Silent Hunger

"Hunger is a universal experience. Television, newspapers, and magazines bring wide-eyed and sunken-cheeked faces from around the world into our homes and our hearts, and we are grieved. yet even those of us fortunate enough to have an abundance of food are hungry. We sit down three times a day to tables laden with food, but our deepest hunger is not satisfied.

Each of us has a hunger deep within where no one can see. And although it may not be obvious, this hunger is the most universal of all. It is the silent hunger of the starving soul. It is silent because we don't recognize it or have words to describe it; silent because it has been muted with years of behavior designed to still its voice; silent because the noise of our world prevents it from being heard.

But this hunger cannot be completely silenced. It cries out to be heard. It is our compelling desire to be loved, protected, and considered precious. It is a God-given hunger for genuine intimacy wherein our deepest needs for security and significance can be substantially met."

From the book Get Thin Stay Thin (formerly Silent Hunger)

Who Meets Your Deepest Needs?

Wow...what a question, huh?

I found this article by Jimmy Evans today and it hit me squarely between the eyes.  Here is an excerpt:

"No human being can meet your deepest needs. Only God can. Of course, if you are operating in God’s will, you can find someone who will encourage you or who will be God’s vessel to help you experience love in a real way. However, even the most spiritual person on earth is very mortal and, therefore, quite limited. When you put too much hope in a person, you are always headed for disappointment and sometimes even for disaster!"

Read the full article here.

Family Ties

I grew up with the heart of a nonconformist.  I've always had my own ideas about life.  I question traditions and cringe at the words "We've always done it like that before."  My response is always to ask WHY do we always do it like that.  

At times, I have resented my family putting their two cents in my personal life.  I figure that I'm grown and can make my own decisions...after all, it is my life, right? If I was cautioned about a certain decision that I was making, it was easy for me to disregard their advice because I would think that they just didn't understand.

Recently I have been remembering something my Mother used to tell me, "Nobody will ever love you like your family...NOBODY."

I've thought a lot about that lately.  

It finally occurs to me that our families know us, love us and more than likely have our best interest at heart.  If cautions and warnings are uttered, especially if the whole family feels uneasy about it, then maybe it would behoove us to pay attention and not just think that they are trying to rain on our parade.

Often we cannot see the forest for the trees.  When we are in the middle of our stuff, emotions come into play and we can lose objectivity. Sometimes it is easier for others to see what we cannot see. It is during these times that wise words, spoken in love, can be very helpful...and might actually save us from heartache down the road.

Honey Wheat Rolls

Since I got my Kitchen Aid last year, I've had fun experimenting with bread recipes.  I believe that it's more frugal to bake my own bread than buy it (not to mention better for us because of the lack of preservatives).  

I found this recipe today for honey wheat rolls and had to give it a try. They turned out really good. This recipe made 15 good sized rolls.  I didn't brown them too much, so that I could freeze most of them and then pop in the oven when we want a few with a meal. The recipe is below.

For many more frugal ideas, head over Life as Mom: Frugal Friday.  

Honey Wheat Rolls

Ingredients:

1 packet yeast

1/2 c. warm water (120 degrees)

1 1/4 cups warm milk 

1 egg, beaten

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/4 cup honey

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup whole wheat flour

3 1/4 cups bread flour (approximately)

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl.

2. Place all ingredients except for flours in the Kitchen Aid bowl.

3. Mix ingredients and then add wheat flour.

4. Slowly add white flour until the dough begins to pull away from the bowl.

5. Knead with the Kitchen Aid for about 4-5 minutes.  Cover with a clean dish towel and let it rise for about 45 minutes.

6. Remove the towel and knead for about 45 seconds.

7. Using kitchen shears, cut off pieces and shape into rolls by pulling the dough into balls, with smooth side facing up.

8. Place on lightly greased cookie sheets; turn on the oven just until you feel heat, then turn it off immediately.  Turn on the oven light and put the cookie sheet in the oven for 1 hour to rise.

9. After the rolls rise, leave the pan in the oven and turn it on 350 degrees. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until desired brownness.

Plan B - What Are They Thinking??

Well, it's official...your 17-year-old daughter can now walk into a pharmacy and buy the Plan B "morning after" pill...without a prescription...and without your knowledge or permission.

According to an article on the U.S. News website, the judge who directed the FDA to make the Plan B drug available to 17-year-olds, also ordered the FDA "...to review whether emergency contraception can be made available without any age restriction." (Read the entire article here)  If that is approved, then even very young teenagers will have free access as well.

I am unapologetically pro-life.  These pills are clearly an abortifacient.  Assuming that conception takes place, Plan B will induce an abortion of the fertilized egg. This is wrong. But even if I did not take that stand, I would still think that this decision is not right, because I do not believe that underage children should be able to have access to drugs without their parents' consent. 

By the way, some of the side effects of using these pills are:
Nausea
Abdominal pain
Fatigue
Headache
Heavier Menstrual Bleeding
Lighter Menstrual Bleeding
Dizziness
Breast Tenderness
Vomiting
Diarrhea

So, 17-year-old Sally takes the pills, ends up very ill...and her parents have NO IDEA WHY.

This is just one more step in the direction of taking away our parental rights. How long are we going to just sit by and watch it happen? 

Chick-Fil-A Funny

I don't know if I would go quite this far...but I do like Chick-Fil-A a lot.  And not for the reason you would think.  It's not even necessarily the food (although their Cookies 'n Cream milkshake is to die for).  It is because of their superior customer service and clean restaurants...both of which are becoming harder and harder to find these days.

Interesting Websites

I came across a couple of websites that my fellow frugal friends might appreciate. 

The first is an article on the AARP website called 50 Thrifty Ideas. These are ideas submited by members...and we all can use a few tips about saving money these days. You can read it here.

The next website offers a whole page of different free online courses. Once you register for a class, the lesson is sent to you via email. You can learn about anything from Web Design to Heartburn 101...and everything in between.  You can access this website here. 

Invisible?

I read an interesting question on my friend's blog today. She wrote about which super-power that she would pick if she could and her choice was to be invisible. Then she asked, "If you are not seen, are you really even there?"  (Read the question in context here).

My comment was that yes, we would be there even if we were not seen.  Then I started thinking more about the subject and I had a couple of thoughts.

The first is that I heard someone once say that our bodies are "temporary earth suits." I've always pictured myself as one day being able to "unzip" this earth suit and the "real me" step out when I die...the part of me that will live eternally...the part that is who really I am. When we die, I believe that our spirits leave our bodies to go to live at the place that we chose when we were alive (Heaven or Hell). 

Humans cannot see spirits leaving the bodies, so at that point we are "invisible"...only the shell of our bodies are left behind. Now, there are those who think that our spirits can somehow get "stuck" here and wonder around as ghosts. I don't believe that to be the case because I think it contradicts the Word of God.

My other thought is that many times we live as if we are invisible...as if God cannot see everything we do, hear everything we say and know every thought that we think. 

Finally, is it possible that the unseen is more real than what we see? (So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. II Corinthians 4:18 NIV)

Hmm...now that is something to think about.

Susan Boyle - What a Surprise!

On the off chance that anyone reading this has not heard Susan Boyle singing her heart out on Britain's Got Talent, you can click here for a real treat.  The look on Simon's face is priceless. 

Easy Beef Stroganoff

Easy Beef Stroganoff

Stew Meat 

(I just used a small package that was marked down for quick sale)

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 envelope onion soup mix

3/4 cup water

Place all in crockpot. Stir and cook on low for 6 hours. (I used a 2-quart crockpot, so if you use a larger one it might not take as long.) 

Serve over cooked egg noodles.

The Christmas Village - Kroger Cards

The Christmas Village is a ministry that offers a home to women facing unexpected pregnancies. One of their fundraisers is to offer $5 Kroger Gift Cards. These cards are reloadable and The Christmas Village will receive 5% of every food and gas purchase that you make.   

What a great way to donate painlessly, just by spending what you normally do for groceries and gas.  These cards would also make great stocking stuffers and teachers' gifts. 

You can purchase the Kroger Gift Cards online here. 

KROGER CHARITY GIFT CARD DETAILS:

• Preloaded with $5 (your net cost becomes $0 the first time you use it - there is no handling fee)
• Can be used on both groceries and gas
• Can be used at any Kroger store in the US
• Can be used and reused as often as you need to purchase groceries and gas
• Simply go to the customer service to reload the gift card prior to purchasing your groceries and/or gas.

My Desk/My Life - Meal Planning

JoJo Tabares at Communication Fundementals posted an interesting question this morning: "What's on your desk that shouldn't be there and what does that say about your life?"

Wow.

As I sit here on this early Monday morning, with an incredibly busy day and week ahead of me, I glance over at my desk and my heart sinks.  It seems that there is just not enough time or energy to do all the things that I should be doing.

Okay, I'll admit it...my desk is a mess.  My appointment calendar is buried under papers.  There is a box of photos that I will scrapbook, perched precariously on one edge.  BK's bows, brush and a stray pair of tights are all there.  There are books to read, a button to be sewn, paperwork to be filed, along with various office supplies and other things that need to be put up and organized.

Does this reflect on my life in general?  I think that it does and I feel bad about that. However, I realized a long time ago that I am not Super Woman...not even close...so I try not to be too hard on myself.

I would like to be more intentional about living my life, instead of just handling things as they come along. One area that I need to work on is meal planning. I have outlined my process below.

Meal Planning

1. Decide on the length of time to plan (either 2 weeks or the whole month).

2. Make a list of our favorite dishes and have the recipes handy.

3. Inventory what I have in the freezer and pantry.

4. Check the grocery sale flyer. 

5. Decide which meals I want to have based on what I have on hand and what's on sale. Write the meals on a calendar, planning for leftovers.

6. Make a list of items that I need to buy.

See, I really do know how to do it...now to just find the time to get it done!  : )

A Heavy Heart

Last night a sweet little four-year-old boy named Landon was involved in a terrible accident and went to be with Jesus.  I can't even begin to comprehend how a parent lives through something like that.  This family is a part of my church and the whole community has been saddened by the loss of this precious little life.

I have been holding my own four-year-old a little tighter and a little longer today.  In case I haven't said it lately, I am VERY thankful for the blessing that she is to me and her dad.

Please join me in prayer for this heart-broken mommy and daddy who will bury their son tomorrow.

Folding Fitted Sheets

Have you ever wondered how to "properly" fold a fitted sheet?  While this may not be one of the great wonders of the world, as a homemaker, this is a task that I have struggled with and even dread doing.

Jill Cooper of Living on a Dime has filmed a short video that shows how to easily fold these sheets. You can see it here.

David Wilkerson's Message

I am on Pastor David Wilkerson's mailing list and received this urgent message from him this week. (Many of you know who he is...he is pastor of Times Square Church in NYC, which draws over 8000 people weekly, and he is also the author of The Cross and the Switchblade.)  He is well-respected and seems to be close to the heart of God. That is why this urgent message from him caught my attention.  I went online and found it on his blog.  If you have not read this message, PLEASE take a moment to go here and read it.

I sent this message in an email to many of my friends and family members, even though I do not normally spread "doom and gloom" type of emails. But, if something did happen and I had not at least let my family and friends know, I would have a hard time living with myself. I don't know whether or not I really believe that something bad is going to happen, but in the world that we live in, you just never know.  From our experience at the gas pumps after the hurricane, we learned first-hand how people panic when there is some kind of disaster.  

I have been hearing for a long time now (for over a year) from many different sources that pastors/modern-day prophets have been saying that a famine is coming to the land.  I've tried really hard not to go nuts and start hoarding food all over the house, but when I read that message from David Wilkerson, I decided that it was time to take action.  

What I have started doing is to making a list...staples really...things that I know I will use eventually...and stock up on a few of each.  I'll have to get creative about where to store it...I have a couple of totes that I can put bags of flour/sugar, etc. in to keep out any pests that might be tempted to get into it.  I'll find a few shallow boxes or even box lids and put some canned stuff in that to slide under beds.

It just cannot hurt to be prepared...and one day we might be very glad that we are.

 

Thrifty Deal

There is not much that gets me more excited than finding a bargain.  I don't know why I don't spend more time in thrift stores.

I have read a couple of really good articles lately about thrift stores, so I decided to stop by the local Goodwill today.  If BK wasn't tired and hungry, I would have stayed in there much longer, but I did manage to get some deals.

In case you can't tell from the photo, here is what I ended up with:

1 pair black jeans

1 blue jean overall dress

1 pair blue jean shorts

1 t-shirt (with a blinking light - BK picked that one out!)

1 pull-over shirt

1 button-up shirt

1 blue-jean jacket

All are in great shape. How much did I spend?  I'm so glad you asked....

$4.00!

Woo-hoo!  Please excuse me while I do the happy dance!

Oh No You Didn't....

Sing along with me (to the tune of The Brady Bunch)...

Here's a story...of a tired lady

Who was driving home from work one sunny day.

It was close to lunch and her tot was hungry,

The drive-thru's on the way.

Okay...enough of that, but I do have a tale to tell.  

I checked out the drive-thru line under the Golden Arches before pulling in for a "fast"-food lunch.  There was only one car ahead of me...I was thinking that just maybe I could get in and out quickly.  Foolish and naive'...I know...I know.

When they finally gave me the bag of food, I checked the order before leaving the window.  BK's apples were not there.  I told the lady...she looked...she asked a co-worker...but it seems that there were no apples within reach.

Then the dreaded words..."Would you mind pulling up and we will bring them right out?"

After sitting there for almost 10 minutes (and not wanting to park, drag BK out in the cold windy weather to go inside to retrieve the apples) I decided to take a chance on depending on the kindness of a stranger.

A man was walking up to go in the door.  I got his attention and the exchange went something like this:

"Excuse me...would you mind doing me a huge favor?"

"Ah...what?"

"When you go up to order, would you please tell them that there is a lady that has been sitting out here for 10 minutes waiting for her baby girl's apples?"

"Okay" (smiling as he went in the door)

At warp speed, the door flew open and out came a lady with not one, but two bags.  "Oh ma'am...I am SO sorry."

I thanked her and drove away. I checked out the bags and found two bags of apples and two apple pies...free food for forgetting us.

Mike said that he would have loved to have been a fly on the wall when the guy got up to the counter. : )

Sowing Circle

I am a firm believer in the principle of sowing and reaping. I don't claim to have all the answers and I know that I never will.  But I have lived long enough to know that whether one is a believer or not, this principle still holds true.

Recently I read something in a Mountain Wings email that caught my attention:

"Actually you don't reap what you sow, you reap the fruits of what you sow. You don't sow a seed and reap a seed. You sow a seed and reap a whole plant, be it quick, slow or in eternity."

I had to think about that statement for a bit before realizing how true it is. Sometimes it seems like evil is rampant, bad people get away with murder, and nice guys finish last. But the truth is that evildoers will reap what they have sown...if not here, then surely in eternity...and with interest.  

Conversely, those who sow to the Spirit and do what is right will also reap their rewards.  

I've got to tell you, this whole subject makes me a little nervous...and more determined to get my "sower" aimed in the right direction.

What are we sowing today that we will be reaping tomorrow?

  

Fiber One Gift Basket

This is a 24 hour contest (it ends at 5 pm on Monday, April 6th). To enter, hurry over to $5 Dinners here and leave a comment. 

By the way, 5dollardinners.com is a great site to visit. Erin posts daily about her quest to make tasty dinners for her family costing $5 or less.  I have found some great ideas and recipes there.  

Change

Change is coming.  

I can feel it.  I'm not sure exactly what or when...or even why.  

But it's coming.  I just know it.

Pretty Day - Pretty Girl

The weather the last few days has just been gorgeous.  We had an early soccer game this morning. Then we stopped by Krystal for a late breakfast and a quick change of clothes for BK. Afterwards, we drove down to a feed store in Mendenhall to have her picture made with some live bunnies...which she LOVED. When we finally got back home, I let her run around in the sun for a few minutes while I snapped away. Check out her new shoes.  

Organizing Recipes & Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

I am a cookbook junkie. I love to collect them. I can sit and read cookbooks like other people read novels. It didn't take long before my cookbook collection grew too large to manage, so I weeded out the ones that were not my favorites and got rid of them. I still probably have too many, but I came up with a plan to simplify my life in the kitchen.

First, I got together all of my favorite recipes, typed them in a Word document and printed them.  Then I went to the office supply store and bought a nice Rolodex.  I cut each recipe so that it would fit and slipped it inside the plastic covers.  (If the recipe was too long, I continued on the back). On the alphabet tabs, cut little strips from a white address label and put my categories (i.e. Beef, Breads, Breakfast, Cookies, etc.).  

The Rolodex sits on my kitchen counter and is very handy to use.  The recipe stands upright so I can read it.  The plastic covering wipes clean easily.

(If you look closely at the photo, you will see my fabulous Hot Fudge Pudding Cake.)

For more ideas about organizing your recipes, read the article here.

UPDATE:  Okay...so I thought that you might be able to read the recipe, but then I realized that you can't...so, not wanting to be a TEASER (lol), here is the recipe:

Hot Fudge Pudding Cake

1 c. self-rising flour

2 tbsp. cocoa

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. milk

2 tbsp. melted butter

1 c. chopped nuts

Combine all and stir well with a wire whisk.  Pour into a greased 9" square pan (or you can double the recipe and use a 9X13 pan).  

Now mix the following together and pour carefully over the batter:

1/4 c. brown sugar

4 tbsp. cocoa

1 3/4 c. hot water

(At this point, it will look like a pan full of watery, chocolate mess, but trust me!)

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.  The layers will reverse during baking.  Server warm or cooled.

Today's Storms - UPDATE

I am not one to wish my life away, but I will sure be glad when today is over. We in Central Mississippi are expecting severe weather to head our way today. After all the storm damage in Simpson County recently, I think that more people are taking this threat of bad weather seriously.

On top of that, today is the day that I go to be deposed for the accident that I was involved in last year.  The man who hit me had no insurance, was driving with no license, and left the scene of the accident, but his wife (who owns the vehicle) is suing ME.  What's wrong with that picture?

My attorney tells me that it will all be fine.  I hope he is right. Legal things make me very nervous.  

UPDATE:  I have just returned home (just in time to batten down the hatches before the storm hits).  The plaintiff, nor any of her witnesses, showed up, so her attorney is filing to dismiss the case.  Praise the Lord!