Hurricane Harvey

Last Thursday Les and I went for a bike ride.  It was a little bit overcast and about 60 degrees at 7:00 a.m.  Perfection!

One week later, this morning at 5:00 a.m. it was as far from perfection as it gets. We have a wireless thermometer in our backyard that syncs with one in our bedroom.  I rubbed my eyes several times, sure that I was seeing incorrectly...

As much as I am not enjoying this heatwave, I am thankful to be safe and dry.  The pictures coming out of Texas this week have been so horrible.  I can't imagine what so many are going through. 

I've received several emails regarding giving to the victims of Hurricane Harvey.  There are many trustworthy companies that you can donate to.  Here are a few you may not be aware of (click the links to take you to the specific sites):

From now until Tuesday, ModSportswear will be donating $15 to Harvey victims every time an order is placed - donations will go to Compassion Services International.

Fleet Feet Sports stores all over the country are collecting new or gently-used shoes and new pairs of socks to donate to victims of the storm.

Modest clothing company, Jade MacKenzie Apparel, is based in Houston and is accepting donations on their website.

Bombas is a sock company that always donates a pair of socks to the homeless for every pair purchased.  They have already sent a donation to their partners at the Coalition for the Homeless in Houston.

Southwest Airlines is taking donations of Rapid Rewards Points to assist volunteers with travel expenses.

I'm sure there are many other ways to help, but these are a few of the unique ones that have come my way.  Please don't forget to pray for those who are suffering during this time.

A Little Sneaky

Are writing prompts a useful exercise, or do you find them to be too limiting and/or hokey? 

I thought this writing prompt was perfect for the last day of the month.  I have found them to be very helpful to get back to writing on a more regular basis.  Of course some of them were a bit hokey, but I never planned to use every prompt so it worked well for me.

I've decided to continue using the prompts for another month.  Here are the prompts for the entire month of September - there are some interesting prompts in the mix!  I'll post a week's worth each Saturday like before.

September 1 - Groundhog day
In the comedy “Groundhog Day” Bill Murray experienced the same day again and again, stuck in a time loop until he got the day “right.” What day would you choose to repeat until you got it right? Do you think it’s ever possible to get life “right”?
September 2 - Name that…you!
Do you know the meaning of your name, and why your parents chose it? Do you think it suits you? What about your children’s names?
September 3 - Blogger with a cause
If your day to day responsibilities were taken care of and you could throw yourself completely behind a cause, what would it be?
September 4 - I am a rock
Is it easy for you to ask for help when you need it, or do you prefer to rely only on yourself? Why?
September 5 - Imagine all the people
The next time you’re in a public place — a coffeehouse, a park, a store — observe the people around you. Pick a person, a couple, or a group, and imagine what their lives might be like.
September 6 - Regrets, I’ve had a few
What’s your biggest regret? How would your life have been different if you’d made another decision?
September 7 - Luxurious
What’s the one luxury you can’t live without?
September 8 - The excitement never ends
Tell us about the last thing you got excited about — butterflies-in-the-stomach, giggling, can’t-wait excited.
September 9 - What a twist
Tell us a story — fiction or non-fiction — with a twist we can’t see coming.
September 10 - Six of one, half-a-dozen of the other
Write a six-word story about what you think the future holds for you, and then expand on it in a post.
September 11 - Thank you
The internet is full of rants. Help tip the balance: today, simply be thankful for something (or someone).
September 12 - Toy story
What was your favorite plaything as a child? Do you see any connection between your life now, and your favorite childhood toy?
September 13 - Snark bombs, away!
Try your hand at parody or satire — take an article, film, blog post, or song you find misguided, and use humor to show us how.
September 14 - Bookworms
Grab the nearest book. Open it and go to the tenth word. Do a Google Image Search of the word. Write about what the image brings to mind.
September 15 - Sorry, I’m busy
Tell us about a time when you should have helped someone… but didn’t.
September 16 - Super sensitive
If you were forced to give up one sense, but gain super-sensitivity in another, which senses would you choose?
September 17 - The cat says meow
Write a story about yourself from the perspective of an object, thing, animal, or another person.
September 18 - Naked, with black socks
Are you comfortable in front of people, or does the idea of public speaking make you want to hide in the bathroom? Why?
September 19 - Are you being served?
What’s the most dreadful (or wonderful) experience you’ve ever had as a customer?
September 20 - No fair
Tell us about something you think is terribly unfair — and explain how you would rectify it.
September 21 - We can be taught!
What makes a teacher great?
September 22 - Practice makes perfect
Tell us about a talent you’d love to have…but don’t.
September 23 - Non sequitur
Write a post about anything you’d like, but be sure to include this sentence somewhere in the final paragraph: “He tried to hit me with a forklift!”
September 24 - Standstill
For a moment today, time stands still — but you can tweak one thing while it’s stopped. What do you do?
September 25 - Celebrate good times
You receive some wonderful, improbable, hoped-for good news. How do you celebrate?
September 26 - 2100
The language of the future: what will it be like? Write an experimental post using some imagined vocabulary — abbreviations, slang, new terms.
September 27 - A bend in time
When you’re giddy with excitement, does time speed up? Slow down? Tell us about the experience of anticipation.
September 28 - Ebb and flow
Our blogs morph over time, as interests shift and life happens. Write a post for your blog — but three years in the future.
September 29 - Cleaning house
Is there “junk” in your life? What kind? How do you get rid of it?
September 30 - On the road
If you could pause real life and spend some time living with a family anywhere in the world, where would you go?

Ready for Your Close-Up

Cast the movie of your life.

I'm pretty sure there will never be a movie about my life!  I love my life and don't want to trade with anyone, but there's not enough drama for it to be a movie.   It would definitely include lots of adventures and laughs with my favorite person...

This writing prompt did remind me of a friend in high school who said that I looked like Cheryl Ladd.  Being compared to a woman who was 30 when I was 17 was not something I considered a compliment.  He would call me "Cheryl" just to torment me!  This was during the Charlie's Angels heyday of the late 70s.  I couldn't see it back then.  Looking at our pictures from that time, well there are a few similarities.  Blue eyes, blonde hair, and 70s "wings."

Here we are 35 years later...

Who do people say you look like? Do you believe them?

Writing Prompts August 27-31

August 27 -I’d like to thank my cats

You are receiving an award –- either one that already exists, or a new one created just for you. What would the award be, why are you being honored, and what would you say in your acceptance speech?

August 28  -Ready for your close-up

Cast the movie of your life.

August 29 -I can’t drive 55

Take the third line of the last song you heard, make it your post title, and write for a maximum of 15 minutes. GO!

August 30  -A little sneaky

Are writing prompts a useful exercise, or do you find them to be too limiting and/or hokey?

August 31 -I pledge allegiance

Are you patriotic? What does being patriotic mean to you?

Funny ha-ha + Friday Foodie

Do you consider yourself funny? What role does humor play in your life? Who’s the funniest person you know?

Last Sunday morning as Les was finalizing his lesson he re-read many of the posts I have written about Rod.  I was upstairs when he came in laughing.  The laughter came from one of the comments on my first post about Rod called "My Hero."  Pastor Larry Montano left quite a comment, but this part is what had Les laughing so hard:

Then he would turn around do something goofy like complimenting the meatloaf we were eating....
"But that's not meatloaf Rod! That's my wife's chocolate cake!"

We have laughed about that all week.  Especially each time we had a piece of Les' birthday "meatloaf!"

Rod had a unique sense of humor.  I'm sure all his friends have stories of their own.  I still wonder how he did it some times.  He lived in so much pain, but he never lost his ability to laugh and make others around him laugh with him.  Larry also said, "Rod was the quickest, brightest wit I've ever known in my life. His was classy wit, not the sophomoric type that was cruel or demeaning. His wit was the type that would catch you so off-guard that you wouldn't realize he had just "got you", until he was well out of range."  Kids loved him because he was an overgrown kid himself!

In honor of Rod we ate real meatloaf this week, too.  I've posted this before using ground turkey, I used ground beef this time.  The key ingredient is barbecue sauce instead of tomato sauce or ketchup.

Meatloaf

1 lb. ground beef (96% fat free)
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup water
1 egg
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce, divided
1 pkg. meatloaf seasoning or onion soup mix

HEAT oven to 375°F.

PLACE meat, bread crumbs, water, eggs, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce in bowl, and seasoning mix.

MIX just until blended.
**If you have time, place the mix in the refrigerator for a few hours to the let the seasonings blend before baking.

SHAPE into loaf in baking dish.

TOP with remaining barbecue sauce.
Bake 1 hour or until done (160ºF).

These Boots were Made for Walkin’

Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.

It should come as no surprise that the fourth post on this blog was titled "S-H-O-E-S!!"  I've always loved shoes, and as I said in that post, "I'm like most women when it comes to shoes. I can never have too many. My motto: "If the shoe fits, buy it in every color." Of course with a size 5 foot, that's not always easy, but I try!"  I wrote about receiving five pairs of shoes that day...

How can I choose a favorite pair?  That would be like a mother choosing her favorite child!  Shoes that have taken me on adventures are definitely not the prettiest in the bunch, like these beauties...

But I can't resist purple!  Luckily for me, running shoes also come in purple...

And for your laugh of the day, here I am in my very own boots made for walkin', Thanksgiving 1970!

Pants on Fire

What was the last lie you told? Why did you tell it?

I thought this was an interesting writing prompt because it makes the assumption that we make a habit of telling lies!  There are times we think it would be easier to tell a "white" lie - perhaps we want to spare someone's feelings.  "Does this dress make me look fat?" is a dangerous question, but to not give an honest answer it to set your friend/spouse up for future embarrassment.  If the dress really does make me look fat (and I probably already know the answer if I'm asking) then please don't let me leave the house!  Telling someone "you're almost there" at mile 5 of a marathon is not only a lie, but anyone who has run 26.2 miles knows it!

One of my favorite stories to hear Les tell is from his high school band teacher.  I blogged about it on August 22, 2008:

Les attended White's Creek High School in Nashville, Tennessee. His band instructor was Mr. Robert S. Churchwell, Jr. Mr. Churchwell had high expectations of every student in his class and didn't let anyone get away with sloppiness. Lateness or coming to class without all the necessary materials was cause for the following:

Mr. C: Boy, why are you late?
Student: Aww, Mr. Churchwell...
Mr. C: Boy, you're lying to me!
and if you'll lie, you'll cheat!
and if you cheat, you'll steal!
and if you steal, you'll kill!
I don't want no murderers in my band class! Get out now!!!

I'm pretty sure Mr. Churchwell understood the words of Jesus from John 8:44, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it."

Our fallen nature wants to lie, cheat, steal and kill, but when we put on the whole armor of God that includes girding ourselves with truth.  Tell the truth!  It's easier to remember. 

Of course the biggest danger is when we lie to ourselves...

Fifteen Credits

Another school semester will soon begin. If you’re in school, are you looking forward to starting classes? If you’re out of school, what do you miss about it — or are you glad those days are over?

Les talked about Rod during his Sunday school lesson yesterday morning.  So many memories of my sweet brother!   I followed his footsteps through school, always just one grade behind him.  I posted our kindergarten class pictures way back in 2010...

Rod, May 1969

I love that we both stood in the same spot!  Front row, second from the left.  Click on the pictures for the full effect - if you look closely you'll even see that Rod has a black eye!

Me, May 1970

School has already started around here.  It seems like summer vacation gets shorter each year and then we're on a collision course with the holidays!  I loved elementary school, endured the awkwardness of middle school, and loved my final two years of high school at Truth Tabernacle Christian school, but I'm happy where I'm at now.

I'll ask you the questions from the top of this post:  If you’re in school, are you looking forward to starting classes? If you’re out of school, what do you miss about it — or are you glad those days are over?

Writing Prompts August 20-26

August 20 -The full moon

When the full moon happens, you turn into a person who’s the opposite of who you normally are. Describe this new you.

August 21 -Fifteen credits

Another school semester will soon begin. If you’re in school, are you looking forward to starting classes? If you’re out of school, what do you miss about it — or are you glad those days are over?

August 22 -Viral

The New York Times is going to feature your blog on its home page, and you’ve been asked to publish a new post — it’ll be the first thing tens of thousands of new readers see. Write it.

August 23 -Pants on fire

What was the last lie you told? Why did you tell it?

August 24 -These boots were made for walkin’

Tell us about your favorite pair of shoes, and where they’ve taken you.

August 25 -Secret of success

What would it take for you to consider yourself a “successful blogger”? Is that something you strive for?

August 26 -Funny ha-ha

Do you consider yourself funny? What role does humor play in your life? Who’s the funniest person you know?

Happy Birthday, Les!

Twenty eight years ago was the first time I celebrated Les' birthday with him.  We had officially met the night before at Camp Meeting (although I remember meeting him at Youth Convention.)  It was the first day of Senior Camp 1989

We've celebrated in a lot of ways through the years, but Les is doing what he loves most today - he's on a bike ride!  He was up at 3:00 a.m and out the door around 4:00 a.m.  Total distance for the day is going to be about 150 miles.

My contribution to the day is a German chocolate cake and homemade ice cream.

Happy birthday, my one and only!

Procrastination

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

Pictured above is a pile of receipts from our most recent trip to Hawaii.  We have been home for almost a month and they still haven't made it to an expense report.  There are also a handful of receipts in my email box that need to be added to the pile.  I know once I get going it really won't take long but I have just not wanted to do it!  Maybe today will be the day...

Drawing the Line

Can anything be funny, or are some things off limits?  Is political correctness a useful concept, or does it stifle honest discussion?

I decided to combine these two writing prompts because I think they are very similar.  A quick Google search of "political correctness" brought up over 18 million results.  Merriam Webster defines political correctness as "conforming to a belief that language and practices which could offend political sensibilities (as in matters of sex or race) should be eliminated."  The problem with political correctness is we are not all going to agree about what offends us.

What we really need to think about is what comes out of our mouths.  As I was thinking about this topic the phrase "the law of kindness" came to mind.  This comes from Proverbs chapter 31, the chapter about the virtuous woman.  Verse 26 says, "She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."  The commentaries on this verse are exceptional:

Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible:
She is discreet and obliging in all her discourse, not talkative, censorious, nor peevish, as some are, that know how to take pains; no, she opens her mouth with wisdom; when she does speak, it is with a great deal of prudence and very much to the purpose; you may perceive by every word she says how much she governs herself by the rules of wisdom. She not only takes prudent measures herself, but gives prudent advice to others; and this not as assuming the authority of a dictator, but with the affection of a friend and an obliging air: In her tongue is the law of kindness; all she says is under the government of that law. The law of love and kindness is written in the heart, but it shows itself in the tongue; if we are kindly affectioned one to another, it will appear by affectionate expression. It is called a law of kindness, because it gives law to others, to all she converses with. Her wisdom and kindness together put a commanding power into all she says; they command respect, they command compliance. How forcible are right words! In her tongue is the law of grace, or mercy (so some read it), understanding it of the word and law of God, which she delights to talk of among her children and servants. She is full of pious religious discourse, and manages it prudently, which shows how full her heart is of another world even when her hands are most busy about this world.

John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible:
When she opens her mouth, for it is not always open, she expresses herself in a discreet and prudent manner; as well as speaks of things not foolish and trifling, but of moment and importance, and of usefulness to others: or "concerning wisdom" (a); the church and people of Christ talk of the wisdom of God in the works of creation, providence, and redemption; of Christ, the Wisdom of God, and as made so to them; of the Gospel, the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom; and of wisdom in the hidden part, or the truth of grace in their souls; of their gracious experiences; nor will they suffer any foolish, filthy, and corrupt communication to proceed out of their mouths, but speak the pure language of Canaan; what is for the use of edifying, and being taken out of the Scriptures is profitable for instruction in righteousness.
"the law of love" (b), grace and mercy; which is the law of Christ, speaking kindly and tenderly to everyone, exhorting to acts of mercy and kindness, and doing them herself: or "the doctrine of grace is in her tongue" (c); the Gospel, which is called the Gospel of the grace of God, and the grace of God itself; it is the doctrine of the grace and love of God towards men in Christ, as it appears in their election in him and redemption by him; of the grace of Christ in his incarnation, sufferings, and death; and of the grace of the Spirit in regeneration, conversion, and sanctification; and which contains various doctrines of grace, as of justification, pardon of sin, and effectual calling; and of salvation itself, which is all of grace: and this doctrine of grace, in the several branches of it, the church, and all gracious souls, cannot forbear speaking of; it is often in their mouths, it dwells upon their tongues; and careful are they in other respects that their speech be seasoned with grace, and be such that ministers grace to the hearers. 

1599 Geneva Bible Translation Notes:
Her tongue is a book by which one might learn many good things: for she delights to talk of the word of God.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible:
The words which come from the lips of the true wife are as a law giving guidance and instruction to those that hear them; but the law is not proclaimed in its sterner aspects, but as one in which “mercy tempers justice,” and love, the fulfilling of the law, is seen to be the source from which it springs.

In the book "God is No Stranger" that I received when I visited Haiti in 1983 there is a prayer that I find fitting to this topic:

Lord,
Help us not to talk too much - Because talking too much is like driving too fast.
Sometimes the brakes are not good, and we pass by the place where we intended to stop.
When we talk too much, we know we go beyond the truth and we lie.
We also know that speaking too much derails us from life's track.

We would be wise to not speak too much and when we do speak, let the law of kindness always govern our tongues.

Writing Prompts August 13-19

August 13  -Drawing the line

Can anything be funny, or are some things off limits?

August 14 -Mirror, mirror, on the wall…

Think of your blog as a mirror: what does it reveal? Consider your blog name, theme choice, design, bio, posts… what does every element tell you about yourself?

August 15 -Freaky Friday

You experience your own Freaky Friday, and switch bodies with someone you love/hate. Tell us what happens.

August 16 -Standout

When was the last time you really stood out in a crowd? Are you comfortable in that position, or do you wish you could fade into the woodwork?

August 17 -Three-tenths

Scribble down the first ten words that come to mind. Pick three of them. There’s your post title. Now write!

August 18 -Procrastination

What have you been putting off doing? Why?

August 19 -On the edge

We all have things as need to do to keep an even keel —blogging, exercising, reading, cooking. What’s yours?

Friday Foodie

I sent Les an email on Sunday that said, "Berry or Peach?"  The email contained links to two cobblers I have made in the past.  His response was "Peach."  Of course you can't have peach cobbler without ice cream.  I decided to pull out our ice cream maker.  In the past I've cheated and used a mix to start my homemade ice cream, but I made it from scratch this time.  Six weeks from today is the first day of Fall, so stop thinking about pumpkin and make these!

Old Fashioned Vanilla Ice Cream
Makes 4 Quarts
2 1/4 cups sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 cups milk
4 eggs, beaten
4 cups whipping cream
2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1.  Combine sugar, flour and salt in saucepan.  Gradually stir in milk.  Cook over medium heat approximately 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly.
2.  Gradually stir about 1 cup of hot mixture into the beaten eggs.  Add egg mixture to remaining hot mixture, stirring constantly.  Cook 1 minute; remove from heat.  Refrigerate 2 hours.
3.  Combine whipping cream and vanilla in large bowl; add chilled mixture, stirring with wire whisk to combine.
4.  Freeze as directed.  Mine churned for 40 minutes.

I made this on Monday afternoon and left it to harden for several hours.  I had moved it to our freezer and was getting ready to make my cobbler when our electricity went out.  According to the Southern California Edison website our power would not be restored until 11:00 p.m.  I quickly revised my dinner and dessert plans since my oven is electric.  The ice cream was frozen enough that we did enjoy our first serving without the cobbler.

Peach Cobbler (previously posted on August 6, 2010)

4 Tablespoons Butter
3/4 cup All-purpose Flour
3/4 cup Sugar, Plus 1 Tablespoon
1 teaspoons Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoons Salt
3/4 cup Milk
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract, Divided
1 pounds Peaches, Peeled And Sliced (3-4 peaches)

1.  Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Put butter in a 13- by 9-inch baking pan; set in the oven to melt.
2.  Meanwhile, whisk flour, 1 1/2 cups of sugar, baking powder, and salt in small bowl. Whisk in milk and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract until smooth. Toss peaches with remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. When butter has melted, remove pan from oven. Pour batter into pan; arrange fruit over batter.
3.  Bake until batter turns golden brown, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I was able to make this on Tuesday and it was worth waiting for!

The cobbler is going to be gone before the ice cream, but we have chocolate syrup and root beer on hand so it will not go to waste... although it may go to waist...

Yawn

What bores you?

I had a hard time with this one!  When I asked Les about it we came to the conclusion that there are a lot of things that are boring to us but I didn't think of them because I don't do many of them.  But we also concluded that there are things that we do that others would find boring.

Les said that cooking is boring to him.  That is something I love to do!  I love having the time in the kitchen to create a wonderful meal.  I enjoy tweaking recipes and giving them my own twist.  I have a wonderful recipe to share this Friday - hint: you might want to buy some peaches...

I've had people ask me how I can run for over an hour.  "Isn't it boring?"  I rarely get bored during a run.  My mind is usually moving faster than my feet, I'm definitely not bored.

Driving is boring to me.  Even worse is being a passenger on a long trip.  I can read in an airplane, but not in a car so the time seems to slow and the miles seem endless. Standing in line is also boring.

I'm very thankful for variety.  It would be a boring world if we all liked the same things.  What if no one had every thought to combine chocolate and peanut butter?  Who thought to put tomato sauce on dough, top it with cheese, bake it and call it pizza?  I'm glad I don't have to wear only black clothes and shoes!

God created an amazing world of beauty and color.   Just visit a zoo and you'll be amazed at the variety of colors and sizes.  Even there we each have our favorites.  I love the big cats but please don't make me spend time with the reptiles.

You can tell me what bores you, but what I really want to know is how many of these pictures made you yawn?

Never Again

Have you ever gone to a new place or tried a new experience and thought to yourself, “I’m never doing that again!” Tell us about it. 

It took me about three seconds to come up with the answer to this question ~ Timeshare Presentation.

I think it was about 12 years ago.  A co-worker of Les' had a great deal for us to stay in a new resort on Maui.  We found super cheap flights and decided to go for it.  There was only one catch - we would need to go through a one hour timeshare presentation some time during our stay.

The presentation started off great.  Beautiful pictures of beautiful people in beautiful places.  Page after page.  We passed the one hour mark and our new friend kept right on going... and going...

We had booked another outing (I think we were going parasailing) and needed to be at the dock at a certain time.  When the presentation passed the 90 minute mark we started trying to leave.  We were NOT going to buy anything that day.  That is when our new friend really started putting on the pressure.  When we said we had to leave he tried to stop us.  It was not a pretty scene.  I think he even threatened to take back the gift certificate we were suppose to receive for attending.  He was very angry about watching a potential sales commission walk out the door.

In case you're wondering, here is a little info about timeshares that I found at The Street:

The American Resort Development Association (ARDA), a trade group for timeshare companies, said in 2012 that the average cost of a timeshare is around $19,000, with an annual maintenance fee of $660.

Read those ARDA numbers again. You are paying almost $100 per night in maintenance for a week’s stay and you already paid $20,000 for that week.

As you can see, this is not a small purchase!  I don't know about other people, but Les and I would never spend this amount of money without careful consideration.  We never buy large ticket items without a lot of research and budgeting.  We've taken some amazing vacations, but we have planned them for months. We certainly wouldn't buy in a pressure situation such as that one.

We finally escaped the building with a very angry presenter walking us to the door.  We looked at each other and said, "Never again!"  And we have stuck to that commitment.  I can't tell you how many offers we have been given through the years - "Come see our timeshare..."  "No, thank you!"  Each time it has happened, Les and I have just looked at each other and laughed.  "Never again!"

Have you ever had a "never again" experience?

Writing Prompts August 6-12

It's time for week two - here we go!

August 6 -Everything changes

Walking down the street, you encounter a folded piece of paper on the sidewalk. You pick it up and read it and immediately, your life has changed. Describe this experience.

August 7 -Never again

Have you ever gone to a new place or tried a new experience and thought to yourself, “I’m never doing that again!” Tell us about it.

August 8 -(YAWN)

What bores you?

August 9 -Smell you later

Humans have very strong scent memory. Tell us about a smell that transports you.

August 10 -Moved to tears

Describe the last time you were moved to tears by something beautiful.

August 11 -P.C.

Is political correctness a useful concept, or does it stifle honest discussion?

August 12 -Life line

You’re on a long flight, and a palm reader sitting next to you insists she reads your palm. You hesitate, but agree. What does she tell you?

Friday Foodie Weekly Favorite

I don't always cook something new, but we definitely don't eat out every night.  Typically we eat out on Friday night.  That means lots of meals in Kathy's kitchen.  Many recipes make more than one meal for us, so I can usually slide by with two or three recipes and count on leftovers for the other nights.  I thought I'd start sharing my favorite recipe for the week.  You can find all the recipes I've posted through the years on my Friday Foodie page.

This week's favorite was Chicken Parmigiana over Spaghetti.  I posted the original recipe in 2012.  I did not make my own pasta this time - I ran out of Semolina flour and my grocery store didn't have any so I just used plain spaghetti.

Chicken Parmigiana

2 chicken breasts, thinly sliced, then cut in half
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs

1 1/2 cups Marinara sauce
1/2 cup grated Italian cheese blend

1.  Preheat oven to 400.  Place bread crumbs in shallow plate.  Dip chicken in eggs and then in bread crumbs on both sides to coat evenly.  Fry in hot oil about 2 minutes on each side.

2.  Pour 1/2 cup marinara sauce in bottom of baking dish.  Place chicken on sauce in one even layer.  Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese.

3.  Bake uncovered 8 to 10 minutes until cheese melts and sauce is bubbly.

This is SO good and easy!

Green-Eyed Monster

Write an anonymous letter to someone you’re jealous of.

Merriam-Webster defines jealous:

1. 1 :  hostile toward a rival or one believed to enjoy an advantage :  envious His success made his old friends jealous. They were jealous of his success.
2. 2a :  intolerant of rivalry or unfaithfulness jealous of the slightest interference in household management — Havelock Ellisb :  disposed to suspect rivalry or unfaithfulness a jealous husband
3. 3 :  vigilant in guarding a possession new colonies were jealous of their new independence — Scott Buchanan

Jealousy.  What a topic!  When I read this prompt last week I started searching my heart.  Is there someone I am jealous of?  I thought about this a lot and I can honestly say there is not.  Are there people who enjoy an advantage of me?  Of course!  I don't have to look far to find those who are smarter, richer, thinner, run faster, play the piano and sing better, or cook finer meals.  But I am not jealous of them.

Jealousy is poisonous.  It hurts relationships, but it hurts the one who is jealous most of all.

I asked Les this question this morning, "Where does jealousy begin?"  We came up with several ways - low self esteem, lack of gratefulness, discontentment, comparison.  One of my favorite quotes is, "Comparison is the thief of joy."  When we start comparing ourselves to others, we lose sight of all the good in our lives.

Proverbs 6:34 says, "For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance."  John Gill's commentary said, "Fills a man with rage against him of whom he is jealous; which keeps boiling within him, till he has an opportunity of venting it: and very severe it is; it is strong as death, and cruel as the grave."  Jealousy boils inside us until we boil over.

In Paul's letter to the Galatians he lists the works of the flesh in chapter 5 verses 19-21.  In the middle of a list that includes adultery, fornication, hatred, and murder, he includes envyings.  Envy is another word for jealousy.  Jealousy is a work of the flesh which John Gill describes as, "uneasy distressing tortures of the mind, grieving at the good of others, that any should be in an equal, or in a better condition than themselves."

What is the antidote to jealousy?  Following Paul's list of the works of the flesh, he lists the fruit of the Spirit, "love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.  And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts."  We have to be filled with the Spirit of God to overcome the works of our flesh.  When love, joy and peace fill us there is no room for comparison and jealousy.

Philippians 4:11 says "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content."  Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible had some powerful things to say about this verse: 

"That is, to have a contented mind. Paul says that he had “learned” this. Probably by nature he had a mind as prone to impatience as others, but he had been in circumstances fitted to produce a different state of feeling. He had had ample experience and, in his life of trials, he had acquired invaluable lessons on the subject. He had had abundant time for reflection, and he had found that there was grace enough in the gospel to enable him to bear trials with resignation. The considerations by which he had been taught this, he does not state; but they were probably such as the following: that it is wrong to complain at the allotments of Providence; that a spirit of impatience does no good, remedies no evil, and supplies no want; that God could provide for him in a way which he could not foresee, and that the Saviour was able abundantly to sustain him. A contented mind is an invaluable blessing, and is one of the fruits of religion in the soul. It arises from the belief that God is right in all his ways. Why should we be impatient, restless, discontented? What evil will be remedied by it? what want supplied? what calamity removed? “He that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast” Proverbs 15:15; and one of the secrets of happiness is to have a mind satisfied with all the allotments of Providence. The members of the Episcopal church beautifully pray, every day: “Give us minds always contented with our present condition.” No prayer can be offered which will enter more deeply into all our happiness on earth."

Contentment or jealousy, it's a choice, and we can't have both.

A House Divided

Pick a divisive issue currently in the news. Write a two-part post in which you take on two personas and approach the topic from both sides. Bonus points for a creative format (roundtable discussion, debate transcript, etc.)

As I mentioned yesterday, I strive to keep it positive here on my blog.  I dread confrontation, even if I know I'm right.  I don't like to put people on the defensive.  I prefer to live peaceably with all men.  I've received a few negative comments through the years (all anonymous, of course!)  I have chosen not to respond.  What would be the purpose?  If someone feels the need to tear me apart, that doesn't change who I am.  Yes, it hurts, but fighting back won't make me feel better.

So... I am not following today's prompt!  It goes against what I want my blog to be.  I might post something that people don't agree with, but it is never my intention to be disagreeable.  Didn't we just survive the most divisive election season?  Ugh, no, I'm not going there.  I'm re-posting something I wrote six years ago.  Key sentences from that post are:

This blog is my stone...  Since this is my blog, I'll share my blond moments, but not my bad moments.

This is the complete post titled "Written in Sand or Stone?"

I read an interesting article in the most recent Weight Watchers magazine. The topic was social media and how it affects us. The main focus was on Facebook, but blogs and tweets were also mentioned. One quote that really caught my attention was:

Beware of Boast Posts
Too many chirpy status updates from a virtual friend can hurt your self-esteem, says Alex Jordan, PhD, a psychologist at Dartmouth College's Tuck School of Business in Hanover, NH. If your friend's posts prove more demoralizing than motivating, unfriend her fast.

This made me question my blog. Am I hurting someone's self-esteem with my posts? That is the last thing I want to do. Part of my profile says, "my hope for this blog is to be an encouragement and a blessing, or maybe just bring a smile on a dreary day."

I don't post when I'm having a bad day. This isn't my "venting place." Some may think I am sugar-coating my life or not keeping it real. I am blessed beyond my wildest dreams, but let me just clarify:

• I am human.
• I am a Female human.
• I have bad days.
• I don't always want to run or ride my bike or eat healthy.
• I need to pray and read my Bible more than I do.
• I need to mop my kitchen floor (really bad!)
• I have piles of laundry every week.
• At least one load will be full of smelly running and cycling clothes.
• If you cut me I will bleed.
• If you say something mean to me, I will (hopefully) bite my tongue and walk away.
• And hurt, and possibly cry about it later.

Every single text message, email, Facebook update, blog post, tweet, etc., can be retrieved. You can delete it from your phone or your computer, but it is never gone. Police departments, insurance companies, future employers, and lawyers, can all get to electronic information. It is written in stone...

Two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything,wrote in the sand:

"Today my best friend slapped me in the face."

They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:

"Today my best friend saved my life."

The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"

The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

Learn to write your hurts in the sand, and to carve your benefits in stone.
~ Author Unknown

This blog is my stone. When someone hurts me, I won't be writing it here. My hope is not to make others unhappy with their own lives, but to be an encouragement. If you know me, you know I've buried my dear brother and my godly mother. My life is not, nor has ever been, perfect. I want to learn from hurts and mistakes, but not dwell on them.

One of my greatest possessions is Mom's Bible. She received it on her 47th birthday ~ my current age (my current age is 53, but I was 47 when I first posted this.) She carried it until her death. It was this Bible that she carried during an 8 year battle with cancer and the loss of Rod. I know of some very hurtful things that were said to her during those years. I know she was very sick. At times she was discouraged. But I counted the many sayings and quotations written inside the covers of her Bible. There are nearly 100 of them. There are only a few that mention her cancer. Written in the stone of Mom's Bible are:

• A smile can brighten someone's day.
• Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its strength.
• HIS GRACE IS SUFFICIENT.
• I can see to the corner, but God sees around the corner... don't worry (from Sis. Mary Coursey)
• I'm a Happy Camper
• Lately I've got Leavin' on my mind.
• Prayer is the Christian's mightiest weapon.
• Gratitude is a seasoning for all seasons.
• Not the greatness of our troubles, but the littleness of our spirit makes us complain.
• Every miracle begins with an impossibility.
• One who uses the Bible as his guide never loses his sense of direction.

On and on it goes. Faith. Trust. Hope. Prayer. Even the ones about her cancer show her faith in God:

• 4-27-90 - Black day for me - but God is in charge. Cancer is not too hard for my God.
• Dec. 3, 1996 - Bone cancer - arms, legs, spine, pelvis - I need God.

Since this is my blog, I'll share my blond moments, but not my bad moments. I want to make you think, laugh, and hope ~ because the God I serve came to bring life and that more abundantly. He's certainly given it to me.

I'll close this post with one more quote from Mom's Bible:

Repeat to yourself and store in memory some good thought everyday.
Look for something beautiful everyday, no matter where you are.
Do something kind and helpful for someone everyday.

What are you writing in stone?