Coffee Review – Higher Ground Roasters Ethiopian Yirgacheffe
June 26, 2010 at 4:07 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews | 2 CommentsTags: Coffee Reviews, Ethiopian Yirgacheffe, Higher Ground Roasters
This Ethiopian Yirgacheffe from Higher Ground Roasters (www.highergroundroasters.com) is a dark roasted whole bean coffee. It is described as being highly aromatic with a perfect balance of acidity, wine like subtleties, hints of wild berries and a smooth finish. It is also shade grown and preserves the habit. Higher Ground is an environmentally friendly coffee roaster.
I decided to use the auto-drip as our first brewer and instead of preparing it before going to bed I made the coffee first thing in the morning. I still like squeezing the bag and smelling the aroma of the coffee beans then looking into the bag and seeing the beans themselves. That doesn’t get old to me. The coffee gives off an earthy, fruity aroma. It has a light feel in the mouth and a tangy berrylike aftertaste. Two thumbs up.
The French Press was the second brewer choice and it makes the coffee a bit stronger, but no bitterness in at all. The body feels a little heavier but still medium. You can taste berry and there is a moderate acidity. Kim thought it paired well with cinnamon sugar graham crackers. Two thumbs up again.
The Chemex coffee brewer was our third style. Here you get a light to medium body and clean taste with berry and citrus flavors. It has more of a complex flavor here, almost like it starts out one way and then changes. It makes you think about what you are drinking in a good way. It seems to be a fragrant, vibrant coffee. Two thumbs up.
If you have never tried an Ethiopian coffee you can’t go wrong starting with this one. It gave us a good coffee drinking experience. If you are looking for a coffee roaster that is environmentally friendly and produces good coffee Higher Grounds Roasters is what you are looking for. Until next time, enjoy the coffee and conversation.
Much GRACE and peace to you,
Bill and Kim
Romans 15:13; Psalm 34:1-10
Pray for Pastors
June 25, 2010 at 6:17 pm | Posted in pray, Quotes | Leave a commentTags: Bounds quote, pray for pastors, Spurgeon quote
I wanted to remind my readers to pray for their pastors and their ministries for this Sunday. I believe that there is a specific call from God to the individual man to pastoral ministry. I also think that there is a devaluing of pastoral ministry today. There is great spiritual warfare in and around the lives of pastors and their families. Please take the time to pray for your pastor. Pray that:
1. He will be diligent in his studies.
2. He will preach God’s Word in the power of the Holy Spirit.
3. He will lead the local church to worship God in the beauty of holiness.
4. The people will experience the presence of God at the church.
5. The pastor will grow in the skills needed to be an effective pastor/shepherd, preacher and leader.
6. His family will be protected spiritually, physically and emotionally.
7. His wife will have the joy of the Lord in her heart and mind.
8. The local church will make a Kingdom impact on their community, region and world.
I want to thank you for praying for your pastor. Even if he never knows, God does and your prayers will make a difference. Keep on praying!
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen”
(1 Timothy 1:17)
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“Prayer, and more prayer adds to the fighting qualities and the more certain victories of God’s soldiers…”
— E. M. Bounds
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“He who lives without prayer, he who lives with little prayer, he who seldom reads the Word, and he who seldom looks up to heaven for a fresh influence from on high — he will be a man whose heart will become dry and barren.”
— Charles H. Spurgeon
Stay faithful and hopeful,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
(Romans 15:13; Ephesians 3:7-13, 4:11-13)
Thursday’s Hymn – The Saviour Can Solve Every Problem
June 24, 2010 at 9:39 am | Posted in hymns | Leave a commentTags: hymn, Oswald J. Smith, The Saviour Can Solve Every Problem, The Work God Blesses
This hymn can also be found on page six in The Work God Blesses Oswald J. Smith. It is a pretty good book on pastoral leadership. I hope you are encouraged today.
Stay faithful and hopeful,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13; Jeremiah 32:17, 27, 33:3
The Saviour Can Solve Every Problem
by Rev. Oswald J. Smith; music by B.D. Ackley (1932)
1. The Saviour can lift every burden, The heavy as well as the light;
His strength is made perfect in weakness, In Him there is power and might.
(Refrain) The Saviour can solve every problem, the tangles of life can undo;
There is nothing too hard for Jesus, There is nothing that He cannot do.
2. The Saviour can bear every sorrow, In Him there is comfort and rest;
No matter how great the affliction, he only permits what is best.
(Refrain)
3. The Saviour can strengthen the weary, His grace is sufficient for all;
He know every step of the pathway, And listens to hear when we call.
(Refrain)
4. The Saviour can break sin’s dominion, The victory He won long ago;
In Him there is freedom from bondage, He’s able to conquer the foe.
(Refrain)
5. The Saviour can satisfy fully, The heart that the world cannot fill;
His presence will sanctify wholly, The soul that is yielded and still.
(Refrain)
Insight from A. W. Tozer – God Must Be Loved for Himself
June 23, 2010 at 10:42 am | Posted in A. W. Tozer | Leave a commentTags: A. W. Tozer, Love God, Man the Dwelling Place of God
“God being Who He is must always be sought for Himself, never as a means toward something else.
Whoever seeks other objects and not God is on his own; he may obtain those objects if he is able, but he will never have God. God is never found accidently. ‘Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart’ (Jer. 29:13).
Whoever seeds God as a means toward desired ends will not find God. The mighty God, the maker of heaven and earth, will not be one of many treasures, not even the chief of all treasures. He will be all in all or He will be nothing. God will not be used. His mercy and grace are infinite and His patient understanding is beyond measure, but He will not aid men in their selfish striving after personal gain. He will not help men to attain ends which, when attained, usurp the place He by every right should hold in their interest and affection.
Yet popular Christianity has as one of its most effective talking points the idea that God exists to help people to get ahead in this world. The God of the poor has become the God of an affluent society. Christ no longer refuses to be a judge or a divider between money hungry brothers. He can now be persuaded to assist the brother that has accepted Him to get the better of the brother who has not…………..
The teaching of the Bible is that God is Himself the end for which man was created. ‘Whom have I in heaven but thee?’ cried the psalmist, ‘and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee’ (Psalm 73:25). The first and greatest commandment is to love God with every power of our entire being. Where love like that exists there can be no place for a second object. If we love God as much as we should surely we cannot dream of a loved object beyond Him which He might help us to obtain.
Bernard of Clairvaux begins his radiant little treatise on the love of God with a question and an answer. The question, Why should we love God? The answer, Because He is God. He develops the idea further, but for the enlightened heart little more need be said. We should love God because He is God. Beyond this the angels cannot think.
Being who He is, God is to be loved for His own sake. He is the reason for our loving Him, just as He is the reason for His loving us and for every other act He has performed, is performing and will perform world without end. God’s primary reason for everything is His own good pleasure. The search for secondary reasons is gratuitous and mostly futile.” – Taken from Man: the Dwelling Place of God, pages 56-59.
There is much more in this short chapter. Hopefully this excerpt will lead us to some deep thinking about God and our relationship with Him and to some practical servant living.
Stay faithful and hopeful,
Bill (a fellow-servant)
Romans 15:13; Isaiah 66:1-2
Walk in View of God’s Care
June 22, 2010 at 9:10 am | Posted in William Gurnall | Leave a commentTags: God's care, The Christian in Complete Armour, William Gurnall
Wisdom from William Gurnall – Walk in View of God’s Care
God strengthened Abraham’s faith when He told him to be upright: “I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect” (Genesis 17:1). He was saying, “Act for Me and I will take care of you.” Once we begin to doubt God’s protection, then our sincerity will soon falter. Hypocrisy hides in distrust. The unbelieving Jews, for instance, stored up manna overnight against God’s explicit instruction because they did not have faith to trust Him for the next meal. And we do the same thing – first we doubt His care and then we start to lean son our own understanding.
This is the same old weapon Satan has always used to cheat Christians out of sincerity. “Curse God and die,” he taunted Job through his wife (Job 2:9). Her words ran with bitter distrust; “Why are you still holding the castle of your sincerity for God to live in? You have been besieged long enough with sorrows on every hand. And to this day you have not gotten any news from heaven that God cares anything about you. Why do you not just curse Him and die?”
Jesus Himself faced Satan’s identical tactic when he tempted the Son of God to turn stones into bread. We see, the, why it is so important for us to strengthen our faith in the caring heart and hands of God. This is the very reason He has made such abundant provision to shut out all doubt and fear from the hearts of His people. God has placed His promises like safe harbors, so if a storm sweeps the sea or an enemy chases us through the darkest night, we can tie up in one of them and know the comfort of full protection.
“The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in behalf of them,” or to unite with them “whose heart is perfect toward Him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). God does not depend on others to keep watch; His own eyes do it. He watches over us in the same way a mother takes care of her own child. – from The Christian In Complete Armour, edited by James S. Bell, Jr., Moody Publishers.
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For no matter how many promise God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through Him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20)
Coffee Brewer Review – AeroPress
June 21, 2010 at 7:01 pm | Posted in Coffee Brewer Reviews | 2 CommentsTags: AeroPress Brewing System Review, coffee brewer review
We received the AeroPress Brewing System (www.aerobie.com) a couple of weeks ago and we were looking forward to trying it. It is described as a 1-4 cup Coffee and Espresso Maker. It comes with everything that you need to make coffee except for the coffee and a cup. It even comes with pretty clear directions on how to grind and brew the coffee. It was designed by a Stanford University engineering lecturer and sports product inventor. To say that this brewer is interesting is an understatement. But the proof is in the taste of the brewed coffee.
In the letter that accompanies the brewer they tell you that you may need a couple of pressings to feel comfortable with the press. I would say that is an accurate statement. It almost reminds me of a big syringe or a science experiment. I will admit that I was a little skeptical that the coffee would taste good because it seems to be brewed too fast. So we tried it a couple of times with both regular https://takecourage.net/2010/06/19/coffee-review-higher-ground-roasters-mexican-chiapas and decaf coffees.
If you read the directions, and I did, it really is easy to use. You just have to get over thinking that this thing is weird looking and wondering if the coffee is really going to taste good. You grind your beans fine and put a paper filter in the cap and connect the cap to the chamber. Then you put the chamber over your cup. It even comes with a funnel if you want to use a smaller cup. Next put two scoops of ground coffee into the chamber and add hot water. Add your hot water to the number two on the chamber and use the paddle that comes with the kit to stir the coffee for ten seconds. Then wet the rubber seal on the plunger and slowly press down for 20 – 30 seconds.
You have just made a double espresso! Yes, it does taste good. If you want American style coffee had more hot water to taste and stir. Yes, it tastes good too. It really is that easy to make a good tasting cup of coffee with the AeroPress. Clean up is just as easy. I might be using the word “easy” too much but this AeroPress is easy to use and easy to clean up. Both regular and decaf https://takecourage.net/2010/06/12/coffee-review-brazil-daterra-decaf taste good brewed in this press.
We like using this brewer and drinking the coffee it makes. We are glad to be adding it to our array of brewers for coffee reviews and for when we just want one cup of coffee. It is unique looking and will lead to some good conversations with family and friends. Whether you want something to brew just one cup of coffee or want to try a new brewing system, this could be the right choice for you. We received this AeroPress for free and offer objective feedback. Until next time, remember to stop and enjoy the coffee and the conversations.
Much GRACE and peace to you,
Bill and Kim
Romans 15:13; Psalm 34:1-10
Let Nothing Get Between You and Christ
June 21, 2010 at 5:10 am | Posted in Quotes | Leave a commentTags: 2 Peter 3:18, J. C. Ryle quotes, spiritual separation
This quote is pretty good and will make you think about your relationship with the Lord. Is your walk with the Lord growing? Are you disciplining your time and doing what is necessary to grow in your knowledge of Him. You might want to read 2 Peter 3:18 also.
Be growing in GRACE and knowledge,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
Romans 15:13; Psalm 21:6
This quote is from www.jcrylequotes.com and you can find more good quotes there.
“A true Christian will strive to do his duty in whatever station or position he finds himself, and to do it well. Whether statesman, or merchant, or banker, or lawyer, or doctor, or tradesman, or farmer, he will try to do his work so that no one can find occasion for fault in him. But he will not allow it to get between him and Christ. If he finds his business beginning to eat up his Sundays, his Bible-reading, his private prayer time, and to bring clouds between him and heaven, he will say, “Stand back! There is a limit. This is as far as you can go, and no further. I cannot sell my soul for position, fame, or gold.” Like Daniel, he will make time for communion with God, whatever the cost may be. He will deny himself anything rather than lose his Bible-reading and his prayers. In all this he will find he stands almost alone. Many will laugh at him, and tell him they get along just fine without being so strict and particular. He will not listen. He will resolutely hold the world at arms length, whatever present loss or sacrifice it may seem to entail. He will choose rather to be less rich and prosperous in this world, than not to prosper about his soul. To stand alone in this way, to run counter to the ways of others, requires immense self-denial. But this is genuine Scriptural separation.”
~ J.C. Ryle
Practical Religion, “The World”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998], 297, 298.
Coffee Review – Higher Ground Roasters, Mexican Chiapas
June 19, 2010 at 5:08 pm | Posted in Coffee Reviews | 1 CommentTags: Higher Ground Roasters, Mexican Chiapas Coffee Review, Organic Fair Trade
We tried coffee from Higher Ground (www.highergroundroasters.com) once before when we visited The Hub Coffee Shop. We were looking forward to brewing and tasting this Mexican Chiapas. It is grown in the Sierra Madre mountain range. It is described as being a complex and balanced cup with overtones of spices and fruit. It has a light to medium body with mild acidity. It is a Fair Trade organic coffee also.
We don’t usually drink light roasts but I was immediately impressed with the aroma when I opened the bag. I was reminded of peanut butter. It has a very nutty aroma which seemed to be enhanced after it was ground. The auto-drip was up for use first and this light coffee gives off a good aroma. It does have a sweet, bright taste which hits the tip of your tongue and then moves over the tongue. The body is light and the taste is good. Two thumbs up.
The next brewer we used was the French Press. Both of us liked the mildly stronger taste here. The body is still light and there seemed to be a tangy aftertaste. For breakfast Kim had organic Jewish Rye bread toasted with peanut butter and orange marmalade. She thought the rye flavor, nuttiness and citrus sweetness were enhanced by the coffee. I just thought it tasted good. Two thumbs up again.
Then we brewed the Chiapas in the Chemex coffeemaker. I must say I like the smell of these beans. I like peanut butter and that is what the aroma reminds me of. It seems when we use the Chemex that I talk about what a clean cup of coffee we get. The body is light and the taste is slightly nutty and sweet. No sweetener or cream is needed with this coffee. Two thumbs up.
Then Kim tried the coffee brewed in an AeroPress brewer. All the flavors we liked were there and the coffee was much stronger and not bitter at all. She thought it paired nicely with an Asian dish she made and that it made the pickled radish stand out.
Overall we were surprised at how much we liked this light roast Mexican Chiapas. We tend to go for darker roasts but the aroma, taste and feel of this coffee makes for a good tasting experience. If you like light roasts or want to try one you can’t go wrong here. We recieved this coffee for free and offer objective feedback. Remember to stop and enjoy some coffee and conversation.
Much GRACE and peace to you,
Bill and Kim
Romans 15:13; Psalm 34:1-10
Pray for Our President and His Family, revisited
June 18, 2010 at 2:39 pm | Posted in pray | Leave a commentTags: pray for our president
I originally posted this back in February. Given all that is going on in our country at this time I thought it good to revisit this post.
“(1) I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone – (2) for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (3) This is good, and pleases God our Savior, (4) who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. (5) For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, (6) who gave Himself for all men – the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6 NIV)
When was the last time you prayed for our president and his family? They need our prayers. I am not going to rant or take sides politically right now. If for nothing else than respect for the office of president, let’s pray for him and his wife and his children. Most of us will never meet him, but we can pray for him. We’ll never meet his wife or children, but we can pray for them.
There are enough people criticizing him and his decisions. There is a place and time for that. There are enough people hoping to vote him out of office during the next election. Like him and his agenda or not, Jehovah God has allowed him to be the president of the United States of America. Almighty God raises up and He lowers down whom He wants to. We need to show the president some respect and pray for him.
Pray that:
1. He, his wife and children will come to a personal relationship with Jesus as Lord and Savior if they don’t now have that.
2. He and his family will be protected from violence and harm.
3. He and his family will be healthy and safe both physically and emotionally.
4. He will be a loving husband and father.
5. He will think clearly and make the right decision and not a politically correct decision.
6. He will be a man of integrity, truthfulness, honor and courage.
7. His closest advisors will come to know Christ as Lord and Savior.
8. He will get godly counsel and follow it and that ungodly counsel will be thwarted.
He may never know we did, but God does. Our God is an awesome God! Let’s pray according to Scripture like He is. Thank you for praying.
Stay faithful and hopeful,
Bill (a fellow-laborer)
(Romans 15:13; Psalm 5:11-12)
Coffee Review – Vietnamese Legendee Classic
June 18, 2010 at 8:04 am | Posted in Coffee Reviews | Leave a commentTags: Chemex, French Press, Legendee Classic coffee review, Trung Nguyen Coffee
The coffee we are trying this week is Legendee Classic Whole Bean from Trung Nguyen (http://www.trung-nguyen-online.com). It is described as being grown in Vietnam and as one of the best coffees made in Vietnam today. It is a blend of peaberries and robusta with a correspondingly darker flavor that ices well. The Vietnamese roasting style uses a small amount of clarified butter oil to assist in the slow, circulating roasting process.
One of our favorite restaurants serves only Vietnamese food. We found it about three years ago and the first time there we had Vietnamese style coffee. We liked it so much we went out and bought the single cup coffee brewers and the specific coffee that the restaurant used. We have since made our version at home many times with each other and with friends. So we were looking forward to trying this coffee.
First up was the auto-drip and when I opened the bag there is a spicy aroma that meets you. The beans are two different shades as some of the beans are roasted darker than the others. The directions that came with the coffee suggest using 50% to 25% less coffee than you normally use per 6 ounces of water because Vietnamese coffees are very rich and make more brewed coffee than American brands.
This coffee is intriguing and I wasn’t sure what flavors I tasted with the first sip. There is a buttery taste, but it isn’t overpowering. The coffee has a deep roasted flavor but is not bitter at all and lasts after you swallow it. As the coffee cooled it had a slightly nutty taste. As an iced coffee the buttery taste was gone and the nutty, tangy flavor remained. Kim liked the coffee but I wasn’t sure if I did. We would give it one thumb up.
Next up was the French Press and again there is a distinct aroma that is good. It must be the spice blend, but I almost taste something like licorice and I don’t like licorice. Kim liked the coffee and even took some to work to make in her Vietnamese coffee cup brewer and to share with her co-workers. Kim thought the coffee went really well with a noodle, veggie and tofu dish that she made. She thought the sauce and coffee enhanced each other’s flavors. One thumb up again.
Lastly was the Chemex coffee brewer and I was hoping it would clean the taste up for me. My first sip gets my attention, but I just don’t like the spices that I taste. It seems that the more I drink this coffee the less I like it, but on the flip side, the more Kim drinks it the more she likes it. Only one thumb up again.
One negative to me was how you have to clean the coffee grinder after each time of grinding these beans. The strong aroma lingers also. Some of our friends who like Vietnamese food are really looking forward to trying it. If you are interested in trying a Vietnamese coffee this Legendee Classic Whole Bean is for you. We received this coffee for free and offer objective feedback. Until next time, enjoy the coffee and conversation.
Much GRACE and peace to you,
Bill and Kim
Romans 15:13; Psalm 34:1-10
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