Fail

I guess if I'm going to use the NaBloPoMo theme of the month, my word of the day is FAIL.

As I had suspected would happen, I got busy and didn't blog every day in March. Last week, in particular, was fast and furious because we had a missions conference at our church.

I totally blew NaBlo.... But that's okay with me. I blogged more this month than I have in the last several months, and that's what I had hoped to accomplish.

I wonder what April will bring?

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When All Else Fails... Share a Link

Do you know what happened yesterday? Well, how could you because I DIDN'T WRITE A POST. I realized it only after I had shut down my laptop for the night and was heading to bed. It's a wonder I could even fall asleep knowing I had skipped a day of my NaBloPoMo.

Anyways... I'm reading AmyBeth's post at Ministry So Fabulous this morning, and it's stories she shares like this that keep me coming back for more. She is hilarious! Since I can't manage to entertain quite like her, you must go read her post today.

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Perfectionism

I'm sorry that the perfectionist in me will not let me be settled without writing something for Tuesday. As I participate in the NaBloPoMo challenge during March, I've really been trying to keep up with posting every single day because my little blog really needs a boost. Here it is past 9 PM, though, and I've written not a thing. I tried to just let it go, but I keep thinking about how this is day 15, and I can't miss now. I'm at the halfway mark.

So please forgive me for blogging tonight about blogging. I'll try to do better in the next 16 days.

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Yearning

Although our northern Indiana kicked off with cold, crisp air on Tuesday, by late afternoon we were at 40 degrees with lovely sunshine. I didn't have to wear gloves, and my winter coat was unzipped.

It's the first day I've felt a true yearning for the spring. I'm ready to go for regular walks at the park to breathe in the fresh air and get some exercise. I'm tired of being cooped up indoors looking at nothing but snow on the ground.

I also took notice of the time of the sunset. We still had daylight at 7:45 p.m., and you don't know how giddy that makes my heart. Daylight Savings Time arrives in just over a week, and I can't wait. I know there are mixed opinions over DST among folks in our area, but I'll admit I'm a die hard fan.

Is there something you are yearning for? Is it spring or something else?

 

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Discovery

The word for today is... discovery.

When I was asked in 2009 to teach the Junior Sunday School class at church, I didn't jump at the opportunity. I have taught children and youth classes over the years in the past, but I was glad to put those ministries behind me. They were good experiences for me, but I have never seen myself as a children's ministry gal.

Rather than giving a flat-out "no" to the question, I chose to pray for God's will in the matter. After a few weeks of praying, I believed there wasn't any good and clear reason to say "no". As much as it was not my desire or first choice to teach children, I did start to see the increased number of opportunities I would have as both a Word of Life Olympians coach and as a Sunday School teacher to encourage the kids in their daily walk with the Lord. So I agreed to teach the class.

The first months as teacher were grueling, to be very honest. Behavior problems with a few would often send me to tears after dismissing the class. I walked out of church discouraged on more Sundays than not. I had no idea what I had committed to.

I never knew what a week would bring, and I had to keep calling upon the Lord for renewed will to keep going. I remember one Sunday as I talked to Judy about it, I told her I could only commit to one more Sunday. I just kept doing that "one more Sunday" week after week.

Those hard months were only for a season, though. The class dynamic shifted, and then there were different issues. Still I continued to plod along, always praying that my students would be saved or if already saved, then growing and changing.

This new season that began in the fall of 2010 has been the most rewarding. I have students who ask lots of questions and are eager to learn. They're learning fundamental doctrines of the faith, and slowly but surely we are adding more truth to the foundation they already have. It gets me excited when the light bulb goes on over their head, so to speak. Two of the girls are talking about baptism now.

Looking back at where I started compared to where I am now, I feel so filled by the blessing God chose to pour out on me for making a choice that wouldn't have been my first pick. As I pray for these kids and see them come alive, you can't help but feel joy.

It's the ah-ha moment in the DISCOVERY that this is what God wanted to give me. He does give good gifts, but sometimes He makes us wait. Sometimes we even find that the very thing we wanted was found in someplace altogether different than where we thought we'd find it.

Think twice before saying "no" because you never know what wonderful things God has waiting for you around the bend.

Have you made any new discoveries lately? Were they blessings in disguise?

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In Want of Words

Do you know what my blog needs... other than more posts? A good challenge! Well, maybe I should rephrase that. What I need is a good challenge. My blog is  not the one with the problem. Its writer is the one struggling for words.

How ironic that I need something to spur me on to fill my blog with words, and the NaBloPoMo theme for March is In A Word. So I'm going to push myself to write on that theme over the next 31 days. No promises of 31 posts, though. And yes, I may or may not have a problem with commitment.

So here's hoping for a much wordier blog in March.

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NaBloPoMo? Check it Off!

I know you think this is just another Monday, but this is not just any ordinary Monday.  Do you know why?  Because it's November 30th, which means it is the final day of NaBloPoMo.  I have written a post every day this month, which means I broke a Discovering Liz record.  I bet y'all never thought I could do it.  Can I get a wOOt wOOt?!?  {Thank you, Ronnica.  I heard you there in the back.}

I think we should all celebrate this incredible accomplishment with a Peppermint Mocha.  Who's in?

{Laughing}

Have a great Monday, guys.

Sunday Thankfulness

I just realized that it's the end of the day, and I need to write something if I want to keep my NaBloPoMo commitment. I mean, how could I make it through the entire month, only to miss it on the second to last day of the month? No way! I'm going to finish this thing.

I would like to do a thankfulness bullet list for tonight, seeing as I can probably list several items...

• I'm thankful that my Sunday school class was well behaved today. Truly a blessing!
• I'm thankful for the grace of God that enables me to do hard things.
• I'm thankful that God shows how present and active He is in our lives when the pastor uses several verses in his sermon that I had already been thinking about through the day, and he uses texts that were covered in my Sunday school lesson with my kids.
• I'm thankful that we don't have to remain the same; we can become different in Christ.

I hope everyone had a good and restful weekend. I sure did. It's back to work and routine tomorrow, though. Starbucks sure sounds in order for Monday. See you tomorrow...the last day of NaBloPoMo. Woot!

A Tale of Yogurt

You must hear about my latest venture.  A few weeks ago I had ordered a dehydrated yogurt starter culture to make my own yogurt.  It was enough for two batches, in case the first try didn't work.  It was a bit expensive, just to do a kitchen experiment.  If it worked it would be worth the money because the plain organic yogurt I buy is expensive.

Unfortunately, neither the first nor the second culture worked.  I pretty much gave up on that idea.  Obviously, there was some factor in my kitchen that was hindering yogurt making, and I wasn't ready to figure it out.  I'd just as soon continue buying my yogurt at the store, if it's going to be that much bother.  I've never been Susie Homemaker. You know what I'm sayin'?

Then recently I came across a recipe on a blog for making yogurt in your crockpot.  It sounded pretty straightforward, so I figured it was worth one more shot.  Well, guess what?  I made yogurt!  And a lot of yogurt, at that.  It's 2 quarts, and I'm going to have yogurt for the next year.  {Laughing}

After the big crockpot unveiling this morning, I put it in the fridge and thought about it the rest of the morning.  I wondered if it would taste right.  It sure smelled right, but I just wasn't sure about all this.  I mean, we're talking about milk that was left out all night and the bacteria growing.  You might not know this, but I'm sort of a germaphobe and worry about cooking food until it's done because I'm afraid of getting food poisoning. 

At lunch I put a little in a bowl and prepared it as usual with a little natural sweetener and some vanilla.  The yogurt definitely tastes right.  It has a very creamy texture and is quite a bit more runny than store-bought.  I ate a little, but I kept thinking about whether or not it was okay to consume.  I decided that's all I'd try and then wait until later to see if I die or something.  So far, I'm still alive.

If you're interested in making your own yogurt, you can find the instructions at Nourishing Days.  It really is very easy and involves nothing more than heating milk in the crockpot, stirring in a little of your own yogurt, and then leaving it to sit overnight wrapped in a towel.  I say you should go for it.

A Thanksgiving Recap

We had a terrific Thanksgiving with my family yesterday.  It included my parents, my grandmother, my sister and brother-in-law, their four kids, my husband, and me.

First, a note to self:  Do not make more than one can of yams.  My sister's family does not eat them, and you will have yam leftovers for a week.

Remember the pie dilemma?  Well, my sister had read my blog the night before, and she razzed me all day about my pie that was not homemade.  I think that at some point in the future I will have to make one again and prove to her that I am capable of making one without Marie Callender's help.  Honestly though, if you're gonna get help from any other pie baker, you might as well use Ms. Callender.  She makes a delicious apple pie.  I'm just sayin'.

After dinner the kids went off to play, and me and my sister went into the living room for our usual post-holiday-meal banter.  She went and found my mom's laptop and pulled up Tim Hawkins' web site.  If you haven't ever seen a Tim Hawkins video, you are missing out.  He is the most hysterical Christian comedian!  Kathy and I laughed so hard, and we would repeat the funny lines at the same time, only to laugh harder.

Awhile later it was time to cut the pies.  The kids all dove into the crustless pumpkin pie that my mom made.  She makes it crustless just for the kids because they always scrape the pumpkin off and leave the crust.  My Marie's apple pie was delicious, especially with the vanilla whipped cream I had whipped up FROM SCRATCH, and so was Mom's lemon meringue.  {I had just a small slice to taste.}  I had forgotten that I really like lemon meringue until I tasted it.

By the time we got home, just before 6:00, I felt like a zombie.  No energy to speak of and pretty much loafed the rest of the night.

Today has been recovery mode for me.  It meant getting on the treadmill this afternoon and watching my calorie intake all day.  Back to reality, I guess.  I know my waistline will thank me later.

A Losing Battle

I was tidying up a bit in my kitchen and food storage area, and I came across another contraband item that my husband smuggled in from the store.  Sometimes I wonder if he hates me.  {totally kidding}  This is what I get for being married to a man employed by a grocer.

Do you see what I'm up against?  CANDY CANE CHOCOLATE SANDWICH COOKIES!!!

Maybe I could have just one...

Pie Trouble

You've probably been checking my blog all day, waiting for a new post. Yeah, me too. I've been wondering what I'm going to write about tonight.

I guess I'll tell you about the pie I'm making to take to my family dinner tomorrow. I volunteered to make apple pie. I have done it several times in the last few years, so I figured I could do it again. The only problem is I'm trying to eat "real" food these days...you know, the things that are closest to nature...not man-made manufactured food. Well, that sort of throws a monkey wrench into the whole pie making process.

I've never been one to make a crust from scratch. {I've never been one to make anything from scratch.} I always use the very nice pre-made crusts from the little doughboy, and then I lovingly spread two cans of apple pie filling into the pie pan, sprinkle with my special Pampered Chef korintje cinnamon, dab on a streusel topping, and pop it in the oven. My pies turn out lovely.

So I had some options today:

#1. Make an apple pie entirely from scratch, which would include making a pie crust of which I felt doomed to fail, peeling-coring-slicing my apples, and then adding my spices.

#2. Go with my usual method of buying a pre-made crust and pre-made apple pie filling, which is full of high fructose corn syrup, which is bad bad stuff.

#3. Buy a frozen pie, bake it, and pretend I made it myself, in which I will throw all caution to the wind as to the preservatives and whatever else is in it that might contribute to my early demise.

I weighed all 3 options, and I finally decided I would buy a pre-made crust but make my own filling. It seemed like a fair compromise if I went half-homemade.

The only problem is that I have no zeal for baking. None. Nada. Zilch. Zippo. I'm sure trying to like it, but the feeling is just not coming. So this pie predicament has been weighing on me all day. I decided to put it off until tomorrow morning. Maybe I'll have more energy then, I thought. Maybe....

Yep, that's what I was gonna do... until about 4:00. That's when I decided to go with option #3 {translation=EASY!}. I went to the store on the way home from church tonight, and I bought a frozen apple pie. What can I say? I caved.

My thinking is, Thanksgiving shouldn't have to be hard or dreaded. It should be enjoyed. So I'm getting help from Marie Callender and plan to relax and enjoy.

I hope you relax and enjoy too!

*Photo courtesy of Microsoft clip art

Random Dozen - Thanksgiving Edition

1. Are you sticking to traditional Thanksgiving foods this year, or are you being culinarily adventurous?

We pretty much eat the same things every year.... turkey, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, yams, corn casserole, etc... Hey, if something is delicious, why mess with the classics?

2. Tell me something concrete that you're thankful for. (Something you can literally touch, see, etc., not a concept like "hope.")

Family & friends

3. You knew the flip side was coming: Share about something intangible that you're thankful for.

I'm thankful that God keeps me. Every morning when I wake up I still have my faith. It's not something I have to go to bed hoping I still have the next day.

4. Share one vivid Thanksgiving memory. It doesn't have to be deep or meaningful, just something that remains etched in your memory.

I think I've shared this photo before, but it is what I think of every year at Thanksgiving time. When I was in kindergarten everyone in our class was supposed to bring in a vegetable for stew, and then we got to eat the stew together. I remember the school hallways were filled with the aroma. We made Pilgrim and Indian hats and tops out of construction paper. Here I am modeling the Pilgrim. Isn't my prairie apron with applique adorable?

5. What is one thing that you know beyond a shadow of a doubt is going to happen this Thanksgiving because it always does, year after year?

I'm going to eat pie. That's the one and only thing that I'm absolutely sure of.

6. Do your pets get any left-overs?

We can't feed Dixie "people food" because she usually gets an upset tummy.

7. Does your family pray before the big meal? If so, do you join hands while seated, stand, repeat a formal prayer or offer a spontaneous prayer? Who does the praying?

We always say a prayer before the meal. We sit at the table, hold hands, and Dad leads it.

8. Will you be watching football in the afternoon? If not, what will you be doing?

My parents have never been into sports, so no we won't be watching football. A tradition of the past has been to watch a Christmas movie. One of our favorites is the musical Scrooge with Albert Finney. In our family's opinion, it is the BEST telling of Dickens' story A Christmas Carol.



9. There are two distinct camps of people on this issue: How do you feel about oysters in the dressing/stuffing?

I have never tried it, nor would I want to. I'm not sure I know anyone who has had oysters in their dressing, either.

10. Do you consider yourself informed about the first Thanksgiving?

I believe I have a pretty good grasp on the story of the first Thanksgiving.

11. Which variety of pie will you be enjoying?

Apple & maybe Pumpkin at my mom's. I'm hoping maybe I can snag a slice of Pecan at our church fellowship on Wednesday.

12. Do you feel for the turkey?? (This is a humorous throw back question related to the 12th question in another Random Dozen!)

Nope, not at all.

So glad you stopped by today. Please take a moment to visit Linda's 2nd Cup of Coffee blog. She's a fun lady.

Nov. 23, Thankful for Normal

I don't know why, but my energy level has come back. Just after I had the blood work done to check for a thyroid issue (no problems found), suddenly I'm feeling alright and not dragging anymore. Who knows? Maybe it's the cod liver oil that I started taking. Well, no matter. I'm just thankful that I feel normal again. (Whatever normal is.)

Nov. 22, Thankful for God's Faithfulness

I'm thankful that God is faithful to me, even when I am unfaithful to Him. My heart and my thoughts were a mess this morning at church, and I responded sinfully at every turn. It's hard to believe that I prayed for my junior class with an emphasis on their need to honor God with their actions and words. I'm sure God must have been shaking His head at my own stubbornness and disobedience.

But He's faithful to chasten His kids, and He's faithful to forgive. I'm thankful for that because I sure do need His grace.

Nov. 21, Thankful for the Weather

I must say, I'm thankful that our November weather in northern Indiana has been so mild. When the last week of September hit (I remember it so well), it turned cold, windy, cloudy, and drizzly. And that was pretty much October in a nutshell.

Once November settled in, the weather took a turn for the better. We've enjoyed many sunny days, and the temperatures haven't been too awful bad, either. As I write today, we are enjoying bright sun, blue skies, no clouds, and warmth enough to just wear a sweatshirt outside. That's not typical.

I hope you're enjoying November where you are. It's hard to believe snow will fly soon.

Nov. 19, Thankful for Answered Prayer

I'm thankful for answered prayer today. It was a biggie! I'm also thankful that the Lord sheltered me. I am a worrier, and my thoughts and imaginations run away with me sometimes. The Lord just helped me so much by keeping my thoughts reined in and reminding me that all my days are written in His book and were ordained for me before I ever existed. Why should I worry if He is working for my good?

Time for Random Dozen

You know what this picture means, right? Looks like Linda has some tough questions today.

1. If you could master one sport, what would it be?

Golf! It doesn't require speed, running, or playing on a team that's depending on you to make a play.

2. When you make a major purchase, do you go with your gut instinct, or do you do research to make an informed decision?

My husband and I do research. More my husband, but since he likes doing it, I just let him.

3. There is an old kids' game that says you can find out what your movie star name would be by using your middle name as your first name and the name of the street you grew up on as your last. What is your movie star name?

Anne Belmar

4. Would you rather give up your favorite music or your favorite food?

I believe I would rather give up my favorite food than favorite music. I have already given up some of my favorite foods like donuts and Oreos (and my flavored creamers are on their way to extinction too), but I can't do without my music. I love my Kari Jobe and Sara Groves because they speak to my heart.

5. There are two types of banana preferences. One is pristine yellow, almost to the point of being green; the other is spotty and more ripe. Which is your preference?

I prefer my bananas spotty and more ripe. As long as there is no green showing, a banana is perfect. They're sweeter that way.

6. Your favorite tree is?

A great big Maple. They were the kind that most of our neighbors had when I was growing up. There was one across the street from my house, and it had terrific shade. My friends and I would sometimes have a picnic lunch underneath it on a summer day. Good memories.

7. On a scale of 1-10, how tech savvy are you?

I think I'm a 7 on the techy scale.

8. Has H1N1 touched your family?

My niece and nephew both got a flu a few weeks ago, but the hospital wouldn't test them. They may or may not have had H1N1.

9. Are you an analytical person, or do you just accept things the way they are without questioning or scrutinizing?

Oh mercy, what a question for me! I question everything, analyzing every in and out of a thing. Rarely do I ever accept things the way they are. I've got to know the why.

10. Is your personality more like that of a dog, cat, or Koala?

I had to look up Koalas on Wikipedia just to find out what they are like. I didn't exactly know what Koalas do. Now that I know they sleep most of the time, have a slow metabolism and basically live on Eucalypt leaves, I can see I have nothing in common with them.

I guess I'm most like a cat. I'm fairly independent and sometimes aloof. I like to greet people on my own terms and don't like being pushed into anything I don't want to do. I like things to be my own idea.

11. Do you keep in touch with friends you made years ago?

Facebook has pretty much changed that for me. I never was one to keep in touch with friends from the past. It has been an interesting experience, and I do enjoy learning about where they are now and what's happening in their lives.

12. You are checking out at a grocery store. In the express lane, there are more people than the regular lanes, but of course, their load is less than those in the regular lanes. Which lane do you choose (assuming you qualify for the express lane) and why?

It would be a gut decision. One day I might choose express, and another day I might choose a regular line. It's something I weigh out at the moment and then go with my gut as to which line would move faster.

Well, that's all for me today. Be sure to visit Linda's blog for more Random Dozen.

Test Results

I got the results of my blood work Monday. My thyroid is normal. That's good news because I want to be med-free as long as I possibly can be. The only down-side is that I don't know why I feel tired all the time. I can't help but think maybe it's a mental thing.

Would you believe I felt pretty energized yesterday, even after having gotten up at 4:30 AM to drive my husband to work because his car is broken down? For all practical purposes, I should've been tired. Go figure!

A Fresh Look at a Psalm

The memory verse that I need to memorize for this week's First Place study is Psalm 139:13-14. It's a pretty familiar verse to me, as I've read it innumerable times.

When Judy teaches she will sometimes read a verse in the Amplified version to convey the deeper meaning of a scripture, but we often kid about how LONG a scripture is in the AMP. Teasingly, I mentioned that I would memorize all the verses in the AMP from now on, just to be an overachiever.

Seriously, though, I decided it would surely help me grasp the fuller meaning of a scripture, especially if I'm memorizing familiar verses that I might not give much thought to due to their familiarity. So that's what I did.

This week's psalm is amazing. It's long, but its words convey to me so much more than what I read in a King James or New King James Version. I love it!

For you did form my inward parts; You did knit me together in my mother's womb. I will confess and praise You for You are fearful and wonderful and for the awful wonder of my birth! Wonderful are your works, and that my inner self knows right well.