Flexible is Good, Right?

At the beginning of this year I resolved to exercise and eat healthy. I was doing really good and feeling really good for awhile. Gradually my good habits began to go down hill. I have really felt the effects of it too. I'm normally a morning person and I have been having a really hard time getting out of bed in the mornings. The last couple of days I have felt like I've been run over by a bus. My friend, Elisabeth told me that she has quit drinking Mt. Dew and has lost 10 lbs. and is feeling really good. When I left a comment to AmyEllen she encouraged me to define a few things I can do to "do better". Okay, these ladies have encouraged me so, I got up this morning and told my husband that I'm giving up caffeine and sugar, at least for awhile, til I feel better and can be moderate with it. I did without my cup of coffee (with cream and sugar) this morning and went without it all day. At lunch I decided it would be okay to have unsweetened tea. After lunch I decided it would be okay to have a piece of cake. I made a cake for company day before yesterday and it's sitting on the table all day. So, I'm letting myself have sugar until it's gone. Okay, I am still resolved to not have coffee or cokes (that's what we call all sodas in the south). I did realize though that part of the reason I've felt so bad yesterday and today is probably due to the fact that I am a woman. The months I was being so healthy I hardly even realised what time of the month it was. All the more reason to make some changes. But for now, I'll be okay, just let me go to bed with some pillows, a book, and some chocolate cake.
1 Cor. 6:19"...glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

Leftover Delight

Recognize this dish? Probably not. Monday night it was my One Dish Dinner, last night it turned into, lets call it, Italian Sausage Helper. I hate to waste anything. Last night I cut up the couple of slices of sausage and heated it up with the onions and peppers in a skillet with a little water and garlic. Next I added about a cup of marsala cooking wine(I just happened to have this, if I hadn't I could have used chicken broth or apple juice) and let it heat a couple of minutes. Then, I added about a cup of gravy leftover from breakfast (if I hadn't had gravy I could have used a can of cream of something soup or just some heavy cream), a little basil and cayenne. When this was warmed I added some cooked egg noodles, sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top, and wah lah. It was very tasty. And guess what? We had leftovers. I think I'll put them in the freezer and add them to a soup one day.

I love making new dishes from leftovers. Recently, my husband came in and asked what we were having for supper. I said,"Tamale Pie". He looked in the oven and said "That looks a lot like the taco soup and cornbread we had last night". I can't get anything past him.

Proverbs 18:9 "He also that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster."

Lots of Advantages to Being Meek

I just sat down to clean off my desk and I ran across a page of notes I had written on meekness. There are so many blessings for the meek. I wanted to share this with you and I pray it will inspire you to let God cultivate a meek spirit in you.
Psalm 37:11 "...the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace."
Psalm 25:19 "The meek will He guide in judgement: and the meek will He teach His way." (I often need a lot of guidance.)
Psalm 76:8,9 "Thou didst cause judgement to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, When God arose to judgement, to save all the meek of the earth."
Psalm 147:6 "The Lord lifteth up the meek: He casteth the wicked down to the ground."
Proverbs 14:29 "For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people: He will beautify the meek with salvation."
Matthew 5:5 " Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 11:29 " Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest to your souls."

Meek - mild of temper; soft; gentle; not easily provoked or irritated; yielding; given to forbearance under injuries; humble; submissive to the divine will; not proud, self-sufficient or refractory(stubborn).

One Dish Dinner

I really don't know what the name is for this dish, but we love it. This is what I cooked for supper last night. First I sliced up a bell pepper and an onion. Next, I took a package of Italian sausages and cut each one in half lengthwise(opt.). I then cooked the sausage according to package directions in a large skillet. When the sausages were done, I removed them and put in the onions and bell peppers, and sauteed them until just tender. When they were ready, I took them out and heated some leftover brown rice in what little grease and broth were left in the pan. I didn't add seasoning to the rice, but, it would have been better if I had (garlic, cumin, cayenne). Next, I heated up the tortillas, I did use a different skillet for this but, I suppose I could have used the same skillet. I filled the tortillas with sausage, veggies, cheese, and sour cream. The rice went on the side. You may need to add a little water to the skillet during each step or oil whatever you want. And also, if you don't remove the skin from the sausage it will curl up. Now, only one pan to wash.

Homeschool Successes

One of the favorite things we did while homeschooling, was the Prairie Primer Unit Study. It uses the Little House on the Prairie Books as a base for this study. My kids loved it (and I). Every day we would read from a book in the series and do one of the activities. We made a straw tick(bed), a leather gun holster and belt, knife cases, took a gun safety course, made butter, buckwheat pancakes, and many other fun activities. That winter we read how the Ingalls children received a tin cup, stick of peppermint, and a coin for Christmas. On Christmas morning the first gift we gave our kids was a tin cup, stick of peppermint, and a silver dollar. If we would have known how excited they were going to be over this gift, we wouldn't have bothered to buy them anything else, and I think it would have been okay with them. To this day, they will tell you that was their most memorable Christmas and gift. This unit study was definately a learning experience that stuck with them.

Frugal Faye

A few weeks ago I told you I was going to start spotlighting and sharing some wisdom from some older Titus 2 women. I hadn't forgotten. Yesterday, while I was at Faye's house quilting, she said, "I told my husband I need to cook some big pots of beans to can while it is still cool out." She said she always cans her beans in the winter so that in the heat of summer, she just has to open a jar, season it, and heat it up, instead of cooking it for hours and heating up her house. In the winter she appreciates the heat in her house because her kitchen is not heated. This lady cans everything.Baked beans, potatoes, you name it, nothing goes to waste at her house. Last week when I was at her house, she threw together a stew for lunch, using a jar of brisket she had canned. She had some brisket left over from an anniversary dinner her kids gave her and her husband, so, she canned it. It was delicious!

Feminine?

Last week, following my modesty post, Christa from http://www.empoweredtraditionalist.com/ , asked the question,"Do you think you can still be feminine & modest in pants/jeans?" Well, I've been thinking about this question a lot, not wanting to just throw out an answer off the top of my head. One of the questions it has raised in my mind is "What does it mean to be feminine?" I know a lot of very hard working, Godly, modest women who I would not really consider feminine. When I think about the women of pioneer days who had very hard lives, they probably didn't look or feel too feminine, as we think of feminine, especially compared to the women of Victorian times. When I see women from other countries/cultures squatting in their huts or bundled up in parkas, feminine is not the thought that comes to my mind. On the other hand, I've seen women in America, in pretty dresses and what we consider womens attire that are anything but feminine. And, I have seen women in slacks who because of their demeanor and whole outfit, are still very feminine . I will say though that more often than not, when a woman puts on pants, it does change the way she sits and carries herself. It is my opinion that it is harder to be what we consider feminine and modest in pants/jeans, but not impossible. There are some women who carry carry themselves with such grace that I don't think it would matter what they had on we would still think of them as being feminine. Personally, when I have anything on that shapes around my backside, I feel very self conscious if there are men in the room. I at least like to have a long shirt covering my seat. It's hard enough to find skirts that are not too poofy as to make me feel frumpy, and not so straight or tight that they are tight around my hips and rear. Anyway, this was probably a crazy rabbit trail but, if any of you women have any thoughts about what makes a woman feminine, it would be fun to hear.