Wednesday HodgePodge on Friday - what can I say?

Since I haven’t been blogging much lately, thought I would jump in here on Friday afternoon . . .for Wednesday HodgePodge.  Sure – why not?  The office officially closed two minutes ago but my co-worker, Laura Ellis and I are staying for the service at 6:30.  A church member just dropped off warm hot cross buns . . . they are yummy.  Yummy things makes the wait so much better!!  So here goes with the hodgepodge questions:

1. Has spring sprung in your little corner of the world? Other than the calendar how would I know? What's your favorite thing about spring?  

Spring has sprung and she is a lovely lady . . .BUT I wish she would leave her pollen at home.  In Alabama, we have a gorgeous spring – there are plum and pear and cherry trees blooming, the dogwoods are beginning to bloom, there are tulips and daffodils and countless other blooming plants like forsythia.  There is color everywhere but with that color comes YELLOW pollen.  Our cars are yellow; our drive ways are yellow; our porches and porch cushions are yellow.  I love spring and all her colors and her blue skies and her puffy white clouds but I can’t be outside for more than a few minutes or I pay the price.

2. Besides the weather, what's put a spring in your step recently? We have our first grandbaby – a little girl born a little over a week ago.  Her name is Emma Katherine and she is beautiful!!  I wasn’t sure how I would feel about being a grandmother but I fell in love with her the minute she was placed in my arms!

3. How does Easter impact you?  I’m a Christian so Easter is a big deal.  Today is Good Friday – We remember how Christ was crucified and tonight’s service will be a service of darkness.  The scripture will be read; songs will be sung; a nail will be hammered; a candle will be extinguished . . .until the sanctuary is in darkness.  We will leave in silence.  It is such a powerful service.  I am truly grieving the death of my savior as we leave the building.  Tomorrow will be a day of waiting.  Usually on that Saturday, I just stay around the house and cook for Easter and I’m usually in a contemplative mood.  I am going to do something different tomorrow.  I’m going to take my daughter and daughter-in-law for an early morning pedicure . . .and then I think I’ll cook and think and listen to music afterwards.  Mark will be at the farm and Laura is going to babysit so that Glenn and Lauren can do something – get a cup of coffee, go to the store , take a nap – whatever.

4. I saw this somewhere on Facebook and thought it would make a fun Hodgepodge question. Which of the following would you find most disappointing...

a just stuffed taco shell breaking open and spilling out before you take the first bite? dropping a just-purchased Starbucks/Dunkin Donuts coffee? opening the peanut butter jar and finding it empty? upending onto the sidewalk a just-purchased ice cream cone? a burnt bagel popping up in your toaster when you're rushing breakfast? or cutting into an avocado and finding out it's rotten? 

What a cute question!! It is always so sad to me, when I cut into an avocado and it is rotten.  So often, the avocado feels just right when I gently press and then BOOM it has lots of black inside.  I think the avocado would be my most disappointing.  I could eat the taco with a fork.  The empty peanut butter jar would annoy me.  I might be pretty sad if I dropped an ice cream cone!

5. What's something held together with tape at your house? Or a paper clip? Or a wing and a prayer? I can’t think of a thing.  Since we have a new house (18 months old) most things are still holding together . . .Oh I know!! I gave Mark a new weight bench for Christmas.  When he slit open the box, he slit the seat on his new weight bench and it is taped together with duct tape.  You have to understand – poor old Mark – he always gets the broken gift or it breaks within minutes of opening.  It is the craziest phenomenon.

6. Do you feel underappreciated? In what way? If I did, I’m not sure that I would broadcast it on my blog.  I will say that recently, in a meeting, I felt slightly underappreciated.  Everyone who had participated in a project was recognized and my name was omitted.  I actually cried on the way home from the meeting.  I’m good now, though!   In most areas of my life, I feel appreciated.  My boss, Brian, seems to appreciate me (or either he is a really good liar and since he is a preacher, I hope I can believe him J)  The young adults on Tuesday night seem to appreciate the home cooked meals.  One of our other ministers is a great encourager and he is always telling me that I’m doing a good job.  I teach Sunday school and I feel appreciated.  As I’m typing these words I’m thinking that we don’t really DO any of the things we do in life wanting appreciation.  As a Christian, every single thing I do should be done for God’s glory and his glory alone.  He’s a good good father – It’s who he is!  I’m loved by him – It’s who I am!  So – he is the only one I should worry about pleasing.

7. What's something you'd build if you knew how? Oh wow – the possibilities are endless!  If I had room, I would love some raised garden beds with tomato and squash plants.  If I knew how, I would build something similar to this scrapbox – it costs about $1500.  I was thinking that I would buy one to replace all the mismatched furniture in my craft room.  It would also free up enough space to put a day bed in that room.  We really need one more bed for when my sister, nephew, and Laura are all at the house.  It is actually called the Workbox 2.0 and when you close it all up, the doors are beadboard and it looks so nice.  The website says it takes 10 hours to put it together.  Surely I could learn to build one, right?

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Being a Gran is awesome. I truly had no idea.  I had asked a couple of friends if I would have to “learn to love” a grandchild.  NOPE!  Instantaneous!!  Several people told me that having a grandchild would “change my world.”  I can see how that is going to happen!  This sweet grandbaby of mine is the first great grandchild, too.  My mother-in-law told us all that she had waited a long time for this!!  Hopefully, we will get a picture this weekend of all four generations - Grandmother, Mark, Glenn and Emma.

Satisfying, Sumptuous, Savory Saturdays -- Apple Roll

Satisfying, Sumptuous, Savory Saturdays

 

We are always looking for NEW things to serve our friends when they come over for dinner.  This is actually an OLD recipe.  Mark's momma has always made what she calls "apple roll" and everyone LOVES it.  (three words in all caps already - whew!)

So, I google "recipe for Apple Roll" - I found a few similar things but there was nothing out there just like hers.  I read a million recipes and couldn't find one that sounded just right.  When all else failed, I texted my sister-in-law, Susie, in Delaware, and asked her if she had the recipe.

 

My text back from her said, "I am not home but this is basically it."

 

I made it - it is delicious - you should try it!

 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

 

Cut up enough apples for at least two cups.  My friend, Amy, told me about cutting/eating apples this way.  There is so little waste!!  Cut across the apple and make round slices - then just cut out the tiny core and chop away.  You can see that the apples are not finely chopped - rough chop.  You want big enough pieces so they don't disintegrate.  I buy nice apples - I rarely buy the kind in the prepackaged bag.  These look like gala or honey crisp. (I made this in December so I don't remember all the details)

 

 

Mix apples (you can have way more than 2 cups) with about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of sugar, a healthy sprinkling of cinnamon, and a stick of melted butter.

 

I love this picture below.  The winter sun was shining into the house through the little trees on my island!!  Take one box of pastry (the kind you buy on the canned biscuit aisle).  Lay the two circles out on a big piece of parchment paper and roll them into one rectangle.

 

It doesn't have to be perfect.

 

This picture should have been up above -- I was pouring the melted butter over the chopped apples.

 

Take approximately two cups of those apples and spread them down the pastry.

 

Roll it up.  See my big knife.  I think I bought it at Walmart and it is a good knife!!

 

Cut the one long apple roll into two pieces and place in a 9 X 13 pan (this is my ugly pan - it is the pan I bake brown sugar brownies in . . also, a recipe from Mark's mom.  I didn't know how to bake AT ALL when I married Mark.  She has been a good teacher.

 

Pile all those other apples all around in the pan.  The more the better.  They will taste really good.  I hate to tell you this but after you get them in the pan - before you put it in the oven - pour about a cup of sugar over the top plus a little more melted butter.  I never said this was a low calorie nor low fat dessert.  I simply said it was good.

 

Put pan in hot oven until pastry starts to brown.  Just stand there and watch it.  I set the timer in few minute increments and it seems like it took 10-12 minutes for it to start browning - maybe longer.

 

This is the weirdest step of all.  Put one cup of water in a glass measuring cup and put it in your microwave and heat it until it is boiling.  Pour one cup boiling water on top of all; reduce oven to 350 degrees and keep on baking.

 

I made the apple roll the night before our friends were coming over (in case it was a flop!!).  I preheated the oven to 350 and when we sat down to eat our dinner, I put the apple roll back in the oven to warm.  Why?  Because you serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and it needs to be warm.

 



 

You can tell that this is an old recipe.  There are not a lot of exact measurements.  It is so delicious.  Hope you will make an apple roll for your family (or yourself - share with someone!!) and tell me if you love it.

Awestruck Wonder . . .

In my head, I have a bucket list . . .not a large one . . .but there are a couple of items on my list.  One thing on my list is that I desperately want to see the Northern Lights  - aurora borealis.  I'm going to see that wonderful display someday!!

I know that I have a few friends who read my blog so I wasn't too surprised when one of my friends sent me a text this morning.  She told me to go to a certain place in the church and grab a copy of a book that she had started reading this morning.  She wanted me to do this because she had read my blog last night.

The name of the book she recommended is Wonder Struck - Awaken to the Nearness of God.  The book has been sitting on my desk all day but I've been busy!!  I just opened it and was amazed that on the first page or so, the author shares about seeing the Northern Lights and how she watched the lights dance in the sky.  Then I read these words, "It occurred to me that this is the posture we're supposed to take in our spiritual journeys.  God delights for us to cup our hands in prayer and scrunch our faces against the vault of heaven in holy expectation that he will meet us in beautiful, mysterious ways.  The Creator desires to captivate us not just with his handiwork but with himself - displaying facets of his character, igniting us with his fiery love, awakening us to the intensity of his holiness . . .the insistent invitation of the spirit is to stay alert!  Eyes wide open. Hands pressed against the glass.  We never know when or how God will appear. But we can live each day trusting that the God who met us in the past will once again greet us with arms wide open in the future."

Once again, God has used one of his folks here on earth to be his hands and feet and eyes and ears . . .and text messenger . . .to speak . . .to nudge.

Speak Lord for your servant is listening.  Speak!

The author of the book is Margaret Feinberg - I've read a grand total of about ten pages . . .but wow! I can't wait to read more.

Surgery, Life, Holy Land, Who Is This Man?, Baby Emma, Doubting, Crazy Life

The title of this post is about as crazy as life has been.  Glenn asked me about my blog during one of his recent hospital stays.  I simply said, "I haven't been able to write."   Sometimes the well dries up and my well has been really dry.  This weekend, I decided to write some stuff down and just let the words tumble out . . .so here goes.  I know that God has been with our family.  We've felt his presence during all of Glenn's hospital stays and surgery.  I felt his presence when I was in Israel . . .but I have still been in a season of doubt.  I'm 57 years old and I don't think I've ever experienced such a strange season before.  I was going through all the motions of being a Christian - I went to church every Sunday; I sang the hymns; I prayed the corporate prayers; I taught/facilitated Sunday School and Tuesday nights; I went to my accountability group (this is actually where I realized I had a problem!!).  One of the things we ask each other in the accountability group is "What was your closest moment to Christ this week?" I didn't have any moments closest.  Oh, I'm sure I came up with a few . . and I'm sure that those moment probably were my closest . . but I haven't been close to Jesus in quite some time. 

Glenn has suffered from some major health concerns over the last three years.  His health had improved slightly until he suffered a setback in October.  From October through January, I felt like we were on a roller coaster.  I can't imagine what he and Lauren felt like.  On top of Glenn's health concerns, our daughter took a job out of town and purchased her first house.  (she has it fixed up soooo cute)

on top of that, our daughter-in-law is expecting our first grandchild - coming very soon!

Baby Shower this weekend

 

We also lost a dear aunt; we celebrated some milestone family birthdays; we took a mini vacation to Nashville (one night and lots of laughter); and the list goes on and on . . .now add in a faith crisis; a major surgery for Glenn and a ten day trip to Israel (and in the last 9 months - I also have a new boss and we've added another Trinity campus and the list goes on)

 

I imagine you are wishing that I didn't want to share so freely, right?

 

"What has changed?" you ask.  Oh - you didn't ask?  Well, as Mark says, "I'm going to tell you anyway."

 

While Glenn was in the hospital (three times including a stay over Halloween, a discharge on December 23 (just in time for Christmas) and surgery the week before my trip, the body of Christ stepped up and went into action.  People sat with us at the hospital; people dropped off snacks for us; people prayed; people filled up a "take them a meal" calendar before I could blink; people have showered Lauren and baby E with gifts and love; people have loved on Laura every time she has been home.  Then I went to Israel.  I walked where Jesus walked.  I sat on the teaching steps where Mary and Joseph probably walked and Jesus probably sat.  I went to Jericho where Zaccheus climbed up in the tree.  AND God quietly worked on my heart.

 

BUT God (I love those words!) BUT God wasn't finished yet.  For Lent, we started studying Who Is This Man? By John Ortberg.  I highly recommend it.  I also started reading scripture and praying in the mornings (I did it for a LOOOONG time - years - and then stopped).  This morning, as I was reading scripture (which jumps off the page now because I have been to THOSE places!!), I realized that I had prayed a long long long time ago "God, make me hungry for your words.". This morning, I realized that I was HUNGRY to read scripture.  The word is indeed alive.  God is real, y'all.  Jesus is real.  Mark and I  went to church this morning (traditional and contemporary) and Sunday School.  It was powerful today - because God is real and I was hungry to hear the word. 

 

God may not always answer our prayers the way we want . . . he might not answer them in the time frame that we expect . . but God is always with us.  He was waiting on me with open arms when I returned - he let me run right into his arms.

 

I don't know about y'all but I need Jesus.  (I know this is a preachy post - I can't help it).  I know this probably doesn't even make much sense but I just need to record what has happened.

 

The title is indeed quite fitting . . .it has been a crazy year.  BUT God continues to show up.  Praise be to God!  I definitely have some moments close to Christ now!

 



2016 - really?

I just looked . . .I haven't posted anything since November 2, 2015.  Life has moved too quickly to document it, perhaps?  Actually, I think I have crawled inside my shell and have just stayed there.  Not totally true either (though I did just recently decide that I'm an extrovert with introverted tendencies) - hmmm. . . . .I've worked lots (advent when you work on a church staff is a little like super bowl week) . . . I've prayed lots (pregnant daughter-in-law, son with health issues, daughter living two hours away in a new job among other things). . . I've eaten lots (did you know that folks bring food to the church almost every day during the holidays - really good food!!).  I've walked lots (trying to build myself up for the Holy Land trip).

Every year, I make a pledge that I'm going to blog more often.  Probably not going to happen again.  I'll try!

To be honest, I just can't believe we are in the year 2016.  Where did 1986 go?  Seems like I blinked and morphed from being a new mother myself to a time of waiting on our first grandchild.  Mother to Gran in a split second - really!!

So - I read a devotion the other day that said instead of praying for things to be easier and better that we should be praying for "it to matter" - no matter what "it" is - either good or bad or indifferent.  I guess that is sort of like praying that whatever happens in our lives - God will be glorified.  I don't think I ever realized how hard it is to pray that prayer. . . until I became a mother.

Not sure where 2016 is going to take us . . but I do know that God will be with us.  Baby Jesus was born. 

I Promise that these are different crawfish!

I just found these pictures already loaded and realized that I never blogged about them!  Our son and daughter-in-law had a crawfish boil sometime this last year!!  Their dog, Riley, was fascinated by those crawfish.  These are not the crawfish from the lake at the farm!

Just FYI - this is a lot of crawfish --  A LOT!

They also bought beverages.  I'll bet that you thought I was showing you the view and the beautiful day.

They played cornhole with the set that we gave to Glenn last year.  A local guy had posted on one of the community pages on facebook that he made custom cornhole sets.  I bought one for Glenn and it is really nice.  Riley thought they were throwing those bean bags JUST for her.

Let me just tell you that this food was so hot it burned my mouth!! Whew!  It was a fun evening and we enjoyed getting to know some of their friends!!

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Join up over at From This Side of the Pond for Hodgepodge Wednesday

1. Are you comfortable with silence? If you're home alone, do you like silence or do you need regular background noise? Do you seek out times and places to be silent? What's your favorite place to find silence/be silent? I love silence! Not all of the time but I NEED some silence every day. I’m an extrovert but I have to re-charge. My husband loves to listen to music and has a play list he wants to listen to every morning when we are getting ready for work. Sometimes I close the door so I can’t hear it because I just need some silence! I also rarely listen to the radio in the car (unless I’m in hubby’s car) for the same reason.  If I’m home alone, I rarely turn the tv on . . .on the other hand, my husband walks through the door and turns on the tv.

2. October 28th is National Chocolate Day. Can't let that go by without a mention now, can we? Will you celebrate? How? Let's say you can have one of the following right this very minute... a cup of hot chocolate, a strawberry dipped in chocolate, a bowl of plain chocolate ice cream, or a slice of chocolate pie...what's your pleasure? I love chocolate (just like I love silence!!).  How creative of me to start both answers the same way – NOT! I shouldn’t admit this, but I just ate a Reese cup because a co-worker brought it to me from the children’s Halloween parade in our day care.  I like hot chocolate when it is cold outside – maybe in January? (I live in Alabama and it is not cold here today) I like chocolate pie! I’m not too big on fruit and chocolate and I prefer Moose Tracks or something like that over plain chocolate ice cream.

3. How do you feel about blue jeans? Favorite thing in the world to wear or nope, don't own a single pair? How often do you wear blue jeans in a typical week? Do you own a blue jean jacket? I want to love blue jeans. Maybe if I were skinny, I would enjoy them more. I love denim skirts – I have several. I have a denim jacket – two, I think! In the winter, I probably wear jeans once a week. In the other months – never.

4. Are you superstitious? If so, in what way? I should respond that I am not superstitious – I’ve always heard that Christians shouldn’t be superstitious . . .BUT I think I am about a couple of things.  My sister and I were talking just yesterday about the fact that we could never call in sick if we aren’t really sick . . .because our mom always made us believe that if we lied about it, we would get sick.  Typing those words makes me realize how silly it sounds.  If I spill salt, I always through some over both shoulders! I think it is just habit – not really superstition!!  I started working on this several hours ago and just haven't had time to finish BUT my brain has still been processing.  We always eat black eye peas and greens on New Year's Day for luck and money in the new year.  I also have a tendency to lift my feet (if I'm not driving) when we drive over railroad tracks.  All of these are just fun habits. I don't think that I actually think something is going to happen if I don't do them (though as I've typed these things, I've wondered if I'm crazy!!).

5. If you had to come up with a costume using only things you have on hand right now, what could you come up with? I’ve been wracking my brain on this one. I can’t think of anything I have at home for a GOOD costume. I have some red bandana fabric so maybe a kerchief around my neck and some jeans (which I do own even though I don’t wear often) and a shirt . . . cowgirl? Or I could use those same things and be Rosie the Riveter by adding a nametag? Or maybe I could cut out a big black P and put it on my white t-shirt and use eyeliner to black my eye and I could go as a black eye pea!!

6. What scares you a little? What do you do when you feel scared? Vampires scare me a lot. Even the lovey dovey vampires. If I watch anything with vampires, I have nightmares.  Isn't that ridiculous for a woman who is my age???  Something else that scares me a little . . .I stay by myself a good bit when Mark goes to the farm. Sometimes I might hear a noise that frightens me A LITTLE and I usually pull the covers over my head and say a prayer!  I usually go back to sleep.

7. Perhaps today will be the day I _______ -- win a million dollars?? Start a diet and stick with it? run a marathon? (not!) Act like Christ more often? Stay for Brian’s Bible study on Esther tonight instead of going home and crashing?

8.  Insert your own random thought here. I work in an amazing place. Today we found out about a momma with multiple children who is in a hard place.  She is a hair stylist.  Our boss (the senior minister) sent out an email asking if anyone needed a haircut? If so, we could schedule her to come to the church. The email popped into everyone’s inboxes and immediately responses started.  We have a large list of folks who want a haircut (who probably don’t really need one), we have an envelope of contributions (one staff member said that as she read the email, she felt led to give everything in her wallet . . .and she did – another staff member from our janitorial staff brought a sacrificial cash offering, too . . .along with several other monetary gifts from staff members), we are pounding her with non-perishable food, etc. and we are having a party . . . on Monday.  All because #lovedoestrinitydoes . . .all because Jesus gave the greatest gift ever!  There are days when all of us don’t want to go to work, but working here at Trinity . . . those days are few and far between.  Days like today are extra special!