Leyna & Duck

Leyna's by far the most playful dog we've ever owned. She has so many toys scattered around our house, anyone entering in would think there's a toddler living here. She needs her play time (I can relate). I think that's probably typical of Min Pins. She plays hard, then she crashes and naps hard.

Though she likes to play with all her toys, Duck seems to be her favorite. 'Duck' is not one of her so-called dog toys, but rather a cheap, stuffed toy from the dollar store, that cost..well..a dollar.

Leyna's favorite thing in the world (aside from dog treats) is to get someone in the house to play tug-of-war with her and Duck. Amazingly enough, Duck has survived, unscathed, many hours of being stretched from limb to limb and end to end. Rabbit, another dollar store variety, didn't fare so well. Let's offer up a moment of silence for Rabbit.......

I do hope Duck doesn't face a similar fate as Rabbit, or I fear we'll be searching dollar stores high and low for a Duck look-alike; and I have a hunch that ducks who can keep their head while being thrashed about and tossed around are hard to find. I know alot of people who cannot.

Have a blessed weekend, and if you see a duck, or person, in distress, offer them a hug.

Be careful for nothing (fret not); but in EVERY THING by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. Phil. 4:6

Easter Fun Knits

I thought I'd share a few free knit patterns I've come across of fun things to knit for Easter time. They all appear to be simple and quick knits.

Zakka Life has posted a darling Bunny Egg Cozy pattern. Grab your size 3 needles, some pastel cotton yarn and head on over there! While you're at it, take a look around. She is one crafty gal!

I also ran across this Chick Egg Cozy pattern that's adorable.

These Easter Peeps are just about the cutest thing I've seen.

Do the kids keep eating up your Cadbury Eggs? Hide your's under these adorable Easter Chick Cadbury Egg Covers .

Don't want the mess of dyed eggs? Or maybe the thought of discovering hidden easter eggs in the back of your kids' closet in July is a scary thought. Try these handknit Easter eggs, instead.

Last, but not least, is an adorable knitted bunny pattern. You do have to register with HeartStrings FiberArts while you're there, but it's free. She has some great purchasable patterns, too, by the way.

I knit one of Zakka's bunny cozy's today, but I still need to embroider the face. I did embroider it a face, but it looked so wonky that I picked it out. I'll redo it when I have natural daylight so I can better see what I'm doing (and yes, an OTT-LITE is on my wishlist!).

My faceless Bunny Egg Cozy

Though I find joy in bunnies and colored eggs, I do not confuse those man made traditions with the real meaning behind Resurrection Sunday, or what the world commonly refers to as Easter Sunday. It marks the time when Jesus died on the cross, and rose again from the dead. He made the greatest sacrifice known to man, an ultimate act of love, in laying down His very life in exchange for the sins of mankind. That is a truth to think upon every day. Hallelujah!

Morning Glory

Morning Glory's are my favorite flower. This picture was taken last summer. It's a spot along the fence in my backyard, which is just one of the places I grow Morning Glory's each year. Few things bring me as much satisfaction as stepping outside on summer mornings, a cup of hot coffee in my hands, and strolling through the yard greeting my herbs and flowers.

This is that same spot on the fence as above, from a different angle. This was taken a few days ago. I know. I should be embarrassed to reveal the sad state of neglect in my yard. Once the weather turns cold and the flowers are no more, I lose all motivation to spend time piddling in the yard. Clearly.

A little elbow grease, some warmer days (and sunshine), and I'll soon be seeing these beauties again. Heavenly Blue's are my favorite Morning Glory's. I do plant other varieties of MG's, and I do plant other flowering plants, but these babies are my favorite.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.~Isaiah 40:8 (New King James)

Charity Knitting

It was another exciting day at the mailbox. I've been signed up for nearly a year to participate in a charity knitalong at the Knitting Help website. Shandey over there is the mastermind and organizer extraordinaire of a number of charitable knitalongs, from preemie and full size blankets to lapghans. She's dubbed them 'Oddball'. It's been so long since they began that I've forgotten the reason behind the name, but I'm guessing it's because of the variety of yarn, stitch patterns, and knitters involved in each project.

She begins each blanket by putting it on circular needles and knitting three inches, then sends it on to the first person on the list of those signed up to participate. Included with it is a journal for each person participating to write an entry. Plus, there is usually a few little goodies in the box for the next person receiving it, from the last person who had it. It's a fun way to be involved in something which will ultimately truly bless someone (the blanket's recipient).

This blanket is dubbed Oddball Blanket #2. I took this picture right after removing it from the box. The last knitter to work on it was Traci, aka~Paper Girl at Knitting Help. She knit the natural tan looking color above the pinkish rose at the top. According to her journal entry it is Wool-Ease Wheat. I have never seen this particular Wool-Ease color, but I'll be on the hunt for it now. You can't really tell by this picture, but it is a beautiful yarn!

Sadly, while the blanket was in Traci's care, her husband's mother took ill and died. :-( Her husband asked her to write about his mom in the journal. I hope she (and he) won't mind me quoting it here:

"She would have been proud of all the people taking part in this blanket. As a teacher, she knew what comfort one could get from something as simple as a blanket".

I'm sending a big cyberhug out to Traci and her husband.

If you click on the top picture, you can see a better close-up the yarn Traci used, and the goodies she sent to me in the box with the blanket (there are a few less chocolates...ahem... now than there were in the picture).

I'm so looking forward to sitting down tonight and reading through the journal entries of the previous knitters. Many included postcards from their hometowns. The journal will make a memorable accompaniment with the blanket to the person who ends up receiving it as a gift. I plan to take the blanket to my knitting group later this week to share the love there.

If you've never done charity knitting or crocheting or sewing or whatever your craft may be, I urge you to find a need, and do your part to help meet it. I promise, you'll be as greatly blessed as the one who receives what you make.

The Blessings of Friendship

Isn't that just the sweetest little thing? It's a Lenox porcelain figurine of a Marsh Wren. My sweet, sweet friend, Sharon, of Trees Planted by the Water surprised me with it in the mail this week. She knows of my love of birds and felt moved to buy me this. She couldn't know of my particular affinity for Wrens. They're such tiny little birds, so cute and curious. I literally squealed with delight when I opened the package!

I've known Sharon for roughly ten years now, having met over at the Homeschooler's Swap message board forum, back when I was still homeschooling my (now grown) daughter. Sharon was moderating their prayer & praise forum at the time. I quickly realized this is a woman who knows how to pray the Word of God. When you find someone like that, you latch on to them!

Many is the time that I've been going through a particular struggle, when out of the blue, Sharon would call and start praying over me. She wouldn't be privy to whatever issue I was dealing with when she called, but she does listen to the Holy Spirit.

I learned alot from Sharon. I'm still learning from her. I'm still being blessed by her.

As I was trying to decide where to sit my little Marsh Wren, I realized I have three birds given to me by Swappies (what we call ourselves over at the Homeschooler's Swap ). The little Robin on the left was given to me in an Elephant Swap we had over there one year, by Momma Said . It used to be attached to a flower vase which I broke :-( The pretty blue bird on the right was also given to me in an Elephant Swap by my dear friend, Amy, of A Redeemed Sheep . It would seem that all who get to know me, discover my love of birds. ;-)

I hope you all have a good week. If you think of it, throw out some seed or bread crumbs for the birds. Then take the time to watch them awhile. God does.

.....and yet not one of the birds falls to the earth without your Father knowing it.

~Matthew 10:29b (New Life Version)

Knitting Knews

I haven't gotten much knitting done lately. I've been busy converting my daughter's bedroom into an office. She left home three years ago this past December, so I guess it's safe to assume she's not coming back, other than for visits, of course.

I have finished a couple of scarfs. The fuzzy looking one is made out of a novelty yarn I had in my stash from back during the novelty yarn craze (which is what drew me into learning to knit). This yarn, when knit up, is incredibly soft. Soft and squishy!

The yarn is Bernat Frenzy. It's knit in plain garter stitch (knit every row). I can't remember the needle size I used, but probably the recommended size on the label for this yarn.

This is the yarn I bought in the half-price room at the Woolie Ewe, that I posted about last week. I'm making it for my daughter. I've knit two skeins so far, and want to add on one more, so it will be nice and long. It's knit in a simple 2x2 rib. She's a cold blooded girl (meaning she gets cold easily-not that she's heartless!) living in a very cold climate right now, in Minneapolis.

I knit her a thick scarf when she was living in Germany for the past three years. She asked me a few months ago if I'd knit her another one. Poor child. Her mamma's such a slow knitter. She looks cold, doesn't she? I better go finish that scarf before spring gets here!

For the record, this picture is from last spring when she was still living in Germany. If it were taken outdoors now, she'd be surrounded in snow, and bundled up to the point that only her face would be showing. It's coooold up that way.

I won, I won!

Remember the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival: Winter '08 Edition put on by Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer? Nearly 900 blogs participated, giving away gifts to winning commentors on their blogs. I visited a couple dozen of those blogs, leaving comments on a few. I was the lucky winner over at MOMMY SWEET MOM's. Yea!!! I won a $10 Starbucks gift card (drool), and a $15 I-Tunes gift card. How cool is that?

Granted, I'm about 2 1/2 weeks late in posting about my winnings, but I assure you, I did thank Jen, who's contest I won, in a timely manner. If you've not read Jen's blog, please do check it out. She's delightful! :-)

I believe the contest takes place every quarter, open to bloggers who wish to give away a gift/gifts of their choice. I plan on particating next quarter. Paying it forward, you know?

The weekend's nearly here. Be blessed coming in, and be blessed going out!

Have a Heart

I feel like a blog cheater, or would that be a cheating blogger? When I don't have the time, or patience, to corral the ricocheting thoughts bouncing around in my head and assemble them into some semblance of order, I go looking for a video which will hopefully express what I'm feeling at the time. This is one of those times.

For some time now, my prayer to God has been to let me see through His eyes of compassion, to hear the pain in the voices of those who are hurting, to feel and be moved by that which moves His heart.

My friend, Sharon, shared this week about how people are so busy praying their needs will be met, that they're failing to pray for the most important thing, souls! That really struck a chord in me. I've spent a half century trying to get my needs met. I've spent a miniscule fraction of that time, not even worthy of registering on a pie chart, praying for lost souls.

How many brokenhearted people have I walked past without so much as a glance. Lord, don't let me miss another one. Let me never again judge someone based on their clothes or appearance or their beliefs. Let me truly feel what your heart feels for lost souls. Let my heart break for that which breaks your heart.

It Is Well With My Soul

I cannot fathom the great degree of pain the man must have experienced in his life that penned the words to this song. I knew a little about him, but not all that is shared in the video.

The peace he experienced is the kind of peace I desire; the kind of peace which passes all understanding, that deep abiding peace that keeps my feet on solid ground even in the midst of crashing storms, the kind of peace that even if faced with great tragedy I can proclaim with my mouth and know in my heart that it is well with my soul.

I know the one that offers that peace. His name is Jesus.

You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind [both its inclination and its character] is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You. ~Isaiah 26:3 Amplified Bible

Happy Valentine's Day!

Leyna wants me to wish you all a happy Valentine's day. Oh, and she also said to send dog cookies. Greedy scamp.

It's one day away from my birthday. My mom perfectly planned her two children; we were a boy and a girl born 2 1/2 years apart (I'm the girl). She even planned my date of birth. I was to be born on Valentine's day which also happened to be my dad's birthday. Ah, the best laid plans of men....er women. What she didn't plan on was that I'd be a latecomer, arriving 8 hours and 31 minutes after Valentine's day and after my dad's birthday. I have been running late ever since.

I wish you all much love and chocolate today! :-)

Is it Spring Yet?

Our trees seem to think so. We had a few days of 60's and 70's weather last week. It was positively gorgeous outside. Monday turned a bit cooler, then Tuesday was bitingly cold (below freezing for us is bitingly!).

Today is cool but the sun is bright and warm, the sky is a hypnotizing blue, and the birds are serenading!

This is my Rosemary bush in my poorly neglected herb bed. I should be taking advantage of all this nice weather and get out there and clean up the winter debris. I can hardly wait until it's warm enough to plant again.

I don't have enough space for a regular vegetable garden, but this cozy little spot in my backyard is big enough for a few favorite herbs, bordered in Marigolds.

I think I'm going to plant some loofah seeds along the wall edge of the herb garden this year. It's a perfect sunny spot for setting up my trellis, and I'd love to harvest my very own loofah sponges next fall. If I'm fortunate enough to get a bumper crop, I'll be happy to share!

New Yarn!

Hubby had a doctor's visit in Dallas last week. We discovered last year that he has a leaky heart valve. His cardiologist, a word I never thought I'd use in the same sentence as my very healthy Hubby, is monitoring it closely with twice yearly check-ups. The word from the doc last year was that Hubby would likely eventually need surgery to repair the valve (major surgery), though it was possible it might never worsen to that point.

God's Word tells me that He has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2nd Timothy 1:7). The day I heard that diagnosis last year, fear instantly gripped my heart, but I quickly took my authority as a child of the King and I cast down that spirit of fear. Hubby and I are believing God that he'll not need that surgery, and he will walk in good health all the days of his life.

Before the hospital, we stopped off at the Woolie Ewe in Plano. I love to go there when I get the chance, but on most trips to the Dallas/Fort Worth area, we're rushed to get there and back home again. This time I told Hubby to bring a book 'cause I was goin' shoppin'!

There were so many lovely yarns there and I'm still rather inexperienced in making yarn choices. This was only about my 3rd trip ever to a yarn shop.

Woolie Ewe has a bargain room where everything in it is half the marked price. They don't advertise that fact, though. I had a fellow shopper inform me of it on my first visit there, but I didn't see a sign. I asked a clerk this time, just to be sure, and she reassurred me that it was the bargain room. I didn't want any surprises at the register!

My daughter's been on me about knitting her a scarf. She's trying to survive in the artic temps of Minneapolis and staying warm when outdoors is a measure of survival. She wears alot of black and grey, despite her colorful personality. I found several balls of GGH Savanna in the bargain room. There were seven balls in a pretty blackish grey color.

GGH Savanna:43% alpaca, 23% linen, 19% New Wool, 15% Polyamide.

It was regularly marked $10 and I got it for half that. Cool, huh? I also bought three more balls of it in a rusty brownish red color, though I'm not sure what I'll do with them yet. Maybe a hat.

I'm finding I'm not crazy about knitting with this yarn. It feels great, but it keeps worming on me, kind of like chenille. Odd.

Outside of the bargain room, I picked up two balls of Plymouth Suri Merino in a lovely blue. I'm not sure what it will be yet. Maybe handwarmers for a friend, or maybe a chemo hat, or even a baby hat for a young girl at church who just had a boy.

I got two balls of Plymouth's "Oh My!". They had some baby items knit up on display from this yarn and it felt incredible. So soft. I bought one white and one hot pink. I'd have preferred a pastel pink, but I took what I could get. The clerk told me they were having trouble keeping that yarn in stock. It's 100% nylon and it feels like buttuh!

I have been wanting the Knitting Pure & Simple child's poncho pattern in the picture below for some time. I was pleased to find it in Woolie Ewe. The Sirdar baby hat patterns caught my eye, too. Aren't the babies all so sweet faced?

I pretty much wiped out the Christmas cash that had been burning a hole in my billfold, but I'm happy to have new yarn. It was such a treat for me to get to go in a real yarn shop. Living in Hicksville USA has it's disadvantages, but at least the big city is only a couple of hours away.

Express Yourself!

Wasn't yesterday's Recipe Box Swap fun? I think Randi's idea was inspired, and inspiring! It was such a success that she's decided to host one the first Thursday of each month.

Get out your recipe box, and grab your camera. If you missed out participating in yesterday's swap, you can still view the list of participants on her post yesterday and go around gathering up scrumptious recipes, not to mention new blogging friends!

Have you ever been in a crowd of people and felt like throwing up your hands and shouting praises to God? I'm not talking about being in a worship service, that's easy; or then again, I guess for some of you that may not be easy. I tend to forget that not everyone attends the same type church I do where there is complete freedom to throw up your hands and sing or shout praises unto God.

I have felt like the young man in this video, being amidst a crowd while having my own private talk with God. Sometimes the praise I feel for him in my heart will bubble up to the point that I just want to shout it, or at the very least raise my arms in praise and adoration of Him. I've never done it. Oh yes, as I said, I've done it in church. I've done it outside of church in worship groups. I do it often in my home or in my car, but I've never done it in the way he does in this video. I might get hauled off to the funny farm.....and I might not. Should I care?

I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; Yes, I will praise Him among the multitude. Psalm 109:30



Oh, Praise Him! (All This for a King) by the David Crowder Band.

Recipe Box Swap Day!

Remember what today is?

Before I answer that question, I'd like to point out an unexpected perk I've discovered about blogging. Blogging helps me stay on track. It's my personal organizer of sorts. Since hitting middle age, I find my short term memory's not quite as good as it used to be. I always prided myself on my ability to remember details with vivid clarity. Well, you know what they say about pride. You do know, don't you? Because I can't remember. Really.

Anyway, my blog is helping me keep track of my knitting projects, the ones I've finished...or it would if I'd finished any, but it helps me keep track of them, nonetheless. I can also refer to it to see what was on my mind and going on in my life on a certain day or week, as I surely blogged about it if it was important, right?

Remember me telling you about Randi and her terrific idea for a blog recipe box swap? Well, today is the day, and we are sharing recipes! I know that because I can look back here and see. Like I was saying, perks.

I wish I'd had time this week to prepare these recipes and take pictures. I just love watching Pioneer Woman cook over at the Pioneer Woman Cooks!. I'm a visual learner and whether it's knitting or cooking, I learn best by watching.

Randi also has beautiful, colorful photos of her dishes being prepared. Her pictures always make me so hungry!

I have no glamorous cooking photos to offer you. Photography isn't a skill I've yet mastered, though I am working on it. Just as with my knitting, I do anticipate getting better. Today, all I have is recipes.

This first recipe is a cake I've been baking since I was about 16 years old. Trust me, it's been alot of years. I don't need a recipe to bake it. I could practically do it with my eyes closed. The thing I love about this cake is that it always gets rave reviews. Seriously, I get majorly bragged on when I bake this cake. A young man from our church recently dubbed me as "making the best cakes in all the land". Pretty impressive, huh? It is especially so for someone who's never really thought of herself as much of a cook. I promise you that this cake will garner you instant popularity.

Oh, and lest any of you think I stole this recipe from Pioneer woman, I can assure you, I was baking my cake before Ree popped out of her mother's womb. If you compare my recipe to her's, you'll see she leans a bit more heavily toward the Paula "Butter" Deen's style of cooking.

I promise you, you will not miss the extra butter in my recipe; and no, mine isn't a diet or low-calorie cake. Mine has two whopping sticks of butter in it (one whole cup of butter, folks). That's 1 3/4 sticks less than Ree's recipe.

1 3/4 sticks butter=1417.50 calories

Yep, read it and weep. Your thighs may miss it, but your tastebuds surely won't! So, without further ado.....

Renna's Chocolate Sheet Cake

In large bowl, mix together:
2 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 tsp soda

1 tsp salt

In saucepan, bring to a boil:
1 cup water

1/2 cup oil

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

4 TBSP cocoa

In small bowl, mix together:
1/2 to 1 cup buttermilk

2 beaten eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Combine all ingredients together.

Bake in a greased jelly-roll pan at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until center springs back when touched. I spray my pan with nonstick cooking spray.

During last 5 minutes of cooking, in a saucepan, bring to a boil:

1 stick butter (1/2 cup)

4TBSP cocoa

5 TBSP milk

After removing from heat, stir in :
1 tsp vanilla

1 box confectioners (powdered) sugar (16oz)

1 cup chopped pecans

Spread on warm cake.

By the time you've finished frosting the cake, the leftover frosting in the pan will taste exactly like chocolate fudge. Be sure to scrape every last bite from the pan before washing it. This is an essential part of the cake-making process. Trust me. Would the "best cake maker in all the land" lie about such a thing? I think not.

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This second recipe is also for a cake. Yes, we have a theme going here. I do love cake, and it shows. I've only been baking this cake for a few years, having gotten the recipe from a friend. I've not taken it to as many functions as my chocolate sheet cake, simply because I seem to always have the ingredients already on hand for the chocolate sheet cake.

I only make this cake when I'm having company or attending a pot luck function. It's big and it's rich. The few times I have taken it anywhere, or served it at home for company it got equally rave reviews as the chocolate sheetcake. Trust me, these cakes are both winners!

Sopapilla Cheesecake

32oz cream cheese

3 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 sticks butter

3 cans Crescent Rolls

Ground Cinnamon

13” x 9” x 2½” Baking pan

Non-stick cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°.

Let cream cheese and butter warm to room temperature.

Lightly spray pan, then cover bottom of pan with crescent rolls.

In large mixing bowl, mix:

2 cups sugar

all the cream cheese

½ stick of butter

1 tsp vanilla flavoring

blend with mixer until creamy.

(If cheese is too stiff, microwave for a few seconds before blending.)
Spread this mixture evenly over rolls in pan.
Use more rolls to cover that mixture. (You’ll have a few leftover rolls for dinner!)

In a mixing bowl, add:

1½ cups sugar

¾ stick butter

1 tsp vanilla flavoring

Microwave this until the butter is melted and then mix on high speed.
Spread this mixture on top of the crescent rolls, making sure that all roll surfaces are coated.
Sprinkle cinnamon over topping.
Bake uncovered for about 50 minutes or until golden brown.
Wonderful served warm and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream,
but it’s also delicious after being refrigerated!!

Knitting for Knaught

Here's a quick glimpse of this beret before I transform it back into a ball of yarn. Sigh. I've said it before, knitting does not come easy for me! My husband asks me why I do it since it creates so much frustration for me. Well, duh, I told him, because it's fun!

Since I first began knitting, I'm quite sure I've done as much, if not more, unknitting or ripping out as what I've knit. I generally choose quick projects, or at least they would be quick if everything went smoothly. My problem, I've decided, is that I expect too much too soon. Though I did teach myself to knit nearly three years ago, I've not really done all that much knitting in that time. I barely knit anything the first year, then shelved my needles for months at a time between projects. Now I'm gung ho to knit, knit, knit and expecting to produce the same quality of knitting as others I know who've knit that length of time, but the reality is, I've not had enough practice to get that good yet. I'm working on it, though.

Just as in life, knitting takes patience.

The problem I have with this beret pattern is that the ribbed band edging is too large. I did try it on a time or two early on and it didn't seem that big before there was more hat to it; and yes, I did do a gauge swatch and my gauge is good.

Another thing I don't like about this pattern is that it doesn't seem to have enough increases to suit me. To look like I think a beret should look, it seems it should get a little bigger before it starts getting smaller. I guess I should give myself a break in that it's not really my knitting or even my understanding the pattern that is the problem so much as I'm just not too crazy about this pattern. Granted, more knitting experience might have revealed this fact to me before I got so far along, or possibly even before I began to knit it at all.

Despite my seeming complaints above, I'm not terribly frustrated that I'm having to rip this out and have all my hours of knitting wasted (and trust me, it was hours, 'cause I'm slow). I realize the practice I'm getting is putting me that much closer to catching up with the likes of the many knitters in blogland who's knitting skills I admire.

There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit!

~Romans 5:3-5 (the Message)

Cooking doldrums?

Are you in a rut in the kitchen? Do you feel like you're cooking the same ol' same ol' lately?

Randi, over at i have to say, came up with a tasty idea for a recipe swap. Tomorrow (Thursday, the 7th) she's going to be posting a couple of recipes on her blog and has asked her readers to join her. Be sure and read her post tomorrow. I can almost guarantee she'll have something scrumptious to make. I've borrowed Randi's recipes before and never been disappointed in the outcome.

I will also be posting a couple of my favorite recipes here tomorrow. Will you join us and post a couple (or more!) of your favorite recipes on your blog tomorrow? If you do, be sure and leave a comment at Randi's as well as here so readers can click on the hyperlink to your blog and see what you've shared.

Now, get out that recipe box!

Getting Healthy Inside & Out

Today's lunch. I've been hearing that the more colorful a food is, the better it is for you. This lunch was Hubby's idea. I'm so blessed to have a health-conscious husband, though his computer skills are sorely lacking. He's heard me speak of a 'blog', though I know he doesn't really know what it is. He walked in for a quick kiss (swoon) and saw this picture, which prompted a series of questions.

What are you doing?

Working on my blog.

What's that picture.

My lunch, remember?

Why did you take a picture of it?

To post on my blog.

Why would anyone care what you ate for lunch?

You're right, Honey, they wouldn't.

I need to lose weight. I've lost alot of weight in the course of my life. Unfortunately, I found it all. I've decided to start substituting one meal a day with rabbit food. Tasty rabbit food, but rabbit food, nonetheless. I won't lose fast, but hopefully it will make a difference over time. This won't be a sacrifice for me because I love this kind of food. What will change is that I'll be eating only this kind of food for one meal a day, instead of this kind of food along with my regular meals.

I used to walk regularly, then at some point, I stopped. I'm not sure when or why, but I've begun again. I walk Leyna who needs stimulation and the chance to burn off some of her high energy, so it benefits us both.

Spiritually, I'm getting healthier, too. I'm talking to God more. It's not a new thing, but I'm becoming more conscious of including Him in all the moments of my day, in every decision that I make.

In thee, Oh Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.

~Psalm 71:1 King James

I'm making a point of not beginning my day without talking to Him. I'm trying to listen better to Him, too.

Be still, and know that I am God...

~Psalm46:10a King James

Do you know that God longs to fellowship with us? If you've had a healthy relationship with your natural father, then you know what it was like as a kid to crawl up on his lap and just love on him. You loved it, and so did he. That's how God is. He wants us to nestle against Him and just love on Him. Sure, He's there for our requests and even our occasional gripes. He'll listen patiently just as a good earthly dad would do, but He longs for that time of our just loving Him. He's a God of love.

For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.

~John 3:16 Amplified Bible

I feel sadness for those who don't have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. These are trying times in which we live, fearful times, in the natural. I'm so thankful for the peace I have in knowing my Heavenly Daddy and how great His love is for me.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

~II Timothy 1:7 King James

Our bodies require food to live. If the food is healthy, our bodies will be healthier. Our spirit man also needs to be fed. There have been times in my life where my spirit man, if possible to be seen with the natural eye, would have appeared anorexic and gaunt. He's much healthier now, but just as my body would eventually die if I quit feeding it, so would my spirit man shrivel up if I quit feeding him. It's a daily choice to be made, just like the food I put on my plate.

A Southern Girl at Heart

Mmm....cornbread in buttermilk. What? Sounds gross, you say? Have you ever tried it? Go on. I dare you. I double-dog dare you. It's a great way to use up leftover cornbread. Mine's not leftover, though. I made it special for this. Granted, I don't eat it every day. I don't eat it every week. I don't even eat it every month, but I do get an occasional hankering for it. Hankering. That's a odd sounding word. I wonder if northerners hanker? Anyway, cornbread in buttermilk was a staple in our house when I was a child. My dad even ate chocolate cake in buttermilk. Now, that really is gross!

What foods do you like that many would consider unusual? I'd love you to share them with me. I might even be willing to try them. If I don't like them, I can always feed them to my Mikey. He really will eat anything.