If You'd Googled for News

on Septermber 11, 2001 at 09:54 am US Eastern Time, this is what you’d have seen. This comes via Interactive Publishing, where you can see more screenshots from 9/11)

Banana Sheet Cake

My family loves this cake, and this week I had a request for it from someone outside my family, so I’ve decided you might enjoy it too. I usually make this in a 12 x 18 x 1 inch pan, but I’m also following up with measurements for a 10 x 15 x 1 inch pan.

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2-1/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 sour cream
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 medium overripe bananas, mashed (about 1-1/2 cup)

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, then stir in the bananas.

Spread batter into a greased 18 x 12 x 1 inch pan. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool and frost (see recipe below). Cut into squares. (I usually do 24 pieces, but you could cut 36 without anyone complaining that you’re stingy.)

Frosting:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3-3/4 to 4 cups icing (confectioners’) sugar

In a bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually beat in the icing sugar.

For 15 x 10 x 1 inch pan:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 medium overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

Use the same measurements listed for larger cake above for the frosting. Thicker frosting never killed anyone.

Jesus and the Spirit

From Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware:

[W]hy did Jesus have the Spirit of God upon him since he was fully God and could have done all he did by the power of his own divine nature? Answer: even though Jesus was fully God, he did not live his life through his divine power as God, because he came to live a real human life, completely as a man. He came to live as one of us, to experience the limitations and struggles of our life, to undergo the temptations we encounter. But to do this, he could not live truly as a man while also using power that he alone would have as God. To live by his power as God, he would not and could not live as one of us. So instead, as a man, he relied on the Spirit of God to grant him all that he needed to live life faithfully and to carry out everything that the Father sent him to do. As a man, empowered by the Spirit, he fulfilled his calling. And before he left he told his disciples the most amazing thing. He said that the Spirit who had been on him would also be on them. (John 14:16-17; 15:26-27; 16:5-15). They, too, would have the same Spirit empowerment Jesus had used. In this way, Jesus lived a truly human life and really is an example for how his followers should live. As he lived by the Spirit, they are called to live by the Spirit. We are rightly called to “follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:21). As we trust in Christ and receive his Spirit, then, may we look to Jesus and live more and more like him.

What say ye?