Mission Trips~ What are they good for?

I was searching today, "What to take on a mission trip for poor children"  Hoping to find small items I could pack that would spark the eye of a child when I go to Mexico on a mission trip in December.  What I found was a blog about how some of the world might see missions.  While I certainly don't advocate the blog, I did recognize what the world sometimes sees when Christians go on mission trips.  It does appear sometimes that people will go on a week mission trip to "experience another culture"  They will immerse themselves and take pictures, then come back home and post those pictures on their Facebook page or do a slide show presentation at church.  "Selfies" with arms around people of darker skin with big smiles on their face, might make us feel good about ourselves.   
Most Christians going on mission trips really do have good intentions.  And most Christians do a lot of local charities too.  Those willing to go on a mission trip most likely already have a heart for people and their souls.  Not everyone I'm sure, but most.
I have had different reactions than I expected from people when I did share with them about this mission trip.  Some seemed standoffish while others are concerned that I must be putting myself in danger.  While I wanted encouragement and offers of prayers, I also realized I wanted confirmation.  I wanted to feel I was doing the right thing.  I wanted to feel it was important.  This I realized defeats the purpose in going.  I must go because I feel God put this together.  He opened the door, he provided the people, the opportunity.  My confirmation needs to come from God.
It was interesting how it all fell together.  Our pastor was preaching on missions.  This made me think of my Christian friend, Pam who has spent most of her adult life in missions.  She lives on a mission base among
people who have many problems. She and her husband establish relationships and they share Christ's love. I wrote her a long email about how I didn't feel very purposeful in my life.  To this she asked if I'd be interested in a mission trip.  This very thing had been going through my mind (or God had put on my heart) before she even asked.  I took some time to discuss and pray with my husband.  Then I thought of another friend who might benefit from going.  She was all on board.  I also had several scriptures pop out of the Bible at me that seemed to be telling me to go.  That is how God talks to us, through the Bible, after all.  So I made the commitment to go.
Some non-Christians, like in the aforementioned blog, take the approach that this is a selfish act, bringing attention to oneself.  Or they might think that you should be helping people in your own country.  They may even think that this is a big waste of money that could be given to help local charity.  They don't get the bigger picture.  Its about reaching one soul for Christ.  One soul who might win another, who might win another, etc.  It's about eternal perspective.  This is something a lot of people don't want to think of because they want to seek pleasure, comfort, prosperity in the here and now.
I'm sure that going for one week isn't going to change the water conditions, poverty, sickness as much as it is going to bring hope.  Hope that comes in Jesus Christ.  When other country's gods don't offer them hope.  With Christ they can find hope for a better life in their eternal life.  And with that hope comes purpose in this life.  So their situation may remain somewhat the same.  Maybe a new church is established where they can go to worship and feel relieved of the oppression that had overtaken them, because of drugs, prostitution, loneliness, etc.  Maybe a playground is built for the children to play at and escape their dreary lives for awhile.  Maybe an orphanage is built to help house some of the homeless children abandoned by their drug fueled parents.  These are all good things along with reaching hearts for Christ.
Time will tell what comes of this mission trip.  I am hoping there will be things God does even after we leave because of us being there.  I am praying God changes my heart so that I have less focus on myself.  I'm sure I will return to life as usual but hopefully with a lot more appreciation and a little more faith that my life here is for the purpose of sharing Christ with others, in whatever way He opens up. 

Empty Nest~ One More to Go

Some say that you naturally become ready for your children to leave.  I don't think it ever was natural for me.  I have struggled each time.  When Kevin left I still had Erik, age 11. see http://lojdandelion.blogspot.com/2007/08/emptying-nest.html  It was hard but I didn't go through what I'm going through now, feeling a lack of purpose.  My job is about done.
Not everyone parents the same.  I can not say I have the corner on how it's done.  But for some, 
being a mom may seem like it's a lifelong job but for me it really hasn't been.  Under our roof we provided and tried to protect them.  One day we had to stop providing and protecting them and let them learn from their mistakes.  Wow what a scary concept!  But what if I hadn't learned from mine?  What if my mother, a widow, clung to me to feel her own purpose?  No, she let me go. She let me struggle some.  She was there for love, encouragement, prayers.  She didn't kick me out saying, don't come back.  But I didn't want to come back.  I wanted to move on.  Like the mother eagle who slowly takes the cushion from the nest so that it is no longer comfortable, but kind of pokey.  Life is hard, they have to get use to it.
We were out of milk today.  Since last night was rather quarrelsome with my younger son, I decided to run up town while it was still very early and get milk and some donuts. I'm still providing that comfort.  I still am trying to protect and impact while I can.  Because despite what he says, he is not raised yet!  Not until he can provide a roof over his own head.  And if he doesn't do that, I suppose we will have to remove the comforts.  I haven't had to do that because each of my kids were more than ready to leave the nest!
He has very slowly started implementing his independence.  He wasn't like his sister who rebelled, or his brother who withdrew.  He still communicates with us and spends time with us.  But he is argumentative.  Come to politics, education, and even spiritual issues he has his own, very strong opinion.  And he wants it to be very different from ours.  Every other opinion is better than his parents.  Yes it bothers us sometimes.  But we know he is asserting his independence.  I didn't want to be like my mom.  Funny though, Now I do!  I admire her.  I aspire to be like her.
One more to go.  Then what?  My husband says I will still have him to take care of.  I smile and know this is true!  I should look forward to the carefree days of not caring for a child?  Not I!  I love taking care of my children.  It has been my life. 
I always want to be here for them but...I have learned to listen sometimes and not give advice.  I have learned to let them struggle a little and just pray for them.  I have learned that I can't not make them believe the way I do.  But I don't stop praying and trying to share my faith because this is the most important life decision they will have, where they will spend eternity.  And Oh how I hope it is in Heaven with me someday!  I have accepted each one of them for who they are, uniquely and individually made. 
I have been blessed.  Every day I have with one of my children is a blessing and I grieve for the parents who have lost children.   I am thankful for my children's health and I grieve for the parents who have sick children. 
One thing I'm certain of is that God loves them as much as I do.  He knit them together in my womb and He cares for them!  God is a father and He also has let His children go out on their own.  He doesn't force Himself on us but he gently reminds us that He is here.  He waits for us to be in communion with Him through prayer and reading our Bibles. 
One more to go.  Of course there is going to be purpose in my life after I have raised my children.  God is not done with me yet.  I'm waiting to see what the purpose might be.  I am after all still a wife.  The world minimizes that, but that's another blog!
 

Less of Me

I recently learned that one can be self-confident, self-centered and still insecure.
Being self-confident isn't necessarily a bad thing but being self-centered is.
I think I can be all three.
Sometimes I'm very self-confident. I feel like I am smart, hard working, and somewhat personable (in the right circumstances)   But still I am insecure. I will often doubt myself, those very things I am confident about.  I wonder if maybe I'm not as smart as I think I am or as others are?  Hey, how many mistakes can you find in this blog?  LOL  Grammar is not my strong suit.  Sometimes I will think that I don't work as hard as someone else.  Wow, some people can work circles around me.  And then other times, even though I can talk to people one on one, if I am in a crowd I want to be sick!
I also am often very self-centered as well.  I often make things about me.  I expect too much from people. 
So what do I do to change?  It's so hard to change how your mind works.  I don't think I can keep my expectations at bay.  But I can turn those expectations around and try to focus on what people have already done for me. Often spouses, family, and friends disappoint but if those people are really genuine then I will find things about them to reflect on where I've had good experiences with them.  So instead of thinking of what they aren't doing, I will try and focus on what they have done.  Because, honestly we are human and cannot be everything to everyone. Sometimes our lives get in the way of being there for others. 
Recently I've had to deal with some people who are disingenuous, selfish, unforgiving and gossipers.  Of those I say "I can be thankful for these difficult people in my life, for they have shown me how not to be!"  Those people often are so worried about talking behind your back they cant fix the faults in theirs.  So I've chosen to not give them too much thought, except what I don't want to be like!
Another way that I fit in the character of being self-centered is I worry too much about my looks, or how people perceive me, or if people like me.  Again, when I do this, I'm giving this too much thought!
I don't think I can keep doubt about myself from creeping in from time to time.  The solution is not to believe it.  I'm trying to figure out how to do that.
Just yesterday, I read in my devotion "Breakfast with Jesus" by Greg Laurie how John the Baptist prepared the way for Christ.  When Christ started His ministry John said about Christ "He must increase, but I must decrease"  He prepared the way for Christ by proclaiming His coming.  I think we too need to proclaim Jesus to people but I often let myself get in the way of that.  I think too much about me.  I need less of me and more of HIM.  I need to worry more of how things reflect on Christ than how they reflect on me. 
How can I do this?  I'm not sure.  I'm still pondering this.  Again it's a battle of the mind.  I want to not worry about what others think and be more humble.  I want to share God's word without worrying how people will take it.
Yesterday on Facebook I read where someone was really attacking people for praying to "a magical person in the sky".  One person stood up to him and proclaimed her faith.  He continued to belittle God and prayer and anyone who would believe such nonsense.  I realized one thing as I read his comments, this atheist was being inflated by the chance to attack God.  I didn't want to feed his ego.  But I thought, Saul of Tarsus was a great persecutor of Christians. But God (not man) chose to reach him.  God stopped him in his tracks and turned him into Paul, the man that wrote most of the New Testament.  Saul, renamed Paul, the persecutor of Christians, who went on to preach to many about Jesus Christ and even gave up his life for the gospel. 
So as I see it, no matter what I say or do, how people accept or don't accept what I stand for, ultimately it's in God's hands.  I should never give myself too much credit.  I think this is my answer.  If I think too much of what I say, I must realize that it's not about me.  Its about HIM.

My Mom's Busy-Day Meatloaf

This meatloaf has been my family's favorite, at least my husbands.  And it was a recipe I kept of my mom's that used Kellogg's Corn Flakes (however I've always used crackers instead) so substitute if you wish!

 

Ingred.:

1 egg

1 cup milk

1-2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 Tbsp catsup

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp celery salt

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

2 cups crackers (1 pkg, crush before removing from pkg) or use 2 cups corn flakes

1 1/2 lbs gr beef

1/4 lb gr pork

 

1. Beat egg, milk, Worcestershire sauce, catsup, salt, celery salt and onions together; add crackers or corn flakes and mix well.

2. Add meat, mixing thoroughly.  Pack lightly into 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.

3.  Bake in moderate oven (350*) about 1 hour or until done.  Slice and serve hot.

 

Yield: 8 servings

 



Redo Ugly Door Mirrors

I had ugly mirrored closet doors that had a "brass" look.  If I replaced them with solid doors or screen panel doors it might of made my room seem smaller and would of cost a pretty penny too.  Also I have to admit, I like having such handy mirrors when I'm trying things on.  I was so tired though of the mirror doors and looked online for ways to transform them.  I could of took them down, taped off the mirrors and spray painted them.  However, I did this project when it was still too cold to spray paint outside.  

 

This is how they looked before



 

How I transformed them to this new modern white look~

 

1. I took and lightly sanded the door trim to "rough" the surface to hold paint. 

2. I taped off the mirror around the trim to keep paint off the mirror.

3.  I used some Kilz Semi-Gloss Interior/Exterior paint in white that I had left over from painting our son's room.  It said it was good on most surfaces including metal so I thought it'd stick well.

4.  I used a small sponge brush to paint it on and did at least two coats.  It does seem to be holding pretty good and I think they look much better!   I have to say my husband and I don't exactly abuse our closet doors.  We open and close them easily and no children use them.  I am not sure how well this paint would hold up to doors that have more wear and tear. 

 

 

 

I was ready to remove this fake wood framed mirror on our bathroom door.  Again I use the mirror and if I removed it I'd have to replace it as there would be screw holes in the door.  So I pondered on this a bit, not finding much online to help me transform it.  I finally decided to look at rick rack in the fabric section at Walmart to hide the wood frame.  I wasn't sure what would be available.  The rick rack was not wide enough.  So I then saw some reduced price wide ribbon (2.7 m) by the spool for a measly 50 cents.  I estimated that I needed about 10 feet of ribbon and since the spools had 3 yrds on them I was lucky to find 3 of the same cream colored, polyester textured.  (I did however, only used 2 rolls).  I also wanted an accent color.  Since my bathroom has blues and grays, I looked at those two color schemes.  And even though I had to pay full price I still got a spool of  18 ft for less than $2 in a steely gray.  This was slightly thinner at  7/8" 

First I measured and cut the wide ribbon.  Then using a hot glue gun I applied glue to the back of the ribbon and pressed onto the mirror.  This has to be done quickly as the glue dries quickly.  Just be sure to cover the mirror holders and try to lay ribbon evenly. 

I next cut the gray ribbon and hot glued it on top of cream colored ribbon carefully centering and running straight.  I did try and angle the corners to fit together which was kind of tricky to do by eye only.  It didn't match up exactly but was very close and I used hot glue to "seam" corners together.

This was the fun part.  I looked for things to hide my seams and found some buttons and jewelry pieces to hot glue on the corners then on the top of the mirror.  I think it turned out pretty shabby chic!

Wine Stew~ Beef Daube Provencal

This is a very yummy, sweet tasting stew that is very easy to prepare. 

 

Prep time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 2 hours

Ingred.:

2lbs. stew beef cut in 2 in. pieces (i use tenderized)

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 c. olive oil

1 bottle (750ml) red wine (i use Reunite Lambrusco)

3 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 can (14.5 oz.) whole plum tomatoes in juice

1 bag (1 lb) peeled baby carrots

2 onions, chopped in lrg pcs

2-4 whole peeled garlic cloves

2 sprigs fresh thyme

 

 1. Sprinkle beef with salt.  In two batches, brown beef over high heat. 6-8 mins.

2. Add wine to stew pot; simmer over medium heat for 10 mins.  Whisk in mustard.

3.  Add beef to pot.  Add tomatoes, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and thyme.  Simmer, coverd 2 hours, until meat is tender.

Serve with fresh hard bread rolls for dipping.

 

Makes 6 servings; 8 cups per serving: 440 cal.  (43% from fat): 20 g. fat

ENJOY!

Snow Ice Cream

Get a big bowl out and scoop up some fresh clean snow!  Wait til after the first snowfall.  Someone told me there is less impurities in the air then???   I scoop mine off our deck.  This picture was from a big blizzard we had in 2011. 

 

 

  

Then I add just a splash of milk (or my mom used milnot, it's extra rich), some vanilla and some sugar to taste.  Add milk til you get the consistency you want.  The snow soaks the milk up quickly so add splashes of milk and stir.  I add the sugar and vanilla to taste.

 

Enjoy!

 

Sweet Garlic Chicken and Easy Peanut Butter Fudge

Sweet Garlic Chicken -

4 Ingredients: Chicken, Garlic, Brown Sugar and Olive Oil.

Saute the Minced Garlic with the Olive Oil until soft, then remove from heat and stir in the Brown Sugar. 
Pour that mix over the Chicken and Bake (uncovered) for 15-20 minutes at 450

 

Easiest PB Fudge EVER
2 cups sugar,
1/2 cup milk (or use half and half)
1 tsp. vanilla,
3/4 cup peanut butter.
Bring sugar and milk to a boil. Boil two and a half minutes. Remove from heat and stir in PB and vanilla





Daisy Duke's General Lee # 01 Dog Tag

I saw a tag like this on Etsy for about $12 and it had sold :(  so I decided to make our Daisy Duke one myself. 
On a sheet of scrap tin I traced a circle.  Then I used wire snips to carefully cut out the circle.  I wore work gloves for this as the tin is very sharp. 
I also took an awl and made a hole at top for the tag to attach to collar with.
Then I used some fluorescent orange paint to spray paint front and back.  I stuck white foam numbers to collar while paint was wet. I then took a black sharpie and collored in the numbers so outside edges were still white. 
Daisy already has a tag with her name and our phone number on it or I would have used a fine sharpie to write that info on back of tag.
Preferably I would of liked to had heavier gauge metal and a circle punch and I would have preferred to have a stamp for the numbers but I used what I had.  I'm not sure of the durability of this yet. 
I will see if it lasts and hopefully get her an orange collar.  One with a rebel flag would be cool.

French Grilled Ham and Cheese

I got this recipe from the Rachel Ray show awhile back and it's been one of my family's favorites.

Get ready for some awesomeness! 

Ingredients~
Thick Sliced French Bread  (from bakery is extra nice)
Good quality thin sliced deli ham (I like applewood ham)
Baby swiss cheese
2 T butter
flour
milk
Dijon mustard
salt
pepper
nutmeg

Make Spread~
Melt 2 TBS butter in skillet, add enough flour for a thickening and then a splash of milk, stirring quickly so there are no lumps and you get a smooth consistency.  Add a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper with another pinch of nutmeg.  Then stir in a dollop of Dijon mustard.  Mix well.

Make Grilled Sandwiches~
Butter outsides of french bread slices.  Lay butter side down on grill or skillet and add some spread.  Layer on a small amount of ham ( I use about 3 thin slices) and a piece of baby swiss cheese.  Turn grill or burner on low and grill slowly til outsides are brown and crispy and insides are warm with cheese melted and gooey

What I Wish People Would Know About Me ~I am nothing without Christ

"No guilt in life, no fear in death,
This is the power of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath.
Jesus commands my destiny."
~ lyrics to "Christ Alone"

 

 

 

I am very moved by this song.  I think because anytime I hear about the blood of Jesus cleansing me it reminds me of why I love Him so much, why my Faith is renewed, how I've needed that cleansing blood in my life!

I wasn't always living for Christ.  I spent many years, living for myself.  I believed but I didn't want to serve.  I wanted to serve my own purposes, my own pleasures.  I often thought of my soul and if during this time I'd be lost if I died.  I believe God had a greater purpose for me even while I was serving my own purpose.  He didn't allow me to die because He had called me to live for Him at a very young age. 

I was first baptised at the young age of about 6.  I loved Sunday School, I loved the Bible, I loved Jesus.  So at a little Baptist church that I often went to by myself  (we lived across the street) I asked to be baptised and the pastor told me the significance of Baptism.  I was washing away the sinful man (which at the age of 6 I'm sure my sins were not very significant but I still had a selfish heart) and I was rising out of the water as a new child of God.  Not one that would just live for Him on Sunday, but one who would read her Bible, communicate with God through prayer and try to live a pure life that God choose for me.  Not to hinder me, but to bless me.  Not to make me a robot who mindlessly believed, followed and served out of obligation, but a true Christian who sought Him with her heart and felt His presence in the good times and the bad times.  I had a great example, of course, in my mom.  And my dad for 11 short years.  My parents were flawed, but they also were forgiven as I learned through my years I would be too. 

My faith remained strong, I thought.  Until I was going through my mid twenties.  Life was not all I expected.  I wanted excitement.  I didn't like to go to church anymore because it left me with convictions.  Convictions that were not forced upon me but that were coming from my heart (where God continued to dwell)  I tried to put out of my mind the gentle tugs from God.  I walked deeply into a lifestyle that spiraled into sin.  I made decisions that felt good at the time, they were pleasurable and I even felt justified.  I thought why shouldn't I do this, I'm an adult I've not experienced this or that, what am I missing?  I won't go into the sins I committed (I'll leave you guessing) unless you really know me then you probably were there with me watching me struggle.  This path I stayed on for 10 years. 

I went through divorce at this time and felt angry with God.  I wondered how he could take away the very thing I thought He blessed.  But He didn't take it away, we ruined it with one bad decision after another.  I still blamed God and even the church for not caring enough.  It wasn't God, it wasn't the church.  It was an evil liar who comes in the form of pleasure/temptation that made me believe God didn't love me.  Sound familiar to the serpent in the Garden of Eden? 

I met my husband now and we were two very different people. After being engaged I finally told him that I didn't want to sit at home and worry who he was with or when he'd be home from the bar with his friends.  This is not who I wanted to be married to.  I wasn't perfect of course.  But he stopped going to bars and I was happy.  We didn't live a wild lifestyle but we didn't live for any purpose than our own.  We raised our kids the best we could but they often witnessed some bad decisions. 

We often talked about what we believed about God and the Bible.  My husband had some mixed feelings because of his upbringing, which a very forced and mechanical religion played into that.  I remember sharing with him my beliefs but still felt like I couldn't live the life I once did.  I felt like I was never going to be able to restore my faith. 

We started looking for a church to try to piece together our lives and have a foundation to raise our kids on.  Once in church again, the songs stirred up feelings in me.  Especially songs like "At the Cross" or "Oh the Blood of Jesus"  So I got baptized again when my husband decided to confirm his faith.  He was really digging in.  He was studying the Bible and his faith was growing.  Mine was getting there but I sometimes felt I was just clinging to his faith instead of my own.  I was still having a hard time putting my trust in God again.  He hadn't let me down, put I still believed He had.  I believed my life should of been perfect when I was trying to be a good Christian.  And when it was less than perfect I blamed God. 

I didn't get what I so profoundly understand now.  People that truly put their trust in God withstand the trials of life and they grow through them.  God allows his children hard times so they learn and they learn to help others.  I often resented my husband because even though I called him my spiritual leader I felt he was better than me.  I had an opportunity to allow God to keep me from a painful situation but I choose to ignore Him and do what I wanted.  This is where that led if you care to read this poem I wrote. http://lojdandelion.blogspot.com/2007/07/my-spirit-struggled-i-heard-whispering.html

However today I have to say God has been working in my life and I've felt redeemed, forgiven and my faith restored beyond what it ever was.  My childlike faith has turned into a deeper faith I feel.  One that I depend on in good and bad times.  One I believe will be rewarded not in this life, but in my next.  I may still be tempted to make selfish decisions and I may mess up but I know that God is available to provide me a way out though if I just listen to Him.

 

 

 

"In Christ alone my hope is found,
He is my light, my strength, my song;
this Cornerstone, this solid Ground,
firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
when fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My Comforter, my All in All,
here in the love of Christ I stand"

~lyrics from "Christ Alone" 

Joining a Church and Spiritual Gifts

Recently my husband wanted to join our church.  I didn't really grasp onto the idea too easily.  Maybe because I feel with that membership there would be expectations from me.  I know that as a church body you are suppose to all work together to strengthen one another.  I also know that some people are a heck of a lot more outgoing than I.  I drug my feet until one Sunday, the sermon ended and the pastor said that God sometimes wants us to step out of our comfort zones.  As I tried to push my husband into the aisle to go forward before I chickened out, he drug his feet and stood his ground.  He does not like going in front of people.  So we went home and decided the next Sunday he'd talk to the pastor about it.  And yes, the pastor said the next step was to come forward.  We did and felt welcomed by all and we didn't have to do anything too uncomfortable. 
Now that we are members I think, what is my place in this congregation?  This is the scary part.  I took a spiritual gift quiz and got 18 questions in and think, "this isn't helping"  First off I was part of a church for 11 years and it took me years to feel comfortable around "some" of the people.  And there were things I either volunteered for or was asked (pushed) to participate in.  I often left those experiences with a feeling of "that didn't go anywhere" or "i didn't fit in" or "nobody listens to me"  I realize though that I have too high of expectations from people.  
Then I am so socially shy that I have retreated to telling people I can't participate because I have SAD (social anxiety disorder).  My friend claims that isn't true.  I attended a women's Christian retreat with her (with great angst to myself).  She contends that I blended in and talked so easily with the other women.  And I felt like it came pretty easy.  Except for the time I had to speak in front of a room full of people!  And of the women I thought I bonded with only one of them tried to stay in contact after I reached out to all of them.
As a youth, I sang in church, I was a youth leader, I was in plays, I spoke in front of the church, but it was a congregation of about 30-50.  And I had mostly friends, and family members around me.
I feel there are people in churches that enjoy getting involved.  Those who love to organize events and those who love to teach.  I am not one of those people.  I want to be a pew warmer.  So that brings me back to why join a church if you don't plan on participating? 
I don't like church dinners, or gettogethers.  I only like getting together with individuals.  I feel most comfortable being around one or two people.  I have the same friends since grade and middle school.  I have made some new friends over the years, I suppose.  Some of which are older people, like my friend Lola.  And when I did hair, I enjoyed talking to my clients for the most part. 
I did get to a place in my life where it was harder and harder for me to face the public.  I wanted to stay at home and never be around another person (non-family/close friend) again.   So I ask God, "what can someone as socially awkward as I do for you?" and he brought me to a couple of online groups.  There I could share and sympathize with the members.  They helped me through a pretty rough time and I "hope" I helped them. 
A few years back I felt compelled to work with foster children so I inquired about CASA. but when it came around to class time I wasn't feeling good physically or emotionally.  And now I've offered to help with an organization that helps unwed mothers.  It was a out of my comfort zone for me to make that offer.  I will see how it goes when that class begins in April.
I think of Moses in the Bible.  He didn't like to speak in front of others, so God gave him Aaron.  And I hope somehow God is using me.  I know God is suppose to give us all gifts and I feel a little self conscious looking for my "strengths" or saying "I have the gift of..."  I just will trust He has a plan and it will fit in with whatever gifts I might have?
I did have something happen to me in church today that made me think that maybe God was using me.  I often think of people I know who need prayer through out my day.  Today it was during church.  So as I was praying to myself for this person, I prayed "God, I don't know why they need prayer" Almost immediately the pastor said something similar to "sometimes we don't know what to pray for, but God knows"  I felt like maybe God did recognize my prayers and was using me, even if it were just to pray for someone.  And saying "just to pray" is inaccurate because prayer, I believe is the Christian's greatest tool in this world!

Ceramic Mug Repurposed with Acrylic Paint and Sharpies

I had grown really tired of these Christmas striped mugs.  We liked to use them cause they are the perfect size.  I read up online about painting Ceramic and lots of people were using enamel paints.  Then at ehow I found instructions for painting with acrylic paints.  So I had at it on one of our mugs for my husband's valentine's day gift.  
1) I took and laid the cup upside down on a newpaper (and I learned after I painted it that the paper stuck to the cup, so I switched to wax paper) I had to paint at least 3 coats of white to cover the stripes. I used a little foam brush and a small bathroom cup to hold the acrylic paint.
2) I let it dry about an hour after final coat.
3) I pencil drew my design. 
4) When I was happy with that I used sharpies to finish. 
5) Next I put it in cool oven at 325* for 30 mins. (do not preheat as the ceramic might crack)
5) Finally turn oven off and let cool in oven for about 20 mins. 
6) It must cure for 72 hours before using.  I haven't tested mine yet but hopefully it will be durable for dishwasher. 

Removing Hair Dye from Skin

 

Loving that new dark hair color but hate the hair color smudges around your hairline, on your neck, top of ears, etc.  One simple solution...

 

  Use a little baking soda on a wet wash cloth and rub.  No need to rub excessively.  It will come of with little effort.

Football Chip Beef Cheese Ball

 

 

Make your favorite cheese ball recipe.

I think I found one on a box of cream cheese. 

Shape into a football.  Add some crackers around it.

This recipe had chip beef in it.  So that is what i used to make the football laces. 



How are We to Become Bitter or Better People

I don't want to be a bitter person.  I want to be a better person. I have been around some negative and bitter people.  While I don't see myself as being bitter, yet, I've definately been negative.  I often wonder, will I become bitter if I become sick, or when I experience loss or when I become so old I've lost enjoyment in life?  I don't want to be. 
So how do I prevent it? I like what C.S. Lewis said "faith is the art of holding on to things in spite of your changing moods and circumstances."
How do you keep your faith in the midst of loss, depression, sickness, growing old?  I believe it's by talking to God.  Really, really praying through the hard times.  When you don't feel it, keep believing it.
I've also met some very positive people who amaze me at their tenacity.  My husband's grandma comes to mind.  She is 94 years young.  When you ask her how she is, she shrugs her shoulders and says, "why complain, what good does it do?"  She is right.  Complaining may unburden you for awhile but it also slips into your spirit and makes you weaker. 
I don't imagine myself being someone who fights hard to live when life gets tough.  I don't imagine myself being a gracious old person.  I often worry as I grow old and see love ones die, my body fail me, and my memory slip away that I'll be a grumpy old person.  I don't want to be that so I must keep in constant communion with Jesus.
I seen such strength in my mom.  I didn't recognize it when I was young.  But she was a young widow at 51.  She raised me by herself, she always had a heart for others, she had a positive outlook.  Then she spent many years alone.  But she wasn't truly alone because she had a constant companion.  She had a friend always present to listen to her cries.  She had Jesus. 
I hope if there is anything that gets me through this sometimes joyous and sometimes painful life, it will be my faith in Christ.
"Behold I am with you always.  Even until the end of the world" Matthew 28:20

Easy, Peasy Shrimp Cocktail

 

Easy Shrimp Cocktail

 

 A super easy dish to serve along side your meal or as an appetizer to hold your guest til dinner time.
Simply use the frozen, tail on, medium to large shrimp.
Thaw under some tap water.
Place around a dessert cup or something similar.  These I believe are sherbet glasses.  They look a little like a cocktail glasses.  Whatever works!
Put your cocktail sauce in the center.  This was also in a jar in the aisle with ketchup.
So pretty and so easy. 
If you are ambitious you could cook your own shrimp and make your own cocktail sauce.

Easiest, fall apart in your mouth, Crock Pot Italian Beef

I'm not going to lie.  This is the best Italian Beef you will have.  It's super easy and it really cheap. 

Ingredients
1 Jar (11 oz) Pepperoncinis
1 Boneless beef chuck roast (3-4 lbs)
1/4 cup water
Italian seasoning mix (I keep this on hand and I make my own) 1 3/4 tsp dried basil, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2tsp dried oregano, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper
if you like onions add one large, sliced and quartered onion
10-12 sub rolls, or preferably hard rolls for dipping in au jus.

Here's the super easy part
Take your chuck roast and cut it in half

Put 1/2 of roast on bottom of crock pot
add your water
sprinkle 1/2 of your Italian seasoning over meat
add other 1/2 of roast on top of last and sprinkle it with remaining seasoning
now if you have the pepperoncinis with stems you can remove stems first or as the Italians say "don't worry about it"
I prefer to buy the sliced pepperoncinis and reserve some for putting on top of sandwich
Just pour your pepperonchini juice with peppers over beef.
Also if you like onions this is where you would top with onion

Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours.  Take 2 meat forks and shred the roast up.  Chuck is sometimes fatty so I do have to pick out some of the fat.  Use a strainer spoon to serve on rolls.  We like ours with a little mayo on bottom roll and sometimes a little of the juice for dipping.

This one is a little spicier because of peppers and juice but it is so delish!

 

Melts in your mouth!

Christmas DIY Basket

This year I decided I wanted to share some of my new Pinterest products and projects with some of my friends and family.  I made three of these baskets and even though it was a lot of preparation I enjoyed putting them together.  I've got good reviews on the sugar scrub, cinnamon honey butter spread and the leave in hair conditioner.  So here's a little peak of what I put into my baskets.  Maybe you will get ideas for next year!  I know I'm looking out for new gift ideas...

Sugar Scrub and Honey Butter Spread.  Ingredients for sugar scrub ~1/3 cup coconut oil, 1 1/2 cup sugar, red food coloring, few drops of peppermint essential oil, empty Starbucks bottle.
Mix coconut oil to sugar and add  essential oil. Divide and color 1/2 with a drop or two of red food coloring.  Using a paper funnel carefully spoon into an empty Starbucks bottle. (I spray painted the lids silver and put a round christmas label on top) layer the white and red and lightly pack each color with the end of an ice cream scoop, til u get a candy cane look. 
Add a nice label.  I put the ingredients on my labels. 
I got the free printable labels from http://blog.worldlabel.com/2012/christmas-labels-ready-to-print.html  I printed them on cardstock paper then laminated them with clear packaging tape on both sides of label then trimmed excess off. Punch a hole, glue or use clear packaging tape to protect them on glass or plastic containers.
Originally spotted through pinterest thanks to blog http://www.theidearoom.net/2012/11/peppermint-candy-cane-sugar-scrub.html

Ingredients for Cinnamon honey butter spread ~ 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 cup honey , 1 cup powder sugar and 1 cup butter
directions-  soften butter, add honey, mix with powder sugar and add cinnamon.
Spoon into short mason jars. Add pretty cloth to lid, tie a label with ingredients onto jar.  Originally spotted on pinterest thanks to blog http://tidymom.net/2010/cinnamon-honey-butter-gifts-in-a-jar/

This next project of pictures on a block of wood was not a complete success.  I think if I'd used untreated wood blocks, like my husband suggested, then the pictures would of possibly absorbed into wood better and looked clearer.  This was the wood we had on hand, so I used it.  This was an easy project also inspired by Pinterest and a really cute, super short video detailing the steps. http://youtu.be/_NjYbAAQ4vw

 





These seasoning blends were my own.  I also included handwritten recipes to go with the seasoning blends.  Add labels with ingredients and amt of servings.  Most of mine were 2 servings per recipe. 
1. Italian Seasoning ingredients ~ 1 3/4 tsp dried basil, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano, 1 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper (x2 depending on jar size to double)
2. Ranch Seasoning Mix ~ 2 Tbs dried parsley, 1 tsp dried dill, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp dried basil, 1/2 tsp pepper (x2 depending on jar size to double)
3. Jerk Seasoning ~ 2TBS dried minced onion, 2 1/2 tsp dried thyme, 2 tsp ground allspice, 2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 cayenne pepper, 1/2 tsp salt (note to add 2 Tbs oil for marinade)
4. Taco Seasoning ~ 1 Tbsp minced dry onions, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp corn starch, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 - 1 tsp cayenne pepper (x2 to double if needed to fill jars)



My own stain spray.  Adapted from others I found on the Internet this one works the best and it's right here in my own blog! http://lojdandelion.blogspot.com/2012/11/diy-stain-spray.html 
Add a label of ingredients so your friend or family can make their own!







Also I included my favorite homemade fabric softener that I mixed in an old bleach bottle that was rinsed well.  I removed labels and added a pretty fabric around middle which I attached with fabric glue.  Then I spray painted lid silver and added a label on front with the ingredients and instructions. 

3 Cups Hot water, Mix with 2 cups of fragrant conditioner (I like the VO5 Passion fruit and it's about 79 cents a bottle) and 1 1/2 cup of white vinegar.  Shake before using and use about 2 Tbsp in downy ball or softener dispenser on washer.  This was large so I didn't include in the gift basket but alongside.








I made some under eye cream in some small containers I kept.  The small short one was much easier to fill. 
The ingredients are 1Tbs Aloe Vera Gel, 1/2 tsp hemorrhoid cream (for eye puffiness) and a few drops of Vitamin E oil.  This I recommended being kept in refrigerator for extra cool soothing.  







I made some leave in conditioner that I found on pinterest.  It works really well and I was anxious for my friends and family to try it. 
Ingredients ~ 3 oz water, 1/2 TBS of extra virgin olive oil, and 1 oz of favorite conditioner.  Instructions for using this product to it's greatest potential is on this blog!   http://lojdandelion.blogspot.com/2012/07/hair-and-beauty-tricks.html










Easy no water snow globes. Save either glass or plastic jars. I spray painted lid, bottom and inside either gold or silver. I glued little plastic picture frames with picture inserted with hot glue onto lid. I also added some mini ornaments glued to top to look like they are floating.  I then used some fake snow that was also sparkly (so I didn't need glitter too) Put lid on and shake up. Some of the glitter/snow sticks to the sides of jar because of static. Really cute and easy.









These are two of the baskets I bought at a discount store for about $3 each.  I found some basket cellophane wrap and some pretty red shred too from a Michael's hobby store.  I added some store bought gifts like tea, lip balm, hair accessories, coffee mug, even a bottle of egg nog and some gift cards.  I had some pretty ribbon to tie it all together and added a nice ornament attached to the basket ribbon.

 My finished Basket!  I am pretty proud.

  



Make Ahead Oatmeal

Make 6 servings of quick oats on stovetop.  Add 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup of maple syrup to cooked oats, stir.  Put into 6 microwaveable bowls and cover with plastic wrap.  I use saucer plates to stack 3 bowls for more refrig room.  For my family I added simple directions for warming up.  1min 30 sec on high, add splash of milk, stir and eat.  Super great start in the morning and easier than packets.

Easy Potato, Sausage and French Bean Skillet

Super easy and delish supper.
Ingredients~
9oz skinless polish sausage
8 small potatoes or 4 large
Can of french green beans, drained
1 cup of chicken broth
1 TBS Mrs Dash seasoning original blend
2 TBS minced garlic
2 TBS Olive oil
Cut potatoes into large chunks and slice sausage into 1" pieces, add to skillet with olive oil.  Let cook til a little brown.  Add Mrs Dash and garlic.  Let absorb flavors then add the chicken broth, cover and simmer til potatoes get soft.  Add green beans and cook til hot.  Serve!