Friday's Fave Five #124

Sorry guys.  At the hospital till after 2 a.m.  Going back there now at 8 a.m.  Can't play today but you go right ahead.

My Bullet Thoughts

I can't seem to put together a post this week.  My brain does not want to think in full thoughts or paragraphs.  So for your enjoyment (ha!) here is what's bouncing around in the caverns of my brain today.

• I'm tired! 
• I need fresh air!
• The chinook blew in this week.
• It's been like a hurricane outside for 4 days now.
• This morning the sky was flaming red.
• "Red sky at night, sailor's delight.  Red sky in morning, sailor's warning".  Absolutely true!  
• It's going to be another wickedly windy day.
• It's hard to get fresh air when the wind is blowing so hard it takes your breath away. Literally. 
• My heart is breaking for Hubby's mom.  And Hubby.
• Strokes are from the pit of hell.
• What would we do without God to lean on and draw strength from in hard times.
• I'm about 5 days behind on my bible reading plan now
• I am determined to get caught up
• I want this to be the year I actually do this thing
• That is, read through the bible in a year
• I find myself rereading the same verses over and over because it's hard to focus this week
• Sigh.
• I hate Hubby's new shift at work
• I feel like I rarely see him
• We especially miss him at the dinner table
• I'm planning for a date time this weekend
• I love that the dog makes me laugh and lightens it up around here
• He doesn't like that I'm watching the Dog Whisperer (LOL)
• Don't forget to join in on Fave Fives tomorrow!

Book Review ~ A Time to Surrender

My book basket, it over-floweth.  So this year I determined I was going to be very selective about review books and stay away from the any sections in the library other than children's books, so that I could start reading what I already had.  That basket needs a serious dent made in it already.  Then I went and got three gift cards to the Christian book store for Christmas and my birthday.  LOL.  Such is life.  My family knows what makes me happy.  But I did finish one today from that notorious basket.  The third in a serious that I have been really enjoying.

The review is up here on my book review blog.  Scroll to #2.

Friday's Fave Five #123

Hello everyone!  Things are still on the topsy-turvy around here.  Last week my dear Mother-in-law had a massive stroke.  The week has been hectic, emotional, and exhausting.  And to boot, Hubby has started a new shift at work, so I feel like I haven't seen him in days.  But there are still good things in the week, glimpses of God's love, blessing that lift up.  I need to look for them.  So here we go:

1.  The fun of a new puppy.

Todd is bringing us some much needed lightness and smiles during this time.  We've discovered he love, love, loves the snow.  Running and jumping and burying his face into it.  He is so much fun to watch and to play with outside.  Gets those feel good endorphins going through all the laughter.  Here he's chasing the dayhome kids down our massive hill of snow in the backyard:

2.  Birds on a wire.   


You know how something is a total cliche and you've seen pictures of it, and maybe you've wished you could see it yourself never mind capture a picture of it right outside your backdoor.  Well that is exactly what happened to me this week.  It was early on Sunday morning and I was in my jammies, housecoat and slippers pouring myself a morning coffee when I let the dog out and saw it.  The pic I've always wanted.  I'm not sure why, it really isn't anything huge, but it's just something I've always thought would be neat to capture myself.  And there they were.  I couldn't even fit them all into my frame.

And what was even more awesome I got to take a closer shot of a few of them with bigger zoom lens.  Can you see a new Fave Five button in the making?

I'm glad my neighbors aren't early risers (that I know of).  I must have looked like the neighborhood crazy lady out on the deck taking a bunch of pics dressed as I was but I wasn't going to let that stop me from the opportunity.


3.  Snow picker upper thingy machines.  

It was a welcome sight to see these guys come and pick up all the snow piled in the middle of the road.  Even though the graders had come through days before the pile in the middle of the road was huge and allowed us to only back out in one direction and was a real pain to see over and get across to other side.  Now we have a nice clear street.

4.  Empathetic, encouraging comments and emails from blogging friends who have never ever met me "in real life".  Thank you for being there.

5.  The support of prayer of people around our family.  Just knowing that others are "holding up our arms" so to speak and lifting my Mom in law and our family up before the Lord right now is more precious than gold.

Join us in remembering our blessings from the week even if your having a rough one!  We'd love to have you. If you need details they are here.  Thanks to all of you who join me week in and week out!  You are a blessing and I love ending my week visiting you all!

Hellllllo out there!

It seems like I have been away from this little blog o' mine forever and yet looking back it's only been about 5 days.  But it has been 5 very, very long days.  Last week my dear Mom-in-law had a major stroke.  To say that life took a busy, stressful turn is an understatement.  Between the hospital, decisions, work, the whole plane trip thing with my son that I mentioned last week, a new rambunctious puppy and everyday life my whole mind and self just seems to have cried "time out".  When I had a chance to get on the computer, I just didn't have the energy to put two sentences together to form a thought.  Truth be told, I still don't.  It's amazing how when something major happens, everything else takes a back seat and all thoughts and energy goes towards what needs dealing with.

But MIL is out of ICU and settled into a regular hospital room and a sort of routine is forming to the days for now.  Hopefully, I'll get a good night's sleep and get recharged.  If only our goofy little puppy didn't think that 5 a.m. is the time to start the day.

Friday's Fave Five #122

Welcome everyone.  Sorry for the huge button, but gosh, I just love that picture and I wanted to see it big.  LOL.  I took it on my birthday in December 2009 when we woke up to an absolutely beautiful hoar frost.  Anyway, we have had a medical emergency within our immediate family so I just have not been able together a fave five post. However,  please don't let that stop you from playing along and looking for those blessings that come your way in your week.  I'll try to get around to posting sometime during the day and commenting sometime on the weekend.  Meanwhile, have fun yourselves!  

Leaving on a Jet Plane...

This Mom gig does not get any easier. Sheesh, I mistakenly thought once they turned 18 it would be smooth sailing in the worry department.   Ha!

Today I put my soon to be 19 year old on a plane to take him to another city to write exams.  To say it's a wee bit stressful is an understatement.  I haven't flown in over 20 years so I might as well just go ahead and say out loud I have no clue about flying. I don't even know what how to advise him.  Though that hasn't stopped me from yapping out loud and making the poor kid crazy.   Having him on standby is adding to the mix.  As is being a person who likes all my ducks in a row.   Standby is not having one's ducks all in a row, let me tell you.  

My list of anxiety is growing as the time draws nearer.  He'll not only be navigating the airport, thank you Lord that it's a small terminal, not the big one, but taxi's and paying them when he get's there, checking in and out of the hotel on his own, being there an extra day on his own till he can catch another standby flight back home,  to say nothing of two days worth of exams. 

 But he seems to be taking it all in stride, staying on an even keel, unlike his detail oriented, some would say neurotic, mom.  I think he has so much more of a handle on this than I do:

"Cast all your care (anxiety) upon Him for He cares for you"      I Peter 5:7

I could learn a lesson from from young wise son.

Book Tour ~ Pause for Power

"Pause for Power"  by Dr. Warren Wiersbe


Publisher's Summary:
Dr. Warren Wiersbe is a gifted Bible scholar with the ability to make personal and relevant application to God’s Word. This fall, David C Cook releases a revised version of Pause for Power: A 365 Day Journey in the Scriptures, a daily devotional that will allow readers to explore fifteen different books of the Bible with wisdom and insight gleaned from Wiersbe’s best-selling BE commentaries.

Offering insight and encouragement, this devotional touches on real-life themes that include contentment, integrity, patience, joy, hope, ministry, love, and peace. Each day’s devotional includes a brief Bible passage, an excerpt about that particular passage from Wiersbe’s BE commentaries, and questions for personal reflection. A brief prayer ends each day’s Scripture meditation and purposefully commits the reader’s heart and mind to God’s direction.

Pause for Power is a comprehensive update of Wiersbe’s original devotional and includes three additional books of the Bible as well as updated reflections and prayers. This year-long study includes thoughtful examination of the Old Testament books of Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Isaiah, as well as the New Testament books of Romans, 1 and 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Hebrews, James, 1 Peter, and 1 John. Wiersbe’s trademark voice remains the same throughout the book, and he continues to encourage readers to make personal application of God’s Word to every situation of their lives.

Developing an intimate relationship with Christ is a life-long process, and the study of His Word is one of the primary avenues through which we learn and draw closer to Him. Wiersbe’s ability to explore and explain the Bible serves as a foundational resource for this year-long devotional that offers bite-sized pieces of wisdom that will carry readers through a great deal of Scripture in a single year. Pause for Power will make the perfect gift for friends and family who look forward to a new devotional to strengthen their daily walks during 2011.

About the Author:
Dr. Warren W. Wiersbe, former pastor of The Moody Church and general director of Back to the Bible, has traveled widely as a Bible teacher and conference speaker. Often referred to as the Pastor’s Pastor, Wiersbe has offered great encouragement to those with whom he has shared ministry. He has preached and taught in churches and conferences throughout the United States as well as in Canada, Central and South America, and Europe. His published work includes the popular BE series of commentaries on every book of the Bible which has sold more than four million copies. He has been the recipient of numerous awards including the Gold Medallion Lifetime Achievement Award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association. Dr. Wiersbe and his wife, Betty, live in Lincoln, Nebraska.

My Thoughts:
I always start daily devotional books off with a big bang and then fizzle out rather quickly with them.  Pause for Power however, has been one devotional that has drawn me back day after day.  I love the the way it is set up with a portion of scripture to read, not just one verse, and then the excerpt from the author's commentaries (the usual way devotionals are).  The commentaries are insightful and full of wisdom but what really draws me to this devotional is the "Points to Ponder" at the end of each commentary.  Dr. Wiersbe presents a few questions related to the topic for you to think on that causes you to take the scripture and directly apply it to your own life.  The questions go beyond the surface and cause you to really look at your walk in the Lord and encourage growth in your life.  Perfect for journaling.

Thanks to B & B Media Group for providing the book for review!

Pause for Power is available for purchase at David C. Cook

Southwestern Ham and Bean Soup

It is cold, cold, cold here.  A lovely winter storm moved in on the weekend that totally socked us in.  It wasn't so much the crazy amount of snow that fell but the blowing of the said snow.  There was so much snow that highways have been closed for days in areas due to whiteouts and cars in ditches, stranded.

Now I don't know about you but I become a total wimp in that kind of weather.  I want to hole up inside, burrow under a blanket with my coffee and a good book and a movie or three.  This kind of weather also brings out the craving for a good, hearty, HOT soup in me.  And I knew hubby and son, who literally shovelled for hours over the weekend, would need something to defrost their innards.  So out came the crockpot and I made this delicious soup.  The original recipe does not call for the ham bone but I had it left from the holidays just ready and waiting for me to make a soup.  And I tweaked it here and there to suit us.  I have no idea where I originally found the recipe.  It's been sitting in my files forever, but I'm so glad I finally got to it.  It is delicious, and hearty with just a tiny bit of a kick.  Make it with or with the cornmeal dumplings.  I will say we had it both ways and some of us liked the dumpling in it and some of us preferred the soup without the cornmeal thickening or "muddying"  it.  Totally a matter of preference.  But do put the soup on your "To Cook" list.  So worth it.

SOUTHWESTERN HAM & BEAN SOUP


Makes approx. 6 servings

• 1 ham bone with some ham still on it
• 1 larger can red kidney beans (19 oz. or so), rinsed and drained
• 1 larger can black beans (19 oz. or so), rinsed and drained
• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
• 1 can niblets corn
• 1 cup carrot, sliced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chili pepper
• 4 cups water + 2 envelopes (2 cubes or 2 Tbsp) beef or chicken boullion OR 4 cups beef or chicken broth
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 
  
• 1/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• dash pepper
• 1 egg white, beaten
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 Tbsp. cooking oil

In a large crockpot combine water, boullion (or broth), beans, undrained tomatoes, corn, carrots, onion, undrained chili peppers, chili powder and garlic.

Cover and cook on low 10 hours or on high for 5 hours.

Thirty minutes before end of cooking time mix together in a medium mixing bowl flour, cornmeal, baking powder and pepper.  In a smaller bowl, combine egg white, milk and oil.  Add to flour mixture and stir just until combined.

Remove ham bone from soup.  Cut into bite sized pieces and return to soup.

Drop dumplings by Tablespoons onto the hot soup.  Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or high for 20 minutes.  Don't lift the lid!

Serve with a nice crusty bun or bread .

Feel yourself get warm!

Book Tour ~ Under the Overpass

"Under the Overpass" by Mike Yankoski


Publisher's Summary: 


 About the Book

The new updated and expanded edition contains added stories, an interview with the author, a "five years after" bonus chapter, and a new foreword from Francis Chan

Ever Wonder What it Would Be Like to Live Homeless?
Mike Yankoski did more than just wonder. By his own choice, Mike's life went from upper-middle class plush to scum-of-the-earth repulsive overnight. With only a backpack, a sleeping bag and a guitar, Mike and his traveling companion, Sam, set out to experience life on the streets in six different cities: Denver; Washington, D.C.; Portland; San Francisco; Phoenix; and San Diego.

For more than five months the pair experienced firsthand the extreme pains of hunger, the constant danger of living on the streets, exhaustion, depression, and social rejection—and all of this by their own choice. They wanted to find out if their faith was real, if they could actually be the Christians they said they were apart from the comforts they’d always known…to discover first hand what it means to be homeless in America.


"The Scriptures are filled with images of a God who is casting down the mighty and lifting up the lowly, of the last becoming first and the first last. In relentless nonconformity to the patterns of our culture, the Christian call is not to move away from suffering but to move toward it, so that we can bear some of the burdens carried by our brothers and sisters. Here is one story of the downward mobility of the Kingdom. It is a story that dares you to move closer to the margins, to the suffering, to the pain...and to meet Jesus there—in His many disguises." —SHANE CLAIBORNE, best-selling author, activist, and recovering sinner

My Thoughts:

The book is definitely one of those true stories that will change your life and mind set, that is, if you let it.  I was drawn in from the first chapter to the last and really liked the epilogue where the author goes over more of what he has learned after being away from the experience for five years.   To read this book and not be challenged in your Christian walk, in the way you think about and view the homeless, and how you respond both as an individual and as God's church, is next to impossible.  I was very challenged from the very beginning even as I read how a young college student, living very comfortably, felt the call of God to go live amongst the homeless and become homeless himself giving everything up for 5 months.  Would I be obedient to such a call?  As I read how he encountered the reactions both good and bad  of the very place where hurting people are supposed to find love, I felt myself searching my own mind and heart to my reactions and thinking when it comes to the homeless of my own city.  As I read the people's stories whom the pair encountered, I was challenged to account for my own assumptions.  

I highly recommend a read of this book at least once, whether you are a professing Christian or not.  A deep look into a life and culture that most of us will never experience first hand but should be able to somehow in some way touch will give us a bit of  knowledge and understanding and thereby remove some of the fear and anxiety of coming across the homeless.  Be prepared to be challenged and to think and search your own mindset and attitude especially if you are a Christian.

Thanks to Waterbrook Multnomah for providing the book for review.

Under the Overpass  is available for  purchase here.

If you'd like a peek in the book you can read the first chapter here.

Friday's Fave Five #121

It's Friday and that means looking back over the week and searching out our blessings big and small and sharing our favorite five.  Please join in with us.  If you are new, get the details here.

1.  Under the Overpass.  I finished off this book which I started over the Christmas holidays.  In a nutshell it's the story of a young college student who felt the Lord was leading him to go live homeless on the streets of several American cities over a five month period.  There is so much in this book that opened my eyes and challenged me in my thinking and attitudes and my definition of my Christian walk.  I'll have a more detailed review in the next few days.  But if you can get ahold of this book it is well worth your time.  It will draw you right in.  You can have a sneak peek of the first chapter here.


2.  A good start to my week back to work after the holidays.  Those first few days are always hard going back after being off for 10 days but my week has been on the slower side and it's been nice to just ease back into it rather than jumping into the deep end with it.

3.  Normal meals and eating.  Don't get me wrong, I love all the holiday food.  Those foods you only eat at the holidays, the constant yummies where ever you go but there comes a point where it is just becomes too much.  I'm glad to be back to "normal" everyday meals and snacks.

4.  Daughter arriving safely at her destination as well as us getting home safe.  On Sunday when we drove our oldest to another city to catch  her bus, the weather took a turn for the worst.  The roads were horrible.  Really horrible.  It was a white knuckle drive there and back for us.  And for her, her bus also kept stalling so before she even got out of the city limits, they had to sit in the stalled bus and wait an hour and half for another one.  We were sure glad to get her text saying she had arrived safely.  It came at one in the morning, about 2  1/2 hours later than her original arrival time, but she was safe.  Praise God!  We could now actually sleep.

5.  The new puppy.  You know I have to mention him.  It's been so much fun having him and he's totally fitting right in.  He full of exuberant energy and loves to play.  He's even pretty good with the dayhome kids for a puppy and he learns fast.

What have been your favorite blessings over the week.  Share in a post and link on up so we can come and visit.

The Post That Has No Idea What to Call Itself

So last night was the big night of the puppy's first vet visit with us. Let's just say he, meaning the dog, was not in the least impressed.  In fact, the poor little thing was so stressed with all of the "bottom end" exam, the tooth exam and the ear exam and then 2 needles in the bottom that he went straight to his doggy bed and zonked out when we got home.  I can  relate.  That's how I feel after my big yearly exam.  Too my recollection, though, I never tried to bite my doctor.  And I'm sure she appreciates that greatly.  Anyway, I didn't even get a picture because I was too busy trying to hold Todd in a headlock hold so he wouldn't nip, read: bite,  the vet.  The headlock hold is kindly demonstrated for you by these volunteers:

Who knew all those Saturday mornings of watching Stampede Wrestling as a kid would come in handy.  To say I was sweating a bit when it was all done is an understatement.

 Hubby and I were very impressed with the vet we chose.  He had been our vet when Sam, our other dog had gotten so sick and we had to put him to sleep, so it was nice to see him work with a healthy puppy too.  The compassion and understanding of the staff is what took us back.  This is the first time I've ever experienced a vet and his assistant get right down on the floor to let the dog sniff and check him out and to pass the dog a treat to build some trust instead of just plonking the animal up on the table.  Hopefully now Todd will forget all about the bottom area check thing before we have to go back in a month.  Otherwise, I might need some catch up lessons on the full nelson hold from my sister before we go back.  She was pretty good at whipping them off.  I should know.  I was her practice dummy volunteer playmate.

My New Obsession

The pannini sandwich.  I cannot get enough.

Thanks to Hubby's wonderful gift of this for Christmas:

Isn't it sleek and shiny and lovely?

I am in love.  With Hubby and the Pannini grill.

I asked how he knew.  He swears it was on my list.  I swear it wasn't.

Must be kismet.

And this lovely site is just feeding the new obsession.  A blog devoted to the scrumptious pannini.  With a clever name.  Pannini Happy.  Oh, the excitement.  Oh, the fun.  Oh, the pounds on the hips.  Last week, turkey, harvati cheese, spinach, thin sliced pickles, red peppers.  Tonight, bacon, tomato, gouda, lettuce.   If I don't surface, send help.

Sweet Shot Tuesday January Week 1

I've been busy reading this week.  Reading God's Word, reading my camera manual for dummies, reading my 2 new cookbooks and reading my regular reads and review reads.  Whew.  That's a lot of reading, but I love it.  This year I'm really going to try and read through the bible in one year.  Is that a resolution?  'Cause I don't do resolutions, you know.  Let's say it's a goal.  I've never done it.  I always fizzle out a couple of months in.  But this time I hope I'm determined enough to go with it for the whole year.  I'm doing a "topics" reading plan.  So far so good.  But then it's only been 4 days.

To encourage myself to learn to use my new big girl camera, one step at a time, I'm also giving Sweet Shot Tuesday a go, hosted by My Life with My 3 Boybararians.  Wow, she's got so many good photography tips on her site.  Check her out and join on in.

So my very first entry is out of my point and shoot because I haven't had the time actually take a good shot with the big camera.  This was my girls being their fun selves at the restaurant celebrating the youngest's and my birthdays last week.  It's an almost embarrassing entry compared to everyone else's but I'm determined to find those links that encourage me to take pictures and to learn and make them better as the year goes on.  Hopefully by the end of the year there will be much improvement in my pictures.

Baby Steps Back to Routine

Happy New Year everyone.  If you came here looking for my New Years resolutions you came to the wrong place.  I seem to be allergic to them.  Or at least to keeping them, so this year I am avoiding them with everything in me.  Instead I'll catch you up on the New Years weekend.  How does that sound?  Good?  Good.

 I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday.  I know ours was pretty full.  We visited lots, ate lots, played lots, ate lots, drank more coffee than we normally would, stayed up way too late every single night.  Oh and did I mention we ate lots?  Oy.  My poor ol' body is crying out for some routine.   As is with the beginning of January it was forced into routine bright and early this morning.  Wow, that 6:30 alarm came early.  Especially after a fairly sleepless night.

I think I'm still catching up from New Years.  We are not big party people, at least me and hubby are not.  The young people can go all night if we let them.  So New Year's Eve found us at my sister's playing games, watching movies and again, eating too much.  I figure as long as my teen and grown kids are willing to spend New Years with us I'm going to force myself to ring in that new year with them.  The game of the night was "The Michael Jackson Experience" on the Wii.  Too. much. fun.  If you want to laugh till you cry you must try this game.  You get to dance with Michael and his back up dancers.   Just close your eyes and imagine a handful of middle aged parents doing the moves and you'll get the idea.  Of course, my dancing oldest daughter, K., smoked us all.  While we were groaning through the easy levels and looking like we were swatting bees buzzing around us,  she was dancing through the hard levels looking like she actually was one of the back up dancers.  And no, the young people were not allowed to record the mayhem.  We do have some pride after all and us older ones are that dense.  We knew facebook would get a posting and there was no way we were going to let that go viral.

Yesterday was sad as we drove K., to the bus depot.  It's always hard saying good bye after having her home.  And the drive to the smaller city where she catches her bus was absolutely stressful.  The roads were horrible!  A nail biter there and back.  Blowing snow and highways covered in snow in sections.  Pretty scary.   And then her bus was full so she was on the overflow bus which promptly started to stall so they were stuck on the edge of town sitting in the bus waiting for another one for an hour and a half.  Meanwhile, we were already on the road back home ourselves.  So take the stressful, horrible conditions of the winter roads back and add the stress of hanging onto the cell phone waiting for her to say she was again on her way on a new bus and then trying not to worry about how the roads were for her trip back and I was T.I.R.E.D!  But sleep did not come easy until I got that text saying she had made it back safe and sound.  At one in the morning.  Let's just say 6:30 came mighty early this morning.  Oh yeah, I already said that.

So far none of the dayhome kids have shown up.  I could have slept in!  Oy!  But I'm just going to sit and have coffee and read a few blogs and try to get myself going.  Then I think I'll take down the remainder of the leftover decorations and my getting back to routine plans should be well under way.  I think I'll try to figure out how to get the pics out of my camera and then I might even cook something for supper out of this cookbook or maybe this one that I got as gifts.  Then again, maybe I'll just sit and read them.  After all, did I mention I ate way too much over the holidays?