I Won on Thanks, Mail Carrier!

Star Wars Cookbooks Review

I don't remember where I was--some blog I'm sure, but I don't recall which one--but these books caught my eyes.  I think it was the Wookie Cookies one that first interested me.  I got on the library website, and I found both of these.  I have tried to get my daughter interested in cooking.  She is 7, and she is quite the tomboy.  And she loves Star Wars.  Okay, she loves science fiction, superheroes, cars, etc.

I requested these at the library, and really took and interest.  She read through them, and then later on, I told her to go through and pick out some potential recipes to try.

As I was planning out recipes for the week, I decided to pick up these books.  I love the pictures and the titles of the recipes.  I have only tried a couple recipes, but my daughter has been enthralled.

The first one I tried was in the second one, and the recipe is called "Anarkin's Apple Crisp."  Although my daughter ultimately didn't like the recipe, she was so excited to cook with me.  She was even reading the recipe--go figure!!  This apple crisp was very different.  It uses pecan shortbread cookies, and it is not overly juicy.  Of course, I did use Pink Lady apples instead of the typical Granny Smith.  And I did not peel the apples.  Seriously, I never do.  Even when making apple pies.  I just don't see the point.  I don't even peel potatoes very often.  I know it's strange.  But it works, in my opinion.

Also in that book was "Cantina Chile."  I made a few changes, but it was not overly spicy and seemed more like a bean soup.  I liked the use of the garbanzo beans, kidney beans, and black beans together.  I added ground turkey to it because I didn't feel like keeping it a vegetarian recipe.

I have yet to actually cook out of the other cookbook, but I expect it to be excellent as well.  So if you have a Star Wars fan amongst you, you might check these books out.  I plan to buy them at my earliest opportunity.  The pictures and the names of the recipes are almost worth it alone.

Blessings, and
May the Force Be With You!

30-Day Song Challenge Day 9

Moving along--I am still enjoying this.  I hope it doesn't end too soon.  Thanks, Krystal's Kitsch!



Day 09 – A song that you can dance to

Okay, this will be fun.  I can dance to a load of songs, but I don't just dance at home.  I dance in the car too.  Sometimes I really have to watch out.  It's almost a tie right now, but I think I'll go with the song that I really find myself dancing to.  In fact, I hit the steering wheel in time with certain part of the song.

The music group Gloriana has a great song called "Wild at Heart."  It is the entire reason that I bought the CD.  They toured with Taylor Swift, and my understanding is that are now on their own.  They have won several awards.  The song is catchy and quite exciting.

Gloriana   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Enjoy!

Tell the Truth Thursday--Crayons

Before I start, I just have to say that I am starting to figure everything out on blogs, and it is so exciting when I figure things out.  My mom found it so funny a few minutes ago when I got excited and told myself how well I was doing.  I say that because I have even learned how to link pictures to blogs--which I will have to do since I don't see the html code anywhere on the blog of the host of this blog hop.  Up till now, I just entered the code for the picture.  No more!! Go me!!!

Okay, so this week's "Tell the Truth Thursday" is hosted by The Redheaded Riter.  I always love reading her blog because you just never know what she is going to say next, and she really makes you think!!  So here's today's question.

If you were a crayon, what color would you be??

Okay, this is an interesting one to answer.  My favorite color was always sky blue, midnight blue, or royal blue.  But if I had to be a crayon color, would that really show off who I am?  Would it show the different sides of my personality and the workings of my inner mind?  

When I was in school, I always searched for silver or gold.  They were always the hard colors to find, and I didn't want to part with them when I was done with them.  And I seem to feel drawn to one of those colors.

I don't think I would pick gold because that brings up images of royalty like kings, queens, princesses, dukes, duchesses--no, not for me.  I just couldn't live my life like that.  In fact, when I wear jewelry, when given the choice, I  did not prefer wearing golden jewelry.  Nope, my choice was silver.

And that is what I would be.  I would be a silver crayon.  Silver is color that is not included in every box of crayons.  It's not the "normal" color found in a child's simple box of crayons.  And that describes me.  I am not a commonplace person.  I'm not trying to say I'm better than everyone else.  Goodness, how often do you color something silver?  Not very often.  In fact, it is often overlooked.  It is only used for special effects.  And sometimes when it is used, it is scratched off and replaced with a different color.  Other colors are used more often.  But when silver is used, it is noticed.  And it stands out.

I think the silver crayon describes me well.  Throughout my life, I have been overlooked.  I have talent in many areas--music, writing, teaching, academics, cooking, many more things.  But there was always someone with a more vibrant personality around, and sometimes they were better than me at whatever the talent was.  But certainly that person was more willing to show off their talent and be recognized.  Sometimes that person was even pushy.  So I would wait in the background.

I can think of many occasions where suddenly the overlooked one (me) was suddenly needed.  And all of a sudden, people would realize that I was very good at what I did.  I had talent, and I deserved the recognition.  And I would get it.  At last.  And I would stand out without having to be pushy!  Then I would be put away until I was needed again.  And just like the silver crayon, I would wait patiently until my next moment to shine.  

Wow, I liked this one.  I didn't expect to be so introspective.  Hope I didn't bore you!

Booking Through Thursday (Giving Up)

This is a weekly segment hosted by Booking Through Thursday.

If you’re not enjoying a book, will you stop mid-way? Or do you push through to the end? What makes you decide to stop?

Definitely--if I am not enjoying a book, or worse still, if I am offended, I will stop.  I have made myself read books that I didn't particularly enjoy because I knew that I was doing it for a purpose.  Or sometimes I will continue to read a book because I am so interested in the story line.  I remember having to read books in high school that did offend me, but they were required for the course.


These are the reasons I will stop:


1.  Repeated profanity--especially when it is not necessary.  Some authors put in profanity just because.  That bothers me, I must say.


2.  Blatant homosexuality.   Yes, I have read some books where this was a part of the story.  I have nothing against those people, but I do not agree with their lifestyle. If it is in the book and is not described in great detail, I can usually stomach it.  However, I do not ever condone it nor look forward to it in books.


3.  Gruesome scenes.  I have no problem with violence and murder in books.  But I do not need a detailed description that does not advance the story.


4.  The occult.  This is something that will cause me to immediately stop reading and not even pick up the book again.  This goes against all that I hold sacred, and unless it is not a major part of the story, I cannot and will not read it.


5.  Overly descriptive bedroom scenes.  I steer clear of romance novels that have an overabundance of this.  I have never had to stop reading because of this.  But if half the book was spent in the bedroom, I would be gravely disappointed and stop reading.


That's probably more than you wanted to know.  Feel free to disagree with me.  Yes, I may stop if I'm bored, but I don't usually give a book too long before I lose interest.  I don't ever want to see reading as a chore.  For me, it's the offensive nature of books that greatly concerns me.

Touched by a Proverbs 31 Ministries Devotional

I find I am a little bit behind on all my e-mail readings, but God always works it out for my benefit.  I read exactly what He wants me to read in His time.  I've intimated how I have been struggling lately.  And well, this devotional that I read was exactly what I needed to hear.

"Faith Over Feelings" is the devotional I read this morning.  It is based on Psalm 25:1-5.

Psalm 25

Of David.

 ¹  To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;

 ² in you I trust, O my God.
       Do not let me be put to shame,
       nor let my enemies triumph over me.

 ³ No one whose hope is in you
       will ever be put to shame,
       but they will be put to shame
       who are treacherous without excuse.

 ⁴ Show me your ways, O LORD,
       teach me your paths;

 ⁵ guide me in your truth and teach me,
       for you are God my Savior,
       and my hope is in you all day long.

Tracie Miles, the writer of the devotion had a dream on which she was working quite hard.  It really makes no difference what that dream may have been.  But she said it didn't work out the way she thought it was.  She was disappointed.  I know that feeling.  I was so certain that by now Martin would have been saved, and we would have been married.  At least, that's what I thought last year.  Lately, things have been tough.  He is so angry at my dad--that's another story--and he refuses to give in to the Lord.  It is disappointing to see things not the way you want them.

In this devotional, she says that faith took a back seat.  It is so easy for us to think, "Well, that wasn't God's will after all.  I've been praying, and the time has come for me to give up and go a different direction."  And that's what Satan wants me to do.  Over a year ago, I had a terrifying dream that I shall never forget.  I had been praying for Martin's salvation, and we all knew he was open and close.  The vivid picture I shall never forget is Satan sitting on his "throne" and saying that he would never let Martin go!  He would not release him!  It is something God has reminded me from time to time.  

Martin is so close and yet so far.

Back to the devotional, she said that she took the passage at hand and "unpacked" it verse by verse.  She applied it to her situation.  She challenged her readers to do the same.  So here goes.

Verse 1:  Lord God, I do pour out my soul to You.  I am discouraged, hurt, and so weary of waiting.  I can see it happening through eyes of faith, but sometimes it gets so hard!  I long for Martin to know the peace that I know in You.  Sometimes I feel like the Apostle Paul when he wrote to his people and said if it were possible, he would give up his salvation for them in order for them to be saved!  I understand that feeling he expressed!  I am so tired of things not changing and facing disappointment and discontent at every turn.

Verse 2:  Lord God, I put my trust in You.  My trust is not to go in a dream or a desire.  I am not to put my faith in anything but You.  I have enemies.  And not just Satan.  My enemies include so much more.  My own body is often my enemy when I long for Martin in such a way that I have never known before.  I become weary, disconsolate, and highly emotional.  I hear my flesh crying out, "Who cares if he is saved?  Go after him now!"  Lord God, so much is against me--even my church.  Even my dad.  Even myself sometimes.  May these enemies not defeat me or put me to shame.  May my faith be put in You and in no one and nothing else!

Verse 3:  I shall not be put to shame as long as I trust in You, Oh Lord.  I know that as I pray that my dreams are in line with Your promises--at least in relation to Martin's salvation.  You have said that You are willing that none shall perish but that all shall come to repentance. Yes, indeed!  As I pray for the salvation of my dearest friend, I know that I am in line with Your Word!  I know that I am praying in line with Your most holy will!!

Verse 4:  Lord God, I need You to be the one in charge.  I am the student, and You are the Teacher.  May I remember my position in relation to You, and may I allow You to teach me Your most holy ways.  May I learn Your precepts from You--no one else!

Verse 5:  My hope and trust can only be put in You, Oh Lord.  Only You!  If I put my trust and hope in girlish fantasies and dreams, I will always be disappointed.  I pray that You will help me, Oh Lord, not to be so caught up in my fantasies and desires that I forget about You!

Dear reader, thank You for letting me share all this with You.  I pray today that if You are struggling with putting Your faith in God that You will be strengthened today.  People, things, dreams, fantasies, and even our own selves will ALWAYS disappoint no matter how good they are.  Put your hope in Him and Him alone today!

Amen!!

Working Mommy Wednesdays

This is hosted by Work, Wife, Mom...Life (Supermom in Training).  I just happened to find this.

Please share your story with us... and remember to make it your own!  Please don't feel like it has to be a question and answer session... part of blogging is telling a story, your story.  Choose ONE of the prompts below or tell us anything working mom related. 

#1. Birth stories!  {I loved giving birth and love hearing other birth stories... share one of yours!}

#2. Do you have your own bank account or do you share with your spouse?  (If you have your own, why?)

Then grab the button and LINK UP!!  (As always, visit the other links... that's what makes this meme fun!)



I can hardly wait to share my birth story!  Here goes.

For a long time, I had wanted to have a midwife and a natural birth at home.  Well, first, I had to get pregnant.  That took a long time--9 years.  But God was good.  I remember when I first suspected I was pregnant.  I had miscalculated the start date of my period.  I  realized this on a Sunday before church.  I was nearly a week late--which was abnormal for me.  I worried because I was the wage-earner in the family, and I had already taken some ibuprofen for what I thought was cramps.


The next day, I want to work,  and I worried most of the day about whether I was pregnant or not.  I confided in one of the ladies there--she was also my Sunday School teacher.  She suggested I get a pregnancy test just to see.  I remember being so excited when I tested positive for pregnancy!  My then husband didn't believe me.  He didn't believe me for a good month or two.  I found a midwife, and it was only the midwife who convinced him.


I had a rough pregnancy during my last trimester.  My blood pressure was high.  I nearly had to take off work.  I  didn't find out ahead of time what the sex of the child was.  I had false labor several times before I fully went into labor the evening before my birthday.


I was having contractions, and where was my then husband?  Skateboarding in the garage!!

Well, my daughter came.  I went all natural, and she was born very healthy.  It was about 6 hours of labor, and she was my birthday present!  I would not have made it without my godly midwife, Ann Crowell, my mom and my sister.  My then husband just sat there and "prayed."  He never did anything to really help.  

My daughter starved for the first five weeks of her life--I fed her nearly around the clock, but we didn't realize till later that I didn't have enough milk.  My mom and I knew Martha was losing weight, but Paul (my then husband) refused to acknowledge it.  Praise the Lord for a midwife who took concern and decided Martha needed an early check-up.