Starbucks Italian Date Thumbprints

And who and what are ministers themselves? Frail men, fallible, sinning men, exposed to every snare, to temptation in every form; and from the very post of observation they occupy, the fairer mark for the fiery darts of the foe. They are no mean victims the great Adversary is seeking, when he would wound and cripple Christ’s ministers. One such victim is worth more to the kingdom of darkness than a score of common men; and on this very account, the temptations are probably more subtle and severe than those encountered by ordinary Christians. If this subtle Deceiver fails to destroy them, he artfully aims at neutralizing their influence by quenching the fervor of their piety, lulling them into negligence, and doing all in his power to render their work irksome. How perilous the condition of that minister then, whose heart is not encouraged, whose hands are not strengthened, and who is not upheld by the prayers of his people! It is not in his own closet and on his own knees alone that he finds security and comfort and ennobling, humbling and purifying thoughts and joys; but it is when his people also seek them in his behalf that he becomes a better and happier man and a more useful minister of the everlasting gospel.

Gardiner Spring

CATEGORY	CUISINE	TAG	YIELD
Eggs, Dairy	Italian	Good, Morning, Texas	1	Servings

INGREDIENTS

1	c	All-purpose flour, plus
1	T	All-purpose flour
3 1/2	T	Potato flour
1	t	Baking powder
1/8	t	Salt
1/2	c	Chopped dates
1/2	c	Hot double-strength
		starbucks christmas or
		other dark roast
		blend coffee
1/2	c	Unsalted butter, room
		temperature
1/4	c	Granulated sugar, plus
2	T	Granulated sugar
1		Egg
1	T	Milk
1	t	Vanilla extract
1/2	c	Orange marmalade

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the cookies:  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets
with parchment paper  or lightly grease. Sift together flour, potato
flour, baking powder  and salt; set aside. Soak the dates in the hot
coffee for at least 30  minutes. Drain coffee but reserve 1 teaspoon of
the liquid. Cream  butter and sugar in a mixture bowl until light and
fluffy. Add the  egg, milk, reserved coffee and vanilla and mix until
blended. Add  soaked dates into the flour mixture and toss just to coat
lightly.  Add flour into the creamed mixture and mix until smooth. Form
approximately 2 tablespoons of dough into a ball by rolling between
palms. Make an indentation in the center of each ball and place on
prepared baking sheet at least 3" apart. Fill each indentation with
1/2 teaspoon of orange marmalade. Bake cookies in preheated oven for
12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden. Cool thoroughly on racks
before serving. Garnish with orange peel or a stick of cinnamon.
Serves 8  Starbucks Italian Date Thumbprints These versatile, soft,
buttery  cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat.  They can also
be made in a chocolate version by substituting 2  tablespoons of cocoa
for the flour. For a dressier presentation, add  1 teaspoon of Turkish
(finely) ground coffee, form into balls, roll  into confectioners'
sugar following baking for miniature Italian  wedding cakes.  **Yields
approximately 36 cookies *Melody Brown demonstrated the  recipe which
aired on Wednesday, December 16, 1998.  GMT RECIPES
http://www.wfaa.com/gmt/recipe.html  MC formatted using NTS & MC Buster
on 01/21/99  Converted by MM_Buster v2.0l.

A Message from our Provider:

“A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer’s trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer’s heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord. #John MacArthur”

Nutrition (calculated from recipe ingredients) ---------------------------------------------- Calories: 3019 Calories From Fat: 981 Total Fat: 111.2g Cholesterol: 723.6mg Sodium: 1237.9mg Potassium: 2142.4mg Carbohydrates: 381.4g Fiber: 13.9g Sugar: 230.6g Protein: 133.3g

Instead of yielding to the temptation of pride and fear of man, we ought to consider every criticism as a providential gift from the Lord to teach us some beneficial lessons: 1. Criticism drives us to prayer – A greater degree of dependency results when we’re burdened over the criticism of others. We’re compelled to take every matter before the Lord so that our heart is guarded (Phi. 4:6). 2. Criticism drives us to the Scriptures – We are constrained to search the word of God for clarity, wisdom, and understanding (Psm. 119:98-100; Pro. 3:5-6; 2 Tim. 3:16-17). 3. Criticism refines our communication skills – We benefit from having to rearticulate what we believe in clearer terms and a more careful disposition (Eph. 4:29; Col. 4:6). 4. Criticism forces us to examine our hearts – Criticism causes us to look carefully at our attitudes and motives, and we are reminded of our own sinfulness (1 Cor. 4:3-5; Gal. 6:4-5). 5. Criticism produces spiritual endurance – Being criticized may be painful, but God uses it to wean us from our own resources and make us stronger in His grace and strength (Jas. 1:2-4; 2 Cor. 12:7-10). 6. Criticism provides unique opportunities to model godly humility – When others disagree, even sharply, we should be an example of humble submission to the Lord’s sanctifying grace in our lives (Pro. 9:8-9; 12:15). 7. Criticism offers greater opportunity to give God glory – God is exalted and His glory magnified when His servants bear up graciously under harsh treatment (1 Pet. 2:20; 3:15-17).

Jerry Wragg