanted my children to know God personally, to first have Jesus as their Savior, and then to follow Him and love Him, and not depart from Him ever. I wanted them not to just say, “I believe because that is what my parents taught me,” but to know for themselves that God was real, that He cared for them and loved them. To experience Him for themselves.

We know with training dogs or animals, it takes consistency along with love and encouragement. Same with children. But with children there is more - they need the example.

We teach by our example how we are to live and to love. Our children will follow what we do, and our subtle attitudes, even more than what we say to them.

Are we in fellowship with other Christians by going to church and Bible Study?

Do we read our Bible daily?

Do we pray consistently - without ceasing?

Are we serving with our gifts and talents?

The three most important things I personally believe we need to do are:

1. Read the Word of God to your child. It is “active and alive, sharper than a two edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12) The Word of God does not return void (Isaiah 55:11). It will never pass away (Mtt.24:35).

With my baby, Nathan, I read the Bible out loud to him while I was nursing him. Oh well if he didn't understand then, I figured I would start young telling him about Jesus, never knowing that he would see Jesus before I would. I can honestly say that all my children, even my  newborn were taught about Jesus and had Scripture read to them.

2. Pray, Pray, and Pray. The enemy prowls around looking for someone to devour. He seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10). The only way to fight back is with the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God, and prayer in the powerful name of Jesus.

Pray Scripture over your child. Just this week I prayed Ephesians1:18 and Ephesians 3:16-19 for each of my children. That they "would be strengthened with power in their inner being" and they"would be rooted and established in love"and they "would have power to grasp how high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that they may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God". Tomorrow I will pray Ephesians 6:10 and following, that they "would be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power."

For my son and sons in law I pray Acts 6:3, 8 that they would be like Stephen and the early church elders - "full of the Spirit and wisdom,"  "full of faith and the Holy Spirit,"  and "full of God's grace and power."

With that, let's pray for little Henry to be just that kind of man when “goes out of the door” and for Elisha to have the wisdom, strength, and power she needs to raise him to be God's man full of of faith and the Holy Spirit.

The 4:8 Principle by Tommy Newberry

While I was in Lynchburg last summer, Michelle and I went to Independent Senior Sales Director, Lynnea Tate's Mary Kay success meeting. One of her down line directors taught the class and shared quotes from Tommy Newberry's book. Well, it was so good that I took notes and then had to buy the book. I have re- read it a couple of times. Here are my notes from the meeting:

90% of the thoughts you have today are repeats from yesterday.
They are the results of choices we made yesterday. 

When you have a negative thought, replace it with a positive experience.

You can't think yourself out of a slump;
You have to work yourself out of it.


If you persist in identifying with current or prior performance by thinking/talking about it -
then where you've been/are/going are one and the same.


Our thoughts often misrepresent reality by bending/distorting/deleting/exaggerating/manipulating
the truth.


Let go of words like: always...never...this is just my luck...it'll never change...it always happens like this...etc.


Ask yourself:
#1. Is what I'm telling myself true?
#2. Is it ABSOLUTELY true?
#3. Do I like how I'm behaving when I tell myself this?


2 Timothy 1:7 God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, of love, and a sound mind.


Operate out of FAITH, not fear.


Don't compare yourself to other people.
God made each one special and gave gifts special to that person.


Evaluate yourself compared to your full potential.
Compare today to last month, day, year.
Focus on PROGRESS, not perfection.
Give your BEST!




When you set the goal, tell yourself you CAN do the goal you set out to do!


Find someone who is better than you in your weak link and have them help you change and do it better.


Guard your goal and don't listen to negatives.
If God, your husband, and  your children, are behind you, you don't need others' approval.


Hurting people hurt people so don't give them the power in your life. 
Don't listen!


Don't ever take advice from someone you wouldn't trade places with.


Don't take "no's" personal. You are a child of the king so it doesn't matter.


Self worth is authentic self esteem rooted in your uniqueness as a child of God.
You know you are a special, unrepeatable miracle, fearfully and wonderfully made.
You know God has great plans for you, and you trust God's Word more than the words of others to appraise your value as a person.


When we discipline our minds and remember WHOSE we are, we can run in faith and not fear.


Everything you do, do it for God's glory!


Mark 4:20 - good soil - Hears the Word, Accepts it, Bears fruit.


1 Peter 4:10 Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others.


We can't do everything.
We can't do everything we want.
We can't do everything others want.


Believe that we can do everything that God calls us to do.
Everything He wants me to do, we can accomplish because He helps us.


John 5:19 Jesus did only what the Father wanted.
John 10:32(NLT) at the Father's direction He did many good works.


I can do things in my strength, wisdom, power
or in the Holy Spirit's strength - wisdom - power.


The same Holy Spirit that directed Jesus in His life is in us - our life -
guiding us in our investments of time and talent, etc.


Lets's live in Outrageous
                      Contagious
                         JOY!!!!!