Wordless Wednesday

Tasty Tuesday

"A well-made salad must have  a certain uniformity; it should make perfect sense for ingredients to share a bowl."

Yotam Ottolenghi

I enjoyed  the addition of the edamame beans to this salad. 

Monday Musings

I am a confessed political junkie. If I am home, I often watch C-SPAN, CNBC, CNN, or Fox. I will go back and forth between channels to catch different perspectives.  I have given up on receiving impartial news. I understand that each of the channels have a point of view. With the exception of C-SPAN I think you can discern the political views from any host.

If I am in the car, I will scan the talk radio shows to hear more political chatter. Newspapers, blogs, and online magazines all feed my addiction. Sometimes, I stop, I have to quiet my heart and turn off TV and radio.  

For all of the speeches and interviews, I am disappointed with today’s political candidates. They seem to lack vision, specifics, and creditability.  I wonder, do their gear their answers for sound bites rather than substance?

Before I was able to vote, I am excited about the first woman to run for the Presidency of the United States. Representative Shirley Chisholm was the first woman to announce her candidacy. She was articulate, intelligent, thoughtful, and passionate. Even now, if you listen to some of her speeches, this brave woman will amaze you.

 Our elected officials need to be brave to tackle the difficult issues our nation faces.  Voters need to demand more from our candidates. 

"I don't measure America by its achievement but by its potential."
Shirley Chisholm

Last year Shirley Chisholm was on a postage stamp.

Sunday Scripture

Romans 12: 1-2 (The Message)

“ So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: 

Take your everyday, ordinary life – your sleeping, eating, 

going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. 

Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t be so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Rapidly recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity. God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity."

National Relaxation Day

Today is Relaxation Day
"Slow down... breathe... and relax... enjoy a quiet morning. Relaxing day is all about winding down and just taking it easy."
Check out more about different days of the year at this link. Click here RELAX

Here is a list from a retired school teacher: 

1. Pray
2. Read
3. Bake
4. Exercise
5. Walk the dog
6. Pet the cat
7. Lie on the couch with feet up
8. Hot tea and cookie
9. Make prayer beads
10. Watch the birds drink and bathe in the bird bath
11. Swing on a  swing
12. Garden
13. Sew

Now here is a list from a seven year old girl.

Pet of the week, Oreo

While shopping at
HomeGoods, I took this picture. 

Where do I find the pets of the week? Most often family, friends, and neighbors graciously share pictures and stories about their pets. This week, I discovered a adorable pet while shopping.

Oreo was resting in a shopping cart. Then, Oreo  perked up and perched his paws on the shopping cart.

Oreo's owner shared these picture.

Excellence

... When I hear information from two different sources, it may serve as a confirmation of a truth. For me, I need to stop and pay attention. In the past 24 hours, two messages are serving as a wake up call for me. 


One remark has resonated with me... don't settle for mediocre.


Whatever I do, in my every day life, strive for excellence.

No matter if it is in service at church or participation is a fitness class, I don't want to strive to be average.