Another week is over.. And a new one starts

Have you ever noticed how time is like a wheel?  It just keeps moving.  True, we finished another week, but a new week is ready to start.  There is no delay.  There is no pause.  Time and life go on.

I'm a bit reflective tonight after a long week.  I'm not sure I'm glad that there's not a pause, but it's really out of my control.

So, as we start a new week, I'll spend a bit of time counting my blessings.  I'll thank the Lord who controls it all.  I'll take a deep breath and enjoy a few minutes of quiet.

Ready or not, here it comes.

Warning: Blogging Can Be Dangerous!

A funny thing happened while writing this blog...

I don't like to wait around.  If I can do two (or three!) things at once, that's even better.

I threw vegetables in the wok to cook.  They were frozen and taking a while, so I left the kitchen to ramble on this blog.  Suddenly, a strong odor reached me in the living room.  You guessed it... burnt food... ugh!

Surprisingly, they didn't taste too bad.  The vegetables had a smokey, campfire flavor.

But take this warning... count the costs, secure the kids, turn the stove off before blogging!

Everyone Needs a Laugh!

It's been a rough few days. 

Many people can say that.  But today, a friend sent me an email that brightened my day and made me laugh.  And every day goes better with a laugh.

There are probably many versions of these going around.  But if you need a laugh, you can get one right here.  

Go Ahead - SMILE!

They're Back! Those wonderful Church Bulletins! Thank God for church ladies with typewriters. These sentences (with all the BLOOPERS) actually appeared in church bulletins or were announced in church services:  

The Fasting and Prayer Conference includes meals.   

The sermon this morning: 'Jesus Walks on the Water.' The sermon tonight: 'Searching for Jesus.'   

Ladies, don't forget the rummage sale. It's a chance to get rid of those things not worth keeping around the house. Bring your husbands.  

Remember in prayer the many who are sick of our community. Smile at someone who is hard to love. Say 'Hell' to someone who doesn't care much about you.     

Don't let worry kill you off - let the Church help.  
 
Miss Charlene Mason sang 'I will not pass this way again,' giving obvious pleasure to the congregation. ..   

For those of you who have children and don't know it, we have a nursery downstairs.  

Next Thursday there will be tryouts for the choir. They need all the help they can get.  

Irving Benson and Jessie Carter were married on October 24 in the church. So ends a friendship that began in their school days.  

A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall.. Music will follow.  

At the evening service tonight, the sermon topic will be 'What Is Hell?' Come early and listen to our choir practice ..  

Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones.  

Scouts are saving aluminum cans, bottles and other items to be recycled. Proceeds will be used to cripple children.   

Please place your donation in the envelope along with the deceased person you want remembered.   

The church will host an evening of fine dining, super entertainment and gracious hostility.   

Potluck supper Sunday at 5:00 PM - prayer and medication to follow.   

The ladies of the Church have cast off clothing of every kind. They may be seen in the basement on Friday afternoon.   

This evening at 7 PM there will be a hymn singing in the park across from the Church. Bring a blanket and come prepared to sin.   

Ladies Bible Study will be held Thursday morning at 10 AM. All ladies are invited to lunch in the Fellowship Hall after the B. S. Is done.   

The pastor would appreciate it if the ladies of the Congregation would lend him their electric girdles for the pancake breakfast next Sunday.   

Low Self Esteem Support Group will meet Thursday at 7 PM. Please use the back door.  

The eighth-graders will be presenting Shakespeare' s Hamlet in the Church basement Friday at 7 PM. The congregation is invited to attend this tragedy.   

Weight Watchers will meet at 7 PM at the First Presbyterian Church.. Please use large double door at the side entrance.  

The Associate Minister unveiled the church's new campaign slogan last Sunday: 'I Upped My Pledge - Up Yours.'

I Hate Tollways!

OK, the ramble for today is a rant.  We are good, law-abiding citizens.  We don't run red lights or zoom through toll booths.

But today, I get a toll violation notice.  They said we didn't pay 3 tolls (and one was from 5 months ago!).  The missed tolls were only $2.80 but the fine for allegedly missing those tolls was $60.

Now we have one of those handy transponder things, and used it as directed.  But evidently it didn't register!  So I spent quite a bit of time on the phone trying to straighten this thing out.  Thankfully, the people I talked to were very nice.  I just have to submit a sheaf worth of documents, and hopefully this will be taken care of.

All this technology is great, if it works right!

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Coffee, Coffee, I Love Coffee!

Before I got married, I had never drank a cup of coffee.

On our honeymoon, my husband made me a cup because he wanted me to go hiking, and I needed a little bit more energy.

I still didn't become a "coffee-drinker" until after our second son was born, about 4 or 5 years later.  I came to enjoy the flavor of coffee.  When I became pregnant with our third son, I gave it up for the health of my baby.  But after he was weaned, I began enjoying my cup of coffee again.

Although I now love the flavor of coffee, I can't drink it black.  I have to have milk or cream in it.  And even though we love an occasional treat from the coffee shop, my husband and I prefer to make our coffee at home.

But since we don't like our coffee to sit around before we drink it, we make it in smaller amounts for immediate enjoyment.  For single serve treats, it's hard to beat the Nespresso Essenza C100.  It has the taste and ease dreams are made of....

Easy Chili - MSG Free

I love good food.  And I love easy recipes all the more.  Here is a family favorite that I made today to warm us up in the chilly north.

Easy Chili with Meat

Image via Wikipedia

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 onion chopped
2-1/2 teaspoon chili powder
3/8 teaspoon coriander
3/8 teaspoon cumen
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/16 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper sauce (optional)
1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes
1 can red beans (or equal amount cooked beans)

Directions:

1. Cook ground beef and onion until brown.  Drain.
2. Stir in remaining ingredients EXCEPT beans.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 1 hour.
3. Stir in beans.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

This recipe is a great make-ahead meal too.  I will often cook the meat and add it with the rest of the ingredients (except beans) into the slow cooker.  When I get home, I add the beans and dinner is ready when they are hot!  I can fit 3 batches of this in my 6-Quart Slow Cooker.

 We love to eat this chili with sour cream, cheddar cheese, and corn chips.  When I don't have enough leftover for another meal, I put the rest of the chili back in the slow cooker and add a brick of cream cheese.  It makes a delicious chip dip!

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Aren't Friends Great?

I was reminded today how great it is to have friends.  

Time has been tight lately with all that's been going on.  And today, one of my friends offered to pick up some things at the store for me.  She was going anyway, but it meant a lot to know she would be willing to do that.

So often we take our friends for granted.  We know they're there, but we don't really value them like we should.  Well, today I did.  I thank all my friends for standing by me, for supporting and even correcting me at times.

Where would I be with you?