Saturday 17 January 2009

Who Is God?

The following was written by an 8 year old boy from Chula Vista, California, named Danny Dutton. He wrote this as a Grade 3 Homework assignment to "explain God". I'm not sure how true this is . . . I got it in an e-mail. But I know that I really enjoyed reading it and thought you might too. I don't think I could have said it any better myself . . .


Who Is God


"One of God's main jobs is making people. He makes them to replace the ones that die, so there will be enough people to take care of things on earth. He doesn't make grownups, just babies. I think because they are smaller and easier to make. That way he doesn't have to take up his valuable time teaching them to talk and walk. He can just leave that to mothers and fathers.

God's second most important job is listening to prayers. An awful lot of this goes on, since some people, like preachers and things, pray at times beside bedtime. God doesn't have time to listen to the radio or TV because of this. Because he hears everything, there must be a terrible lot of noise in his ears, unless he has thought of a way to turn it off.

God sees everything and hears everything and is everywhere which keeps Him pretty busy. So you shouldn't go wasting his time by going over your mom and dad's head asking for something they said you couldn't have.

Atheists are people who don't believe in God. I don't think there are any in Chula Vista. At least there aren't any who come to our church.

Jesus is God's Son. He used to do all the hard work, like walking on water and performing miracles and trying to teach the people who didn't want to learn about God. They finally got tired of him preaching to them and they crucified him But he was good and kind, like his father, and he told his father that they didn't know what they were doing and to forgive them and God said O.K.

His dad (God) appreciated everything that he had done and all his hard work on earth so he told him he didn't have to go out on the road anymore. He could stay in heaven. So he did. And now he helps his dad out by listening to prayers and seeing things which are important for God to take care of and which ones he can take care of himself without having to bother God. Like a secretary, only more important.

You can pray anytime you want and they are sure to help you because they got it worked out so one of them is on duty all the time.

You should always go to church on Sunday because it makes God happy,and if there's anybody you want to make happy, it's God!

Don't skip church to do something you think will be more fun like going to the beach. This is wrong. And besides the sun doesn't come out at the beach until noon anyway.

If you don't believe in God, besides being an atheist, you will be very lonely, because your parents can't go everywhere with you, like to camp, but God can. It is good to know He's around you when you're scared, in the dark or when you can't swim and you get thrown into real deep water by big kids.

But . . . you shouldn't just always think of what God can do for you. I figure God put me here and he can take me back anytime he pleases.

And . . . that's why I believe in God."

Well, little Danny Dutton, I believe in God too, and for many of the same reasons as you do.

I've had this recipe for a Raspberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake kicking around my recipe file for years. It's really really really good . . . but yesterday I thought why not make it a Cherry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake and then top it with chopped macadamia nuts and milk chocolate chips. The result was heavenly, to say the least!


*Cherry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake*

Serves 16


Indulgent, impressive and delicious. What more could you or anyone else want!


2 ¼ cups plain flour
¾ cup caster sugar
¾ cup butter
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup sour cream
½ tsp almond essence
½ tsp vanilla essence
1 large egg
TOPPING:
1 (250g) package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese
¼ cup caster sugar
1 large egg
1 cup morello cherry preserves
½ cup chopped macadamia nuts
½ cup milk chocolate chips


Pre-heat oven to 180*C/350*F. Grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan and set aside.


Combine the flour, ¾ cup sugar, baking powder, soda and salt in a large bowl. Rub in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Remove 1 cup and set aside. To the remainder add the sour cream, vanilla essence, almond essence and the egg. Blend in well, then spread the batter over the bottom and 2 inches up the side of the prepared pan. (I dampen my fingers to do this and then finish it off with the bowl of a dampened spoon) Your batter should be about ¼ inch thick on sides.


Beat together the cheese, ¼ cup caster sugar and the egg for the topping until well mixed. Pour over the batter lined pan. Spoon preserves carefully over the top of the cheese mixture as evenly as you can.


Stir together the reserved crumb mixture and the macadamia nuts. Sprinkle over top of the preserves and then bake in the oven for 55 to 60 minutes or until the filling is set and the crust is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle the milk chocolate chips over the top. Set aside for 15 minutes before removing the sides of the pan.

Serve warm, cut into wedges. A dollop of softly whipped sweet cream would go great on this . . . yummy . . .


19 comments:

  1. What a sweet story you have posted. I will got to sleep with those sweet thoughts on my mind.

    Surely wish that I had a piece of that coffee cake for a bedtime snack....yummy

    Have a nice weekend. Love, Lura

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  2. That is a wonderful story. How sweet! And speaking of sweet...that coffee cake looks so yummy! I never would have thought to put the nuts and chocolate on top, yum!

    I hope you have a wonderful weekend with Todd!

    XOXOXOXOX
    Jen

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  3. Lovely story!

    Pity I don't know of anyone who likes coffee cake but me (I adore it - can I have a bit of yours?). I could see it working with almond extract instead of coffee. Same topping though.

    love, Angie, xx

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  4. What a sweet story, Marie.

    The cake looks fabulous, cherry or raspberry, I'd happily eat a slice anytime.

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  5. Marie love your new avatar and ...the history!!! What' s difficult sometimes is explain to other people who is God, and believe me more difficults when some people DONT BELIEVE and try you dont too. Well sometimes I think we die at night and live to other glorius day and maybe for this God make us sleep!! (je) Dear love your recipe and have alovely weekend with "our" Todd, huggss!!!! Gloria

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  6. I had heard that story before but loved reading it again as we forget sometimes the marvelous way children have of summing things up so simply yet so truthfully. I really do think that the young are much closer to God than we realize.
    Your coffee cake recipe sounds heavenly too. I may just have to take time to bake today. Turning on the oven should help warm things up around here. I shall eat what ever I bake all week, but then leftovers are nice.
    'On Ya'-ma

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  7. What a very sweet and charming story! That is very cute...And what goodness is this cheesecake recipe! I ADORE all cheesecake...mmm...This recipe so very much like one I make with strawberry preserves--very uncanny! Oh, guess what--I've made your snickerdoodles too! A fantastic recipe--so easy, so good! Hope you & Todd are having a lovely weekend. Chance of a chat tomorrow?? We'll be home! :o) LOVE YOU HEAPS! ((HUGS))

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  8. Such a lovely story and makes you sort of feel God's love right through that little one. I agree with you; and God is so great that He loves us each one.

    MMM that Coffee cake looks like it would make my sugar go off to the moon. But it sure looks yummy. Sounds good for breakfast - but I will be good and not eat any and just look.

    I know you can barely wait for Sunday to be in services and fellowship tomorrow. I cant wait either.

    Blessings and bushels of hugs,
    Ruthanne oxox

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  9. Great story I enjoyed reading it. Trying to steer clear of cakes just now oh it is hard. Love Joan.

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  10. Love the e-mail, and that recipe looks so good. Wish I had a slice of it right now. :-) What is coaster sugar though? I've never heard of that.

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  11. that is so adorable and sweet. and true! thanks for sharing that story. loved it! have a great weekend marie:)

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  12. Isn't it amazing how little children can see through to the important things, kind of like an outline. He certainly had all the major points correct. I think his point about God not having time for TV and radio--maybe, if we used that time also to listen for inspiration our lives would be more enriched. Speaking of rich, that recipe sounds so wonderful and rich. How do you make so many wonderful things?

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  13. I could not have said it better myself! Kids just have a way with the truth! I loved it!

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  14. what a lovely story...
    wow, that looks simply delich..

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  15. I believe I received that e. mail too Marie I know I have read it before.It's a lovely story,bess the little boy who wrote it if he did.Love the thoughts of that cake but dare not try it lol !!I am thinking more of summer and the fat I shall be trapping if I do He-He.Take care God Bless Kath xx

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  16. He spells better than I dod, I couldn't spell atheist if that's how it's spelt.
    Gaz x

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  17. Can you believe I've never made a coffee cake? Maybe I will start with this one. It looks yummy!

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  18. Thank you for sharing that...out of the mouths of children come very truthful things!!
    xx

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