Christmas Cactus

My Christmas Cactus is blooming!  This little cactus survived with very little attention this summer.  

 Few plants thrive with neglect, thankfully, this plant did well.  How do you maintain a vibrant and close relationship with friends, family, and most importantly God?  

  

Thankful and humble

Remembering Thanksgiving 2010

The blessing of family

My beautiful nieces

My sister and cousin

My great niece

My brother

Scrabbled eggs... free breakfast!  Thanks brother!

  I am so thankful.  Humbled by the gracious gifts from God. 

This morning in Sunday School,  I was again humbled... serving 3 and 4 year old children...a joy to serve..Thanking God for the opportunity to serve. 

This is a chick place

One reviewer describes the Garden Cafe at Flag Fork Herb Farm as a combination of cafe, gift shop, and antique shop.  Jerry, my husband said, "This is a chick place.""Hmm, I guess so, " I smile.   Instead of watching  college football, Jerry and I had lunch today at Flag Fork Herb Farm. This is one of my favorite restaurants in Lexington.

After an early lunch and a quick visit to the mall, Jerry was able to watch most the game this afternoon.

Sweet Potato Pie

This Thanksgiving, Jerry and I will have a quiet dinner at home.  While Jerry prepares to smoke the turkey, I will fix the side dishes.  This year's celebration will be very different from our past family events.  In the past, we would travel from city to city to be with both sides of our families. From Anderson to Ohio or  St. Louis, we were blessed to be with both parents and siblings.


















On Thanksgiving day,  I will spend a portion of the day at church. It will serve as a reminder to serve others and extend the love of God in a practical way.
























Since we we will be eating alone, I am going to prepare a Sweet Potato pie.  This recipe is from www.allrecipes.com, I really want to find Sene's recipe.


 SWEET POTATO PIE


INGREDIENTS

1 (1 pound) sweet potato

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup whie sugar

1/2 cup milk

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust


DIRECTIONS

1. Boil sweet potatoe while in skin for 40 - 50 minutes or until done.  Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.

2.  Break apart the sweet potato in a bowl.  Add butter, and mix well with mixer.  Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.  Beat on medium speed unitl mixture is smooth.  Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.

3. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 55 or 60 minutes, or until knife is inserted in center and comes out clean.  Pie will puff up like a soulffle, and then will sink down at it cools.

Birthdays, Basketball, and Blessings...

Simple or grand, I enjoy celebrations.  Last Saturday,  one of our neighbors had a grand birthday party. Parked in front of their home...a birthday party semi truck.  Yes, it was very grand. No mess in the house, no traveling, simply bring the party to your house.  I experienced this from a distant... I was not a part of the celebration. 
Last night, I attended a simple birthday party for a friend's son. All the party trimmings made for festive event.   Why limit sparklers to the 4th of July?  Put them on top of a birthday cake.  Yes, it works!  
This afternoon, I  was cheering at a college basketball game.  Amazing conversations!  The coach's mother was sharing  about the goodness of God.  After breaking both of her legs in an accident in August, she was sharing how God had met her every need.  We laughed and cried in the gym.  
This evening, we celebrated with friends as they begin a new journey in pastoring a church.  Celebrating the goodness of God.  

I miss high school

I miss high school... fire drills...announcements...pep rallies...conversations in the hallway...block schedules... progress reports...finals...candy sales...laughter ... acceptance letters from colleges...prom...homecoming...rushing to class...tears...text messages.... you wore that to school!...sagging...bragging...texting... prayering... cafeteria food...Deep Springs..Bible Study for students...conversations in the copier room...funny faculty members... the excitement...
For the past four years, I worked at a high school. Now, I really do miss high school.

Life in community... small group

What are the blessings of life in community?  For me, it has been finding a safe place to share struggles, sharing the joy of answered prayers, opportunities to pray, encouragment, addressing the reality and seriousness of sin; forgiveness, human and divine...
On Tuesday evenings, our home has been filled with laughter, sweet silences, searching scriptures, and discussing ways to serve in our community.
 To me this quote is perfect.... Is it from the Book of Common Prayer?
"Give them wisdom and devotion in the ordering of their common life, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a counselor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy."
Loving God, Loving Others, Serving the World

What I love about Sundays

What I love about Sundays: Sunday morning worship, Sunday School, brunch with friends, conversations with children, reading newspapers and books, listening to music, afternoon naps, and walking the dog.

In the past, I would do laundry, clean, iron, dust, and more.  Now,  I rest.

Harvest Pumpkin Bread... try this at home...

On a vacation twenty years ago, I purchased a cookbook "Simply Colorado : Nutritious Recipes for Busy People. Here are some of my favorite recipes: Chicken Cacciatore, Claim Jumper's Black Bean Stew, Firecracker Enchilada Casserole, and Saucy Fruit Salad.  Monday, I was flipping through the book and decided to try some new recipes; Gringo Chili and Harvest Pumpkin Bread.  Yesterday, I shared the bread with my Adult Education Students.  The bread got rave reviews.  As the bread is baking...it smells wonderful. Harvest Pumpkin Bread

2 eggs

1 c.  sugar

1 c. pumpkin, canned

1/3 c.oil

¼  c . water

1  2/3  c. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

¾ tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp.  ground cloves

½ tsp.  nutmeg

½ cinnamon

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, sugar,
pumpkin, oil and water.  Sift flour and remaining
ingredients together and add to pumpkin mixture; stir well.   Place in a 8 ½  x 4 ½  x
2 ½  inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray and floured.

Bake for 60 – 70 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow when
tapped.  Allow bread to cool for 10 minutes.   

(I wonder if you could use whole wheat and less sugar.  Just, thinking)

Growing in community

Why do I hesitate to tell a friend or family member about a fault or sin? Why do I prefer the comfort of shallow relationships rather than telling the truth. I am a member of a small group. We are exploring what it means to live in community.  Small groups from our church have been discussing our need for each other, being patient with each other, encouraging each other,  and warning each other.   We are challenged to move from talk to action. 

Confronting a loved one about a sin can be uncomfortable.  We have been examing our motives.  When we are motived by love it makes those difficult issues easier.

As we host families in our home, I'm challenged... just to keep things super organized and clean.  On Tuesday evenings when everyone begins to leave to go home, I am thankful for the blessing of friendships.  I am tired and happy.

Another Burn

Curling my hair is very dangerous.  Once again, I have burned myself while curling my hair. Yikes!What should I do?  I am so TIRED of burns! This time, I have burned my neck. Jerry suggested I  cut my hair like my daughter.    I welcome suggestions regarding how to wear natural hair.  No chemicals... Changing subjects .....
Burn Notice returns on November 11.