The Lion and The Lamb

March ends this week. It did roll in like an angry lion for me but hopefully it will go out like a peaceful lamb. That lion roared around all month, leaving me rethinking life’s probabilities. There were many tests; some oral, some silent, some I passed, and some, I admit, I failed. March is considered to be the time of transition from winter to spring. My March has been a transition of another kind…one of reflection, one of questioning, one of wonder…one of change. As I watched the season change in front of me through the rebirth of nature and blooms springing forth their beauty; I stood apart from it, wondering what was next.

After watching Army Wives and Coming Home last night while crying my eyes out, I thought of all our many service men and women. The choice they have made is like that of the lion, the king of beasts; brave, strong, and proud of his country. A fallen soldier that would give their very life to honor and protect our country is the bravest person I know. I can’t begin to imagine filling their shoes, walking their miles, bearing their load or withstanding their duty. If you are not familiar with the show Army Wives, last night’s episode depicted a young American soldier who lost his life on the front lines of battle. His parents lost their son who had not yet met his new baby sister. His whole life ahead of him and engaged to be married; life was just beginning for him….

This is real life, it happens, it’s not just a TV show. Mighty is the soldier of our country but even a great lion like him can be defeated and brought down, all while doing what he or she was trained to do. 

My thoughts then turned to my daughter’s sister-in-law, Ellen, who is currently serving in Afghanistan with the US Air Force. A young mother herself, she is with a medical team working at the hospital, saving lives and trying to put lives back together again. It seems so senseless to hear of people getting shot up and then fixed up, only to go at it again. And like any soldier would, sometimes I don’t even think they fully understand what the fighting is all about…what started it and why it is still going on. They just know their job; their call to duty and do it without ceasing. Ellen has seen more than any human eyes should be allowed to see, all while putting her self in harms way too. She has mended lives that have met battle and has even seen death… Americans and Afghanistanians alike… Soldiers, men and women, and even little children. My heart bleeds and aches.
…and yet we march on, sometimes proud, brave, and mighty like that lion and sometimes, meek, humble, and frightened like a little lamb. I am more like the lamb. God help me to be brave and strong for whatever purpose You have for me, yet gentle and humble when I need to be. "Because THE LORD IS MERCIFUL to us, we are not consumed...HIS compassions never fail."  ~Lamentations 3:22  God protects us like a mighty lion, keeping us safe and under his protection (if we allow) yet He is as gentle as a little lamb, loving us even though we are sinners.

Why can’t the whole world be as compatible as the lion and the lamb in this photo

...strong yet gentle, loving each other, and living in harmony?

It’s a beautiful day here…still wet from the rain we had yesterday. Everything is bright and clean feeling…the pollen is laying low right now *smiling*. My garden is growing and thriving and I am both blessed and pleased. We had a fellowship meal yesterday after church and I took Copper Penny Carrots along with a peach cobbler. I wanted to share this recipe with you for the carrots. I am not a carrot fan but I’m learning to like them, however… this recipe is so good even if you do not like them.

Copper Penny Carrots

2 pounds of fresh carrots, cut into small slices

1 small bell pepper, chopped into bite size pieces

1 medium onion, chopped into bite size pieces

1 -10 ¾ oz can to tomato soup

½ cup olive oil

1 cup sugar

¾ cup vinegar

1 teaspoon mustard

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Bring carrots to a boil for about 10 minutes, do not over cook. Drain.
Do not cook onions and bell peppers.

Blend in saucepan all ingredients except onion, bell pepper and carrots. Heat until very hot and steamy. Pour over carrot mixture and marinate in refrigerator 24 hours.

Enjoy!

Please pray for all service men and women who are honoring our country. They are someone’s mother, daddy, son and daughter, wife and husband... young and young at heart. Would you, could you… take their place?

Happy Spring to you!

Eat your veggies, brush your teeth and smile a lot!

Photo of the lion and lamb from google search

A Sunday Walk…

~ If you are seeking creative ideas, go out walking.

Angels whisper to a man when he goes for a walk.

~ Raymond Inmon

I do not want the peace which passeth understanding,

I want the understanding which bringeth peace.

~Helen Keller

~ Only those who have the patience to do simple things perfectly

will acquire the skill to do difficult things easily.

 ~ Johann Friedrich Von Schiller

~ It is important to expect nothing, to take every experience,

including the negative ones, as merely steps on the path, and to proceed.

~ Ram Dass

~ Fear is not your enemy. It is a compass pointing
you to the areas where you need to grow.
~ Steve Pavlina

~ Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.
 ~ Bill Cosby


Enjoy your week!

 

Ultimate Questions of Wonder

Spreading Some Spring!

Now I know you have always wondered about these things:

1. How can the emotion of crying mean both happiness and sadness?

2. What is partly cloudy and partly sunny anyway, aren’t they the same?

3. Just how far is the east from the west?

My answer: One nail scared hand to the other. Think about it…

4. Why do doctors leave the room when you change?

They're going to see you naked anyway…..

I guess strip shows at the Doctor’s Office are illegal. Ya think?

5. If laughter is the best medicine, why do we say we 'died laughing'?

I see you laughing at this one…go ahead it won’t kill you!

6. Why do we sing "Rock a bye baby" to lull a baby to sleep when the song is about putting your baby in a tree and letting the wind crash the cradle on the ground?

Now that’s just plain stupid if you think about it! LOL

7. Why do dogs like the smell of other dog’s butts?

I have no answer to this one!

8. If we came from monkeys…where did the monkey come from?

Having been taught in school the theory of evolution….I always question their logic of such tales which attempt to explain man's existence without a Creator. God plainly said in Genesis that He created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 Then in verse 26-27 God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

So to sum it all up…God made all the animals, including the monkeys and apes, then, when satisfied with those, He made Man and Woman from His image, not a monkey’s.

…and this also answers this age old question…

9. Which came first the chicken or the egg?

DUH!

10. Doesn't expecting the unexpected make the unexpected expected?

11. On Gilligan's Island, how did Ginger have so many different outfits

when they were only going on a 3 hour tour?

LOL

12. What is another word for "thesaurus"?

~Lexicon. Now you know!

13. What happens to an 18 hour bra after 18 hours?

 I hope I never have to wear one that long at one time to find out. But I do know what happens to one when the strap gets around the dasher in the middle of the washer!

14. What if the hokey pokey really is what it's all about?

Oh Hokey!

15. Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp,

which no decent human being would eat?

I give up...I don’t even like the semi-dark brown setting…

I have to get a knife and scrape it at the sink. YuK!

16. If you try to fail, and succeed, which have you done?

I say you have succeeded to fail and did it with great success…Bravo!

17. If Darwin still insists that apes evolved into humans…well then why are

there still monkeys and apes running around?

Are they rejects that didn’t change into humans?

No way! They are still here because we need them in the zoo...It wouldn't be

the same without them, they are cute!! :)

18. Why does the nightly news start with "Good Evening" and then

they tell you everything that's wrong in the world? ? ?

****************

Because you asked, I will have the recipe up for the "Slap Yo Mama Italian Bake" soon.  And Cinner wanted to know what kind of food a hush puppy is. Well, it's a deep fried ball of cornbread, made with cornmeal, flour, eggs, buttermilk and onions;

and sometimes jalapenos!  Usually served with fish and shrimp.

I will share Mama's recipe later too!

tasteofhome.com

Thanks for asking...I love sharing!

(: A smile can start a conversation without saying a word :)

Share one with someone today!

                   

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!!

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…

               

The Best Laid Plans

 It’s a kind of dreary Monday morning but I am excited! The plans have been laid, the room’s booked, my packing list is made, and the suitcase is ready to be packed. I'm throwing in the sunscreen, flip-flops, shorts and T-shirts, a good book, and my beach chair.  The bestie~Becky, her daughter Katie, and I are headed to Destin, Florida.  **Holly~I'm sure gonna miss not having you with us :(

 For those of you not familiar with Destin…here’s a little tease for you:

The white sands of the Gulf of Mexcio

 This photo by Jacob @ Florida Fotos…take a look at his beautiful work.

It may be a little cool for the water but I don’t care…we are going to just enjoy ourselves with some walking on the beach, reading in the sand, feeding the sea gulls, shooting some pix, shopping, and just relaxing. Of course we will sink our toes into the sand…sink our teeth in some fresh Gulf shrimp, and soak up some much needed vitamin D. Ahhhhh I can feel it now! We are hoping we do not blind anyone with our lily white legs, nevertheless our toes will be painted and cute.

I’ll be back soon with some sun~sea~and~surf photos

of the beautiful Gulf of Mexico via Destin. :)

**************************

My little garden is doing great. We have sweet English peas which will hopefully be blooming soon. I can’t wait!! My onion patch is growing and so is the broccoli.

The red potatoes have not surfaced yet but they are on the way.

Here are my little indoor greenhouse sprouts growing up:

Aren't they cute!?

 I have okra, squash, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Next I will sprout some pepper seeds: jalapeno, bell, and banana! I will plant some flower seeds as soon as this cooler weather leaves us for another year.  Jackie and I built a compost box…now that was a trick….more on that subject later. But all this will have to wait a couple of days until I get home. Jackie will enjoy some spring turkey hunting while we are away…he doesn’t like the beach anyway; he would rather be in the woods.

Call a friend and make some plans…it is well worth the effort.

Friends are what make us "us".

Until I return~ Here’s wishing everyone a happy week of fun and cheerfulness.

                 Living more with less.********

Destin images found on Google search.

Everyone Needs to Know

These are things I have learned along my journey...some learned by mistake,

some by chance and some you just have to do no matter what.

Bonus for staying with me - Recipe at the end.

~Life happens…and I am so glad it does.

~Never let your bra strap fall over the dasher in the middle of your washing machine. It is unbelievable how far the elastic strap can stretch. What remains is a curly strap from then on.

~Birds and squirrels do not like dried red beans…even though they are considered a seed.

~Never drop a high temp hot glue gun in your lap while wearing shorts. When the glue is removed…so is the skin underneath. Results = another flaw.

~Spray paint and a humid day do NOT mix.

~Toddlers do not like brussel sprouts. They turn their faces wrong-side-out and make them gag.

~Never put tea on to brew and leave the room to go read blogs.

~Waiting three months to balance your checkbook is not a great idea.

~Letting your daughter date will result in marriage and a son-n-law :)

~Tips for eating at family reunions and church covered-dish fellowships:
Just because it looks good…its not. Just because it doesn’t look good…it might be. If you want to take your dish back home for supper make a casserole. Cheese covered casseroles are mystery dishes. No one knows what lies underneath all that gooey good cheese so they will not put it on their plate. They just do not know what they are missing. Results = you don’t have to cook supper. Recipe to follow.

~Everyone cannot cook…they try…bless their hearts.

~Never laugh with your mouth  full of grits. The results are not pretty.

~Do NOT let your friends visit you after a C-section birth…they WILL make you laugh at some point before leaving you in pain with a smile on your face.

~You can not flush a piece of fried chicken down the toilet.

~Never let your 16 year old drive away with an almost empty tank of gas and no money. They never look at the gas gauge. Results = A panicked phone call home after pushing the car out of the road. *This happened to me, not my daughter*

~Cats like dill pickles.

~Talking on the phone with your daughter will cause an hour to pass quickly.

~My son-n-law's cell phone and the bottom of the ocean are well acquainted...I wonder if shrimp like to talk on the phone?

~Jesus loves you, yes He really does. :)

Thanks for hanging with me.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

…the yummy mystery dish

2 large chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1 bag frozen broccoli florets, however I believe fresh would be better
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 cup mayo
2 T. finely chopped onion
2 eggs, beaten
Pinch of curry
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

Mix together soup, mayo, eggs, curry and onion.
Toss chicken and broccoli together and add a little of the soup mixture, stirring well. Pour into a sprayed casserole dish and top with the remainder of the soup mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top. Bake at 375* 20-30-minutes.

This mystery casserole covered in gooey good cheese is delish…if only the people who are afraid of casserole mysteries would just try it! Well…all’s well that ends well...I didn’t have to cook supper! YaY!

Don’t you just love this spring time weather we are having?

My little English peas are looking good in the garden!!

            

My word for 2010-Experience

I’ve experienced life and all its mysteries

Spring is here at last...

at least some good signs of it anyway.

Sunshine on my shoulder….

I welcome the sunshine on any thing today. I want to spread it on my morning toast.  It’s so uplifting to see it bright and shiny, bursting through the morning. Makes you think of spring and its rebirth of nature, love, and us! I can remember being in the hospital in high school. It was late February when I went in for a week…a long restless week, and in a matter of just seven days the earth had sprang forth new growth; green grass, bulbs shooting up for flowers to show their faces, and blossoms on the fruit trees…Beautiful is nature’s canvas in spring! And the birds…they were singing as if they were on stage at the opera…songs of praise, joy and happiness. They owned the world! As I look outside this morning I see sunshine and blue birds, my favorite right up there with the house wren. They are flittering around trying to decide which house in my backyard to rent out for spring. They will soon begin to build their comfy little nests and welcome little babies into this world; showing us that life continues all around us no matter what is going on in our lives. The sun is warming up the freshly tilled dirt in my garden where new seeds are planted…I’m hoping to see sprouts soon.

Spring is a celebration!

A time to say good-bye to winter’s blah colors and coldness. I am so ready for this goodbye! Goodbye winter Hello spring…you are welcome here! I am ready for you to splash all your beautiful pastel colors on the countryside; setting a budding backdrop for us to covet. On my brisk walk to our mailbox which sits at the road at the end of our long driveway, I see the promise of spring everywhere. The bulbs are sprouting up; I see little blades of green in the brown grass, and new growth on the limbs of the bushes. There’s coolness in the air just to let you know winter is still here and he’s not giving up yet. The sky is a watered down shade of blue with a few transparent clouds scattered about. I place my bit of love in the mailbox, lift the red flag and begin my stroll back to the house; breathing in the freshness and soaking up the sun. I wish I could bottle it up today and save it for one of those gloomy days that are still yet to come...

My bubble of beautiful spring thoughts is burst by my TV which is on behind me as I write this post. I’m totally disgusted and sickened at the show that is on; Wife Swap. One wife spends $34,000.00 a year on her appearance and clothes and the other wife has not shaved under her arms in 6 years and her whole family uses the same bath water. They choose to live this life style.  Oh my! Do they make this stuff up for TV or is this for real?

Gosh I feel the need to be productive;

leaving you with thoughts of spring and some love...

"In the hope of reaching the moon men fail to see
the flowers that blossom at their feet"
~Albert Schweitzer

Until spring arrives….

My word for 2010-Experience

I experienced a life style shocker