Happy Moo-arch!

I changed the calender tonight and had to snap a picture for ya'll. It's Moo-arch! Shana helped her 3 girls (our sweetnessess) make us a calender before we moved from Georgia..and every month is of their 3 little hand prints. The month of March is "Cows n Chicks." I mean I love the Chick-fil-a calenders, they are a hoot but nothing compares to our sweetness calender!

Of course, every year I am going to need a new one, Shana!!! (winky-dink)

Here is an EYE-dea...

...I found out that tomorrow for our big push in LifeGroups...others bring donuts, cookies and such asundry items to tease (in a good way) a little competition between the LifeGroups..so this is what I did! It really took me back to a cake I once made for Jill's b-day....it was a bundt cake dressed in blue icing, decorated w/teddy grahams who had on icing bathing suits,a stick of gum for the diving board and gummy lifesavers for floaties. I had so much fun making that creation I found in Woman's Day magazine.

The EYES I made for tomorrow is just vanilla waffers, icing and chocolate chips! There will be 88 sets of eyes GOOGLING at everyone tomorrow.

Searching Life..

Wanted to share a picture of just one project I have been involved w/this week. We do Life Groups at our church thru-out the week. Steve and I were asked to start a new one. Sooooo, I had to get busy on a "prop" for Sunday's push for a new year of Life Groups.

Noticing the pic you can tell what our group name will be. (After all ogle means to 'search')

I have some pictures to place on the board but Steve is printing them at church today.

I also wanted to direct anyone of you out there in 'blogland' to a couple of sites. I have enjoyed both this morning and feel that you will glean something from them also.

http://www.marshill.org/about/rob/

This site is great! Rob is a pator in Michigan who literally walks a day/per week w/a rabbi in order to understand preach & apply scripture. 2-22-09 sermon was a guest speaker from CA.It spoke exactally what our goal is w/our LifeGroups.

http://www.d365.org/

This is a devotional site...OMGoodness! The piano music is awesome and so worshipful as you read each days short devotion. Here is a blurp from today's devotion...Journey to the Cross (lent season)

Peter wants Jesus to “Fix It!” like the SNL guy. Jesus has great power over sickness and demons and bad stuff. He can feed thousands with a baloney sandwich and a couple of Cheetos. Surely he can make things better for me, my family and my friends! And it’s true — Jesus can make things better. But you may not like how he makes things better. There’s this cross business, see?
No pain, no gain — yeah, I know. Or I think I do, until it hurts, and then I just wish it would stop.
Richard Vinson

It's what I call an Ah-ha moment!

Joyful greetings from me to U!

Today....

I worked like a squirrel. Busying myself w/lots of projects. Things that are important next week, this month, even months down the road. Everything from making a shamrock border to painting 3 canvas's for a women's retreat give-a-way. I spent lots of time today just praising God thru song!

I talked to my daughters, and encouraged my mom and even made some phone calls for our Life group at church. I made some chili and did laundry, even washed my slippers. (no not the ruby red ones)

I thought I would stop and do some blogging. I enjoyed a entry from a friend who is at the end of PTBC (potty training boot camp) w/her youngest. Got a new receipe on a blog and then checked into this blog: read her entry below...and then be thankful for what your day was like today. This young lady is amazing! Katie lives in Uganda and works w/children. She has adopted 11 (I think) of her very own. I am ashmed to admit that she has learned so much more in her young life than I have in mine. Pray for Katie and her kids!

http://www.kissesfromkatie.blogspot.com/

I get caught up sometimes in "I deserve this" moments, moments where I compare myself to some other people I know and trick myself into believing that I am doing pretty good. Moments where I "deserve" a hot shower, or I "deserve" that chocolate bar even though I know it is expensive, moments when I "deserve" a new pair of shoes, because hey, I work hard. TRUTH: this is not at all scriptural. NO WHERE does it say that I am worthy or deserve a reward here on earth. Colossians 3:23 says "Whatever you do work at it with all your heart." It does not end in "and after this hard work you deserve a long hot bath and a chocolate bar." It does end in, "since you know that you will recieve an inheritance from the Lord as a reward." Oh, doesn't that sound better than all the material rewards you can think of? Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, and Luke 18:22 all say exactly the same thing, "Go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven." I live in a world that tells me that if I sell what I have and give it to the poor, if I leave my rich american life to live in a cockroach infested, cement house in a third world country, I am doing a wonderful and radical thing. TRUTH: I am only doing what I love doing, and what God who gave His life for me asked me to do. Look at Jesus, doing more for the kingdom than any human can ever hope to and taking no pay, no reward, only accusations and eventually death. Ouch, there goes my pride.

I was "tagged" by my newest sista in the Lord...Laurie in CA.

Here are the instructions:

1. Go to 4th folder where you store pictures.2. Select 4th picture (no exceptions!)3. Post the picture with an explanation and link it back to tagger.4. Tag 4 people (or as many as you want) to do the same.

This 4th picture is of the fountain right outside our apartment. The pond was frozen and yet the water kept spouting out. (It kind of reminds me of cloud formation when you are in an airplane.)

Now the ice is almost gone and the Canadian geese have 'gaggled' back to us. It has been fun to watch them walk gingerly across the ice - I mean webbed feet is not the best 'set of shoes' for ice walking these days!

I tag 4 friends Alexis in Japan....Erin in MS.....Brandy in TN......MB in TN

Sayings mean different things to ...

...different people.

The other day I heard a commercial advertising chocolate..Well, my ears perked up and I stopped making the bed. Did someone say chocolate?

As the video was showing chocolate being poured onto a cool granite slab, the voice said..

Does chocolate satisfy you or your soul?

I found myself answering the TV...and just so you won't have to question me, "Yes I was in the house alone."

Of course my answer was an immediate MY SOUL! I mean if you are passionate about anything, your answer comes from your soul, the very depths of your being...RIGHT?

Since I am really stretching my faith-walk these days in preparation for a women's conference in March... I keep a large notepad handy in case I get an inspiration from God...now I know you can picture me walking down the hall for my trusty notebook so I can pen this awesome question. (note to self: do not run if you are accident prone, like me)

Afterwards I pondered on this question. In my relationship w/God am I satisfied Him in just my body or in my soul. I was shocked that I was having to think about this a few minutes...but I wanted to search my soul...Am I satisfied in my soul????

A shocking answer came out of my vocal cords, something I had to admit, if I am going to be honest w/these ladies in a few weeks. In my body I am satisfied b/c it's the right thing to do. I know God is love and I love God, is that enough? Enough? Hummmm...NO it's not! Is my soul satisfied? Some days it's not even quenched, sad to say. Some days I feel that my cup is so run over w/God that I cannot believe He keeps giving and giving. Some days I am filled w/just enough that it really is a natural part of my existence. So that lead me to another question...

Is my cup half full or half empty?

I can say from a humanistic standpoint, my measuring cup is half full. But from a spiritual side, I am half empty. I desire God to continue filling me, "not by my might, but His might." I need to be questioning God daily about His will for my life. I need to be a seeker of the truth. I do not want to ever quit leaning on God to do amazing things in every aspect of my life, i.e. for me and for those surrounding me, even the cashier at WalMart.

So with the original question only pondering in my mind for a few minutes. My answer was/MY SOUL!

I want God to satisfy me in my soul. Which means I have to stay in the Word, drink in His spirit so I can claim His promises. I must love w/o pretenses. I must give to others b/c I have been given so much. I must feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give shelter for those w/o shelter.

When doing these things (as Jesus did) my soul will be satisfied....NOT TO COMPLETION, but to joy, happiness and contentment. Completion only gives way to boredom and I do not want to be one who finds no excitement in the things of Christ!

I have not 'arrived.' And nor will I ever 'arrive' until one day God takes me home to live eternity w/Him as the creator, Yawah, Prince of Peace, Father.

So ask yourself, Does chocolate satisify you or your soul?

(ANSWER: chocolate is my soul and Christ on the cross is the reason for my soul)

Pretty good life...

This is something that has started up in the blogworld...a list of things you may or may not have done in life...BOLD the items you have done and pass it on. I understand that this is the American version and there is an Austrailian version out there too...

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland or DisneyWorld 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise (just a day cruise) 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community. 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie or TV ad 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp or knew a survivor 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviaror sushi. 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Written or published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House. 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox (and just about every other childhood disease)
89. Saved someone’s life (or helped save someone) 90. Sat on a jury. 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a lawsuit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee 100. Read an entire book in one day

Braggin Rites....

I have to brag a bit...(see picture above) Our church did a Family Craft Night and I was asked to teach a class on simple quilting. SIMPLE is the operative word IF I am the teacher!

Anyhoo....about 30 minutes before the night was over, 4 litle girls came into the room and wanted to learn quilting. I had a simple 9-patch square for them to hand sew. The next step was to put batting sandwiched between the muslin & 9-patch . Then we acutally got to quilt.

This sweet girl, who is a 4-H member was taken w/this (unbeknown to me) craft and when Christmas break hit, she spent a few days w/her grandma and they made a quilt. To my surprise she brought the quilt to me on Sunday to show off her pride and joy! Althought she shows animals at 4-H, she is going to add one more thing to her list of accomplishments....quilting!

She has showed me up already b/c I haven't even finished my first quilt completely yet!

Tonght....

...American Idol came to Columbus! Well, maybe not, but we did see alot of talented kids at the annual elementary school talent show. We spent the evening watching around 100 kids (about 20 of our church kids) perform everything from "Magic Tricks to Violin duets" and everything in between, including Clogging. These kids were pretty good considering they may have had only 1 yr of piano.

My personal award goes to one 5th grade girl who came on stage to sing a solo (brave in and of itself) but she was doing it NOT to a recording but rather w/no music at all! She stood frozen for a minute and then a teacher came out knelt down beside her yet holding her hand for strength. After another minute she started to sing and remarkably well! She got a standing ovation! (now the teacher is an unsung hero and maybe she will never know what she did for this childs confidence level) I am going to send a note of thanks to her!

So who can you hold hands with this next week? Who can you encourage? Who can you let shine next week? Because it's really not about YOU! I have someone in mind!

I could not find....

..the Nescafe Java Syrup in either WalMart or Kroger for the CHOCOLATE SOUP ...so here is what I did....

Measure 3/4 C of cold coffee (left over from morning caffine needs)

Add squirts of Hershey's Dark Chocolate Syrup to taste (I added about 1/4 C)

Next spoon in some Swiss Mocha or Suisse Mocha instand coffee mix to taste (about 3 tsps)

Wisk together and then add to the soup mixture on stove.

I made some soup this morning for our staff at church and it tasted as good as if the Java syrup was in the ingrediants. I hope they like it...Our Admin guy said he might not share it w/his boys...not b/c of the hyper-intense factor ....jut b/c he & his wife loves chocolate!

So may you have a Chock-O-Late Day today! (show someone you love them and make some chocolate soup)

My To-Do List....

My checklist for today is 50% complete….so I thought I would blog a bit. I know that many of you (Erin, Bran, Shana, Laurie & Alexis just to name a few) love new recipes.

Steve and I love, (strongly emphasized here) homemade soups in the winter and fresh salads in the summer. And since we now live in the burr-north, soups are more than enjoyed!

One of the things I love about being in Ohio is that we are close to our parents. Last week I took a day visit w/my mother and one of my mother-in-laws. Their birthdays are just days apart but that particular week a winter storm blew in! That morning I spent w/my momma & was going to have lunch w/ Annie (my MIL). If you met Annie, you would think she was an original Italian come, sit down and eat, mother. Not that any of us complain! She is a great cook!! She is also great at making memories! Well, this day, she had made Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup! Yum-o!

SO I have digressed, sorry. My to do list…..make 2 soups today, one for tonight and one for Thursday night. I choose the new Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup and one of my very favorites, Tomato Basil Soup.

Stuffed Bell Pepper Soup: (serves 16- 50 MIN Prep time)

2 # ground beef-browned (I used less b/c we don’t eat a lot of meat)
2 Qts water
1 (28oz) Can Diced Tomatoes
1 (29 oz) Can Tomato Sauce
¾ -1 C uncooked rice (I use brown rice)
1-2 large bell peppers (I like red and yellow)
¾ C beef broth
2 Tbls. Brown Sugar
Salt and pepper to taste

In crock pot add all ingredients, Bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer for 30-40 minutes.

Tomato Basil Soup:

1 (28oz) can crushed Tomatoes......14 oz Chicken broth......16 fresh Basil leaves (diced)....
1 tsp sugar (I use raw sugar).....¾ C Heavy Whipping Cream.....¼ C butter or margarine

In large saucepan allow tomatoes and broth to come to a boil ….Add Basil, sugar, cream, butter…. Reduce to a simmer. Depending upon your desire in soups (I love thick soups) you can add 2 tsps of corn starch to some of the broth to thicken soup a bit.


Ok, now that I have checked these off of my list, I can now move onto my quiet time….conference study and returning to retyping a book on Children and Conversion that Steve has written.

Disclaimer: These two soups WILL NOT cause any hyper-ness to your mind, body or soul…unlike the Chocolate Soup will do if you partake of to much or to late in the evening.

Joy for your day!

The Chocolate Soup Receipe.....

Hebrews 12:2 Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of faith, who for the JOY set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has set down at the righthand of the throne of God.

(Did you ever think that Jesus went to the cross for pure JOY? WOW! He expressed joy as an emotion/attitude that acted itself out in love. What did He endure on the cross for each of us? How can you express pure JOY toward others? How about that neighbor who needs their walk shoveled or grass mowed?)

Chocolate Soup: recipe from Debi:

1 c. heavy whipping cream1 c. whole milk

On medium heat, bring to a simmer

Add: 1 c. milk chocolate chips

Wisk 4 minutes until blended

Add 1/4 c. coffee liqueur (Kahula, can get alcohol free)

OR 1/4 c. Nescalf Ice Java Chocolate Mocha Syrup ** this is what I use**

Wisk and Serve with pralines or pecans.

Story of Old.....(w/a moral) Yr: 2008

I had made a CHOCOLATE SOUP for Valentine's Day for years now. This year I made enough to share with our children and their families. I transport the family soup dessert up to Shana and Billie's house when I was invited to Grandparent Day at Dance Class. (2 days before Valentine's Day)

The girls were so excited to try it. I mean, there can't be anything better than soup that is CHOCOLATE~! right? Shana warms it up for for their after diner treat. The soup is a hit!

UNTIL...... KK and LB can't sleep. They are literally bouncing off the walls at bedtime. Shana and Billie cannot figure out why they are not going to sleep. I mean, after all "the moon was shining in the window to bright," "my eyes will not shut." The Bed becomes a bouncy trampoline. You name it....till 1:00 AM.....finally shut down!!!!! Then it hits Shana in the morning...it was the soup.

"Mom what do you have in this soup?" Heavy Cream, chocolate chips, 1 cup of milk.....and coffee syrup.

OMgoodness, I was so sorry! I caffeine my granddaughters into a coffee high! AUGH!