STUFF!

It is hard to believe that my folks just got 10 inches of snow on Sunday night while we are enjoying spring- (almost summer) like temps.  One of my hyacinths is in bloom and many daffodils in the area are showing their color.  I have not been back in the garden but hope to get some planting done tomorrow before the showers come in on Friday. 

I am enjoying the wireless internet at the library right now.  Wow!  what a difference in the speed that I can accomplish things online.  I had to download some lectures for hubby and this was definitely the way to go.  About 2 minutes vs. 3-4 hours.  While I am here ... I think I will look for some light reading, perhaps on simplifying.  I am trying to look forward to how I can simplify if God were to call us to live in a travel trailer, or if God were to have a smaller home for us after hubby's schooling.  It is so easy to get attached to earthly possessions and I would like to avoid being burdened with STUFF.

Most of my "womans work" right now involves gardening and music lessons.  I am in the process of practicing for a violin recital.  I am not looking forward to it, but I can't get out of it this year.  I get the privilege of playing the violin and accompanying the others (and myself via recording) on the piano.  I sure wish that I could just do the piano part!

Have a good day! 

Cajun Chicken

One of my friends from Poughkeepsie sent me this recipe

 - along with a sample batch of spices - last week. 

It was a BIG hit!  Thanks, Tricia!

1 1/2 T paprika

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp sage

3/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 tsp garlic powder

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

3 tsp butter

On a large dinner plate,

combine seasonings and coat chicken with seasoning mixture on both sides. 

Heat butter over med-high heat, but don't let it turn brown.

Put chicken in the pan, reduce heat to med. 

Cook on both sides until dark brown, a total of 6-8 min, or until cooked thoroughly.

My friend serves it warm with pasta, or cold on a salad.

It would also be good warm or cold in a wrap.

The seasoning combination could also be mixed it olive oil

and drizzled over potatoes before roasting in the oven.



Update:  The meeting with the Sudanese men was postponed until the beginning of March - please continue to pray that we would be able to reach these men and that they in turn would reach their country.

Is it spring yet?

It was a beautiful day yesterday.  The temps were in the high 70's!  Needless to say, I was outside.   I planted the peas, as well as some parsnips, carrots, and lettuce.  I have not had much with parsnips, but I keep trying.  Perhaps some onions, beets, more carrots, and more lettuce will go in this coming week ... definitely by the first of March!

It is another beautiful day today, though not as warm.  Unfortunately, it is cleany day ... but I do have the windows open to let the breeze pass through.

Tomorrow will be another busy day.  Hubby has some more opportunities to minister to a group of Sudanese men.  Pray that they would understand the need for separation from false doctrines. 

Doughnut Day (or close to it)

The anniversary of our first date has become a tradiional celebration.  On that first date, exactly one week after we were introduced, we went out for doughnuts with the family that lived near us at the time (a brother, sister-in-law, 2 nephews - one a mere 9 days old, and a niece).  AAH .. Bella Nappoli's - simply amazing Italian goodies. 

We don't have an Italian Bakery (or maybe we do?) but hubby stopped at Wally World to pick up SOMETHING to celebrate with. 

He said that the doughnuts looked sad

... but the Apple Fritters

... YUM!

How did we celebrate?

I told you that I just LOVE Valentine's Day!  Of course, I celebrated it.

Pizza for lunch

with heart shaped meat,

roasted red pepper and artichoke heart hugs (x's),

and olive slice kisses (o's).

Sparkling blueberry lemonade to drink

(quite the find at our discount grocery)

hubby's favorite - Tapenade

(a dip/spread made of olives)

exchange of valentines

hubby got a Kim Anderson card for me

I just love those children photos in black and white!

an afternoon walk in the beautiful sunshine

(including a look at the babies at the sheep farm)

Dinner at IHOP

(I am so thankful for the BOGO coupon I found this weekend)

"gourmet" coffees from the local OneStop

 - we both picked English Toffee

Hope you had a great day as well!

Do you ignore the day?

celebrate on the day?

or avoid the chaos and celebrate on another day?



Happy Valentines Day!

I love Valentine's Day.  Perhaps it is a love that I gained as a child when my mom would make heart shaped sugar cookies for each child in my class AND pipe individual names on each one.  Perhaps it is a love that I picked up as a teacher.  Oh, the excitement of the Valentine's Day party.  Perhaps it is because I met my hubby around this time 9 years ago.  Perhaps it is the decorations.  Perhaps it is the hearts, the flowers, the candies.  Or maybe I am just in love with love!

We sat in church yesterday and sang songs that reminded us of God's great and unsurpassing love. 

 "Amazing love, how can it be, that thou, my God, shouldst die for me."

John 3:16

For God so loved the world,

that he gave his only begotten Son,

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

but have everlasting life.

I John 4:19

We love him, because he first loved us.

A little date

Well, hubby did take pictures on Saturday night so you can see my dress experiment.

I was pleased with the dress, because usually when I sew for myself,

 the garment doesn't fit as I think that it should. 

I think it helped that the dress was two piece so I could make each part fit correctly.

Ready for a Valentine's date!

The concert was lovely.  It was a trained soloist - a baritone.  As we arrived he was singing some German classic love songs, then he sang 2 classic American lovesongs, and then the night finished with a Sacred Concert.  As we left, our friend Jeremy said, "You two should go out to dinner!"  We had already eaten, but hubby did decide to take me out to the DQ for a blizzard treat.  I was a little over dressed, but it was fun - Thanks for the suggestion, Jeremy!



The back of the dress - the only special details were the pretty buttons!



Dress Update

Well, I finished the dress on time (actually, I finished it early ... Monday night).  I would share a picture, only I can't button up the back of the dress without help and hubby is at work.  Perhaps he will snap a picture tonight before we go to the Valentine's concert.  Hope its a good one!

Getting the Word out!

I have not been too faithful with this blog of late.  We have been working on another writing project.  Our pastor and Chris had a desire to have a high quality piece of literature to hand out that said EXACTLY what they wanted to say. 

So the final copy is now published and I placed the order for our church this morning.  The tract is an explanation of the emptiness of the things of this world and the answer for this emptiness from the book of Ecclesiastes.  My younger brother also helped put together another great tract to reach our needy world.

Another Anniversary

February 10, 2011

9 years ago today I met my sweet hubby.

It took about a month from the day that he walked into the church I attended,

but someone finally introduced us ...

... and I am so glad that they did.

Happy anniversary, Sweetheart!

Just climb back in bed!

Yes, it was one of those days here in Shelby, NC.  You know, the kind where you think to yourself, "It would have been better if I had just stayed in bed."

It was my BIG shopping day.  I dropped hubby at school and armed with my battle plan (the shopping list) and my ammunition (the coupons) - I set off.  I had hit the first two stores and reached the third and realized that one shopping list and my coupons were missing.  I knew I had packed them, so I headed back to retrace my steps.  I found the shopping list ... but the coupons were nowhere to be found.  I was thankful to at least find my list because it is often 2 weeks in the making and my brain just can't remember that far back ... but the saga continues.

My brief hours with the car were quickly slipping away, so I ran to Walmart to try to get the bulk of the shopping done.  Ah, a successful trip, until I got into the car.  The key went into the ignition and would not turn.  Did I have the wrong key?  Did the anti theft computer chip malfunction?  And it was almost time to pick hubby up.  Of course, I had not brought the cell phone, so into the store I go to call the school and get a message to hubby - HELP!  He walks from school to our home, borrows a car from our helpful friends next door and comes to rescue me from my terrible day only to discover it is not my key, it is the ignition. 

We return home and research our problem on the internet.  Sure enough, it is a common problem in Focus' - so common that the locksmith keeps these ignitions in stock.  5 hours later, hubby is back waiting at Walmart for the locksmith who is then 2 hours late ... well, you can see why we both wanted to just hide from the day.

And yet, I think about the blue plate special rather than then the Ryan's Buffet (or Ponderosa, or Old Country Buffet, or Golden Corral - depending on where you are reading this) and I think about the Scrabble tiles that are mine to use to the best of my ability (if you don't understand these references than you have missed a few posts!).  Today is a test ... will I pass? ... will I trust God that this was His plan for my day?  We saw His hand of blessing that the car broke down in a busy, well-lit area, during the day.  We are thankful for friends with extra vehicles who are willing to share.  We are thankful for parts on hand and available workers.  We are thankful for a friend who would sit with Chris on the 2 hour wait for the locksmith "just in case" things didn't go together as planned.  We are thankful that the car is back in service for school and church tomorrow.  We are thankful.  God is good all the time.  All the time, God is good.