One of the teams I work with had the tradition of an annual team potluck/Christmas party. One of my former supervisor's spiritual gifts was hospitality. My current supervisor freely admits that this isn't his gift, so I volunteered to host the party at my home this year. The theme for today's party was "Ugly Sweaters" and we had a blast. Though we did bring up a little work stuff, most of the conversation was relaxed and animated (yes, it can be both). Another part of the tradition is Mississippi Pot Roast being the main dish. Well, the coworker who always prepared the roast retired last year, so I tried the recipe for the first time. It was scrumptious. Lord willing, I will host again next year and keep the tradition alive.
If you would like to join in and post your own Daybook, please head on over to visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today: Tuesday, May 18, 2021
Looking Out My Window ...
I'm not sure if it's just a trick, but it finally looks like spring outside. The rains have brought out the blooms and the green. Still, since we did have snow the week before Memorial Day two years ago (?!), I'm not sure I can declare it spring yet. I'll just enjoy each day as it comes.
I am Thinking...
About more consistency on my blogs. I know that my blogging slowed down while I was in school, but now that that's over, I'm trying to figure out how to be more consistent. However, some weeks prove difficult due to my not feeling well, feeling like there was nothing salient to share, or, quite frankly, my blog prompts not really hitting on anything. No, I'm not criticizing the prompts; they are designed for a diverse group of bloggers. It just that sometimes I'll start on a prompt and my answers either bore or depress me--and I'm not willing to pass that on if I can help it.
About my upcoming vacation time. I really don't want to sit at home the whole week. A couple of day of lounging, reading, and making pretty-pretties is fine, but I'm so ready to get out of the house.
About whether I can borrow someone's kid or grandkid to teach me how to ride a skateboard or any of the other "you're too old to do that" things I want to learn. I know that God knows what He's doing, but sometimes I lament that I live in such a time that everyone is too busy for "outsiders" to be included in family fun.
I am Thankful for...
For closure: The university has decided to make our department remote indefinitely. I've felt like my life has been on hold since last March. Now, I can redo my office area and my schedule to make them more conducive to permanently working from home.
For more closure: as I stated in my last Hodgepodge, I received my Master of Arts in Theological Studies degree. Let's see where this leads.
From the Workshop...
See my latest post "Finishing and Fixing II" here.
From Auntie's Test Kitchen... When I had Easter dinner at Diana's house last month, I complemented her on the food, including the green beans. She and her husband, Randy both laughed at me. This wasn't a new occurrence, so I took it in stride and asked them what was so funny. They informed me that those were not green beans, but asparagus, and that other friends had made that same faux pas. I asked Diana what did she do to them since they tasted so good. Understand, my only experience with asparagus has either been these sticks in the stir fry vegetable package that tasted like tree bark, or watching Junior Asparagus on Veggietales...
Anyway...
Diana's method for cooking asparagus is to cut off and throw away the bottom of the stem and toss the remaining edible portion of the vegetable in a combination of seasonings and olive oil and bake at about 350 degrees for around 20-25 minutes. Honestly, I couldn't believe it was that simple...until I tried it myself.
Here's my first attempt as a side with a salad and a sandwich. One thing I did learn is to only cook what I'm going to eat right then. Leftover asparagus gets real slimy really quick. I'll absolutely be making this again.
I am Reading...
Depression is Contagious by Michael Yapko
The Ministry of Intercession by Andrew Murray
As You Wish by Cary Elwes
Completed volumes since my last Daybook: Yes, it's been a while, so there's a lot of books.
Walk With Jesus: Stations of the Cross by Henri Nouwn
Martin Luther in His Own Words by Martin Luther
Pauses for Lent by Tervor Hudson
The Heart of the Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer
The Five Love Languages: Singles Edition by Gary Chapman. Please see my review here.
Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Avila
A Little Book on the Christian Life by John Calvin.
"Quite often people who cannot seem to concentrate think they are mentally deficient. However, an inability to concentrate can be the result of years of letting the mind do whatever it wants to do, whenever it wants to do it." - Joyce Meyer, Battlefield of the Mind, p. 87
"If we allow this one matter, unfaithfulness in prayer, to convict us of the lack in our Christian life, God will use the discovery to bring us not only the power to pray that we long for, but the joy of a new and healthy life, of which prayer is the spontaneous expression." - Andrew Murray, The Ministry of Intercession, p. 18.
"Because of our love for each other, I understand a little more about how God has pursued me in creative and whimsical ways, ways that initially did not get my attention. Nevertheless, He wouldn't stop. That's what love does--it pursues blindly, unflinchingly, and without end. When you go after something you love, you'll do anything it takes to get it, even if it costs everything." - Bob Goff, Love Does, p. 52.
"Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian." Andrew Murray, The Ministry of Intercession, p. 46.
"O.K. I've gotten both doses of the vaccine. Now will y'all please leave me the hell alone?!" - Auntie
If you would like to join in and post your own Daybook, please head on over to visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today: Tuesday, March 23, 2021
Looking Out My Window ...
The past couple of weeks have been a seesaw between beautiful spring weather and winter storms...
I am Thinking...
About Easter. Since I moved here, I believe I have missed every Easter service at church due to weather. This year, I want to go all out for Easter (weather permitting): New outfit (complete with "church lady" hat (that's right, I'm still on my quest to bring back the "church lady" hat), celebratory dinner, the works. If we have snow, I guess I'll put on the outfit, celebrate Easter online, and eat my dinner. Just like I endeavored to make Christmas more special regardless of whether I was with friends or not, I have the same goal for Easter.
About what's next. Commencement is May 8th, so I wonder what's next for me after that.
I am Thankful for...
For a good report from the eye doctor.
God's protection and provision.
For the spring weather between the snow days.
For snow days I don't have to get out in. I can look at the pretty snow through my window and stay snuggly warm INSIDE.
Also had fun painting party with Emily and her sister Molly this past weekend.
From Auntie's Test Kitchen... First, an update on the Ro-Tel Dip episode. I discovered why my Ro-Tel Dip tasted so horrible. I have a 6 quart Crock Pot--way too big for the amount of dip I was making. Even on low, it was heating the dip too fast and drying it out. I made the dip again over the stove in a smaller pot and it turned out just right. The moral of the story? I've got to have some serious company soon so I can make enough dip to fill this Crock Pot.
Second, I learned how to use the cute little waffle maker I bought a couple of months ago...
I am Reading...
Pauses for Lent by Trevor Hudson
Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer
Christian Apologetics by Douglas R. Groothus
Jesus Calling by Sarah Young (this will be ongoing all year, so I won't list it every time).
Completed volumes since my last Daybook:
God With Us by Charles Spurgeon.
The Lord's Table by Andrew Murray (a glorious reread). Please see my review here.
On Prayer and the Contemplative Life by Thomas Aquinas.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism.
C. S. Lewis: A Life by Alister McGrath.
Introducing Theological Method by Mary M. Veeneman.
No Greater Love by Mother Teresa.
Loving Jesus by Mother Teresa. Please see my Goodreads comments here.
Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis.
Praying God's Wordby Beth Moore. Please see my review here.
A Commonsense Guide to Fasting by Kenneth E. Hagin.
Confessions of Saint Augustine by Augustine of Hippo
Favorite Quote(s) of the Week ...
"Why does God allow us to spend so much of life in the heat of
battle? Because He never meant for us to sip His Spirit like a proper
cup of tea. He meant for us to hold our sweating heads over the
fountain and lap up His life with unquenchable thirst." - Beth Moore, Praying God's Word (p. 22)
"A grateful heart protects you from negative thinking. Thankfulness enables you to see the abundance I shower upon you daily. Your prayers and petitions are winged into heaven's throne room when they are permeated with thanksgiving." - Sarah Young, Jesus Calling (p. 58).
If you would like to join in and post your own Daybook, please head on over to visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today: Monday, October 12, 2020
Looking Out My Window ... The hues of autumn are kissing the leaves on the trees. I took this outside of Rosie's Diner in Aurora, Colorado.
I am Thinking...
About Cricut machines. Diana and my great nephew Ferendez have one and all the "in" crafters on YouTube have them, but I've never played with one to know what all can be done with them. No, I'm not in the market to buy one (they are expensive!), I'm just curious.
Why the Sam Hill are people hoarding paper towels again?! Y'all stop!
About reinstating my online "check in" and "check out" procedure. Back home when I would go out to the trail to ride or walk alone, I would post a "check out" to my Facebook friends to let them know I was out. The point of it is that if I don't post a "check in" in a reasonable amount of time, someone can check on me to make sure I'm OK. That way, I'd feel safer. I think I have enough Colorado friends now to make this work. Understand, the only time anything went wrong back home (my bike tire went flat), I had a friend immediately showed up to assist. Since I can't hit the gym yet and I need to get out of the cave AND I need to set up some accountability, I feel the need to bring it back.
I am Thankful...
For college football. Yes, I know it's just entertainment, but my favorite teams (JSU and Alabama) actually having a season brings a little bit of normalcy into my life. I need something like this to anticipate.
For my friend, Annie, and her blog post "One Word: Lean In" from a couple of years ago. This year has been a very hard year for us all. However, winter--the hardest season of all for me--is fast approaching. Her blog post talks about leaning into a season of life. For me, I want to lean in and embrace the winter season and get as much joy out of it as possible, rather than spending it in dread and depression.
For road construction. Yes, usually that's not something to be thankful for, but the side streets around my place were in desperate need of repairing and they were repaved recently. No more fear of losing a hub cap...or worse.
From the Workshop...
The latest "Get 'er Done Art Challenge" post is here. I'm currently working on weeks 5 and 6 of the challenge.
From Auntie's Test Kitchen...
I would consider myself a professional tailgater--meaning I know how to act when I go to someone's house to eat and watch football. From the Iron Bowl tailgate parties my home church used to have to the Saturdays I spent watching Alabama win (for the most part) with Miss Karen's family, there was always Rotel dip...always. Now that college football is in full swing, I decided to take a crack at it. It's three simple ingredients (One or two cans of Ro-Tel tomatoes with green chilies, 1 block of Velveeta cheese, and some browned crumbled sausage) heated in a Crock Pot. Simple, right? Well, apparently the old adage is true that food cooked by others is always better than your own cooking. I tried to make this dip TWICE and neither batch tasted good. I have no idea why. Well, I'll let others make this dip and I'll stick with making spinach dip.
I am Reading...
Thirsty for God Bradley P. Holt
Kingdom Ethics by Glen Stassen and David Gushee
How People Grow by Henry Cloud and John Townsend
Completed volumes since my last Daybook:
Invitation to a Journey by M. Robert Mulholland Jr.
Never Give Upby Joyce Meyer
Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
Favorite Quote(s) of the Week ...
"Common sense ain't a flower that grows in everybody's garden." - Amber from This Southern Girl Can
If you would like to join in and post your own Daybook, please head on over to visit Peggy at The Simple Woman's Daybook
For Today: Sunday, July 26 , 2020
Looking Out My Window ... More pictures of the beauty that is around me. I met up with my friend Amy this week at Union Square Park. These photos are from that trek.
I am Thinking...
I'm wondering why food companies create resealable packaging that you have to destroy to get the package OPEN!
Winter is heavily on my mind lately. Yes, I know we're in the middle of summer, but this whole season of isolation has not been good for me. I've mentioned before that I battle Seasonal Affective Disorder every year. Colorado was at the tail end of the winter season (we can get snow into May) when mandated quarantine was put into effect. Then the whole George Floyd incident happens and now I've got too many more reasons to stay inside than venture out. Getting back to my church or working a few days in the office don't look like they're going to happen for several more months. Colorado's first snow usually happens in October. My psyche hasn't recovered. I had a brief period where I thought I was getting well, but I've had a relapse. I just don't think I can handle winter on top of all this.
I am Thankful...
For the fun walk with Amy and her sweet Eleanor. It's hard to grasp that she'll be two years old this winter. I hadn't seen her since she was an arm baby. Now, she's walking and saying discernible words. Many, they grow don't they?
For hope. I bought this in the hopes there will be a reason to use it.
From the Workshop...
Along with completing my latest Dollar Tree Challengeand prepping for the next ones, I've been slowly working on a couple of painting projects. I reorganized my craft supplies. My plan was to buy another one of those 9-cube shelves and the fabric drawers to put the supplies in. However, Wal-Mart is doing their "let's discontinue things people actually want and buy" thing they do every year. So, I rearranged my other shelves to accommodate. Hopefully this will make things easier to find.
One of the fun things from the Workshop this week was my friend Diana found a cute fall wreath idea online and her Dollar Tree happened to have the supplies plus, she had the fabric for it. We got together Saturday and put them together. Here's mine:
From Auntie's Test Kitchen... In short, I conquered #43 on my 50 for fifty list.
For just a little background, my mother almost always cooked beans from dry. I tried it once years ago and got B. B. pellets instead of beans. I figured it was my less-than-stellar cooking skills, so I never tried it again. When I told Susan I was putting this on my 50 for fifty list, she said that my lack of success before may not have been my fault; I may have gotten old beans and didn't know it. Well, the one good thing about everyone clearing the grocery store shelves is that all the dry beans I bought were new off the truck. I followed the instructions on the packaging (except I cooked mine in the crock pot) and they turned out fine.
I am Reading...
Eat This Book by Eugene Peterson
Holy Scripture: A Dogmatic Sketch by John Webster
Theological Interpretation of Scripture by Stephen Fowl
Breaking Free by Beth Moore Tactics by Gregory Koukl Christian Apologetics by Douglas Groothuis The Story of Christianity, Volume 2 by Justo Gonzalez
Favorite Quote(s) of the Week ...
"If God chose for you to have physical children, prepare yourself. They will grow up! Then it's time to enlarge your tent and invest in spiritual children! If God chooses for you never to have physical children, He's calling you to a far bigger family! God purposely placed the dreams of fruitful lives in our hearts." - Beth Moore, Breaking Free, p. 160.
