Learning 101

You can teach an old dog new tricks. Remember, you are never too old to learn.



Before we get started let me introduce Ms. Thang...better known as

Miss Thinks-She-Knows-It-All. Please do not mistake her for me.


Things I have learned…some the easy way…some the hard way.

~It doesn’t matter what time your family gets to your house, as long as they get there. Never mind that you told them all to be there at 1:00 and they showed up 20-30 minutes late.
~Dust isn’t important until it begins the rolling up stage and starts to crave carrots.
~No matter how hard I try, I still may fail, and often do.
~Worry is a product of the devil.
~Material things are unimportant in this world; however some just really make life a little easier…ie: mixer, dishwasher, dryer, recliner….do I need to go on?
~I have learned you can only eat so much…no matter how good it is.
~I have learned that the “change” this world needs comes from the heart and starts with me.
~It is easier to be nice and it doesn’t leave your feathers ruffled.
~I need to remember to put sunscreen on my neck with this new haircut….Yep!
~All people are not nice…Revenge is top on their list of priorities.
~Christ defeated satan on the cross; any power the devil has is what YOU give him.
~Your family can still hurt your feelings.
~I have learned that Jesus gives us second chances…remember Peter?  Look it up: Mark chapter 16.
~No matter how high gas prices get…people will still be burning it on the road.
~You don’t need to “cook” a pre-cooked ham! Warmed is just fine.
~Stay away from snakes.
~Carrot cake is considered a vegetable...right?  Oh thank goodness!
~I have learned that I CANNOT please everyone no matter how hard I try.
~Every prayer gets an answer, sooner or later, yes or no, and sometimes maybe.

Learning is a forever process…each day brings new challenges. Tomorrow will bring some for me as I have been dubbed for jury duty…I want to do my civic duty but I sure hope I do not get selected this time around…I don’t think I can handle it right now. Emotions are running high with several things that are being presented at this time. One of which is that my MIL is in the hospital. She got to spend her Easter weekend in CCU. She is out in a regular room now and is feeling some better.

I hope everyone had a beautiful and blessed Easter Sunday and that life continues that way. Smile and be happy when you can, give when you can, laugh a lot, and don’t forget to brush your teeth…it makes that smile prettier.  But remember above all, Jesus still loves you no matter what!

“Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean

over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you,

you will suddenly know everything there is to be known.”

Winnie the Pooh

Easter Story Cookies

I set about yesterday thinking and wondering what I had to blog about….NOTHING.
I had nothing. Holly even asked me…Mama, when are you going to write another post? I told her I didn’t have anything worth writing or telling. I'm boring! Nobody cares that we worked in the yards, transplanted some daffodil bulbs, got stung by yellow jackets, saw two more snakes, cut a few limbs, rescued a turtle, watched birds build in one of our boxes, and weed eated…(now that just sounds funny –weed eated!) We worked till our backs and legs were aching. The only thing interesting was my Monday morning visitors. Slowly waltzing around in my front yard were two miniature donkeys. They were enjoying my daisies among other small tasty flowers. They belong to my neighbor who was not at home at the time. Now what was I to do? Long story short which involves them running scared from a golf cart and being a little stubborn; my neighbor finally came home, called them and they went running to her!! Now they are safe, back home…on their side of the fence! By the way…they are so stinking cute!

This morning Easter comes to mind with its special story. It is not one filled with eggs and Easter bonnets, pastel colored candies, chicks, and cute hopping bunnies.

 It is one of love, forgiveness and promises. I wanted to share a special Easter Story recipe with you that I had found and saved from another blogger last year. This is not only perfect for small children to get involved in the making of but also a perfect way to share the true Easter story for anyone of any age. I can’t think of a better way to illustrate this heartfelt moment in time.

Easter Story Cookies

Ingredients/Items needed:
Bible
1 c whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 c granulated sugar
1 qt. or gal. size zipper bag
wooden spoon
tape

These cookies are meant to be made the night before Easter.
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
Place pecans in ziploc bag and let kids beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces. Explain that after Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:1-3. Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him flogged. The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They clothed Him in a purple robe and went up to Him again and again, saying, "Hail, king of the Jews!" And they struck Him in the face.

Let each child smell the vinegar. Add teaspoon of vinegar into the mixing bowl. Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30...Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, "I am thirsty." A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished." With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.

Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest. "I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd lays down His life for the sheep."

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27 A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and wailed for Him.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Add 1 cup of sugar. Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Read Psalm 34:8--Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him - and John 3:16--"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18--"Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool." And John 3:1-3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

Fold in broken nuts.
Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto waxed paper.
Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.

Place the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn the oven OFF. Give each child a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matthew 27:65-66 "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how."So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting a guard.

GO TO BED. Explain that they may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20 "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy." And John 16:22 "So with you~ Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice,and no one will take away your joy."

On Easter morning, open the oven and remove the cookies. Take a bite. Notice - the
cookies are hollow! On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples:

"He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him. Now I have told you." So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them, "Greetings," He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshipped Him.

Hallelujah He is risen!!

Oh I almost forgot…I won a give away!! Yay! From Trish at Notes of Sincerity.

A bag of fabric scraps…beautiful colors and patterns, perfect for those small things that I like to sew. And to my surprise Trish included one of her cute little tissue holders. See how cute:

You can go to her Etsy shop for this and much more. She does beautiful work.

click here

I hope you all have a blessed Easter weekend with much happiness,

 fun family time, chocolate and a heart filled with Jesus.

Not Tonight Honey

What a beautiful and wonderful Easter weekend!! God is good, life is good, and all is good. We are blessed beyond measure and cannot even begin to imagine the sacrifices that Christ made for us…just for us…me and you!

Our weekend was spent with joy and lots of good eating…Holly and Richard were home from New Orleans with us. After spending a couple of hours with us on Friday afternoon, they had dinner with Richard’s parents…a feast from what I was told! Then to bed at our house late and up early Saturday morning with Jackie and Richard off on the hunt for wild turkey…not the kind in the bottle either; and Holly and I off to the vet’s office for annual shots for the troops.

*vet prices are so much cheaper here in Alabama than in NOLA*.

Jackie called up a big gobbler sniffing out some hens, for Richard. They watched him strut his stuff and parade for the ladies…but he never came within shooting range, but a show he did perform! We met them later for breakfast, ran some errands and returned home to prepare lunch. I had made one of my faves, "Slap Yo Mama Italian Bake" It’s so good you will want to slap someone! :)  A combination of ground beef, pepperoni, Italian sausage, spaghetti sauce, three pastas, and three cheeses…baked together in one dish served with garlic cheese bread and a green salad.

Do I hear a "YuM YuM"?

That night, like we ever got hungry after the lunch feast, we had all this:

Fresh gulf shrimp and oysters fried in Louisiana Shrimp fry batter, baked sweet potato fries, homemade cole slaw, hush puppies and grilled Alligator Sausage home grown and made in…you guessed it…Louisiana. Supper was finished off with my homemade

De Lime and De Coconut Cheesecake! Can you say "Oh My"?

Easter morning my kitchen swirled with the smell of cinnamon, bacon and caramel. Homemade cinnamon rolls with pecans and cream cheese icing, turkey bacon, scrambled eggs and Crème Caramel coffee from World Market.

Another "Oh my"! for all these great

taste-bud-pleasing and breath-taking smells!

After a beautiful morning of worship, observance of the Lord’s Supper and singing Easter praises, we went out to eat some good ole Mexican food!………

Now can you say "Pepto Bismol" and "Rolaids"?

I do NOT need to eat anything for another week!

Did I cook last night?...NO

Will I cook tonight?...NO, not tonight honey!

Maybe I will later in the week… *winking*

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My English peas are in full bloom and I have a head of broccoli the size of a quarter!! I love going out into my garden early with the morning sun shining and the coolness from the night. My flower seeds are bursting up through the ground and I planted some petunias in a pot hanging from a whimsical sign that says… "Maters". This is my place where I see my rewards unfolding before me…slowly but surly.

 I love it!

Thank you for letting me share my weekend with you. I hope yours was as equally good, blessed, and inspirational. I know mine was!

My loves and their pets made it back to New Orleans safely with God as their pilot!

                When I say that 'I am a Christian', I am not shouting that 'I am clean living.I'm whispering 'I was lost, but now I'm found and forgiven.'

*********

For those of you who asked about the cupcake holders in my last post:

they are Wilton silicone bakers, found at WalMart 12 for $9.99!!

No Eggs...Just Chocolate

No eggs...Just chocolate...No fooling!

Bunny Kisses at Easter

Cute bunnies, yellow chicks, Easter baskets with pastel colored straw, chocolates and sweet candies, with the promise of warm spring weather. I love this time of year…a time of rebirth, new growth, and perfect temperatures. Spring leaps forth with all is beauty…God’s masterpiece. And the Easter holiday is upon us. We will celebrate this Easter with our daughter Holly and hubby Richard. They will be home for Easter weekend. Yay! I can’t wait to see them and give them BIG hugs and bunny kisses! We will spend time with their pets….Jackie will take Richard turkey hunting early Saturday morning, we will eat good homemade food, and we will spend Sunday morning in church praising the fact that Jesus Lives! Halleluiah! 

What is Easter really and truly all about?

Easter Sunday is a Christian celebration of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As a Christian I believe; because it is written in the Scriptures; that Jesus came back to life and was raised from the dead three days after His death on the cross. Through His death, burial and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for sin, thus purchasing for all who believe in Him, eternal life in heaven. Jesus knew the purpose for His life on earth. He endured the cross with that purpose in mind.

With Easter just days away, I find myself thinking about the death and resurrection of Jesus; the real reason and celebration of Easter. The purpose of His life was to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins. The Bible tells us that Jesus gave Himself for us so that we could be forgiven and found righteous in God’s sight. 2 Corinthians 5:21
Jesus was so certain of His purpose that He predicted when and how He would die. Matthew 26:2   He knew from the beginning that this was His purpose and it was fulfilled. The complete account of this gift to us can be found in all four Gospels of the Bible; Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

Rejoice in this celebration that you can be set free of your sins, be forgiven and rest in the fact and promise that He is alive today and waiting for you in eternity. If you have not seen the movie The Passion of the Christ…take to time to watch it…it will touch you in a way that is unexplainable. Please review the movie here. 

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.' Now I have told you." Matthew 28: 5-7

He took the pain and suffering and He took it just for me.

Because I know He holds the future, life is worth the living!

Blessings of a Happy Easter To All

              

I spoke with Him this morning

Forgiveness I did ask,

Miracles and wonders

For a world tired and lost.

other photos source~Google & Two Crazy Crafters

Today and Yesterday

As I celebrate this as my 150th post, the washer is spinning, the dryer is tumbling...the beds are made and the smell of breakfast still lingers in the air. Martha is cooking a rack of lamb and steaming asparagus. I pulsed whole wheat bread crumbs, from left over bread, in the processor to coat a roast with later today. The windows are closed after a sprinkling of cool rain last night causing the air to be crisp, cool, and clean.

Pollen is gathered in ripples unlike the dusting of yesterday. 

Yesterday was Palm Sunday; a day of joyful singing at church. The message was in the music presented by our worship choir. The title:

I KNOW MY REDEEMER LIVES.

Here are a few lines and other sub titles from the musical…

"Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?

And who told the ocean you can only come this far?

And who showed the moon where to hide till evening?

Whose words alone can catch a falling star?"

  I adore these words and Nicole c. Mullen sings it the best…
well besides our choir…you can listen and watch Nicole here…
it will give you chill bumpies… 

"The same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken

They conquered death to bring me victory."

Broken into Beautiful~

"You change worthless into precious

Guilty to forgiven,

Hungry into satisfied,

Empty into full,

All the lies are shattered,

And we believe we matter

When you change broken into beautiful."

~Gwen Smith, you can listen to her song here 

A Sinner Saved by Grace

"Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, because He lives, all fear is gone."

He’s Alive, Halleluiah!

I couldn’t help but sing along with them from where I sat in the pew with Jackie.

It was beautiful and uplifting.

All the laundry is finished and put away…The sun is not shining today but it is still a great day, one worth living. I’m hoping to see my English peas blooming soon and the broccoli to start “heading” out. The onions and potatoes are growing wild. It is such a joy to be able to watch something grow by your hands. I also planted my mixed flower seeds over the weekend, got to bring some bees to the garden.

Going now to prepare and put the roast in the oven. I wonder what Martha is cooking up now? *whispering "I like to watch Paula better…don’t tell Martha" Shhh…

We will have some company this Easter weekend………Oh yes!

Keeping it real and uncomplicated…