Cider page 2

 Cider page 2 by ric gustafson

Apples have a long harvest season. Some are harvested as early as July. Some wait until snow arrives. Most apples fall to the ground. Ground apples make good cider. Most apples are harvested by hand. Then they need to be in controlled storage. Some fruit is left to sit. This is called sweating the apples. 

Cider is never brewed. The apples need to be rinsed to get rid of bacteria. The apples then are milled into a pulp through grinding and smashing. Today, the process is mechanized. Today, nylon fabric keep solids from spewing and lets liquid escape. Then a top plate is used to press the liquid from the pomace. Some cidermakers use a bladder press. This is a smaller press compared to the rack and cloth.

research help: ' American Cider' by Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Passion of Jesus: to live to righteousness

 the Passion of Jesus: to live to righteousness by ric gustafson

We were dead spiritually. Jesus dying on a cross gave us a substitute to escape eternal death. According to John 10:28, I give them eternal life and they will never perish. Jesus died in our place and for our sins. When Jesus died, I died with him. According to Romans 6:5, we have been united with him in a death like his. We have been crucified with Christ according to Galatians 2:20. Jesus died for my sins. 

research help: ' The Passion of Jesus Christ' by John Piper

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Cider page 1

 Cider page 1 by ric gustafson

For cider, you need a good apple. There are over 15,000 apple varieties in North America. Most ciders use apples with multiple intended purposes. Northern Spy and Rhode Island Greening make great cider. Apples that are used for other things as well are called multipurpose apples. These apples have suppled farmers markets and grocery stores. Multipurpose apples tasted fresh and were dried, baked, juiced and used for applesauce or apple butter. Some Cull apples can be used also for cider. Cull apples are apples that are considered unfit for their intended market. Some make good cider and some do not.

The cider industry has skyrocketed in recent years.

research help: ' American Cider' by Dan Pucci and Craig Cavallo

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Passion of Jesus: the slavery of sin

 the Passion of Jesus: the slavery of sin by ric gustafson

Our sin makes us guilty before God. It racks us with guilt. But the blood of Jesus frees us from that slavery. Jesus absorbs the wrath of God. Jesus takes away our guilt. 

Jesus had to suffer so the mercy of heaven could give us liberation from the power of sin. A declaration from sin is justification. An ongoing transformation is sanctification. The power of God is his liberating mercy. According to Romans 6, we are not under law but are under grace. God's grace frees us from the guilt and slavery of sin. 

research help: ' The Passion of Jesus Christ' by John Piper

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

  

Beatle songs: Lovely Rita

 Beatle songs: Lovely Rita by ric gustafson

One day, a friend from the US was visiting Paul. He noticed a female traffic warden. The friend called them meter maids. Paul liked that term and began to experiment on the piano. Paul came up with ' lovely Rita meter maid. Paul wrote lyrics about a shy office worker who was issued a parking ticket. He tries to seduce the meter maid to avoid the fine. 

The song was on the album ' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'.

The album was released in June 1967.

research help: ' The Beatles A Hard Day's Write' by Steve Turner

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

the Passion of Jesus: we belong to him

 the Passion of Jesus: we belong to him by ric gustafson

Who do we belong to?. According to John 8, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. We are fallen humans. We live in a fallen world. We are either governed by sin or Jesus. When Jesus died on that cross, we were set free from that bondage. According to Romans 6, we have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God. With Jesus's blood, we are free indeed. 

So whose will you be?. We choose to be Jesus's. Praise God's name.

research help: ' The Passion of Jesus Christ' by John Piper

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric

Malchus page 13

 Malchus page 13 by ric gustafson

Malchus quietly walked up to the front of the mob. He now stood next to Flavius and Jonathon.

" You have come for me and found me". Jesus pointed at his disciples. " Let these others go".

Flavius stared at Jesus. " We have no orders to arrest anyone but the Nazarene".

All of sudden, Malchus felt as if his head had just been whacked by something cold. He screamed in agony. He fell to the ground. He put his fingers to where his right ear should of been.

" Enough of this" Jesus yelled. 

As Malchus kept screaming in agony, Jesus slowly bent down. He put his fingers on the large gash on the right side of Malchus's head. 

As Jesus kept up the pressure on Malchus's wound, his pain began to leave. When Jesus removed his fingers, Malchus noticed the pain had totally left him.

Jesus gave Peter a stern look. " Put your sword away". He looked at the mob. " He who lives by the sword will die from the sword".

Jesus now stared at Flavius. " You come for me with swords and clubs". He looked at the others. " This hour has been given to you to fulfill the scriptures of the prophecy".

Flavius yelled. " Arrest him".

Jesus was bound by tight cords. He was led away.

Dazed, Malchus kept touching his now completely healed right ear. When he finally looked up, he was the only one left in the garden.

The End

research help: ' Malchus' by W.G. Griffiths

Peace and God's blessings. Love Ric